Top news items in major Zambian media outlets

The following are news highlights in Zambia's major media outlets on Wednesday

-- Zambia's main opposition leader has asked the court to restrain the country's chief judge from swearing-in President-elect Edgar Lungu into office until a matter where they are challenging the decision of the Constitutional Court to dismiss their presidential petition is determined.

Hakainde Hichilema and his vice Geoffrey Mwamba have asked the High Court to halt the inauguration of Lungu and also to stay the decision of the Constitutional Court which dismissed the presidential election court.

Lungu, who was declared winner of the August 11 polls, will be inaugurated next Tuesday. (Times of Zambia)

-- The European Union (EU) has committed 244 million Euros for the implementation of energy-related projects in Zambia.

Adam Grodzicki, EU Head of Infrastructure, said the EU has so far provided 64 million Euros of the total budget for energy projects to Zambia for the rehabilitation of the Kariba Dam, co-shared with Zimbabwe.

The EU, he said, was also funding the rolling out of an energy transmission and distribution project to low-income areas in Lusaka at a cost of 65 million Euros. (Zambia Daily Mail)

-- Lack of awareness of benefits which come with electronic payments remains one of the key barriers to the use of Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards in Zambia, a local firm has said.

VISA Zambia said there is need for sensitization on the many usages of the ATM cards.

Salome Makau, the company's country manager, said most electronic card users in Zambia only used them when withdrawing money from ATMs at a fee when the cards could also be used for shopping for free.

She said VISA cards were one way of ensuring personal finances are managed effectively with minimal costs for the card holder. (Daily Nation) Endit