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Top news items in major Zambian media outlets

Xinhua, December 22, 2016 Adjust font size:

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

--Zambia's ruling party said it will not be pressured by disgruntled elements calling for elections because the current mandate of office bearers has not yet expired.

Davies Mwila, the Patriotic Front(PF) Secretary-General said the party's top leadership will not bow to those calling for premature elections, adding that there was nothing urgent that warranted calls for intra-party elections.

Divisions have rocked the ruling party with some members calling for elections in order to elect new leaders as most of the current leaders have lamentably failed. (Times of Zambia)

--Zambia and Zimbabwe have signed a two-year memorandum of understanding on the implementation of a universal visa program to facilitate the entry of tourists from over 65 countries with a single document.

Minister of Home Affairs Stephen Kampyongo signed on behalf of Zambia while his Zimbabwean counterpart Ignatius Chombo signed for his country during a ceremony in the southern city of Livingstone.

The Zambian minister said it was good that the two countries have taken the lead in the region to have a uni-visa under a project called Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area. (Zambia Daily Mail)

--The Zambian government said it would assess the market before deciding on whether to refinance the Eurobonds in 2017.

The government has come under attack over its plans to refinance its 2.8 billion U.S. dollars worth of Eurobond, with analysts urging it to delay the re-financing until financing conditions become favorable.

Minister of Finance Felix Mutati said refinancing the Eurobonds will be determined by the satisfaction of the market fundamentals such as being able to obtain longer repayment terms and achieving lower interest rates.

The Eurobonds were issued from 2012 to 2015. (Daily Nation)

--A union representing workers in the mining industry has asked the Zambian government to stop the looming massive job losses at Konkola Copper Mine (KCM), a subsidiary of London-listed Vedanta Resources.

Nkole Chishimba, the president of the Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ) said there were signs that the firm could not survive anymore in the industry and added that the government has a responsibility to protect the workers.

Minister of Mines and Minerals Development Christopher Yaluma said early this week that the government will soon conduct a thorough fact-finding mission at the mining firm to establish the state of affairs. (The Mast) Endit