Tourism and Arts Minister Ronald Chitotela has strongly denied any links to controversial Nigerian self proclaimed Prophet Seer 1.

Mr Chitotela along with other PF Ministers and some Members of Parliament has been mentioned by some people on social media as one of the politicians who could have obtained some magical powers from Seer 1 to win the 2016 elections.

But writing on Facebook, Mr Chitotela said he does not know Seer 1 and he has never seen him.

He said Zambians have a lot of work to do than focusing on what Seer 1 is alleging.

“We seriously have a lot of work to do to ourselves as Zambians if we are to realise the most needed development in our country. Just look at this, I am informing fellow Zambians previlaged to be on social media about this important development in regards to our wildlife, what do i see? Comments about the so called Seer One or is it Papa Seer,” he said.

“Come on guys, we have a lot to do to better this country unlike wasting time on some Seer whom I I DO NOT KNOW and have NOT even met myself,” Mr Chitotela said.

“Anyway, those he has given those same powers will be worried, otherwise we have a country to serve and we shall use every bit of it for the progression of this nation,” he said.

“Finally, I am an Adventist and the only power I believe in and do know that it exists is that which is from God and not from some human being.”

Meanwhile, the ruling PF says it does not have time for what it called unnecessary drama from Seer 1.

PF Lusaka Province Secretary Kennedy Kamba has since appealed to God-Loving Zambians to ignore the frustrated and bitter Soul in the name of Seer 1 and the drama he is trying to cause after being expelled and deported from Zambia.

“Those that have watched the video clip with eyes of wisdom could tell why the expulsion of that man was necesary. People’s souls should never be lost in following the ‘Papa’ at the expense of true salvation,” Mr Kamba said.

“Misleading teachings in the name of religion can be very dangerous to society if not handled well. Zambians know who a true man of God is and the language used. Whatever Seer 1 was saying was not for God. It’s sheer drama deliberately made to try and embarrass the PF government on baseless and unfounded allegations.”

He added, “One can clearly tell that those are maneuvers of the opposition and Seer 1 is trying to win some favours from them so that he returns to Zambia some day.”

“We will not allow such selfish individuals to divert attention from real issues. President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, his cabinet Ministers and all of us in the PF are preoccupied with matters of governance and finding solutions to challenges that Zambians face on a daily basis and we are getting there with the help of the Almighty God. We don’t need Seer 1’s approval because this country and Its people are protected by the blood of Jesus,” he said.

“Seer1 is just a conman who doesn’t even know what he is talking about. He has no moral right to talk about governance issues in Zambia because he is a thief who blatantly stole from Zambians and was ejected from this country because whatever he does is not for God but himself. Zambia doesn’t need magicians, Zambia is a Christian Nation that follow Jesus Christ as our ultimate saviour.”

The Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit have refuted reports alleging that the Unit is distributing mealie meal as a way of bribing voters in Chilubi.

DMMU Senior Communications Officer Racheal Chama has clarified that Chilubi is one of the 58 districts highlighted in the 2019 Vulnerability and Needs Assessment to be in need of relief, and has been on the relief pipeline since June, the program which will go on until March this year.

Ms Chama said the relief distribution is an ongoing program which should not in any way be disrupted by any event such as by-elections.

She said the Unit will therefore continue distributing relief to areas in need and will not be disrupted by any such event.

“The public may further wish to know that a few days ago, 56 households in Chilubi were displaced due to flash floods and therefore it is the duty of government through DMMU to respond and offer relief support to the affected communities”, she added.

Ms Chama said the DMMU has in the past few days also responded to affected communities in Mambwe, Lumezi, Mpulungu, Kazungula and Lusaka.

She added that the Unit in collaboration with the Ministry of Infrastructure is also working on the bridges which were destroyed due to flash floods in Gwembe and Monze districts, where there are no by-elections.

Ms Chama said it is therefore untrue to allege that the Unit is distributing mealie meal as a way of bribing voters.

She said the DMMU also wishes to urge stakeholders not to politicise humanitarian programs being undertaken by the Unit and always engage the Office to avoid misleading the public.

UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema says following the placing of Chambeshi Metals on Care and Maintenance, Copperbelt Province urgently needs diversification to agriculture.

Mr Hichilema says the programme of diversifying from mining to agriculture does not need to be postponed anymore.

Mr Hichilema said under the UPND Government, the 229 miners would have been incorporated in the supply agreement with the DRC for various agriculture products or the global arrangements to supply soya beans.

He said each one would have received land for business, example if they needed land for farming, the UPND Government would have given each a minimum of 5 hectares and complete startup capital.

“At a production rate of say 4000 kg per hectare will give 20,000kg, that will translate to K110, 000 per annum, compare with their annual salary as miners of K65, 000. When we say diversity, we mean this”, he said.

About 229 workers will be laid off at Chambishi Metals on the Copperbelt by the end of this month following the placing of the mining company under care and maintenance.

Mineworkers Union of Zambia President Joseph Chewe said the workers will however be paid K45, 000 ex Gracia plus K6, 000 repatriation.

He said only 28 workers will remain at the mining company that has failed to source for stock feed to sustain its operations as they have been relying on feed stock from the Democratic Republic of Congo for its cobalt production.

GEARS Initiative Zambia has noted with concern the continued distribution of branded and unbranded mealie-meal bags to people of Chilubi Island and Kalomo Districts by Disaster Management Mitigation Unit hosted by the Office of the Vice-President ahead of the parliamentary and local government by-elections in these two districts.

The Organisation says it is also in receipt of reports from Chilubi Island that some mealie-meal bags branded Superior Milling Company have found their way in the District and are being distributed to the locals ahead of the by-election.

GEARS Initiative Zambia Executive Director McDonald Chipenzi says unless his information is not right, Superior Milling Company is said to have been taken over and is now under the management of the Industrial Development Corporation a government development agency.

Therefore, Mr Chipenzi wondered whether this mealie-meal from Superior milling is acquired freely or at a fee and further wondered how hunger has become so critical in Chilubi island since the nomination on 16th January 2020 to attract such truckloads of mealie-meal from DMMU and other sources if this act is just not a mere electoral bribery and corruption.

He said the activities of the DMMU, a government owned and managed institutions under the leadership of Chanda Kabwe, is a clear demonstration of electoral corruption, coerciveness, bribery, blackmail and general malpractices ahead of the parliamentary and local by-elections in these areas.

“DMMU is now using hunger as a tool trying very hard to aid the ruling party to win elections as observed in its past activities ahead of the by-elections in Roan, Sesheke, Kafue, Katuba, Kaoma and Bahati”, he said.

Mr Chipenzi said the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit and ZAMPOST are in breach of Regulation 15 of the Electoral Code of Conduct subsection 1(i) which guides that: A person (Institution) shall not abuse or attempt to abuse a position of power, privilege or influence for purpose of political purposes including any offer of a reward.

He said the Code further outlaws the offer of any inducement (distribution of mealie-meal in Chilubi Island), rewards or bribe to any person in consideration of such person to vote or discriminate any person in any other manner in connection with an election or political activities (conduct of ZAMPOST on its ferry.

Mr Chipenzi said the conduct of Zampost and DMMU, government owned institutions ahead of the Chilubi parliamentary by-election under the watch of the ECZ, Police, ACC, is undermining the principle of a free and fair election in these areas.

He has invited the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to invoke its powers and authority provided for under Regulation 11 which mandates it to reprimand these institutions for such a conduct which is in violation of the Code.

Mr Chipenzi has further called on the ECZ to apply regulation 3 that demands that it censures acts done by government and its organs which are aimed at jeopardizing elections or done in contravention of the code

He said the ECZ and its partner institutions like Police, ACC cannot just behave like they do not exist in these areas hosting by-elections and allow electoral malpractices to take place uncensored and unabated.