Northern Province minister and former Patriotic Front (PF) Northern Province chairman Freedom Sikazwe and Tourism and Arts minister Jean Kapata have been appointed to be campaign managers for Senga Hill and Masaiti constituencies respectively.

The nominations for the by elections caused by the election of former member of parliament for Chawama Edgar Lungu as republican president and nullification of the Masaiti and Senga Hill seats are expected today.

The PF has adopted Kapembwa Simbao as its candidate in the Senga Hill parliamentary by election, Lawrence Sichalwe as its candidate in Chawama constituency and Michael Zondani Katambo as candidate for Masaiti constituency.

The United Party for National Development (UPND) has settled for a businessman Charles Kaselwa for Chawama and former Energy permanent secretary Peter Mumba for Masaiti.

National Revolution Party (NRP) have announced they will field party leader Cosmo Mumba’s wife Martha as their candidate for the vacant Chawama seat.

The Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) and the Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) have announced that they will not take part in the by elections.

The Patriotic Front has described the Post Newspaper Headline as shameful and immoral.In a statement issued on behalf of the PF media and publicity committee Sunday Chanda said the unashamed celebration of President Lungu’s illness going by mocking headlines in the Post Newspaper and derogatory reports on social media by members of certain political parties must be condemned with utmost disgust by all well-meaning patriotic Zambians.

The Post Newspaper published pictures of the president after he collapsed on the saluting dais as various organisations marched past him during the International Women’s Day commemoration at the Heroes Stadium in Lusaka.According to the Post Newspapers moments before collapsing, President Lungu was seen fidgeting about and at one point drunk some water before he fell.The President’s aide-de-camp, Chanda, managed to catch him before his head could hit the ground. Other police officers and some government officials then rushed to the podium and helped lift President Lungu up.

The Post Newspaper then reported that almost immediately, Zambia Army soldiers took over the scene and surrounded all the journalists who witnessed the incident. President Lungu was carried back to the holding room. Post photojournalist Tenson Mkhala took pictures of the Head of State, but as he was about to leave the stadium, four military police soldiers chased after him and confiscated his camera. The soldiers searched Mkhala and took away the memory card that had the pictures of the incident before handing him back the empty camera. When Mkhala tried to challenge the soldiers, one of them threatened that he would be killed if he went ahead to publish any pictures of President Lungu collapsing.“You! Bring the camera, let’s see your pockets,” one solider said as he took the card away, “we will kill you if you publish anything.”

Mr.Sunday Chanda said only sadists full of hatred will rejoice in someone else’s sickness or misfortune. The callous hatred displayed by these news media and cadres of certain political parties is immoral especially in a Christian Nation like Zambia. Therefore, the hatred the Post Newspaper harbors for Republican President Edgar Chagwa Lungu remains the epitome of immorality going by today’s headline. There is need for Zambians of good conscience to frown upon such sadist reporting.

Mr.Chanda further stated that President Lungu does not become the first sitting President in Zambia and beyond to fall ill while in office. In August 2010, Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, aged 59 years at that point, collapsed at the official launch of his re-election campaign. The normal reaction from citizens is that of fear and panic. In this regard, State House and Government have done a commendable job in informing the nation to avoid unnecessary speculation. For the first time in the history of Zambia, President Lungu has allowed transparency regarding his health, which ordinarily must remain a private matter. Zambians of good conscience have yearned for such openness and it is gratifying that President Lungu has granted the same.

Mr.Chanda said the President is human like anyone of us and can fall ill. The Bible calls on everyone to honour and respect authorities (1 Cor 12) and that we should be full of love, not hatred. As the medical team continue do their work in addressing President Lungu’s condition, we call upon all Zambians to pray for the President’s quick recovery.

Opposition Alliance for Better Zambia (ABZ) President Fr. Frank Bwalya has accused United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema of being insincere in his goodwill message to President Edgar Lungu.

The outspoken former Catholic priest has taken a swipe at Hichilema claiming his message to President Lungu was a case of the right hand blessing and the left cursing.
Bwalya, who vigorously campaigned for then Defence Minister Edgar Lungu in the hotly contested 2015 Presidential by-election has urged Hichilema not to take Zambians for ‘fools’.

Meanwhile Rainbow Party president Wynter Kabimba has sent his best wishes of a speedy recovery to President Lungu
‘On behalf of the Rainbow Party, my family and on my own behalf I want to extend my best wishes of a speedy recovery to President Edgar Chagwa Lungu.May we all unite in praying for the president so that he can get back on his feet and to the mammoth task of leading the country,’said Mr.Kabimba.

Former Defence Minister Geoffrey Mwamba has urged Zambians to put aside political differences and pray and support President Lungu.

‘I wish to take this opportunity on behalf of my family and indeed my own behalf to wish His Excellency Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu well.It is at times like this as Zambians, that we should put aside any political differences, allegiances,and personal interests. As one people in our Christian nation, we should support and pray for current Head of State speedy and full recovery.God bless President Lungu and God bless you all,’said Mr.Mwamba

National Revolution Party leader Cosmo Mumba has announced that his party will field his Wife Martha Mumba in Chawama.Mr. Mumba says the decision has been arrived at following a central committee meeting of the party.But Mr. Mumba says his party will support the PF in Masaiti and Senga Hill constituencies.

Various candidates vying for the forthcoming Parliamentary by-elections in Chawama, Masaiti and Senga Hill Constituencies are tomorrow expected to file in their nomination papers before presiding officers.

The Chawama by-election has been called after than incumbent M.P Edgar Lungu was elected Republican President on January 20th while the Masaiti and Senga Hill seats fall vacate after the courts of law nullified the seats.

Meanwhile opposition MMD President Nevers Mumba says his party has decided not to field any candidate in the by elections because his Party is re-organising following its dismal performance in the last Presidential election.

Dr. Mumba has told ZNBC news in a telephone interview that the MMD will soon announce the name of a party to support during the 3 parliamentary by elections.

And on the Patriotic Front adopting MMD member Kapepmbwa Simbao to re-contest the Senga Hill seat on the ruling party’s ticket, Dr. Mumba says the party will soon issue a statement on the matter.

Mr. Simbao who has been Senga Hill MP on the MMD ticket has been adopted to re-contest the seat on the PF ticket after his seat was nullified by the Supreme Court.

And the opposition Forum for Democracy and Development – FDD- spokesperson Antonio Mwanza says it will also not field any candidates in the 3 vacant parliamentary constituencies because the forthcoming by elections are meaningless both to party and public.

Mr. Mwanza says the FDD is in the process of dissolving all its structures across the country and mobilize ahead of the 2016 general election.

And UNIP chairperson for elections Chinga Banda says his party has adopted Bywell Mazila Kaluba as its candidate in Chawama constituency.

Zambia will this month-end host an International Arts Festival in the tourist capital, Livingstone.Five countries have confirmed participation at the 2015 Livingstone International Arts Festival (LICAF) which opens on the 26th March and closes on 28th March, 2015.Among the countries that have confirmed participation are neighbouring Botswana, Mozambique, Seychelles and Zimbabwe.

Zambia Tourism Board Managing (MD) Director Felix Chaila disclosed this at a media briefing held at Radisson Blue in Lusaka today during the Second LICAF launch of the public campaign. He said the event will attract over 2,000 international and local exhibitors who will converge in the tourist capital, Livingstone to celebrate culture and arts exhibitions.He said the key objective of LICAF was to celebrate Zambia’s and Africa’s cultural identity by show-casing the best of Africa’s cultural product in songs, dances and food.

The ZTB MD explained that LICAF is anchored by the Board but would be organized in partnership with Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA), National Arts Council, National Heritage Conservation Commission and other stake holders in the tourism sector.He further urged media houses to participate in the festival besides offering coverage.He said among the activities lined up for this event include traditional dance workshops, food bazaar, contemporary music performances, street carnival fashion shows to depict Zambia’s designs including gala dinners and boat cruises.

Mr. Chaila urged the members of the public to support and come on bold and witness the birth of an annual International cultural and arts festival that would help change the face of Livingstone to a preferred regional and international destination of choice for tourists that want to explore. And speaking at the same function, Seychelles Tourism Ambassador to Zambia Jimmy Butt said he is impressed with the level of support that Zambia has in developing the tourism industry.Ambassador Butt has also congratulated the Board for successfully launching the 2015 LICAF.He disclosed that the partnership with Zambia and Seychelles would be long out-standing in developing the tourism and culture of the two countries.