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Herve Renard says Zambia will prove the skeptics back home wrong on Tuesday against Group C leaders Burkina Faso at Mbombela Stadium.
And defender Joseph Musonda and Stopilla Sunzu are back in training after they were rested for Saturday’s practice.
“Go to the streets and ask the people what they are thinking they know football maybe better than me and you,” Renard said at the end of Sundays practice at Zambia’s training base at Ka Nyamazane Stadium in Nelspruit.
“I have only one thing to tell you in eight games we have not lost at the Africa Cup that means we have to win the next one, then we will qualify.”
Zambia must beat Burkina Faso on Tuesday to advance to the Africa cup quarterfinals on February 3.
Zambia has failed to produce a win at the Africa Cup in the South Africa drawing their last two games.
This is despite pre-tournament reassurances from Renard that the team will be ready by January 21 for the tournament.
Burkina Faso lead Group C on four points, Zambia and Nigeria are level on two points while Ethiopia are bottom on one point.
Meanwhile, Sunzu and Musonda took full part in Sundays practice after sitting out Saturday’s session.
Sunzu sustained a knee injury while Musonda had a sore hip.
United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema says Zambia needs development that will translate in improves lives of people.
Addressing a rally at Kabwata basic school grounds in Kabwata Constituency this afternoon, Mr. Hichilema said his party will not allow the ruling Patriotic front to use hooliganism to deny a better life for the people.
He said the PF government has failed to deliver development to the Zambians, a situation that has prompted them to try by all means to suppress the opposition’s voice.
The UPND leader says Zambians have now realized that the party they voted into power in the 2011 general elections has failed to live up to its promises.
Mr. Hichilema said the current challenges that the country is facing are as a result of failed leadership by the PF government.
Political activist Dante Saunders, ZDDM president Edwin Sakala and other officials were among members of the opposition who attended the rally.
And speaking earlier, UPND vice president Richard Kapita accused Tourism and Arts minister Sylvia Masebo of appointing PF secretary General Wynter Kabimba to the Zambia Wildlife Board (ZAWA) board merely to misapply funds.
Mr. Kapita also bemoaned the violence that erupted between UPND and PF cadres in the morning before the rally.
He said the violence instigated by suspected PF cadres was unfortunate as clearly showed how determined the PF is to silence the opposition.
Some UPND cadres sustained injuries following the violence that ensued and when contacted for a comment, Lusaka Province Police Commissioner Joyce Kasosa expressed ignorance about the development.
Some United Party for National Development (UPND) cadres attending the public rally at Kabwata Basic School grounds in Kabwata constituency in Lusaka have disclosed that police have moved in to control the confusion which erupted between the opposition party and suspected Patriotic Front (PF) cadres.
One of the UPND cadres Lameck Zdikita said police officers have since been deployed to the venue to monitor the situation ahead of the rally that will take place at 14:00 Hours today.
Mr. Zdikita, who is at the venue, told ZANIS in an interview that there was heavy presence of police at the planned UPND rally in Kabwata.
And efforts to get a comment from Inspector General of Police Stella Libongani and Police Spokesperson Elizabeth Kanjela proved futile by press time as their mobile phones went an answered.
The UPND is this afternoon expected to hold a public rally at Kabwata Basic School grounds in Kanyama constituency.
This is after Minister of Home Affairs allowed the opposition political party to go ahead with its planned rally.
Republican President Michael Sata was this morning among several African heads of State and Government who attended the official opening ceremony of the 20th African Union Summit of the AU Assembly at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The AU summit is being held under the Theme: “Pan-Aafricanism and African Renaissance”.
Speaking in her opening remarks, African Union Commission Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma congratulated Zambia and Tanzania for subjecting themselves to the rigorous process of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).
Zambia was peer reviewed yesterday on the sidelines of the African Union summit.
QFM’s David Bweupe reports from the AU headquarters that Dr Dlamini-Zuma noted that the African Union has institutionalized good governance and accountability in many countries through the African Governance Architecture and with thirty-three countries having participated in the African Peer Review Mechanism.
And UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon called on African leaders to stand against all forms of violence including rape and sexual violence.
Zambia has not been spared by the growing trend of violence against women, with a number of deaths involving women recorded in the recent past.
In his address, Mr Ban noted the need to put special focus on Africa’s girls and women, stating that they can drive peace and development.
He urged African governments to support victims of violence and end the culture of impunity.
Meanwhile the UN Secretary General has expressed concern that hundreds of millions of Africans are still living in poverty.
He said this is despite many countries having made important gains towards the Millennium Development Goals.
Mr Ban called for the need to accelerate the efforts in meeting the MDGs as the 2015 deadline approaches.
During the opening of the summit Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn was elected as the new African Union Chairperson, taking over from Benin president Boni Yayi whose term has come to an end.
FILE:Archbishop Ignatius Chama (right) being congratulated by Emeritus Archbishop James Spaita after the ordination ceremony at Kasama’s St. Johns Cathedral this was attended by thousands of people from all walks of life.
The Catholic church has released their pastoral letter in which, among other issues, have condemned the discriminatory application of the Public order ACT. In a statement to the media, the church said that the application of the Public Order Act by the Police left much to be desired. “For whatever reasons, we have observed over the years that each ruling party seems to have unlimited freedom to conduct public activities of any type on any day and at any time while opposition political parties and some civil society bodies are literally discriminated against whenever they try to conduct public activities, ” the letter read in part.
Below is the full letter
ZAMBIA EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE
ACT JUSTLY AND WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD
A Pastoral Statement
To the Catholic faithful and all people of goodwill.
Grace, mercy and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.
“This is what Yahweh asks of you, only this: to act justly, to love tenderly, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)
On the occasion of our January 2013 Plenary, we want to take this opportunity to raise pertinent issues on the state of our nation.
1.0 Introduction
As pastors and shepherds that serve among you, we share not only in your joys and hopes but also in your daily struggles, sorrows and anxieties. In Zambia today, we all have a lot to thank God for, both as individuals and as a nation. Apart from the relative peace in our country, we can attest to God’s goodness through the gift of life, the fellowship of our families, communities and friends as well as the endowment of abundant natural resources upon which our livelihoods depend. We all are beneficiaries of God’s kindness.
In return, we must remember and be mindful that God calls upon each one of us as individuals and institutions to be instruments of his love, justice, mercy, truth and peace. This is what it means “to walk humbly with your God”. The question then is to what extent have we been faithful to this mission, as a nation?
2.0 Prevailing political environment
It was certainly not by mistake that Zambians reverted to multiparty politics in 1991. Zambians wanted to restore to themselves liberties that had been grossly eroded during the one party era. Unfortunately, looking at what is happening around us, it would seem to us, that the ideals of a politically plural society have not been fully understood and appreciated by those that aspire for political leadership in our successive Governments. This can be seen by the high levels of political intolerance that continue to characterise our political environment, especially in intra-party and inter-party relationships. Squabbling for hegemony within and across political parties has taken centre stage. All of this is at the expense of working for the wellbeing and making better the lives of ordinary Zambian citizens. Again and again, we see this intolerance manifested through repeated acts of violence and lack of harmony between and within political parties.
We appeal to our leaders across the political spectrum to demonstrate maturity, dignity and magnanimity in the way they exercise their leadership and in the manner they relate to each other. Their focus should be on promoting the common good and especially uplifting the lives of the weak in our society.
3.0 By-Elections
Another phenomenon that we have observed, with great concern, is the rate at which by-elections in our country are occurring. We acknowledge that the Zambian laws provide for the holding of by-elections to fill elective political positions that become vacant. Whereas this provision had good intentions of dealing with a leadership vacuum, it has at the same time led to great abuse. Much as we acknowledge that there are by-elections occasioned by deaths of office holders, we are also increasingly seeing more and more by-lections motivated by greed, individual interests and a selfish propensity for political dominance. This is being done without care, serious prior consideration of the views of the electorate and sensitivity to the colossal amounts of money these by-elections are imposing on our economy.
We call upon our leaders to prudently exercise the power that the Zambian people have entrusted in them. Many of our hospitals, schools and other service centres cannot offer quality services due to inadequate funding. This is because they are subordinated to wrong priorities. We hope that the new constitution, which is in the making, will provide for mechanisms that will control the occurrence of unnecessary by-elections.
4.0 Lack of political integrity among our leadership.
Another concern that we note in our political dispensation is the clear lack of political integrity among our leaders. Many of our leaders seem to find it easy to change positions on policies solely for personal gain, expediency or convenience. We have seen leaders subscribe to particular principled positions when in opposition only to repudiate those very positions when accorded the instruments of power. It is such behaviour that gives our politics a bad name.
We appeal to the conscience of each of our politicians and call for a new era of good political leaders, who are consistent to their avowed principles, truthful and committed to the wellbeing of the public.
5.0 The Public Order Act
We are concerned about the manner in which the Public Order Act is being applied.
While we commend the police for efforts they are making in combating crime, ensuring law and order, their enforcement of the Public Order Act leaves much to be desired.
For whatever reasons, we have observed over the years that each ruling party seems to have unlimited freedom to conduct public activities of any type on any day and at any time while opposition political parties and some civil society bodies are literally discriminated against whenever they try to conduct public activities. Legitimate questions are being raised about the level of professionalism in our Zambia Police Service. We believe in the principle of equality before the law. Maintenance of ‘law’ and ‘order’ cannot only mean preventing opposition political parties from exercising their basic right to freedom of assembly. The unfair restriction of people’s liberties is breeding dangerous discontent.
We call upon the Government to embrace the spirit and letter of democracy before the nation is plunged into chaos. The Public Order Act, in its current form, has no place in our statutes. It is both repressive and anachronistic. It needs to be repealed.
6.0 The Barotseland Situation
We are greatly disturbed about events surrounding the Barotseland situation in the Western Province.
We are aware of a climate of intimidation and serious human rights violations currently prevailing in the Western Province: abductions of citizens; arbitrary arrests and individuals being subjected to long periods of interrogations, even torture. These acts are totally unacceptable. They must stop forthwith. This country is not in a state of emergency. We are not convinced that a de facto state of emergency should therefore exist in the Western Province.
We reiterate the call we made in our Pastoral Statement (That they may have abundant life, 29 January 2012) for the current administration to work with all stakeholders towards creating a more conducive environment that would lead to the amicable resolution of all matters surrounding the Barotseland situation.
We further urge all our leaders to especially avoid making unsubstantiated alarming statements and threats as these only serve to block opportunities for dialogue.
7.0 Human Rights
The Constitution of Zambia guarantees all people in the country fundamental human rights and freedoms among which are the right to life, freedom of expression, freedom to association, movement and conscience. The Government has therefore an inescapable obligation to promote and respect the human rights of citizens. This obligation also extends to citizens to respect each other’s rights.
Despite having instruments and institutions designed to promote and protect human rights, the human rights situation in Zambia is deteriorating in a manner that is causing worry. Examples include the arbitrary use of power by Government officials; intimidation and threats of arrest against leaders and individuals who speak against Government; deportations and even threats to our own Catholic priests for sermons seen as critical of Government.
We demand of Government to respect and promote human rights.
8.0 The Judiciary
For some time now, there has been persistent discourse on the state of the judiciary in Zambia with respect to its independence and impartiality. This situation has undermined public confidence in this institution. There is need to restore confidence in this important arm of Government. There are also many unresolved questions of public interest that have been left hanging and unanswered by the Executive. For example, when shall we see progress on the much talked about reforms in the judicial system? What is the current status of the Judge Chikopa Tribunal that was appointed last year? Why do we still have an acting Chief Justice and Deputy Chief Justice? When are these structural issues going to be resolved?
These and other questions need answers from the Executive because the nation deserves to be informed to avoid unhealthy speculation and rumours.
9.0 The Constitution making process
Up to now a people driven democratic constitution continues to elude us as a nation. This is in spite of colossal amounts of money and time that have been gobbled and wasted on this exercise. The Patriotic Front (PF), in their pre-September 2011 election campaigns promised the Zambian people a new constitution within ninety days of their accession to power. Today, sixteen months down the line, little progress, if any, seems to have been made on the constitution. There are public misgivings on the current constitution-making process, in part, due to the following reasons:
The refusal of the current administration to give the constitution-making process a legal framework that would protect the process and the content;
The uncertainty and lack of a roadmap and a predictable timeline on the process has also led to doubts about the sincerity of Government on the constitution. From the time that the Technical Committee started work on the constitution, several deadlines for completion of the process have been promised and missed. Currently we have a new deadline of 30 June 2013. We hope that this new milestone will be upheld and honoured;
The non-publication of the projected budget for the entire constitution making process: This state of affairs is unacceptable because it goes against the need for Government’s accountability on expenditure. Government needs to exhibit transparency in this matter;
Uncertainty on the referendum question: The people of Zambia deserve better. We need a categorical assurance of a Referendum by the Executive because that is what the Zambian people want and this is what they were promised by the current administration.
10.0 The need for more consultation
In the recent past, we have seen unprecedented Government decisions and actions being made by way of decrees.
This has especially been the case when Government has announced the creation of new political boundaries and governance structures. We appreciate the noble objectives behind these decisions, namely, to enhance participation in the governance system and make services more easily accessible to citizens. However, though the constitution gives powers to the Republican President to make decisions even by decree, it is desirable and sometimes necessary to consult, as this facilitates prior understanding and appreciation of issues and guarantees success at implementation stage.
Another case of the absence of consultation is in the areas of education. The Government–Church relationship in the education sector is governed by the Education Act. As major stakeholders, in the education sector, we are dismayed by the growing tendency for unilateral pronouncements, circulars and directives coming from Government functionaries. Some of these directives have far-reaching consequences in the manner we run our schools and sometimes border on matters of policy. Government would do well to consult with key local partners and stakeholders on such matters e.g. issues to do with school fees in our schools.
In the area of health, the Catholic Church’s relationship with the Government is governed by a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). It is disheartening to see major decisions such as the realigning of our medical institutions to new Government ministries taken without due consultation.
It is our fervent hope that the Government will do some objective and serious introspection in this area and act to carry everyone along when important decisions are being made.
11.0 Registration of all mobile SIM cards
We take note of the call by Government through the Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA) for all mobile phone users in Zambia to register their SIM cards with service providers or risk having them deactivated. According to ZICTA, the move is meant to deter criminality in Zambia and would be in accordance with the Information Communication Technologies (ICT) Act No 15 of 2009 and the Statutory Instrument on the Registration of Electronic Communication Apparatus No. 65 of 2011.
While the intention to deter criminality and control abuse of communication technologies is noble, we call upon the Zambian Government to put in place legal guarantees for the protection of personal data and privacy.
12.0 Conclusion
We would like to conclude by urging all of us to pray for this nation so that we may thirst and hunger for a more just society.
“This is what Yahweh asks of you, only this: to act justly, to love tenderly, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).
May we – in all that we think, say and do give praise and glory of God who is himself full of mercy and love.
Issued at Kapingila House, Lusaka, Zambia on 27 January, 2013.
Most. Rev. Ignatius Chama – Archbishop of Kasama, Apostolic Administrator of Mpika and ZEC President Rt. Rev. Alick Banda – Bishop of Ndola and ZEC Vice President Most Rev. Telesphore-George Mpundu – Archbishop of Lusaka Rt. Rev. Raymond Mpezele – Bishop of Livingstone Rt. Rev. Emilio Patriarca – Bishop of Monze Rt. Rev. George Cosmas Zumaile Lungu –Bishop of Chipata Rt. Rev. Charles Kasonde – Bishop of Solwezi Rt. Rev. Evans Chinyama Chinyemba, OMI – Bishop of Mongu Rt. Rev. Clement Mulenga, SDB– Bishop of Kabwe Rt. Rev. Benjamin Phiri – Auxiliary Bishop of Chipata Rev. Fr. Michael Merizzi, M.Afr. – Apostolic Administrator of Mansa Rt. Rev. Aaron Chisha – Bishop Emeritus of Mansa
Building materials worth thousands of rebased Kwacha meant for the construction of a health centre in chief Mukwikile`s area in Muchinga province have gone to waste.
This came to light yesterday when Muchinga Province minister Charles Banda paid a courtesy call on chief Mukwikile of the Bemba people of Shiwangándu district.
Chief Mukwikile complained that the construction of a health centre in his chiefdom has stalled.
He complained that his subjects were covering over 70 kilometres to seek medical attention in Mpika or Matumbo because of non availability of a health facility in his area.
Muchinga Province minister Charles Banda was dismayed when he discovered during an inspection tour of the unfinished structures that building materials, which include 157 pockets of cement, tins of paint and door frames among others, have been lying idle.
The materials were bought in 2010 by the provincial administration in Northern province.
The visibly annoyed Mr. Banda said it was criminal to buy building materials using tax payers’ money and allow the same to go to waste without being used.
Mr. Banda, who was accompanied by his Deputy Permanent Secretary Jewis Chabi and district heads of government departments, said it was unfortunate that the construction of the health centre has stalled.
He was saddened that the structure has remained uncompleted when it was scheduled to be completed in 2011 so that the local people could benefit.
He said people in the area were being made to travel long distances to access health services from Mpika and Matumbo which are about 70 kilometres and 50 kilometres away respectively.
Mr. Banda said the decision by the former administration in Northern Province under the MMD government to abandon the project was total negligence.
He has since directed his Permanent Secretary and the district administration in the province to institute serious investigations into the matter and ensure that all the culprits were made to account for their deeds.
The Provincial minister has also strongly advised supervisors of government projects to ensure that projects are completed on time.
Meanwhile, initial investigations have revealed that a Mpika based contractor, who was awarded the labour-based contract by the Northern Province administration under the supervision of former Permanent Secretary Mwalimu Simfukwe, suspended the works after discovering that not all building materials required for the project were readily available for him to do the work.
And chief Kabanda of the Bemba people of Chinsali district has appealed to government to consider building a secondary school in his chiefdom.
Chief Kabanda told Mr. Banda yesterday during his continued tour of the districts that the nearest school was Ilondola mission secondary school which is over 40 kilometres from his area.
But Mr. Banda said government has planned to build a secondary school in each chiefdom in the province adding that works would start soon.
Mr. Banda, who was recently transferred from Eastern to Muchinga Province, is on a familiarization tour to check on developmental projects in the area.
He is also taking time to visit chiefs to explain government programmes and plans for development.
The Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) has commended Home Affairs Minister Edgar Lungu for allowing the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) to hold its planned public rally in Kabwata constituency today.
FODEP Executive Director MacDonald Chipenzi said Mr. Lungu has shown mature leadership by allowing UPND to hold a rally.
Mr. Chipenzi said the intervention of the Home Affairs Minister over the holding of a political rally in Kabwata comes at the right time when the country’s democratic credentials where on the spot light.
He told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that Mr. Lungu’s intervention was timely and one that was done in good faith.
He said it was imperative that political parties were given an opportunity to share their views and aspirations with the members of the public through holding political rallies.
Mr Chipenzi said democracy was all about competition of ideas and that it cannot thrive when the voices of certain quarters of society were stifled.
The FODEP chief said allowing the UPND to go ahead with the planned rally after protracted debates between the opposition and the police was an indication of better things to come.
He urged the leadership of the UPND to control their cadres in order to ensure that they behave in an orderly and non violent manner.
He said the UPND leadership has a moral, political and constitution duty to demonstrate to the Zambian people that it was capable of holding violent free rallies.
Mr. Chipenzi said what will transpire in Kabwata today will be a true reflection of the calibre of the opposition party in as far as was concerned.
Yesterday, Minister of Home Affairs allowed the UPND to hold a rally in Kabwata.
UPND president Hakainde Hichilema welcomed the move and urged the police to handle the gathering today professionally.
Father Bwalya
Father Frank Bwalya has distanced himself from the allegations by the UPND that he is he inciting electorates in Livingstone to vote for the PF candidate in the forthcoming by-election.
Yesterday, UPND deputy spokesperson Edwin Lifwekelo accused Father Bwalya of inciting people of livingstone to prove that they are not tribal by voting for the ruling patriotic front.
But Father Bwalya has strongly refuted Lifwekelo’s claims stating that at no time did he make such remarks to anyone.
He has since challenged Lifwekelo to prove where and when he claims he made such remarks.
Father Bwalya tells QFM news that what he is only aware of is that some individuals masquarade, even on social networks, under his name just to put his name to shame.
Father Bwalya says he is very dissapointed with the accusation because he has never said anything to anyone on the Livingstone Central by-election.
Former Southern Province Minister Daniel Munkombwe (c) talks to a Chinese exhibitor (l) as My Home Town Chairperson George Cornhill (r) looks on at the on going Choma trade fair and festival in Choma.
Veteran Politician Daniel Munkombwe says the Patriotic Front (PF ) candidate Lawrence Evans for the February 28, 2013 Livingstone Constitution bye-elections set for February 28, 2013.
And Mr Munkombwe said the United Party for National Development candidate Sakwiba Sikota in the Livingstone by-election is not a threat to the PF candidate at all.
The veteran politician expressed his confidence that the PF candidate Evans was the right candidate who was going to scoop the seat without any difficulties.
ZANIS reports Mr. Munkombwe to have said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that it is however, up to the electorate to vote for the best candidate to represent them in parliament come February 28, 2013.
Mr Munkombwe was speaking in a wake of the United Party for National Development candidate Sakwiba Sikota whom the opposition political party has settled for to contest the Livingstone central seat.
He said every political party has a right to choose a candidate of their choice based on the popularity of their candidate adding that he was optimistic that the PF candidate would defeat the other candidates.
He bragged that as a veteran politician, his predictions are always right and urged the parties contesting the two by-elections to campaign peacefully devoid of violence.
Mr Munkombwe also cautioned the people of Livingstone not to vote for the opposition candidate because it is only Government who is able to bring development by working with ruling party MP.
Mr Sikota, who is also United Liberal Party President ,served as Livingstone Central MP before and after the demise of the UPND founder president late Anderson Mazoka.
During the 2011 elections, Mr Sikota did not contest his Livingstone seat t but opted to support the candidature of former President Rupiah Banda before MMD was humiliated by the ruling PF in the 2011 Tripartite elections which saw his Excellency President Sata become the 5th President of Zambia.
President Michael Sata has said that the constitutional instability that has characterised Zambia since independence will soon be a thing of the past.
In his statement at the 18th African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) forum in Addis Ababa on Saturday evening in response to the contents of Zambia’s review report, Mr Sata said his administration had made a promise to the Zambian people that the constitutional instability that has characterised the country since independence would soon be history.
“As correctly observed by the country review report, Zambia has experienced frequent constitutional changes since independence in 1964.
[pullquote]Mr Sata said even if the country review report was a reflection of the governance of Zambia by the previous regime, his administration would not engage in the blame game.[/pullquote]
“A committee of experts has already been constituted to review the recommendations of all previous constitutional review commissions in order to come up with a draft people’s Constitution,” he said.
He said as pointed out in the country review report that “presidential pre-eminence and state centralisation are re-enforced because the country’s chief executive officer has extensive powers of appointment of all the pivotal officers in state administration,” this issue and many other issues of a constitutional nature raised in the report, including challenges in the electoral laws, would be addressed during the constitutional review process, which is currently underway .
President Sata also observed that government faced a number of challenges in ensuring access to justice for all as a large number of citizens were “constrained by structural bottlenecks in the justice administration system”.
Mr Sata said access to justice, remains a priority for government and to that end, government was in the process of carrying extensive judicial reforms involving all stakeholders.
[pullquote]“..presidential pre-eminence and state centralisation are re-enforced because the country’s chief executive officer has extensive powers of appointment of all the pivotal officers in state administration,” this issue and many other issues .., would be addressed during the constitutional review process, which is currently underway.[/pullquote]
Mr Sata said even if the country review report was a reflection of the governance of Zambia by the previous regime, his administration would not engage in the blame game.
He said the report had come out very timely for the PF government, at the time it had been entrusted with the stewardship of the affairs of the Zambian people.
“We shall use it to improve the lives of the zambian people. The country review mission report findings in the four thematic areas, the cross cutting issues raised and indeed the recommendations for the said thematic areas will be of invaluable assistance for us, as we strive to make Zambia a better place for all,” he said.
And Mr Sata said Zambia continues to be a beacon of peace and political stability.
He said in its 48 years of existence and independence, Zambians had continued to live peacefully and alongside each other, in spite of lingual and tribal diversity.
“We are one of the few countries on the African continent that have had peaceful handovers of political power following general elections.On 20th September, 2011, the sixth successive multi party general elections since 1991 were held. Our party, the Patriotic Front (PF), defeated the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) under the leadership of President Rupiah Banda.
“Like his excellency former president Kenneth Kaunda in 1991, my predecessor handed over power peacefully. In fact, former president Banda attended my inauguration ceremony at which he symbolically handed over instruments of power to me,” he said.
Mr Sata said this gesture demonstrates the growth of democracy in Zambia which other countries on the continent may wish to emulate.
[pullquote]“Like his excellency former president Kenneth Kaunda in 1991, my predecessor handed over power peacefully. In fact, former president Banda attended my inauguration ceremony at which he symbolically handed over instruments of power to me,” he said.[/pullquote]
Mr Sata said his government acknowledged that democracy, good governance and the rule of law at national level, as well as an enabling environment were essential for national development.
Meanwhile, Mr Sata said reducing poverty remains one of the major challenges facing zambia.
President Sata has said in order to fight high levels of poverty in Zambia, the Government has priortised four core development programmes, namely: education development, health services, agriculture development and local government and housing development.
He said to address the high poverty levels in the country, government had priotised four core development programmes, which are education development; health services, agriculture development and local government and housing development.
He said these four core programmes are supported by other key sectors such as infrastructure development, social protection, commerce, trade and industry, and tourism.
On the problem of the poor state of infrastructure, President Sata said government had committed a substantial part of the national budget to infrastructure development.
Mr Sata said priority had been given to the construction of roads linking various provinces and districts in the country as well as the construction of bridges, schools, universities, hospitals and health centres.
On corruption, he said government was working hard to fight the vice.
He said over the years, the Zambian public had lost confidence in the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) with respect to the fight against corruption.
“To restore public confidence in the commission, my government has repealed and re-enacted the anti-corruption commission act in order to introduce much stiffer penalties for corruption offences, including, reinstating the abuse of office clause which the previous government had removed,” he said.
“And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, ‘I believed and therefore I spoke,’ we also believe and therefore speak.” (2 Corinthians 4:13, NKJV)
TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria
Every believer has been given a measure of faith. In order to see the promises of God come to pass in your life, you have to give your faith a voice. You must declare what God says about you in His Word. Those seeds of faith inside you are activated when you speak them out into the atmosphere. That’s why the scripture tells us, “Let the weak say I am strong. Let the poor say I am rich.” When you give your faith a voice and send forth the Word of God, the Bible says that He watches over His Word to bring it to pass in your life.
Every word you speak is a seed. Don’t dig up your seed by speaking against your faith! Don’t allow words of defeat or negativity come out of your mouth. Instead, water your seed by continuing to declare the Word of God. When you wake up every morning, thank Him that His promises are coming to pass in your life. As you do, you will see those things come to pass and live the life of victory God has prepared for you!
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father, today I humbly come before You giving You my thoughts, my actions, and my words. Help me to give my faith a voice by speaking Your Word daily. May my words and my thoughts be pleasing to You always in Jesus’ name. Amen.
SOME opposition politicians in North Western are reportedly telling youths that Government’s Youth Development Fund was blood money meant to initiate them into Satanism.
According to North Western province minister Steven Masumba, some youths were shunning the KR 1.1m fund for fear of being taken into Satanism.
Masumba said in notes delivered on his behalf by Mufumbwe District Commissioner Emma Mankishi and ministry of Sports Youth Coordinator for North Western Christopher Malisopo at meetings held in Lumwe, Kashima and Matushi areas on Friday that as a result, several youths especially from Kasempa had stayed away from applying for financial support.
He said some youths had been dissuaded by political opponents of the Patriotic Front that the resources from the YDF were maneuvers to get them into satanic practices.
Masumba stated that the fund was a way to alleviate poverty and create employment through clubs formed by women and the youths.
And Lumwe residents Judith Dinala and Juliet Kuneti appealed to Masumba to deliver on his promise that the women and youths in the area would be financially supported unlike previously when they were only alerted to the possibility of applying for the funds but never got any of their projects approved.
But Malisopo assured that the current administration was determined to reduce poverty by taking empowerment programs in the rural areas and ensure that vulnerable people were not disadvantaged.
Mankishi told the women that the PF Government had put them at the center of driving development in their communities and would not neglect them
Renowned Lawyer Sakwiba Sikota has refused to confirm or deny whether he has been adopted to stand on UPND tickek in the forth forth coming Livingstone by election slated for February 28, 2013.
When contacted today, Mr. Sikota neither denied nor confirmed but said he was going to get back and issue a statement after consultations with the UPND top management.
However UPND Deputy Party Spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa when reached for comment on the matter could also neither confirm nor deny the issue.
Mr. Mweetwa said that if his party has adopted Mr. Sikota it will make an official announcement, next week.
He could not deny the candidature of Mr. Sikota saying that although the party could not announce officially, Mr. Sikota was the likely candidate to stand on UPND ticket as he was the people’s choice in the area.
“UPND is considering Mr. Sikota, who is also former MP for Livingstone and stood under the UPND ticket in 2001, “he said.
The renowned Lawyer, is opposition United Liberal Party ( ULP ) leader. It is not known whether if adopted , Mr. Sikota will relinquish his party post for him to contest the Livingstone seat on UPND as required by law.
The MMD has adopted former district commissioner of Siavonga Fred Siasuntwe as its candidate for the Livingstone parliamentary by-election.
MMD chairperson for elections Kennedy Chipungu has since appealed to voters to give Siasuntwe their vote.
He said Siasuntwe is a bonafide member of the MMD with unquestionable loyalty and is politically mature.
Siasuntwe also served as District Commissioner for Kazungula.
The ruling Patriotic Front (PF) will field a Livingstone businessman Lawrence Evans as their candidate for Livingstone Central seat.
