November

Vol.19, No. 11, 2013

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Published by:LH Publications Limited,

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Editor: Heather Bender ChalcraftLayout & Design: Louann Chalcraft

African Sugarbush (Protea gagued), Chalimbana River Catchment Area, Lusaka

by H Chalcraft

Front Cover Photograph:

Dirty Water

Lest We Forget

Boozers Get Fast Tracked

Star Gazer

In The Garden

Fool on the Hill

Mole in the Hole

Eating Out

Beauty Naturally

Book Review

New Discovery

What’s Happening

Restaurants

Employment Sought

Small Adverts

Biz Zone

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Dirty WaterForest Reserve no. 26. This area was declared a forest reserve back in the 1930’s and one of the main reasons for this declaration was to protect the Chalimbana River. The area forms part of the Upper Catchment area for the Chalimbana River. Due to lack of law enforcement in the forest reserve, this area has mostly been denuded of trees. However, as you know, if given some time and some protection, nature would recover and some tress would re-grow and in the meantime the ground cover of various grasses and shrubs would prevent some of the run-off allowing water to seep in and replenish the underground aquifer and the Chalimbana River. The health and well-being of this aquifer and the Chalimbana River are important to the city of Lusaka. A number of boreholes which feed into Lusaka’s main water supply are utilising water from the aquifer as are boreholes which supply water to the commercial and residential area which has developed along the Leopard’s Hill Road, the area known as New Kasama and State Lodge itself. The Chalimbana River is an important source of water for the persons living in Chieftainess Nkomeshya’s area which lies in the lower catchment area of the Chalimbana River. Contamination of the water by industrial or residential effluent would be disastrous for these people.

The non submission of any document to ZEMA for consideration, rejection or approval in advance of the project commencing is a serious irregularity. Government’s clearly stated policy is that the Laws of the land will prevail and the officers whose responsibility it was to submit these documents in a timely manner have been deficient in carrying out their duties in this regard.

But what is important now is that this issue is resolved. Whether it is an EIA or a SEA that is to be submitted, this should be done pronto so that ZEMA can do their job and the development can either be halted or whatever mitigation is required can be incorporated during the construction phase.

Ensuring a balance between economic development and protecting the environment is not easy. But it is the responsibility of Government to ensure that the due process

As this issue of the Lowdown is being put together we are experiencing what seems to be the hottest October in memory. With this heat one cannot deny that climate change is upon us and global warming seems to have become a reality. Yet we look around us and see that some of the main contributors to degradation of the environment continue unabated – deforestation, industrial effluent, river bank cultivation, disposal of human waste into rivers. And this is right here on our doorstep in the Chalimbana River catchment area from where a significant proportion of Lusaka’s water comes.

The Chalimbana River and its catchment area have long been news items and in recent weeks a new and contentious issue has arisen; that of the Lusaka South Multi-Facility Economic Zone (LS-MFEZ)

LS-MFEZ is a development taking place in what was previously Forest Reserve no. 26. This development, which will ultimately cover 2,100 hectares, was launched in 2009 by the Minister of Commerce. It is one of four MFEZ’s that were planned; Chambeshi and Lusaka East are already underway and we have not been able to confirm the current status of Lumwana.

The issue which has arisen recently is that to the best of anyone’s knowledge, neither an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) nor a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) have been submitted for approval by the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) as is required by Law for a development of this nature. This non-receipt of either of these documents has been confirmed by ZEMA. Civil society organisations are concerned that industrial effluent from LS-MFEZ may contaminate the underground water. An Environmental Impact Study (EIA) or a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) would identify the possibility of such contamination in advance and would allow for action to be taken during the construction phase and once it became operational to mitigate against such environmental degradation or damage.

As mentioned, LS-MFEZ is being developed in an area which forms part of Lusaka East

of law is followed and in this case, to ensure that there is no chance of underground water sources or rivers being contaminated. This is imperative for the people in Chieftainess Nkomeshya’s area who are dependent on a healthy Chalimbana River for their lives and their livelihoods. Anything less would be a complete failure by the responsible officials. Surely it is better to, if necessary, put the project on hold, and to conduct the necessary assessments so that protection of this vital water source is assured. The alternative is a clear dereliction of duty.

Note should also be taken that the documentation prepared by JICA and downloaded from their website clearly states that the EIA/SEA that was to be prepared during the planning and pre-construction phase would be for the overall development only. Investors taking up sites in the LS-MFEZ would be required to prepare and submit their own project briefs based on their business models and planned production processes. We can only hope that ZEMA are going to ensure that this is done and processed in accordance with the law.

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Lest We Forget

The EXSELZA National Committee operates out of refurbished offices in the Burma Memorial Hall in Lusaka. Elections have been held in all the Provinces to establish Executive Committees so that a robust organisation is in place to carry out this mandate.

The Burma Memorial Hall in Lusaka commemorates all those brave Zambian Soldiers who paid the ultimate sacrifice and gave their lives for our freedom. The Plaque on the Hall is a Royal Commonwealth War Graves Commission Site, which names all those Zambians who fell in battle.

Sadly the Hall itself has been allowed to fall into a bad state of disrepair, but it is hoped that in the near future, the Hall can be refurbished into a fitting memorial to those brave men, who fought for our freedom and who served in far-off lands such as Somalia, Abyssinia, Madagascar, Burma, India and Palestine.

But to achieve their aims, EXSELZA need your help and will this year be launching a Poppy Appeal. The money collected through the Poppy Appeal goes solely to assist the Ex-Servicemen and Widows. Poppy Appeals have been held in Zambia in the past, but it has been some years (more than forty) since we have seen people in strategic places with collection boxes selling poppies to pin to your lapel. If everything goes according to plan, a few of these will again be seen in Zambia in 2013, as it is throughout each Commonwealth country during Remembrance tide, the now forgotten period prior to Remembrance Sunday which falls on the nearest Sunday to 11 November.

Readers will recall that in our June 2013 issue, we made an appeal for assistance for Zambia’s War Veterans; those Zambians who had fought in World War II to secure our freedom and the peace and prosperity we now all enjoy.

Thank you to those people who did drop off clothes, blankets etc at our offices for distribution to these veterans. We will ensure they reach the Veterans.

We also mentioned in our article that we were trying to establish whether there was any assistance being given to these Veterans by either The Royal Commonwealth Ex-Services League(RCEL) or the Ex-Servicemen’s League of Zambia (EXSELZA).

We are now pleased to report success in this regard, as we have managed to get in touch with the very enthusiastic Lt Colonel Mike Reeve-Tucker OBE who is the Council Member for Zambia for the RCEL. Mike is now permanently resident in Zambia and is working very hard in conjunction with EXSELZA to ensure that our War Veterans and Widows are looked after as well as possible.

The new committee of EXSELZA, of which Mike is a member, have managed to identify (and verify) 61 Veterans and 43 Widows, although there may still be more living in villages spread across Zambia. The search for these Veterans continues.

EXSELZA is one of the 58 member Organisations in the Commonwealth Affiliated to the RCEL in London, whose Grand President is HRH Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh. Its Membership is open to all those who served in the Defence Forces prior to and after Independence. The Mandate of the EXSELZA is to provide welfare to Zambian War Veterans and Widows: those who served the Crown before Independence in 1964 and those who served in the Zambian Defence Forces after Independence. In part, this is done by the RCEL, themselves a charity, who provide a very small grant each year from the United Kingdom, which is distributed to War Veterans and Widows in need.

Memorial Hall Fund) or The Ex-Servicemen’s League of Zambia (Poppy Appeal) and post your cheque to Poppy Appeal, Burma Memorial Hall, Burma Barracks, PO Box 50374, Lusaka. Alternatively, donations can be deposited directly into EXSALZA’s bank account (Account: Ex-Servicemen’s League of Zambia. Account Number: 043-1131897. Barclays Bank, Kabwata Branch. Lusaka)

For the general public, when you see someone approaching you with Poppies, please contribute and donate generously. Do not shun them. By donating, you will not only be helping to keep alive the spirit of Remembrance, but you will also assist in providing support for the Ex-servicemen’s community and their families. If you can support the Ex-Servicemen’s League of Zambia with money or even hands-on help, you can be proud that you are contributing towards the well-being of Ex-Servicemen to whom we owe so much.

The Ex-Servicemen’s League of Zambia needs all our backing whether you are Ex-Servicemen or just proud Zambians.

The question is often asked how and why does one wear a Poppy. The answer … ’wear the Poppy with Pride’ and ‘as an act of Remembrance for all those who made the ultimate sacrifice on your behalf.’

The Ex-Servicemen’s League of Zambia can be contacted by telephone on 0211 258-937 or by email at zambialeague@yahoo.co.uk. Or visit their website www.exselza.org.

Last year only 6 Zambian firms made donations to this appeal and this year the target is 100 donations (to make up for last year’s fallow contributions). Please give generously to support the War Veterans of Zambia, who as young men in the hour of great need, made enormous sacrifices on our behalf, so that we could enjoy the freedom and prosperity we now enjoy. But a word of warning. Scams and scammers abound in Zambia. There will be a limited number of collection boxes and these will be Red sealed Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal plastic Collection tins(with Poppies in RBL Trays) and the street collectors will be wearing white Poppy Appeal shirts with ‘Ex-Servicemen’s League of Zambia…Serving those who Served’ on the back (see photo on page 5).

EXSALZA’s target for restoration of the Burma Memorial Hall is K 40,000. The funds for this are separate from those raised through the Poppy Appeal.

To donate to both Appeals, please do not send cash. Please make cheques out to: The Ex-Servicemen’s League of Zambia (Burma

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Boozers Get Fast Trackeddriving as how this is handled does not seem to be clear. RTSA have clarified that the legal Blood Alcohol Content in Zambia is 0.8 mg/ml

If a driver is stopped on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, the first test will be by breathalyser at the check point. If the breathalyser indicates that the driver is above the legal limit, the driver will be required to undergo a blood or urine test at the UTH. If this test confirms a higher than the legal limit alcohol content the necessary summons to appear in Court will be issued.

RTSA are hoping that Court cases and the necessary paperwork will be dealt with quickly and disposed of in the shortest possible time. The target is to finalise each case within two weeks. Some may even be dealt with in two days.

It is heartening to know that finally something proactive is being done about motorists who commit driving offences or who drive under the influence of alcohol thereby endangering the lives of you and your family. The number of deaths, injuries and near accidents on our roads is very high and this should have been done years ago.

For those who are in the habit of going out for a few drinks and then weaving their way home, now is the time to find a driver who can drive you home or to shell out for a taxi to take you home safely.

Most readers will have seen the recent reports in the press regarding the pilot project by RTSA where anyone committing a traffic offence will be taken to Court. How this will work seems to have caused a great deal of alarm amongst motorists so we had a chat with the relevant people at RTSA.

This project will initially only cover Lusaka, but if successful, it will be extended to other towns around Zambia. The Court, based at the Lusaka City Council, has been gazetted and is a Subordinate Court Class 1. A Senior Resident Magistrate will preside over the Court. The requirement that traffic offenders are taken to Court, even when admitting guilt, is not new. This legislation has been in place since ‘forever’ but has not been done for some years.

Enforcement of the legislation regarding vehicles and driving will continue as before through road blocks and routine inspections as well as roving patrols. Offenders will be issued with a Summons stating the offence and the date on which they must appear in Court. If the offender wishes to defend the charge they will do so at the Court and the Magistrate will pass judgement on the matter. If offenders wish to admit guilt and pay a fine instead, this will also be done through the Court.

A number of readers have requested clarification regarding alleged drunken

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Star Gazer by Gwyn

ThomasThe Sky in November

Constellations: Andromeda

It is approximately 2.5 million light years from Earth. Andromeda Galaxy is the largest galaxy in the Local Group which also contains the Milky Way, the Triangulum Galaxy as well as 30 other smaller galaxies. Observations from the Spitzer Space Telescope revealed that M31 contains contains one trillion stars. In 3.75 billion years the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy are expected to collide, merging into a giant elliptical galaxy.

The Andromeda Galaxy is one of the brightest Messier objects, with an apparent magnitude of 3.4, making it visible to the naked eye on moonless nights even when viewed from areas with moderate light pollution. Although it appears more than six times as wide as the full Moon when photographed through a larger telescope, only the brighter central region is visible to the naked eye or when viewed using binoculars or a small telescope.

Andromeda is one of the 48 Ptolomic constelaltions and is till one of the 88 modern constellations. Andromeda in Greek mythology was the daughter of Cassiopea. She was chained to a rock to be eaten by the sea monster Cetus. Andromeda is a Northen hemisphere constellation and is not visible to Southern observers below 40° South. It is one of the largest constellations with an area of 722 square degrees. Its brightest star is Alpha Andromedae (Alpharatz), a binary star which is a part of the great square of Pegasus. Beta Andromedae (Mirach) is a Red Giant with an apparent magnitude of +2.05 and is roughly 197 light years from Earth. Gamma Andromedae (Almaak) is a double star discovered in 1778 by Johan Tobias Mayer. It appears to be a bright golden star next to a dimmer indigo star.

The main deep-sky object is the Andromeda Galaxy (M31, also called the Great Galaxy of Andromeda) which is visible with the naked eye. This is the closest spiral galaxy to the Milky Way and is one of the brightest Messier objects. M31’s companion galaxies M110 and M32 as well as NGC891 and the The Blue Snowball Nebula are all visible in Andromeda.

Mirach

Alpharatz

AlmaakAndromeda Galaxy M31

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Peak21/1005/1112/1117/1121/11

Visible02/10 - 07/1101/10 - 25/1101/10 - 25/1112/11 - 21/1115/11 - 25/11

Meteor ShowersOrionids

Southern TauridsNorthern Taurids

Leonidsalpha MonocerotidsObserving conditions for the Northern

and Southern Taurids are good this year. Recommended watch times are 21:30 to 03:30.

Diary of Astronomical Phenomena

EventVenus at max. elongation (47° E)Mercury at inferior conjunctionSpica near the MoonSaturn & Mercury near MoonNew Moon (total solar eclipse)Venus 11° Moon. Daylight targetMoon furthest south (-19.6°)Moon at perigee (365361 km)Saturn at conjunction with SunJupiter stationaryPluto near the MoonFirst QuarterMercury stationaryNeptune near the MoonNeptune stationaryUranus near the MoonFull Moon (30.1’ diameter)Mercury max. elongation (19°W)Aldebaran near the MoonMoon furthest north (+19.6°)Jupiter near the MoonMoon at apogee (405445 km)Regulus near the MoonLast QuarterMercury near Saturn (19’ apart)Mars near the MoonSpica near the Moon

h82299141281113915816923217102119611142131319

d1123366667710101113141718181922222525262729

Andromeda Galaxy M31

During November the 5 major planets:• Mercury will move from the constellation

Libra into Virgo and back into Libra and it will be visible in the morning sky

• Venus will move through Scorpio into Sagittarius and is visible in the early evening sky

• Mars will be moving through Leo into Virgo is visible in the morning sky

• Jupiter is moving through Gemini is visible in the early morning sky.

• Saturn is moving from Virgo into Libra and is visible in the early morning sky.

conjunction: The phenomenon in which two bodies have the same apparent celestial longitude or right ascension as viewed from a third body, usually the Earth. The instant of conjunction does not necessarily correspond to the moment of least angular separation between the two boies.

elongation, planetary: The angle planet-Earth-Sun. Eastern elongations appear east of the Sun in the evening; western elongations, west of the Sun in the morning. An elongation of 0° is called conjunction, one of 180’ is called opposition and one of 90” is called quadrature.

Opposition: The instant when the Earth comes directly between a planet and the Sun, when the longitude of that planet differs by 180° from the longitude of the Sun. Thus only superior planets and minor planets can be in opposition.

Glossary

Pruning is necessary from time to time for most shrubs and climbers. Plants grow fast in the warm weather and throughout the rainy season so it is sensible to prune overgrown shrubs at this time of year. Many shrubs flower far more prolifically if they are pruned back quite drastically. Two good examples are petrea and coral creeper, but many others will benefit. If you find that one of your plants has “stopped flowering”, you have several options to consider – try fertiliser, dividing the plant or pruning.

Loppers are the essential tool for pruning most shrubs although you will manage to prune roses with sharp secateurs unless there are very thick old stems. Many a pair of secateurs has been ruined by using them to cut stems over 50 mm thick. Loppers make the job much easier.

First of all, stand back and look at the overall shape of the plant. Envisage in your mind’s eye the shape you are going to create. Then look for branches crossing over the inside of the plant or crowding the central area. Remove these branches entirely. Any thin and unhealthy branches can be removed. In general, cut at the base of a shoot or branch rather than trimming short tips off the ends.

If you need to prune a hedge, make sure that the top of the hedge is narrower than the base. If the top is wider it will block sunlight from reaching the lower branches and they will be unable to grow. You will have a hedge with a thin leafless base and lots of leaves on top. For this reason a hedge should have sides slanting towards the top. In order to get a really well-shaped hedge, you can make a simple wooden frame with a horizontal piece of the desired width at the top and “legs” on each side angled at about 10 to 20 degrees from upright. This can be moved along the hedge as a guideline when it is cut. One of the best hedge plants is duranta, either the green or the golden variety. It is a bit slow at first but will form an excellent hedge after two years. Another popular hedge plant is vitex – either the variegated or the purple type. It is a rapid grower and is easy to clip into shape. Bougainvillea makes a fearsome hedge but remember that the various colours grow at different rates. For a large hedge stick to red. If you have enough space, let it grow naturally and the arching branches will be covered with flowers. Bougainvillea flowers more when given less water.

Pruning roses is surrounded by mystique over right and wrong methods. In the last resort just chop all the branches down to 30 cms! But you, dear reader, will attempt more skillful pruning, I hope. First remove unwanted stems (too thin, unhealthy, dead or growing across the centre of the bush). Remove “suckers” that grow from the base below the graft zone and have leaves with only 5 leaflets instead of the normal 7. Then choose a healthy stem and look for a bud; the bud must face towards the outside of the bush. The cut must be 1 cm above the bud and slanting down to 50 mm above it on the inside of the stem. Always use sharp secateurs for a clean cut. If you leave too long a stem above the bud, it will die back to the bud and cause problems. Roses should be pruned in April or July but a long-neglected rose can be pruned now.In

The

Gar

den

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Highdrum was an old veteran of the schooling ring, dressage arena and cross country and had been with us for three years as a pioneer on our horse project in the Luangwa Valley where the last of his kind had been brought to die from Sleeping Sickness by the Portuguese explorers in the 16th Century, which is why the only word for horse in Chikunda is cavalo. The Belgian funded Tsetse Project staff had been amazing and every week drove to our stables bringing their generator, centrifuge and microscope and together we took blood samples from all four horses which they checked for the trypanosome parasites. We took all the horses’ temperatures three times a day, six days a week, come rain or shine. Dar, my right-hand man, had a house on the farm and looked after the horses with the same dedication and implacable strength, compassion and gentleness that he would one day lavish, first on our friends’ children and twenty years later, on our own. For his days off we employed two casual workers to cover for him, charged simply to muck out the stables and feed the horses, watch them in the paddocks and make sure they didn’t stray from the open dambo into the forest where the risk of tsetse fly was much higher.

Ten days after we brought the horses in, we’d had our first brush with Sleeping Sickness and two of the horses looked fit to fulfil the gloomy predictions of the pundits. Urticarial plaques rose beneath their coats, they ran high fevers and became anaemic and listless and we treated them with the kill or cure and highly toxic Samorin and slept in the stables with them, waking up on Christmas day feeling grim and hopeless and that (like our ancestors and theirs) we had brought them here to die. But they pulled through and with careful management had become salted to re-infection. But now it looked like a snake had undermined all our hard work.

Another short horse tale. The radio call had come in the

middle of a safari guide seminar where I was lecturing trainee walking

guides in firearm safety. I rushed to the base-set in the office to hear that young

Joseph had run to a friend’s house to tell them that one of the horses was seriously sick, having been bitten by a snake. The horse had bolted from our farm and was now a kilometre away, at our neighbour Mr Ngulubwe’s village, with Joseph

I ran back into the sitenje where the lectures were being held and making swift apologies checked my satchel for my revolver, shouldered it and ran to the office to find the phone number for the nearest vet over 500kms away in Lusaka. On the fifth attempt a faint ringing tone rewarded my persistent redialling. I explained the situation and she told me to confirm with her from the airport the species of snake if possible, to expect a depressed temperature and increased heart rate in the horse and to administer cortisone. “Good luck man” she said as she hung up.

I threw the satchel into the open topped Land Cruiser and roared out of the Park and onto the 25 km tarmac road that leads to the airport, as fast as I could safely go with kids and chickens lining the verges of the road. Five klics before the airport a narrow track left the road and snaked around a couple of small villages, through fields of dry maize stalks and under the power line to an open dambo area which we affectionately called Rancho Los Pajeros, the Ranch of the W*nkers; which is what everyone called us when we said we were building stables in tsetse country. Halfway down the track was a small dusty area cleared of all vegetation save for a single shrubby mango tree and a grass thatched mud house, and in the maize stubble beside this a head-stalled horse wheeled and turned on the end of a lead rope being held by a young African.

take those horses and ride them back to their village near the airport to drink beer, and then come back fast and drunk through the bush with the horses running and no control. That is why they have scratches; that is why the horse got sick. They do it every weekend. That boy rode the horse here so fast coming back in the hot sun and when he got here the horse fell down. Then the boy tied the horse to the tree and took the saddle and belts and carried them back to your farm so you would not know he had ridden it.”

“So do you agree with what is written here? Must I read it again?” I recorded in my journal the next day after Joseph under threat of calling in the police, was persuaded to come clean.

“You can” says the young man, standing before me head bowed.

“I, Joseph Malimba, make this statement freely. I agree that my employment is terminated with immediate effect on the grounds of gross negligence and that any moneys owing to me are paid in full or forfeited as a fine and that I have no further claim on the employer” I read the rest of the letter detailing the offences he has admitted to, then ask

“Is this correct? Yes?”

“Yes.”

His face is still turned down and the back of his raggedy checked shirt is tearing away from the collar, sun-bleached and threadbare, and he cannot look me in the eye.

“I don’t want to see you here again Joseph. You behaved badly and you lied to me, and you killed my horse and then you took my money to bury him. Sign the nkalata.”

I hand him the Bic ballpoint and squatting, he rests the paper on his knee and signs with the utmost care and a spidery hand, an ornate and flowery signature, lovingly crafted with the great import of a proudly won talisman hard earned. He stands and reaches the pen to me, raising his eyes at

I took the lead rope from Joseph and started to walk Highdrum through the maize stubble as he twitched and sweated through a terrible fever. Once I had him calmed a little and checked his vital signs and symptoms I questioned Joseph about the snake incident and then dashed to the nearest phone at the airport. After describing Highdrum’s condition including a series of cuts and scratches on his chest and forearms, to the vet in Town, she said in her opinion the horse had colic which most likely had progressed to a twisted gut. A fatal prognosis. I returned to the maize field, the cut stalks mostly flattened now by the horse’s frantic thrashing. For two more hours I tried to keep the animal quiet, tried to make him drink, tried not to let him cast himself down in the dust and roll in agony and by the end of that time we were both exhausted, sweat soaked and beaten, lying together in the dirt. The horse heaved a great cry, throwing his muzzle into the red clay and rolled his upward eye to meet mine which I took to mean “Enough!” and drawing the revolver while I lay across his neck shot him through the blaze on his forehead. My old terrier Snoops who loved me for the wild animals I sometimes adopted and nursed, and hated me for the few I sometimes hunted or euthanased because of poaching injuries, trotted over from his patch of shade under the mango tree. He took a hank of mane from high up on the horse’s neck between his teeth and backing away with such force that he almost moved the heavy head, tried to make Highdrum rise from the ground. He tried three more times and then with the coarse horse hair protruding from his jaws like moustaches gave me one sorry, disappointed look and turning his back on me, stalked back to the car.

Mrs Ngulubwe gave me permission to bury the horse in the field and I negotiated with Joseph to get a crew together and paid them to dig the hole. The next day I returned to the homestead to thank Mr Ngulubwe for his family’s help. When I told him what had happened in his absence he gave his head a rueful shake and said “Jack, those young chaps you employ, every Sunday when Dar is at church they

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last. There is first a look of relief therein, that he has escaped legal consequences in exchange for a simple dismissal; and it should have ended there. But one corner of his mouth is caught in a twitch of the briefest incipient smirk and now a glint in his eye confirms that he feels he is home and dry. I fumble the pass on purpose and the pen falls to the ground.

Automatically he bends to pick it up and as he does, I cup both hands on the back of his head at the base of his skull and push it down hard bringing my right leg up sharply into his face and feeling the cartilage of his nose buckle against the harder bone of my kneecap. He reels backwards, his eyes are wide with fear, the pupils dilated and bordered with white all round and startled by pain. Good. I grab for him but he twists under my arm and breaks for the door. I slow his escape by grabbing the back of his shirt which separates from the collar but hinders his flight long enough to allow me one good hard kick of his arse which sends him sprawling into the cobbled stable-yard on his face. I follow him out to meet the horrified stare of Dar who cannot fathom this sudden and uncharacteristically violent turn of events. The young man Joseph, scrambles to his feet and without a backward glance takes off across the yard, through the gate and into the scrub mopani beyond.

Joseph’s actions were those of an unrepentant and callous liar, and a coward whose thoughtless deceptions led to an agonising death, but regardless of this he was a poor teenager and a Zambian living in his own country; while I, a European was old enough to behave better, so in the end he does get a pass and I still feel like a bully and a bigot for my behaviour more than twenty years ago. In trying to break his nose I doubt I made Joseph a better person, though it surely makes me a worse one. There are two types of people in the world, those who believe there are two types of people in the world and those people who don’t. And for us in the former group I believe there are two types of people in the world; those who side with the boy and those who side with the horse in this story.

and had the sadistic, malicious and quite unkind pleasure of tipping him out of bed and watching him suffer the similar sorts of discomfort that I had experienced earlier. We were fuelled up and on the road before 7, back out of Kitwe towards Kalulushi and heading out on the Kalengwa Road through the plantations. It was a familiar road, highlights being the crossing of the Lufunyama, the Luswishi, the Chipupushi and, eventually, the Lunga Rivers. After that the hills came and the junction of the road from Solwezi. Past the turn off to Kasempa, then the one to Kalengwa, then the one to the north to Jivundu and the West Lunga Game Park, on towards Kabompo. My mate had said that he was looking forward to seeing Kabompo town but, lulled by the comfortable drone of GG and, no doubt, the alcohol consumption of the previous night, he fell fast asleep and remained in that state until well past the town, displaying odd signs of life by the occasional grunt and a spot of odiferous flatulence.

GG performed faultlessly and, when I think back, it was most probably the last time it did so. It was an elderly Land Cruiser estate wagon, previously owned by one of the eldery Shiel brothers (delightful Chingola characters) .The paint work was a restrained, respectable, metallic green, hence its nickname, the Green Goddess. It was a really comfortable ride; I had driven it to Jo’burg a couple of times and managed to get out of it at the end of the drive without feeling very much discomfort at all. In later times a series of little problems occurred. I discovered, at a critical juncture, that the four wheel drive did not work but, luckily, the mechanical winch did. The air conditioning failed, the attempt to repair it by a fellow called CY caused a hose to burst, leaving John Buckland stranded on the side of the road with wife, children and boat aboard. He decided not to waste any time, pulled out chairs, sat down and set to making a FOR SALE sign which was then put up. Several vehicles stopped to enquire how much he wanted for his delectable wife. As John said later

When the Madams are away the Rats can play, or at least drink to excess and talk absolute rubbish into the small hours. Not only had the Madam deserted me, gone off to count grandchildren somewhere or other but all my regular pals from Kalulushi had gone off as well, fishing on the Zambezi at a mission called Chitokiloki, to heck and gone in the bush. They had taken with them that redoubtable couple, Steve and Mo Lombard and the resident Hun of Kitwe, Ollie Hertrampf. His favorite joke (in fact I think that it was his only joke) was that of an old, unworldly Bavarian farmer, seeing a bus load of Nigerian tourists and enquiring “Has there been a fire?” Anyway, Ollie’s joke and other nonsense were part of the conversation held on a Thursday night with one of my major disreputable Indian pals, in a watering hole in Kitwe. As the night wore on and the levels in sundry bottles dropped we came to the conclusion that it was grossly unfair of everybody to go off fishing without us. Later still it was decided that we would rectify the matter by going to join them!

Six o’clock of the morning is not a good time to greet the sun when equipped with a hangover. Cursing the effects of (well I didn’t think that I had drunk THAT much) the previous evening I had a moment of total recall; I had promised to take my mate fishing. I HAD drunk that much! Nothing loth, I must honour my promise, got my act together, climbed into GG (The Green Goddess) and trundled round to my mate

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Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright

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the poor fellow to the Kalulushi police station from whence I had to rescue him. There he was in the cells, in tears, on his knees, praying to the Almighty to forgive him. It took a bit of time to restore him to a state of grace, not least by the copious application of my restorative brandy. He had eventually weaved off into the night, homeward bound to his mission and I was quite delighted to see that he had survived the ordeal and subsequent journey.

Having fuelled up GG, who needed it after the over 600 km journey, we back tracked down the road to the Chitokiloki turn off and bumped down the dirt road, eventually passing the mission to the right, the airstrip on the left, hence getting my dodgy pal to make a vow to get a plane (he now has two) and carried on down a little further to find our friends, camped by the river. The last boat was coming in, the sun was going down and by its light we saw that two of the boats were already on their trailers, ready for an early start on the trip back to the Copperbelt. We had come all this way without getting to fish! Luckily Broomie was feeling in a charitable mood and promised a trip early in the morning. The journey was forgotten, good food, plonk and conviviality flowed as the size of the fish caught grew apace with the passage of the evening.

At 7 the following morning, armed with fishing gear, a crate of Ohlsons and two packets of Pringles, the boat was launched and we headed downstream at a great rate of knots. Broomie knew the river well, fairly fast flowing and still quite high from the rains so the two rapids downstream were

that I should now See Why I should never have used that repairer. Many moons later it was last seen on a Presidential campaign, broken down on the North End Flyover in Lusaka, causing a bit of a traffic jam!

On to the end of the road we went to that incredible metropolis, Zambezi. It used to be called Balovale in those bad old colonial days when the Luvale tribe used to have punch ups with their Lunda neighbours. Now, dominating the rather bedraggled assemblage of buildings was one huge, half built construction which, I believe, was going to be some sort of religious edifice. Having seen one huge religious edifice we came across another. A vast priest in his long black robe, his capacious belly reined in by a great leather belt, was found in a shop where we had gone to buy a packet of biscuits. He was a priest from the mission up the road to Chavuma where they had built a footbridge across the Zambezi. He had the misfortune of crossing it with a crate of beer when the planking gave way under his weight and he was precipitated into the river. He was saved, but, woe, the crate of beer was lost. I was greeted as an old friend. He was the priest who had come to the mine some time ago, had begged for bits of scrap etc from the salvage yard and had been given a vanette load by the Sectional Engineer, a fellow Catholic and, regrettably, a bit of a tealeaf. Unlucky, the Sectional Engineer was under suspicion so his jaunja note (Material release slip) raised a red flag and the Mine Police arrested priest and vehicle. I was apprised of this development at 8 o’clock that night, by which time the Mine Police had transferred

of his face could easily have fallen off is treasured to this day.

It was time to help put the last boat on the trailer, pack up the camp and head out for the long journey home. We were last to leave and trundled up the track to the main road, just before which, however, there came an ominous clunk and the front right hand side of GG slumped a trifle. We had broken a spring. GG was still driveable but only at about 40 clicks per hour maximum. Oh well, it was way past noon already, there was nothing for it but to carry on down the road. Night had fallen before we came to the bridge across the Kabompo at which point the lights went out. This was not at all funny, so unfunny that it woke my mate up. On the other side of the bridge we stopped, somewhat shaken, to see if there was anything that could be done to improve the situation. By employing an old miners trick (hit things, and if that does not work hit things harder) I managed to get the sidelights working and one spotlight that would come on now and again. We limped on and were pleased to see the moon rise, providing much needed extra illumination. It was fortunate that the people of North Western Province are, by and large, creatures of nature; the sun goes down, their eyelids follow and they prefer being tucked up in their huts at night as there are wild animals and mad bwanas about the place. In consequence the road was empty. As we reached the turnoff to Jivundu there stood Broomie by the road. The rest of the party had turned off, gone down the track a little way and made a temporary camp. I was exhausted and, after a couple of obligatory beers and a sarnie, went fast asleep on a bit of canvas, wrapped in a blanket. I awoke in the small hours to find myself sandwiched between two women and the rest of the night was spent in warm, happy slumber. The journey continued the following day and I have to say that I was heartily glad to see Kitwe with the smelter fumes hanging over it, illuminated by the setting sun. As I collapsed into bed, safe home, that night, I made a vow not to drink so much on Thursday nights.

no hindrance on the way to our destination 25 km further to the south, the confluence of the Zambezi and Kabompo Rivers. All was quiet at the confluence of the two great rivers. On the west bank, upon a hill, stood a simple little whitewashed house, its new malata shining in the morning sun. Peace and tranquility. Three rods were put out with spoons; none of these cheating Zimbabwean tricks of putting worms or bits of fish on, Oh No, we were proper fishermen, and to celebrate that fact we opened a beer as we slowly cruised round in a circle. I swear that something underwater rang the dinner gong as all three rods dipped and the reels all screamed as lines went out. In vain did Broomie shout out instructions, “No, No, you clowns, not like that”. In no time at all, Tigers were doing what they were supposed to do, leaping out of the water, shaking the spoons out of their mouths and whirling round the place, literally tying our lines up in knots. As quick as it started so all ceased, leaving three bewildered fishermen to sort out the chaos in the boat, reset all and have another beer. We listened carefully to our instructions and so were a little better prepared when the dinner gong went off again and more chaos ensued. This time, though, Broomie mastered the system. We held our lines down and reeled quietly in, leaving Broomie to play the dirty great big brute in. “Watch the teeth” Broomie warned and so he should as this thing snapped away in the bottom of the boat until it was smacked on the head to become fish cakes quite soon! We celebrated his victory with another beer; he kept his rod in to give us greenhorns a chance. We had not long to wait, the dinner gong sounded off again and the pair of us had big fish on the ends of our lines. My mate managed to get his in first, mine took a bit longer but all were fair sized fish. Our allotted hour of fishing was up so we headed home, triumphant. Going back upstream took longer, long enough to finish the crate and both packets of Pringles. We were hailed as conquering heroes, the photo of my quite intoxicated mate with his fish and a grin so large that the bottom

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Four Seasons Bistro

perfect, and the pita bread fresh and warm. The halloumi rather than being slathered with sweet chilli sauce came topped with sliced peppadews and a light minty dressing which enhanced the flavours and complemented everything.

We both opted for chicken for our main courses. A chicken, bacon, oregano tomato and mozzarella stack and a chicken, pepperoni and mozzarella stack. Both came with a fresh salad and a choice of chips, wedges etc. Both were cooked to perfection, the chicken was moist and flavourful and everything worked together wonderfully.

The portion sizes are large, I would have been full without a starter, but I was close to bursting at the end. Unfortunately no room for dessert although everything on the list sounded scrumptious.

If you’re looking for a Christmas Lunch away from the oven, bookings can be made for a seven course meal at Four Seasons Bistro. The Christmas Lunch menu includes Leek and Potato Soup, Crayfish wrapped in Parma Ham, Suckling Pig or Roast Beef, Cheese Board and Christmas Pudding.

Contact Jamey on 0973 151-933Email: fourseasonsbistro@gmail.comEmail: jamey@fourseasonsbistro.net

Web: www.fourseasonsbistro.netFacebook: Four Seasons Bistro

With the passing of winter what seems ages ago and the onset of October’s heat, salads rather than stodgy soups and stews are now calling my name. Something fresh and preferably local sounded perfect. Having heard great things, we decided to try ‘Four Seasons Bistro’ for dinner.

It was a warm October evening, having agreed to meet some friends later to listen to a live band, we thought we should fill our stomachs (should have filled my ears) before the night began.

Four Seasons Bistro is located in the same plot as Smuggler’s Inn along Suez Road in Ridgeway. The parking lot was full as everyone was headed to the bar for Friday night drinks. Having found ourselves a parking spot we spotted the sign for the restaurant.

Wooden tables (perfectly sized for 4 people to eat comfortably) fill the dining room with comfortable wooden chairs. Even when the restaurant is full there is still space to move between tables.

We were seated promptly, drink orders taken and our gaze was directed to the large ‘Starters, Mains and Desserts’ chalkboard which almost completely covers an entire wall of the restaurant. All ingredients used are fresh, seasonal, local and sustainable, which means available meals change regularly depending on what is available. We were also given a standard menu just in case our desires conformed to the much loved Zambian favourite of ‘Steak’.

We opted for a mix of Chalkboard and Paper Menus.

Starting off with ‘Hummus with Pita Bread’ and ‘Halloumi with Peppadews’, both starters were delicious. The hummus was

WelcomeCrispy garlic breadBattered onion rings

Hand cut chipsDressed green saladCrunchy coleslaw

Spiced potato wedgesBlack peppercorn

White garlicCreamy mushroom

Sides & Sauces

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If you have time try this homemade mask:

Put ½ cup of water and 1 tbsp oats in a small pot. Boil the mixture till the water evaporates completely. Take care not to burn the oats. Scrape out the well-boiled oats and put them in a glass bowl. Add 1 tbsp cold milk and 1 tsp honey and mix well.

Clean your hands with a mild soap, pat them dry with a soft towel and apply the hand mask, evenly, over your hands (fingers included). Leave on for 10 minutes then rinse off with lukewarm water. Pat your hands dry with a soft towel and massage a moisturiser in with gentle but firm rotating movements of your finger tips. This mask exfoliates, moisturises and rejuvenates the

Like your face, your hands function as bridges to the world. You shake hands when you meet or greet someone for the first time and when you seal a deal, your hands express your affection to those you love, they soothe sad children, maybe you “talk” with yours. In any case, whenever you’re interacting with others, your hands will probably spend some time in the spotlight. The problem is that your hands are also essential tools. You use them for complex manoeuvres and lowly chores.

In the course of a day, your hands are exposed to all sorts of germs, dirt, harsh substances, sunlight and more. As a result of this we wash our hands all the time but the frequent washing that is designed to keep your hands nice and clean also keeps them dry, cracked and wrinkled!

I am not suggesting you stop washing your hands of course but with a little bit of attention you can easily limit the inevitable damage.

Always use rubber gloves when doing house chores and wear gloves when gardening. When going out don’t forget that your hands need SPF too! Use a mild PH soap to wash your hands. Use hand cream after washing your hands, every time. Make a habit of moisturising your hands before you go to bed at night. This is just as important as brushing you teeth.

Try and scrub your hands twice a week, there are a lot of effective scrubs you can make at home: you can use some of your face scrub if you have, you can scrub them with bath salts after washing them with soap (choose fragrance free bath salts – only scented with essential oils and do remember to slather some moisturiser on your hands afterwards).

Hand CareBeautyNaturally

strengthener from rubbing off on your bed linen.

Also don’t forget the useful properties of essential oils. The best ones for strengthening your nails are lemon, frankincense, myrrh, lemongrass. Oils such as carrot, eucalyptus and peppermint are used to keep the cuticles healthy and moisturised and to stimulate nail growth. Don’t forget to dilute them first in your favourite carrier oil; the best for hands and nails are coconut, grapeseed, jojoba but there is nothing wrong with the extra virgin olive oil in your cupboard.

Once again, have fun experimenting!

By Paola from Essential Skincare. www.essential-zambia.com

skin of your hands, you can even use it on your feet as well.

If your hands are very dry you can also rub some of your choice of vegetable oil on them.

You can soften your cuticles by massaging a mix of olive oil (1 tsp) and some vitamin E oil (you can buy the Vitamin E capsules at the chemist, use one capsule per hand) into nails and cuticles.

You can strengthen your nails by mixing 1 tbsp of olive oil and 1 tbsp of lemon juice (it will help strengthen weak nails and make them look whiter), heat the mixture gently while stirring it well. Apply the homemade nail strengthener to your nails using a clean cotton swab, cover the entire nail bed of each fingernail and the surrounding cuticles. Repeat the process every evening before bedtime. If you need a booster treatment, leave it on at night but wear a pair of soft cotton gloves to prevent the nail

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Introduction to Astronomy for South Central AfricaBy Cees Mesu, John Mussell, Francis Podmore

And of course one should not forget Zambia’s first President, the inimitable KK who wrote the Foreword for the book. This was much appreciated by the publishers of the book and does reinforce the local relevance of the book.

Special recognition must go to AON and to their CEO in Lusaka. Believing strongly in the educational aspect of the book, he enticed and cajoled and persuaded CEO’s from AON in Botswana, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Kenya to join the Zambian office in sponsoring the cost of publishing this book. Without him and his colleagues, this book may still be lying on someone’s computer never to see the light of day.

Introduction to Astronomy for South Central Africa is a must for anyone with even the slightest interest in astronomy. It should also be compulsory for schools to include it in their libraries at the very least or at best a copy for each student to be used when relevant in the delivery of the curriculum and on school camping trips where these are undertaken.

This book is available from local bookshops including Planet Books and Bookworld. For bulk orders (from schools etc) contact Ian Murphy on 0967 336-425

As we were in the dying throes of getting this issue of The Lowdown put together we received a phone call from our good friend and photographer, Ian Murphy who had a very exciting book which had just been released. At the risk of ‘spacing’ our readers out with an overload of Astronomy, we were so excited about this book that we decided to juggle things about and include this review.

For many people, even if they are interested in astronomy, their eyes glaze over as it can be a confusing subject. But not so this book as the authors are not only enthusiasts, but also school teachers who have the ability to explain things in a way which us commoners can easily understand. This immediately got my interest, as well as the fact that it has been written for this part of the world.

Written with education in mind, the book covers all the subjects that one would expect from the solar system to the stars, galaxies, traditions and myths, cosmology, skywatching and an interesting chapter named ‘The Wow! Factor’ which highlights just how incredible our solar system is. The other Wow factor to the book is the Field Star Chart tucked into the back which is luminous – perfect for field trips where darkness gives you the best view of the subject. Photographs in the book were kindly donated for use in the book by the Hubble Space Telescope - somebody had the idea to ask the people at Hubble and they kindly agreed.

The donation of photos from Hubble reinforces the notion that if you do not ask, you will not receive. The producers of the book also asked world famous astronomer Sir Patrick Moore to write a little something about the book. He had this to say “…There are many books on astronomy in northern and southern latitudes but not many in areas such as south central Africa. I think this is a very valuable contribution. Many people will find it useful and it should have a wide circulation”

New Discovery 8 January, it will lie only 2 degrees from Polaris, the North Star. On 14 - 15 January, after the comet has passed but when Earth is sweeping near its orbit, it might produce a meteor shower, or at least some beautiful night-shining or noctilucent clouds.

Comets don’t visit very often, and particularly ones on their first trip through the inner solar system. This chance to study a pristine body believed to date back to the formation of the solar system is the reason why scientists and armchair astronomers are so excited about ISON’s arrival. ISON may also not be back. Its orbit looks like it may gain enough momentum to escape the solar system and never return.

But Comets are notoriously fickle and can flare up or die at times that are difficult to predict. As multiple comet discoverer David Levy said “Comets are like cats; they have tails, and they do precisely what they want.”

A new discovery for us was made whilst doing the final research on Comet ISON. On 3 November, a very short duration eclipse will take place and this will be partially visible here in Zambia.

This is a special eclipse in that the eclipse path starts as an annular eclipse (mean lunar diameter less than mean solar diameter as viewed from Earth) but then turns into a very short duration total eclipse (mean lunar diameter is greater than the mean solar diameter). Some apply the unofficial term “hybrid” to this very special type of eclipse.

For most of the path totality duration is just a few seconds and most of this eclipse occurs over the Atlantic Ocean with the only landfall being across northern DR Congo, Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia.

The unique nature of this eclipse is that along the areas where the annular eclipse is visible mountains along the lunar profile will create a broken ring. The same will apply along the areas where totality is expected but in reverse, lunar valleys along the profile might let bright sections of the chromosphere and photosphere through creating a multiple diamond ring effect.

Times to watch in Zambia are between 3.15 pm and 5.20 pm with maximum eclipse being around 4.22 pm.

With the way technology moves these days, new products and new gadgets are being launched on the public on a daily basis, so fast in fact that one tends to say ‘so what!’ to the latest thingamabob. But not so boring and mundane is the discovery of a new stellar object.

In this case, it is Comet ISON, discovered in September 2012 by Russians Artyom-Kislovodsk and Vitaly Nevsky using the International Scientific Optical Network’s (ISON) 0.4 metre reflector. This comet is believed to be a pristine cometary nucleus that has fallen from the hypothetical Oort Cloud, a reservoir of icy fragments left over from the birth of the solar system and one light-year distant from the sun.

Comet ISON also belongs to a special category of comets called sungrazers. The comet will make a hairpin turn, travelling at 234 miles per second, around the sun when its ices will vaporise in the intense solar heat (up to 5000 degrees Fahrenheit). If it is able to survive this hot encounter with the sun and to shake off the sun’s gravitational forces, it is expected to become a dazzling object possibly 10 times brighter than Venus. This close encounter with the sun will take place on 28 November and if the comet survives this, its present course will bring it within 40 million miles of Earth on 26 December.

The comet should be visible both in the evening sky after sunset and in the morning before sunrise without binoculars for much of December although viewing will be best from the Northern hemisphere. The climax will be between 10 and 14 December when it will best be seen just before dawn after the moon sets.

It is not clear whether Comet ISON will be visible to the naked eye in January. On

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Saturday 2 November: Baby & Kids Items Car Boot Sale. Venue: Bump, Birth and Beyond, 4145 Nkanchibaya Road, Rhodespark. Time: 8 am – 1 pm. K50 per stall. INFO: 0974 148-856, bbbzambia@gmail.com

Saturday 2 November: The Lusaka Book Club is reading ‘Blindness’ by Jose Saramago. The Book Club will take a break for December 2013 and will resume next year to read ‘Far From The Madding Crowd’ by Thomas Hardy on Saturday 18 January 2014. INFO: 0979 454-765.

Sunday 3 November: South African Wine Tasting. Venue: Blue Hills Wine Bar & Mary’s Bookshop. Time: 1 pm. Come and join us selection of fine South African Wines and delightful compatible finger foods. Mary’s Book Shop will also be open. Directions: From Crossroads Shopping Centre follow Leopards Hill Rd for 10km to the Check Point, carry on straight for 1.5km and turn right at the Mary’s Bookshop sign. INFO: Marek 0979 611-823 or Mary 0966 767-704

Wednesday 6 November: International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict

Saturday 9 November: Martin House Trust School Triathlon. Venue: Martin House Trust School, Chisamba. Time: 7 am. Come and enjoy a day of healthy outdoor fun. Craft and Farmers Market at the same time. INFO: www.martinhousetriathlon.com or craig@ashysagric.com.

Saturday 9 November: Pop Up Shop in Kitwe by The Cotton Pod and Inspirations

Conditions - The articles and information contained in this newsletter are copyrighted to The Lowdown. They may be used in other publications or reproduced on condition that credit is given to the source. Photographs may not be used without written permission of the photographer. While reasonable precautions are taken to ensure the accuracy of advice and information given to readers, The Lowdown, its advertisers and printers cannot accept responsibility for any damages or inconvenience that may arise therefrom. Any material sent to us will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and will be subject to The Lowdown’s unrestricted right to edit and comment editorially. The views expressed herein are those of the author and are not necessarily those of The Lowdown. All advertising sales are subject to space availability

and the discretion of The Lowdown.

12 pm. All existing members and potential members welcome.

Tuesday 12 November: World Pneumonia Day

Thursday 14 November: World Diabetes Day

Thursday 14 - Saturday 16 November: 3 Day Canoe Safari. The David Livingstone Bicentennial Celebration. Venue: Livingstone. Safari starts 85km upstream from Victoria Falls at Mambova Rapids. INFO: events@livingstone2013.com

Saturday 16 November: International Day for Tolerance

Saturday 16 November: World Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Day

Saturday 16 November: The David Livingstone Bicentenary Celebration Grand Finale. Venue: Livingstone. Memorial on Livingstone Island. Something special to round off the Celebrations. INFO: events@livingstone2013.com

Furniture. Venue: Mukwa Lodge, Kitwe. INFO: 0211 229-869, 0955 847-976

Sunday 10 November: World Science Day for Peace and Development

Sunday 10 November: Remembrance Sunday

Sunday 10 November: Fund Raising ‘Kairali’ Food Fête. Hosted by the Zambia Malayalee Cultural Association. Venue: International School of Lusaka, Nangwenya Road. Time: 10.30 am. Taste a variety of authentic dishes from exotic cuisine of Kerala - God’s Own Country – in South India. Proceeds to go for charity. Come and taste irresistible ‘dosa and iddly’, sumptuous ‘appam’, delicious chicken and mutton dishes, braai, South Indian sweets & savouries and many other special items. Jumping castle, horse riding and skill games for the children. INFO: 0977 783-378

Sunday 10 November: Lusaka & District Kennel Club’s Annual General Meeting. Venue: Kennel Club, Showgrounds. Time:

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Sunday 17 November: World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims

Wednesday 20 November: Universal Children’s Day

Wednesday 20 November: Africa Industrialization Day

Thursday 21 November: World Philosophy Day

Thursday 21 November: World Television Day

Saturday 23 November: DSA (Diplomatic Spouses Association) Craft Market. Venue: 8 Chitemweko Close, Off Kabulonga Road. Time: 9.30 am – 2 pm.

Sunday 24 November: Zambia Art and Design Show 2013. Venue: Polo Fields, Lusaka Showgrounds. Time: 9 am – 4 pm. Just in time for Christmas, over 40 exhibitors, handmade furniture, kitchenware, handmade glassware, nougat, jewellery, recycled fashions, leather luggage, pottery, hand woven rugs, textiles and more. Children’s entertainment, safe parking, ATM machines, food court, full bar. Entry: K25 adults, Children under 12 Free. INFO: www.zambianartanddesignshow.org

Monday 25 November: International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

Friday 29 November: International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People

Friday 29 November: The Cracker Christmas Party. In aid of Lusaka Children’s Charities. Venue: Ballroom, Inter Continental Hotel, Lusaka. Time: 7.30pm. Theme: Christmas Fancy Dress. Tickets: K275. Free wine, quiz, dancing, live music, tombola, giveaways and prizes galore. INFO: 0966 754-292, 0979 875-097.

Sunday 1 December: World AIDS Day

Monday 2 December: International Day for the Abolition of Slavery

Tuesday 3 December: International Day of Persons with Disabilities

4.30pm. Father Christmas comes at 11am. Christmas goodies, tea, coffee, mince pies, hot dogs and hamburgers available. Blue Hills Wine Bar opens at 12:30. INFO: 0966 767-704, 0966 860-594.

‘Craft Markets & Markets’

Dutch Reformed Craft Market. Venue: Dutch Reformed Church, Kabulonga. Time: Last Saturday of the month.

Foxdale Court Farmer’s Market: Venue: Foxdale Court, 609 Zambezi Road, Roma. Time: Sundays; 7 am - 5 pm. Locally grown fruit, vegetables, cut flowers, plants, fresh and dried vegetables. Support your small scale farmers. INFO: 0973 315-185, 0211 295-793, info@foxdalecourt.com, www.foxdalecourt.com

St Columba’s Craft Market. Venue: St Columba’s Presbyterian Church, Nangwenya Rd. Time: First Saturday of the month. Come buy and sell, all welcome. Proceeds to church projects and community.

Thursday 5 December: International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development

Saturday 7 December: International Civil Aviation Day

Saturday 7 December: Jungle Beats fundraising event. Venue: Leopards Hill Polocrosse Club. Time: 7 pm. Theme: Jungle. Tickets: K200 inc dinner, entertainment. Raising funds to send a Zambian Polocrosse Team to the 2015 World Cup. INFO: 0976 081-904

Monday 9 December: International Anti-Corruption Day

Tuesday 10 December: Human Rights Day

Wednesday 11 December: International Mountain Day

Saturday 14 December: Christmas Bash - Mary’s Bookshop. Venue: Mary’s Bookshop, Leopards Hill Road, 11.5km from Crossroads, past barrier. Time: 9.30am -

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month. Venue: Gerritz Restaurant, 26 Chaholi Rd, Rhodes Park. Time: 6 pm to 8 pm. Free for WECSZ members while others may attend paying a token K20. Membership forms, publications are available at the meeting. INFO: Patrick or Maldrine at the Wildlife Association Office, Longacres. 0211 264-432, money@coppernet.zm

Zambian Ornithological Society meets once a month for a bird walk in the countryside. ZOS members, their families and friends head to the woods and wetlands around Lusaka and beyond. Walks are led by experienced birdwatchers who guide both newcomers and long-term birders through a morning of observation and exploration. INFO: 0977 485-446, www.wattledcrane.com

‘Health and Sporting’

12 Step: Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACA). Time: Saturday, 4pm to 5.30pm - 17:30 - Cathedral of the Holy Cross (Upper Room, East Wing), Ridgeway. A program for men

Konzani Gardens Market Day. Venue: Plot 7053/M Lusaka West. Buy and Sell vegetables, chickens, eggs, clothes, toys, books, paintings. Time: Last Saturday of every month, 9 am on. Stands: K20. INFO: 0976 549-777, konzanigardens@gmail.com

‘Four-Footed, Feathered and Environment’

Lusaka Animal Welfare Society (LAWS). Donate K100 to become a member of the only organization in Lusaka that takes care of abandoned or neglected domestic animals. You also get a LAWS key ring and 20% off all LAWS functions. INFO: 0966 005-297 (0966 00LAWS)

Lusaka Kennel Club. Venue: Showgrounds. Sundays, 10 am. Training and socialising for both dogs and owners alike. INFO: 0211 260-081, 0962 001-686

Wildlife & Environment Conservation Society of Zambia (WECSZ) Lusaka Branch. Meets once a month for ecological talks and lectures led by experienced conservationists. Last Thursday of every

(International websites, www.alanon.org.za or www.al-anon.alateen.org)

12 Step: Codependents Anonymous (CoDA) Women’s Support Group. Time: Thursday 5.45pm to 7pm - SHARPZ, 220c Mutandwa Rd, Roma. A fellowship that helps women learn to look after ourselves, share experiences, strength and hope. INFO: 0962 213-708, coda.lusaka@gmail.com (International website, www.coda.org)

Aerobics by a Personal Trainer: Venue: Kaingo Leisurem Barclays Sports Complex, Club Road (Showgrounds). Time: Tuesdays, Thursdays 6 pm - 7 pm. K25 / session. INFO: 0977 174-140.

Aikido Classes: Beginners welcome. Venue: Central Sports Club, Longacres. Time: Monday, Wednesday 5 pm – 6.30 pm. Price: K20 / month INFO: 0972 260-549, chisangakaluba@yahoo.com (1 Dan ITAF China).

Ashtanga yoga classes in the comfort of your own home. You can form a group or have the luxury of a one-to-one class. Pre-natal classes are also offered. INFO: 0978 507-986, kanyasu1@yahoo.co.uk

Beginners Polocrosse. Venue: Leopards Hill Polocrosse Club. Time: Tuesdays. Introducing riders of any skill level to Polocrosse. Age 12+. The clinic will give you an easy, no pressure, leg up to start you playing. INFO: 0978 777-728.

Bump, Birth & Beyond Special Events. Time: Fridays. Venue: 4145 Nkanchibaya Road, Rhodes Park. INFO: 0974 148-856, bbbzambia@gmail.com

Chilanga Hackers Golf Society welcomes golfers of all abilities to join in the fun of convivial golf and interesting social activities in a pleasant atmosphere with emphasis on friendship and enjoyment. INFO: 0211 290-818 (evenings), 0977 790-900, seawing@coppernet.zm

Children’s Playgroups and educational activities. Baby groups, toddler and pre-

and women, who grew up in alcoholic or otherwise dysfunctional homes. We meet to share our experience and recovery in an atmosphere of mutual respect. INFO: 0967 980-229, aca.lusaka@gmail.com (International website, www.adultchildren.org)

12 Step: Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) Lusaka. Time: Monday, 5.30pm - SHARPZ, 220C Mutandwa Rd, Roma. | Tuesday, 12:30pm - Kara Counseling Resource Center, Thorn Park. | Friday, 5.30 pm - Cathedral of the Holy Cross (Upper Room, East Wing), Ridgeway. INFO: 0973 154-222, 0954 210-446

12 Step: Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) Livingstone. INFO: 0962 804-137

12 Step: Al-Anon. Time: Wednesday, 5.30pm to 6.30pm - SHARPZ, 220C, Mutandwa Rd, Roma. A group for relatives and friends of alcoholics where they can come together to share their experiences, strength and hope. INFO: 0977 697-628, 0966 621-806, lusakaafg@gmail.com

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WATCH OUR POLOCROSSE PONIES DANCE TO THE AFRICAN BEAT IN THE DARK OF THE NIGHT WEARING GLOW STICKS ON THEIR LEGS, NECKS & BROW BANDS.

IT WILL GIVE YOU GOOSEBUMPS!

WE ARE INTRODUCING A “SURPRISE” BRAND NEW VEHICLE WHICH YOU COULD BE 1 OF ONLY 33 PEOPLE TO WIN!

TOMBOLA TABLE!

RAINBO DISCO!!! GREAT BIG POTS OF STEAMING JUNGLE BEEF & CHICKEN CASSEROLE

THIS WILL BE A NIGHT YOU WILL NEVER EVER FORGET!!

ENTER INTO THE TWILIGHT ZONE WITH AN ICE COLD GLASS OF AFRICAN JUNGLE JUICE!

OUR JUNGLE HAS MONKEYS, VINES, HUGE SNAKES, A WATERFALL, TARZAN SWING, BAMBOO JAIL, SHOOTER LADIES & LADS & MORE

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bush, within a 25 km radius of Lusaka city centre. INFO: lusakahash@zambia.co.zm, Boy Blue 0966 766-249, G2S 0971 946-937, CM 0977 159-935.

Martial Arts. Karate Classes. Weapon classes for brown and black belts. Monthly self defence classes. INFO: Raymond (7th Dan) 0977 783-537, shihanray@hotmail.com

Mazabuka Tennis Club. Ladies tennis every Tuesday morning at 07:45. Mixed tennis every Saturday afternoon at 16:00.

school. From 0 - 7 yrs. INFO: kidsclub.lusaka@gmail.com

Counsellor / Therapist: For handling Depression, Stress and Anxiety, Drug or Alcohol abuse, quit smoking, etc - using Hypnotherapy and NLP. INFO: 0955 999-727, priyabala@microlink.zm

Cricket. Venue: Lusaka South Country Club, Mukwa Rd, Lilayi. Country & Districts cricket. Home and away matches, Kids coaching, tours and T20 tournaments. Time: Practice Wednesdays, Fridays 5 pm. Kids coaching, Saturdays. INFO: 0977 860-797, 0966 437-808, 0966 751-643.

Daily Children’s Playgroup. Venue: Bump Birth & Beyond, 4145 Nkanchibaya Road, Rhodes Park. Daily Educational activities and children’s playgroups, music classes, arts & crafts, ballet and more! Ages: 0 to 6. INFO: 0974 148-856, bbbzambia@gmail.com, kidsclub.lusaka@gmail.com

Inside Story. Ante-Natal Classes, Post-natal care and baby massage classes. INFO: 0977 446-054 / 0211 274-985, margotbham@gmail.com

Karate & Weapons Training. Venue: Lusaka Showgrounds. Luke 5th Dan. 0977 314-511 / 0978 710-102, lukphiri@yahoo.com

Lusaka Dolphins at Lusaka Amateur Swimming Club. Venue: Olympic Pool. Group training for competitive swimmers; ‘learn to swim’ for non swimmers; or ‘swim at my own pace’. INFO: 0966 761-547

Lusaka Hash House Harriers. Time: Saturday, 3 pm. Go for a run or walk in the

Meditation. Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga Meditation Centre. Opposite Northmead shops. Monday - Saturday 5.30 pm and Sundays 2 pm. Free introductory courses. INFO: 0211 250-685 / 254-518 bkrymc@zamnet.zm.

Motorbike lessons: Venue: Central Park, Cairo Road. Time: Sundays 9 am. Best of Bikes Academy is Zambia’s first motorbike school; you can learn to ride a motorbike safely in a controlled space, with experienced instructors. INFO: 0211 236-912/3, 0964 584-778, 0973 584-778

Mountain Biking Club Leopards Hill. Open to adults for Saturday morning fun mountain bike in the bush. INFO: mtblusaka@hotmail.com

Optimyze Kare Health. Time: Last Thursday of the month; 5 pm. Advice on all aspects of health (fitness, diseases, nutrition, mental health, beauty, lifestyle and wellness, and different alternative and complementary therapies) addresses by professional speakers. The purpose is to teach you to be ‘whole’ naturally. INFO: 0955 / 0966 847-777, optimyse@gmail.com

Pilates with a View. Venue: Chilanga (20 mins from Lilayi). Fully Certified STOTT PILATES® Instructor with a fully equipped STOTT PILATES® Studio. For Private, Semi-Private & Group Pilates Classes. By Appointment only and subject to Availability & Change. INFO: 0977 770-840, ingrid@pilateswithaview.com or www.pilateswithaview.com

Polo X. Venue: Lusaka South Country club, Mukwa Rd, Lilayi. All skill levels welcome. INFO: 0979 505-152.

Running Group. Time: Sunday 6.30 am. Trail & road. Mixed running ability. Options to modify distance (between 10 - 17 km). INFO: 0977 801-463, c_ngoma@yahoo.com

Self-Defence (Short Courses): Practical, easy to learn for youths, women or security personnel. Children & adult Karate Classes also offered. The instructor is the All Japan

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experience levels welcome. Family, friendly environment. INFO: 0963 881-149

Swimming Teacher. All Ages. Venue: Swedish Embassy School. INFO: 0955/0977 328115

Tennis Section, Lusaka Club. Invites players of all ability levels to join in social tennis. Venue: Lusaka Club. Time: Saturdays, 1 pm - 6 pm. Cost: K20 for court use, balls, coffee and snacks. Last Saturday of the month: Half Price Social Tennis; K10. You can be signed in for up to 3 sessions by members thereafter you have the option of joining the club. INFO: 0977 964-121, lusakatennis@yahoo.com

Martial Arts Federation - Zambia President & Chief Representative. INFO: 0977 783-537, shihanray@hotmail.com.

Skydive Zambia (ZUSC): Special offer on Tandem dives, no prior training required. INFO: antoinettedurand46@gmail.com, 0966 622-516, rowles.dave3@gmail.com, 0977 790-500, edmund@skytrailszambia.com

Social Bowls. Venue: Central Sports Club. Bowling section. Time: Saturdays. 2 pm. New bowlers welcome.

Social Cricket and Polocrosse. Time: Thursday. Venue: Leopards Hill Polocrosse Club. New members welcome. All

For Rent: Two Bedroomed cottages on Kafue Road, in Makeni Area. Pool available, Security available, massive land. Immediate occupation. At K3,500 per month. Please call 0966 876-522.Pr

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In the next edition:Kasaba LinksWater Wars

Covering GroundA Lost Opportunity?

December

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offered via telephone or email. 0955 226-237, info@zambiancancersociety.org /zambiacancersociety@gmail.com

Zambia Taekwon-Do Association. Venue: Municipal Sports Club. Time: Saturday, Sunday: 10 am. Tuesday, Thursday: 5.30 pm. INFO: 0211 254-090.

ZOCA Dance Fitness. A fun dance workout that combines Caribbean and African dance music and styles. Exercise and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Venue: Chrismar Hotel, InterContinental Hotel, Olympia Fitness Centre. Adults: 12 weekly classes. Toning: 3 weekly maximum intensity classes. Kids/Teens: Zoca dance, Jazz Dance, Hip-Hop dance. Age 3-6: Ballet classes. INFO: 0975 818-114, zocadance@gmail.com

Zumba Keep Fit: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays. Venue: Alliance Française of Lusaka. Time: 5.30 pm - 7.30 pm. Entrance: K30 per session, K150 per month. INFO: 0976 100-727 or register at reception.

Touch Rugby. Venue: Gymkhana Club, Showgrounds Time: Monday and Thursday.

TRX Suspension Training: This system delivers a fast, effective total-body workout, helps build a rock-solid core, increases muscular endurance, benefits people of all fitness levels, and provides a challenging but fun workout! Classes by a certified TRX instructor. Private / Group Classes available. INFO: 0966 860-783, figurenatic@gmail.com.

Yoga with Iyengar slant. Venue: 30G Sable Rd, Kabulonga. Time: Monday/Wednesday/Friday, 5.30 pm - 6.30 pm. Tuesday/Thursday, 12.45 pm - 1.45 pm. Tuesday/Friday 9 am - 10 am. Venue: Body Temple Gym Central St Jesmondine. Time: Tuesday/Thursday, 6.45 pm - 7.45 pm. Mats available. INFO: 0966 728-911, towani@kuthuta.com

Zambian Cancer Society. Venue: Independence Avenue. Time: Last Friday of the month. 6 pm - 7 pm. Female cancer survivors support group. Support

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Employment Sought: Assistant Accountant. Indian, resident, well qualified and

experienced, sincere and honest. Contact Mrs Garg 0974 041-181, 0955 111-389

Employment Sought: Part time position as a bookkeeper. Experience in wages, PAYE, NAPSA etc. Zambia Citizen with 26 years

experience. CV available. Contact Stella Roberts 0971 195-948 or

stellaroberts996@gmail.com

Employment Sought: Professional qualified Cost Accountant of India and Residence

Permit Holder. Twenty five years of experience in accounts, tax, etc. Please contact on 0955 451-186, 0978 260-586

Employment Sought: Young man seeks employment as a Sales Assistant, Office

Clerk or Shipping Assistant. Call 0965 600-401.

Fireworks Fireworks. Rockets, bombs, special events fireworks, many more. Visit Gandhi’s, near Cairo Mall, Cairo Road. Tel: 0977 764-

296, 0211 290-591, 0211 226-735.

For Sale: Ford Double Cab (2010 model). 92,000 km. Going price K95,000.

Call 0973 314-441

For Sale: Toyota Fork Lift 2.5 Tonne (Diesel): K70,000. John Deere Maize/Soya Vacuum

Planter (4 row): K30,000. Hilux D-4D Single cab Canopy: K2,500. Baldan 5 tine Ripper:

K16,000. Contact Derek Shenton – 0979 667-688, derek@kaingo.com

Puppies Wanted: Looking for Boerbul, Mastiff, Rottweiler type puppies. Wanted primarily for security but will also be in a dog loving home. Contact: 0966 860-553

Wanted: Second-hand 12v DC solar freezer. Honest Price. Contact: 0965 821-290 or

0966 747-990

For Tickets and more info contact:0966 754-292 / 0979 875-0970977 795-902 / 0963 47-5651

Venue: Intercontinental Hotel Date: 29th November 7 pm till late

Tickets (incl wine corkage) only K250 Christmas Fancy dress (optional), live music, Christmas quiz, party games, giveaways, prizes, exciting

tombola and luxury auction.

Yes, it’s that time of the year again and there’s no better way to get into the spirit of the season than with a cracker of a Christmas party! Enjoy

a delicious traditional Christmas dinner, dance the night away until the

wee small hours to live music, win prizes and gifts and at the same time, contribute to a hearty Christmas feast, with presents, for around 700 children in Lusaka, who otherwise would have

little to celebrate.

Those who will receive the proceeds from the party are:

UTH Children’s Burns Unit, Kasisi Orphanage, Tache Home MacDonald’s

Farm, My Father’s House & TICO Community Centre.

All are looking after children who need continuous care. Every effort

is made to give these kids the best chance possible for a healthy and fulfilling life both now and in the future and to equip them to

become useful contributors to the development of their community.

Please be part of their solution!

You are cordially invited to

TheCRACKER

ChristmasParty!

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Luangwa Valley Private House for RentJake and Gillie’s Valley Retreat

Large family home available for holiday let in Mfuwe. Sleeps 8 adults plus 4-6 kids. Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, large upstairs area, nursery PLUS self

contained cottage. Great Wildlife location.Private swimming pool, ZESCO, fully furnished,

equipped and staffed for fantastic self-catering family holiday venue.

Five minutes from Park Gate. Safari Activities and a la carte restaurant available at nearby Flatdogs camp by

arrangement.Unbeatable value for families and groups.

For more details contact Jake.jakedamotta@gmail.com | jake@buckskinmoon.com

Tel: +260 211 213-841 Cell: +260 977 897-779

Small Ads (01 - 20 words): K40Small Ads (21 - 40 words): K80

Small Ads (41 - 60 words): K120Biz Zone (Commercial): K225

Property Prowl: K400Deadline: 10th of the month preceding publication

Adams Croft: Lusaka. Luxury, Self Catering Accommodation. Near Arcades and Manda Hill shopping centre’s. Rooms, Studio’s, 3 bedroom

apartments. Available for daily, weekly, and monthly stays. Cell: 0975/0955 764-463/ 0955 765-597. Email:

adams-croft@live.com from KR 350.00

Compost & Manure: Quality guaranteed! Compost: 25kg bag for K45. Manure: in

50kg bag for K25. More than 10 bags free delivery in Lusaka. Shaun 0976 030-311.

DIAL-A-CAB 24 HRS0955 773-937 / 0977 773-937

0966 222-222

For Sale: Round Hay Bales – great for Cattle & Horses. Cattle Manure / Compost – Great for the garden.

Contact Chris 0974 137-183.

Garden Maintenance and Seedlings. Lawn mower broken and need a

quick cut? Vegetable, flowers and herb seedlings available.

Contact Stella on 0971 195-948.

Need Landscaping, Digital landscaping design, manure, compost, maintenance of private offices and parks. Design-a-gardens. Karin Monge 0977 716-954.

North Kafue National Park. Mayukuyuku Bush Camp offers full board, and camping.

Excellent game viewing and fishing. Access for two-wheel drive vehicles, 4 hours from Lusaka on good roads. www.kafuecamps.com | info@

kafuecamps.com

Pet Travel - Import, Export and Micro-chipping. Pet Parlour - For all your

grooming needs. Pet Boarding - In our country kennels. Contact 0211 265-197 / 0968 883-284 / petvetzambia@gmail.com

Repainting the living room? For house painting and basic tiling,

contact Chris Phiri on 0966 080-432.

Showgrounds Vet Clinic - Dr. Lisa Oparaocha | For Veterinary / Grooming: 0977 770-940, showgroundsvet@gmail.com | For Pet Shop (Spoiled Pets): 0967

764-825, esuesta@yahoo.com

For Rent: Furnished Apartments. With 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms with toilets, Kitchen, Carport, Swimming pool and gym. At 10B Roan Road we provide corporate accommodation in Kabulonga residential area. Kabulonga being the most prominent residential and corporate neighbourhood in Lusaka is surrounded by two malls and is within reach of all business houses. We specialize in providing furnished and unfurnished business accommodation to corporate clients creating a home away from home. The property provides a separate lounge and dinning area, full guest bathroom, two/three bedrooms master self contained. Kitchen a private garden swimming pool, gym and barbecue area. The place meets with United Nations requirements such as security and electric fence. For details contact Luke 0978 539-185.Pr

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