About 380 members of the United Party for National Development (UPND) have defected to the Patriotic Front in Kaoma’s Chitwa ward.

And speaking when he received the new members, President Edgar Lungu who is also PF party President, encouraged the new members to feel free and join in the country’s developmental agenda.

And President Lungu further urged voters in Chitwa ward to turn up in numbers in tomorrow’s Council Chairperson By-elections, to vote for the PF candidate Ngebe Ngondo.

Speaking during a public meeting at Chitwa Primary School today, in Kaoma constituency, the President also urged the residents not to involve themselves in acts of violence, adding that PF is a peaceful party.

President Lungu also lashed out at individuals who are fond of blocking development were it is most needed.

The President has assured the people of Kaoma that he will work closely with Ms Ngondo, once she is voted in office, in order to continue with the desired developmental progress.

The President also reminded party members to ensure that they welcome and work with new members, in order to strengthen the party structures in the area.

And PF candidate Ngebe Ngondo has promised to work with the people of Kaoma and government once voted into office, towards ensuring that all developmental projects lined up are delivered.

Meanwhile Sub Chief Josephat Situnya of the Nkoya speaking people appealed to government to upgrade the local school which has been neglected for years.

He expressed optimism that the voting of a PF candidate will lead to the overall development of the area.

Tomorrow Thursday October 10, 2019, Kaoma District goes to the polls to vote for a new Council Chairperson.

Candidates from three political parties are contesting the seat, namely Maseka Chuulu of the United Peaceful and Prosperous Party (UPPZ), Austin Muneku of the United Party for National Development (UPND) and Ngebe Ngondo of the Patriotic Front (PF).

Dr Mushimba’a comments follows a month long investigation by the BBC cases of sexual harassment of female students in Nigeria and Ghana in what has become to be known as #SexForGrades scandal.

In a statement, Dr Mushimba said the Ministry has in the recent past, noted with grave concern, the growing number of reported cases of sexual harassment in institutions of Higher Learning against female students by those entrusted with the responsibility of protecting and nurturing them.

“As a Ministry, we wish to encourage these students not to feel constrained to report cases of sexual harassment immediately, as a matter of urgency. It is only through such reports that immediate interventions and actions can be taken and victims protected and perpetrators severely punished,” Dr Mushimba said.

Dr Mushimba said the Ministry of Higher Education condemns, in the strongest terms, this harassment of students in universities and colleges.

He has since directed that all forms of harassment must cease as the Ministry and Government has zero tolerance to such vices.

Dr Mushimba has further warned that those identified as perpetrators of these vices will be brought to book under the full extent of the law.

He further stated that harassment of any form, especially sexual, has no place in institutions of Higher learning as these institutions are the epoch of human development and that is why these vices will be dealt with severely under a new enhanced surveillance program against these vices in universities.

The Minister has assured the victims of the Ministry’s total support and the creation of a safe environment through which to report sexual harassment.

According to the Zambian laws, Criminal Sanctions are provided under the Penal code and a person convicted of Sexual harassment is liable to imprisonment for a term not less than 3 years.

Dr Mushimba has directed all heads of institutions not to protect perpetrators of sexual harassment as doing so is a serious offence and in the same vain urged protection of the victims at all costs.

The Patriotic Front says a UPND Member identified as Gadaffi who was killed in Kaoma was shot by his colleagues from the opposition party.

Party Deputy Secretary General Mumbi Phiri says Gadaffi was killed by his fellow UPND members and not the PF.

Contradicting a report from the Zambia Police Service which indicated that the UPND Member was shot at by the PF in Kaoma, Mrs. Phiri said Gadaffi was shot when he moved from his side to steal a handbag from one of the PF Chairladies.

In a phone interview on the Hot FM Breakfast show, Mrs. Phiri said the deceased wanted to take advantage of the fracas between the two political parties to steal from one of the PF Chairladies but unfortunately met his fate in the process.

Mrs. Phiri said she is shocked that the UPND claims that their member was shot by the PF when in fact he was shot by his fellow UPND members.

She said the PF is waiting for an Autopsy to determine which gun was used to kill the deceased.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia says the campaigns in Kaoma have generally been peaceful apart from the shooting incident on Sunday which left one person dead.

The Commission has since advised political parties to continue exercising tolerance across the party lines.

ECZ Public relations Manager Margaret Chimanse says as the campaign period comes to a close today, political parties should maintain a peaceful political atmosphere where all players can freely participate without hindrance, fear and anticipation.

Mrs. Chimanse said the Commission looks forward to a conducive environment for all stakeholders and has urged the Zambia Police Service to act professionally and impartially.

She said in policing the elections to ensure that law and order is maintained, during campaigns and during elections at polling stations and districts where the elections are happening, police officers must ensure that all people are protected.

Mrs. Chimanse has further appealed to the electorate and all stakeholders to take ownership of the process by using their democratic right to vote.

UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema has charged that Zambians are tired of the PF misrule and are now ready for change.

Speaking on Wednesday during a campaign rally in Kaoma which attracted thousands of people, Mr. Hichilema stated that the people are not intimidated by the PF gun culture anymore because their most dangerous weapon is a vote.

He said the people of Kaoma are ready to exercise this power on Thursday just like the people of Sesheke, Katuba, and Roan did.

“The PF must remember that a hungry person is an angry person and so they must listen when we advise them to run the country by prioritising public interest and also focus on economic development which they have failed lamentably to carry out due to wanton corruption and theft of public resources,” Mr. Hichilema said.

He added, “Our message to the Nation is simple: unity for development for all, and a wound against one is a wound against all of us, and therefore when attacked by the PF thugs, defend yourselves because it is your constitutional right to do so.”

“We are therefore grateful to the people of Kaoma who are demonstrating that they are well versed in their constitutional rights. Their assurance that on Thursday, they will vote for our candidate Austin Muneku as district Council Chairperson is clearly unequivocal and is a clear affirmation that Zambia is ready for a change of government and no one must mislead themselves that this is the opposite,” he said.

“Most grateful to the multitudes that showed up in Kaoma constituency that came to our rally this afternoon at Kaunda square ground and eventually escorting but most importantly offering security to all of us. To the people of Kaoma and the Nation as a whole, we say Zambia is headed for greater things in the next few months and to do that, we must all galvanize ourselves as foot soldiers of the ballot and vote these thieves out in 2021.”

The Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) has advised Members of Parliament (MP’s) not to politicise the unit and distribution of relief food.

DMMU National Coordinator Chanda Kabwe says his office is saddened by the escalating media reports where MP’s are now politicizing the distribution of relief food, and are now accusing the unit, to gain political mileage.

Speaking to journalists in Kaoma District today, Mr Kabwe said reports reaching his office suggesting that the unit diverted some relief aid from Ikelenge to Mwinilunga, were not true. Mr Kabwe said DMMU has since carried out a vulnerable assessment report which is in public domain, including all identified districts receiving food.

The DMMU Coordinator narrated that the unit is targeting to aid about 2.2 million people, with its exercise having started in October last year.He disclosed that the unit in Mwinilunga District has so far sent three consignments of relief food in amounts of 200, 200 and 300 metric tonnes.

Mr Kabwe reiterated DMMU’s commitment to continue assisting vulnerable communities across the country.

UPND Leader Hakainde Hichilema has accused the PF of splashing enormous amounts of cash in Kaoma ahead of tomorrow’s Council Chairperson by election.

Mr Hichilema says this is in addition to the government resources at their disposal.

He has questioned where the PF are getting the money from which they are dishing out to the electorate to entice them to vote for the ruling party.

Mr Hichilema has however urged the voters to take the money but vote with their conscience.

Meanwhile the Human Rights Commission has urged the Police to arrest and bring to book the people behind the killing of a UPND member in Kaoma.

Human Rights Commission spokesperson Mwelwa Muleya says it is disheartening that no arrest has so far been made in connection with the killing despite the police being aware of who the culprits are.

Mr Muleya has challenged the police to be firm and stop waiting for instructions from the President to act.

He said it is unacceptable that a life could be lost in a democratically agreed process of choosing Leaders.