Speaking in an exclusive interview with Qfm, Mr. Lubinda trashed the assertions stating that he will remain committed to serving Kabwata residents.

Mr. Lubinda who is also Foreign Affairs and tourism minister explained that such speculations lack merit.

He said he has no intentions of challenging for the party presidency stating that his loyalty is to the people in his constituency.

An online publication has singled out Defence Minister Geoffrey Mwamba, popularly known as GBM, PF Secretary General Winter Kabimba, and Foreign Affairs Minister Given Lubinda as those eying the PF presidency following President Sata’s indication that he might not go re-election in 2016.

Meanwhile, Mr. Lubinda has reiterated his government’s commitment to creating employment for the majority youths in the country.

He has since urged the youths in the country to take advantage of the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) which he says is creating employment opportunities in various skills for the young people.

This comes after the signing of an agreement between a Zambian firm, Sub-Saharan Gemstone Exchange Industrial Park (SGE) of Ndola and Maysen & Borowski Group of Australia to construct the refinery and pipeline.

Zambia’s second refinery and the new pipeline running from Dar-es-Salaam to Ndola will see increased fuel production by an additional five million litres of fuel per day which it is projected would lead to a reduction of fuel prices in Zambia by 30 per cent. The new refinery will be using natural crude in its production process.

SGE and Maysen & Borowski Group of Australia signed the agreement in Ndola yesterday in the presence of Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister, Robert Sichinga.

Maysen & Borowski Group Manager for Finance and Corporate Services, Mathew Borowski who signed on behalf of his company, said the idea to invest in Zambia was mooted in October last year when Vice-President, Guy Scott and Mr Sichinga were in Australia for the Commonwealth Heads of State Summit.

The Group comprises five companies, dealing in corporate risk solutions and investment.

It operates in Australia, United States of America, Canada and Africa and is headquartered in Perth, Australia. The company’s establishment in Zambia is expected complement Indeni Petroleum Refinery output.

Mr Borowski said the project would create 13,000 jobs during construction and 5,000 jobs when the entire project, which will include a dry-port, warehouse and houses, was completed.

He said although Zambia was landlocked it was strategically located for investment and trade. Zambia has easy access to the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa).

“The project will increase fuel production by five times and we also want to open up the Congo DR market,” he said.

He said the success of the petroleum refinery project would also create opportunities for other companies.

Mr Borowski said his company was also involved in tourism and would look at constructing mini hydro-power stations.

Zambia’s national consumption for diesel is pegged at more than one million litres while petrol stands at about 750 litres pay day.

SGE chairperson, Phesto Musonda said the refinery would be built at a cost of US$1.7 billion while the pipeline from Tanzania to Ndola would gobble up US $1.6 billion.

Mr Musonda said Zambia consumed 1.5 million litres of fuel per day and that the new refinery would be producing five million litres per day.

He said SGE was happy to partner with Maysen & Borowski Group because the petroleum refinery would come with a number of benefits besides the creation of thousands of jobs.

And Mr Sichinga said that the Government was mobilising investors and encouraging Public Private Partnerships (PPP).

He said he was impressed with the rate at which the plans for the refinery and pipeline project had progressed because it was only in October last year when the idea was discussed and already experts had assessed its viability.

The minister said foreign investors alone could not develop the country and that this was the reason the Government was encouraging Zambians to engage in partnerships.

He said that the liberalisation of the economy in the 1990’s cost Zambians a lot but that the country would re-look at what went wrong  to create an impetus for economic growth.

A feasibility study would immediately start before construction commences at the former Ndola Copper Refinery in the industrial park of the industrial area.

This is the first time since February 2001 that the side, coached by Herve Renard, have made it into the top 50.

The Chipolopolo are now ranked 4th on the continent behind Ivory Coast,Ghana and Algeria respectively.

The rankings monitored by QFM News were released today by FIFA.

Despite losing on penalties in the decider, Cote d’Ivoire 15th, remain Africa”s highest-positioned team. Aside from the two finalists, third-placed Mali 44th, up 25 places as well as host nations Gabon 45th, up 46 places and Equatorial Guinea 110th, up 41 places have made considerable ground.

Changes are also to be seen in the top ten, with Germany 2nd, up 1 place bumping the Netherlands out of second place to take up position behind Spain, and Portugal 6th, and Italy 8th also making headway. Denmark have moved into the top ten (10th, up 1), pushing Argentina down to 11th.

All of these changes in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Ranking are due to the devaluation of matches from previous years, as no top-ten team has played a match in the last month.

The results of 51 international matches have been taken into account in compiling the current edition of the FIFA/Coca-Cola Ranking, of which 32 took place as part of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations and 19 were friendlies.

The next FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking will be issued on 7 March 2012, one week earlier than originally planned.

Dr. Kalumba says there is nothing wrong with the government’s re-alignment of districts as it is in the best interest of the country.

He says the decision by the government is the best economic reforms that the country is undertaking under the current government.

Dr. Kalumba has since called on Zambians not to view the move as political as it is aimed at developing the country.

He says politicizing every government decision will only retard the country in terms of development.

Dr Kalumba advises that Zambians should avoid politicizing matters of development being pursued by the government.

QFM NEWS reports that President Sata has since appointed Martin Mwanambale as Director-General of the Zambia Security Intelligence Services (ZSIS) and Stella Libongani as Inspector-General of Police.

The Head of State has deployed the two ex-service chiefs into the Foreign Service.

This development makes Ms. Libongani the first female Inspector General of Police in Zambia’s history.

The President expressed gratitude to Mr. Phiri and Dr Malama for their unflinching loyalty, hard work and dedication to him as Commander-in-Chief and the country in general during their distinguished service as heads of these relevant security wings.

And President Sata has further appointed Samuel Nkhoma and Peter Chingaipe as Deputy Director-General of the Zambia Security Intelligence Services and Deputy Inspector General of Police correspondingly.

The Head of State says he was confident that the two senior security officers will perform to his expectations and that of the Zambian people in general.

The changes are with immediate effect.

This is contained in a statement released to QFM by the President’s Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations George Chellah.

A dramatic shoot-out at the end of 120 minutes of largely underwhelming football went the way of Zambia when Gervinho shot wide and Stophira Sunzu stepped up to slot home.

The final proved a tale of penalty woe for Cote d’Ivoire, chasing its first continental crown for 20 years, with Didier Drogba also failing from the spot during the 90 minutes.

But the win was ultimately no more than Zambia deserved for a plucky display against the odds.

The underdog started brightly and almost claimed a second-minute lead, Nathan Sinkala’s low drive superbly saved by Cote d’Ivoire goalkeeper Boubacar Barry low to his right.

Zambia boss Herve Renard was forced into a reshuffle after 11 minutes when defender Joseph Musonda was forced from the field in tears after catching his knee in the turf when making a challenge.

Nyambe Mulenga came on but the change did not disrupt the Zambians’ flow, with Chisamba Lungu looping a header narrowly over two minutes later.

It took Cote d’Ivoire’s star-studded line-up 30 minutes to create a noteworthy chance, a clever backheel from Drogba picking out Yaya Toure but the Manchester City midfielder failed to find the target from eight yards.

The match degenerated into a scrappy affair after half-time with neither side able to put together a period of sustained pressure.

But in a rare moment of quality, Gervinho provided Drogba with the chance to redeem himself for his penalty shoot-out miss in the 2006 final defeat to Egypt.

The Arsenal forward burst into the area and was felled by a combination of Isaac Chansa and Mulenga, but Drogba sidefooted his spot-kick horribly over the bar.

The Elephants had another chance to win it in normal time but substitute Max Gradel, having turned his man inside the area, shot inches wide of the far post.

Zambia also had a late chance with a wonderful tackle from Kolo Toure preventing Emmanuel Mayuka from getting a shot on goal when he was well placed.

Zambia had the only chance in the first period of extra-time and it almost resulted in the opening goal.

Felix Katongo beat his marker down the right and crossed for brother Christopher, whose close-range shot would have sneaked in at the near post but for a vital touch from Barry’s boot.

Cote d’Ivoire had two chances to win it after the break but Didier Ya Konan curled an effort just wide while, after 117 minutes, Gradel took an airshot when well placed.

The shoot-out was locked at 7-7 after 14 nerveless penalties before Kolo Toure saw his effort saved by Kennedy Mweene.

Rainford Kalaba fluffed his big moment by shooting over the bar but there was no second reprieve when Gervinho missed and Sunzu slotted in.

Police Spokesperson Elizabeth Kanjela in a statement released to QFM says of the 32 accidents recorded, four were fatal accidents and twelve were serious accidents in which 31 people were seriously injured.

Ms Kanjela says seven were slight accidents in which 16 people were slightly injured while 16 are damages.

She says in Lusaka alone 20 accidents of which one was fatal and one life was lost were recorded, while on the Copperbelt nine accidents were recorded of which one was fatal and one life was lost.

In Mazabuka three soccer fans died after being hit by a vehicle while celebrating Zambia’s qualification to the AFCON finals.

More than twenty other fans are battling for their lives in Mazabuka General Hospital as a result of the same accident.

Mr. Sichinga says commercial banks have since withdrawn some of the notes from circulation.

The minister notes that it is disappointing to learn how the MMD used the illegal currency to manipulate the people in the rural areas adding that the money was only captured when it entered the banking system.

But the MMD has refuted the allegations by Mr. Sichinga.

Mr. Sichinga has noted that his statement has nothing to do with the distortion of the country’s economy but that the actions by the MMD government to print fake notes is what has affected the Zambian currency.

Mr. Sichinga could however not comment further on the matter saying it was the responsibility of the central bank and ministry of finance to indicate the measures that have been put in place to completely withdraw such money from circulation.

The TP Mazembe of DR Congo has been very outstanding as Chipolopolo have marched in fine style to the semi-finals of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.

He has won two successive man of the match awards including in Saturdays 3-0 quarterfinal win over Sudan in Bata, has been in outstanding form for Zambia and the teams driving force at the ongoing Nations Cup despite scoring just one goal.

“For me, he is one of the best players in Africa, maybe in the top 15,” remarked an appreciative Renard.

The French coach also revealed that for his suspension, Zambia and not Nigeria would have reached the semi-finals of the 2010 Nations Cup in Angola.

“You know when we played the 2010 quarterfinals he was suspended and yesterday (Saturday) before the game I said we are lucky because Rainford is here,” the Zambia coach offered.

Kalaba missed the 2010 quarterfinal in Lubango and Nigeria went through after a penalty shootout.

The Frenchman would also reveal the nickname  Zambia teammates call the influential playmaker.

Speaking in Bata on Sunday, Renard said he also believed that the TP Mazembe midfielder is one of the best 15 players in Africa.

“Do you know the name his teammate are calling him on the pitch They are calling him ‘Master’,” Renard said.

“When they are asking for the ball they call out ‘Master! Master!!’

“I think the word can only explain everything and how important he is to the team.”

In a statement released to QFM today, Mr Hichilema says the change that was voted for is slowly beginning to resemble the old MMD regime.

He says nothing has changed as the style of governance of the Michael Chilufya Sata led government is worse than the MMD government they have replaced.

Mr Hichilema says in the previous regime, Zambians were unhappy with the use of Presidential powers to intimidate people and traditional rulers, citing the case when former President Rupiah Banda threatened to revoke the recognition of Chieftainess Nkomenshya.

He says today President Michael Sata has continued on this wrong path and that he is even getting worse.

The UPND leader states that President Sata is on record of mocking the Litunga, not long ago, while he recently threatened to revoke the recognition of the Eastern province Chiefs, Chief Madzimawe and Senior Chief Nzamane for merely expressing a view different from that of the President and Paramount Chief Mpezeni.

Mr Hichilema says President Sata should desist from maneuvers to intimidate and threaten chiefs.