MMD president Dr Nevers Mumba has urged party members to propel unity if the former ruling party is to form government.

Dr Mumba said unity in any organization was important because it was building the strong foundation.

He said at Mkaika in Katete on Saturday that the party members must not embroiled themselves into squabbles but to promote unity of purpose.

He also said the former ruling party would put in its best in order to reclaim their former parliament seats in the September 11th by-elections.

Dr Mumba said the people of all provinces were still appreciating the role which MMD played when it was in power.

He said the MMD party played a big role agriculture in the country saying it was sign that the party was still formidable in areas where parliamentary by-elections were taking place.

“The MMD is still strong in the country more especially in areas where parliamentary by-elections are taking place and we shall put the best to reclaim our parliamentary seats,” he said.

Dr Mumba said disfranchising the people in creating the parliamentary by-elections were not necessary.

He said MMD was ready to fight the seats and get them back in the parliamentary by- elections.

“We managed to get our seats in Chipata Central and Mkaika and now we are getting the seats Kasenengwa and Vubwi after the polls,”he said.

Dr Mumba also advised his fellow political leaders to always break political barriers during traditional ceremonies such as Kulamba of the Chewa people.

Campaigns for parliamentary by-elections are taking place in Solwezi Central,Zambezi West,Mkushi South,Vubwi and Kasenengwa.

THE Auditor General called for a comprehensive national policy on internal security to address the rehabilitation and reintegration needs of prisoners.

In the latest audit report of July 2014, the office of the Auditor General also called for the prisons Act to be revised to conform to international standards.

The prisons Act should develop a strategic plan incorporating strategies on rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners. The office further called for increased efforts to facilitate the achievement of parole objectives under the rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners in Zambia.

The report established that the parole objectives were not being followed. Some prisoners were not granted parole as they had not taken full advantage of the rehabilitation programmes while others had lost their eligibility due to expiry of their sentences.

Parole hearings were not being conducted on time by the national parole board due to apathy resulting from non-payment of allowances to the board members and lack of suitable transport to carry out parole hearings in prisons outside Lusaka as the NPB was based in Lusaka.

He said the failure to grant parole had resulted in the board not meeting its intrended objective of decongestinfg the prisons be releasing deserving prisoners before the expiry of their sentences and denying deserving priosoners the opportunity to take advantage of the benefits of early re-integration into society.

There was also need for qualified staff to generate data and perform social welfare assessments on each individual parolee because a parolee who was not adequately assessed for suitability was a risk to public safety.

The report further called for coordination between the Zambia prisons service and the community to avoid stigma on ex-convicts and promote positive impact on prisoner re-entry into society.

The Zambia prisons service should also provide re-integration programmes for the prisoners to avoid re-offending from the ex-convicts.

Government has warned against reviving chieftainship without the authority from the President.

Chief and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkandu Luo says only the Republican President has powers to bring to life a chieftainship that has been dormant through the chiefs act.

Prof Luo noted that any person that decides to revive a chieftainship without the authority from the President should be arrested.

She has since warned Chief Tindi to stop masquerading as a traditional leader adding that government is not aware of his existence and does not appear in the chief’s act.

ZANIS reports that the minister said this at the 2014 Malaila traditional ceremony of the Kunda people of Mambwe district in Eastern province yesterday.

Prof Luo alleged that her office had received reports that chief Tindi has been masquerading and is illegally allocating land to people meant for the game reserve area.

She further called upon the Ministry of Land to also investigate the reports and ensure that the land is reclaimed and directed law enforcement agencies to deal with the matter.

Speaking earlier, Senior Chief Nsefu appealed to government to quickly work on most infrastructures in the district.

The Traditional leader said this in speech read for him by the Malambo Cultural Association Chairperson Dr. Kwenda Kwema, at the occasion.

Chief Nsefu noted that Mambwe district has a lot of problems that requires urgent governments intervene.

He cited lack of a district hospital, poor road network between chiefdoms, persistent human-animal conflicts and food security as some of the many challenges that the area is facing.

Kasama Central PF Member of Parliament Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba has called on PF members in Kasama and across the country to renew their commitment to the ideals which made them the party of Choice in 2011.

On his Facebook posting, Mr. Mwamba says there are sections of society who ferment tribalism to suit their ill-agendas.

Mr. Mwamba, popularly known as GBM, says the members must be reminded that PF is for all Zambians from all walks of life.

He says if one finds a PF member being tribal, they should be told to stop because it is anti- PF and un-Zambian to champion an evil such as tribalism.

Mr. Mwamba, who is also former Defense Minister, adds that it remains wishful thinking that PF’s national character can be tainted by a few men and women of ill-intent.

The Kasama Central lawmaker furthermore adds that it is therefore a duty of every PF member to ensure PF remains the party of choice.

Mr. Mwamba says there is also need to remain loyal and supportive of President Michael Sata in order to deliver to the expectations of the people.

Government says it has got no plans of splitting west bank from the east bank of Zambezi District.

Vice President Guy Scott says government is however determined to develop the two areas that have largely undergone ethnic trials.

West bank is dominated by the Luvales while Lundas are found in the East Bank.

Dr. Scott says the PF government will prioritize the construction of a bridge cross the Zambezi River to connect the West Bank to Zambezi town in order to open up the district.

ZANIS reports that The Vice President said this in Zambezi yesterday when he officiated at the 2014 Likumbi Lyamize traditional ceremony o the Luvale speaking people.

“Splitting West Bank from the East Bank, No…Government has got no plans of doing that but we’re determined to develop Zambezi,” Dr. Scott said.

Dr. Scott said government has constructed a lot of bridges since 2011 when it came into power and that the opening of the Michael Sata Bridge in Chiawa was just one of the significant examples to demonstrate its commitment to develop the country.

He disclosed that Muyembe bridge in the area would be constructed at a cost of K71,000 and an additional K50,000 would be spent on repairing all the feeder roads in the district while the pontoon at Muyembe River would be rehabilitated.

He further disclosed that the Kazungula bridge which is expected to be officially commissioned next week would also speak volumes on what the major plans of government area.

Meanwhile, Dr. Scott says 7,000 x 50kgs bags of fertilizer have arrived in Zambezi for this year’s farming season.

He also says 6,000 people on the Zambezi West Bank have benefited from K4 million Social Cash transfer.

The Vice President has assured Senior Chief Ndungu that government is committed to working with traditional leaders in the country.

Dr. Scott donated iron sheets to Senior Chief Ndungu from his Office under the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit.

On the proposal to create Zambezi Central into a district, the Veep said he would report to the Head of State Mr. Michael Sata on the suggestion.

Earlier, Senior Chief Ndungu said he was disappointed that the Ministry of education has defied President Michael Sata’s directive to teach both Lunda and Luvale in Zambezi District.

Likumbi Lyamize 2014 National Organising Chairperson Max Mbunji commended for the support rendered to chiefs including Senior Chief Ndungu.

ZAMTEL Chief Marketing Officer Evan Muhanga said his organisation would set-up 1,300 communication towers across the country.

Mr. Muhanga disclosed that in the next five to seven years, ZAMTEL would invest over U$S140 million this year in its strive to connect people to the latest G4 connectivity that is efficient, reliable and effective.

He said in a program dubbed, “water for life”, ZAMTEL would construct eight bore holes in all the 10 provinces of Zambia from the initial 45 sung last year in 2013.

This year’s Likumbi lya Mize traditional ceremony was sponsored by Zamtel who pumped in K200,000.

The Forum for Democracy and Development says Wynter Kabimba will go down in the country’s history as the ” Arrogant Justice Minister who denied Zambians their constitution.”

FDD spokesperson Antonio Mwanza observed that Mr. Kabimba was a serious obstacle in the country’s quest for the new constitution and his firing should come with renewed hope in the fight for the release of the draft constitution.

Mr. Mwanza said the former Justice Minister arrogantly used his portfolio to block Zambians from having a meaning road map on the constitution making process and his sucking was long overdue.

“Honorable Wynter Kabimba has been a serious obstacle in our quest as the people of Zambia to have a people driven constitution.

“This the man who at every moment used his portfolio to block the people of Zambia from having a meaningful road map on the issue of the constitution and his firing is long overdue and we applaud president Michael Sata for removing Mr. Kabimba from his position,” Mr. Mwanza said.

Mr. Mwanza also said the firing of Mr. Kabimba should save as a timely warning to nominated MPs that they save as ministers at the preserve of Mr. Sata and that power should not get to their heads.

“This should save as a warning to those nominated MPs serving under president Michael Sata that they are saving at his preserve and that if they became as arrogant, that if they become as big headed like the way Wynter Kabimba was that their fate will be the same.

“People have to know and understand that power is temporal as a result we have to use power consciously and wisely.”

He added, “Honorable Wynter Kabimba will go down in our history as the most arrogant Minister the country has ever had but look at his ending; his ending has been very, very sad and shameful indeed.”

“Wynter’s fate should remind all of us never to put your life in the hands of another man. The mistake Wynter made was to put all his eggs in President Sata’s laps. Look, Wynter had no job apart from the jobs Sata gave him.

“He was a nominated MP, an appointed SG and appointed Minister. He had nothing of his own. Secondly, Wynter allowed the borrowed power to get to his head.

“He was all puffed up, arrogant and overzealous. In his drunkenness he saw himself as the next President from Sata,” Mr. Mwanza said.

Patriotic Front Katete District party Chairperson Joseph Duma Makukula says Wynter Kabimba’s stay as Party Secretary General destroyed the party in Eastern Province.

Mr. Makukula says the dismissal of Mr. Kabimba by President Michael Sata was long overdue.

ZANIS reports that the District PF chairperson said in an interview in Katete today that Mr. Kabimba was fast rate in destroying the party than building it.

He added that Mr. Kabimba worked tirelessly in building his empire within the rank and file of the ruling party.

He observed that the former Justice minister and PF Secretary General had become ‘ a small god ’ in the party adding that most people serving on appointing oppositions such as District Commissioners and District political secretaries were afraid of executing their duties diligently because of the pressure and intimidation that he ( Mr. Kabimba ) posed on them.

Mr. Makukula recounted the confusion that recently rocked the ruling party in Eastern province as one clear example of the decisive motivates that Mr. Kabimba planted in the province.

He said since Mr. Kabimba assumed the position of Secretary General and appointed as Justice Minister the party in the province lost its popularity as the opposition lost interest in the party they wished they could belong to.

The chairperson further narrated the personal interest that Mr. Kabimba exhibited in the party when he accommodated strangers in the party and tried to push away people that founded the party.

Mr. Makukula further alleged that all the districts in the province where bitter with the secretary general when he took a stance of dissolving the leadership in the party and brought in factions that promoted his personal agenda of sending the party in extinction.

He charged that Mr. Kabimba was more useful in the opposition and did not deserve to serve the party further.

He said the party in the province will now embark on mobilization and take further steps reaching people in the remote parts of the districts to explain what government is doing for the betterment of their wellbeing.

The district Chairperson has since thanked President Sata for appointing Home Affairs minister Edgar Lungu for his appointment as the new PF Secretary General and Justice Minister in place of Mr. Kabimba.

He said the party in the district has hope that Mr. Lungu will strengthen the party that Mr. Kabimba tried hard to destroy.

He added that the decision by the president has clearly shown then President Sata does not have any sacred cows in the party.

CHRISTIAN Democratic Party ( CDP ) president Dr Danny Pule has called for a stop to the causualisation of labour by Chinese investors in the country.

Dr. Pule said the workers should be given permanent and pensionable jobs so that they can be truly empowered.

He added that Zambian workers should be given living wages and other incentives that they deserve to enable them provide for their families.

ZANIS reports that Dr Pule was speaking at a press briefing held in Kitwe yesterday.

And Dr Pule urged government to embrace the church as an important partner in national development.

He said the church contributes in the provision of social needs of the citizens as such it should be embraced.

He further called on government to rescind its decision to stop churches from congregating from schools halls.

Dr Pule said Churches were spending huge sums of money through the charges they were paying for using those school halls and that money can be used by schools to address some of their financial challenges.

Over 23 people are battling for their lives in Roan General hospital in Luanshya after consuming a suspected poisonous traditional brew popularly known as Munkoyo at a funeral house in Roan township.

The victims who were returning from the burial of Paul Mumba, 54 of house number 9923/2BB Roan Township took food and the traditional drink.

Diarrhoea broke out among the mourners who were rushed to roan general hospital for medical attention.

ZANIS in Luanshya reports that Police confirmed the development in a telephone interview, yesterday.

Copperbelt Province Police Commanding officer Joyce Kasosa said the victims include 15 women, 6 children and 2 men who exhibited Diarrhoea, fever, headache and stomach upsets and have since been admitted to Roan general hospital.

She said police has since instituted investigations into the matter and where waiting for results from the hospital which had taken samples of the suspected poisonous drink for preliminary investigations.

A ZANIS crew that visited hospital was denied access into the hospital wards as the hospital Superintendent responsible for issuing permission and statements was reported to be out of office.

And relative to one of the patients, Annabel Chansa said the source of the poisoning was not certain as the people had taken food as well as the Munkoyo which where both prepared at the funeral house.