THE United Party for National Development (UPND) has dragged Patriotic Front Secretary General, Wynter Kabimba to court demanding for damages for defamation over allegations that the opposition political party was responsible for the death of Central province minister Obvious Mwaliteta’s garden boy and PF cadre, Harison Chanda of Monze.

UPND deputy Secretary General Kuchunga Edwin Simuusamba who has sued the Post and the Times of Zambia, on behalf of the party, wants the Lusaka High Court to order Mr Kabimba award his party punitive, general and exemplary damages.

Mr Simuusamba wants the court to order that UPND be awarded damages for anguish and emotional turmoil suffered as a result of the said libelous publications, interest on the said damages and that the two newspapers offers public apologies in their papers.

He wants an injunction restraining Mr Kabimba and the newspapers from further publishing or causing to be published the said similar defamatory words.

Mr Kabimba has been sued along with the Post and Times of Newspapers as second and third respondents.

Mr Simuusamba has stated that on February 4, 2013, Mr Kabimba falsely, maliciously and wantonly caused to be printed defamatory information where he accused UPND of causing the death of Mr Mwaliteta’s garden boy Joana Liakoka which story was published in the Post newspaper under the headline “UPND behind death of houseboy-Kabimba.”

He said on February 27, 2013, Mr Kabimba caused to be published in the Times of Zambia another article headlined “UPND must take responsibility for the death of the PF cadre.”

Mr Simuusamba said the words were in their ordinary and natural meaning understood to mean that UPND members were responsible for the death of Mr Liakoka, Mr Chanda and were also responsible for the death of UPND member Menyani Zulu during the Chongwe by-elections.

He said the words were also understood to mean that UPND was a violent party and its members cultivated fear and intimidation in elections by instigating violence as its members were murderers and violent.

He claimed that the words were meant to mean that UPND secured blood stained votes in Livingstone and had a formula for terror, crime and murder.

He said because of the same articles, the party has been labeled violent on several occasions by the public while its members had been accused and arrested on trumped up charges of assault and murder.

Mr Simuusamba who said UPND has, as a result been greatly injured in its credit and reputation and that the articles were meant to gain increased sales and political mileage.

Government has commended the United Party for National Development (UPND) for holding a peaceful public rally on Sunday. Chief Government Spokesperson Mwansa Kapeya has also stated that the decision by Police to grant the permit for the public rally is also a demonstration that the Patriotic Front government does not interfere with the work of the Police.

Mr. Kapeya who is also Information and Broadcasting Services Minister noted that the successful holding of a rally by the UPND should further clear past accusations levelled against the PF government that it has been using draconian laws to stifle the opposition.

“In reality it is police who have deemed it fit not to allow such rallies based on their own security assessment. As Government we do not interfere in the operations of such critical wings of Government but want them to operate professionally,” he said.

He said the UPND rally was allowed to go ahead because Police had assessed the situation and were convinced the meeting could take place.

Mr. Kapeya said that the PF government believed in peaceful co-existence of political parties and multi party democracy.

He has also commended National Restoration Party (NAREP) president Elias Chipimo junior for the constructive criticism of the PF government.

Mr. Kapeya said Mr. Chipimo has demonstrated maturity in the way he conducts his politics.

Nurses at Ndola Central Hospital have joined their UTH and Kitwe Central hospital counterparts in protesting against government’s decision to give them a four percent salary increment.

At Ndola Central hospital nurses were found outside the hospital premises chanting anti-union leader slogans.

The nurses who vowed not to go back to work until they are addressed by Health Minister Dr Joseph Kasonde are demanding among other things a 75 percent basic salary increment.

The irate nurses told ZANIS that they also want their Union Leader Tom Yunga to step down citing that he has over stayed in the Union and that he is a liar who had failed to represent them.

The nurses also threatened to sort out part timers who were attending to patients at the hospital saying what they were fighting for was also for their benefit.

And Arthur Division Children’s hospital Pharmacists have also down tools leaving the pharmacy at the country’s children referral hospital closed.

And some mothers who had taken their children for medication complained over the closure of the pharmacy and called on government to address the plight of the pharmacists before the situation gets out of hand.