The Muslim Community in Lusaka says it is concerned about the increased human rights abuse against its general membership by government authorities in Zambia.

And the Muslim community says there is no chance or room for gay-ism in their religion- Islam.

In four separate petitions to the Legal and Justice Sector Reforms Commission in Chawama today, representatives of the Muslim community told the commission that their members are facing discrimination and violation of their human rights in courts, prisons, police stations and in many other public institutions where they are forced to do what is against the Quran.

Chawama Mosque Youth Forum Leader Elias Sinkala told the Commission that Muslims in Zambia are not recognized as citizens as they are un-candidly treated in courts such as taking oath using the bible and told to remove their head gears especially at police stations.

He explained that forcing Muslims to take off their head gears at police stations is a violation of their human rights as individual who
belong to a religion which is recognized by the constitution.

And commenting on homosexual practices in Zambia, Mr. Sinkala said his religion has no room for such as his religion only recognizes marriage between a man and a woman or two.

Mr. Sinkala stated that it Islam does not allow men to marry fellow men saying doing so was against the law.

And Nancy Musa who was representing the Chawama Mosque narrated how she was made to remove her head scuff at the National Registration Office for her to take her side photo.
Ms. Musa however said she was shocked to see celebrities who were in dreads where not treated in the same manner.

She noted that public officers perceive Muslims to be foreigners who she said was not the case and added that officers should be educated that Zambia has people of different religions.

And another member of the Islam Bamus Seif Tembo also complained that Muslim leaders are not recognized by police as leaders who can sign for bond when their member has been found to be in conflict with the law.

Tembo wondered why the police should deny Muslims such rights when Christian leaders enjoy such rights.

He also complained that Muslims in Prisons are subjected to eat food which are deemed illegal by their religion because the prisons do not
provide their food.

But Commission Chairman Frederick Chomba explained that in some cases Police officers take it that all citizens are the same such that they make them remove their head gears without intentions of discriminating the Muslim community.

Justice Chomba however noted that in some instance the public officers’ error hence stated that discrimination against one religion is not
encourage in the country.

Majority of petitioners to the Legal and Justice Sector Reforms Commission in Lusaka’s Chiwama Township today demanded that officers from Law enforcement agencies should declare their assets they acquire once in office.

The petitioners observed that police offices, judges and other officers from investigative wings have a tendency of acquiring wealth dubiously using their positions.

Adam Phiri, a resident of Chawama told the commissioner that some police officers today own property worth a lot of money beyond their respective salaries.

Mr. Phiri explained that police, DEC and ACC officers are in the habit of taking bribes from offenders which he said made them wealthier.

He said in some instances most officers from the same trend acquire more than five mini-buses which he said are driven by unlicensed drivers who are protected by the officers.

Mr. Phiri also stated the ACC and DEC are a let down to the society as they wait to be instructed as to who they should investigate and pay a blind eye at the corruption taking place at the passport office and National Registration Issuance office.

He also appealed to the commission to consider addressing the cause of congestion in prisons which he said was due to lack of coordination between the arresting officers who arrests people without evidence and the courts.

He appealed to the office of the Director of public Prosecution to stop the police from arresting people if they re not ready to have them prosecuted due to lack of evidence.

And another petitioner Robert Sakala submitted that the commission should address the issue of unlawful detention by police and searching people by the DEC and ACC without court warrant to do so.

Mr. Sakala who was among the Zambia Army Officers accused of plotting the 1997 attemted presidential coup lamented that congestion in prisons can be addressed if authorities consider
allowing bail for known people in their cognizance while those with small offences be given community service as their punishment.

Mr. Sakala also appealed to the office of the DPP to consider decentralizing their offices so that cases are quickly cleared noting that the police in most cases arrest people before investigating which
leds to prolonged detention of people in cells before being charged.

And Mr. Sakala has submitted to the commission to come up with a board or a tribunal composed of retired judges which will be specifically set to hear presidential petitions so that such cases are concluded before the president-elect is sworn in.

He also suggested that the President-elect should be sworn in office after a period of 90 days not within hours after being declared winners of the election

THE Copperbelt University (CBU) has conferred honorary doctorates on retired politician Vernon Mwaanga and businessman Carl Richard Irwin for their outstanding contribution to the development of Zambia and the African continent.

Dr Mwaanga was bestowed with a doctorate of philosophy in Peace and Conflict Resolution (PCR) while Dr Irwin, who is ZAMBEEF founder and company director for strategy and business development, was bestowed with a doctorate of philosophy in Business and Entrepreneurship (BE).

This was done on Thursday at the Copperbelt University’s 23rd graduation ceremony at the Riverside Campus.

Giving Dr Mwaanga’s citation, Ambassador Lucy Mungoma described the former Minister as an icon of peace.

“In matters of diplomacy, peace and conflict resolution, you have left a legacy immeasurable, yet even in your retirement you have remained a key partner of the Copperbelt University, in particular, Dag Hammarskjold Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies,” she said.

Ms Mungoma described Dr Mwaanga as an outstanding servant of the country and the Southern African region as a whole.

Ms Mungoma said Dr Mwaanga, who served the country in different portfolios, is an ambassador of peace and that he is an inspiration to many people, especially the youth.

And in his acceptance speech, Dr Mwaanga, who is a former journalist, administrator, businessman and banker, said he was humbled to receive the honorary degree of doctorate of philosophy in peace and conflict resolution from CBU.

Dr Mwaanga urged young people to embrace peace and become enemies of conflict permanently.
He commended the role that CBU is making in the development of communities within and outside the country.

And giving Dr Irwin’s citation, public orator chief executive officer Prisca Chikwashi said the ZAMBEEF founder is offered the honorary doctorate in recognition of his contribution and dedication to the development of business and entrepreneurship in Zambia and abroad.

Ms Chikwashi said the contributions that Dr Irwin has made to the country are extensive in their importance, breadth and depth.

She said Dr Irwin, who was born in Kitwe in 1965, has a Bachelor of Commerce and degree from the University of Cape Town and that he received two national prizes in commercial law and data processing while doing his Chartered Accounting qualifications in England.

Ms Chikwashi said Dr Irwin is the founder of Master Pork Limited Company, which was formed in 2002 and is now the largest pork processing company in Zambia.

ZICA president Wesly Beene said Dr Irwin has used the potential of Zambia as a springboard into Sub-Saharan Africa by ensuring that the Zambian flag flies in West Africa.

Dr Irwin explained the importance of local business to the Zambian economy and the need to strike a balance between foreign multinationals and home-grown companies in order to ensure longterm sustainable growth.

He urged graduates to consider becoming entrepreneurs in order to contribute to Zambian’s economic growth.

The MMD in Southern Province says it is confident of bouncing back to power in the forth-coming 2016 general elections.

The former ruling party has based its assessment on what it terms a successful card renewal and member mobilization exercise launched in Livingstone yesterday.

But the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) says its stay in power is guaranteed by the massive developmental works it is undertaking countrywide.

MMD Southern Province Chairman Oliver Pelete said massive recruitment of members was the only way the party could bounce back to power as the case was in Malawi’s recent general elections where a former ruling party regained power.

“So for those who are thinking that it is not possible, the party that lost power in Malawi bounced back and that has energized us to work even harder,” he said.

Mr Pelete said this in an interview with ZANIS in Livingstone.

He said over 400 people from 17 wards within Livingstone were in attendance at the launch as the party targeted to attract new members and those that had left the party for various reasons.

He said the party had learnt lessons from the squabbles that took place at national level but assured that these had been resolved and focus had been shifted to the recruitment of members.

Mr. Pelete also accused the ruling Patriotic Front of failing to honour part of its campaign promises such as enactment of a new constitution, more jobs for youths, putting more money in people’s pockets and honouring the Barotse Agreement.

But PF Southern Province Political Secretary Leonard Siachona said the PF’s stay in power beyond 2016 was guaranteed by the massive developmental works it was undertaking countrywide.

Mr. Siachona dismissed claims by the MMD that his party had failed to fulfill some of its campaign promises adding that the former ruling party was out of touch with the progress made by PF since forming government.

“We have created more jobs and given the civil servants the biggest salary increment in the country’s history and that is part of putting more money in people’s pockets. Furthermore, we have a functional constitution as rightly stated by President Michael Sata, so claims by the MMD are baseless,” he said.
He reiterated that government was addressing the issue of the Barotse Agreement of 1964 at national level.

Mr. Siachona said PF was in constant touch with its members at grass root level and would only focus on recruitment of new members once it was satisfied people understood and appreciated the developmental works being undertaken countrywide.

“Our program as a party is tailored in a such a manner that we want to point out to people what we have done for them to understand and appreciate before we start recruiting new members,” he said.

MWANSABOMBWE District was yesterday a hive of activity as the main event of the 2014 Mutomboko traditional ceremony of the Lunda people of Luapula Province officially got underway.

Kick-starting the event was the pre-ceremony that took place in the morning at Mpembwe near Kanyimbo Village, known also as the hiding place for Senior Chief Mwata Kazembe and was followed by the ‘Umutentamo’ in the afternoon.

The Umutentamo event is more of a small court procession held within the palace premises, where Mwata Kazembe installs his chosen village headmen.

Mwata Kazembe’s chief political advisor, Peter Chanshi, who is also spokesperson of both the Mwata and the Lunda Royal Establishment, described this year’s ceremony as a ‘land mark’ because it is being held when the country is commemorating 50 years of independence.

Mr Chanshi said in an interview yesterday that the 2014 Mutomboko Ceremony had been organised in a unique manner because the activities had been tailored in line with the country’s jubilee celebrations.

He was happy with the impressive atmosphere around Kazembe Village where hundreds of people had by Thursday already arrived to witness the Mutomboko ceremony.

“The mood is surprising and amazing looking at the number of people coming through. By yesterday (Thursday) hundreds of people from various parts of the country, including Southern Province, had already arrived to be part of the activities in this year’s ceremony,” he said.

Mr Chanshi said all was in place for the successful hosting of the Mutomboko ceremony, which reaches its climax today when The Mwata rises to the throne to participate in the victory dance – Mutomboko – at the main arena.

Luapula Province Permanent Secretary Chanda Kasolo said Mines, Energy and Water Development Minister Christopher Yaluma would grace this year’s ceremony.

Meanwhile, locals seized the opportunity to cash in on the Mutomboko by increasing prices for goods and services such as accommodation.

A check around Kazembe area found guesthouses pegging a relatively small room with a single-bed at K150 and K200 from the normal price of K30 and K50, respectively.