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PF Deputy General Secretary Bridget Atanga stresses a point at the opening of the district conference
Patriotic Front (PF) Deputy Secretary General Bridget Atanga says it is up to Wynter Kabimba to determine his future in the ruling party following his dismissal as PF Secretary General and Justice Minister.
Ms. Atanga says she cannot speak on behalf of Mr. Kabimba especially that he himself has remained silent following his dismissal.
She says no one in the party knows what Mr. Kabimba is thinking and planning at the moment.
Asked what Mr Kabimba’s status is with regards his position of President of the Council of African Political Parties (CAPP), Ms. Atanga has told a media briefing in Lusaka that she does not know.
And Ms.Atanga has directed party members to stop holding public demonstrations against elected or appointed party officials.
She says her directive follows consultation with party Secretary General Edgar Lusaka after reports of planned demonstrations against Southern Province PF Chairman Daniel Munkombwe and frictions in the PF in Mandevu constituency following the sacking of Mr. Kabimba.
Ms. Atanga has reminded party members especially the youths that demonstrations against elected or appointed officials are tantamount to indiscipline and disloyalty to the party leadership.
The PF Deputy Secretary says the ruling party has communication channels where complaints against any party member or official can be tabled and adequately attended to.
Barclays Bank Africa Group has announced the appointment of Mizinga Melu as Chief Executive Officer of Africa Regional Management effective October 01 2014.
Commenting on the appointment, Barclays Bank Africa Group Chief Executive Officer Maria Ramos said, “I am excited that we are able to appoint someone with such breath of skills and experience into this role. Her appointment will be instrumental in executing our strategy on the continent.”
Mizinga joined the then ABSA Group on in March 2013 as Managing Director of NBC Tanzania where she built a strong team who are transforming that business.
She is leaving the business in a much stronger position from where the team will continue to build.
Previously, Mizinga held a number of roles in Standard Chartered Bank including CEO of Standard Chartered Bank Zambia, Global Head of Business Organisations in the UK and Africa Regional Head of Financial Institutions in both South Africa and Kenya.
With an MBA in Finance from Henley Management School and deep experience across many countries in Africa, Mizinga brings a wealth of expertise and experience to the role.
The Country Directors of all Barclays Africa’s Businesses outside South Africa will report to Mizinga, who will coordinate integrated planning and ensure development of product led and country specific strategies, as well as support execution.
In addition, will oversee development of stakeholder relationship with government, regulators, the Boards and customers in the countries.
Mizinga will report to David Hodnett, Deputy CEO of Barclays of Barclays Africa Group.
Chibolya compound women residents gathered at the borehole to find solution to the water problem that has hit Itezhi-Tezhi district
Non-Governmental Organization Coordinator for Zambia WASH forum says 62 percent of Zambians now have access to safe drinking water a thing she said is a good development.
And Water Aid Zambia Country representative Matilda Shatunka says her organization is committed to providing safe drinking water to the Zambian communities.
Ms Shatunka said safe drinking water and good sanitation for human beings is one issue which is crucial for better life.
She said this today during a civil society organization meeting on water, sanitation and hygiene learning meeting held at government complex in Lusaka.
ZANIS reports that Ms Shatunka also disclosed that the Zambian government is working with the Non-Government Organizations to provide safe drinking water for the people.
Ms Shatunka said government and its co-operating partners are doing everything possible to ensure that challenges being faced by the citizens in the water sector are tackled as a matter of urgency.
And speaking at the same meeting, Non-Governmental Organization Coordinator for Zambia WASH forum Miriam Mukamba said the review conducted by her organization indicates that over 1,300 water points have been constructed between 2012 and 2014 across the country.
She further added that over 300 water points were rehabilitated in Southern, Western and Luapula provinces respectively.
Christian Coalition Secretary General John Mwendapole says the campaign for gender equality between men and women is against the law of nature.
Apostle Mwendapole said women are not designed to be providers but helpers hence women empowerment is a one sided campaign which is blinding society.
He said this in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today when he was commenting on the Mbala woman who allegedly beat the husband to death over Kapenta
Apostle Mwendapole stated that there are a lot of weird events happening in the country starting from the church to the community.
He has described the Mbala case as one of many cases that are as a result of lack of social and psychological counselling
Apostle Mwendapole has said that the country needs a lot of counselling centres in the community where people can go for help when they are facing problems.
He has cautioned woman to respect their husbands and embrace culture if they want to be happy in their homes.
Apostle Mwendapole said not everything is primitive in our culture and has urged both men and women not to throw away cultural values as it was our identity.
Chipata District Electoral Officer Davies Musenge has dismissed fears by some stakeholders that the newly introduced transmission of election results in the Kasenengwa Parliamentary by-election may jeopardize the election.
Mr. Musenge however explained that the Electoral Commission of Zambia will still maintain the old system of counting ballot papers and verification by all stakeholders such as observers, monitors and polling agents.
He was speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Chipata this morning. He clarified that the pilot electronic transmission of election results will not be the basis for determining the results saying the ECZ just wanted to determine its accuracy.
He stated that electoral transmission of the results will run side by side with the old manual counting of the ballot papers.
Mr Musenge noted that after verification the results will be transmitted electronically to the totalling centre awaiting actual ballots papers from polling centres.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) yesterday adopted a pilot electronic system to transmit the Kasenengwa and Vubwi by elections results in the Eastern province.
MMD President Nevers Mumba expressed fears that the system was been introduced at last the minute.
Dr. Mumba is reported in some sections of the media having rejected the decision by ECZ to use a pilot electronic system to transmit the Kasenengwa and Vubwi by elections results in the Eastern province.
Meanwhile, all is set for the Kasenengwa by election slated for Thursday 11th September 2014.
A check at the civic centre by ZANIS in Chipata today found election officers and political
parties doing verifications of election materials in readiness for the polls.
Returning officer Noel Sichalwe said the election materials and elections personnel will be dispatched tomorrow.
The Kasenengwa seat fall vacant after the Supreme Court nullified the election of MMD’s Victoria Kalima.
Four candidates are participating in the by -election and these are Gideon Zulu of the ruling PF, Timothy Nyirenda of the UPND and Khumbiza Daka of UNIP while Victoria Kalima is re-contesting the seat on the MMD ticket.
VICE President, Dr. Guy Scott, addresses a rally at Vubwi Boma on Tuesday to drum up support for PF candidate, Margaret Miti in a Vubwi by-election slated for Thursday next week
Vice President Guy Scott has assured the people of North-western Province that the Patriotic Front (PF) party is still strong and intact.
Dr Scott stated that no member of the ruling party has left the party despite the recent events.
Speaking today upon arrival at Solwezi Airport, Dr Scott said his government is determined to develop the province.
The Vice President is in the area to drum up support for the Patriotic Front candidate Newton Malwa in this Thursday’s Parliamentary by-elections.
He urged the electorates who received him at the airport to vote for the PF candidate.
And Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Gabriel Namulambe who was among the government officials who received the Vice President commended the Zambia Police Service for sitting all political parties down to agree on maintaining peace during the campaigns.
Mr Namulambe who is the PF campaign manager for the Solwezi Central by-
election told the Vice President that the campaigns in the area have been peaceful and incident free.
He stated that all the participating parties have abided by the resolution made during a meeting which was organized by the Zambia Police.
He expressed optimism that the PF will scoop the Solwezi Central Seat and urged party members to work hard in convincing electorates.
He said the PF party has a developmental agenda of the province saying
if the PF candidate wins the ruling party will implement all the developments.
The Vice President is today expected to hold three political rallies and pay a courtesy call on Chief Kapijimpanga and tomorrow hold two more rallies before departing for Lusaka.
Campaigns in Solwezi have heated up with all the five participating political parties holding rallies in various localities.
The Solwezi Central seat is being contested by PF’s Newton Malwa and UPND’s Dawson Kafwaya while Nathan Mulonga is contesting on the FDD ticket.
Other are former Solwezi Central Member of Parliament Lucky Mulusa who is re-contesting the seat on the MMD ticket while the only woman in the contest, Mary Katiki is standing on the country’s oldest political party UNIP.
The seat fell vacant following the nullification of the election of MMD’s Lucky Mulusa by the courts on account of electoral malpractices in the 2011 elections.
Solwezi Central Constituency has 30 polling stations and a total of 52,900 registered voters who are divided into five wards namely Kimasala, Kamulanda, Tuvwanganai, Sandang’ombe and Kapijimpanga.
New Minister of Justice Edgar Lungu has formally asked to meet Grand Coalition to discuss constitution in Lusaka on Thursday, 11 September 2014.
This is according a to media statement released to the media and signed by Grand Coaltion Campaign Chairperson Father Leonard Chiti this evening.
Below is the full statement
Minister of Justice formally asks to meet Grand Coalition to discuss constitution
Lusaka, 08 September 2014
The Grand Coalition Campaign for a People Driven Constitution has today, Monday 08 September 2014 received a formal note from the Minister of Justice, Honourable Edgar Lungu asking to meet with the Grand Coalition.
The meeting will be held in Lusaka on Thursday, 11 September 2014. The Grand Coaltion will issue a detailed statement after the meeting.
This follows media reports last week that indicated that the Minister plans to meet with the Grand Coalition this week. On its part, the Grand Coalition held a Steering Committee meeting last week and resolved to accept a formal invitation to meet with the minister ‘to compare notes’ on how to move the stalled constitution making process forward.
As a coalition, we view this as a step in the right direction for the Constitution making process.
Issued by Fr. Leonard Chiti Chairperson, Grand Coaltion Campaign for a People Driven Constitution
Non Governmental Organization Coordinating Council (NGOCC) Chairperson Beatrice Grillo said President Michael Sata’s recent public appearance has brought joy to the Zambian people.
Ms Grillo told QFM News in a telephone interview that it was nice to see the President appear in public during a rally to drum up support for the Patriotic Front candidate in the Mkushi South parliamentary by-election Davis Chisopa.
Ms Grillo said she was personally happy to read in the media that President Sata had made a public appearance after a longtime.
Ms Grillo said Zambians still need the President to finish his term of office.
The NGOCC board Chairperson has since appealed to Zambians to continue praying for the good health of President Sata.
President Sata had not been seen in public since returning from a ‘working holiday’ in Israel in June 2014.
POST Newspapers Limited owes the Government more than K8 billion (unrebased)in taxes.
The Newspaper apparently stopped meeting its tax obligations soon after the PF formed government in 2011 and Julius Komaki says the newspaper had been singing praises for President Michael Sata even when they did not believe in his vision because the owner of the newspaper, Fred M’membe was seeking favours from the Head of State.
Efforts to get a comment from Mr M’membe failed as his mobile phone went unanswered.
A text message sent to him asking if it was true that the Post Newspaper owed ZRA more than K8 million rebased and whether it was true that he had stopped meeting his tax obligation soon after the PF formed government was not responded to.
But the amount, sources have disclosed is much higher if “missing” records for previous years were to be included in the computation of default.
Now the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) has been challenged to explain why the money has not been collected while people owing less have been harassed and taken to court.
In what he described as grand corruption which must attract the interest of state investigative wings to pursue, Patriotic Front (PF) official Julius Komaki said the deliberate failure by the newspaper to meet its tax obligations was an act of willful disregard for the law.
Mr Komaki has challenged ZRA to inform the nation why they had allowed the Post Newspapers Limited to remain non-compliant in meeting its tax obligations for the last three years.
According to ZRA Taxpayer compliance status report as at 1st September, 2014, Post Newspaper Limited had accumulated a total of more than K8 billion (unrebased) in Income Tax, Pay as You Earn (PAYE) and Value Added Tax (VAT).
According to the Taxpayer status report, the newspaper had remained non-complaint in tax obligations since 2011 and now owes the Zambia Revenue Authority K2,599,525.15 rebased in Income Tax.
The Post Newspaper Limited has remained in default in Pay As You Earn (PAYE) from the time the PF formed government and the amount has accumulated to K1, 390,116.39 rebased.
On Value Added Tax, the newspaper has totally ignored to remit tax a staggering K4, 851,574.33 and the authority has placed the newspaper company in the category of not compliant with returns, submission and payment.
But Mr Komaki said the Post Newspaper had been pontificating righteousness and claiming that they had not benefited anything from government yet the owner took advantage of his relationship with President Sata to breach tax rules with impunity.
Mr Komaki said ZRA must ensure that the money owed by the Post Newspaper was paid back and demanded that the proprietor should be prosecuted for deliberately breaking the tax laws.
“We have always known that the Post Newspaper have been avoiding to pay tax since we formed government.We have all the information about their deliberate failure to meet their tax obligations to a number of statutory bodies. We have information that indicate that the Post Newspapers is owing ZRA more than K8 million and that is a lot of money that can do many things to the economy of our country. We now want ZRA to vigorously pursue the Post Newspaper so that they can pay so that the money can get into government coffers. They have been claiming that they have not benefited anything from the PF government and President Sata when there have been lapses in paying tax,” Mr Komaki said.
He said it was a crime for a taxpayer not to be compliant and appealed to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to investigate the newspaper as there was a possibility that the newspaper could have been deliberately avoiding its obligations. He said the Post Newspaper was abusing President Sata’s government by alleging that most of the ministers surrounding the Head of State were crooks, corrupt and tribal while attempting to rebrand and repackage Mr Kabimba.
“The Post is holding on to government money and to me that is tantamount to looting and I am wondering why ZRA has remained quiet while struggling to meet their tax collection targets. We cannot allow this to continue because that is causing anarchy in the economy. They have been mourning and weeping since President Sata fired Mr Kabimba and we have all the reasons to believe that they must have lost something bigger than the former secretary general,” Mr Komaki said.
Calls for me to come back depend on the decision of the people of Zambia and I would not want to see Dr Guy Scott eat his own heart, former President Rupiah Banda has said.
Mr Banda was reacting to Vice-President Guy Scott’s disparaging comments against the former Head of State while on a campaign trail in Eastern Province.
Dr Scott allegedly told the people in Chigwe in Vubwi constituency and Chiparamba sub-centre in Kasenengwa constituency that he would eat his own heart “if Rupiah Banda Nyama Soya” was to bounce back to power.
Mr Banda said it would be unwise for the vice- president to eat his own heart when the wishes and choices of people should be respected.
He advised Dr Scott to shut up if he had nothing to tell the electorate. Speaking to the Daily Nation in an interview, Mr Banda said Dr Scott always got excited during campaigns and did not understand the reason why the Vice President made such derogatory statements against him when Zambians were free to express their feelings.
He said Dr Scott always lost his thoughts whenever he was talking to people during gatherings such as political party campaigns.
The former Head of State said as a person with a heart for the people, he would not want to see Dr Scott eating his own over people’s decisions.
“How can Dr Scott speak like that? I remember when I was leaving (for South Africa on Saturday) and he was travelling to watch the game (in Ndola) we hugged when he said bye to me at the airport. Zambians must know that he gets excited when he is campaigning. Scott cannot eat his heart and I would not allow him to do that.
“What Dr Scott must know is that all this depends on the people to decide who they want as President. We cannot control the feelings of the people, so it must be left to them to decide. This country belongs to Zambians and it is not Scott to dictate what they want,” Mr Banda said.
He said it did not matter to him that the vice- president had called him “Nyama Soya” or any other names because he believed in peace.
Mr Banda advised all political leaders to desist from spreading hate messages during their campaigns. He said Zambian politicians should draw lessons from Kenya and warned that hate speech had a potential to breed chaos.
And the MMD in Eastern Province has warned Dr Scott to desist from insulting the former head of state. MMD Eastern provincial secretary Samuel Phiri said that it was unfortunate that 50 years after independence, Zambia still had leaders who lacked respect for other leaders.
Mr Phiri said as a party they would not tolerate derogatory statements against the former president and warned that if Dr Scott continued, they would have no option but to bar him from entering the province. He said Dr Scott should accept the fact that there were people that believed in the leadership qualities of Mr Banda and that it was his right to contest in any election if he so wished.
Ex-Power Dynamos defender Zifa Nkhoma believes the Arthur Davies side can win the 2014 FAZ Super League title.
Power on Sunday rebounded at the top of the league after beating Red Arrows 2-1 in Lusaka on the same day the match between Zanaco Kabwe Warriors was abandoned due to riots at Sunset Stadium in Lusaka.
Nkhoma hailed the consistency Power have shown in recent matches.
“As at now Power Dynamos are performing very well because they have played about three games consistently without losing otherwise the chances of winning the league are here,” he said.
Power top the table with 46 points, two ahead of second placed Zanaco who have a disputed match against Warriors.
“I would thank the coaches, players and executive for beating Red Arrows, it is job well done,” Nkhoma said.
Nkhoma added:” This years Super League is very competitive and there are no under-dogs.”
Southern Province Minister Daniel Munkombwe at the official opening of the show with ZAWA staff
Southern Province Minister Daniel Munkombwe has defied calls to step down as PF Provincial Chairman after he was accused of causing divisions in the party.
Some PF members in Southern Province have called for Mr Mukombwe’s resignation, accusing him of causing confusion and belonging to the Wynter Kabimba camp.
But Mr Munkombwe vowed not to resign saying only President Michael Sata has powers to remove him from his positions.
He said he has done a lot for the PF in Southern Province and has managed to grow the party in the province.
“It is absurd to ask me to go now after I have grown the party in Southern Province. I will not resign because only the President can remove me from his position,” Mr Munkombwe said.
The veteran politician observed that only a handful of PF members are pushing for his removal from his position.
“It’s only a few disgruntled members, only about 15 or so who are against me at the helm of the people. All these allegations against me are not true. I have been a loyal member of the PF and I shall continue doing so until President Sata says no, please rest.”
The Independent Broadcasting Authority has admitted that regulating online media is a challenge.
IBA Director General Josephine Mapoma observed that majority of online publications covering Zambia are not adhering to high ethical standards.
Ms. Mapoma said regulating online publications have proven to be a challenge because the current IBA Act does not have provisions for online media regulation.
“We would like to find a way of regulating online media although it is true that the current law which creates the IBA has nothing on online media regulation, going forward, we would like to see how we could extend our mandate to regulate online media,” Ms. Mapoma said in an interview.
She said the growth of online media presents a great opportunity for news dissemination across different platforms.
“We just need to find a way of channeling this opportunity that online media presents productively for the benefit of many people in Zambia,” she said.
Ms. Mapoma said the IBA has taken interest to study the content and ethical issues arising from online media.
“Admittedly, most of these online media outlets are falling short of ethical standards but what we are saying is there is room for improvement and as the IBA we want to take the lead and see how these outlets can be improved upon through regulation.”
Former Patriotic Front Lusaka province Chairman Davies Chama has charged those who had an agenda with former Patriotic Front Secretary General Wynter Kabimba are still mourning and talking about his dismissal.
Mr Chama says the ruling party has moved on and has no time to talk about Mr Kabimba anymore.
Mr. Chama has told Qfm News in an interview says PF members are already done with celebrating the dismissal of Mr. Kabimba and everyone is now working towards unity in the party.
He adds that the ruling party is no longer divided.
Mr Chama says Patriotic Front members have the responsibility to defend the name of the party especially if negative comments by some media houses continue.
And Political activist Dante Saunders says he does not believe that the dismissal of Wynter Kabimba as Justice Minister means that the enactment of a new constitution is now in sight.
Mr. Saunders says this is because Mr. Kabimba was not the only obstacle to giving the people of Zambia a new constitution, but that it is a collective responsibility of the entire Cabinet to fulfill the promise of giving the Zambian people a new constitution.
Mr Saunders has told Qfm news that it is for this reason that he thinks the meeting which Justice Minister Edgar Lungu is expected to hold with the Grand Coalition this week is only another smokescreen of wanting to delay the constitution making process further.
He says the only way the PF government will make the people of Zambia believe that they will stick to their promise of delivering a new constitution is by allowing people to start debating the Mung’omba Constitution Review Commission recommendations.
Mr Saunder says this is especially that government has not up to now unveiled the final draft constitution to the public which the Technical Committee was working on.
Mr. Saunders has further suggested the need to give more powers to institutions such as the Police, Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) even before the new constitution is enacted.
He says these institutions and other public institutions such as the Office of Auditor General and the Judiciary are supposed to be constitutionalized in such way that the republican President is not the appointing authority of the presiding office bearers.
And Mr. Saunders has reminded President Michael Sata to be mindful that he is President for all Zambians and not only members of the ruling PF as he governs the country.
He says now that the President has shown to the nation that he is well and working by taking part in the ruling party’s campaigns for the forthcoming by-elections, what people expect from him is to deliver on the promises he made to the people of Zambia as well as bring an end to corruption in the country.
The Operation Young Vote has appealed to Youth and Sports Minister Chishimba Kambwili to intervene in the alleged plunder of resources at the National Youth Development Council.
OYV President Guess Nyirenda said the amount of looting taking place at the Council is unprecedented and should be stopped forthwith.
Mr Nyirenda wondered why the Council Chairman Dr Savior Chishimba has been allowed to pocket around 50 percent of the council’s funding, depriving it of funds meant for programmes.
“In the history of the Council, this is the first time we are seeing a Council Chairman is getting more money than the money for programmes. As we speak, the Council has no programmes worth talking about. It is moribund and yet the Chairman Dr Chishimba has been allowed to pocket hefty allowances for doing nothing,” Mr Nyirenda stated.
He added, “We know Dr Chishimba and Mr Kambwili are very good friends but we appeal to him to rise about this and intervene. We are talking about public funds which should be safeguarded at all costs.”
Recently, Transparency International Zambia raised concern over the use of over K281, 000 by Dr Chishimba.
In a statement, TIZ Executive Director Goodwell Lungu said his organisation was particularly concerned that over 32% of the institution funding received by NYDC for the past seven months from January to July in 2014 has been spent on Dr Chishimba through his sitting allowances totaling K102,000 and subsistence allowances totaling K120,00.
“Our assessment from all documents available shows that the institution received a total funding of K875, 000 minus committed expenses and out of this a total of K281, 000 is alleged to have been spent on the Board chairperson’s expenses. TIZ wishes to challenge the NYDC Chairperson Dr. Chishimba to state if these payments are justified,” Mr Lungu said.
