ECZ Spokesperson Cris Akufuna said the Centres, which he described as first of its kind in the electoral process in Zambia, will monitor activities and operations of polling stations as well as report incidences to the Commission headquarters in Lusaka.

Mr. Akufuna said the ESCs will act as links between the Commission and national results collection Centre at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre, MICC.

The Election Support Centres will not be allowed to report directly to the national totalling centre at MICC but to the Commission headquarters.

Mr. Akufuna, who was flanked by Commission Senior Public Relations Officer Sylvia Bwalya and United Nations Development Programme Media and Communications Specialist Sylvia Namuju, disclosed this during a press briefing in Lusaka today .

Mr Akufuna said that the national results collection Centre, MICC will soon be officially launched by Commission Board Chairperson, Justice Esau Chulu.

“The Commission has established the Election Support Centres in all the 10 provinces of Zambia. The national result collection Centre is MICC and the official launch will be communicated to you members of the press at a date to be announced soon,” Mr. Akufuna said.

And Mr. Akufuna also disclosed that the Commission through its District Conflict Resolution Committee has received one case of electoral mal-practice in Kapoche constituency in Eastern Province but could not divulge further information on the nature of the electoral offense.

He further disclosed that accreditation for the media personnel wishing to cover the August 11, 2016 general election has been extended to August 9th.

Meanwhile, Mr. Akufuna disclosed that seven trucks carrying ballot papers and non-security election materials were dispatched to four provinces yesterday.

Mr. Akufuna named the provinces as Luapula, Muchinga, North-western and Western provinces.

He said deployment of Commission staff and materials commences on August 6th, 2016 to 117 polling stations.

Mr Akufuna further added that the delivery of ballot papers and election materials to all the district is expected to be completed by August 8, 2016.

The Commission Spokesperson said that the Electoral body has engaged Zambia Air Force (ZAF) helicopters to air-lift election materials to far flung areas that are inaccessible by road and airlifting of election materials commences on August 10.

Mr Akufuna announced that the national voters register for all participating presidential candidates is ready for collection at the Commission headquarters.

He advised political parties wishing to witness the dispatch of ballot papers and other election materials from the Commission warehouses in Silverest in Chongwe to do so before the exercise ends.

Mr Akufuna also revealed that ECZ and media heads and political parties agreed at a meeting that there should be balanced , fair and professional coverage to all participating political parties and that the media were advised to report professionally and continued dialogue between parties and media houses.

The ballot papers that were printed in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (U.A.E) by Al Ghurair Printing and Publishing Company arrived in the country last week.

The nine political parties that are participating in this year’s polls are the ruling Patriotic Front (PF), opposition Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD), United Party for National Development (UPND), United National Independence Party (UNIP), and the United People’s Progressive (UPP) party.

Other political parties are the People’s Alliance for Change (PAC), the Democratic Alliance (DA), Rainbow and Green Party.

The incident happened less than 24 hours after UPND cadres in Livingstone impounded and damaged new ECZ trucks on suspicion that they were laden with pre-marked ballot papers.

ECZ public relations manager Crispin Akufuna said in an interview yesterday that the incident happened when the ECZ truck, which was carrying election materials to Sioma and Shangombo, broke down in Senanga

And UPND has justified the impounding of an Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) truck ferrying election materials by its cadres in Senanga on Tuesday as praise-worthy alertness.

The Senanga incident happened less than 24 hours after UPND cadres in Livingstone impounded and damaged new ECZ trucks on suspicion that they were laden with pre-marked ballots

On Monday, UPND supporters in Livingstone yesterday morning impounded and searched eight new Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) trucks which were accompanied by State Police on suspicion that the trucks were carrying materials for rigging elections.

The search, which was conducted by the Police and UPND cadres from morning up to around mid-day at the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) Port Office, revealed that seven trucks were empty while one truck was carrying spares for the rest of the trucks.

At the end of the search, UPND resolved to send a team of officials to accompany the trucks alongside the Police to Lusaka to ensure that nothing was put in them along the way.

Patriotic Front Deputy Chairman Elections for Elections Kelvin Bwalya has accused the United Party for National Development (UPND) for planning to enshrine Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Rights in in the Zambian constitution against what he called Zambian Christian values.

In a statement released to the media in which he asked the UPND running mate to counsel Geoffrey Mwamba Bwalya (GBM) to counsel his allegedly lesbian daughter on gay rights, Mr Bwalya said that the UPND is dead set against the referendum on the Bill of Rights, which defines marriage as the union between a man.

Below is the full statement

KELVIN BWALYA ASKS GBM TO COUNSEL DAUGHTER ON GAY RIGHTS

4th August, 2016–The Patriotic Front (PF) is gravely concerned and alarmed at media reports that state that UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema’s running mate Geoffrey Mwamba’s daughter is homosexual and cohabiting with another woman, apparently with his full blessing and financial support.

If these reports are true, it may confirm our worst fears regarding why the UPND is dead set against the referendum on the Bill of Rights, which defines marriage as the union between a man and woman.

“Clearly, Mr. Hichilema and his running mate will not rest until they enshrine Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Rights in our sacred constitution against our Christian values.”

You will recollect that the UPND leader held a meeting with Western diplomats earlier this year during which we suspect he made a number of commitments including granting of LGBT rights if they get into power.

This would mean for Zambians that have children with boys, they would legally be allowed to marry other boys when they grow up and reach the age of 19 and above.

Conversely, if the UPND is allowed its strong rejection of the YES vote for the referendum, girls aged 19 and above would also be allowed to marry other girls. This is totally against our traditional and Christian values.

The PF and fellow patriotic Zambians are unequivocally opposed to homosexual relationship as our motherland is a Christian Nation and will not allow such abominations to ever be practised in Zambia. We are proudly a Christian nation.

Zambian culture, traditions and values find even the suggestion of legalising same sex marriages such as the relationship between Mr Mwamba’s daughter and her partner, repulsive and nauseating.

It is clear that the UPND is hell-bent on destroying our way of life and values. We shall not allow them to this.

We are therefore appealing to all PF members and all patriotic citizens and Christians to turn up in multitudes to vote YES in the Referendum and stop HH and GBM from shredding the moral fabric of our beloved Zambia.

Let us not lose focus why President Lungu has continued to re affirm Zambia as a Christian nation. It is clearly because he wants the country to remain steady on a course of peace.

We also call upon Mr Mwamba to counsel his daughter. There is still room for salvation before prison.

SIGNED: Kelvin Bwalya, Deputy Chair Elections Patriotic Front.

Movement for Multi-Party President President Nevers Mumba has the National Executive Committee (NEC) will meet after the elections to set shall set dates for the holding of the Party’s National Convention.

In a statement commenting on the the supreme court ruling this week, the MMD leader called upon all MMD members to vote for UPND.

On 3rd August, 2016, the Supreme Court reaffirmed its verbal ruling made on Friday 29th July, 2016 to overturn the Judge Sikazwe Lusaka High Court ruling which the Felix Mutati clique relied upon to hold a convention in Kabwe where Mutati was imposed unopposed as President of the MMD.

Speaking after the formal delivery of the reading of the written judgement by Supreme Court Judge Nigel Mutuna, MMD National Secretary Reverend Reuben Sambo has said this ruling effectively reverted the party leadership to the status quo of what obtained before the Judge Sikazwe ruling with Dr. Nevers Mumba and the MMD NEC at the helm of the party.

The Supreme Court has referred the matter back to the Lusaka High Court for determination of the legality of the Convention as it was not part of the appeal to the Supreme Court.

Reverend Sambo has since requested the Mutati group to now be magnanimous and return all party assets including all motor vehicles that they wrongly confiscated and were now distributing to unauthorized persons including an independent mayoral candidate. He has also requested the group to vacate the Party Secretariat without further delay.

Below is the statement issued by Nevers Mumba

Press Statement by MMD President, Nevers Sekwila Mumba

Following the ruling of the Supreme Court on August 3rd 2016, I would like to make the following statement:

We salute the esteemed Lordships and Her Ladyship judges of the Supreme Court bench for upholding the rule of law by insisting that justice must be dispensed equitably at all times. The setting aside of Judge Sikazwe’s questionable ruling, stabilizes the MMD and reverts to the status quo which existed before Judge Sikazwe became part of this process. The MMD remains squarely in the hands of the Nevers Mumba led National Executive Committee.

In view of this, I wish to re-state the decision of the MMD NEC which sat at Ibis Gardens on 14-15 May, 2016 and the consequent resolution reached by a 95% vote, for the MMD to enter into an alliance with the UPND, which subsequently led to the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on May 25th 2016, which culminated into the current Alliance between MMD and the UPND towards this year’s election.

I therefore call upon all our party members, particularly those currently held captive and engulfed in the current confusion raging between the PF and the Mutati led clique countrywide, to come home and vote in numbers in support of our Alliance Presidential Candidate Hakainde Hichilema. This is time to be on the right side of history.

Secondly, I wish to announce that the National Executive Committee of MMD shall meet on or about September 24th to review the events of the past few months including the outcome of the August 11th General Elections and chart the way forward. Additionally, the NEC shall set dates for the holding of the Party’s National Convention as originally planned and will be open to all in order to set a new agenda for the next five years for the MMD. I am confident that these events will outline a new and progressive political future for our great party.

In the meantime, I urge all our members nationwide to do their best in the remaining days, to ensure that together with our Alliance partners, the UPND, we form a new, credible government that shall salvage our country from the current greasy downward slide.

I thank you

NEVERS SEKWILA MUMBA

MMD PRESIDENT

The President said security officers have been directed to deal firmly with people perpetrating violence in the country during and after the polls next week.

The Head of State said there are people who are planning to cause confusions once they lose elections but that the police will meet them head on to ensure peace prevails in the country.

He said all parties should respect the will of the people by accepting whoever will be elected in the general elections next week.

He said some leaders of the opposition want to cause confusions during voting so that they can find a reason to dispute election results.

Speaking in Chama today when he addressed a public rally at the market ground, President Lungu said the people of Zambia should guard against and resist provocations.

And PF aspiring MP for Chama South Darious Mumba said the people of Chama have every right to vote for President Lungu and the PF owing to the developmental projects that have been seen in the district during the reign of the ruling party.

Mr. Mumba said the district has seen more projects being implemented in the few years the PF has been in government than during the time of other regimes.
He called on the electorates to shame the opposition who are misleading the people that the PF have not delivered by voting in numbers for the ruling party.

Meanwhile business in Chama town in Muchinga Province came to a complete halt as President Edgar Lungu addressed a public rally at the market ground to seek his re-election in the coming general elections.
Hundreds of people lined up on the streets from the airstrip to the market where the rally took place in order to catch a glimpse of the head of state.

Some stores were found closed while others were left unattended as owners stepped out to see and listen to President Lungu as he addressed a huge crowd at the market grounds.

The President crossed over to Chama District in Muchinga Province on his campaign tour of Eastern Province.

President Edgar Lungu has appealed to Zambians to give him and the PF chance to continue with the development agenda aimed at improving their livelihood.

President Lungu says he wants to complete all the projects PF government embarked on once voted into office.

The President warned Zambians to be wary of the opposition leaders whom he described as job seekers who have nothing to offer.

President Lungu says the opposition are cheating the people that they can do more than what the PF has delivered.

The President has also appealed to PF members not to retaliate to violence instigated by some opposition cadres.

The Head of State says he has the confidence in the Police in handling and stopping political violence.

President Lungu said this at a Rally in Chama District today.

And First Lady Esther Lungu said she is on the campaign trial with the President to take stalk of all the promises he is making.

Mrs. Lungu said she will ensure that all the campaign promises by the President are fulfilled.

Meanwhile Chama North PF candidate, Darious Mumba urged the electorate to vote for the ruling party for continued development.

Mr. Mumba also urged voters in Chama to vote Yes on the Referendum.

And Chama South PF candidate, Davison Mung’andu implored voters not to be misled by the opposition because President Lungu and the PF are already delivering.

Mr. Mung’andu urged the voters in the district to give PF a resounding victory.

The President has since proceeded to Lundazi District on his campaign trial where he will be accompanied by Fourth Republican President, Rupiah Banda.

President Lungu is accompanied by Football icon, Kalusha Bwalya, and senior party officials.

At least seven people died on the spot around 19hrs last night after a truck laden with cement hit into a stationary Toyota Hiace minibus which was offloading passengers at Kashitu area near Kapiri Mposhi.

The dead include the bus driver, women and children who met their fate on their way from Ndola.

The accident happened when a fasting moving truck belonging to Dangote Cement Company rammed into the stationary mini bus.

Kapiri Mposhi Fire Brigade and Traffic Police officers rushed to the scene of the accident to remove the dead from the wreckage

Earlier, the truck hit the rear of a black Toyota Altezza car registration number ACX 1747 forcing the small vehicle to overturn several times.

The driver of the Altezza, a Reverend Kangwa Mabuluki of the United Church Zambia in Lusaka, escaped unhurt.

Narrating the ordeal, Rev Mabuluki said he was lucky to be alive and that he had fastened his seatbelt.

The truck driver survived but escaped the scene, leaving his passenger lifeless.

And Dangote Industries Zambia has released the following statement

Dangote laments tragic loss of life in a road traffic accident and conveys condolences to the bereaved families

Lusaka, Zambia – Wednesday, 04 August 2016 – Dangote Industries (Zambia) Limited is deeply saddened by the tragic road accident that occurred last night involving one of our trucks and two other motor vehicles near Kapiri Mposhi. The incident is regrettable and we lament the loss of life of 8 people. The loss of one life is a loss to many. We convey our profound condolences to the bereaved families and wish those injured a speedy recovery.

We are co-operating with the Zambia Police and other traffic regulatory bodies in their investigations of the incident in verifying the facts of this unfortunate accident.

The safety of individuals is our number one priority. The company has developed safety measures for all our employees in their line of work. Dangote is committed to collaborative efforts that can reduce fatalities and injuries and continues to work with licensing boards, regulatory boards and the like to seek ways to promote safety in all spheres of our business.

Mr Chama has revealed that PF central committee member and Minister of Finance Alexander Chikwanda and other senior members of the party have actually been depositing their own money to the party accounts for campaigns ahead of next week’s general elections.

Mr Chama was rubbishing a phone recording published by the Post Newspaper on Saturday suggesting that Mr Chikwanda had been diverting Government resources into the party through the office of the PF secretary general.

He said those who were accusing Mr Chikwanda and himself of diverting Government resources into PF coffers for campaigns were free to visit the Office of the Auditor General for inspection as it was a public office.

Mr Chama said whenever Mr Chikwanda deposited money from his own pocket into the party account, he always called him (SG) informing him that he had deposited money into the party account.

“When I took over the office from Mr Wynter Kabimba all the accounts were depleted. We had to start looking for ways of raising resources for the party. I remember we organised a fundraising dinner in the UK when I just took over and all the resources realised from that dinner was deposited into the donors’ account for the party,” he said.

Mr Chama said since he took over from Mr Kabimba all the party branches abroad had embarked on fundraising ventures in their respective countries and started depositing money into the party’s donor account.

“We have never taken any single dollar from Government coffers and the Office of the Auditor General can attest to that,” Mr Chama said.

He said being experienced, Mr Chikwanda understood well that ministers were not signatories to ministries’ bank accounts.

Mr Chama said permanent secretaries and directors in the ministries where the ones who were signatories of Government bank accounts.

He said the Patriotic Front was a big organisation with a membership of over one million people from different walks of life and everybody had been donating to the party.
Mr Chama said during the on-going political campaigns a lot of donors had approached the party with sponsorship.

“In fact Mr Chikwanda has been using his own personal money just to see that the PF wins this year’s general elections. He has been a Member of Parliament for five years under the PF and throughout he has been contributing his resources obtained from the National Assembly through gratuity.

“Even other Members of Parliament have been contributing their gratuity to the party; Cabinet ministers have also been making contributions to the party,” he said.

Mr Chama said whenever Mr Chikwanda and other senior members of the party deposited their contributions into the account they always called him to remind him that they had pumped in resources.

Asked whether he had issued an official complaint to law enforcement agencies that his phone was tapped, Mr Chama said he had been consulting on how he would go about it.

The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia Chapter has received with concern the report of a brutal attack on a New Vision Newspaper Journalist Elijah Mumba by a named UPND cadre in Chainda on Wednesday.

It is disheartening that Police clearly showed lack of will to act despite the dire condition in which Elijah was, bleeding profusely after being hit with a brick on the head forcing onlookers to come to his rescue.

The incident adds to the long list of brutal attacks against journalists during the election period in which Police have acted at a snail’s pace to effect arrests or effectively process such reports.

MISA strongly cautions the Zambia Police service to act in a professional manner and not contribute to the erosion of the little faith Zambians still have in the Police service.

We also challenge Police inspector-general, Kakoma Kanganja to immediately institute disciplinary measures against the negligence displayed by the Police officers at the Police post in Chainda where the matter was reported by Mumba as he bled profusely.

We call on journalists at the New Vision Newspaper and other media outlets to remain steadfast and not to be discouraged as the role of journalists is crucial at such a time when the national goes to the polls.

MISA has since engaged the New Vision Newspaper and will announce the way forward as will be agreed with the newspaper in order to deter would be offenders.

Journalists should be left to perform their duty of informing the public without such draconian hindrances as the political violence witnessed in a country that claims to espouse the values of democracy.

Similarly, journalists must conduct themselves above board to ensure their credibility and objectivity do not come into question as this is critical to fulfilling their role in society.

May we reiterate that the classification of an election as being free and fair also depends on the level of media freedom and freedom of expression which are currently under threat in Zambia as evidenced by the restriction of fundamental freedoms, closure of newspapers seen to be critical of the state, abuse of the public media, persecution of journalists and political violence to mention a few activities as documented by MISA.

The institution has since alerted several election observer missions over this imminent threat to the holding of a free and fair election.