UPND President Hakainde Hichilema joined hundreds of Lusaka residents who marched for peace and violent free elections.

In interviews with Journalists, Mr Hichilema said the UPND has maintained its call for peace and unity and prayed to God that all the people can appreciate the true value of peace.

“During today’s prayers we reaffirmed our commitment to conducting peaceful campaigns. We once again called on our people throughout the country never to use violence no matter the provocation. We are extremely grateful to the Church and the Law Association of Zambia for organising these prayers,” Mr Hichilema said.

During the event, the Law Association of Zambia has accused Government of collaborating with the Zambia Police Service to intimidate innocent citizens.

LAZ President Linda Kasonde said the police have been systematically abusing the rights of private citizens in the run up to the August elections.

In a speech read on his behalf by LAZ Vice President Eddie Mweetwa, Ms Kasonde urged the police to carry out their duties professionally.

This was during the prayers for peaceful and violence-free elections organised by the Law Association of Zambia and presided over by the Council of Churches in Zambia at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.

She said the high incidences of electoral violence poses a serious threat to Zambia’s peace.

Ms. Kasonde observed that Zambia has been known world over as a haven of peace but that the rising violent acts has the potential to dent the country’s image.

Earlier today, UPND said that it will shun July 24th national prayers bacause the party did not not see the need to take part in the national day of prayer to be held on 24th July to pray for peaceful elections.

UPND Deputy Director for Policy and Research Joseph Lungu who is also in charge of the party’s fasting and prayer organizing committee says his party has issues with the national day of prayer because the people who are spearheading them seem to have some biasness towards the ruling PF.

Mr. Lungu says this is why the UPND finds it difficult to be part of such prayers.

He has told QTV news that his party also believes that praying is a continuous process that should not be done for convenience sake alone.

Mr. Lungu states that this is why the UPND has declared a 40 days of prayer and fasting leading to the elections on the 11th August.

He says the UPND is praying and fasting because it wishes to see the elections held in a peaceful atmosphere

The Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) has challenged Presidential aspirants to champion road safety ahead of the August 11 General Elections.

RTSA head of public relations Frederick Mubanga said Political party leaders should always remind their supporters on the need to observe road traffic rules and regulations as they go about their campaigns in a bid to avoid road crashes and save lives of voters.

“There should be no over speeding and overloading whenever supporters are travelling for political campaigns, meetings and rallies.

“The accident recorded in Southern province where four people died in Gwembe district were avoidable had there been adherence to road safety rules.

“The RTSA will therefore evoke and apply the Road Traffic Act in its totality to ensure there is sanity on the roads before, during and after the general elections,” he said.

Mr Mubanga further warned political parties and road users in general to observe road safety regulations at all times.

“We are therefore warning all political parties and all road users in general to observe road safety regulations at all times and ensure minimum speeds are adhered to.

“Four cadres died on Monday in Gwembe district after the Mitsubishi Canter truck registration number ALZ 7103 they were being ferried on to a political rally lost control after failing to negotiate a curve on the Bottom road.

“In another incidence on Sunday, 62 cadres sustained injuries after falling off a moving truck that lost control as the driver tried to turn along Sikabanze road. The cadres where coming from a campaign rally in Mazabuka,” he said.

Charlotte Scott the UPND candidate for Lusaka Central Constituency was on Tuesday morning chased from Lusaka’s Town Centre Market when she tried to do a walk through campaign.

Ms Scott who is the wife to former Vice President of the country and the ruling PF Guy Scott said they were stoned by known members of her husband’s former party.

She said the attackers used catapults, screwdrivers and stones as weapons to chase them from the market.

She added that it was unfortunate that people can not be left to campaign freely.

“We went for campaigns in Town Centre market this morning. While we were inside, having a successful walkabout, our vehicles and supporters waiting outside were attacked with catapults, screwdrivers and rocks.

“Fortunately the people were unharmed but the Land cruiser was extensively damaged. The attackers were known PF cadres. Our team did not retaliate. Why can’t we campaign in peace? This is completely unacceptable!” She said.

Former Republican President Rupiah Banda is expected to leave for the United States of America (USA) to attend the Democratic National Convention.

The Democratic National Convention which is expected to pick its Presidential candidate will be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from 25th to 28th of July 2016.

Mr. Banda has been invited by the president of the National Democratic Institute (NDI) on behalf of the Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) to attend the convention.

Former US First Lady Hilary Clinton is a frontrunner for the Democratic Party’s nomination to run for the US Presidency later this year.

The former President is also expected to give a lecture at a public forum on elections in southern Africa with emphasis on Zambia.

Mr. Banda will be accompanied by his Administrative Assistant Mr. Mikatazo Wakumelo and is expected back in the country immediately after the convention.

This is according to a press statement issued to ZANIS in Lusaka today by Deputy Administrative Assistant in the office of the fourth republican president Chibeza Mfuni.

The Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) has noted with great concern the continued use of the Police service as a tool of political oppression and stifling divergent views.

LAZ President Linda Kasonde says it is also sad to see youths take to the streets to fight each other in the name of politics.

Ms. Kasonde says political violence should end now.

She says the country is experiencing levels of political intolerance and violence that threaten the existence of the country’s record as a beacon of peace on the continent and the world.

The LAZ President said this in a speech read on her behalf by her Vice Eddie Mwiitwa after a march past in Lusaka organized by the association under the theme ‘Peace and Unity in Diversity’.

Speaking at the same event, Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) formerly Zambia Episcope Conference (ZEC) Deputy Secretary General Father Justin Matipa says today’s March for peace shows how stakeholders in the country are crying to politicians to restore peace in the country.

And Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) Board Member Bishop Peter Mulenga has called on political party leaders to uphold Christian values of embracing one another and embracing peace in national interest knowing that Zambia is bigger than any political party.

The Non Governmental Organizations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has demanded the immediate independent investigations and commencement of prosecution of State House Aide Kaizar Zulu who is alleged to have assaulted a 25-year-old woman of Lusaka’s chilenje township.

NGOCC Executive Director Engwase Mwale says her organisation is deeply disappointed with the reported violent conduct of the Presidential Advisor which does not befit his position.

Ms Mwale says the assault of Ms. Liseli Mulube, if proved to be true, is a clear case of Gender Based Violence (GBV) which must not be condoned.

She says NGOCC condemns violence of any sort and will continue to advocate against such vices regardless of who is involved.

Ms Mwale says the NGOCC urges public office bearers to be of exemplary behavior, both in private and public lives and be committed to safeguarding the decorum that goes with their offices.

Ms Mwale states that such irresponsible conduct, as alleged, by Mr. Zulu is not only denting the image of the Head of State, but that of the country as well.

THE Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has rubbished claims by Hakainde Hichilema that the Commission is plotting to cancel the August 11th general elections to allegedly keep President Edgar Lungu in power.

The Commission has stated that next month’s general elections will go ahead as scheduled and claims of the Commission planning to cancel or postpone the polls by the United Party for National Development (UPND) were baseless and unmerited.

ECZ public relations manager Cris Akufuna said the Commission had no power to either suspend the general elections or even cancel the polls and that it was not the intention of the electoral body to postpone the polls to sustain President Lungu to continue in power.

Mr Akufuna has challenged Mr Hichilema who is the UPND presidential candidate to provide proof of how and when the ECZ was going to either postpone or cancel the general elections.

He said ECZ had made a lot of progress in preparing for the general elections next month and that its programme was going according to plan and schedule.

Mr Akufuna said the claims and accusations were only meant to divert the attention of the Commission from effectively and fairly presiding over the electoral process.

“As a matter of fact, we do not have the power to postpone or cancel the general elections. The elections will go ahead as scheduled and claims and allegations that the Commission is planning to cancel the polls have no basis.

By law, the ECZ has no powers to cancel the elections and you challenge those claiming that the elections will be cancelled to state how this can be possible. We have the mandate to preside over the electoral process and those accusations are meant to divert our attention from effectively executing our mandate,” Mr Akufuna said.

Mr Akufuna said the UPND fears of the elections being cancelled were unfounded adding that the claims could be part of the opposition party to deflect Zambians from real issues.

Mr Hichilema while addressing a rally in Chilanga on Friday claimed that the ECZ was planning to defer the August general elections in order to sustain President Lungu’s stay in power. The UPND leader also claimed that the ECZ presidential candidates meeting whose agenda was to end violence was an attempt for the Commission to announce the cancelation of the elections.

Mr Hichilema claimed that President Lungu had realised that the Patriotic Front (PF) would not be able to win the general and would therefore want elections to be postponed so that he could stay in power a little longer.

THE Tax Appeals Tribunal overstepped its jurisdiction and mandate when it overruled a Supreme Court judgment which ordered that the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) should recover its tax debts owed by the Post Newspaper to the tax man.

ZRA has maintained that the Post Newspaper owed the authority millions of Kwacha in unpaid taxes and any appeal against its recovery had no effect on the demand notice or the warrant of distress currently in effect.

ZRA legal counsel Diana Goramoto said the Supreme Court, the highest court in the Zambia, already gave guidance on the recovery of tax assessments, which must be paid in accordance with the Income Tax Act provisions.

Ms Goramoto said in fact, the matter was prematurely before the Tax Appeals Tribunal because the Post did not exhaust the procedures outlined in the Income Tax Act that appeals should be based on a decision by the Commissioner General.

Ms Goramoto argued that there was no decision made by the Commissioner General which could have compelled the Post Newspaper to appeal at the Tax Appeals Tribunal.

“We wish to emphasise that in the current case there is no decision by the Commissioner General that would allow the appellant to be before this tribunal.

There is an amount and the appellant lodged a formal objection but there ought to be a decision by the Commissioner General which is not the case. The case is prematurely before this tribunal as the appellant rushed to the tribunal before the Commissioner General could make a decision,” she said.

Ms Goramoto said in accordance with the law, after tax assessment, the amount was due and payable once demand notice was served.

“The Supreme Court gave guidance that the Income Tax Act is very instructive, that the tax assessed becomes due when demand notice is served, in which case, the K53 million tax debts owed to ZRA was due on 15th June 2016.

“It was due and payable, notwithstanding any objection or an appeal, the assessed amount should be paid,” Ms Goramoto said.

This was at the Tax Appeals Tribunal interparty hearing yesterday over the Post Newspapers appeal against ZRA’s move to close the newspaper company’s offices and printing plant in a warrant of distress in an effort to recover K53 878 401.83 owed in unpaid taxes.

ZRA challenged the order of injunction issued by the Tribunal for the Post to take possession of locked up premises at Bwinjimfumu and the printing plant in the heavy industrial area following a warrant of distressed issued against the newspaper company.

She said the demand notice for the K53 878 401.83 was served on 15th June 2016 although there was formal objection lodged on 24th June 2016, before the commissioner general could hear and make a decision on the matter.

Earlier, Post Newspaper lawyers Nchima Nchito and Chisuwo Hamweela of Nchito and Nchito Associates explained that they had failed to comply with the order of injunction because ZRA made impossible for them.

Mr Nchito said despite directives by the Registrar of the Tax Appeals Tribunal Chola Shapi-Mutambo to comply with the order, ZRA continued to seize trucks belonging to the newspaper’s courier company.

For all we know, “trucks valued to the amount being claimed may have been seized. The respondent has also garnished the appellant’s bank accounts and we are not aware how much money has been seized through the process,” he said.