Social media reports emerged on Monday that Mr Sampa is teaming up with Guy Scott and Dr Christine Kaseba to form a new political party to be called United Patriotic Front.

Mr Sampa said he intends to focus on serving his constituents to the best of his ability, as well as strengthening party relations nationwide.

He also said that he is not in talks with any opposition leaders about his latest situation.

Writing on his Facebook page, Mr Sampa said any media statements to this effect should be disregarded, considered false and completely unfounded.

‘On October 29th I resigned from my position in government, which I believe is the right decision. With that said, I would like to make it abundantly clear as to what this means going forward and lay to rest any misconceptions,’ he said.

‘I am not forming a political party and neither am I in talks with any opposition leaders. Any media releases to this effect should be disregarded, considered false and completely unfounded.’

He stated, ‘I remain a committed member of the Patriotic Front (PF). It is my desire and intention to be able to join hands to strengthen the PF party with a specialised focus on the youths and grassroots.’

‘I am immensely grateful for the overwhelming messages of encouragement I continue to receive on a daily basis. I thank you for your support and look forward to continuing to serve the Patriotic Front and the country at large. My passion has and always will be service to the people.’

We have strong youth empowerment policies in our party such as provision of quality and affordable education, skills training and targeted loans facilities that will support investment in many sectors such tourism, small scale mining licenses, agriculture and other areas, says UPND President Hakainde Hichilema.

Speaking when he addressed thousands of Lusaka youths yesterday at NASDEC Sports Complex during the UPND concert dubbed ‘Youths Rock the Vote’ Mr. Hichilema bemoaned the high levels of unemployment among the youths in the country as reason for bad vices in society.

The UPND leader who was accompanied by his two Vice-Presidents Dr. Canisius Banda and Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba (GBM) said Zambia need the UPND’s robust economic expansion and diversification programmes that will also give them decent job opportunities.

He called the youths across the country to be responsible citizens and refrain from being used as tools in political violence, avoid hate speech and language so as to promote unite and peace in the country.

Mr. Hichilema also appealed to the youths to go to various centers and obtain NRCs and Voters cards as a step towards ending unemployment, poverty and education.

Speaking at the same event UPND Vice President for Politics Dr. Canisius Banda thanked the youths for supporting the UPND but that they should vote out PF in 2016 as only UPND has a clear vision for job creation.

Meanwhile his counterpart for Administration GBM said that PF has failed to govern the country and has no message to sway Zambians anymore.

Mr. Mwamba, who just returned from Southern Province for party activities, told the youths that PF has failed to provide leadership hence laying that UPND is a tribal party.

He called on the Zambian youths not listen to tribal rhetoric being peddled by PF but look for the knowledgeable and capable UPND leadership.

THE Kabwe High Court has sentenced a 24-year-old man to three years imprisonment for causing the death of his cousin.
Mrs Justice Elita Mwikisa jailed Rodgers Banda after he admitted one count of manslaughter.
Banda caused the death of Alex Mumbi on December 8, 2014 in Kabwe.
He was initially charged with murder, but the court reduced the charge to manslaughter.
Mrs Justice Mwikisa told Banda that the offence he committed is serious as he had caused the death of not only his workmate but his own relative.
“These are the consequences that you face because of drinking beer and you take the law in your own hands,” she Justice said.
Facts before the court are that on December 8 last year around 09:00 hours Banda and Mumbi left Farm number 22 where they were both employed as caretakers in Mpima area for a drinking spree.
The court heard that around 16:00 hours they decided to go back to the farm when they started quarrelling.
When they reached the farm they started fighting. Mumbi rushed into a house to get a knife and tried to stab Banda, who managed to get hold of the knife.
Banda grabbed the knife and stabbed Mumbi who sustained injuries and fell to the ground. He left Mumbi lying on the floor of the house.
A Mr Mweemba who was passing by the farm found Mumbi lying dead on the floor and informed Mr Kamanga, the owner of the farm.
Mr Kamanga took Mumbi’s body to Kabwe General Hospital mortuary and post-mortem results showed that Mumbi died of wounds inflicted by stabbing.
On December 12 last year Mumbi was officially charged with murder, which was later reduced to manslaughter.
Banda pleaded with the court to be lenient on him as he is a first offender who had admitted the charge without wasting the court’s time.
“Mumbi was not only my workmate but my relative as well and his death will continue to hurt me as long as I live,” Banda said.

(DailyMail)

President EDGAR LUNGU has warned that Government will be compelled to introduce statutory price controls if Millers continue exploiting consumers. The President has further warned that Government might be forced to repossess milling plants or eject milling firms from the market if millers continue hiking mealie meal prices. President Lungu said the price of mealie meal is too high for the ordinary Zambian.

The Head of state said this at Luato Market in Kalulushi when he addressed scores of marketeers and residents. Mr Lungu wondered why millers have resorted to unnecessary hikes when they are buying the grain from farmers cheaply.

Mr. Lungu said there was no way milling companies and traders would continue hiking mealie-meal prices when the price of maize was low.

He said maize was available in the country and there was no way mealie-meal prices would be hiked.

President Lungu said government had the power to close milling companies if they did not comply, because mealie-meal was a staple food.

He further said government would control the price of mealie-meal if milling companies continue hiking the prices so as to stabilize the price.

Mr Lungu said he will be meeting the agriculture Minister Given Lubinda and cabinet to discuss and look at trends on the market where consumers are being exploited by millers.Earlier, President Lungu took time to tour the 270 million Kwacha National Pension scheme -NAPSA housing scheme.

And President Lungu says no lecturer will be fired from the Copperbelt University-CBU as a result of the misunderstanding between management and lecturers which led to student protests and subsequent premature closure. Mr. Lungu said that all the parties involved have put behind their past and have opened a new chapter, which will be anchored by dialogue and respect for one another.

The Head of State made the remarks when he met the executive of the Copperbelt University Students Union-COBUSU at the Presidential Guest House in Kitwe. The President said that he will clamp down on lecturers who want to take advantage of the election period to champion their political cause. Mr Lungu said that he will not allow institutions of higher learning to be politically abused.

The President also advised students not to be used by politicians to resort to violence through street protests. He said it is unacceptable for students to disturb the rights of innocent citizens whom they stone on the roads each time they want to advance their grievances. Mr. Lungu emphasized that discipline is essential for the students to succeed in their academic pursuits. He noted that students who compromise on discipline do not achieve much in life.

And COBUSU President Humphrey Mwenya said there is need for Government to upgrade some of the vocational trade institutions into colleges and universities. Mr. Mwenya also asked the President to review meal allowances, as the current economic status is unable to sustain students.

IN response Mr. Lungu promised to table the matter with Higher Education Minister Michael Kaingu and Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda.

UPND Vice President for Administration Geoffrey Mwamba has accused the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) of being on a mission to divide the country. In a statement released to the media in reaction to the PF rally held in Kitwe over the weekend, Mr Mwamba said that it was clear that the PF members have not repented of their sins despite hoodwinking Zambians to prayers and fasting on 18th October.

Below is the full statement

It is very clear that our colleagues in the PF are on a mission to divide the country.

It is also very clear that they have not repented of their sins despite hoodwinking Zambians to prayers and fasting on 18th October. This is the President Edgar Lungu who was insulting on Saturday then went to hide in church the following day, which is mockery to God.

To all the Zambians that watched and listened to the PF rally in Kitwe addressed by Edgar Lungu himself and a number of their leaders it was clear the entire rally was full of hate speech, attacking citizens especially the UPND. And the live ZNBC TV broadcast is another case of abuse of public media because the PF did not pay for it.

What a missed opportunity when our people on the Copperbelt expected messages of economic hope especially in the light of massive job losses in the mining and other sectors.

At the rate our colleagues in the PF are going with their campaigns in the country, it is clear that they are politically irrelevant and are just mere jokers without any message for the masses.

As UPND, we shall continue with our issue based political campaigns of offering solutions and hope for the majority suffering Zambians unlike our colleagues who are busy blaming everything on other countries instead of effecting sound economic policies and take the blame.

We are happy that many Zambians watched for themselves the joke and comedy of the entire PF leadership that is ruling the country based on hate messages of dividing the country.

Zambians now want sound economic messages of ending powercuts, reducing mealie meal prices, reducing the cost cooking oil, teachers and health workers recruitment programme, solving problems affecting institutions of higher learning, reducing the cost of fertiliser for our farmers and many issues such as economic diversification and creating jobs as well as dealing with souring inflation.

This has been our message as UPND rather than dwelling on personalities and hate language which was even bad for our youths who attended their rally.

Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba
UPND Vice-President Administration