KABWATA Member of Parliament Given Lubinda has rubbished Post Newspaper report that President Michael Sata ordered him (Lubinda) and Kasama Central Member of Parliament Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba to stop talking about Mr Kabimba.

Mr Lubinda has challenged the Post Newspaper to invite him to its office to listen to a recording where President Sata was heard stopping him (Lubinda) and Kasama Central MP Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba to hold their own rallies.

He explained that PF secretary general, Edgar Lungu, on advice from President Sata advised the duo (Mr Lubinda and Mr Mwamba) to keep their speeches at the Solwezi rally brief for the sake of time.

And party officials have also confirmed that President Sata was happy that Mr Lubinda and Mr Mwamba were part of his campaign trail in Solwezi.

“It was not President Sata that said those things. Gabriel Namulambe is the one that spoke to President Sata and the media was not close to hear what Namulambe was whispering to the President. He (Namulambe) then went to speak to Mr Lungu. It is Lungu that announced that he was guided by the Head of state that the two could find their own time to talk about such issues as the time was not enough.

I do not know how other people reported the other way round,” the official said.

The official said the President had no issues with the two parliamentarians and that he was happy that they were able to participate in party activities fully.

Mr Lubinda said the PF was almost destroyed by the cartel that attempted to hijack the leadership of the country before President Sata could complete his first term of office.He said the sacking of Mr Kabimba as Justice Minister and secretary general of the ruling party had brought relief, unity, harmony and peace not only in the party but also to the nation as a whole.

Mr Lubinda said Mr Kabimba and his clique were synonymous with hatred, disunity and that President Sata’s decision had made the party stronger and united.

The Kabwata lawmaker said it had become apparent that the Post Newspaper had embarked on a crusade to rebrand and repackage Mr Kabimba in an attempt to resurrect their ambitions to take over the leadership of the country.

He said assertions that President Sata had stopped Mr Mwamba and himself from talking about Mr Kabimba were nothing but a figment of imagination by the Post Newspaper that had been mourning and weeping the sacking of the former Justice Minister.

Mr Lubinda told the Daily Nation that at no time did President Sata ask him (Lubinda) and Mr Mwamba to hold their own rallies adding that the Post Newspaper had the propensity of twisting stories to suit their ambitions.

He said Mr Kabimba was at the centre of the confusion and acrimony in the PF and that his fall from hero to zero had brought a lot of happiness in the ruling party which was deeply divided when the former Justice Minister was at the helm of the ruling party.

“It is not true that the Head of State asked me and my colleague GBM (Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba) to stop talking about Mr Kabimba. In fact I did not even mention that name and I have no time.

Mr Kabimba has fallen from hero to zero and we heaved a sigh of relief in the party. The frustrations of Post Newspaper can be seen in their attempt to resurrect Mr Kabimba but Zambians must ignore them,” Mr Lubinda said.

He said it was clear that Mr Kabimba was the messiah of the clique that had continued attacking President Sata and his government after sacking the former secretary general of the ruling party.

Mr Lubinda said the Post Newspaper that was calling the PF government corrupt and tribal should be careful with their ambitions because they had stepped on the toes of many Zambians both in the ruling party and outside.

“In fact, it was me who told our secretary general Edgar Lungu that we should embark on countrywide campaigns to mend what Mr Kabimba and his clique had destroyed. When I was leaving the podium, the President waved at me happily,” Mr Lubinda said.

He said he had no problems with the Post Newspaper to propagate their agenda but vowed that he was not going to sit back and see the media house build the image of an individual where there was nothing.

Inspector General of Police Stella Libongani has thanked stakeholders for their maturity and cooperation exhibited in the just ended 5 by-elections.

Ms. Libongani said as an institution charged with the responsibility of maintaining law and order during elections, the police appreciates the efforts put in by all political stakeholders and political party leaders who ensured that peace was maintained by denouncing Violence and advocating for peace.

The IG has called on political parties to sustain such efforts in future events of similar nature so as to avoid incidents of violence and disorder.

Below is a full statement released to the media.

I would like to thank all the stakeholders in the electoral process of this country for the maturity and cooperation exhibited before, during and after the just ended Parliamentary and Local Government by-elections which were held in Solwezi Central, Mkushi South, Zambezi West, Kasenengwa and Vubwi of Eastern Province.

As a security institution whose goal is to ensure that law and order prevails during elections held at various levels, we appreciate all the efforts by all stakeholders, above all leaders of all Political Parties for denouncing violence and advocating peace, a situation that resulted in the holding of peaceful and violence-free elections, except for Lusaka west where reports of assault were received which matter is still under investigation. Their contribution made it possible for us to police the by-elections without much difficulty.

I urge all political parties to sustain such efforts in future events of similar nature so that occurrences of violence and public disorder can be avoided at all cost.

I would also like to commend all police officers involved in policing the just ended by-elections and their respective commanders for the hard work and professional conduct during their course of duty and for ensuring that the elections were incident free.

Our mandate as Zambia Police is and s hall always be to promote law and order as well as security for all the people of Zambia and this cannot be accomplished without the cooperation of all stakeholders.

STELLA LIBONGANI

INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE.

The baby was born on the night the UPND leader spent a night in Nyachikai village during his recent Zambezi West parliamentary by-election campaigns.

Mr Hichilema and the mother of the baby Ms.Wachuna Chinyama confirmed the development to the Daily Nation in Zambezi.

Ms. Chinyama said that she gave birth to the baby boy who has been named after Hakainde Hichilema under difficult circumstances due to lack of health facilities such as a clinic in the area.

“I gave birth from here in the village because there is no clinic in our area. We have no clinics so all the women give birth without being attended by midwives,” she said.

And Hakainde disclosed that he would take care of the welfare of the child adding that he would meet the boy’s educational costs up to the university.

“I would like to confirm to you that a new baby boy was born last night (Wednesday) and I have adopted that child. I will take care of that baby as my son and I will take him to school up to the university,” he said.

“I want Wahuna to follow the identity of the baby and its needs. Whenever there is anything that the baby needs, they will be informing me,”

Mr Hichilema said it was unacceptable that people have been walking long distances to Nyachikai to Zambezi boma where the hospital is situated.

“There is no way a woman who is pregnant can walk a distance of 130 KM to go to antenatal. This is dangerous. And it is because PF does not love you,” he said

People’s party President Mike Mulongoti says those advocating for former President Rupiah Banda to make a political comeback should realize that his time is long gone.

Mr. Mulongoti has told Q fm in an interview that leaders should realize when they have outlived their usefulness.

Mr. Mulongoti says thoughts of having Mr. Banda return to active politics and contest for the republican presidency should not be entertained, adding that such thoughts are unhealthy.

He adds that it is time for Mr. Banda to take rest and accept that he had a chance and his time has passed, hence the need to give others to the chance to rule the country.

Mr. Mulongoti says the people of Zambia have nothing against the former President, but had a feel of his governance and believe they should not go backwards but move forward.

He has further advised Mr. Banda not to listen to those advising him to return to active politics but rest and play an advisory role.

Opposition Alliance for Better Zambia President, Frank Bwalya says there will be nothing wrong or unconstitutional if former republican President Rupiah Banda decides to run for President again.
Father Bwalya says Mr. Banda who has retired from active politics will have to however, forgo his benefits if he decides to return to active politics.

Father has told Qfm News that though he is neither encouraging nor discouraging Mr. Banda to make a political comeback, his party will respect Mr. Banda’s decision if he decides to return to active politics.

He says the former President still has the constitutional right to participate in the politics of the country, but that it will be up to the Zambian people to decide whether to vote him back into office if he decided vie for the presidency again or not.

And Father Bwalya says the participation of young people in the country politics does not hinge on the older generation to giving way.

He says young people should not think that they can only participate in politics when the older generation steps aside.

Fr Bwalya gives an example of himself as one of the young politicians who is participating in the country’s politics despite the presence of the older generation on the political scene.

THE Lusaka magistrates’ court has threatened to exclude the media from covering proceedings in a matter in which Game-Zambia Stores manager, Maduramuthoo Mare Palan is charged with indecent assault and sexual harassment.

This was after Palan, through his defence lawyers from Eric Silwamba, Jalasi and Lubinda Legal Practitioners, sought his protection on grounds that the media was trying their client through prejudicial statements.

The 46-year-old South African of house number 8, Mass Media in Lusaka, is being prosecuted for allegedly indecently and sexually harassing Mukamuluti Mwila, a former Game-Zambia Stores employee between June 1, 2013 and July 31, 2014.

When the matter came up for continued trial before principal magistrate Aridah Chuulu yesterday, one of Palan’s lawyers, Lubinda Linyama sought the protection of his client from what he called prejudicial statements by the Press.

Mr Linyama said any person who was aggrieved was at liberty to report Palan to the police but not to subject him to prejudicial statements in the Press, adding that the media should base their reports on facts.

In her ruling, Ms Chuulu urged the media to desist from writing prejudicial statements failure to which she would have no option but to exclude them from covering the proceedings.

Meanwhile, Ms Mwila told the court that she was reluctant to report her sexual harassment by Palan to the Game Stores workers’ union because she thought the members were his puppets.

Ms Mwila, who insisted that Palan sexually abused her by squeezing her buttocks, however, admitted to the court that she reduced her years by one when she got her national registration card because she got it late.

This was after she was taken to task by Mr Silwamba on how old she was, to which she answered she would turn 24 this year but her NRC shows she would be 23 in November this year.

Ms Mwila said although the first incident of sexual harassment from Palan happened in mid-2013, she was unable to remember the date and month it happened.

She said when she started working for Game-Zambia Stores after her contract was terminated by RCA Marketing Company of which Game was a client, she did not apply or plead for the job but was just invited to go and work for Game.

Ms Mwaila, who initially told the court that she had only told four people about her experience with Palan, later agreed with the defence that she had told her father, Chris Mwila, about it and had promised to sort the issue out.

Trial continues on September 18, 2014.