THE United National Independence Party (UNIP) in Southern Province has unveiled five adopted parliamentary candidates and more than 45 aspiring councillors most of whom are youths and females.

The five parliamentary candidates are Ian Munkombwe for Livingstone Constituency, Lubinda Silumesi for Katombola Constituency, Cheelo Hakasenke for Magoye Constituency, Broaden Chikalanga for Chikankata Constituency and Febby Mapulanga for Mazabuka Central Constituency.

In terms of councillors, Livingstone and Mazabuka are leading in terms of numbers of adopted candidates although the former ruling party will not field candidates in other parts of Southern Province.

Out of 17 wards in Livingstone Constituency, UNIP will be fielding in nine candidates out of which five are females and four are males.

UNIP Southern Province chairperson Robert Mukengani announced the adopted candidates at a media briefing at his home in Livingstone yesterday.

Capt Mukengami, who also launched the party manifesto and strategic plan for 2016 elections, said the former ruling party had rebranded itself and that it was confident of winning this year’s elections.

On Wednesday, UNIP successfully fielded in the 100 presidential supporters for Southern Province in Choma.

“Our candidates are young and brand new without any political dent and they are going to serve our people better.

“We are a party that has experience and a track record. We have ruled Zambia before and we will win this year. Our candidates are not going to be masters but servants. They will change the face of councils and constituencies,” Capt Mukengami said.

And several UNIP adopted local government candidates for Livingstone Constituency, who were present at the media briefing, promised to improve the welfare of citizens once elected as councillors.

Elbina Musakanya, 22, a candidate for Kariba Ward, said she would ensure that the young people were empowered once she was elected as councillor.

Daniel Phiri, 25, a candidate for Lizuma Ward, said he would upgrade the clinic as well as roads and drainages in the area.

Ireen Likokoto, 24, a candidate for Simoonga Ward, said she would improve on the markets and water supply situation in the area.

Mudenda Happy, 25, a candidate for Lizuma Ward, said he would ensure that proper access to health and education were enhanced in the area.

Mubanga Clifford, 39, a candidate for Akapelwa Ward, said he would ensure that traders who were displaced to pave way for the construction of Town Centre Market were given space and priority in the modern market currently under construction.

Responding to Dr Mumba who said the country under developed because because of the poor leadership Mr Bwalya said the PF should not be blamed because they have just been in power for 5 years.

He wondered how Dr Mumba expected the PF to develop the country when the MMD who were in power for 20 years failed to do so.

“Dr Nevers Mumba says Zambia has failed to move forward. The PF has failed, he says 20 years ago the GDP of Zambia was the same as that of Singapore.He wants to blame the PF for failure to improve the economy and to grow Zambia’s GDP.

“As usual Dr Mumba is contradicting himself because he has become an expert in contradicting himself. He is forgetting the 20 years he is talking about only 5 years of that 20 years was PF the 15 years belongs MMD.

“If MMD failed to grow the economy in 20 years how does he expect the PF to change the country within 5 years. Even when he is talking about the economy not expanding Dr Mumba as usual he doesn’t know what he is talking about,” he said.

He also said called on Zambians ignore Dr Mumba because his comprehension of issues is low.

“Zambians may not know that this man who literally failed all the subjects at grade 12 except English so his level of comprehending issues is very low,” he said.

And Mr Bwalya has charged that MMD president Dr. Nevers Mumba has decided to endorse UPND President Hakainde Hichilema out of frustration after President Lungu declined to adopt him as his running mate.

PF Deputy Spokesperson Frank Bwalya says Dr. Mumba was positioning himself as President Lungu’s running mate so that he can boost his chances of becoming president.

Mr. Bwalya says when President Lungu announced that the PF would consider a political alliance with the MMD, Dr Mumba started positioning himself to be the running mate, but that things changed when President Lungu announced that his running mate would be a woman.

He says it is at this point that Dr. Mumba started seeking means and ways of discrediting President Lungu and the PF.

Mr. Bwalya has also disclosed that Dr. Mumba was offered a job in the Foreign Service which he accepted, but that a few technicalities stopped him taking up the job.

Meanwhile, Acting MMD Party Spokesperson Ms Irene Musonda has advised Father Frank Bwalya to avoid the unproductive culture of constant bickering and getting bogged down in pointless attacks on Dr. Nevers Mumba and instead calmly explain to the nation why the PF failed to launch the much publicised revised PF Manifesto at the PF Rally held at the Heroes Stadium rally on Saturday 21st May, 2016.

She said a Party Manifesto is an extremely important document particularly at the launch of a party’s campaign programme for a major election like the August 2016 elections. Zambians were looking forward to hear the new plans the party-in-government had to get the people out of the present economic quagmire.

If Father Bwalya cannot disclose the reasons why they failed to launch the Manifesto, the MMD is more than willing to help them.

She said many political analyists are aware that the reason the MMD has been a target for electoral alliances, is because it holds the key to the outcome of this year’s elections and the first party which publicly approached Dr. Nevers Mumba for an alliance was the PF through President Edgar Lungu himself. When discussions stalled with the PF, the MMD was approached by the UPND almost two months ago, who seemed more straight-forward and exhibited real concern and seriousness in bringing real solutions to the challenges facing the Zambian people.

A 29–YEAR OLD woman of Lusaka has narrated in the Chawama Local Court how she fought her husband after he came home with shaved pubic hair.

This is in a case which Joseph Mwansa, 38, of Chawama Township sued his wife Rosemary Nyirongo, 29, of the same Township for divorce. ?The couple got married in 2007 and together they have one child. Bride price was paid.

Mwansa told the court that problems in their marriage started in January 2015 when his wife started working as a sales assistant in ‘SPAR’ and that it was during this time when Rosemary started depriving him conjugal rights.

He alleged that in August 2015 last year, Rosemary out of the blues presented him with a divorce summon, a matter that was resolved by elders. ?“I became curious over her weird behaviour, and after doing my investigations; I discovered that she had a boyfriend at her work place who is a Store manager.

“My wife your honour has troubled me for a long time and this is getting out of hands. I even complained to our church pastor concerning our marriage. ?And when asked by the Court the last time they made love, Mwansa said he could not remember because his wife develops moods every time he starts making advancements. ?“Sometimes she would get a bible and start praying and only to return to bed after midnight,” he alleged.

Rosemary however, told the court that her husband was telling lies adding that she was a faithful woman. ?“Last time, he came home with his pubic hair shaved. I tell you we fought and since then I stopped trusting him. That is the more reason why I started starving him sex

“Our hearts seem to be living in separate worlds, so no matter how much the court can insist to unity us, nothing will work out or else we will end up killing each other,” she said.

Passing judgment, Magistrate Ganston Kalala sitting with Magistrate Mubukwanu Matakala upheld claim for divorce. “Marriage is a voluntary union and the court can’t force people to leave together if they had decided not to,” Said Kalala.

He granted the couple divorce ordering Mulonga to compensate Chama K5000 by monthly installments of K250 and K350 per month for child maintenance. Property acquired together to be shared equally.

Drama has continued to unfold in the once might MMD as the Nevers Mumba faction has decided to back UPND President Hakainde Hichilema despite having paid half of the required presidential nomination fees.

Speaking at a media briefing the embattled MMD leader said President Hichilema was ripe for the presidency of the country.

He said the country is need of leaders who are selfless and capable of delivering economic independence and that Mr Hichilema was such a leader.

He said the country was suffering because leaders in government were more concerned with themselves and not the masses who are suffering.

He wondered how the PF hope to continue governing the country when they cannot share their vision with the people saying the “PF told the nation they would launch their manifesto last Saturday but launched everything but the manifesto.”

He also said he was not backing Mr Hichilema so that he can get a position but that he was trying to help the people of Zambia.

And speaking at the same event UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema said there is need for the people demonstrate unite of purpose and ensure that the country develops.

He said people were suffering in the land of plenty because of the poor leadership of the people in government.

He said the country needs to focus on things which are important and stop the continued political squabbles which are dividing the people.