President Michael Sata has pledged to continue supporting traditional ceremonies because government recognizes the role they play in promoting unity.

Speaking which he officiated at the Nc’wala traditional ceremony of the Ngoni people in Chipata this afternoon, President Sata said traditional ceremonies continue to serve as platforms on which traditional spheres where cultural heritage is passed on from one generation to the next.

He stated that government recognises the role that traditional leaders play in helping to improve the welfare of people in the country.

“It is for this reason that the decentralization policy will involve direct participation of chiefs in developmental programmes,” he said.

The Head of State has since urged traditional rulers in the country to thank God for the peace that the country has continued to enjoy since independence.

Mr Sata has further commended the Ngoni speaking people for preserving their cultural heritage.

And Paramount Chief Mpezeni of the Ngoni people of Eastern Province has praised President Michael Sata for ensuring that the Chipata/Mchinji railway becomes operational.

Speaking in a speech read on his behalf by Nc’wala National Organizing Committee Chairperson, Noel Nkoma, Paramount chief Mpezeni noted that the project, which was considered a white elephant, will be launched next month, adding that this proves the political will that the Head of State attaches to it.

Paramount Chief Mpezeni also commended government for the many developmental programmes taking place in Eastern province.

He observed that President Sata has shown political will of upgrading the Great East Road of which the contractor is already on site.

Paramount chief Mpezeni also commended First Lady, Christine Kaseba, for launching the campaign against early marriages in Eastern province.

He said the campaign is of great importance to the province and disclosed that over 50 girls have since been rescued from early marriages in his chiefdom.

The traditional leader also noted that the upgrading of schools in the province will improve access to education among children in rural parts of the country.

And Paramount Chief Mpezeni has commended government for implement the Food Security Pack Programme (FSP) among the vulnerable in the province.

He, however, expressed concern that the Farmer Input Supply (FISP) programme has not been performing to the expectations of many.

Paramount Chief Mpezeni appealed to government to scale up the delivery of farming inputs under the FISP as Eastern Province contributes 26 per cent to national food security.

Meanwhile, Paramount Chief Mpezeni has reiterated his calls to government to effect a ban on public transport and trucks to move at night in order to reduce road carnage.

He stated that he was saddened with the road accident which occurred on Mazabuka/Monze road in which eleven people died on Friday.

The Oasis Forum says the best jubilee gift for Zambians this year is the delivery of a new and people-driven constitution.

Forum Spokesperson, Cleophas Lungu, says the best way to honour the fallen heroes is to put in place a new constitution that will ensure that their noble aspirations of having a prosperous and democratic Zambia are realised.

Fr Lungu has urged well-meaning Zambians to stand firm and strong in the resolve to deliver a new constitution that will give them a good cause to celebrate this year’s the Golden Jubilee.
He said this in a statement released to the media in Lusaka.

Fr. Lungu stated that Oasis Forum remains resolved to mobilizing the masses at the grassroots and campaigning in a peaceful manner for the immediate release of the final draft of the constitution and its enactment through a national referendum.

TOURISM and Arts Minister Sylvia Masebo has told the Tribunal constituted to probe her alleged interference into the operations of the Wild Life Authority (ZAWA) that she will call 20 witnesses to defend the allegations leveled against her.

Ms Masebo told the Tribunal chairperson Rhoyda Kaoma who sat with two members Livingstone Judge-in charge Ernest Mukulamutiyo and Lusaka high court judge Chalwe Mchenga when they sat yesterday to outline the ground rules that she was ready to call 20 witnesses but the proceedings would dictate whether all of them would have to testify.

The Tribunal is officially expected to start its sittings sitting on Monday and Ms justice Kaoma told both parties that the tribunal which had 45 day to complete it sittings from the time it was appointed was now remained with reduced days.

It was appointed on February 13, 2014 after former communications and transport minister William Harrington petitioned the acting chief justice Lombe Chibesakunda to set up a tribunal against Ms Masebo.

“We have less than 40 days and out of the 40 days 20 should be left to the tribunal to prepare and submit its findings to the President and the Speaker,” she said.

Justice Kaoma said the tribunal would start sitting at 09:00 hours upto 18:00 hours with only a lunch break at 13:00 hours.

Ms Masebo is represented Michael Mundashi, Bonaventure Mutale and Robert Simeza, all State Counsels while Mr Harrington has Gilbert Phiri, Makebi Zulu and Keith Mweemba.

Mr Phiri indicated on behalf of Mr Harrington that he will call 12 witnesses out of which five were supposed to be subpoenaed as they are serving in Government.

Ms Justice Kaoma said Mr Harrington being the petitioner will be the first to bring witnesses and will lay his evidence from Monday up to February 28 and Ms Masebo will start on March 3 and will finish on March 7 this year.

She said that rules of evidence and procedure which apply in civil and criminal matters in the High Court will not apply to the tribunal because Ms Masebo was not under trial but merely investigating her alleged professional misconduct.

She said the tribunal will consider the issue of relevance with the outmost importance and lawyers should endeavor to call relevant witnesses.

FORMER defence minister Geoffrey Mwamba has been granted an ex-parte injunction restraining the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) from expelling him.

Lusaka High Court Judge Annie Sharpe-Phiri said that no agent or servant of the PF should expel the Kasama Central law maker from the party until her further order.

Ms Justice Sharpe-Phiri said that Mr Mwamba had established a prima facie case or a good claim to the right he was seeking to protect to enable the court exercise its discretion in his favour.

This is in a matter in which Mr Mwamba has sought the intervention of the court to challenge the decision of PF to suspend and expel him from the party.

Mr Mwamba who has sued Wynter Kabimba in his capacity as PF Secretary General has argued through his lawyers from Makebi Zulu Advocates that he was not officially communicated, not given an opportunity to be heard and that he had not been formally charged by the party for any misconduct.

But in her ruling yesterday, Ms justice Sharpe-Phiri said it was a prerequisite of the law in disciplinary matters of a Club that the principles of natural justice are observed which demands that an erring member should be notified of the charges leveled against him.

Ms Justice Sharpe Phiri said that it was also a requirement that an erring member was supposed to be afforded

an opportunity to answer the allegations or be subjected to a fair hearing otherwise the purported actions of the Club would be invalid.

She said since Mr Mwamba had in his affidavit in support stated that no formal charge of any purported misconduct was preferred against him and that he had not been given an opportunity to be heard, it was appeared to the court that the rules of natural justice were not observed.

” for the reasons stated above, I am satisfied that the plaintiff has established a prima facie case or a god or arguable claim to the right he seeks to protect and that this is a good case to exercise mu discretion in favour of the plaintiff” Ms Justice Sharpe-Phiri said.

Ms Justice Sharpe Phiri further stated that she was however in making the above findings in no way predetermining how she would decide the main matter.

“Therefore the application for injunction succeeds. I accordingly order the defendant, whether by himself, his agents, and servants is hereby restrained from expelling the plaintiff from the Patriotic Front until further order of this court”. Ms Justice Sharpe-Phiri said.

The ex-parte injunction granted to Mr Mwamba was subject to an inter-parte hearing between him and the PF.