THE family of late former President Levy Mwanawasa has endorsed the candidature of Patriotic Front (PF) president Edgar Lungu in the forthcoming presidential election.

Family spokesperson Miriam Mwanawasa, who is a daughter of late President Mwanawasa, said the family has decided to back Mr Lungu as he has leadership qualities which are a virtue for law and order.

“As a family, we have recognised the leadership qualities and trust that President Sata saw in him. Honourable Edgar Lungu is a lawyer like our late President Mwanawasa and we are confident that this will be a good virtue for law and order,” she said.

This is according to a statement released by Ms Mwanawasa in Lusaka yesterday.

Ms Mwanawasa said the family is also supporting the PF due to the good relationship and honour that the late President Sata bestowed on the Mwanawasa name and legacy.

“Zambians will remember that when President Sata fell ill in 2008, it took the personal intervention of President Mwanawasa to save his life. Mr Sata was evacuated from CFB Hospital to Milpark in South Africa.

“Although the two were political adversaries, this episode brought them together,” she said.

Ms Mwanawasa said the family is happy that Mr Sata’s administration named the Ndola stadium after Dr Mwanawasa.

“He also named the new Lusaka district hospital after President Mwanawasa. As a family, we have decided to accept this honour by ensuring the legacy of President Sata lives on, too,” she said.

Ms Mwanawasa said the family is also endorsing Mr Lungu due to the numerous development projects embarked on by the PF administration.

“We recognise initiatives like the Link Zambia 8000, Pave Zambia 2000 and the massive infrastructure development of schools, universities, clinics and hospitals.
Therefore, we urge Zambians to support Mr Lungu, whom the party has chosen,” she said.

In light of the events of yesterday’s Patriotic Front Rally in Kabwe, it is now clear that a serious breach of the electoral code of conduct has occurred.

Acting President Dr Guy Lindsay Scott presented himself as what this country needed in the transitional period; he swore to uphold the rule of law, uphold the electoral code of conduct and to maintain the democratic principles of Zambia. Many had high hopes for his conduct, none more so than myself.

However, since his purported reconciliation with Hon. Edgar Chagwa Lungu, serious questions need to be raised about the credibility of the Acting President’s ability to uphold the electoral code of conduct, given that he is now an active member of the PF campaign team.

Acting President Scott’s statements clearly never evolved into anything tangible, the events that occurred at yesterdays rally prove that a grave injustice has occurred. It is now common knowledge that a certain Bishop, under the guidance of certain ministers and Acting President Scott clearly violated the electoral code of conduct in their defamatory statements about our Candidate.

The aforementioned statements have been widely reported now and comments of this nature clearly indicate that the ruling party fears the momentum of the UPND campaign for a United Zambia. The PF forget that they have failed this country over the past 3 years, lies and defamatory statements do not need to come from our camp, merely revealing the truth of the injustices committed by this PF government, is a weapon we have left in reserve in our campaign arsenal.

So far the UPND has run a positive campaign, based on policy and messaging, with a strict discipline covering our members from the highest positions of authority to the grassroots, to avoid violation of the electoral code of conduct.

We in the UPND had high hopes for a clean election process, one that would end with a fair result and in turn reflect the will and aspirations of the Zambian people. The ruling party has proved yesterday that they have no such desire and we in the UPND are now ready to act.

Signed,

Dipak Patel
Campaign Manager of the UPND

Forum for Democratic Alternatives leader (FDA), Rodwig Sondashi, says he will re- introduce the Barotse Land agreement of 1964 once elected president of the Republic of Zambia.

Dr Sondashi stated that immediately his party becomes government, it will engage the Litunga and his Kuta as well as the people of Barotse Land to discuss the way forward with regard to the agreement.

He was speaking during a public rally held at Mulambwa grounds in Mongu on Sunday.
Dr Sondashi promised to release the Linyungandambo people who were arrested over the Barotse Land agreement from prison.

Dr. Sondashi further explained that he will improve the Sondashi Formula 2000 (SF 2000) drug for curing HIV/AIDS and give it to patients free of charge to Zambians in order to eradicate the pandemic.

He said it was sad that the inaction by government has resulted in into many losses of lives in the country since the year 2000 when the medicine was founded.

Dr Sondashi was in Mongu district to seek votes ahead of the January 20, 2015 Presidential by elections following the death of President Michael Sata.

Newly elected Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president Nkole Chishimba says his vision is to unite labour unions in the country.

ZANIS reports that Mr. Chishimba said the strength of the union lays in unity and adequate knowledge among members in order to effectively push the agenda of the Zambian workers forward.

He said he will stick to the objectives which are enshrined in the ZCTU constitution by not favouring anyone including affiliate members of the congress.

“I will treat all unions fairly and ensure that we move in one direction unlike the way it was before when members allegedly cited favouritism,” he said.

Mr. Chishimba, who is also Mine Workers Union of Zambia (MUZ) president, said he will work at enhancing worker education because if workers are enlightened, they will know their rights and interpret them accordingly.

He won the presidency after beating Civil Servants and Allied Workers Union (CSAWUZ) leader Davies Chiyobe during the elective ZCTU general congress held at the weekend in Livingstone.

Mr. Chishimba polled 193 votes against Mr. Chiyobe’s 99 votes in the election results that were announced yesterday.

He takes over from Mr. Leonard Hikaumba, who together with his secretary general, Roy Mwaba did not recontest their positions.

Matero Member of Parliament, Miles Sampa has disclosed that he is likely to form a party and will announce his position in the next two days.

Sampa who was on Sunday in Kasama to consult with Paramount Chief Chitimukulu, said he refused to attend the Press Conference that was called by Acting President Dr. Guy Scott and PF President Edgar Lungu.

Sampa said he was aggrieved that fundamental issues according to him, were not attended to.

He said he had various options before him that included formation of a political party or reconciliation.

He also hinted that he might form his own party and carry officials to build a party that will contest the 2016 elections.

But he has alleged that no genuine reconciliation had taken place.
Addressing party officials in Kasama, Sampa disclosed that he had a three-hour meeting with Mwine Lubemba, Paramount Chief Chitimukulu on Sunday on 21st December 2014.

But Mwine Lubemba, Paramount Chief Chitimukulu is said to have snubbed the proposal to solicit his help for a formation of the party or the request to support any other.

And former Deputy Secretary General Anthony Kasolo has attacked the General Conference that elected Edgar Lungu as Party President. He claimed that it was a sham since the election was done “by show of hands”.

“Ifyongo mwaumfwile ku Lusaka, amapepala yale mibepa ubufi. Pantu ta batu bweseshe ifi puna. Bushe icilonganino chatushilile bashikulu, General Conference yesu bushye ku imya amaboko? [The noise you heard from Lusaka, newspapers were feeding you on lies] because they didn’t give us back our positions. This [PF] organisation was left to us by our grandfather,” Kasolo said while Sampa was heckling and shouting “kwati mashilu [as if they are lunatics]”.

Kasolo also accused the media of peddling lies and said they would never give up on their cause.

Kasolo also lamented that the reconciliation that was brokered by the Church was meaningless since his position of Deputy Secretary General and that of former Secretary General Bridget Attanga were not restored.

He claimed that when he founded the PF with his “grandfather”, the values being pr active were alien to the party.

“Ubu chenjenshi bwa nkonko, Pungwa tasakamana…[An eagle is never bothered by a chicken’s tricks]”

In an 18 minutes and 42 seconds public recording made available, Miles Sampa has accused the Edgar Lungu camp of punishing his supporters in the party

He said that the PF did not belong to anyone.

“ twa iminine ten (10). Ilyo twabwelele ku Lusaka, natile ati ukuchila icipani cifwe, natu balekele’’. [ We stood 10. When we got back to Lusaka, I said let’s leave them rather than let the party die]

He said the reconciliation was false because it was just a cosmetic show for television and the rest of the media while the party structures allegedly remained divided.

He said as far as he was concerned and before negotiations could conclude, a press conference was held prematurely.

He feared that his supporters were being sidelined and punished for supporting him. He said his supporters in Mazabuka, Mongu and Chipata were being punished.

He said his officials in Chipata were given suspension letters.

“Ine icilenkalipa cha kweba ati abanensu na bakwatako ubuchenjeshi”.[ What hurts me is that our colleagues are not honest]

He alleged that officials that supported him were being replaced by people from the so called parallel structures.

He said he has been consulting the Church, Bishops and other stakeholders and felt that time had come to consult traditional authorities and make his own decision.

He said whatever position he takes whether it was reconciliation or formation of his own political party, he would state the position on his own.

He insisted that he was his own spokesperson and did not need any other person to speak for him.

And supporters told Sampa that they would “follow” whatever position he will take.

Sampa said he will hold a press conference soon and state the country his position.

Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) Copperbelt Spokesperson Peter Phiri says members of Parliament that have joined the UPND campaign team are opportunists that should not be trusted.

And Phiri said people that alleged that MMD president Nevers Mumba will mortgage the party have been shamed.

In an interview, Phiri vowed that the MMD will participate in any Presidential and Parliamentary elections because it is still strong on the ground.

” The MMD is not a shop or regional party that can fail to participate in any election. We are shocked that opportunists wanted to benefit from Rupiah Banda’s corrupted money.

MMD under Nevers Mumba is winning the Presidential by-elections whatever it takes,” he said.

He said some parties are regional while the PF has neglected the people through their violent conduct hence making the MMD a favorite party for the people.

” In-fact Dr Scott is right to leave the PF campaign team because of violence. It is only the MMD that has exhibited high levels of maturity in this election,” he said.

Phiri said the new MMD is determined to ensure that it returns to government.

He further said opportunists should not be allowed to continue in the politics of Zambia.

The Grand Coalition on the Campaign for a People-Driven Constitution says government has drafted a Constitution Bill 2014 and is in a process of taking it to the National Assembly for enactment.

Below is a statement released by Coalition Spokesperson McDonald Chipenzi.

The Grand Coalition on the Campaign for a People-Driven Constitution In Zambia is aware that Government has drafted the Constitution Bill 2014 and is in the process of taking it to the National Assembly for enactment.

To this effect, the Grand Coalition is compelled to address this unprecedented move by the Government through a press briefing to be held on Tuesday, 22nd December, 2014 at 09:00hrs at the Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC). The press briefing will be addressed by the Grand Coalition Chairperson, Father Leonard Chiti.

The purpose of the briefing is to share the Coalition’s misgivings on the Bill and also Government’s move to take such a route in disregard of its earlier promise to enact a new Constitution after adoption of the final Draft Constitution through a National Referendum.

Issued by:

McDonald Chipenzi

Grand Coalition Spokesperson