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Chief Government Spokesperson Chishimba Kambwili
MINISTER of Information and Broadcasting Services Chishimba Kambwili says the Press Association of Zambia (PAZA) executive should be dissolved because its existence is illegal.
Mr Kambwili said the PAZA executive must be dissolved because it has gone beyond its mandate and is allegedly being funded by The Post.
“PAZA is being used as a platform for causing disunity when it should aspire for high level of ethical and professional standards,” he said.
Mr Kambwili said yesterday that PAZA, which is supposed to also represent the broader interests of the media, has now gone beyond its mandate.
He said PAZA has lost its credibility and must be dissolved so that a new breed of leaders takes over the ‘dying’ association.
The minister also said the current leadership of PAZA has no mandate as it has stayed for over 10 years without holding elections.
Mr Kambwili, who is also chief government spokesperson, said Government is aware of the activities of PAZA.
But PAZA president Andrew Sakala said in a separate interview that PAZA, went into working agreements with the Press Freedom Committee of The Post and other media, organisations in 2004 and that it is not specifically working with The Post.
“We just collaborate with The Post newspaper’s Press Freedom committee. When we disagree with Government, this does not mean that we have decided to always attack Government,” he said.
PAZA secretary Patson Phiri said PAZA has not held an Annual General Meeting to elect new office bearers because its donors backed out.
First Lady Esther Lungu when she visited Chief Mwanachingwala who has been unwell for two years at his palace in Mazambuka. This was on Thursday, January 21,2016 -Picture by THOMAS NSAMA
THE Southern Province Royal Foundation has requested Government to evacuate Chief Mwanachingwala abroad for specialist treatment.
Foundation chairperson Chief Chikanta said in Mazabuka on Sunday that Chief Mwanachingwala has been unwell for over two years and Government should consider repatriating him abroad for treatment.
He said Government should also consider sending Chief Moomba for specialist treatment as well.
Chief Chikanta and six other traditional leaders were on an outreach, visiting their counterparts who have been indisposed for some time.
Chief Naluwama of Chikankata has also been unwell.
Speaking in an interview from Mazabuka after visiting Chief Mwanachingwala, Chief Chikanta said, “We came to see their condition and wish them well.”
The opposition Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) has with immediate effect expelled its Lunte M.P Felix Mutati.
In a NEC meeting held on Tuesday the 16th of February 2016 at Konzani Gardens in Lusaka West area of Lusaka, the party resolved to immediately expel Mr Mutati for his double-dealing as he has been secretly working with the United Party for National Development (UPND) and is listed on a 2016 UPND official calendar as a party official. Mr Mutati is also one of the three MMD MPs that have sued the party over its decision to postpone the scheduled 2016 convention to 2017 when the term of office of current President Dr Nevers Sekwila Mumba expires.
It was noted in the meeting that when some MPs including Mr Mutati were expelled last year for working with other parties during the January 2015 presidential by-election, they were readmitted after asking for forgiveness and given a final warning. They were told that should they repeat any offences committed previously, they would be expelled without any further deliberations.
And MMD Spokesperson Raphael Nakacinda has been suspended by the National Executive Committee (NEC) with immediate effect pending investigations by the Disciplinary Committee into allegations that he has been working against the party.
The MMD NEC unanimously resolved to suspend Mr Nakacinda after prima facie evidence was presented in the meeting that he has received money to work against the party with known individuals. The NEC felt that Mr Nakacinda could no longer continue as Party Spokesperson with such serious allegations hanging over his head. The NEC resolved to appoint Rev. Reuben Sambo who is already a NEC member as Acting Spokesperson until Mr Nakacinda’s disciplinary case is disposed of.
The meeting also resolved by unanimous vote of all ten provinces that the discussions over the proposed alliance between the MMD and the Patriotic Front (PF) should commence immediately.
The meeting also elected 5 new NEC members as follows:
1. Mr Friday Kashiwa as Deputy National Treasurer
2. Mr Chilekwa Munkonge as Chairman Commerce, Trade and Industry
3. Ms Christine Mangonono as NEC Member
4. Mrs Rose Zimba as National Women’s Secretary
5. Ms Lisa Pasi as National Women’s Chairperson (previously acting)
The NEC meeting also resolved that any appointments of party officials by expelled former National Secretary Muhabi Lungu during the party wrangles in the past were revoked with immediate effect.
And during the meeting, National Secretary Mr Mwansa Mbulakulima apologised to the NEC for any misunderstandings his recent statements concerning the proposed MMD-PF alliance may have caused.
The communiqué from the meeting was as follows:
COMMUNIQUÉ ON MMD NEC MEETING ON 16TH FEBRUARY 2016
The Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) National Executive Committee (NEC) on the 16th of February 2016 met at Konzani Gardens in Lusaka West Area of Lusaka and resolved the following:
1. PROPOSED ALLIANCE WITH THE PATRIOTIC FRONT (PF)
The meeting resolved by unanimous vote of all the ten provinces that the MMD should commence negotiations immediately on the proposed alliance with the ruling Patriotic Front (PF).
2. DISCIPLINARY MATTERS
The MMD NEC unanimously resolved to suspend the party Spokesperson Mr Raphael Nakacinda with immediate effect, pending a disciplinary hearing. Rev. Reuben Sambo has been appointed as Spokesperson in an acting capacity.
The meeting also resolved to immediately expel Lunte Member of Parliament Felix Mutati for abrogating the conditions of being readmitted into the party after earlier being expelled in 2015. Mr Mutati had been given a final warning that should he repeat offences committed against the party, he would be expelled without any further recourse.
3. NEW NEC MEMBERS
The meeting also elected 5 new NEC members as follows:
1. Mr Friday Kashiwa as Deputy National Treasurer
2. Mr Chilekwa Munkonge as Chairman Commerce, Trade and Industry
3. Ms Christine Mangonono as NEC Member
4. Mrs Rose Zimba as National Women’s Secretary
5. Ms Lisa Pasi as National Women’s Chairperson (previously acting)
Chief Government Spokesman Chishimba Kambwili
Government has warned that all perpetrators of the violence that occurred in Bweengwa in Monze district over the weekend will not escape the long arm of the law.
Chief Government Spokesperson Chishimba Kambwili said the act is criminal, barbaric and incompatible with the country’s democratic dispensation which espouses unity and co-existence in diversity.
Mr. Kambwili who is also Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services said the violence perpetrated by the alleged United Party for National Development (UPND) carders in Bweengwa should be condemned with the contempt it deserves.
The Minister said this in a statement issued to ZANIS in Lusaka today following the attack and holding captive of a convoy of government vehicles and officers including a ZANIS media crew in Bweengwa over the weekend by suspected UPND Carders.
And Mr. Kambwili said government is disappointed and holds the UPND liable for the Bweengwa violence which occurred over the weekend.
Mr. Kambwili said government’s conviction about the perpetrators of the violence being UPND is supported by the statement by UPND member Douglass Syakalima in today Post newspaper where he has endorsed the Bweengwa violence.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kambwili said competition for political office should be on merit and issue based and not through violence, tribalism regionalism or any other consideration.
Mr. Kambwili has since urged Zambians to reject political parties that believe in violence saying the nation has enjoyed peace for over 50 years which should not be sacrificed by selfish motives of few disgruntled and misguided individuals.
President Lungu speaks to chief Hamusonda and chief Sinazongwe in Bweengwa
The Zambia Police Service says it has stepped up investigations on the suspected United Party for National Development(UPND) cadres who damaged government vehicles and held hostage government officials including journalists in Bweengwa constituency over the weekend.
The incidence happened soon after President Edgar Lungu’s rally in Bweengwa constituency in Monze district in Southern province.
Southern Province Police Commissioner Godwin Phiri said investigations regarding the incident are progressing well.
He said this in an interview with the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in Lusaka today that the public will be informed of the outcome of the investigation soon.
Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today Commissioner Phiri said police were facing some challenges in identifying the culprits because the incidence happened during night time.
Mr Phiri said police is working round the clock to ensure that the law breakers are apprehended and face the wrath of the law.
He pointed out that such cases require thorough investigations considering the circumstance in which it happened and added that police will not rest until the culprits are arrested.
On Sunday, Police managed to rescue government officers, including a ZANIS crew, that were held hostage in Bweengwa area in Monze district by suspected opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) cadres.
Vice President Inonge Wina with her Deputy Minister Lowrance Sichalwe and Permanent Secretary Simon Miti having a light Moment shortly before meeting with donors at Intercontinental Hotel
Vice President Inonge Wina is expected in Livingstone tomorrow to officially open the 42nd ordinary session of the African Regional Labour Administration Centre (ARLAC) governing council meeting and high level symposium.
Mrs. Wina is expected to arrive here at 08:00 hours in the morning and will return to Lusaka the same day after officially opening the conference, which is being held under the theme, “Decent work in the global supply chains”.
Livingstone District Commissioner Omar Munsanje confirmed that Mrs. Wina will arrive in the morning for the conference.
And according to the programme obtained by ZANIS in Livingstone today, 20 English speaking African countries and Ministers of Labour from member countries are attending the conference, which started yesterday on 15th February 2016 and will end on 19th February.
The programme indicates that Zambia’s Minister of Labour and Social Security, Fackson Shamenda, is leading other attendees at the conference.
ARLAC, whose headquarters is in Harare in Zimbabwe, was jointly formed by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 1974 as a project for the development of labour administration issues.
The centre is mandated to strengthen labour administration systems in English speaking African member countries through training, research, consultancy and advisory services.
Luapula River
A Fish ban patrol team on the Luapula river had a surprise attack by an angry mob of fishmongers and villagers alike in Mwense District of Luapula Province.
The irate mob threw missiles and consequently shattered the rear window of a Toyota Land Cruiser registration number GRZ 583CE belonging to the fisheries department in Nchelenge.
ZANIS reports from Mwense District, that the unsuspecting patrol team were attacked at Mulundu village in Chief Mulundu’s area around 09: 50 hours.
The patrol team comprised of officers from the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), officers from the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, and members of Village Fisheries Management Committees (VFMCs) from Nchelenge.
The team that was led by Mweru-Luapula Research Officer Masiliso Phiri was in the area following reports of rampant illegal fishing during the ongoing annual fish ban.
The villagers were incited by Chief Mulundu when he ordered the patrol team to kill all his subjects.
The traditional who arrived at the scene with Mwense District Commissioner (DC) Geoffrey Chipampanta told the team to kill all his subjects instead of harassing them because they area already poor.
The incessant villagers then started charging and started pelting stones at the team injuring one officer in the process.
Bupe Songwe 25, a Livestock Technician at the Nchelenge office had his face bruised from the flying shuttered glasses.
The Lusaka City Council (LCC) has engaged the Insurance Authority Board to ensure that erring motorists who knock down and damage infrastructure pay for repairs.
In a telephone interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today, LCC Public Relations Manager Habeenzu Mulunda said the council is working hand in hand with the Zambia police to ensure that information on people causing accidents is urgently communicated to the local authority.
Mr. Mulunda however disclosed that it has been a challenge to identify and capture erring motorists especially at night as the council has no officers on the ground to provide them with data concerning the accidents.
“Insurance Authority Board collects monies on behalf of the council to ensure that there is no erring motorist who gets away without being charged,” Mr. Mulunda stated.
Mr. Mulunda observed that the Zambia Police reach the accident scene faster than the council hence the need for consensus in relaying information to the local authority.
In the recent past, motorists have been knocking down street lights, traffic lights and other various vital road features erected along the busy roads.
UPND Mazabuka Member of Parliament Garry Nkombo says his party is willing to have an alliance with any like minded party because they want to win the election in the first round.
Speaking when he featured on the Oxygen of Democracy TV program on Prime TV the opposition MP said the party is working towards ensuring that they win the election in the first round hence is willing to work with established and like minded people.
He also wondered how the MMD can go into an alliance with PF after the humiliation and physical abuse they received from the ruling party after PF was declared winner in 2011.
He said the UPND’s desire is to ensure that they amass more than 50% of the votes in first round to ensure that there is no contention after the winner is announced.
“The MMD and the PF, according to what the caller has said, are positioning themselves for a 50%+1, we would say and please read my lips, our desire is whack the PF and their dearest brothers in the first round. That is our desire. We want much more than 50% so that there is no contention. We are gunning for an outright win and if alliances come along we will be happy because the more the merrier.
Alliances have to make sense, not where the villain goes to bed with the vanquished. The villain in this case is PF, which just whacked the MMD and don’t forget that it was us in the UPND who rose defend the MMD when PF was beating the living day light of them when PF won won elections in 2011.
I have a home in Northmead and I saw with own eyes how PF burnt a store of somebody who was MMD here in the capital city, and it was HH who stood up and said, look you have won and your job now is to rule the country,” he said.
On the claims by FDD President Edith Nawakwi that his party is going round in Southern Province telling people that they are working together, Mr Nkombo said he was not aware of any such happening in the Province.
He was however quick to mention that UPND is desirous of working with the FDD if they can find a working arrangement.
“I know not of anybody who said that we are in any relationship with the FDD, loose or tight. I think we are desirous if we find common ground to cooperate with the FDD. I can confirm to you that I know not of any moves that have been made to suggest or claim that we are in an alliance with the FDD,” he said.
A grade eight pupil of Kalingalinga Basic School in Lusaka was on Friday sentenced to four months imprisonment with hard labour for stealing K143 and three flash discs from a shop.
Teddy Banda, 20 was charged with theft contrary to the Laws of Zambia.
Principal resident magistrate Kenneth Mulife convicted Banda upon his admission of guilt.
Allegations were that Banda , on January 16 in Lusaka, stole K143 cash and three flash discs valued at K90, the property of Gabriel Chishimba who owns a shop in Kalingalinga market.
And according to facts read before court, Chishimba had left the shop for a few minutes and that when he returned, he realised that money was missing from his cash box.
The complainant told the police that he inquired from the women who were selling next to his shop and they pointed at Banda as being the only one who had entered the shop while he was away.
The court heard that after being approached, Banda tried to run away but that members of the public pursued him and managed to apprehend him.
Banda was later taken to Kalingalinga Police Station where he was charged and arrested for theft.
The accused pleaded guilty to the charge and the court convicted him.
In mitigation, Banda begged for leniency, saying he was a pupil and going to jail would disadvantage him.
“I am a pupil. If I am sent to prison, my education will be disturbed,” Banda who spoke in Nyanja pleaded.
However, in sentencing him, magistrate Mulife said if Banda loved his education, he would have avoided stealing.
“I will exercise leniency on you because you are a first offender and you have not wasted the court’s time, but in order to help you in future, I am sentencing you to four months imprisonment with hard labour. You will still go back to school after serving and this sentence should serve as a warning to other youths; learn to earn and not steal,” said magistrate Mulife.
SuperSport has announced that it will televise Saturday’s semifinals of the season opener Samuel “Zoom” Ndhlovu Charity Shield set for Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka.
Zanaco face Lusaka rivals Green Buffaloes in the early kickoff match at 13h00 before Zesco United and Power Dynamos complete the semi-final double-header in the Copperbelt derby at 15h00.
“Please note that SuperSport will be showing the Charity Shield this weekend 20th February 2016 on the world of Champions,” SuperSport Marketing Manager- Southern Africa Marlon Kananda stated.
“The games will be on both the DStv and GOtv platform,” he added.
Zesco are the defending champions of the Charity Shield.
Our position has always been and still is that fuel at the pump in Zambia is too expensive. The PF Government has no alternative but to reduce the price of petrol and diesel. The song of the devaluation of the Kwacha being the reason to maintain high fuel prices is a tired one. The currencies in South Africa and Botswana have also devalued but fuel at the pump has been reduced to reflect the reduction of oil prices on the international market.
Fundamentally the PF have little knowledge on managing a modern economy. Commodity pricing on the international market is cyclic. In times of low oil prices the PF Government would have invested in increasing refinery and storage infrastructure. The INDENI refinery is too old, crumbling, almost obsolete and in dire need of modernisation. The cost of inefficiency at INDENI is unfortunately being transferred to motorists and industry who should have been beneficiaries of the current low oil prices.
The cost is also as a result of an opaque procurement system that serves Government and not the people.
Cutting down the cost of fuel will stimulate an ailing economy that is already being battered by a serious power deficit. A lot of businesses are using generators that require fuel. A stimulated economy will induce a cascade of increased production, reduced cost of living and create jobs.
We do not need to belabour the point but it makes economic sense to reduce the cost of fuel now. In our previous statements and in particular one published on 14th January 2016, a detailed comparison of the cost of fuel in similar economies to ours was given. The PF Government did not heed our advice to reduce the cost of fuel then but we are hoping that they will do so now.
Former Ministry of Tourism Permanent Secretary Teddy Kasonso says there hasn’t been sufficient investment in the tourism sector to spur rapid development in the sector since 2011.
Speaking in an interview Mr Kasonso said the shift in policy by the PF government from what the MMD left in place has hampered the development of the tourism sector in the country.
He said the former ruling party had envisioned a situation where tourist would spend more time in the country and had started improving and developing infrastructure in the Northern circuit to attract investors in the tourism sector but that it has stalled since the take over of government by the PF.
He said the Northern circuit has massive Tourism potential but lacks the the infrastructure to support the sector hence the deliberate policies by the former party to develop infrastructure in the region.
He said the idea was not only to attract tourist but to ensure that tourist spent more time in the country which would in turn make them spend more money before living.
He has since called for more concerted efforts in improving infrastructure in the Northern circuit so as to have the circuit opened up for business.
He said doing so will help alleviate employment challenges and earn the country the much needed income as tourists will have more spots to visit as opposed to the current happenings where tourist visit the Victoria falls for thirty minutes then fry out of the country to the neighboring countries where they spend more time and money.
