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Davies Chama addressing PF Members at the mobilisation meeting
President Edgar Lungu will launch a new manifesto for the ruling Patriotic Front-PF once the official campaign period starts.
PF Secretary General Davies Chama says President Lungu will give direction of how the PF will be governed when he is re-elected President of Zambia.
Mr. Chama says the current PF manifesto was for a term of Five years from 2011 to 2016.
And Mr. Chama says the PF will only launch its official campaign when the ECZ announces the campaign period officially.
He also says currently the party is compiling its lists of adoptions from all levels of the party for onward submission to the central committee.
Mr. Chama has urged PF members who will not be adopted to support the party.
Meanwhile, Solwezi Central Member of Parliament Dawson Kafwaya is confident that President Edgar Lungu will win this year’s elections because of the many developmental projects taking place across the country.
Mr. Kafwaya says North Western Province and Solwezi in particular has seen a number of developmental projects taking place notable among them is the construction of a modern market, a civic centre, bridges and feeder roads.
He said Solwezi has also benefited 9 health posts under the 650 that government is constructing countrywide of which 8 have been completed.
Mr. Kafwaya said the people of Solwezi are happy with the developments taking place in the area and that they have pledged to work with the government of the day.
He said contrary to assertions by some section of society that the province is an opposition strong hold, people of Solwezi are in support of President Edgar Lungu’s leadership.
Mr. Kafwaya who is also Local Government and Housing Deputy Minister further said works on the Solwezi- Chingola road are progressing well.
He said it is unfortunate that people want to politicize government developmental programmes unnecessarily.
Mr. Kafwaya was speaking in an interview with ZNBC News in Kitwe today.
THE Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) should be disbanded as it has exposed itself as a corrupt and compromised State institution by refusing to testify in a matter in which Post Newspaper owner Fred M’membe and journalist Mukosha Funga were arraigned for allegedly causing the publication of a classified Government document, Julius Komaki has demanded.
Mr Komaki said it was mind-boggling for the ACC officers to refuse to give evidence in a court matter in which a classified letter from the commission addressed to President Edgar Lungu was leaked to the Post Newspaper and published.
Mr Komaki, who has been a crusader of professionalism at the ACC following the commission’s failure to investigate and prosecute several high-profile cases involving The Post, said it was important for the commission to explain why it turned out to be a hostile witness against the State.
He said in an interview yesterday that it had become clear that some institutions and citizens in Zambia were above the law and untouchable because often times the law enforcement agencies and investigative wings developed cold feet in pursuing certain cases.
He said there was a general perception that the ACC was protecting certain individuals and institutions and it was, therefore, important that Government should consider disbanding the current management of the ACC so that a more active cadre of professionals could be engaged.
Mr Komaki said the ACC was supposed to be a credible State institution but that over the years, the Commission had been infiltrated by the cartel which had taken charge of sensitive security institutions of the country during the reign of late President Michael Sata.
He wondered how Government would be able to operate if its own agents such as the ACC would turn hostile on criminal matters where the State was the complainant.
“We are wondering how possible it was for the ACC who had originated the letter addressed to President Lungu that was leaked to the Post Newspaper decided to turn against Government by refusing to testify in the Mr M’membe and Ms Funga case. Mr Komaki said there was a real possibility that the ACC and other State investigative institutions were infiltrated by members of a clique that has been fighting President Lungu.
Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda (right) launching Kazungula NATSAVE Branch
A total of K312.4 million has been projected as the amount required for Zambians to go for a presidential election re-run if there will be no clear winner in the August 11 general elections going by the 50 percent plus one vote provision in the amended Constitution.
Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda made the indication when he presented a supplementary budget in Parliament yesterday.
He said the decision to provide for the funds for a possible re-run in the 2016 election was in accordance with Article 101 (3) of the amended Constitution.
Mr Chikwanda said this after he presented a total supplementary estimates budget of K1.85 billion for various national needs including elections.
He said the supplementary estimates no.1 of 2016 was necessary in order to allow Government spend funds in line with the expenditure related to the 2016 general elections.
But Luena ADD Member of Parliament Gertrude Imenda, who is chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee, accused the Government of requesting the money for use by the ruling party in its campaigns.
Supporting the motion, Ms Imenda said the Government wanted the money for its election campaign as the reasons put forward by the minister were not convincing.
Mr Chikwanda, in his response, dispelled the assertions raised by the Luena lawmaker. He said the resources were meant to allow Government spend on elections and other unavoidable expenditures that could not be foreseen at the time of budgeting, such as the disaster-related activities and the establishment and operations of the Constitutional Court.
Mr Chikwanda explained that a further K225.5 million was needed under the Ministry of Local Government and Housing for loans and investment to cover payments for the National Water Supply and Sanitation Programme. He said the funds allocated to the Ministry of Local Government were released by cooperating partners in the first quarter of 2016, but were not part of the 2016 budget estimates appropriated by Parliament.
“Sir, a total sum of K127.8 million has been allocated to the Ministry of Defence obligations. The Judiciary has been allocated a total sum of K96.7 million to establish and operationalise the Constitutional Court and the Court of Appeal in line with the requirement under the newly-enacted Constitution,” Mr Chikwanda said.
He said a further K30.5 million had been allocated under his ministry to cater for emoluments and other conditions of service for judges expected to serve under the two courts.
“The Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) has been allocated a total sum of K50 million. The amount will be applied on disaster-related activities that could not be foreseen at the time of budgeting, such as the negative effects of the resettlement of some foreign nationals who were displaced by riots related to the recent ritual murders,” he said.
Mr Chikwanda explained that of the total supplementary request which stood at K1.85 billion, a sum of K5.52 million represented savings declared within the approved budget and K4.5 million was in respect of funds released to institutions towards the end of the financial year 2015 and spent in 2016.
He said a further amount of K324.09 million represented funds that were released to various Government institutions during the year by cooperating partners but were not budgeted for in the current financial year.
Mr Chikwanda said Government was expected to finance the balance of K1.51 billion through general revenues, by implementing expenditure re-alignments especially on slow moving items in the 2016 approved Budget.
THE Patriotic Front (PF) on the Copperbelt is not shaken by defections or plans by the people to leave the party because it is a self-cleansing process which will make the party stronger with more committed and loyal leadership at various level of the party, Copperbelt PF provincial chairman Stephen Kainga has said.
Mr Kainga said the defections now were a self-cleansing process where those who had one leg in PF and the other in the opposition were now deciding to leave the party to join other parties. He said in an interview in Kitwe yesterday that party members should not worry about some members leaving the party because most of those who had decided to leave the ruling party for the opposition had no following in the party. Mr Kainga said people like Mulenga Sata was a loner who had decided to join the opposition alone without any single individual PF member joining him when he went to the UPND.
“As PF on the Copperbelt, we would not like to talk too much about Mulenga Sata, but the fact is that he is a loner and he has not taken any single PF member to UPND. So such kind of people cannot make PF members to get worried because he had no support in the party.
“If anything, some PF members who have decided to join UPND are regretting and are thinking of coming back to PF. So in a nutshell, I can tell you that these defections are a self-cleansing process which will leave PF with only loyal and committed members of the party,” Mr Kainga said.
The Copperbelt PF Chief said, while some UPND members were celebrating after loners like Mulenga Sata joined them, PF would soon celebrate when senior UPND leaders join the PF.
Mr Kainga, who could not disclose the names of some senior UPND members to join the PF, said very soon a ‘bomb shell’ would be dropped in the UPND.
“My friend, this is politics. It is for the strong-hearted, and not for the fainted hearted. You can die of high blood pressure because mostly, it is the unexpected which happens. I will not tell you which big fish in UPND will join PF, but just wait, you will see or hear,” he said. And Mr Kainga has said most of the people who were leaving PF now, were allegedly not Christians, hence have failed to cope with the Christian leadership of President Edgar Lungu and were seeking comfort in other political parties where unchristian values had been embraced.
“I can tell you that President Lungu believes in God, and this is why he declared October 18 as a day of national prayer and even suggested the construction of the National House of Prayer. When we prayed to God for rains, some people were laughing at us and made all sorts of comments, but God answered our prayers and it rained.
“When miners were retrenched, they celebrated saying this is the end of PF, but now things are looking better in the mines. Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) will very soon employ 3,000 people on pensionable jobs. The Kwacha is also recovering. So these things show that President Lungu has favour from God,” he said.
Nevers Mumba
MMD founding members have demanded that Nevers Mumba should immediately call for an ordinary convention from which the party should elect its new crop of leaders and reconcile itself if it is to remain relevant to the country’s democratic dispensation.
The MMD founding members said the former ruling party, as a pioneer of democracy, should not be ‘‘condemned to extinction’’ on account of lack of dialogue between Dr Mumba and the members most of whom he has either expelled or suspended leading to the former ruling party getting fragmented.
Donald Chanda, Teta Vundamina, Dr Katele Kalumba, Matiya Ngalande, Fisho Mwale, Teddy Mulonga, Colonel C.Y. Chambula and Colonel C. Shula, the founding members of the MMD, yesterday gathered at the Inter-Continental Hotel in Lusaka and called for reconciliation among party members and declared that a convention should be held as a matter of principle and democratic practice. Speaking on behalf of the MMD founding members, Donald Chanda said the pioneers of multiparty democracy were deeply concerned with the continued in-fighting in the former ruling party.
Mr Chanda, who is University of Zambia (UNZA) development studies lecturer, said the founding members appreciated efforts by MMD president Nevers Mumba and former President Rupiah Banda to reconcile various groups within the former ruling party.
Mr Chanda, however, said the reconciliation of Dr Mumba and former President Banda should be extended to the general membership of the MMD because the party had remained divided despite the reconciliation between the two leaders. He said the MMD founding fathers recognised the fact that Dr Mumba, having been elected as MMD president in 2011, was still the leader of the party but that his mandate had expired and a convention was, therefore, not a matter of necessity but a call to respect the party’s constitution and democratic values.
Mr Chanda said it was necessary for Dr Mumba to continue presiding over the MMD to avoid creating a leadership vacuum in the former ruling party but that there was urgent need for the national executive committee to call for a convention as soon as possible.
“As MMD founding members, our point of departure is the democratic multi-party ideals and principles which the party adopted and has continued to use ever since the 1991 Garden Hotel conference.
‘‘Never again would the wishes of an individual or indeed a clique subdue the collective will of the people. The people would choose their leaders at an assembly convened for that purpose as agreed and at predetermined intervals.
‘‘Based on these principles and upholding them in the interest of the nation, we call an all the groups in the MMD to stop the political in-fighting and accept the principles of the party and follow the constitution of the party as the way forward,” Mr Chanda said.
Mr Chanda said the decision to hold a convention in an open and transparent manner as enshrined in the party constitution should be respected by the warring parties in the MMD. He said the MMD convention would see the election of leaders that would guide party members on the proposed alliance between the Patriotic Front (PF) and the former ruling party. Mr Chanda said first republican President Kenneth Kaunda was made to cut his term of office by heeding the people’s call for multi-party democracy and elections and it was, therefore, important for Dr Mumba to emulate the democratic spirit of the first republican President. “Our courts through history have guided us through precedence, rulings and legal opinions and some of the guiding past experiences includes the court ruling on the need for the MMD to go for a convention to elect its leaders.
‘‘There is precedence in the case of late President Levy Mwanawasa who assumed the leadership of the MMD after President Frederick Chiluba stepped down. President Banda took over the leadership of the MMD after the death of Dr Mwanawasa to serve his unexpired term up to 2011 when he was re-elected as MMD president,” Mr Chanda said.
Charles Manyuchi Vs Dmitry Mikhaylenko
Charles Manyuchi beat Russia’s Dmitry Mikhaylenko Friday night to become the World Boxing Council welterweight silver champion.
It was his 15th straight win and his second straight fight on European soil.
The 27-year-old defied the odds to beat Mikhaylenko before a capacity 27 000 home crowd for the Russian at the DIVS Hockey Arena in Ekaterinburg.
Fears that he could falter having last fought competitively in July 2015, turned out to have been unfounded.
The Friday victory means Manyuchi relinquishes his WBC international welterweight title become the silver belt champion.
Notable former holders of the title include British boxer Khan who will be paid US$13 million for his showdown with Alvarez in Las Vegas Saturday.
It was the Mikhaylenko’s first defeat in 22 professional fights and that it was delivered at home, before his noisy fans, should have been a bitter pill to swallow.
The judges scored 116-114; 118-110 and 115-113 all in favour of Manyuchi.
Charles Manyuchi crowned ChampionsManyunchi shows off his new WBC belt with Russian based Chipolopolo star Chisamba LunguCharles Manyuchi with his supporter waving the Zimbabwean flag
George Mpombo speaking during the news conference
People’s Democratic Party President George Mpombo has announced the dissolution of his party and joined the UPND.
Mr Mpombo said he is re-joining the UPND in order to contribute to the emancipation of the poor majority Zambians.
And in receiving Mr Mpombo, UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema said the party was humbled by the gesture.
“We are humbled to receive Mr Mpombo, who has decided to disband his party and re-join the UPND family. By way of a reminder Hon. Mpombo was the UPND’s first ever elected official as councillor shortly after the party was formed in 1998,” he said.
“He was later elected as Kafulafuta MP and served as Minister of Defence in the late Levy Mwanawasa’s administration. Equally humbling was receiving the support of senior citizens and freedom fighters such as Mr Bautis Kapulu, who was a member of the UNIP Central Committee and minister in the UNIP Government.”
Mr Hichilema said the UPMD is on a mission to unite the country by embracing all well-meaning Zambians that want to move our great nation forward and fix our broken economy.
“We continue to emphasise the need for UPND members countrywide to embrace the new members for the greater good of our nation. We cannot confront the enormous challenges we face as a nation if we are divided. It is clear that Zambians are yearning for a better Zambia in which our children can look forward to the future with hope and pride.”
George Mpombo waves the UPND party symbolHH welcomes George MpomboHH, Mulenga Sata and GBMMulenga Sata and other UPND officials listening to Mr Mpombo at HH’s residenceMulenga Sata and Brian Chituwo during the press conference
Zambia Police Service spokesperson Charity Munganga Chanda
A 26-YEAR-OLD woman of Lusaka’s Mtendere Compound has stabbed her husband to death.
And Elizabeth Lungu Nkhoma has been apprehended by police in connection with the murder of her 33-year-old husband Anthony Nkhoma.
According to Police spokesperson Charity Munganga-Chanda, the deceased Nkhoma sustained a deep cut and human bite on the chest.
“It is suspected that the deceased was stabbed after fighting with the wife around 21:00 hours on May 3, 2016 at their home. The body of the deceased was at the University Teaching Hospital mortuary awaiting postmortem,” stated Munganga-Chanda.
From the largest elephant to the smallest shrew, the city of Zootopia is a mammal metropolis where various animals live and thrive. When Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) becomes the first rabbit to join the police force, she quickly learns how tough it is to enforce the law. Determined to prove herself, Judy jumps at the opportunity to solve a mysterious case. Unfortunately, that means working with Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), a wily fox who makes her job even harder.
PROS
Very touching movie with an incredible message .
Excellent animation , the animals really come to life .
The design of the city of ‘Zootopia’ itself is amazing with sections of snow, desert and rain forest for specific animal residents.
FAVORITE QUOTE
Chief Bogo:Life isn’t some cartoon musical where you sing a little song and all your insipid dreams magically come true. So let it go.
Judy Hopps:I thought this city would be a perfect place where everyone got along and anyone could be anything. Turns out, life’s a little bit more complicated than a slogan on a bumper sticker. Real life is messy. We all have limitations. We all make mistakes. Which means, hey, glass half full, we all have a lot in common. And the more we try to understand one another, the more exceptional each of us will be. But we have to try. So no matter what kind of person you are, I implore you: Try. Try to make the world a better place. Look inside yourself and recognize that change starts with you.
CONCLUSION
Zootopia is one of the best animated films i have watched in a long time . It is a hilarious movie , but it is not all laughs, it also has a wonderful story about tolerance ,accepting people the way they are . It shows that you can do/be whatever you want despite your background (racial ,ethnic , religious ,monetary etc ) . The characters being animals makes it easy for children to follow the story and get the meaning behind it .
The two protagonists will get you fully invested in this film. Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) was great , with his sarcastic jokes and witty antics . Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin ) was a lovable ,tenacious character .
This is a movie you must definitely take your kids to watch . If you don’t have kids , its fine watch it by yourself . Viewers of all ages will appreciate this wonderful Disney classic .
United Party for National Development (UPND) President Hakainde Hichilema has said that Zambians should not trust President Edgar Lungu and his Patriotic Front (PF) Government.
In a statement reacting to the calls made by President Lungu to people on the copperbelt to trust PF, Mr Hakainde said that President Lungu’s failure to lead with compassion, strength and clarity of purpose, as well as his string of broken promises and flip-flops, means by now the majority of Zambians wouldn’t trust him with their wallet, let alone the future of their great nation.
Below is the full statement
Why Should Zambians Trust Lungu?
President Lungu has pleaded with voters on the Copperbelt to trust him. Following reports of growing opposition strength in the area he has sought to explain away current challenges by saying he did not cause them and that Zambians should trust him. But what has Lungu ever done for Zambians to trust him?
Mr. Lungu must know that trust is not something people can just give blindly. You must give people reasons to trust you. Often this will be on the basis of certain personal qualities or your track record based on past performance. Here is where the problem lies for our President: broken promises and betrayal have been routine for the PF in Copperbelt and across the country over the past five years and Lungu himself has fallen down very publicly on this measure by assuring miners that they would not lose their jobs just weeks before thousands were made redundant. Meanwhile, even at State House he has been at odds with many of his ministers, with several defecting and more supporters leaving the PF than at any other time in the party’s history.
If Mr. Lungu is a true leader then he must also know that when you hold an office such as the presidency there is a big responsibility that comes with both action and inaction. This is just as true in the case of the economy as it is with the rising levels of crime and violence in the country, which are in part a factor of the failure by authorities to serve justice for victims. Our President may not have hacked anyone with a panga personally, but by failing to oversee justice for the victims he is presiding over an environment in which such violent behaviour is likely to persist.
On the economy, if we are vulnerable to copper then it is because government has not walked the talk on diversification. If mining companies have halted operations then it is because PF policy flip-flops have increased uncertainty and the power sector crisis has increased costs. Moreover, the speed of the PF’s reaction to events has been unacceptable, always waiting until a situation spirals out of control or frustration spills out onto the streets to take any action.
In sum, make your appeals but know that your failure to lead with compassion, strength and clarity of purpose, as well as the string of broken promises and flip-flops means by now the majority of Zambians wouldn’t trust you with their wallet, let alone the future of their great nation. Lead by example and earn that trust, don’t just ask for it.
GOVERNMENT has set aside over K100 million to procure and install 12,000 desktop computers in schools across Zambia.
And the Ministry of General Education says it is pleased with the positive results achieved from teaching grade ones in local languages in line with the revised curriculum.
Ministry of General Education spokesperson Hillary Chipango said the procurement of computers is meant to enhance the management of computer studies examinations to avert what happened last year when some schools had no computers.
Mr Chipango said in response to a query yesterday that Government has already signed contracts worth K54 million with three suppliers of computers for the supply and installation of 6,000 desktop computers.
“Half are inbuilt with computer graphics software and will come with art demonstration CDs and 16GB storage discs,” he said.
President LunguPRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has said he will protect the integrity of the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) so that officials from the electoral body can do their job which they are paid for.
Mr Lungu said he would not allow trouble makers to hijack the whole electoral process especially people who were trying to bring their reputation of the institution into question.
The Head of State said he believe ECZ was one of the best in Southern Africa and in Africa adding that the electoral body had never been found wanting so far.
Mr Lungu was speaking in Livingstone yesterday at Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport upon his arrival to officiate at the 2016 World Farmers Organisation (WFO) General Assembly being held under the theme ‘Partnerships for Growth’.
The President, who arrived at 10:15 hours aboard a Zambia Airforce (ZAF) plane, was accompanied by Agriculture Minister Given Lubinda, Defence Minister Richwell Siamunene, Livestock and Fisheries Deputy Minister Lawrence Evans, Southern Province Minister Nathaniel Mubukwanu, Special assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda and Special Assistant to the President for Project Monitoring and Implementation Lucky Mulusa.
He was received by WFO president Evelyn Nguleka, who is also Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU), WFO officials, Southern Province Permanent Secretary Sibanze Simuchoba, Livingstone District Commissioner Omar Munsanje, other district commissioners in Southern Province, senior Government officials, provincial defence and security chiefs as well as Patriotic Front (PF) officials.
“Those people who think ECZ will be rigging this year’s general elections are just trying to find reasons for losing. How can you go in a football march and begin preparing before you even know a referee and the other team you will be playing against and start saying the referee is biased?
“What makes you say that? It is because you are not prepared. We will now allow people to demonise ECZ and try to bring their reputation into question. They have no basis to do so. Those who don’t believe in impartiality of ECZ have no room in this place. Let us believe in our own system. If we can’t believe in our system, then we want other countries to come and run our own systems? NO,” Mr Lungu said.
He said he had been a student at the University and he was aware that there were students who were not ready to write exams and resorted to bringing confusions on the eve of exams so that their institutions either closed or deferred the exams.
“We will not allow that to happen. We are ready for August 11 elections. I will protect the integrity of ECZ so that they do their job which they are paid for.
“I will not allow rubble rousers and trouble makers to hijack the whole process. We want peace and not fragmented country. Let us continue to love one another and avoid hate speech or foul language,” he said.
Mr Lungu said he was in Livingstone at the invitation from WFO saying there was need to encourage farmers as countries could not survive without food from farmers.
He was also glad that the slogan of One Zambia One Nation was sinking among Zambians including those in the opposition.
“We should not allow anyone to divide us not even politics. After we vote, we will still remain one Zambia one nation. I want to assure you that PF is stronger than it was before.
“This is because the opportunity for the opposition to dislodge is from power was in January 2015 presidential elections but they failed to dislodge us. Now that we are fully in charge of the party and Government, I will make sure that the party remains united. Those who want to come from other political parties are welcome,” Mr Lungu said.
And speaking earlier, Mr Mubukwanu said Southern Province was peaceful currently except for nine cholera cases that had been recorded in Monze and Mazabuka Districts.
He suspected that the cholera cases were coming from fishing camps and said there was need to seek ways of preventing the disease from spreading further in the province.
The unethical behaviour of President Lungu and the PF continues as they have now brought in two serving diplomats who sit on government payroll to lead up their party political media team, while Frank Bwalya has finally been confined to the sidelines.
Perhaps we can take this opportunity to remind President Lungu of the stance he took on the importance of a professional and unbiased civil service just weeks ago.
This move suggests a reversal in his position of not allowing civil servants to engage in partisan politics. As such, it is the latest example of President Lungu’s preference for inconsistency and inability to make clear decisions and stick to them. Such visionless and confused leadership is serving to provoke lawlessness in the country and must come to an end. We need leaders who lead by example and whose words are matched in action.
President Lungu is fully aware that Zambian diplomats Emmanuel Mwamba and Anthony Mukwita are back in the country and busy engaging themselves in partisan local politics.
Emmanuel Mwamba has been on Muvi TV and various radio stations where he is openly conducting partisan PF campaigns. Yet there has been no announcement detailing his resignation or dismissal from his diplomatic missions.
It is a widely held and internationally respected requirement that diplomats cannot engage in partisan politics, either of their accredited countries or of their home country.
That Emmanuel Mwamba and Anthony Mukwita are on the civil service payroll at the level of deputy permanent secretary and have abandoned their offices and duties to engage in partisan politics is an abuse of office that should be punished by the authorities. They have crossed the line and are now serving as PF cadres. As such they should be recalled immediately as they obviously do not understand their roles as “diplomats”.
Opposition Members of parliament
Parliament has agreed to start proceedings in the morning at 09:00 on Tuesday and on Wednesday next week instead of the usual 14 hours.
The move will allow the house complete all business on the order paper so that it adjourns sine die next week.
Normally the house only starts sitting in the afternoon except on Fridays.
The House adopted the suspension of standing orders number 19,20,21(1) and 101.
Moving the notice,Vice President Inonge Wina said there is need to extend the sitting time of the House so that all outstanding issues are attended to before the house adjourns.
Ms Wina said the matter is straight forward and non partisan.
And the Vice President has described the fifth session of the eleventh National assembly as a success.
Ms Wina appealed to members of the House who will bounce back after the general election to continue with team spirit, hard work and dedication to duty.
Meanwhile Ms Wina has called for peaceful campaigns saying Zambians want violent free elections.
She appealed to politicians to desist from issuing alarming statements that might plunge the country into turmoil.
And supporting the motion Mazabuka UPND Garry Nkombo appealed to politicians to walk the talk on political violence.
Mr. Nkombo said there is life after politics and politicians must preach peace in their campaigns.
And Kasempa MMD MP Kabinga Pande said violence is unZambian and called for politicians to take a strong stance against the v
President Edgar Lungu arrive at World Farmers General Assembly in Livingstone
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has said that Zambia produced a record of 2.7 million tonnes of maize in the 2015/2016 farming season despite the difficult weather pattern that the country experienced.
Mr Lungu said those who doubt the Patriotic Front (PF) Government’s resolve and capabilities to confront economic challenges Zambia was faced with must be ashamed at the remarkable success the country had achieved in the 2015/2016 farming season.
He said despite the difficult weather pattern, the success had not come by an accident as it was as a result of clear decisions that the Government made to restructure both the input distribution mechanisms and crop marketing exercise.
Mr Lungu was speaking in Livingstone today at AVANI Victoria Falls Hotel when he officiated at the 2016 World Farmers Organisation (WFO) 6th General Assembly.
The WFO General Assembly, which is held being held under the theme ‘Partnerships for Growth’, has attracted representatives of 517 million farmers scattered around the world.
“Those who doubt our resolve and capabilities to confront challenges must be ashamed at the remarkable success we have achieved in the 2015/2016 farming season which has recorded a record 2.7 tonnes of maize.
“Despite the difficult weather pattern, the success has not come by an accident but it is as a result of our clear decisions we made to restructure both the input distribution mechanisms and crop marketing exercise,” Mr Lungu said.
He said basal dressing fertilizers were in the field by May last year while all farmers were paid by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) in 2015 for the first time in decades.
Mr Lungu said the feared transition to the electronic (e) vouchers was introduced by his administration saying farmers as well as Zambians could trust the PF Government.
“We are able to confront the economic challenges and transform them into opportunities. This is why we are to laugh off those self-righteous sentiments and criticisms from some who think we have no capacity to run agriculture in particular and the economy in general.
“We have the experience and we a demonstrable record that we are ready and able to do even better. Agriculture is on the mend, and economic in general in on a recovery path. We are determined to do even better,” Mr Lungu said.
He said agriculture was Zambia’s main economic contributor and it created employment for old and young generations while it contributed significantly to the social-economic development of Zambia in particular and the whole African continent in general.
“My Government is determined to provide farmers with innovations and technologies that will accelerate the process of poverty eradication among our poor rural communities who constitute the majority farmers.
“I wish to therefore assure you that my Government has placed priority on cooperating partners working closely with farmer’s organisations to foster food productivity in a sustainable manner and to guarantee incomes and food security for the good of all of us,” Mr Lungu said.
The Head of State said farmers were not merely food producers but they were partners in the global fight against climate change and for sustainability of planet earth.
He said no amount of criticism would deter his administration in fostering development saying his Government would not give up regardless of the current economic challenges.
Mr Lungu also said the Government had made the COP21, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Agenda 2030 and the Committee on World Food Security (WFS) processes a priority.
President Edgar Lungu confers with President of world food organization,Evely Nguleka during the 6th WFO gerenal Conference in Livingstone
Speaking at the same meeting, WFO president Evelyn Nguleka said agriculture was the primary sector of all economies and that the sector was responsible for granting food and nutrition security to all human beings.
Dr Nguleka, who is Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU), said agriculture was also responsible for social stability and health adding that the sector provides work opportunities to families, men, women and youth, and largely contributes to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
She said farmers needed to develop the right skills and knowledge needed to effectively improve their capacity.
“This would never be possible without the support of our partners and friends from the public and private sectors, from local and international arena, who believe in our daily work and in our central role for the socio-economic well-being of this planet.
“It is to the above extent that the 2016 General Assembly of the World Farmers’ Organisation, WFO, is being held under the overarching theme of “Partnership for Growth”, with a view to promoting the importance of a holistic approach to the agricultural sector, where different actors stand together for the same goal,” Dr Nguleka said.
Zambia’s Agriculture Minister Given Lubinda, who thanked WFO for hosting its General Assembly in Zambia, said close to 800,000 million people were hungry every day worldwide.
“One of the sustainable development goals in is to fade hunger in the next 15 years. Politicians like you and I can talk about that but the one with responsibility to work towards that goal are these present here.
“As you are aware, those 800,000 million people who go hungry many of them are not in southern region, the continent which has been privileged to host this conference,” Mr Lubinda said.
WFO Secretary General Marco Marzano said the conference had given an opportunity for delegates to examine the theme as farmers strongly believed in partnership.
President Edgar Lungu arrive at World Farmers General Assembley in Livingstone President Edgar Lungu arrive at World Farmers General Assembly in Livingstoneresident Edgar Lungu arrive at World Farmers General Assembly in LivingstonePresident Edgar Lungu arrive the Farmers General assembly summit in LivingstoneFarmers assembly
