The Patriotic Front in Kasama District has advised the media to stop portraying people endorsing President Michael Sata’s candidature in the 2016 presidential election as bad.

Reacting to today’s POST story in which some PF members are calling for disciplining of Defence Minister, Geoffrey Mwamba for championing the endorsement campaign for President Michael Sata, PF District Chairman, Caleb Monta, said the calls were baseless and unfortunate.

He claimed that the ‘false’ dream by some named PF senior party members to succeed President Sata’s have been thwarted by Mr Mwamba’s endorsement campaign for President Sata as the preferred presidential candidate for the ruling party in the 2016 general elections.

Mr Monta said as a result, some media houses have specialized in attacking Mr Mwamba, who is also Kasama Central Member of Parliament, for openly supporting President Sata as the preferred presidential candidate for the ruling party in the 2016 general elections.

He alleged that only some disgruntled senior party members were opposed to the endorsement of President Sata.
Mr Monta observed that the negative reports being carried by the POST against Mr Mwamba will not erode his popularity in the ruling party.

He said the party members in Kasama Central Constituency were in full support of their area MP in quest to campaign for President Sata.

Mr Monta has accused the PF Provincial Executive Committee of turning into a ‘rebel’ group by working against the party.
The District Chairman has since appealed to President Sata to quickly intervene and dissolve the committee before it does more harm to the ruling party.

And Kasama District Information and Publicity, Jackson Simutenda, has called for the immediate suspension of party provincial youth chairman, Ronald Mulenga, for his utterances that were likely to bring the name of ruling party into ridicule.

He said PF members have every right to endorse President Sata as the party’s sole presidential candidate in the 2016 tripartite elections.

Meanwhile, CHINSALI District Commissioner (DC) Evelyn Kangwa says those not supporting the endorsement of President Michael Sata as a sole candidate for 2016 elections are not full Patriotic Front ( PF) members.

(ZANIS reports from Chinsali District that the District Commissioner said this in an interview at her office
Chinsali today .

Ms. Kangwa said that there is nothing wrong in endorsing President Sata for 2016 elections.

Ms. Kangwa has also warned those attacking Defence Minister Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba (GBM) for endorsing President Sata for 2016 elections to stop adding that the campaign seemingly launched by the Defence minister has the blessings of the party at grass root level.

Ms. Kangwa said what Mr. Mwamba is saying is the feeling of the people at grass root level as they are the ones who supported President Sata during the 2011 tripartite elections.

“This is the feeling of the people at grassroots level that President Sata should be endorsed as PF party sole presidential candidate in the 2016 elections.

“ GBM is just being used as a conduit. The campaign itself is from the people and no one can absorb the feelings of the people, “said Ms. Kangwa.

Ms. Kangwa ,who is also former District Chairperson for PF in Chinsali, said President Sata has proved that he is a man worth entrusting with the affairs of the nation and this is why people in the party are endorsing him for presidency in 2016.

“ The local PF leadership here in Chinsali is very much behind the campaign raised by GBM for President Michael Chilufya Sata to be adopted as the sole candidate for the position, “ she said.

Ms. Kangwa added that President Sata is committed to deliver on the campaign promises made during the run up to the September 18th, 2011 tripartite elections and that he has already started delivering on the promises made.

The DC charged that those attacking Mr. Mwamba for endorsing President Sata should come out in the open and state where they belong.

She added that whether he is endorsed or not the Republican President is still eligible to go for his second term .

“ Therefore, those opposing the endorsement do not know what they are doing and should come out in the open and tell the nation their interests, ‘ she said.

The endorsement of President Sata as a sole presidential candidate for 2016 elections under the PF has sparked a lot of debate across the country with some party members allegedly being suspended for supporting the endorsement while other senior party members have publicly exchanged bitter words over the same endorsement.

First Lady Christine Kaseba, has implored Zambians to use the euphoria the just-ended 2013 20thSession of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has created to market the country’s tourism potential.

Speaking after being conferred as an honorary ambassador of tourism for Zambia, Dr Kaseba said the legacy that the just-end conference left should be a springboard for citizens to effectively market the country’s tourism potential to the outside world.

The First Lady noted that Zambia has a number of waterfalls dotted around the country and a variety of wildlife species that the country can benefit from if well marketed.

Dr Kaseba told heads of delegations and senior government officials that attended the function dubbed “The First Lady’ Health Gala Dinner-Health for Improved Tourism” under the theme: “A Healthy Nation is a Wealthy Nation” held at the Zambia Air Force (ZAF) Banquet Hall in Livingstone last night.

She reiterated President Sata’s warning against the pitfalls of over-consumption and implored Zambians to protect the physical environment and cultures by promoting sustainable tourism.

Dr Kaseba advised old people to promote the balance of nature and cultural biodiversity so that it can be preserved for future generations.

Earlier, UNWTO Secretary General, Taleb Rifai, said Zambians should be proud for successfully co-hosting an event that has put the country on the world market.

Dr Rifai commended the Zambian government for taking a step on promoting health tourism in line with the World Health Organisation (WHO) which has since appointed goodwill health ambassadors to promote the cause.

Meanwhile, Tourism and Arts Minister, Sylvia Masebo, said tourism and health go together, hence the launch of the promotion of health tourism in the country aimed at maintaining cleanliness in tourist spots.

Ms Masebo noted that the successful co-hosting of the event has given Zambians the impetus to consolidate and enhance cleanliness and healthy campaign across the country.

She said the event has repositioned Zambia as a favouarble destination for tourists, hence the need to continue marketing the sector.

In attendance was Republican Vice President’s wife, Charlotte, who led Ministers’ spouses, Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet, Ambassador Peter Kasanda, who lead Permanent Secretaries and some District Commissioners.

Also in attendance was Defence Minister, Geoffrey Mwamba and his Commerce, Trade and Industry counterpart, Emmanuel Chenda.

[ZANIS]

The Catholic Archdiocese of Lusaka and the Zambia Episcopal Conference have announced that Medardo Cardinal Joseph Mazombwe who died in Lusaka yesterday will be buried on Tuesday, September 03 2013.

The burial will take place at Cathedral of the Child Jesus at Pope Square after a requiem mass starting at 09 Hours.There shall be no body viewing after the requiem mass.

This evening there shall be mass at the Cathedral of the Child Jesus in memory of the late Cardinal.

His Eminence, Cardinal Mazombwe passed away in Lusaka’s University Teaching Hospital at around 17.40 hours Zambian time.

Cardinal Mazombwe was born on 24 Sep 1931 at Katete in the Eastern Province of Zambia.He was ordained a Catholic priest on 4 September 1960 and become Bishop of Chipata Diocese on 7 Feb 1971. Between 1996 and 2006, he was the Archbishop of Lusaka until his retirement in 2006.

On 30 November 2010 the then Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI created the Emeritus Archbishop of Lusaka, Medardo Joseph Mazombwe, as Zambia’s first indigenous Cardinal, at a public consistory held in St. Peter’s Basilica, at the Vatican.

Cardinal Mazombwe has held several senior positions in the local and regional Church, such as Zambia Episcopal President (1972 – 1975; 1988 – 1990 and 1999 – 2002); and as Chairman of the regional conferences of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (A.M.E.C.E.A.) (1979 – 1986).

In the months leading to the year 2000, Cardinal Mazombwe, as Archbishop of Lusaka, was an ardent campaigner for the cancellation of Zambia’s international debt, in the Jubilee 2000 movement.Most visible among some of his numerous pastoral initiatives, is the sprawling Cathedral of the Child Jesus (Pope Square) in Lusaka.

Cardinal Mazombwe’s optimism and courage in the face of Cancer inspired many that visited him in the last twelve months. Even as he grew weak, Cardinal Mazombwe never gave up his passion for the affairs of the Church and the nation.

Luapula Province Permanent Secretary Chanda Kasolo has issued an instruction on a dress code for civil servants in the province.

Mr Kasolo in a circular addressed to all District Commissioners and heads of government departments in the province stated that he had observed with displeasure that some of government employees in the province had a tendency of wearing inappropriate attires for the kind of work they do.

He said to some extent some government employees come to offices dressed in tights and sports attire which were inappropriate.He declared that with immediate effect all government employees should dress appropriately in accordance with the work they do.

Mr Chanda explained that from Monday to Thursday, he expected officers to be dressed accordingly with men clad in suits with ties, and ladies in suits or smart Chitenge outfits.

The Permanent Secretary added that on Fridays, officers should wear smart casual or any other attire that will help them perform in their important government duties.

He instructed the District Commissioners and heads of government departments to ensure that they brought the contents of his instruction to the attention of all the staff under their charge.
[ZANIS]

Labour and Social Security Minister Fackson Shamenda has advised UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema to stop alarming the nation on issues he does not understand.

Responding to Mr. Hichilema statement that the move by government to reform the public service pension scheme is a ploy not to pay retirees, Mr. Shamenda said that Mr. Hichilema should keep quiet than mislead the nation.

He explained that governments world over are reforming their public pension schemes in a bid to give better conditions to the majority retirees who for many years fail to get their retirement package on time.

Mr. Shamenda said that government is not in support of politicians that want to alarm the nation on simple issues.

He said that the Patriotic Front government is committed to ensuring that Zambians have their retirement dues in a quick way than waiting for years to get their gratuities.

Mr Shamenda has since appealed to Mr. Hichilema to seek audience with him if he is to understand the move by government to reform the public service pension scheme

The Catholic Archdiocese of Lusaka and the Zambia Episcopal Conference regret to announce the death of His Eminence Medardo CARDINAL Joseph Mazombwe, the Archbishop Emeritus of Lusaka Archdiocese.

His Eminence, Cardinal Mazombwe passed away in Lusaka’s University Teaching Hospital (UTH) on Thursday, 29 August 2013 at around 17.40 hours Zambian time.

Cardinal Mazombwe was born on 24 Sep 1931 at Katete in the Eastern Province of Zambia. He was ordained a Catholic priest on 4 September 1960 and become Bishop of Chipata Diocese on 7 Feb 1971. Between 1996 and 2006, he was the Archbishop of Lusaka until his retirement in 2006.

On 30 November 2010 the then Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI created the Emeritus Archbishop of Lusaka, Medardo Joseph Mazombwe, as Zambia’s first indigenous Cardinal, at a public consistory held in St. Peter’s Basilica, at the Vatican.

Cardinal Mazombwe has held several senior positions in the local and regional Church, such as Zambia Episcopal President (1972 – 1975; 1988 – 1990 and 1999 – 2002); and as Chairman of the regional conferences of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (A.M.E.C.E.A.) (1979 – 1986).

In the months leading to the year 2000, Cardinal Mazombwe, as Archbishop of Lusaka, was an ardent campaigner for the cancellation of Zambia’s international debt, in the Jubilee 2000 movement. Most visible among some of his numerous pastoral initiatives, is the sprawling Cathedral of the Child Jesus (Pope Square) in Lusaka.

Cardinal Mazombwe’s optimism and courage in the face of Cancer inspired many that visited him in the last twelve months. Even as he grew weak, Cardinal Mazombwe never gave up his passion for the affairs of the Church and the nation.

Other funeral details will be communicated in due course.

MHSRIP.

Fr. Paul Samasumo 29 August 2013

ZEC Spokesperson