Two United Party for National Development (UPND) Councillors from Chilanga have refused to support the preferred party candidate Charmaine Mel Musonda on moral grounds.

The two Councillors, Arthur Moonde for Nakachenje Ward and Peter Mulubisha for Chinyanja Ward, told journalists at a media briefing held at Chrisma Hotel in Lusaka yesterday afternoon that the UPND erred on moral ground to settle for Charmaine Musonda and will find it difficult to campaign for a candidate who is morally bankrupt.

“Having thoroughly consulted our people in our Wards and Chilanga district at large on the adoption of Musonda Charmaine Mel, we came to conclusion that the UPND has erred on moral grounds to settle for a person whose morality is being questioned,” Councillor Moonde told journalists.

Although the party followed the preferred process of adopting Charmaine, Moonde explained, the UPND leadership never consulted key stakeholders in the party including Councillors.

“On the strength of this serious anomaly, we resolved never to campaign for Charmaine and even if we did, our people will never accept Charmaine for what she did.”

The two Councillors also accused Charmaine of harbouring acute hatred for the deposed area Member of Parliament after he was convicted and sentenced to death for murdering his security guard.

Moonde indicated that Charmaine did not speak to her conscience honestly before accepting the adoption to contest for the vacant Chilanga seat.

Mr Moonde alleged that it was an act of hatred that led Charmaine to accept the adoption otherwise she could not have accepted the adoption.

“To our surprise, Charmaine accepted the adoption…. this means, she had a hand in his conviction.”

Moonde observed that Mukata does not deserve the kind of betrayal he has received from a person who claim not only to be a partner but also a close ally.

“For those of us who appreciate the work Mukata did in Chilanga, we will find it hard to turn our backs against him and we will find it difficult to campaign for any person that betrays the man who has done so much for the Chilanga.

Meanwhile, Councillor Mulubisha told journalists at the same briefing that he agreed with his counterpart Moonde that Zambia as a Christian nation does not support immorality.

“It is for this reason we come to put records straight that, Charmaine is not our candidate because supporting her will be endorsing immortality which the UPND endorsed after adopting Charmaine.”

Mr Mulubisha said that he had doubts that the people of Chilanga will give Charmaine a vote after betraying Mukata who did a lot for the constituency during the time he served as an MP.

And Councillor Mulubisha ticked of calls by UPND election chairman Garry Nkombo’s advice to UPND members to use violence to win an election.

Mulubisha explained that violence has no room in a civilised society like Zambia.

“As Civic leaders, we condemn any form of violence because what comes out of violence is destruction.”

Today’s Scripture

“The earth was formless and empty…and God said, ‘Let there be light’…”
(Genesis 1:2–3, NIV)

Something Out of Nothing

Do you need a miracle in your life for something that seems impossible? With man it may be, but we serve the all-powerful God, and He can create something out of nothing! He can make a way when there seems to be no way and open doors that seemed closed forever!

Genesis tells us that in the beginning, God created the heavens and earth, but before He spoke the world into existence, it was formless and void. If God can make the world out of nothing, He can take the empty places in your life and create something beautiful, too! He can speak light into your darkest hour. He can take your formless dreams and give them shape. He can resurrect your dormant gifts and talents! He can make your crooked places straight!

Remember, you are created in the image of almighty God. There’s power in your words, and there’s power when you’re in agreement with Him. Start saying what God says about your situation. Speak life to your broken dreams today. Speak hope into the hopeless places. Keep an attitude of faith and expectancy because He will turn things around for you and create something out of nothing!

A Prayer for Today

“Father, I trust that You are willing and able to make a way for me where there seems to be no way. Fill me with Your peace and hope. Give me a vision for all You have for me and thank You for making something out of nothing in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

A Chinese national was among the drivers impounded by Ministry of Works and Supply officers for driving a government vehicles without any documentation that allows government workers to drive government vehicles on the weekend.

The Chinese national who was driving from the East was impounded at Waterfalls Check Point where ministry officials had mounted their Road Block on the Great East Road.

The foreigner who was driving from the East could not explain himself as to why he was driving a government vehicle without documentation prompting the Ministry Officials to impound the vehicle and instruct the Chinese national to come to the Ministry of Works and Supply on Monday

Minister of Works and Supply Felix Mutati says government has intensified the control of usage of government vehicles on weekends by launching the first phase of a nation wide campaign which saw a lock down of Lusaka Province.

All the 4 main entry points into the province had Road Blocks mounted by Ministry of Works and Supply Officials.

Speaking in Kabwe were he was part of the team of officers who mounted a Road Block at Mulungushi University Mitati said his Ministry had intensified the control of government vehicles abuse as way of controlling use of tax payers money and usage of public resources.

He said government vehicles were part of the assets that belonged to the people of Zambia and that it was his duty to control the usage of people’s assets and prevent abuse being perpetuated by those who are allergic to following the rules adding that there is need to bring back discipline and order in the usage of people’s resources.

And Senior Inspector of Government Transport John Chisanga says the Ministry has recorded some compliance in the usage of government vehicles on weekends and after working hours since the commencement of the exercise to cramp down on the abuse of government vehicles on weekends and after working hours.

Chisanga explained that though they are some radicals who are still giving them problems in their execution of duty the exercise has recorded some level of compliance as people have started to follow procedure as can be seen from the reduction in the number of culprits.

“The Government Control Unity has carried out a countrywide operation and for Lusaka I have got details which we have just gathered because we mounted road blocks on four points. Eastern, Western, Southern and Northern entry points and the data from all these points which we have gathered from 07 up to 12:45 from Eastern entry point there about 19 vehicles recorded two impounded and and 4 were charged they are supposed to pay the charges at Works and Supply. From the Southern entry 30 were recorded 10 where charged 4 was impounded so these have to come to some fines at Works and Supply. From Western entry point 16 vehicles were recorded and 5 were impounded. From Northern entry point 25 were recorded 10 were charged and 4 impounded…

“From the statistics we have here its like there is a down ward trend. There is some compliance somewhere though there are some radicals here and there who are trying to still give us problems in our execution of this duty but we are still cramping down on them like on the Eastern part there was a certain individual who claimed that he had bought the vichile but he was still using GRZ number plate so we had to remove those number plates since he said the process of changing ownership was still on going so asked him to come to Ministry with the vehicles new number so that we can assist to complete the process of changing ownership,” he said.

The exercise which started three weeks ago to control the usage of government vehicles during weekends and after working hours continued on Saturday with Ministry officers mounting 4 Road Blocks in Lusaka.

The Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) has called on all political players participating in the Chilanga Parliamentary by-election slated for June 5, 2018 to conduct peaceful campaigns.

CCZ General Secretary, Emmanuel Chikoya has reminded political players that winning an election is not a desperate task or winning by any means necessary.

Fr. Chikoya stated that winning an election is not about slander campaigning, character assassination or inciting one group against another to score cheap political points.

He further said winning an election is not about using hate speech or offensive language but a contest of ideas, fighting for winning majority votes, selling of practicable policies and programs for improving the lives of the electorate.

The CCZ General Secretary observed that a free, fair and peaceful election is not hinged on just one political party alone working to ensure peace but on all political parties participating in an election.

He said all stakeholders in the Chilanga Parliamentary By-Election should have one goal of working hard to ensure a peaceful process during campaigns, on the day of voting and after the election.

Fr. Chikoya has reminded all participants in the by-election that the environment will be competitive but should remain peaceful and non-violent adding that the nation should remain united.

He added that all political players should have zero tolerance for violence within and outside their ranks stating that they should not only talk about peace but live in peace with themselves, their members and other political stakeholders.

Fr. Chikoya has challenged all participating political parties to be consistent in their condemnation of violence by upholding zero tolerance against violence both in private and public.

He noted that elections should be about credibility, integrity and trust in the candidates, their political ideology and the team with the required capabilities of managing the resources and assets competently for the benefit of majority of the electorate.

Fr. Chikoya has also called on the security agencies to be firm but fair and that they should not be seen to be siding with any political party because that will be a recipe for chaos.

And Fr. Chikoya has urged the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to superintend over the election in a very professional and transparent manner and decisively deal with violent political parties.

He has also advised the public media to offer fair coverage to all participating political parties.

Fr. Chikoya said the media in general should be factual and responsible in their reporting and avoid publishing unverified and alarming news that result in the breakdown of law and order.

This is contained in a statement released to ZANIS by Council of Churches in Zambia Communications Officer, Michael Mazakaza.

FORUM for Democracy and Development (FDD) president Edith Nawakwi has requested President Edgar Lungu consider convening a private meeting with United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema before next month’s all-parties dialogue process.

Ms Nawakwi said a private meeting, preferably under auspices of the Church, would build trust and rapport between Mr Lungu and Mr Hichilema and help facilitate an effective national dialogue process.

She said this at the FDD secretariat on Thursday when National Guidance and Religious Affairs Minister Godfridah Sumaili paid her a courtesy call to discuss values and principles related to political parties and leadership in the country.

“This tension should be broken by senior officials before national dialogue starts. We feel that Government is in a better position to bring an end to the fighting among parties,” Ms Nawakwi said.

She said a pre-dialogue meeting would ensure that leaders spoke with one language during the national dialogue process so that Zambia could address the largely electoral law related issues that caused disputes after recent elections.

Ms Nawakwi said time was ripe for politicians to start holding social meetings with a view to discussing pertinent national issues, saying the trend of speaking through the media was not helping in building the nation.

She stressed that the Zambia Centre for Inter-Party Dialogue (ZCID) in its present form had capacity to chair a successful dialogue process but this required commitment from major political party leaders.

Rev Sumaili said Zambia’s progress and development hinged on citizens’ readiness to embrace values like patriotism, ethics, human dignity and honestly which Zambians had agreed to enshrine in the Constitution.

She said there was need for people to embrace Christian values, emphasising that this was crucial to sustaining the peace being enjoyed in the country.

Rev Sumaili said Government was engaging political parties over values to help promote decent politics which were anchored on respect and unity of purpose.

She said opposition parties were important to fostering unity in the nation and the dialogue process would succeed if everyone agreed and worked together.

Rev Sumaili said unity was not cheap because it required sacrifice and tolerance on the part of political and religious stakeholders and the general citizenry.

Parties should promote co-existence and unity in their structures so that Zambia could remain stable.