Government says it fully supports persons with disabilities (PWDs)’s candidature ahead of 12 August, 2021 general elections.

Comfort for National Association for Persons with Disabilities (CNAPD)-Zambia National Coordinator Freeborn Lubasi Wamupu says government through his Unit, is committed to supporting PWDs to fully participate in this year’s polls.

Mr Wamupu reasons in an interview with ZANIS that it is important for persons with disabilities to support the candidature of their fellow colleagues participating in this year’s elections.

“ Supporting PWDs involved in this year’s election will address their interests and demands and thus urged everyone to cooperate with their Provincial Coordinator, “ he said.

He added that the Comfort for National Association for Persons with Disabilities main mandate is to promote participation of Persons with Disabilities into politics.

Meanwhile, about 8, 000 persons living with disabilities and registered voters in Mongu District have vowed to support the Patriotic Front (PF) Party to give it a 100 percent vote in this year’s General Election.

Disclosing this to ZANIS in an interview, Mr Wamupu said nearly all persons living with disabilities registered as voters are set to vote for the PF THIS 12 August owing to various development projects rendered to them among them being the Social Cash Transfer scheme ( SCT).

And Mongu Patriotic Front Mayoral Candidate Bright Tombi urged the persons with disabilities to really vote for the PF considering the aid they are receiving as opposed to the opposition that is full of empty promises it cannot honour.

Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) Presidential candidate Sean Tembo has advised State Counsel John Sangwa to find something worthwhile to do with what he described as his clearly abundant spare time, instead of hopping from one court registry to another, filing frivolous lawsuits.

In a statement posted on social media, Mr Tembo said that the State Counsel should be advised that a time for election campaigns is a serious time and not a time for courtroom jokes.

Below is the full Posts

PeP STATEMENT No.36 ISSUED ON FRIDAY, 21st MAY 2021: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

1. As Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP), we are in receipt of a lawsuit filed by State Counsel John Sangwa on behalf of the little-known Legal Resources Foundation in which our Presidential Running Mate, Mr Henry Muleya is the 3rd Respondent. Our quick perusal of the issues raised by the Petitioner drives us to the conclusion that this is a frivolous petition that is intended to waste the time of running mates and their political parties during this critical campaign period.

2. As Patriots for Economic Progress, we wish to take this opportunity to appeal to the Judiciary to come up with regulations that would protect citizens from frivolous lawsuits from otherwise mentally unstable individuals that are seeking unwarranted relevance in society. It is our submission that the court system should not be converted into a den for busybodies to harass innocent citizens.

3. As Patriots for Economic Progress, we further wish to take this opportunity to advise State Counsel John Sangwa to find something worthwhile to do with his clearly abundant spare time, instead of hopping from one court registry to another, filing frivolous lawsuits. The State Counsel should be advised that a time for election campaigns is a serious time and not a time for courtroom jokes.

Thank You and May God Bless the Good Citizens of the Republic of Zambia and Our Ailing Nation.

YOURS SINCERELY
SEAN ENOCK TEMBO (SET)
PARTY PRESIDENT
PATRIOTS FOR ECONOMIC PROGRESS (PeP)

Patriotic Front Member of the Central Committee Hon Given Lubinda has bemoaned the lack of adherence to health guidelines by the Opposition UPND that ferried their supporters to Lusaka when their leader was filling in nominations.

Hon Lubinda said the opposition UPND did not follow Covid 19 guidelines thereby putting their supporters in danger of contracting and spreading the virus.

“What is more frustrating is that people had no masks but he had double masks and gloves. If you are a leader, you are supposed to be the first one to suffer,” he said.

He said unlike Mr. Hichilema, President Lungu cares about the welfare of Zambians hence he only invited a few people to accompany him to the nomination center.
And Hon Lubinda said the party will come up with a new strategy of reaching out to people in respect of the Covid 19 health guidelines.

The former Kabwata MP and Justice Minister stated that the Party’s Secretary-General Hon. Davies Mwila has emphasized the need to respect the decision by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to ban rallies ahead of the August polls in view of the covid-19 pandemic.

He has since assured supporters that this year’s General Election will be issue based.

Hon Lubinda said the campaigns will be about showing the people what the Patriotic Front party has done for them.

He said President Edgar Lungu wants to make sure that all Zambians must be counted in all the developmental projects.

Hon Lubinda explained that President Edgar Lungu has modified the Party slogan from leaving no one behind to making every Zambian count.

He said the President is embracing every Zambian through the motto making every Zambian count.

He said the Patriotic Front members have an opportunity to ensure that Zambia continues to be a beacon of peace on the African continent.

Hon Lubinda said victory is already secured for the PF in the August polls.

“The Patriotic front is in government, come 15th august you will escort President Edgar Lungu for another swearing in,” he said.

Hon. Lubinda said this when the National Democratic Congress ( NDC) announced their resolve to support the candidature of President Lungu in the August 12 polls at the party Secretariat.

United Nations (UN) has handed over a total amount of 17.4 million kwacha to 18 Civil Society Organizations

Ahead of the 12 August polls.

The funds are meant to capacitate the organizations to promote Voter Education and Stakeholder Engagement to increase the participation of Women

, Youth and People with Disabilities in Zambia ahead of the polls.

The grants also aim to benefit other categories of voters such as Persons in Lawful Custody (PLCs), first time voters and rural or hard-to-reach voters in the context of the 2021 General Election and beyond.

ZANIS reports UN Resident Coordinator Coumba Mar Gadio who revealed this at a meeting said the project dubbed “ Democracy Strengthening in Zambia (DSZ) “ is a multi-year Multi-donor basket fund to be implemented between 2020 and 2022.

Stressing that the project aims at encouraging electoral transparency, inclusion, accountability, integrity and peace, Dr Mar Gadio said the project also seeks to strengthen institutions of democracy like the Electoral Commission of Zambia and the Zambia Police Service.

“The UN’s vision through this project is to support elections which are democratic and credible as well as elections whose outcomes which enjoy stakeholder trust and confidence and also widespread legitimacy,” he said.

And British High Commissioner to Zambia Nicholas Wooley said his government fully supports the programme as it is in line with the UK’s resolve to back Zambia’s democratic process.

Mr Wooley who also underscored the importance of civil society organizations in Zambia’s democratic process emphasised that the electorate need to be educated on the process by the organizations.

“Voters need to understand and know their responsibilities, the importance of their vote and knowing the choices before them when they cast

their votes,” he said.

And the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) Chief Electoral Officer Patrick Nshindano emphasized the need for an inclusive electoral process.

Mr Nshindano expressed hope that the beneficiaries of the funds will add value to the country’s democratic process.

Meanwhile the ECZ’s CEO said he expects that the misinformation peddled during the electoral process will be a thing of the past with the launch of the grants to the civil society organizations.

“As a commission we have observed a lot of misinformation including from established civil society organizations and such partnerships will be able to bridge that gap,” Mr Nshindano said.

And in speech read for her by Director Governance Yengwe Kakusa , Ministry of Justice Permanent Secretary Thandiwe Oteng urged the organizations to put the funds to good use.

Trade unions in the teaching fraternity have welcomed efforts towards uniting, to ensure one voice on matters affecting the profession.

Commenting on the formation of the Movement for Restoration of Teachers Affairs (MORETA), an organization aimed at spearheading the merging of teacher Unions, Zambia Union of Teachers (ZNUT) Secretary General Newman Bubala says the Teachers Union is in support of any efforts that will unite the teacher Unions in the country.

“Fragmentation is never beneficial. A united voice for the teaching fraternity will ensure concerted efforts and will yield more as opposed to lone voices.” Mr Bubala has said.

Mr. Bubala however, stated that ZNUT has not yet been engaged by MORETA and are keenly following the unfolding of events in the efforts being implemented by the Movement.

And ZNUT Director Human Resource Auster Kabalo reiterated that integration is necessary.

“One stick can be easily broken. But it is more of a challenge to break many sticks bound together. Coming together with unity of purpose will yield the teaching profession more results as opposed to the variety that currently exists.” Mr. Kabalo emphasized.

The National Union of Public & Private Educators of Zambia (NUPPEZ) also stated its support towards efforts to integrate trade unions in the teaching profession, but expressed unawareness of the Movement for Restoration of Teachers Affairs MORETA as the spearheading body to that end.

NUPPZ General Secretary Nelson Mwale indicated that the trade union was in support of efforts to unite the Labour Movement in the Education sector, but the Union was ignorant of MORETA’s efforts.

MORETA was formed to spearhead the Assimilation of the Assortment of trade unions among teachers, to ensure one voice for teachers.