GOVERNMENT has warned of stern action against employers who will deny their workers the right to vote in Tuesday’s presidential election.
Chief Government spokesperson Joseph Katema said in a statement last night that some mining companies have reportedly decided not to provide time for their workers to vote in the election.
Dr Katema said Government has received information that some mining conglomerates have told their workers to report for work on election day and that they will not be given time to go and vote.
The election day has been declared a public holiday.
“This is a serious breach of the supreme law of the land. Government will not allow any employer – private or public – to deny workers the right and duty to vote. Any breach will not go unpunished,” he said.
Dr Katema, who is also Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, said workers should exercise their right to vote and should not be intimidated.
“I urge them to defy any employer who tries to deny them their right to vote. They have the protection of the government,” he said.
Dr Katema said acting President Guy Scott declared the day a public holiday to ensure that workers have the time to vote.
He said that employers of essential workers, who will be on duty that day, should also provide time for the staff to vote.
Dont waste your votes on the Kachasu Man. Edgar Muhammad Boko Haram Chibuku Man should be taught a lesson
Vote wisely
HH is the next President of Zambia come 20th January 2015
God Be with All as You vote for His Excellence HH.
I thank you so much.
20th January sounds too far, HH will be president next week.
And I wish Edgar Lungu a long holiday, the man has suffered, ever since Sata died, not even energy for sex.
All government workers should be given permission including soldiers and police officers to go and vote.
Dont denie them their right.
My humble appeal to all government workers is that please, do not vote for people that will not help imrove your lives and that of your children
Edgar Muhammad Lungu is a pure Muslim who wants to contract a mosque for his fellow Boko Haram Muslims.
If u vote for Edgar Lungu, then dont complain when the war breaks out in this country. Lungu smells blood.
Nigeria should always be your best example.
Please Vote for HH as the next Republican and Sixth President of the Republic of Zambia.
God be with you Brothers and Sisters.
Latest intelligence reports are indicating that the UPND President Hakainde Hichilema is now poised to win the next Tuesday Presidential Elections.
This is because alot of people belive that Edgar C Lungu is a staunch promoter of violence and there is fear that voting for him would set this country in flames of Civil and Religious War.
According to the findings, Edgar lungu and his supporters will be shocked when HH will takes an early lead.
The ECZ will start announcing the results of some of the constituencies in Lusaka before going to the Copperbelt then Southern and that will make the UPND lead PF for the first time since 2001.
As it in Malawi, the PF will then accuse the ECZ of having rigged the elections in favour of HH but that will not hold water and in the end, HH…
Zambia being counter productive as usual. Pols must open early and close late to accommodate everyone, instead of having people take an entire day off.
HH has already admitted defeat. He knows he can not win this coming election. Because he can not win this election means he will never be presido of our beloved country hence the violence that he is scheming. I think if UPND had another leader they would have tasted power a long time ago.
This HH is free mason and satanist of a man who is hell bent on wanting to make aliances with devils and in the mean time using the SDA as a cover up. More than 50% Voters have openened their eyes and have seen this through.
Katema is saying that to the public but behind the scenes, he has issued a memo threatening all government workers to vote for Lungu and PF otherwise their jobs will be no more.
His memo is threatening civil servants to vote PF as a sign of loyalty to the government of the day.
Unfortunately its way too late because the people have already decided its HH and UPND they want this time.
Viva HH.
You will hang yourselves on 21st January you dreamers. Your hwa hwa will never be president for Zambia.
Dr Joseph “Matwi Kupakamana Katema” at it again. This man is a ka suzuki type, small and pikinini
Dr Katema u need not worry, as by 22 Jan 2015 you will be back on the back bench where you belong.
Jane, don’t use God’s name in vail. it is a sin. Your language is not appropriate. Have respect to your elders for your days to be long on earth.
Miners are not PF.
And nurses don’t get intimidated, PF will not fire you ever again. Focus what is on your hearts, the sick and dying.
@Nostradamus
pleases. please Nostra, stop sticking it in Changwa`s face, the man will be tempted to drink more and hang himself,,,kekekekekekeke!
“famous last words” Katema…your kantemba is a burning down tuesday!
It is self-evident that 20-01-2015 is a cross-road ! Just like “The Hour” came it is revolution time on tuesday; PF has failed miserably with chipante-pante government, revving-up kleptomania, nepotism, thuggery and political arrogance almost of the Kaunda UNIP end-days…all within few multiples of 90 days. Tuesday is the end of PF’s Damoclean Rule, the sword are the people:
Zambia Foward! Zambia United !Last good
Yes, but sternest action must be taken against any political party and presidential candidate whose cadres are going to turn violent, wield pangas and cause mayhem during election. Watch Lungu and his thugs, they are the only ones with the cruelty to make things turn ugly. We want PF’s exit from politics to be as quiet and unobtrusive as a ghost departing too tired to haunt anyone anymore. Peaceful.
@watanshi
Thats absolutely what we want to hear from PF not this nonsense of threatening private employers.
Katema should issue a memo to police to deal with any PF cadres who turn violent and arrest them. We already know that UPND get arrested when ever they try to defend them selves.
Mean while HH is giving PF a tough time in Northern, Luapula Muchinga Eastern and CB.
This time around people of Zambia will unite under Zambia united and vote for a credible candidate to move Zambia forward.
Viva HH and UPND.
You’re all wishful thinkers no matter in all what you have said.
Shocking. This is a very counterproductive stance by PF and completely unnecessary. Just hoping to win votes by patronising workers as if they are students.
All PF needed to do was open the polling stations early, and close late. As simple as that. Zambia is not the only Country in the World that votes, and this is not the first time voting is taking place in the Country.
Just how dull can PF get?
What a heading? ‘Companies who make workers work’!
Direct bemba translation.
As much as voting is important this is not the right way to encourage employers to release workers moreover why not ley polling stations close late in the evening. Only a gullible f**l would fall for these empty threats by these empty tins…the Zambian constitution its self will protect you…in Zambia public holidays and national mourning are declared every other month no wonder the every worker is very lazy and less prodictive.
*…average worker. ..
How about all those workers like cleaners who were insulted by HH when he said ‘cleaning is not a real job’? Cleaning, driving, are all jobs Mr HH. Now wonder his farm workers are abused because he does not regard what they do on his farms as ‘real jobs’. DO NOT VOTE for this man, he is an elitist.
The message from government is progressive and is not partisan….. the workers have already made up their minds and no one will/can patronize them at this stage……….Zambians are you able to follow up these new Chinese…..THE TURKISH people who have now come amass and are mistreating the Zambian workers. They are very rude and receiving work permits after faking their papers. They are seriously working hand in hand with the Gulen School in Kabulonga which has Turkish teachers that can not speak English and are insisting that they can teach in English…..our children are in trouble. This School is occupying Kabulonga Boys land which was given to them by Mr. Lupia Banda and Dora Siliya in a strange way. The school is supposed to be a PPP sch. But who care?Google Gulen movement!!!
Most polling stations close late …why would you need to take the full day off or declare it a public holiday? What do you intend to do vote for 8 hrs…no wonder we do not move forward and the selfsame foreigner like the Chinese are prospering because Zambians are lazy. …you only want to be emplyees and not employers.
Wake up!!
Have you ever voted before, ever heard of long queues?
@Robin
Always looking for an excuse …long queue or not people eventually vote…why not go early or later in the evening?
Well spoken Jay Jay.
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin, but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.” This is an excerpt of Dr Martin Luther King’s speech. In the context of UPND how do people like Mutati and other tribes not Tonga join a party where they will be judged by their tribe, and not by the content of their character to become president of the party. Does it mean they lack presidential ambitions?
What next for HH now that it is clear he has lost these elections for the fourth time?
Could this be the reason the lost UPND have resorted to insults and bitter language?
Even the bloggers on this media are same UPND characters who know for sure that EL is in State House.
By midnight 21 January 2015, the streets of Zambia will again be lifting the clenched fists up and high as always. Transport to and fro town will be free.
Viva EDGAR Chagwa Lungu
HH will NEVER be president of ZAMBIA. Going by the live debates results, if Chipimo and Nawakwi can put there act together, I see them being in State House in 2028 after PF.
It’s time for UPND MPs to come to terms. PF is here to stay in power for a long long time.
Viva EDGAR LUNGU
In 2012, Romney, the Republican candidate came out extremely overconfident that he was a better and successful man and that Obama was nothing. He went on to brag about his businesses and what he would do for America.
What he forgot was that Obama and his Democratic Party had been working tirelessly and the Americans were the judges.
This is what is happening today with the overconfident HH and his blind supporters. They have opted not to acknowledge that PF has done great things in its three years of being in power which by all comparison no other government has done. Their basis of wining these elections is not convincing at least to many ZAMBIANS who seemly have appreciated the massive development of PF.
PF President EDGAR Lungu is winning convincingly no doubt!
Quietly confident and awaiting that great day! I’ve been on this blog long enough and declared my position loudly, so there’s no need to expand further.
Yes, quietly, confidently and gratefully awaiting next Tuesday.
FELLOW ZAMBIANS, BROTHERS AND SISTERS ITS JUST HOURS BEFORE WE GO VOTING. ITS OUR CHOICE, BAD CHOICES RESULTS TO BAD CONSEQUENCES, GOOD CHOICES RESULTS TO GOOD CONSEQUENCES. DON’T VOTE FOR LEADERS WHO HAS BEEN IN GOVERNMENT SINCE UNIP ERROR THEY HAVE NOTHING TO OFFER THEY ARE RECYCLED LEADERS WHO HAVE TEAMED UP FOR THEIR OWN BENEFITS NOT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE POOR. LETS VOTE WISELY AND PEACEFULLY.
WHO EVER LOOSES PLEASE CONCEDE DEFEAT. NO PETITIONS. THANKS AND WISHING EVERY ONE WELL.