The Board of the Centre for Trade Policy and Development has condemned the action by police in Ndola who detained police its members of staff and five Pastors recently.

And the CTPD Board has charged that Copperbelt Police Commissioner Charity Katanga is being untruthful over the information she is releasing regarding the matter.

In a statement, CTPD Board Chairman Isaac Mundia said the detention of the staff and the Ndola pastors on the 19th of October 2018 when they hosted a meeting on the proposed 2019 National Budget is unacceptable.

Mr Mundia started that CTPD is disturbed to learn that the gathering of citizens to discuss the proposed 2019 National Budget is now unlawful in Zambia.

“It is common cause that a proposed National Budget is subject to public scrutiny and it is in that regard that it is generally expected that citizens will provide input into the budget before and after the budget formulation,” he said.

Mr Mundia said the organization was and still remain shocked to receive a report that a meeting convened to deliberate on the proposed national budget was disrupted by police officers who, in its opinion, did not undertake the necessary due diligence to ascertain the nature of the meeting but moved quickly to disrupt the meeting.

“As a Board, we are concerned that instead of promoting more dialogue and constructive debate around issues of national concern, the Zambia Police is taking away even the limited space where citizens can engage and share their views on matters of National importance,” he said.

“It is very unfortunate that a meeting organized at the request of church leaders who are looking for positive ways to contribute to the resolution of some of the challenges that this country is facing, inter allia illicit financial flows through tax avoidance and evasion could be construed as illegal or an intention on our part and the church leaders to commit a crime.”

He added, “At a time that our country is facing financial challenges, citizen’s interest and commitment to support domestic resource mobilization needs to be appreciated and encouraged by all well- meaning Zambians.”

“We understand that the police action may have been out of paranoia and suspicion which is totally unfounded given the nature of work that CTPD undertakes. The aforesaid is well known and a quick search on the internet would have confirmed this. What is more worrying is the continued misinformation from the Copperbelt Province Police Command that the meeting was a political meeting?”

Mr Mundia said CTPD has also read a number of untrue and misconstrued statements from the Copperbelt Province Police Command which include an assertion that the organization had gone to beg the Copperbelt Provincial Minister for forgiveness.

“We would like to make it very clear that at no point did any member of the CTPD Board or staff meet either the Minister or the Copperbelt or the Copperbelt police commissioner to beg for lenience.On the other hand, the decision to accept paying a fine alluded to by Mrs. Katanga in her statement issued to the news diggers on the 29th of October, 2019 for a lesser charge of conduct likely to cause the breach of peace as opposed to the initial charge of unlawful assembly with Intent to commit a crime under section 174 of the Penal Code was arrived at following consultations we had with the church leaders and families of the affected staff from CTPD.”

“In the premise, the decision to allow our staff to accept the charge of conduct standing was arrived at after taking into consideration their concerns and the trauma that their families endured during their incarceration for simply discussing a public document,” he said.

“It is pertinent to mention that our staff members were the accused persons in the matter and not CTPD as an entity. Therefore, their view on the matter was of paramount importance and had to be respected. CTPD has a duty to protect the interest of its employees.”

He continued, “Notwithstanding the considerations alluded to in the immediate preceding paragraph, CTPD would like to make it clear that the acceptance of the lesser charge by our members of staff should by no means be construed as an acceptance on our part that the meeting was political as alleged or at all.”

He said, “CTPD was and is ready to defend its core objective and mandate of providing alternative policy thinking through empirical research and analysis before any competent court of law. In light of the foregoing, CTPD reiterates that there was no illegality or any malice in having the meeting with the Ndola faith leaders. This is the work CTPD undertakes in line with its core objective and mandate aforesaid.”

“The public may wish to know that the presentation that was to be made at meeting in issue was the same presentation CTPD recently presented and submitted to the expanded parliamentary committee for budget estimates on the 8th of October, 2018 as well as the NGO Wash Forum held on the 9th of October, 2018 at Intercontinental Hotel. It is the same presentation CTPD shared at a public forum it hosted focusing on Public Investments towards Children’s rights held at Southern Sun Hotel on the 5th of October, 2018,” he stated.

“The question that begs is why were these meetings not deemed political in all these forums? If the police command say they were tipped off by one of the participants who became uncomfortable with what was being discussed, why didn’t they come to sit in through the meeting as provided for in the same law they were citing when dispersing the meeting?”

“The police command claim that the meeting had started digressing from discussing the budget to other things, since when did the police become moderators of public discussions for them to determine specific direction a conversation should take?”

Mr Mundia said it is for this reason that the Board stands with management and staff of CTPD and will continue to support them and the Ndola faith leaders to ensure that they work towards building a society where the rights of citizens to assemble, associate and express are respected.

He said CTPD is not inclined to any political party adding that it’s core mandate as alluded to is to provide alternative policy thinking through empirical research and analysis Based on findings.

“We then engage all relevant stakeholders including the Government to provide information that would help promote effective citizen engagement on policy related matters, this was one of those meetings. We would like to thank all people and organizations that came through to support us during this trying time and it is our prayer that this does not happen to any citizen as it is an infringement on human rights Zambia as a democratic country should work towards building a more tolerant society, one that accommodates divergent views as a key to promoting active citizen participation in the governance of the country.”

He added, “To the Church, we still remain committed to working with you and in helping you effectively participate in policy processes.”

The Constitutional Court has ruled that Margaret Mwanakatwe was duly elected Lusaka Central constituency Member of parliament. Justice Annie Sitali has overturned the High Court’s decision to nullify the election of Mrs. Mwanakatwe

Delivering Judgement today, Judge Annie Sitali said most of the allegations leveled against Mrs. Mwanakatwe by UPND losing candidate Charlotte Scott lacked merit to warrant the nullification of the seat.

Speaking when she delivered the judgement Justice Sitali said it was wrong for the trial judge to nullify the election on account that Mrs. Mwanakatwe sunk boreholes for the people of Lusaka Central without any evidence.

This is in a matter were Mrs Mwanakatwe challenged the High Court’s decision to nullify her seat in favour of UPND Lusaka central constituency losing candidate Charlotte Scott.

Justice Sitali said that the boreholes in question were sunk by the Muslim society at the request of health officials following the outbreak of cholera in the country.

Justice Sitali further observed that Judge Mwiinde Siavyapa was wrong to nullify the election on account of the donation that was made to local churches because it was made outside the campaign period.

The court also ruled that the violence complained of was only confined to a small area and was quickly stopped and did not affect the entire conduct of the election.

The case was presided over by a panel of five judges.

And speaking after the court case Mrs Mwanakatwe said justice has prevailed.

And PF secretary General Davies Mwila said it is good that Mrs Mwanakatwe has won so that she can concentrate on building the economy.

Losing UPND candidate Charlotte Scott had petitioned the Lusaka High Court seeking the nullification of declarations of the Lusaka Central PF Member of Parliament candidate Margaret Mwanakatwe as the winner of the parliamentary elections.

In November 2016, the Lusaka High Court nullified the election of Mrs Mwanakatwe as Member of Parliament for Lusaka Central. In an interview at the time, Dr Scott said the overturning of Mrs Mwanakatwe’s victory meant that justice has been served. She however stated that the plea of the UPND was to have the presidential petition heard. Dr Scott said the evidence coming out of the nullified seats went to confirm that the UPND was robbed of victory.

Zambia’s Ambassador to Russia Shadreck Luwita has revealed that President Edgar Lungu is expected to make an official state visit to Russia in 2019.

The state visit is at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin and will happen as soon as all the details of his trip are harmonized.

Ambassador Luwita said this in an interview with Russian news agency Sputnik following the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Investment Forum in Moscow.

“[The visit’s organization] is now incumbent upon the technocrats in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Zambia, [they] started working on the modalities to concretize when President Lungu can undertake the state visit to Russia.”

“We are working flat out to ensure that this is realized as quickly as possible. The year is already almost ending so definitely we anticipate that in the course of next year, as early as possible, this state visit should be realized,” he stated.

The diplomat added that Russia was a great friend of Africa, adding that the countries of the continent were interested in developing relations for the benefit of their economies.

“There is enormous potential in this country in terms of technology, there are enormous resources, which, once partnered with the African continent in various economic sectors, will transform into the development of the African continent so that Africa is no longer dependent on aid,” Ambassador Luwita indicated.

The Zambian envoy to Russia has since welcomed the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the SADC and Russia that took place within the forum’s framework on Tuesday.

“This has come at an optimal time… It is a panacea to opening up investment opportunities in the SADC countries. As you are aware, it has been the considered view of the heads of state of the African continent on the need of the Russian government, on one hand, and indeed of Russian investors… to transform these excellent political relations into economic benefits, which are going to benefit both the African people as well as the Russian people,” Ambassador Luwita said.

In July, Mr. Putin invited President Lungu to visit Russia during a bilateral meeting that was held on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in South Africa.

Speaker of the National Assembly Dr Patrick Matibini has directed Information and Broadcasting Minister Dora Siliya to render a ministerial statement on Tuesday November 6, 2018 outlining the editorial policy Times of Zambia Newspaper on the use of languages other than English.

Dr Matibini said this during his ruling which he delivered in Parliament following a point of order which was raised by Leader of the opposition and Member of Parliament for Monze Central on the Chinese article which was published by the Times of Zambia on October 9, this year.

Mr Jack Mwiimbu in his point of Order wanted to know why the publication has been sidelining Zambians by publishing the Chinese language and not any other Zambian language.

And pursuant to Article 23 of the Zambian Constitution the leader of the opposition indicated that it was, trite law that by virtue of this constitution government should not be discriminating anyone who is Zambian or a Resident in Zambia.

He was making reference to a copy of a Times of Zambia Newspaper, alleging that the publication has been discriminating Zambians and against the majority tribes in Zambia by publishing an article under the headline “SADC moods DRC peace whose article is in Chinese language when there has been no such article in the Zambian local languages.

Mr Mwiimbu wondered why government was finding it proper and prudent in its own wisdom to start interpreting articles that are appearing in the newspapers in Chinese.

Mr Mwiimbu asked the Speaker Dr Matibini to make a ruling on whether Information and Broadcasting Minister Dora Siliya was in order to remain quiet and not inform the house and the nation that Chinese is now an official language in Zambia.

In his ruling, the speaker also directed her to issue a statement on the alleged discrimination against the people of Zambia by the Newspaper publication of an article in Chinese other than any local languages contrary to Article 23 of the Constitution.

The Speaker has ruled that under this Article any person shall not be treated in any discriminatory manner by any person acting by virtue of any written words or in the performance of any public office or authority.

“Article 28 of the constitution provides that any person who alleges that he has or he is or likely to be contravened in any other action with respect to the same matter which is lawfully available, that person may seek redress of the High Court”, he ruled.

The Speaker stated that pursuant to the doctrine of the separation of power, the National Assembly cannot intervene in matters falling under the jurisdiction of the judiciary branch of government.

In relation to the issue of whether Chinese has become one of the official language in Zambia, the Speaker in his ruling indicated that under Article 258 of the Zambian Constitution English is the official language in Zambia.