FDD President Edith Nawakwi has said that there is something seriously wrong with the planes our decorated men and women at ZAF are using. In A statement released to the media, the FDD president said that Zambia could not afford to be losing highly qualified human resource in such a fashion. Ms Nawakwi gave the example of the late General Muliokela who was a distinguished Pilot of international repute and an instructor on seven different types of aircrafts, and rated category ‘A’ endorsed for Very Very Important Persons (VVIP).

Below is the full statement

FDD PRESS STATEMENT ON THE CONTINUED ZAF ACCIDENTS

The continued accidents involving our Zambia Air Force (ZAF) personnel can no longer be swept and draped under the flag of our land while we create an undying sorrow and anguish to the children and families of our fallen heroes.

Looking at the nature and occurrences of these accidents, we feel compelled to think that there is something seriously wrong with the planes our decorated men and women at ZAF are using. We are alive to the fact that due to the nature of their job and duty of gallant men and women in uniform, they may never come out in the open to tell us that the nation is maybe failing them in its sacred duty to provide them with the right tools to work with. This is why we as a political party are seriously calling for the Minister of Defense to make a Ministerial Statement to Parliament on the cause of these accidents and to inform the nation what measures the government is taking in protecting the precious lives of the patriots that we have continued to lose to accidents.

On 27th April,1993, the nation lost the entire national soccer team and crew when a DHC-5D Buffalo Plane belonging to ZAF crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the shores of Gabon and the nation still does not know what exactly happened. On 12th March, 2013, we lost one of our finest pilots in the name of Major Misapa Mukupa when the ZAF Harbin Z-G helicopter he was flying crash landed at City Airport. On 23rd February, 2013, one of the ZAF pilots was forced to execute a precautionary landing at Kohima Baracks due to a faulty power regulator and on Monday, May 19, 2014, we lost Major-General Muliokela Muliokela and Colonel Brian Mweene in another ZAF accident.

The training and competence of these gallant men and women cannot be questioned. General Muliokela was a distinguished Pilot of international repute and an instructor on seven different types of aircrafts. He was rated category ‘A’ endorsed for Very Very Important Persons (VVIP). Col Mweene was a highly trained pilot who minted the distinguished Flying, Africa Union, United Nations and Commissioning medals.

Surely as a nation we cannot continue to lose such highly qualified human resource in such a fashion. We wish to reiterate our call for the Minister of Defense to give a comprehensive Ministerial Statement to Parliament on the cause of these accidents. We further demand for the public release of the Report of the Board of Inquiry which was constituted to investigate the circumstances of the crash that killed Major Misapa Mukupa on last year’s youth day.

Prepared and issued by:
Edith Z. Nawakwi
FDD President

Alliance for better zambia leader Father Frank Bwalya says it is a scandal for president Michael Sata who is the commander in-chief of the armed forces to miss the burial of ZAF deputy commander general Muliokela Muliokela.

Father Bwalya says Zambians should condemn the leadership of Mr. Sata to shun the funeral a day after going to court in a matter where he has personal interest.

” And what kind of leader is Mr sata who goes to court for personal interest and fails to attend the funeral of a deputy commander. We could have excused him if he was sick and had gone to the hospital or had gone outside the country or maybe he had an engagement which could not be cancelled” wondered Fr. Bwalya.

Fr. Bwalya further observed that what the president did by missing the funeral is a mark of bad leadership.

And prominent Lusaka lawyer Sakwiba Sikota on his facebook posting wondered why the General Muliokela was not accorded a national mourning when a District Commissioner in the Copperbelt Province was accorded one just a few months ago.

“What is surprising is that Major-General Muliokela was the Deputy Air Commander and yet his Commander in Chief (President Sata) did not find it fitting to declare National Mourning for this very high ranking commander who died in the course of duty.

If a person in charge of a district of Zambia can have national mourning declared for them and two young missionaries can have the same, surely a person who looked after our entire airspace Defence was worthy of consideration along with his fallen colleagues to having National Mourning declared.

Since their Commander in Chief, President Sata, was fit enough to attend to his personal civil court case yesterday, the least he could have done as Commander in Chief was to have attended their funerals or at least shown up at the funeral houses.”

And Constitutional Lawyer Ludwig Sondashi has charged that President Michael Sata conducted himself in a manner not befitting a Head of State when he appeared in Court in person to testify in matter he has sued the Daily Nation newspaper for defamation.

[pullquote]If the President feels aggrieved, he should allow the State to deal with such a matter as it is already in the Republican constitution that any malicious statement against the Head of State is criminal and the State itself is to prosecute anyone speaking maliciously against the head of State-Dr Sondashi[/pullquote]

Dr. Sondashi noted that the Head of State is protected from prosecution by the constitution and therefore should not be at ease to sue people at will.

Dr. Sondashi, who is also Forum for Democratic Alternatives (FDA) president told Qfm news that a Head of State should be thick skinned to people’s criticism aimed at provoking him.

He said that if the President feels aggrieved, he should allow the State to deal with such a matter as it is already in the Republican constitution that any malicious statement against the Head of State is criminal and the State itself is to prosecute anyone speaking maliciously against the head of State.

And Dr. Sondashi has observed that the fact that President Sata decided to testify in person in court is unprecedented.

He said that he is of the view that the President should not have gone to court to testify in person when he has immunity from prosecution.

DIRECTOR of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Mutembo Nchito says his business relationship with Post Newspapers’ editor Fred M’membe cannot have a bearing on court issues and how he prosecutes former President Rupiah Banda.

Mr Nchito says he cannot recuse himself from prosecuting Banda and that the matter should not be sent to the High Court based on grounds that he will be biased against Banda as he is a business partner with Mr M’membe.

This is in a case in which Banda is charged with two counts of corrupt activities and concealing gratification of motor vehicles contrary to the laws of Zambia.
Mr Nchito said this on Wednesday in reply to Banda’s lawyers who wanted him to recuse himself and the matter to be sent to the High Court for determination of constitutional issues.

The matter is before principal resident magistrate Obbister Musukwa.

“It is understandable for the accused to feel angry, disappointed and emotional.

“The defence has filed various documents in this court, which are not even before this honourable court.

“My colleagues are now arguing that I will be biased because of my friendship with Mr M’membe, with due respect what influence does he have to determine the outcome of the court?” Mr Nchito said.

Defence lawyers led by Patrick Mvunga said Mr Nchito should stop handling this matter because Banda feels intimidated due to the existing business relationship between Mr Nchito and Mr M’membe who has allegedly labelled him guilty through editorial comments.

But Mr Nchito said there is nothing wrong for him to take an interest in a matter of importance and public interest, adding that it is his constitutional right to prosecute cases of public interest.

He said his business with Mr M’membe cannot affect his judgment and focus because the matter is an important case involving a former head of state and that the court is ready to provide guidance.

In reply, another defence lawyer Makebi Zulu said the application to transfer the matter to the High Court is neither vexatious nor frivolous but a serious constitutional issue.

The matter comes up May 30 for ruling.

Meanwhile, chief resident magistrate Joshua Banda has allowed the submission as part of the State’s evidence 12 photocopied documents in the matter in which Banda is charged with one count of abuse of authority of office relating to an oil deal valued at US$2.5 million.

Mr Banda said the documents Banda is disputing are relevant to the case and cannot be said to be foreign as the witness made efforts to locate the original documents.
The matter comes today for continued hearing.