Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Japan in Zambia Counselor Hideki Yamaji says the expected state visit of Prince Akishino, the second son of Japanese Emperor Akishino, and his wife Princess Kiko will strengthen the already existing diplomatic ties of Zambia and Japan.

And the Japanese Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission says the frequent high profile visits of leaders from other countries to Zambia are good for the country.

Counsellor Yamaji stated that the recent visit of the Chinese vice President and the coming of the prince and his wife are good for Zambia especially as the country commemorate the year of jubilee.

He confirmed that Prince Akishino and his wife Princess Kiko will arrive in Zambia on Saturday 28th June 2014 and leave Zambia for Tanzania on the 2nd of July after 5 days visit.

He said the royal couple is on a goodwill visit aimed at promoting closer ties with Zambia as well as part of Zambia’s golden jubilee celebrations.

He added that the royal family will be in the country to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Japan and Zambia.

He described the visit as a historic occasion as it will also mark the celebration of the country’s memorable year, the year of jubilee.

Akishino, 48, is second in line to the Japanese throne.

The Zambian government invited the Prince and Princess to be part of the commemoration of this historic occasion and celebration of the Jubilee year.

During the tour, the royal couple will call on President Sata, former President Kenneth Kaunda, tour Livingstone, Kabwata Cultural Village and attend a reception for the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Japan and Zambia.

Meanwhile Japan has spent about K16 million on Japanese cultural grant aid projects in various sectors in Zambia.

The grant has been used to support sectors such as the agriculture, education, transport, and health and infrastructure development, water and sanitation programs and on poverty reduction programmes in rural areas.

Counselor Hideki Yamaji disclosed the development in an interview after the press briefing this morning at the embassy in Lusaka.

Press Statement for Immediate Release

LGAZ BRIBERY ALLEGATIONS

Allegations appearing on some social media platforms that I influenced the outcome of the recent Local Government Association of Zambia (LGAZ) elections are unfounded and unwarranted.

I consider these allegations a desperate and cheap attempt by enemies of the MMD to credit the image of our good party and that of our President Dr Nevers Mumba.

I happened to have travelled to Solwezi, the venue of the LGAZ conference in the same week of the elections. My mission to Solwezi was however very different from what has been reported. I visited Solwezi for family reasons. I come from that area and from time to time, I do visit as a way of acquainting myself with my people.

Whilst in Solwezi, I may have interacted with a few of our local officials and discussed the growth of the MMD in North Western Province but I never visited the actual venue of the conference.

I had nothing to do with Mulenga’s victory. I did not travel to Solwezi to aid his election. My presence did not in anyway influence the outcome of the elections.

I hereby challenge the source of the allegations to prove their malicious allegations against me. I challenge them to show which Councilors I bribed. I challenge them to show which rooms I visited and bribed the Councilors. I challenge them to produce evidence that I was accommodated at the same Lodge where the alleged bribery took place.

Furthermore, If Councilors never wanted Mulenga to win, they would never have voted for him. They all participated via secret ballot and I was never in the ballot box to force anyone to vote for Mulenga.

The losers in this equation are those that contested and lost and are now spreading unfounded allegations of bribery. Our friends should learn that democracy respects the will of the people. Councilors voted for Mulenga because they believed he held the aspirations of the local government fraternity in Zambia.

Our friends should also learn from us as the MMD to accept the wishes of the people. When Zambians said no to the MMD, the party was magnanimous to accept the people’s choice and moved on. If our friends cannot accept defeat in a simple LGAZ election, the public will be right to start questioning their democratic credentials.

In conclusion, I wish to reiterate that no amount of bad press will discourage us from going round the country to mobilise and reorganise the MMD. Our leader Dr Nevers Mumba is clearly the people’s choice with the cleanest public image in Zambian politics and his image will not be tainted by these allegations.

Issued by Bowman Lusambo- MMD Die Hard National Youth Coordinator

China Foundation for Peace and Development (CFPD) has donated two Hugger buses and 30 computers valued at one hundred thousand United States Dollars to the National Project for Poverty Reduction (NPPR) training centre.

Speaking during the handover ceremony witnessed by Chinese Vice President Dr Li Yuanchao, Patriotic Front (PF) Secretary General Wynter Kabimba said the donation will inspire hard work and dedication among the NPPR staff to reach out to the most vulnerable youths across the country and empower them with life changing skills.

Mr. Kabimba said the objectives of the NPPR supplements governments efforts in combating poverty by empowering youths with life skills.

Mr Kabimba said the empowering of the youths with life skills will greatly help in the country in attaining of the Millennium Development Goals in poverty.

The PF Secertary General disclosed to the Chinese delegation that the programme has impacted positively many youths since its inception.

He said government attaches great importance to education as evidence by the hug slice of national funds allocated to the sector so as to enhancing education levels and make it available to all Zambians.

Mr Kabimba said the PF government has made education a priority apex among other sector as it is a key driver in reducing poverty among the Zambian people.

Meanwhile He implored NPPR to put to good use the equipment donated to the institute in a bid to change the leaves of the youths.

And speaking earlier at the same function NPPR Board chairperson Dr Ngosa Simbyakula revealed that over 500 youths have been trained in various technical skills course which are key in driving the growth of the economy.

He explained that the trained youths are now able to fend for themselves and their respective families hence complimenting governments efforts in reducing poverty.

CFPD Deputy Secretary General Yu Xiaoxuan said the institute was determined to help Zambia reduce poverty through collaboration with the NPPR programme.

Ms Xiaoxuan said the relationship between the CFPD and NPPR will help in contributing to Zambia’s social stability and in creating employment for the youths.

President Michael Sata waived his immunity the moment he subjected himself to the jurisdiction of the Lusaka High Court because the shield of Presidential immunity was not intended as a spear to disparage, defame and malign citizens, State Counsel Eric Silwamba has told Lusaka High Court judge Florence Lengalenga.

“The plaintiff has brought himself into the jurisdiction of this court and cannot be heard to use immunity.” He said, referring to the evidence President Sata gave when he disparaged the professional competence of prominent Lusaka Lawyer Vincent Malambo early this month.

“This court has inherent powers to protect non-parties from being defamed especially where the person involved is an officer of the Court.” Mr. Silwamba told Judge Lengalenga who is presiding over the matter.

Mr. Silwamba was responding to objections against prominent Lusaka Lawyer Vincent Malambo to join the case in which the President has sued the Daily Nation for defamation following the publication of a story that he was shielding his friends Mutembo Nchito the DPP, Fred M’membe the owner of Post Newspaper and Nchima Nchito- all directors of the defunct Zambian Airways from paying back K14billion to the Development Bank of Zambia which according to Judge Nigel Mutuna was obtained by fraudulent misrepresentation.

Order 15 of the laws, he said, conferred wide discretion on the court to join parties, even against the wishes of the plaintiff.

The shield of immunity attached to the presidency as an institution, he said, was not licence for the office holder to use as a spear to execute malicious defamation of individual, because such defamation during court proceedings was not protected by law.

Instead, he said, the court enjoyed wide discretionary powers to join individuals whose character and professional standing would be injured by such court proceedings.

The President, he said, could not enjoy immunity to maliciously defame and injure the professional standing of an individual, such as Vincent Malambo, a lawyer who was also an officer of the court.

Earlier, one of the lawyers representing President Sata argued that Vincent Malambo could not be joined to the proceedings because the President enjoyed immunity and that the Lawyer had no interest in the matter.

In response, Mr. Silwamba described as a strange argument advanced by the complainant suggesting that immunity consideration precluded Mr. Malambo from joining the case.“Admittedly Article 43 of the constitution grants the plaintiff immunity, but this immunity is not absolute and cannot be used as a spear to injure other people.” The Supreme Court, he said, had already given guidance that the President was not above the law, hence was bound to observe the law. Earlier, President Sata’s lawyers apologised for submitting their document late as a result the defence could not offer comprehensive arguments against the objection to Malambo’s joinder application.

After discussion, it was agreed that Mr. Silwamba would submit his submission Monday Morning and a decision would be rendered early in the week to ensure that cross examination of the President scheduled for Tuesday June 24 and Wednesday June 25 would take place.

Former Zambia Railways Limited Chief Executive Officer Professor Clive Chirwa has said that he has formally written to the Zambia Air Force (ZAF) requesting to be part of the investigations team into the plane crash in which Deputy ZAF Commander Major General Muliokela Muliokela and his co-pilot Colonel Brian Mweene were killed.

Prof. Chirwa told QFM news in a telephone interview that he is currently waiting for the response to his request to be given a chance to look at the evidence that has been gathered so far on the plane crash.

He said that much as he is aware that investigations may take long, he will only wait for two months to hear from ZAF on what the findings are on the plane crash.

Prof. Chirwa said that if he does not get the response from ZAF he will proceed to engage the families of the deceased.

He added that he has already held discussions with the person taking care of the affairs of the two families after the plane crash who is yet to get back to him.