Fellow citizens, through the High Commissioner for South Africa, I would like to call for calm in that beautiful country of South Africa. The recent images of xenophobia that have led to the maiming and in some instance killing of foreigners in that country.

The events of the past weeks are very unfortunate and should not be happening in an African country or indeed any other country in the world where love should be the precursor in everything we do. The South African Government must act now to avert this from spilling over to the other countries. The potential of retaliation is very high, and that could engulf the whole continent. Let us avoid this as much as possible.

To my fellow citizens, I am reliably informed that there are plans for a protest against South African establishments. All protests to register displeasure over these xenophobic attacks must be PEACEFUL. There is no need to retaliate. The South Africans resident in Zambia should go about their business without fear of being maimed or killed as a result of events in their home country.

To the PF Government, let them rise to the occasion and account for all our citizens in South Africa. Every responsible Government must and should have issued a statement by now from the highest office to give assurance to us all that all our relatives that are there are safe. This has not been done. I urge President Lungu to quickly instruct his embassy in South Africa to give him a report on the state of all Zambians in that country.

As I end, let me state again that all Zambians should remain peaceful in your protests and embrace our brothers and sisters from South Africa irrespective of what is happening in their country of origin.

Opposition People’s Democratic Party President George Mpombo has ruled out disbanding his party despite forging an alliance with the ruling Patriotic Front in the just ended April 14 by-elections.

Dr. Mpombo says the fact that he supported and campaigned for the ruling PF during Tuesday’s parliamentary by-election in Masaiti does not mean he has sold his soul to the ruling party.

He has told Qfm News by telephone that as a leader of an opposition political party he will still criticize the PF government if it goes out of the way of what is expected of it by the Zambian people.

Dr. Mpombo has explained that much as he is aware that the trend where opposition political parties continue to enter into political alliances during elections with a ruling party does affect the vibrancy of a democratic country’s political landscape, he decided to work with the ruling PF because his party has found difficult to enter into an alliance with any other opposition political party.

He says this is owing to the political intolerance that is still prevailing in the country.

Dr Mpombo states that while it is expected that his party should provide checks and balances to the party in government, it is still within the bounds of its vision of effectively contributing to good governance in the country and that he does not foresee his party departing from this vision.

He states that his party is happy with the outcome of the Masaiti Parliamentary by-election which was scooped by PF’s Michael Katambo.

A SEEMINGLY drunk man on Tuesday caused commotion at Kabwe High Court grounds during the ongoing Supreme Court sittings when he dared police officers to arrest him because he wanted to go back to prison.

The Zambia Daily Mail reports that while Supreme Court judges Gregory Phiri, Muyinda Wanki and Elizabeth Muyovwe were sitting, the man only identified as Mulenga screamed at police officers and in the process disturbed court proceedings.
“I want to go to jail today,” Mulenga said while daring police officers that he was not afraid of them.

This prompted Mr Justice Phiri to instruct police officers and court officials to deal with the situation and to stop those making noise.

Police officers moved swiftly, apprehended Mulenga and dragged him to the entrance of the courtroom but he pretended to be unconscious.

Some court officials took Mulenga outside and poured water on him in a bid to ‘resuscitate’ him.

Mulenga jumped to his feet and protested to police officers, prison warders and court officials for pouring water on him.

A police officer identified the man as Mulenga, who was jailed at Mpima State Prison after being convicted of malicious damage to property by the Kabwe Magistrate’s Court.

Mulenga, who seemed determined to be cited for contempt of court, caught the attention of passers-by who stopped to watch the spectacle.

Some prisoners also joined to help drag Mulenga away from the courtroom and left him sprawling on the grass but he again emerged and dared police officers to arrest him.

When it became apparent that Mulenga made up his mind to go to jail, police officers apprehended him and took him to Kabwe Central Police Station.

MOVEMENT for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) national youth coordinator Bowman Lusambo has described Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) leader Edith Nawakwi’s attacks on President Edgar Lungu as distasteful and malicious.

“As MMD youths, we have been compelled to respond to continued attacks on President Edgar Lungu by FDD leader Edith Nawakwi. We find Madam Nawakwi’s attacks distasteful and malicious because they are devoid of any facts and merely based on personal hatred and jealousy,” Mr Lusambo said.

He continued, “It appears Madam Nawakwi is basking in the front page headiness offered to her by the Post Newspapers without knowing that she is being used by the newspaper to drive its Edgar Lungu hatred campaign.”

Mr Lusambo added that Ms Nawakwi should be the last person to criticise President Lungu’s governance style because she lacks none of that.

“Zambians have never forgotten how Madam Nawakwi working with her cohorts denied starving Zambians their right to food when she irregularly handled the Carlington Maize scheme,” he said.

“The Carlington Maize saga is a reminder of Madam Nawakwi’s ineptitude and lack of fitness to hold public office. It therefore follows that Madam Nawakwi should not preach to anyone least President Lungu.”

Mr Lusambo added that Ms Nawakwi has no moral authority to preach good governance because her entire political life is littered with scandals.

He advised Ms Nawakwi to be relevant to the political process in this country by offering constructive criticism rather than engaging in cheap political attacks.

“If there is anyone driving Zambia into a ditch, it is the likes of Madam Nawakwi who are hell bent on attacking President Lungu day in and day out. It will not pay for Madam Nawakwi and her accomplices to keep lowering the integrity of the presidency,” he concluded.

THE ruling Patriotic Front (PF) in Eastern Province has with immediately effect suspended George Mwanza, Henry Mumba and David Lungu for rising against party Secretary General Davis Chama.

In a suspension letters made available to Times Office in Chipata yesterday by Provincial Secretary Eddie Kapalu, the trio have been suspended for claiming that they were representing PF youths in the province when in actual fact they were not even in any structure in the party contrary to Article 74(100) 29k.
Mr Kapalu said in a suspension letters copied to PF Secretary General, Chipata District Chairman and Chipata Constituency committee that the two were inciting the members of the party to rise against President Edgar Lungu’s appointing authority for the position of Secretary General contrary to Article 74(100) 29 a, d and i.

“That by your behaviour, you have misrepresented the structures of PF in the province and brought the name of the party in the province into disrepute contrary to Article 74(100) 29 c and h,”Mr Kapalu said.

He explained that the trio have started a campaign against the Secretary General of the party which is not the position of the party in the province contrary to PF Constitution Article 74(100) 29n

“Therefore, the provincial committee have resolved that with immediately effect, you are suspended from the party pending expulsion by the Central Committee,”Mr Kapalu said.

He said the trio should not hold any meeting either themselves, agents to discuss matters relating to the PF party in the province and anywhere in Zambia.

“You shall not speak or write to any media on any matters relating to the PF party in Eastern Province. You shall not be eligible to stand for any primary election in the province at any structure in the Patriotic Front,”he said.

And youths in Eastern Province have disowned Lungu and Mwanza from the media statement issued to the Post Newspapers on Wednesday.

Chipata District PF Youth Secretary Mubiana Mabebo said the statement had no blessings from the party leadership because it came from Lungu and Mwanza.

“As soon as we know there has been a day when us youths sat to discuss that matter. In fact these two guys are no longer sympathisers of the party,”he said.

Chipata Central Constituency Youth Chairman Cosmas Mwanza who was flanked by his vice treasurer Gershom Tembo said it was well known that the two have been hired to disturb the party in Eastern Province and they are not representing the party youths at any level.

They stated that the party youths were behind the leadership of Mr Chama as Secretary General whom the president appointed and got trust in him.

They stated the Secretary General was welcome to Eastern Province at any time.

Meanwhile PF Secretary General Davies Chama warned yesterday that the party was fully aware that some people more especially the youths have been paid in order to cause confusion in the ruling party.

Mr Chama said the party would not allow a situation where few paid up members start causing confusion in the party.

“I am fully aware that some youths are being given money to issue press statements to some sections of the media. This is not good for party members to be causing confusion through different stories,” he said.

Mr Chama said that he would not be moved and detracted by the threats from Mwanza and Lungu because where not holding any position in the party.

He said he would remain focus in uniting the ruling party instead of answering to disgruntled enemies of the PF.

He said he will be visiting Chipata and Eastern Province as a free person adding that no one would bar him.