Wilfred Chilufya pledges hard work

By Ann Zulu

"I WILL work hard to the expectations of President Edgar Lungu and the Commission,” Wilfred Chilufya, the youngest member of the Commission of Inquiry has said.

Wilfred Chilufya

Mr Chilufya has thanked President Lungu for recognising leadership in the youths, stating that the head of State had seen the leadership potential in the youths.

The President appointed a fifteen-member Commission of Inquiry to examine the electoral violence in the August 11, general elections which has included Mr Chilufya, the youngest, and a feat that has elated youths in Zambia.

Mr Chilufya assured the nation that he was equal to the task and would give his whole in ensuring that the final report was comprehensive.

 “I am very humbled by the appointment. It really shows that the President believes in young people. It is really a huge task, but I will do the work professionally and also prove a point that young people can contribute to the development of the country,” Mr. Chilufya said.

And youths have applauded President Lungu for appointing Mr. Chilufya as a member of the Commission of Inquiry.

Former University of Zambia Students Union (UNZASU) president Jones Mwewa said the appointment of Mr. Chilufya reaffirmed President Lungu’s commitment to appoint Youths in leadership and decision-making positions.

Mr. Mwewa observed that Mr Chilufya was the youngest among the members and that he deserved the appointment, as he was a strong advocate for peace.

“The appointment of Wilfred Chilufya as a member of the Commission of Inquiry by the President is a plus for young people in Zambia and we commend him for that, at least we have a young person to represent us.

“We are confident that Mr Chilufya, who is also a University of Zambia recent graduate, will make us proud, especially that he served as a National Youth Coordinator for Pillars of Peace (Zambia),” Mr Mwewa said.

And Former Evelyn Hone College Students Union (EHCOSU) president Madalitso Mvula described the appointment of Mr. Chilufya as a welcome move.

He, however, appealed to the President to consider engaging more youths in the future, saying young people were the most vulnerable to political violence.

“We commend the President for considering a fresh mind and we hope that in future more young people will be engaged in such national issues, considering the fact that youths are the ones who are mostly affected by political violence,” Mr. Mvula said.

Police accused of persecuting media

By Ann Zulu

A CONSORTIUM of civil society organisations has accused the Zambia Police of being regulators of the media.

The consortium comprises, among others, the NGOCC, FODEP, MISA Zambia, Zambia Council for Social Development (ZCSD), Operation Young Vote (OYV) and Action Aid Zambia.

NGOCC chairperson Sarah Longwe

Consortium spokesperson Sarah Longwe told journalists at a media briefing in Lusaka yesterday that the police had become the centre of the violation of fundamental media freedoms.

Ms. Longwe stated the oppression of the media by police proved that there was a de facto police state in the making.

She said there was in fact a systematic move towards a one- party system in the country.

“While we acknowledge the police’s legitimate role in maintaining law, order and security in the nation, we are deeply concerned that only dissenting views, those critical of the ruling party and Government, are being targeted in this apparent preservation of security.

“These recent happenings where the police seem to be used to stifle the freedom of the press suggest that there is a de-facto police state in the making in the country and a systematic move towards a one-party system,” Ms. Longwe said.

She disclosed that the consortium had since written to President Edgar Lungu to act and bring to a stop what she termed as ‘‘persecution’’ of the media with immediate effect.

Ms. Longwe, who is also NGOCC chairperson, appealed to the Head of State to immediately state his position on the matter.

She stated that the police had now become regulators of the media, saying that other freedoms would be equally affected if nothing was done immediately.

“We have written to the President and asked him to immediately act and bring this persecution to an end as we feel he has the absolute power to do so, especially that he publicly swore to uphold the Constitution of Zambia,” she said.

Women talented but lack skills, says expert

By Sandra Machima

MORE than 250 women are benefiting from the Creative Thinking Women’s Initiative training aimed at improving their skills in Livingstone.

Naleli Women Initiative founder Namakau Siyanga said a lot of women were talented but lacked skills, hence failed to use the funds aimed at improving their lives wisely.

Ms Siyanga said management skills were vital to drive women’s empowerment, saying it was for that reason women must be trained to gain the necessary skills in whatever they were doing.

She said as much as the Government was trying to improve and engage women in various empowerment projects, there was need for women to understand the reason why they were funded through innovative skills.

“Our organisation is working to ensure women are equipped with various skills because sometimes it is not the funding that makes them vulnerable but the skills, hence failing to broaden their businesses,” she said.

Ms Siyanga said with the help of the well-wishers who donated about $2,000, her initiative had worked to the advantage of the majority women who were now able to do their business on the informed point of view.

She said women were trained in various entrepreneurship skills so that financial support given to them were used prudently if their lives were to improve.

“Sometimes it is not the question of finances but lack of skills that had led to many businesses failing to grow, and therefore with creative thinking innovative skills will help them build the bridge,” she said.

Ms Siyanga said her organisation was aimed at reaching all the women countrywide so that they were equipped with various skills and knowledge to ensure they live a sustainable life.

She said the expansion of the entrepreneurship horizon was a strategy for creating jobs and expanding the tax base.

She said women should utilise such opportunities to reposition themselves if they were to achieve gender equity and equality.

Lundazi in K1.4m women livestock bonanza

By Ann Zulu

GOVERNMENT has disbursed over K1.4 million grants to women groups and cooperatives in Lundazi district.

District livestock officer Kelvin Kampamba said the grants were aimed at improving livestock farming in rural communities in the district.

He indicated that his office had successfully disbursed the grants to 17 women groups and co-operatives.

“The grants are called Livestock Improvement Grant Facilities and so far about 17 women groups and co-operatives have benefited. These grants are aimed at improving production in livestock such as piggery, poultry, chicken broilers and goat rearing,” Dr. Kampamba said.

He said the beneficiaries were currently on a shopping spree for their livestock.

Dr. Kampamba said it was Government’s wish to empower women in the rural areas and improve the livelihood of all Zambians.

“Government wants to see the women empowered and citizens’ living standards improved. Currently the beneficiaries have started buying what is needed for their livestock farming,” he said.

Dr. Kampamba named some of the groups that have benefited from the grant as Chaboli Women’s Group, Border Support Group, Lundazi Network of People Living with HIV and AIDs, Pamodzi Women and Tione Chitala.

He advised the beneficiaries to take livestock farming as a serious business if they were to become successful.

Govt to empower women with land, says Kapata

By Ann Zulu

GOVERNMENT is committed to empowering women through land, as most women in Zambia still don’t have secure access and control over land, Lands Minister Jean Kapata has said.

Lands Minister Jean Kapata 

Ms. Kapata said Government was aware of the fact that majority of women in the country especially in rural areas did not have access to land.

She, however, noted this might soon be a thing of the past as Government would give priority of land acquisition to women.

She said the Patriotic Front (PF) government under President Edgar Lungu’s administration was devoted to its promise of ensuring that 40% of women had access to land.

 “Access to land still remains a challenge to women, but that will no longer continue because the PF government under the leadership of President Lungu is determined to empower women with land and ensure that they have access to it just like the men.  We are more interested in empowerment and attainment of gender equality as a prerequisite for attainment of sustainable socio-economic development of the country.

“In Zambia, only about 20% of women have secure access to land, but as Government, we will make sure that at least 40% of land in the country goes to the women,” Ms. Kapata said.

She observed that having secure access to land would help to empower women, both individually and collectively.

Ms. Kapata stressed that women were also entitled to land, saying that Government would ensure that women’s rights such as to land were protected and promoted.

She said affirmative programmes to support women’s access to land administration services were underway.

Ms. Kapata said land was a form of security and collateral for women, building women’s resilience and food security, as well as their social status and dignity.

“Access to land means that women will have access to financial assets, including credit and saving, and also reduce the poverty levels in Zambia because poverty has a feminine face. So we will ensure that women’s rights to land are protected and promoted,” she said.

Join co-ops to get loans, minister tells women

By Ann Zulu

LABOUR Minister Joyce Nonde-Simukoko has urged women entrepreneurs to take the lead in the formation of cooperatives for them to access loans and grow their businesses.

Labour Minister Joyce Nonde-Simukoko

Ms. Nonde-Simukoko said Government was passionate about empowering women in the country through cooperatives.

Speaking in an interview with this reporter, the minister encouraged women especially in rural areas to use opportunities provided by the Government to improve their well-being.

“We are very passionate about the empowerment of women as Government and we encourage them to form cooperatives. There are a lot of women who are working as individuals and there is need for them to come together, because it’s much easier for them to be supported by Government and other financial firms if they are in a group.

“They must take advantage of these cooperatives which can help them develop. For instance, if you are a farmer, you can get loans through the cooperative which will enable you buy fertilisers,” the minister said.

She reiterated that forming cooperatives would enable women meet their goals.

Ms. Nonde-Simukoko urged women to be more aggressive in participating in such programmes to pull their community from poverty.

She noted that cooperatives were important and would increases the chances of women acquiring loans from Government and other financing institutions, hence improving the living standards in the community.

“The women should take the lead because they are the most hardworking, they are the ones who put food on the table, so we expect the women to be active in these programmes.

‘‘I urge the women to be more aggressive in this in order to fight poverty. If they form these groups and get loans, they will develop as a whole,” she said.

Ms. Nonde-Simukoko noted that women were vulnerable to communal problems, hence the need to come together to support each other by forming cooperatives.

Dundumwezi recognise Lungu as President

By Ann Zulu

THE people of Dundumwezi have now moved on and accepted President Edgar Lungu as Republican President, Chamuka ward Councillor Patricia Simbeleko of Dundumwezi Constituency has said.

Ms. Simbeleko said the elections were over and people in the area had put behind their grievances and were eager to work with the government of the day.

“The elections are over; the people of Dundumwezi have now accepted the outcome of the elections and are ready to work with President Lungu and his government. They have realised and respect the fact that there is only one Republican President, Edgar Lungu who was elected by the majority of Zambians,” Ms Simbeleko said.

And Ms. Simbeleko has encouraged President Lungu to go ahead with his plans to visit the area.

The President publicly announced during his inauguration on September 13, 2016 that he would soon visit Dundumwezi.

In an interview with this reporter, Ms. Simbeleko said President Lungu was a President for all Zambians and was free to visit any part of the country.

She stated that since the announcement of his intentions to visit the area, the residents had been ready and were patiently waiting for him.

“President Lungu is a President for all Zambians and if he wants to visit Dundumwezi, he’s most welcome. Nobody can stop him.  People here are also Zambians and they regard the President as their leader, so why shouldn’t he visit? He’s free to visit any time and, in fact, the residents will be happy to see him,” she said.

She added that the people of Dundumwezi were looking forward to the President’s visit, as it would be an opportunity for them to present the challenges they had been facing.

Ms. Simbeleko pointed out poor road network, lack of enough health and education facilities among others as some of the challenges that the area had continued to face.

“The people are looking forward to meeting the President and they can’t wait. As you are aware Dundumwezi is facing a lot of challenges and the President’s visit will create an opportunity for the residents to present their challenges directly to the Head of State.

PAZA bemoans low salaries for journalists

By Ann Zulu
THE Press Association of Zambia (PAZA) has appealed to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to seriously consider the issue of improving poor salaries for journalists.

PAZA president Andrew Sakala said there was urgent need for responsible authorities to review the salaries of journalists, saying most of them were earning very low salaries.

Mr. Sakala observed that most journalists were still struggling to make ends meet.

He told this reporter in an interview that journalists deserved proper pay and better conditions of service because they greatly contributed to the development of the country and welfare of the State.

Mr. Sakala added that apart from the three arms of Government - Judiciary, Legislature and the Executive - the media was the fourth estate of governance that represented the voice of the people.

“It is very sad that despite all the work that journalists do, their conditions of service are very poor. They even risk their lives to carry out serious investigations and research without appropriate security, to the extent that some of them lose their lives during reporting. There is serious need to look into this issue,” Mr Sakala said.

He noted that poor conditions of service by employers was tempting media practitioners to engage in corrupt and unethical activities.

“We are exposing journalists to corruption and unethical reporting if you don’t pay them proper salaries. Let’s attempt to make our journalists better people by giving them what they deserve,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Sakala has called on the general public and organizations to respect the rights of the media.

He urged them to stop attacking media personnel in the course of their duties.

“The fact that a journalist wrote some unpalatable stories about you or your organization does not make him or her criminal; if anyone feels aggrieved by any piece of journalistic work or any attitude of any media let that person resort to the law to seek redress,” he said.

State bids to end child marriage by 2030

By Ann Zulu

GOVERNMENT has redoubled its efforts to eliminate child marriage in Zambia, Gender Minister Victoria Kalima has said.

Ms. Kalima observed that the country had continued to witness a high rate of child marriages.

She pointed out that poverty, desire for material things, harmful socio-cultural beliefs and limited access to sexual and reproductive health information, among others, as some of the key drivers of child marriages.

Ms. Kalima was speaking during the official opening of the evaluation workshop on AU Campaign to End Child Marriages on Monday.

The workshop was attended by various stakeholders from the AU member states dealing with social development and children’s affairs.

Ms. Kalima noted that child marriages were not just a violation of human rights that robbed girl children of their rights to health, social-cultural and economic security but also a harmful practice that impacted negatively on girls.

She said Government had put in place new and more effective programmes to end the vice in Zambia not later than 2030.

“Zambia has continued to record a high rate of child marriages and according to the 2016 GRZ/ UNFPA report, Northen Province has the highest number of child marriages at 49.7% followed by Eastern Province at 44.9 and Muchinga Province at 44.7% married by the age of 18.

‘‘The national prevalence rate of child marriage is now at 31%, representing an 11% reduction from the previous prevalence of 42% in 2007.

“The Zambian Government under President Edgar Lungu’s leadership has committed itself to enhancing education opportunities and promoting the rights of the girl child, particularly in removing the impediments that inhibit their progression and introduce new programmes to eradicate the vice now but not later than 2030.,” Ms. Kalima said.

Meanwhile, Ms. Kalima has urged African leaders to reflect and ascertain the most practical and attainable measures to end child marriages in Africa.

She called for strong synergies between government institutions and civil society engagement in order to enhance the implementation of strategies to end the scourge.

“We need to critically reflect on the commitments and come up with tangible strategies that governments can implement in order to safeguard the rights of our children,” she said.

And speaking earlier, UNICEF Representative Dr. Hamid el –Bashir said ending child marriage was a major priority as it was a violation of children’s rights with longer term impacts affecting children as they move into adulthood. 

He reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to support programmes aimed at ending the scourge in the form of human resources, technical guidance and financing.

Mr. Bashir disclosed that UNICEF and UNFPA were implementing a Global Programme on Accelerating Action to End Child Marriage in 12 countries, including Zambia.

“The UN will remain a committed partner of the AU and of member states because we all share a common vision, commitment and an urgency to eliminate child marriages, ’Mr. Bashir said.

Father held as 3 girls defiled in Isoka

By Ann Zulu

THREE girls have been defiled in three separate incidents in Isoka district of Muchinga Province, Police Commissioner Auxensio Daka has confirmed.

Mr. Daka disclosed to this reporter that the crimes happened at the weekend.

He said the first defilement case was in Kalungu village and involved a father who defiled his 12-year-old daughter.

The commissioner said in the second case, a 42-year-old man named as Peter Simukoko defiled a juvenile of the same village last weekend.

Mr. Daka said both victims sustained injuries and police have since arrested the two suspects.

“The suspects are in police custody and they are both of the same area. The victims sustained painful cuts on their private parts due to forced penetration,” Mr. Daka said.

And in the third case, Mr. Daka disclosed that a 15-year-old girl was defiled by unknown people along Kasoka river in unclear circumstances.

The victim’s sister Brenda Mwandila reported the matter to police after discovering that her sister was in a state of confusion after she was defiled.

Mr. Daka said police had not made any arrest in the case which occurred on Sunday at about 13:30 hours.

“The matter was immediately reported to the police after the incident occurred; the victim’s sister was the one who reported the matter upon discovering something unusual about the victim’s behaviour,” he said.

He said police have since launched a manhunt for the defilers.

‘How grandpa destroyed my life!’

78-year-old beast feasts on schoolgirl, 13, till she got pregnant......

By Ann Zulu

MOST children have fond childhood memories about their grandfathers but for 15-year-old Nchimunya (not real name) she has a terrible recollection.

Nchimunya only recalls horrific nightmares of frequent sexual abuses by the person who could have been her protector.

It has not been easy for her to come to terms with the fact that she was defiled and impregnated by her own grandfather, who was 78 years old at the time.

Carrying her baby, Nchimunya sorrowfully narrates her journey through the valley of depression.

“My life will never be the same again; every day of my life is like a nightmare, I still can’t believe that the person I looked up to for protection could do this to me. I wish to have a normal life like other children, but I don’t think I will ever get it because the images of my grandfather sleeping with me keep flashing back,” says Nchimumya.

Nchimunya’s parents died while she was very young; now she has neither a brother nor sister. This is how she recounts her story:

‘‘It all began in 2014 when I was 13 years, when my mother died. I had no one else to live with, my father died when I was a baby. I went to live with my grandparents in Shamulonga Village in Kafue district.

‘‘I was so excited because I thought I was in safe hands, as grandparents are known for spoiling their grandchildren with love and would do everything possible to give them a good life and future. But little did I know that the worst was yet to happen.

‘‘Apart from me, my grandparents were also looking after my two male cousins who were also orphaned and younger than I was. At first everything was perfect, we all lived happily as a family and I was doing my 6^th grade at a community school then.

‘‘My nightmare started when my grandmother went to visit one of her daughters who had just given birth on the Copperbelt and left us (my cousins and I) in the care of my grandfather.

‘‘Grandmother was away for four months and I was the only girl in the house.

‘‘One fateful night, whilst my cousins were asleep in the sitting room, I was engulfed with fear and shock when I saw my grandfather who had never stepped foot into my bedroom seated next to me on the floor.

‘‘I felt as though I was dreaming, but I realised I was not when I felt his hands undressing me.

‘‘With fear I cried and tried to scream, but he held my mouth and threatened that I will die if I screamed or tell anyone about it because it was tradition that grandfathers have sexual intercourse with their granddaughters.

‘‘Like a demon-possessed beast, he pounced on me every night and when I tried to fight back by pushing him away, my weak body could not sustain the resistance. I was overpowered and he did whatever he wanted to.

‘‘This incestuous sexual abuse went on for some time, it became a routine and we lived like wife and husband during grandmother’s absence.

‘‘I was in pain and deep down my heart I cursed him. Each time he did it I felt more depressed and worthless; I could not believe that my own grandfather could to have sex with me. However, when night fell, I was confronted by the hard reality and I could not do anything but to endure it.

‘‘Two months later, I started noticing some changes in my body. I usually had severe fatigue, fever and sometimes I would even vomit, but I never had an idea of what was happening to me because the whole experience was new to me.

‘‘When grandmother returned, she noticed the changes on my body, too, but it never clicked her mind that I was pregnant. As days went by, pregnancy symptoms became more visible and being an elderly woman, grandmother realised I was pregnant.

‘‘She was very angry; she beat me up and accused me of sleeping with boys in the village. I tried to open up to her and convince her that grandfather was sleeping with me when she was away, but she could not believe me.

‘‘She called me a witch and warned me not to tell anyone; sometimes she would starve me for some days. I thought she would calm down and help me get justice, but instead she worsened the situation by suggesting I abort the pregnancy.

‘‘According to her, I was too young to conceive and that if I did it would bring disgrace to the family.  She only cared about saving herself and the family from shame; she never cared if I died in the process.  She forced me to apply and drink some herbs for days, but they failed to induce the abortion.

‘‘It was at this moment that my grandparents started having fights over my pregnancy and my grandfather could shamelessly admit to my grandmother of having slept with me.

‘‘The pregnancy was kept a secret and I was told I would die if I told anyone about it because it was taboo. I stopped going to school and I was banned from interacting with other children or neighbours in the village.

‘‘Weeks turned into months and I gave birth to a baby boy.

‘‘Upon giving birth, his evil deeds started catching up with him, he started acting weird and a few days later he was found dead in the backyard. He committed suicide after taking some poisonous concoction.

‘‘At this juncture, the beans were spilled; people came to know that my grandfather was the father of my baby. Grandmother blamed me for everything that had happened and accused me of killing grandfather.

‘‘She chased me out of her house; I had nowhere else to go, I slept in the bush for some days and was scared that my baby would die of starvation, because breast milk stopped coming out.

‘‘One of our neighbours in the village noticed that I was sleeping in the bush and secretly took me in. She suggested that I needed counselling and spiritual deliverance, so she took me to a church organisation in Lusaka where I was prayed for.

‘‘Since then, I have been living at the church; my child is now six months old. I wish to resume school soon, my dream is to finish school and become a police officer so that I can protect children from all forms of abuse.

‘‘I always ask God to help me forget about everything that has happened to me, but it’s not easy. I only hope and pray that one day all the bad memories of my grandfather will be wiped off my mind and I will live a normal life like everyone else.

‘‘My advice to young girls out there is that they should not be scared to report cases of sexual abuse, regardless of who is involved, because it is evil.

The Penal Code (Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia) defines defilement as unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl-child below the age of 16 years. Sadly, defilement is rampant in Zambia.

Recent statistics indicate that 6, 277 girls were defiled between 2010 and 2013. Last year the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) recorded over 1,450 defilement cases.

However, like Nchimunya’s, most cases go unreported as many victims and family members prefer to keep the issue under wraps because of the stigma accompanying it.

The Zambian law clearly states that it is a criminal offence for a man to have carnal knowledge of a girl under the age of 16.  According to the Penal Code, Chapter 87, and Section 138(1), such a person is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for life.  Section 138 (2) further states that any person who attempts to have carnal knowledge of any girl under the age of 16 years is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for life.

Defilement has both physiological and psychological effects on children which include distress, fear, shame, stigmatisation and discrimination, among others.

Media Network on Childs Rights executive director Henry Kabwe says cultural beliefs had led to the escalating number of children being sexually abused.

Mr. Kabwe observed that despite the stiffer punishment imposed on would-be offenders, cases of defilement had remained alarmingly high.

He called for more sensitisation in communities if the scourge was to be curbed.

“Children deserve their rights and sensitization is the only way. It is beyond human understanding to hear that a mature man defiled a child,” Mr. Kabwe said.

And Child labour ambassador Samson Mutambo concurred with Mr. Kabwe that if communities fully understood the dangers of defilement, they would always report them.

 “It is shocking and there is no point of hiding such serious cases. The culprits should be punished; it’s high time we speak against such evil acts and people must report such cases to relevant authorities, and this can be done when people are more sensitized,” Mr. Mutambo said.

An index developed by the African Child Policy Forum on child protection in the African Report on Child Well-being, rates Zambia at 22 out of 52 countries.

Parliament opens in grand style

By Ann Zulu

A TWENTY-ONE gun salute reverberated as three military jets in a right-angled triangle flew past Parliament grounds to symbolise, yet again the official opening of the National Assembly.

Pomp and splendour has been the tradition that has always characterised the event of the ceremonial opening of the National Assembly and President Edgar Lungu arrived at Parliament grounds just in that style.

His presidential motorcade reflected the kaleidoscopic flushes and arrived at Parliament to a real thunderous welcome with dances and acrobatics as well as choirs competed for the best performance.

Elegantly dressed in a charcoal grey suit President Lungu was received by Service Chiefs upon arrival and was immediately led to the presidential dais after which there was a 21 gun salute before a fly past.  

President Lungu then inspected a guard of honour mounted by the Zambia Army and he was accorded a 21-gun salute as the Zambia Air Force (ZAF) staged a three-plane fly-past.

People of various walks of life assembled and crowded the Parliament buildings as they joined both new and retuning Members of Parliament (MPs) to witness the official opening of the event, which was beamed live on the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC).

Many converged as early as 07:00 hours to secure clear positions on the evergreen lawns of the Parliament grounds.

The wait for the arrival of President Lungu was spiced by drama groups, various traditional dancers and some Patriotic Front (PF) music groups.

At about 10:00 hours, the Presidential motorcade rolled into Parliament grounds as the crowd cheered.

Speaker of the National Assembly Patrick Matibini was at hand to receive the President and later led him inside the National Assembly building.

Hundreds of well-wishers who were lined-up at the pavement leading to the entrance of the National Assembly building and sang songs of praise as the President in the company of his wife, Esther Lungu, confidently walked past them on his was to open the National Assembly.

By then, the invited guests who included mayors and their town clerks, diplomats, Chief Justice Ireen Mambilima with Supreme and High Court judges, service chiefs and Vice-President Inonge Wina had already walkedin the National Assembly.

At about 10:45hours with a captivating smile on his face, President Lungu walked into the Parliament chamber.