GOVERNMENT has dispelled assertions that President Mwanawasa delegated the instruments of power to former Minister of Defence George Mpombo on his last trip to Egypt.
Vice-President George Kunda told Parliament yesterday that according to the Government Gazette notice number 307 of 2008, President Mwanawasa delegated the functions of the presidency to then vice-president Rupiah Banda from June 28 to July 2, 2008.
Mr Kunda was responding to Kabwata member of Parliament Given Lubinda (PF), who wanted to know whether Dr Mwanawasa legally delegated the functions of the head of State before he left for Egypt on his last trip in 2008, under which Gazette notice the functions were delegated and to whom.
Mr Lubinda posed the query during the session on questions for oral answer. Mr Kunda said President Mwanawasa did not delegate any functions of head of State to Mr Mpombo and no such Gazette notice exists.
And Minister of Agriculture and Co-operative Eustarckio Kazonga says Government is committed to ensuring that farmers use safe farming methods to avoid soil degradation.
Dr Kazonga said Government is aware of the benefits of using organic fertiliser, which help to preserve the environment.
He said in Parliament yesterday during the question and answer session. He was responding to Kalulushi MP Anson Simama (PF) who wanted to know what measures the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives has taken to encourage farmers to use organic manure instead of chemical fertilisers, which contribute to land degradation.
Dr Kazonga said the Ministry of Agriculture encourages farmers to use organic fertilisers because they are safe and could be used with organic manure.
Rupiah, Chinese officials confer
By CHARLES MUSONDA
PRESIDENT Banda yesterday held a private meeting with a delegation from the Communist Party of China (CPC), which is in the country to strengthen ties between Zambia and China.
The meeting, which lasted about 30 minutes, took place at State House and was attended by MMD national chairman Michael Mabenga and party national secretary Major Richard Kachingwe.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, the CPC delegation’s spokesperson Zhou Guohul said the delegation is in the country at the invitation of the MMD to strengthen bilateral relations between the CPC and the ruling party; and between the Chinese and Zambians.
“The head of the delegation had a very good meeting with President Banda. They have exchanged views politically, economically and in other areas. They agreed to continue to strengthen the good relations between our two parties and our peoples,” Mr Zhou said.
He said although the CPC and the MMD have different political ideologies and economic policies, his party adheres to the principle of equality, respect and non-interference in the internal affairs of other parties.
“This is the guidance we would like to use in establishing and strengthening our relations and exchanges with all parties and friends in Africa,” Mr Zhou said.
He said when the MMD came to power in 1991, it established and eventually strengthened ties with the CPC.
Mr Zhou said during the meeting, President Banda defended China on the recent concerns raised by United States Secretary of State Hilary Clinton that China is not transparent in its dealings with other countries, and that it does not observe the principles of good governance.
He said Mr Banda noted that Zambia must co-operate with China in the same way it co-operates with the US.
“Besides, China has a long history of traditional friendship with Zambia,” he said.
And Mr Zhou said the delegation’s visit to Zambia has nothing to do with this year’s elections.
“We are here for the friendship, not only between our parties but also between our people. We don’t think this has anything to do with elections,” he said.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
Legally this may not have happened. The story going round may not be true that the late president just scribbled some note stating the same but he did not sign it. Mpombo is in hot soup now and should live to accept that somethings happen for a reason. Let him concentrate on other things other than ‘I would have been president if the note was signed’
Lubinda naiwe sometimes you ask irrelevant questions.even you if you were president can you leave the instruments of power with mpombo? be real.so now you know where this man derives his hate from. If it were the old of jowie mwiinga,dini chirwa and chris chitanda i would have asked them to dig deeper for you to find out if that gazzette relating to mpombo is there or not,manje aba abaiche banomba abena george chela naka akamwanakashi ku ndola ati chibaula ifyapalako ifyo ma ma ma ma,they dig shallow.teti njeshe
Hahaaaa…Mpombo, Lubinda is adding salt to an injury.
So there are three stories in one Major title? This is incompetent reporting by the author of these articles. In Glasgow newspapers are well thought about and written better .Journalism is just a gun. It’s only got one bullet in it, but if you aim right, that’s all you need. Aim it right and you can blow a kneecap off the world.
.They say ‘A little nonsense now and then, is relished by the wisest men’.But get it right Thanks
this is foolishness,these MP we put in paliament,honest instead of asking sensible questions,of what importance will that bring to the pipo of kabwata and the country as whole if power was left to who ever at this time. We want him to ask or lobby the govt to bring about development in an area his reprstng . pipo nid to knw how main roads will b done out the roads how main will have tarmac not ma rubbish he was asking so what if the powers were left with no1 or with any 1?
Mushota, I am with you on this one! …indications of some grey matter somewhere.
I cant be surprised that this was done looking at the nepotistic stance Levy displayed. from ZESCO , Zambia Army, OP and Foreign Mission, all these were teeming with illiterate Lenjes/Lambas. Cant be surprised that the old tribalistic ghost did that
Yabaaa! but Glasgow yatiletelela….kunaendewa na banthu!
George Kunda is lucky that I am saved otherwise I could have gone kwamununga to seek ways of turning him into the tadpole that he is. Maybe I should backslide and repent later. Please advise…..
@ no. 6….are we on the same wave length? Please help some of us understand what you mean….the ghost did what? …and what is it that is surprising you?
Ba lubinda nawo ni fwaka? table real issues ba mudala .we want to know how many universities is the gvt plaining to building.let the gvt construct more univesities the country is very poor lets balance things we have seen the gvt constracting stadium but i strong feel they wld do justice to us if the construct more universities than stadiums. Tanzania has got roughly 20 univesities ,zimbabwe more than ten unversities we are the only country with few univesities
Ba lubinda nawo ni fwaka? table real issues ba mudala .we want to know how many universities is the gvt plaining to building.let the gvt construct more univesities the country is very poor lets balance things we have seen the gvt constracting stadium but i strong feel they wld do more justice to us if the construct more universities than stadiums. Tanzania has got roughly 20 univesities ,zimbabwe more than ten unversities we are the only country with few univesities
These are people you want to vote for? Honestly, how would a president leave power in the hands of a defense minister when his vice in around? This nincompoop mpombo does not cease to amaze me. Soon or later or soon enough he will find himself with no place to live in, This is zambian politics at play, remember what happened to late christon tembo when his belongings where thrown out of his farm in lusaka, No one could sympathize with him not even his former boss chiluba but he got a loan on behalf of the party and used his farm as collateral. This mpombo is crafting his own trap which he will find difficult to escape from.
Mpombo is a joke….he is the one who went around saying he is Acting Vice President at one point till the same people he is in bed with now told him such a thing does not exist. Uluse abana ba Mpombo…..
What a mess by Lusaka Times?? What marry thress different stories into one. This is a flippin disgrace to the journalism fraternity. The last story on RB was unrelated to parliamentary proceedings & it should have been published seperately. I can help you ba Lusaka Times if you need stories.
At # 2 I’m impressed. You really started reading the post newspaper a long time ago. Talking about the late Jowie Mwiinga (MHSRI). He was really an analyst. I never used to miss his column. Notable was his critic over the appointment of Dr. Manasseh Phiri as ZNBC Director at that time. He wrote a very good critic completely unddressing the interviewing panel for the top job.
@4. Mushota. If that’s the case, then why don’t you blog on Glasgow Times …why are you always on LT?
Did anyone expect a very intelligent question from Ka Lubinda? Sick brain he has……we have already been told !
Kalunga you are the one with …… What is wrong with you bloggers? Cadre mentalitiy
You can not expect a sensible question from Lubinda and what about performance,zero.These are a kind of MPs the Pafwaka has.Among many questions of bringing water,good roads,health education to Kabwata,he sees it fit to ask such s stupid question.The residents of Kabwata must be very disappointed with this rug.By the way is Impombo normal to be acting President?.
# 2; You stir very fond memories of the real Weekly Post. Jowie Mwiinga…. Brilliant!
@ 16, my bro’ then it was the post newspaper or weekly post as it was known then.jowie and his crew never used to cook stories like the nonsense we are seeing now.that was investigative journalism at it’s best.they exposed sata stashing goverment money in his personal current account to earn interest, they exposed BY then defence minister secretly shipping arms to UNITA,they exposed remmy mushota collecting cash in trunks from the bank. noti aya mafi balelemba bafika nomba to suit membe’s wild dreams
Lubinda u are alwaz asking silly questions let me also ask u .what have u done for ur pipo in jack compound, not even a toilet.if its grading the road u end jst in kamwala i think smoke is not treating u well.DO u want also to be called a clown