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Zambia probes Chinese clothes factory murder

Police in Zambia have arrested three people suspected of murdering three Chinese nationals, dragging the bodies into a factory and setting it alight.

Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo has promised a full investigation into Sunday’s “barbaric” crime.

It took place at the Chinese-owned Blue Star clothing factory.

The attack comes amid a controversial crackdown in the capital, Lusaka, on Chinese businesses accused of discriminating against Zambians.

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There has also been tension over reports that Chinese factory managers have been forcing employees to sleep at work to stop the spread of coronavirus, the BBC’s Kennedy Gondwe reports from Lusaka.

The Chinese embassy in Zambia said the killings were “appalling and vicious acts of violence”.

Police say the motive for the attack, which took place in the Makeni suburb of the capital, is unclear.

One of those arrested had fled to the city of Ndola some 310km (192 miles) north of Lusaka, police spokesperson Esther Katongo told the state-run ZNBC broadcaster.

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For the last few weeks, Lusaka Mayor Miles Sampa has been leading an operation to close Chinese-owned businesses, including barber shops and restaurants, after locals complained about discrimination.

He has also been sharing posts on Facebook, including videos, of his impromptu raids on Chinese-owned factories where workers are allegedly being mistreated.

In one video, he confronts Chinese managers at a truck assembly plant about their policy of detaining workers and orders them to allow the Zambian workers to go home.

Mr Sampa, who is a ruling party member, has not commented on the killings.

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He has clashed with the government over his operation against Chinese firms.

However, the mayor has accused his colleagues of not taking seriously the reports of discrimination against Zambians, our reporter says.

According to China’s state-run Global Times news site, Sunday’s attack was likely to have been prompted by Zambians who misunderstood the good intentions of some Chinese firms that have recently been prohibiting employees from going home after their shifts in response to the coronavirus crisis.

“This is interpreted by locals as an invasion of freedom,” the Global Times quoted a Chinese person living in Zambia as saying.

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Zambia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Malanji has sought to reassure foreign investors that they are welcome in the southern African nation.

“This is something regrettable, this is anarchy and this government will not tolerate anarchy,” he said on Tuesday.

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 GFP founder Akua Donkor passes on

• Akua Donkor

Akua Donkor

 The founder and leader of the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), Madam Akua Donkor, has passed away.

She died at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital on Monday, October 28 at 72.

Reports gathered by The Spectator indicat­ed that she was diagnosed with respiratory issues at the Nsawam Government Hospital and was referred to the Greater Accra Re­gional Hospital where she died.

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Known for her spirited presence in Ghana­ian politics, Akua Donkor was a staunch advo­cate for the rights of farmers and women.

Her bold and outspoken demeanour en­abled her to capture public attention and significantly impact the grassroots communi­ties she aimed to represent.

Throughout her political journey, she distinguished herself by running for the presidency multiple ti mes, demonstrating remarkable resilience despite financial chal­lenges.

Akua Donkor was listed as the third can­didate on the ballot for the upcoming 2024 presidential election.

Her political career began with her elec­tion as the Assemblywoman for Herman in the Ashanti region, and she made her first bid for the presidency in 2012 as an independent candidate.

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She was, however, disqualified by the Electoral Commis­sion in 2012 and 2016 for the reason that she did not meet the eligibility require­ments.

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 Stop using breast enhancing creams …they expose females to breast cancer

Mrs Enyonam Abiti making a presentation

Mrs Enyonam Abiti making a presentation

 Women have been cautioned to stop using of breast enhancing creams which is said to contain estrogen, predis­posing them to the breast cancer disease.

Using such creams over time in­creases estrogen levels in patrons of such products thereby exposing them to the disease.

Estrogen is a type of sex hor­mone responsible for development and regulation of female repro­ductive system and secondary sex chart.

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Mrs Enyonam Abiti, a medical of­ficer at Madina Pentecost Hospital, said this at a day’s seminar and breast cancer awareness creation day at Sunyani in the Bono Region.

The programme, organised by the Bono Regional office of CO­COBOD, forms part of activities to mark this year’s World Breast Cancer Day celebrations held every year in October.

Some staff of COCOBOD and women in cocoa farming used the opportunity to have their breast screened.

Mrs Abiti during a presentation revealed that one in every eight women was diagnosed of breast cancer while 1 from 1,000 men contract the disease.

She noted that early detection and regular screening was the sur­est way to salvage the situation.

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She mentioned that habits such as excessive smoking and alco­hol intake predisposes women to breast cancer.

Moreover, she added that peo­ple advanced in age, past history, past ovarian cancer case as well as young girls that menstruate early, among others stands the risk of contracting the disease.

The Bono Regional Administrator of COCOBOD, Michael Paddy Kwesi Asumanu, stated that the decision to organise the breast screening was to ensure that women in cocoa farming were healthy at all times to go about their farming activities in order to increase productivity.

“We don’t want a situation where our women in cocoa farming are infected with breast cancer disease to jeopardise the cocoa sector,” he said.

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According him, the Regional Office of COCOBOD in partnership with the Bono Regional Teaching hospital would organised screening for about 4,000 women on Octo­ber 31, 2024 at Goaso in the Ahafo Region.

The move, he said, was part of their corporate social responsibil­ity towards women as the world mark breast cancer awareness creation this month.

Some of the women who spoke to The Spectator commended CO­COBOD for the gesture and called on other institutions of state to emulate the example.

The organisers later held a float on the principal streets of Sunyani to create awareness on the breast cancer disease.

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 From Daniel Dzirasah, Sunyani

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