The Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) says the cry of the church mother bodies in the country has always been to meet the Head of State to discuss among other issues the constitution making process.

ZEC Secretary General Fr. Cleophas Lungu has told Qfm news that the church mother bodies have for a long time been waiting for an opportunity to have a cordial and honest dialogue with the President but that this has not happened to date.

Fr. Lungu laments that the church has not been able to have an opportunity to meet with the President especially in the absence of the new constitution.

He adds that the church wishes to meet with the Head of State and table the many issues affecting the Zambian people.

The ZEC Secretary General says while they have been able to meet with other organs and institutions of the government, the meeting with the holder of the highest office in the land will be key to the many pending issues.

Fr. Lungu states that the church will continue to pray in order to secure an opportunity to meet with the President.

Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) President, Lucy Lungu, has commended former Game Stores employee, Mukamulati Mwila, for breaking her silence and speaking out on the alleged sexual harassment she suffered at the hands of her boss.

Ms Lungu stated in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka that most females do not report cases of sexual harassment due to lack of evidence and fear of intimidation from their employers.

The YWCA President’s comments come in the wake of revelations by Ms Mwila that she was fired by Game Stores Manager, Vincent Palan, for refusing to have sex with him.

Ms Lungu stressed that her organisation will monitor the case closely to see to it that relevant authorities handle the matter fairly.

She has since urged employers to put systems in place or have forums for female employees to report cases of sexual harassment in different organisations as they are usually the victims of such acts.

M Lungu also called on all female employees facing similar predicaments to report such incidents to bring culprits to book.

Meanwhile, Minister of Labour and Social Security, Fackson Shamenda has advised relevant authorities, to ensure the accused stays out of work and does not leave the country until the matter has been resolved.

Mr Shamenda said his ministry is currently conducting investigations in the matter in collaboration with the Victim Support Unit of the Zambia Police service.

A clique of senior Patriotic Front (PF) leaders are wishing President Michael Sata ill so that they can take over the presidency of the ruling party, former Defence Minister Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba has charged.

And Mr Mwamba has disclosed that there were some senior PF leaders who have been celebrating President Sata’s reported ill health but has appealed to Zambians to pray for the Head of State so that he could recover quickly.

Mr Mwamba popularly known as GBM said the succession wrangles that were consuming the PF were being perpetrated by a group of senior PF leaders who are said to have been praying for the removal of President Sata so that they could take of the leadership over the ruling party.

Mr Mwamba said the succession wrangles were causing the confusion the ruling party was currently experiencing and warned that the clique was not going to succeed in their evil plans because President Sata was chosen by God to lead Zambia.

He told the Daily Nation from Kasama yesterday that God was not going to allow the said clique to fraudulently take over the leadership of PF because President Sata’s leadership was sanctioned by divine powers.

This is the first time Mr Mwamba has come out in the open to candidly speak about some senior leaders in the PF with the evil desire to wish President Sata ill but has warned that God would soon expose them for what they were.

Mr Mwamba said individuals were anointed leaders at birth and that God was not going to allow selfish clique to impose themselves on Zambians whose desire was to be led by leaders of their choice.

He said it was God who anointed leaders and that the clique that had been celebrating and wishing the President ill had cursed themselves with their evil desires.

Mr Mwamba explained that Zambians would only give leadership to people that would exhibit wisdom and ability to govern the country honestly and with humility.

He said Zambians would only elect leaders to political offices if they were sure that they would effectively run the affairs of the country to their expectations.

“There is a clique of senior selfish Patriotic Front leaders who have been wishing President Michael Sata ill so that they could take over the leadership of the country and continue looting. But the clique must know that it does not work like that because leadership is from God who in this particular time has given us President Sata. You cannot impose yourself on the people…they chose leaders of their choice and they will give an individual the presidency if they find him wise enough to run the affairs of the country to their expectations,” Mr Mwamba said.

And Mr Mwamba said he was aware that some senior PF leaders were celebrating the reported ill health of President Sata and has asked Zambians to pray for the Head of State’s quick recovery.

Mr Mwamba said every human being was bound to fall sick and that President Sata’s reported failing health was affecting the governance and economic performance of the country. He stated that no human was infallible and that it was important that Zambians start praying for President Sata if he was truly feeling unwell so that he could quickly recover and get back to his work of governing and developing the country. Mr Mwamba said it was important to religiously realize that it was only Jesus Christ who was infallible because he was the chosen Son of God who came on earth to save humanity from sin.

“We should not celebrate the ill health of President Sata if indeed he is not well because if he is sick, the whole country gets affected. We should pray for him so that he can recover as soon as possible. We are human beings and bound to fall sick. We are not infallible and it’s only Jesus who was infallible because he is the Son of God who came on earth to save humanity from sin,” he said.

The opposition Zambia Development Conference (ZADECO) has submitted to the legal and Justice Sector Reforms Commission that the practice of building houses for Former Republican Presidents should immediately be stopped to allow them build their own using their retirement benefits like other civil servants.

ZADECO President, Langton Sichone, submitted that Zambia will not have enough land to build houses for Former Presidents in future as land is slowly diminishing hence the need to scrap the house scheme for former Presidents.

Mr Sichone emphasised that retired Presidents should be able to build their houses or own a farm property using their benefits accrued during their tenure of office.

“It is unfair that a retired President should have his or her house built by the state. We feel that this arrangement is totally uncalled for,” Mr Sichone submitted.

He explained that the country is set to have huge number of Presidents in the near future due to various factors hence the urgent need to do away with the housing scheme to serve the country from losing the available land and financial resources that can be used on infrastructural development and drugs for the hospitals.

“Besides, Zambia is slowly running out of land and there will not be enough land for everyone. Scraping this scheme will benefit the country as the monies saved will be directed towards infrastructural development and providing essential drugs to our hospitals. We have issues that need uttermost solutions such as HIV/AIDS and Ebola and such resources can go a long way in discovering the vaccines,” Mr Sichone stated.

Mr Sichone’s submission was echoed by a 71-year-old man of Kafue Estates, Felix Mulenga, who also noted that the provision of houses to former Heads of State is not sustainable as the country will not have land in future hence the need to stop it now.

The ZADECO leader also submitted that the building of the late Presidents Mausoleum should be done in accordance with their passing on or sequence, saying there should be a legal framework governing how the practice should be done other than relying on the goodwill of the sitting President.

Mr Sichone also recommended for the complete abolition of the Public Order Act and the Nolle Prosequi, citing gross abuse of human rights by the officers in the application of the penal code.

He noted that the two pieces of legislation be removed completely from the books of laws because they were introduced by the colonial masters in order to deal with insurgency as they had no option to suppress the rising force from the citizens fighting for independence, saying the two laws were currently being misinterpreted and misapplied by law enforcement agencies and the courts.

But when asked by Commission Chairperson, Frederick Chomba, whether he (Sichone) would not abuse the Public Order Act like other politicians if his party, ZADECO, happened to assume power in future, Mr Sichone could not give a direct answer but insisted that scarping off the provision in the penal code was the only solution instead of relying on the goodwill of the President.

Justice Chomba and Law Association of Zambia President, George Chisanga, observed that the Public Order Act is mainly in conflict with politicians who mostly are at the centre of confusions in the country and wondered how peace would be maintained with such laws.

And Mr Sichone also submitted that the Intestate Act of 1989, which was crafted to mitigate the horror and the harshness of life that families of the deceased go through after death, be amended so that the instead of the local court, the subordinate courts be mandated to preside over the matter depending on the wealth of the states involved.

Vice president Guy Scott has arrived in Kaoma district to boost campaigns for PF candidate Rogers Lingweshi in next Tuesday’s Mangango parliamentary by-elections.

Dr Scott, who torched down at Kaoma airstrip slightly after 11:00 this morning, was received by several ministers led by Gender Minister Inonge Wina, regional security chiefs and party cadres before proceeding to Mumu’s Guest House where he briefly addressed the press.

Dr Scott said that he was satisfied the that the presence of UPND president Hakainde Hichilema in Kaoma undermined peace in the area, alleging that the opposition party leader had moved in with 15 youths who were causing the violence.

He said government will not tolerate any form of violence in any locality and called on police to bring the perpetrators to book.

And PF campaign manager Obvious Mwaliteta said the ruling party has reported ten cases of violence against the UPND to the police in Kaoma and dockets have been opened for the perpetrators.

Mr Mwaliteta said the situation in the area is calm since Mr Hichilema left; adding that the UPND had resorted to violence because of the resistance the opposition party is facing from the people of Mangango to accept them.

He said the UPND were instigating violence in the hope that the Electoral Commission of Zambia would cancel the by-elections though the PF has been campaigning peacefully.

And Ms Wina, who is also PF national chairperson, said the ruling party leaders have been urging their cadres to exercise restraint and remain tolerant event in the wake violent attacks.

The Nalolo lawmaker said she feared that there might be voter apathy as a result of the violence but was hopeful that the turnout would be good as the vice president’s presence will boost the morale of the people.

After the brief stopover, Vice president Scott later proceeded to Limbotwa and Mulundu areas in Mangango constituency where he is scheduled to hold campaign rallies.

Labour and Social Security Minister Fackson Shamenda has instructed relevant authorities to ensure that the Game Stores Manager who has been accused of sexual harassment stays away from work and remains in the country until the completion investigations.

Mr. Shamenda said the complaint against the accused brought to the attention of the Ministry in two separate meetings on Tuesday and that Ministry is actively investigating the matter.

He added that the public will be informed about the outcome of the investigations in due course.

“The Ministry of Labour and Social Security confirms that it has received a report of alleged sexual harassment at Game Stores involving the Stores Manager.

“The matter was brought to the attention of the Ministry by the complainant and the accused in two separate meetings with the Ministry on Tuesday 12th August 2014.

“The ministry is conducting investigations in the matter in collaboration with the Victim Support Unit of the Zambia Police Service.

The Public will be informed of the outcome of the investigations in due course.

“The Ministry has advised the relevant authorities to ensure that the accused stays away from work and does not leave the country until the matter has been resolved.”

Mr. Shamenda said this in a statement released to media.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) should address human rights violations among its member states as part of measures to improve the lives of its people, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch said today.

As the 15 member states of SADC prepare to meet for the 34th Summit of Heads of State and Government in Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe on August 17 and 18, 2014, the three human rights organizations drew attention to serious human rights concerns in Angola, Malawi, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe will take over as chair of the regional body at the meeting.

“SADC’s commitment to human rights will come into question if Zimbabwe, as chair of the regional body, does not expedite the process of aligning its laws with the constitution and state institutions do not live up to the regional and international best practices,” said Dzimbabwe Chimbga, Projects Manager, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.

SADC has been criticized for its laxity on making human rights compliance within its member states a priority. It is important to address the issue for the sake of the SADC reputation, the organizations said. Under Zimbabwe’s leadership, SADC should press for human rights improvement across the sub-region, particularly in Angola, Malawi, Swaziland, and Zambia.

“Human rights are central to achieve sustainable economic development and regional integration,” said Deprose Muchena, Southern Africa director at Amnesty International. “SADC should strive to create conditions for all to enjoy their economic, social, civil and political rights. SADC leadership must respond to the real needs of ordinary people and vigorously implement regional and international human rights standards.”

As Zimbabwe takes over the chair of SADC for the next year, the country is enforcing laws that violate fundamental human rights protected under the May 2013 constitution. Nor has there been any move toward justice for past political violence.

Zimbabwe’s leadership is also failing to address fundamental economic and social rights. For instance, many people in Harare have little access to potable water and sanitation services, violating their right to water, sanitation, and health. In the country’s diamond fields, greater transparency is needed on diamond production, revenue and the allocation of mining rights.

Angola

Although Angola’s 2010 constitution guarantees the internationally protected rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly as well as media freedom, the government has increasingly limited these rights.

The government has pursued numerous criminal defamation lawsuits against outspoken journalists and activists, while using excessive force, arbitrary arrests, and intimidation to prevent peaceful anti-government protests, strikes, and other gatherings.

Limited independent media, self-censorship, and government repression already restrict free expression in Angola. In addition to prosecuting and intimidating independent journalists and civic activists, the government has achieved passage of laws restricting media freedom, dragged its feet in allowing privately owned and community radio stations to operate, censored state-owned media, and sought to control the existing privately owned media.

Only 3 per cent of the population has access to the Internet and social media, the main channels for commenting on government policies.

Malawi

In Malawi, the May national elections have reaffirmed the strength and independence of the country’s key government institutions, including the judiciary, the security forces and the elections management body.

SADC leaders should call on the government to continue on the path of democratization and promotion of human rights by incorporating in domestic legislation all of the international human rights instruments to which the country is party.

Malawi should take decisive steps to end discrimination and protect sexual minorities as well as ensure gender equality and the protection of women’s rights in all spheres of society. The country should also make a commitment to further the realization of economic and social rights as well as to a sustained fight against corruption that undermines those rights.

Swaziland

The lack of respect for and protection of human rights is a serious concern in Swaziland, though human rights are enshrined in the country’s new constitution as well as in international law.

These include the right not to be subjected to torture, the right to a fair trial, the rights to freedom of expression and association, the right to equality, and the progressive realization of economic and social rights, as well as access to an effective remedy when those rights are violated.

However, there has been a drastic deterioration in human rights conditions and respect for the rule of law in the kingdom in recent years. Political activism and trade unions are subjected to restrictions in violation of international law, including banning under the draconian Suppression of Terrorism Act, arbitrary detention and unfair trials. The independence of the judiciary has been severely compromised.

The Swazi authorities respond to criticism with repressive tactics to clamp down on peaceful protests and criticism voiced through the media. The government’s use of the Suppression of Terrorism Act and other security laws that violate the principle of legality to intimidate, harass and prosecute independent organizations and critical voices is a particular concern.

In a very recent example of this pattern, Bhekithemba Makhubu, the prominent editor of the country’s monthly news magazine The Nation, and Thulani Maseko, a human rights lawyer, were sentenced on July 25 to two years in prison on contempt of court charges after a grossly unfair trial.

SADC leaders should call on the Swazi authorities to respect fundamental freedoms, including the rights to freedom of association, assembly, and expression, the three groups said. SADC should press the government to remove legislative and practical restrictions on the rights to political participation.

Zambia

The observance of human rights requirements has steadily declined in Zambia since the Patriotic Front government came into power in 2011. The constitution-making process has stalled and laws have been proposed to restrict operations of nongovernmental organizations, Opposition parties are being targeted with politically motivated prosecutions. Government officials also incite hatred against LGBTI people, leading to increased arrests and prosecutions.

“To achieve the SADC Summit theme of economic transformation, Zimbabwe and other countries in the region should promote good governance, uphold the rule of law and respect human rights,” said Tiseke Kasambala, Southern Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “Genuine transparency and justice help drive the regional economic development that improves people’s lives.”

First Lady Christine Kaseba says there is need to find alternative methods to help address the alarming statistics of teenage pregnancies in Muchinga province.

At least 289 school girls in Muchinga Province have fallen pregnant between 2013 and 2014.
ZANIS reports that Mpika district has the highest number recording 108 pregnant school girls followed by Nakonde with 91.

And Dr. Kaseba said the predicament of the school expectant mothers can be addressed through mentorship as it is a basic that has existed since time immemorial and still remains important for the girls of the present generation.

The First Lady said this yesterday when she officially opened the first ever Provincial girl`s mentorship programme, which was held at Chinsali Girls Secondary School.

She said since the introduction of a school mentorship program in 2013 close to 1,000 girls in Lusaka and central Provinces have been mentored.

Dr Kaseba added that 150 girls and 45 teachers will be mentored in Muchinga province this week.
Dr. Kaseba charged that the mentorship will inspire the girls to give back to the community and take up leadership positions.

The First Lady further said operational policies such as the Community Development Mother and Child Health policies, Gender and child policy along with youth and sport policy have a lot to offer in support of both female and male youths.

Dr. Kaseba however expressed sadness over the increasing number of girls dropping out of School in Muchinga Province and the country at large saying an average of 17,600 young girls are affected annually across the country.

Meanwhile, Muchinga Province Minister Gerry Chanda says the province recorded 211 cases of pregnancies in 2013 with an evident increase of 78 cases in the last 6 months of 2014 bringing the total to 289 girls.

Col. Chanda urged parents to take responsibility of instilling right values in children that will help them through the challenges and temptations of life.

He said he was optimistic that the participation of the First Lady in the Mentorship Programme will produce positive results reflecting reduced rates of pregnancies and teenage marriages among girls.

Meanwhile, Muchinga Province Education Officer (PEO) Jobbicks Kalumba has paid glowing tribute to the First Lady for taking time off her busy schedule to grace the event.

Mr. Kalumba said the event is an eye opener for the Ministry of Education in the Province to strengthen all interventions aimed at securing the future of children.