UPND Chairman for Agriculture, Livestock and Food Security Levy Ngoma said following the lifting of the ban on the export of maize by Government recently, it is common knowledge that most people will resort to export their maize because it fetches for more on the international market.

Mr. Ngoma said UPND is not surprised that such sentiments are coming from someone who has a record of lying in order to appease the hunger-stricken citizens and to win their sympathy so that he benefits politically.

He has challenged President Lungu to avail the UPND as well as the Zambian people with the criterion and data gathering methodology that he used to arrive at such conclusions.

Mr. Ngoma said had President Lungu been to all the four quarters of the country to understand the agricultural phenomena in the country.

He said the UPND is however not surprised that someone who doesn’t mind whether farmers receive their farming inputs on time or do not receive anything at all, would care much if their maize yields are good enough to sustain their livelihood.

Mr. Ngoma said it is unfortunate that President Lungu wants to create an impression that Zambia has a sustainable mechanism of feeding its people when majority Zambians go without three square meals, which, your guess is as good as ours: nshima.

He said it is frightening that the Head of State thinks that Zambia has a lot of food without taking into consideration a few factors such as the maize stocks at time of issuing the false statement; the monthly consumption by the people in the country and what are the expected harvests in the wake of a drought.

Mr. Ngoma said UPND further finds it hard to believe that President Lungu is telling Zambians that the country is food secure when the people of Pemba are feeding on wild fruits such as Masuku, Kawawasha, Vibuyu and Black Jack for survival.

He said the UPND is also surprised at Government’s plan to send relief food to the Malawi, Zimbabwe and Mozambique that has been ravaged by cyclone Idai while most Zambians are grappling with survival, with the closest example being Siavonga District where, according to area DC, Lovemore Kanyama that the people of the District needed more than 800 metric tonnes of maize in relief food.

Vice President Inonge Wina has challenged the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to consider flexing its muscles on violent political parties and their candidates perpetrating violence.

Mrs. Wina says the commission can enforce and bar parties or candidates breaking the electoral code of conduct through acts of violence, by enhancing punishments.

She says time is ripe for the commission it to act on parties and cadres perpetrating violence

Mrs. Wina, who regretted the violence noted that it is detrimental to the nation, condemned the violence that characterised the recently held Sesheke parliamentary by-elections.

The Vice President was responding to a question raised by PF Mafinga Member of Parliament (MP) Jacob Siwale who wanted to find out what measures would be taken to curb violence in the forth-coming elections to be held in Roan and Bahati.

This was during the 45-minute Vice President’s question time in parliament today.

“There should be no more mapatizya formular anywhere this time around in the country. ECZ should flex its muscles on violent political parties and candidates that are breaking the law,” Ms. Wina said.

And the Veep has disclosed that the ECZ has expanded its Conflict Management Committees to include traditional leaders to be among stakeholders in addressing violence.

She added that the commission has embarked on vigorous sensitization programmes among them stopping political parties from transporting cadres to areas of election as this fuels violence.

The people of Luanshya in Roan and Mansa’s Bahati constituencies will go to the polls on April 11, 2019 to choose their MP.

Meanwhile, the Vice President has disclosed that the report on Commission of Inquiry into Voting Patterns and Electoral Violence is in public domain.

Ms. Wina assured that government remains transparent and accountable to its people.

The warning of chaos in Zambia after the 2021 general elections by former Archbishop of Lusaka Telesphore Mpundu is premature and inflammatory which must never come from religious leaders, the Young African Leaders Initiative has said.

YALI Governance Advisor Isaac Mwanza says it will be unfortunate if the sentiments by Archbishop Mpundu represent the views of the Catholic Church and the Bishops.

Mr. Mwanza said although the Catholic Church worldwide has never been known to perpetuate ideas which may incite the bad elements in society, YALI are also alive to the fact that some of the atrocities in which the people have participated have been fueled by irresponsible and careless statements by individual bishops.

He cited the genocide in Rwanda as one heinous crime that was perpetuated by individual members of the clergy who worked with some politicians.

Mr. Mwanza has since called on Archbishop Mpundu to reflect on his recent remarks that may be used as justification by some bad elements within society to cause mayhem and atrocious acts when they lose elections.

He has also reminded Arch Bishop Mpundu that the failure of the church-ZCID led national dialogue has been due to selfish ambitions among those who were tasked to lead the process as they kept bickering on taking the whole cake to themselves.

Mr. Mwanza said the Archbishop should have appreciated that Government has taken steps to give the national dialogue by giving it the legal framework rather than just leave it to the whims of those who wanted the prestige of chairing the process.

He has called on young people in Zambia to avoid being moved by inflammatory sentiments to cause violence when people lose elections.

“In any electoral competition, there can only be one winner of elections and those aggrieved with the result have the right to use legally provided means to air their grievances”, Mr. Mwanza has said.

The award-winning hiphop artiste – Slap Dee was selected to be part of the ‘National Nutrition Champions’ by CSOSun. He will be working on this campaign along with Sylvia Banda, Esther Chungu, Peter Cotton, Max and a couple others.

Slap Dee had this to say his social media page:

“Was announced one of the 8 national Nutrition Champions by @CSOSun last night. Proud to be repping alongside madam Sylvia Banda, Esther Chungu, Peter Cotton, Max and a couple others. 
In Zambia around 40% of all children are stunted. But just USD $40 per child per year could cut malnutrition in half! Sign on to our petition calling on the government of Zambia to invest in nutrition. Go to globalcitizen.org/nutritionforzambia!”