President Lungu says observers should instead verify the information they gather with all concerned parties.

The President says it is disturbing that some observers are transmitting lies told by the opposition UPND.

President Lungu says he has on several occasion pledged to deliver a free, transparent, and fair election and that his position will not change.

The President says the opposition UPND has just failed to sell their message to the electorates hence the desperate attempts to mislead the International community.

President Lungu has since challenged the observer missions to interrogate information they obtain from political players and other stakeholders with relevant authorities.

The President also encouraged election Overseers to find out why UPND is saying they will not accept defeat after this Thursday’s poll.

President Lungu said this at State House today when he held meetings with four observer missions.

And African Union head of mission Goodluck Jonathan says his team is impressed and satisfied with the process so far.

Mr. Jonathan who is also former Nigerian President said he is hopeful that Zambia will maintain its good reputation of holding free and fair election.

He has however urged all Presidential candidates to accept the outcome of the elections.

Meanwhile former Mauritius President, Cassam Uttem says Zambia should remain the beacon of peace in Africa after the polls.

Mr. Uttem who is heading the delegation of the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa -EISA- observer mission said his team is equally satisfied with the process.

President Lungu also held talks with European and Commonwealth observer mission delegates

With only a few days remaining before Zambians go to cast their vote on 11th August 2016 to elect a new set of Leaders and Vote alongside the Referendum, JCTR Livingstone has urged the electorates to vote wisely on 11th August, 2016 general elections and vote on issues that will enhance the quality of living of every Zambian especially the poor.

JCTR Livingstone Outreach Regional Officer Gorge Makaha says it is imperative that the casting of votes is based on issues relating to availability and accessibility of adequate nutrition and quality social services to the majority Zambians.

Mr Makaha said from the standpoint of the electorate, election time is meant to critically analyse party manifestoes and right candidates who will contribute towards changing the harsh living conditions that our people find themselves in and such candidates should be “servant of the people” who attend to the needs of those who elect them.

He said If the process of elections is to be meaningful to Zambian households they must be seen to be creating positive changes in as far as improving the household’s ability to access basic needs is concerned.

“JCTR’s belief is that the duty of the electorates should go beyond the actual voting to actively participate in all forms of governance processes after the elections. Specifically, electorates must make government accountable and measure its’ success by evaluating their performance on the basis of the promises made during the campaigns.

“The future of our country over the next five years now lies in the BALLOT BOX”. We hope it is a future that will guarantee prosperity for all. Only creditable, honesty and humble leaders can ensure that hope for prosperity is equitably shared amongst the 14 million plus inhabitants that live within our borders,”he said.

And according to JCTR the basic needs basket in Livingstone slowed down in July by almost K 7.14“At the end of July 2016, the BNB for livingstone for family of five showed a reduction of K3, 852.83 from K3, 852.83 recorded in June 2016.

“The average cost is too high for most households to adequately meet essential household needs” said Mr. Makaha

MMD’s other national secretary has called on people to ignore calls by the UPND for people not to vote in the referendum and ensure that they turn up in numbers.

Speaking when he featured on Zambezi FM in Livingstone Raphael Nakacinda said the calls by the UPND for people to boycott voting referendum was unreasonable because the referendum was not in any way connected to any party but ensuring that some rights are granted constitutionally.

Mr Nakacinda said the UPND have resorted in calling for a boycott in the referendum because the PF had taken away what they wanted to use as a campaign tool.

He said the cries by the UPND are sour grapes because they are the same party who advocated for the enactment of the new constitution and that the PF have done that they have chosen to U-turn from their own advocacy.

“What the UPND is doing is just sour grapes because these are the same people who calling for the new constitution to be enacted. They wanted to use the constitution as a campaign tool but now that it has been given to the Zambian people they don’t have anything use in their campaign messages.

“The referendum is not for the PF but for Zambians and anyone who tells people not to vote in a referendum does not mean well. Mr Hichilema and his party should be advocating for the improvement of lives of many children because that’s what it entails to vote in a referendum.

“The are many rights that will be granted to mothers and children such as the right to education which will ensure that all Zambian children can go to school without being chased for any reason,” he said.

Secretary to the Cabinet Roland Msiska announced the development in a press statement issued to media.

Dr Msiska has however directed institutions providing essential services to make necessary arrangements to ensure that the provision of such services are not disrupted on the polling day.

President Edgar Lungu has described as irresponsible the decision by United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema to write to United Nations (UN) over alleged threats to democracy and rule of law in Zambia.

Mr Hichilema recently wrote to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to seek an intervention over the matter.

Responding to questions from journalists in Livingstone yesterday at Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport shortly before his departure for Mongu, President Lungu described the move as irresponsible.

“It is very irresponsible move for Mr Hichilema to write to the UN,” President Lungu said.

Mr Lungu, who addressed a mammoth rally at Villa Grounds in Livingstone on Sunday, was yesterday standing inside his vehicle along Musitunya Road while waving at Livingstone residents as the presidential motorcade was going to Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport.

The Zambia Airforce (ZAF) plane, which carried the Head of State, left the airport around 08:45 hours for Mongu to continue drumming up support for the ruling party candidates.

And PF Livingstone Constituency Chairperson Elias Mwila said the huge turnout of Livingstone residents during President Lungu ‘ s public rally was a sign of victory for the ruling party both at parliamentary and local government elections.

Mr Mwila said in an interview yesterday that the ruling party was expected to retain the parliamentary seat and win more than five wards from the 17 wards in Livingstone Constituency.

“As you may be aware, we only had three councillors in the suspended council but we are hopeful that we will have more than five councillors.

“Our campaigns have been fruitful and we have gauged that we are a popular party in Livingstone,” Mr Mwila said.

He also dismissed claims that the ruling party brought cadres fro districts outside Livingstone to fill up Villa Grounds during President Lungu ‘ s public rally.

“It is not true that we hired trucks and buses to ferry people to Villa Grounds from other towns of Southern Province.

“The local people in Livingstone started flocking to Villa Grounds around 13 hours and the Ground was fully packed around 18 hours when President Lungu arrived to address the gathering,” Mr Mwila said.

PF Livingstone Parliamentary candidate Omar Munsanje said the ruling party was ready to carry the day on August 11, 2016 going by the succesful campaigns conducted.

Mr Munsanje, who is former Livingstone District Commissioner, said a lot of people in Livingstone had confidence in the leadership of President Lungu.

He also trashed claims suggesting that the ruling party ‘imported party supporters from other districts on Sunday, adding that those who attended the meeting were local residents.

The Anti-Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) has called for a mass voter turnout in Thursday general elections and referendum vote.

AVAP Executive Director, Richwell Mulwani said it is cardinal that eligible voters turn up in large numbers to cast their vote.

Mr Mulwani said AVAP has been sensitising members of the public across the country on the need to turn up and vote in the August polls so ensure democracy and guarantee their civic rights for posterity.

He also advised members of public to attend rallies of
different political parties so that they can understand the
different policies and development programmes being propagated by various aspiring candidates.

Mr. Mulwani has meanwhile urged political party members to avoid
bringing anarchy at polling stations during voting.

PF SECRETARY GENERAL DAVIES CHAMA CONDEMNS MTENDERE VIOLENCE

9th August 2016, Lusaka–we wish to strongly condemn the political violence that took place in Mtendere Township yesterday (Monday 8th August).

The PF is treating this matter very seriously and we hope the police can get to the bottom of the senseless inter-party fights as soon as possible, as we independently alongside conduct a separate investigation.

We understand that people dressed in PF regalia were involved in the attack that was waged on some cadres dressed in UPND regalia that were conducting their campaigns in Mtendere.

Allow us to say for the record that time and time again, President Edgar Lungu has publicly condemned violence, signed an ECZ PEACE ACCORD and attended prayers aimed at calming the pre-election and post-election violence, even when others have not.

Therefore it is with the same disdain and contempt President Lungu has openly and sincerely shown against violence that we call for action on the perpetrators of this current wave of violence.

We also understand that at a time like this, sympathisers of different parties have a tendency of getting excited as they try to protect their so called ‘own turf.’

We therefore call for all parties running in this election to avoid deliberately taking action that has a potential to incite violence due to what is widely seen as provocation.

Do not provoke others, stay in your corner and do your campaign peacefully, the votes will still listen to you.

And indeed to our election observer missions in Zambia currently. The PF is the only major party that publicly denounces violence, signs peace accords and signs peace accords because President Lungu resents violence.

Our party will do anything, including handing over to the police anyone found promoting violence regardless of party affiliation. We resent law breakers.

I therefore ask our members to embrace diversity in political expression. It is part of the political pluralism we embrace. Please refrain from violence even in the face of extreme provocation.

We also ask the visiting election observers to be alive to the fact that out of desperation, some opposition parties have decided to fan violence so that they can scream foul if they lose again.

President Lungu, however, insists on maintaining peaceful and unity. Zambia is not violent nation.

As a peace-loving political party, the Patriotic Front would like to urge Zambians to ignore calls from so called leaders who ask them to shed blood but they jealously guard their own blood. Elections will come and go and we will remain brothers and sisters.

President Lungu has clearly demonstrated that the infra structure development roll out, the largest since independence the PF is riding on will win him the polls, not desperation bred by perennial loss of presidential elections.

We fully understand the opposition’s desperation but we also fully appreciate the importance of national peace.