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Forum for Democracy and Development FDD leader, Edith Nawakwi
Government has conveyed its condolences to Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) leader Edith Nawakwi on the death of her 26 year old daughter, Hatamba Hambulo.
Chief Government Spokesperson Kennedy Sakeni, who is also Information and Broadcasting Minister, said the death of the FDD leader’s daughter was saddening.
Hatamba is believed to have been brutally killed by unknown people in Lusaka’s Ibex Hill residential area on Tuesday.
Mr. Sakeni said this in a press statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today.
He expressed government’s deep-felt grief and sorrow on the sad and tragic loss of Ms. Nawakwi daughter.
Mr. Sakeni wished the bereaved family God’s comfort and strength as the bereaved family goes through a time of extreme pain and sorrow.
He said perpetrators of such brutal and barbaric acts would not go unpunished but be dealt with severely by the long arm of the law once they are nabbed.
Luapula province has continued to be the only province where cholera has not been contained since it broke out last year.
Ministry of Health Spokesperson Kamoto Mbewe has announced that one death was reported at Kapambwe health facility in Nchelenge district yesterday.
Dr. Mbewe said this in a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today by the Ministry’s Deputy Director for Technical Support Services Dr. Tembo Pitters on his behalf.
He said as of yesterday, there were two new admissions of cholera in Nchelenge district while Mwense and Mansa districts recorded none.
Dr. Mbewe said a total of seven cases were under treatment four of which are in Nchelenge and three in Mwense district.
He added that three people from Nchelenge district were discharged yesterday.
He said out of all the cases reported to the treatment centres, there have been no brought-in-dead (BIDs) recorded.
Dr. Mbewe however noted that the Ministry of Health has continued implementing certain measures to help curb the disease.
He said among steps taken include free distribution of chlorine in affected households, water sampling and testing for bacteriological analysis, inspection of sources of water supply and village inspections.
Others measures are super chlorination of wells in communities, active surveillance, holding meetings in villages to strengthen information dissemination, case management and the use of local radio stations for information dissemination.
Government has said MMD president Nevers Mumba’s attacks on government following his arrest for alleged abuse of authority of office were ridiculous and reckless.
Chief Government Spokesperson Kennedy Sakeni said Dr. Mumba was exclusively familiar with what transpired to the Zambian taxpayers’ money when he served as Zambia’s High Commissioner to Canada.
Mr. Sakeni, who is also Information Minister, said in a press statement released to the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in Lusaka today that government finds the utterances of Dr. Mumba irrational and irresponsible.
He advised the embattled MMD leader not to sensationalize matters and attempt to cleanse himself with mud because there was nothing political about the four charges of abuse of office he was facing.
Mr. Sakeni said the matter was in court and therefore, Dr. Mumba would do well to wait for his turn to give his side of the story which the Zambian people are eager to hear.
The Chief Government Spokesperson charged that if Dr. Mumba ascended to the MMD presidency with a view of insulating himself from potential prosecution, then he misjudged himself.
Mr. Sakeni added that Dr. Mumba’s alleged offences were known to him and the general public way before he became MMD president.
“It is preposterous for him to cry political prosecution. As a man of the collar, let him speak the truth and let him refrain from deceit and lies at least for once,” Mr. Sakeni said.
He said the Patriotic Front (PF) government undertook to fight corruption and will not shield anyone or in any way be selective but that it will professionally and impartially execute its mandate.
Mr. Sakeni reminded Dr. Mumba that this habitual issuance of reckless statements will not add any value to his status and political ambition.
He added that the PF administration has set the fight against corruption high on its national agenda and shall make every effort to confront the scourge head-on and anybody found wanting will be severely dealt with in accordance with the law.
Yesterday, Dr. Mumba insinuated that his recent arrests were politically influenced to silence opposition political leaders.
Nigeria wrapped up their training camp in Portugal with a draw against fellow 2013 finalist Cape Verde on Tuesday night.
The two-time African champions were held to a 0-0 draw by the Africa Cup debutants in a game of two halves.
Cape Verde were the better side in the first half in which Nigeria struggled to find rhythm and saw left-back and captain Joseph Yobo having a torrid time against the opposing attack.
Chelsea striker Victor Moses was lucky not to have been sent off after getting away with just a yellow card in the 45th minute after deliberately stomping on Cape Verde defender Fernando Varela.
Meanwhile, the introduction of the impressive right-back Kenneth Omeruo and Nosakhare Igiebor for Efe Ambrose and Moses respectively turned Nigeria’s fortunes after the break.
Ahmed Musa and Mikel Obi brought the best out of Cape Verde goalkeepers Fock and Vozinha respectively as fatigue set in for the tournament debutants after the hour mark.
Meanwhile in other Group C news, Ethiopia host Tanzania on Friday in their final friendly game before heading to South Africa on Monday.
Burkina Faso face Niger on the same date in Nelspruit less than 48 hours after they arrived in South Africa while Zambia host Norway on Saturday in Ndola.
Both Zambia and Norway will land on the same flight from Johannesburg on Friday at lunchtime.
Chief Registrar of Societies Clement Andeleki has with immediate effect resigned from his position.
Mr. Andeleki has told Qfm News that his resignation is in pursuit of another public office which he declined to disclose.
And Mr. Andeleki has charged that his resignation is not linked with recent media reports suggesting that he will contest the vacant Livingstone Central Seat on the ruling Patriotic Front ticket.
He has reiterated that he is not aware of any plans to have him adopted as a Parliamentary candidate for the PF in the Livingstone Central by-elections.
Mr. Andeleki has since thanked Republican President Michael Sata and Zambians at large for supporting him during his time at the Department of the Registrar of societies.
File:National Restoration Party president Elias Chipimo junior and his vice Charles Maboshe
ELias Chipimo Jr has bemoaned the lack of leadership in many spheres of Zambia. Speaking this morning on a theme the year ,aheard ahead for NAREP, Mr Chipimo wondered where the good men and women of Zambia, the leaders of the past, the young professionals and civil society who clearly see the wrong direction the country is headed to and decided to remain silent and do nothing.
Mr Chipimo went on to say that say that the Bible tells us that we will be judged just as much by what we do as by what we do not do while we are here on this earth.
Mr Chipimo also express his perplexity on why God allowed the PF Government to ascend to power.
“We don’t know what God’s plan was in allowing the PF to come to power. It may well have been to demonstrate the importance of persistence. Maybe it was to teach us to be careful about listening too closely to the promises of politicians, or perhaps it was just to rid us of a Party that forgot about the people as it took care of itself. No one really knows. What we do know is this: every one of us was born with the right to be free; the right to assemble freely; the right to be protected from the arbitrary use of power – whether by the state or from the hands of a defiler, ” he said.
Below is the full speech:
2013 – THE YEAR AHEAD FOR NAREP AND ZAMBIA
STATEMENT DELIVERED ON THURSDAY 10 JANUARY 2013 BY NATIONAL RESTORATION PARTY PRESIDENT ELIAS C. CHIPIMO, JNR
In search of honest men and women
Good morning ladies and gentlemen. I start this morning’s press conference with a quotation from the Book of Jeremiah (5:1). It reflects both our concern about recent developments in Zambia and our theme for 2013 – the NAREP Year of Action:
“Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, look around and consider, search through her squares. If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city”.
As we usher in a New Year some will have lost loved ones, others will have welcomed new life. On a personal note, I have experienced both through the loss of my mother-in-law last November and the birth of my nephew last week. We live, we learn, we love and we mourn. Always, we look to the future with hope and expectation.
A time for reflection
The New Year is a convenient time to pause and reflect on the challenges we face as a nation. At a time such as this, I am reminded of the saying: evil prevails in the world because good men do nothing. So it is only right to ask: Where are the good men and women of Zambia? Where are the leaders of the past that surely must know our country is not heading in the right direction? Where are the young professionals? Where is civil society? The Bible tells us that we will be judged just as much by what we do as by what we do not do while we are here on this earth.
For we can no longer afford to pretend that all is right. We cannot pretend we do not know:
that people are dying daily at clinics, hospitals and health institutions around the country from curable illnesses and from the lack of prompt and proper care
that our women and young girls are being subjected to sexual abuse and exploitation on an unprecedented scale in schools, homes and workplaces.
We cannot pretend that it is alright to still have routine cholera outbreaks in our land. We cannot continue to pretend that excessive load-shedding is normal and that high mealie-meal prices are just a function of exploitative millers and traders or that it is acceptable for our youths to publicly threaten violence while the political leaders they report to and to whom they are accountable maintain a stony silence.
We cannot pretend that in a country that claims to promote democracy it is right to silently deport foreigners without recourse to an independent review by our courts or that there is any justification in preventing the political Opposition from meeting and holding rallies.
[pullquote]We cannot continue to pretend that excessive load-shedding is normal and that high mealie-meal prices are just a function of exploitative millers and traders or that it is acceptable for our youths to publicly threaten violence while the political leaders they report to and to whom they are accountable maintain a stony silence.[/pullquote]
We cannot accept as normal the possibility that some of us might wake up tomorrow morning and find ourselves living in a new district. These things are confusing. These developments are not normal and yet we are expected to pretend that they are. The sooner we wake up to the reality of the confused state we are living in, the better off we, our children and our grandchildren will be – but only if we determine to change our individual and collective mindsets.
You see, change for the better will not come about through a complete dependence on Government or an acceptance that everything Government does is right. We must each be the change we want to see. If we are tired of corruption, let us each make a personal undertaking to fight it where we can. If we are fed up with incompetence, let us each put in an honest day’s work:
let every teacher teach as though they were teaching for God, understanding that their role is to fertilise the minds of our future leaders and decision-makers
let every policeman, every revenue agent, every member of our security and investigative wings, every judge and every magistrate carry out their duties with the honesty, integrity, pride and dignity that should come from knowing that they are the guardians of our justice
and let every politician and elected official know and understand that politics was designed to be noble, not a platform for assassinating one another’s characters and championing tribal divisions or for showcasing inflated egos and insulting our women.
Challenges and goals for 2013
As we embark upon a new year, we shall face new challenges and old. These challenges should not define us, they should embolden us to work even harder to see our country and our people prosper. It is therefore only fitting that we individually examine the year we have left behind and set out a course of action for 2013.
As a Party, NAREP has set as its overall goal for the year, the recruitment of 750,000 active and committed members from all walks of life and from every part of the country; members dedicated to making a positive difference in their communities. Our core message will remain that of being the only Party that can genuinely promote issue-based politics; generate fresh rather than recycled ideas and approaches; and offer value-based national leadership for the next election and beyond. We will make this our year of action – working with grassroots all across the country as we build our branch network with community-based empowerment programmes.
NAREP is the Party of redemption and restoration – the Party that will bring justice for the poor and healing for the broken-hearted – those that still carry their loved ones to the clinic in a wheel-barrow; those whose mothers and fathers are dying from preventable diseases while Ministers and Government officials travel abroad for treatment; those that wonder whether they will ever have a day when they do not have to struggle to put a meal on the table or pay tuition fees or have a single week of uninterrupted power supply; those within our rural communities that live too far from the line of rail to have access to even the most basic of services.
You see, Zambia’s condition has never been about the curse of poverty. It has always been about the curse of poor leadership, not only in our politics but everywhere that good leadership is called to rise: in the Church, in the workplace, in the home, in our schools and yes, sadly, in our politics. But if we truly are to progress as a nation, we need political leadership that will think less about itself and more about the needs of the people it has been elected to serve.
[pullquote]Zambia’s condition has never been about the curse of poverty. It has always been about the curse of poor leadership, not only in our politics but everywhere that good leadership is called to rise: in the Church, in the workplace, in the home, in our schools and yes, sadly, in our politics[/pullquote]
It is not too late for the PF to think less about political domination and more about prioritising development. It is not too late to reverse the trend of unnecessary by-elections and to channel our energy and national resources into building a corruption-free country where the majority of citizens accept the rule of law. If this is too much to ask of the people that are in power today, then let them consider this: the Lord our God, who placed you in your position of authority can remove you just as swiftly as you were installed. Nothing is impossible with God; no amount of suppression, propaganda, or denial of freedom to assemble can stand in the way of His will.
But let us turn the page on 2012 and look to a new future, one that is characterised not by meaningless rhetoric and cheap propaganda but bold decisions and resolute action. Let us reflect on the responsibility we each have, to listen to one another. Those holding positions of power and authority need to know that they have an extra duty to listen carefully to their critics and to allow everyone the freedom to serve their country in the best way they know how:
let us provide the opportunity for our youth to flourish in decent work and enterprise
let us give dignity back to our women by protecting them from violence, removing all discrimination against them and tearing down the barriers to their advancement
let us work with our traditional leaders to empower rural communities
let us apply our public order laws in a manner that ensures equality before the law and not the illegal discrimination we witnessed last year.
We should not be fooled by the propaganda or the high sounding rhetoric that seeks to justify the impromptu and haphazard creation of districts. To some, development means waking up in the morning and finding you are in a different district from the one you went to bed in last night. Let us accept that this is simply an illusion of order in the chaos that surrounds us.
Price controls should not become the weapon with which we address the incompetent management of our staple food. Rather than price controls, we need political controls – the kind of controls that prevent us from triggering unnecessary by-elections to boost ruling Party numbers in the National Assembly. When we raise concern about this, our critics tell us we should wake up, this is politics! I say to those critics: You wake up, that is not development!
[pullquote]Price controls should not become the weapon with which we address the incompetent management of our staple food.[/pullquote]
Wake up and realise that we have a crisis on our hands when mealie-meal prices are reaching levels that have never been seen before in Zambia, when excessive load-shedding and water blues are a normal part of life, when employers are laying off workers because they have to comply with regulations that were introduced without proper consultation, when investors are holding back their plans because they are not sure what to expect next. Wake up and ask yourselves one simple question: What has the PF administration been doing while all this has been going on?
Well, I will tell you – it has been renaming airports, creating new districts overnight, moving provincial capitals, relocating districts, poaching Opposition members, engineering by-elections, jailing Opposition leaders, creating new ministries, shuffling ministries along with ministers, firing permanent secretaries and district commissioners and appointing new ones at will, removing hundreds of experienced senior and middle management staff from missions abroad and replacing these with many inexperienced individuals connected by blood or origin; and then, as if to demonstrate the full extent of how out of touch they are when it comes to offering solutions to our most pressing social crisis, they have launched a tree-planting exercise as the answer to Zambia’s massive unemployment problem!
[pullquote]as if to demonstrate the full extent of how out of touch they are when it comes to offering solutions to our most pressing social crisis, they have launched a tree-planting exercise as the answer to Zambia’s massive unemployment problem![/pullquote]
When the Zambian people voted in 2011, they were hoping for a serious government with serious plans. We all dream of a land in which everyone can have the right to a decent life. Is it asking too much to expect running water to flow into every home; to have homes and businesses connected to a stable source of electric power? Is it asking too much to expect our Ministers not to fly abroad for treatment but to use the very health institutions they run away from when they fall seriously ill; or to expect our youth to be properly empowered with opportunities for work and enterprise?
Conclusion
Contrary to what some may think or feel, it is not, and has never been our desire as a Party to see the PF administration fail. If the PF – or any other administration for that matter – fails to lead a badly underdeveloped nation like ours with clarity, determination and a compelling vision, it is the people who suffer. We want the PF to perform the role for which God allowed them to be declared victors at the last election. But they will not do this by alienating the very people they were elected to serve. They will not do this by honouring mediocrity and neglecting our youth.
[pullquote]Contrary to what some may think or feel, it is not, and has never been our desire as a Party to see the PF administration fail[/pullquote]
We don’t know what God’s plan was in allowing the PF to come to power. It may well have been to demonstrate the importance of persistence. Maybe it was to teach us to be careful about listening too closely to the promises of politicians, or perhaps it was just to rid us of a Party that forgot about the people as it took care of itself. No one really knows. What we do know is this: every one of us was born with the right to be free; the right to assemble freely; the right to be protected from the arbitrary use of power – whether by the state or from the hands of a defiler.
Going forward, let us recognise that while there is much work to do and many mistakes to avoid, no work will be harder than changing the mindset of our people. This is the hard path that NAREP has chosen to take. It requires us to lead by example and we will do this with resolute determination. Let no one fool the people of Zambia – our Party is not for sale to any bidder and nor is its leadership. We want only what is best for every Zambian, young and old. That will be the standard of our commitment and our leadership.
May God’s grace be with Zambia and with our national team as they defend our AfCON crown. I thank you and wish you all a productive and prosperous 2013.
Zambezi Portland Cement has denied media reports that it owes the Zambia Revenue Authority ZMK 355 billion in tax obligations.
In a news statement, Zambezi Portland Cement Operations Manager Mwamba Kayula explained that the cement firm owes ZRA ZMK 25 billion and not ZMK 355 billion as reported in the media.
Mr. Kayula said ZPC has managed to meet all its tax obligations in line with the Tax incentives obtained from ZRA and the Ministry of Finance.
He said in August 2012, ZPC was audited by ZRA-Large Tax Payers and that anomalies were found and ZRA sent a final assessment inclusive of interest and fine amounting to ZMK 25 billion.
He appealed to interim ZPC Managing Director Andrew Kamanga to refuse to be used by Businessman Rajan Mahtani to illegally take over ZPC.
“It has become apparent that Mr. Mahtani along with his agents Mrs. Joan Craven and Mr. Peter David Kanaganayangan has no respect for Zambians Courts of law and are prepared to disregard any form of authority. It would appear that their lawyer John Sangwa rather than advice them to respect the law is the one actively encouraging them to believe that they are above the law,” Mr. Kayula stated.
“The current state of affairs is that there is a High Court Order confirmed by the Supreme Court of Zambia that the affairs of Zambezi Portland Cement Limited must be run or overseen by Mr. Antonio Ventriglia and Mrs Manuella Ventriglia. These orders are still subsisting and therefore should be obeyed. It is most unfortunate that a lawyer can be in the forefront of encouraging people to lower the esteem of our courts.”
He said the actions of Mr. Sangwa, Andrew Kamanga and Rajan Mahtani amounts to introduction of a culture of “Might is right.”
Mr. Kayula added, “This contempt of the authority of our courts will lead to people engaging in “self-help” which in turn lead to the breakdown of law and order. The lack of respect for the rule of law that Mr. Sangwa and his clients are promoting will also lead to investor confidence reducing.”
He revealed that He stated that what Mr. Sangwa, Mr. Mahtani and Mr. Kamanga are doing is very unpatriotic and will lead to loss of confidence in Zambia.
Mr. Kayula observed that a further anomaly in the so called Board meeting that appointed Mr. Kamanga as CEO is that legitimate directors were neither present nor notified of the meeting.
He stated that Mr. Mahtani seems to be using state institutions to fight personal battles adding that he has used the Immigrations Department on the Ventriglia family.
Former Mkushi District Council Chairman Charles Simusokwe has appealed to the Ministry of Tourism to seriously consider re-opening ZAWA (Zambia Wildlife Authority) offices in Mkushi District.
Mr. Simusokwe told ZANIS that there was need for the Tourism Ministry to consider rescinding the decision of closing ZAWA offices, explaining that animals have now started to encroach into several human habitat areas.
He said that in recent weeks, Elephants from Chembe in Luano District have been sighted in areas of Mkushi District such as Nkumbi, Nshinso, Mulungwe and Chalata.
He said that other animals that are believed to have come from Luano are Lions and Hyenas, saying that these have reportedly been seen areas such as Chalata and Ilume.
Mr. Simusokwe said that according to former ZAWA Officers, heavy rainfall in areas of Luano Valley is believed to be the major cause for the animal migrations to the plateau areas of Mkushi District.
He noted that the presence of animals in areas of Mkushi is said to be causing fear amongst various communities, adding that people were fearful of attacks from the wild animals or damage to their crop fields.
He pointed out that the situation urgently required control from Governmental instruments such as ZAWA Officers, saying that ZAWA activities were in the best interest of both Humans as well as animals.
Mr. Simusokwe stressed that the need to reopen ZAWA in Mkushi was cardinal as this would impact positively on helping to maintain the balance between wildlife and the expected expansion of Human settlement expansion.
He observed that the newly declared Luano District had great Tourism potential owing to its large population of wildlife, and that only the presence of ZAWA could ensure the balance between safeguarding animal population and protecting human life.
He further mentioned that the increased rate of Human settlement in proximity to Game Management Areas (GMAs) such as Mboroma GMA, had contributed to the animal migration into other areas.
Mr. Simusokwe charged that the situation of having no ZAWA offices in the 2 Districts could only give rise to increased poaching activities, explaining that such a situation was retrogressive to development of Tourism industry.
He also disclosed that plans were underway for the formation of Mkushi District Hunters Association, saying that he would be undertake the coordinating role of affiliating this organisation to both the Provincial as well as national Hunters Association.
Mr. simusokwe served as Mkushi Council Chairman from 2006 to 2011, where he was also Nkumbi Ward Councillor.
According to data obtained from former ZAWA Officers in Mkushi, ZAWA officers had last killed an Elephant in 2010 after it had caused the death of a woman in Mpula area.
The junction between Cairo road and Church road Lusaka Main Post office on the right
The Lusaka City Council (LCC) has said it is conducting a KR5 million (K5 billion) street naming project in various parts of the city aimed at curbing crime activities and creating convenience.
LCC Assistant Public Relations Manager Mulunda Habeenzu says the pilot exercise is in partnership with the Zambia Information Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA) whom he said were spearheading the exercise.
Mr Habeenzu who was speaking to ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today said the project started in July 2012 and it is expected to be completed by February this year targeting Northmead, Kamwala, and Kalingalinga adding that depending on the outcome the council would then roll out to other parts of the city.
Mr Habeenzu however noted that ZICTA was also conducting the exercise in Nkomeshya and Mukuni Village as well as Livingstone city as a way to add value to preparations for the United Nations World Tourism Organisation’s (UNWTO) 20th General Assembly.
He stated that having names for all streets in the city would help in enforcing the law and also provide convenience for people as they moved from one point to the next.
The assistant PR manager explained that even though ZICTA was in charge of the exercise it was the council’s responsibility to name streets.
He further said LCC had decentralized the exercise giving chance to residents to work with their area Councillors to come up with names that would be considered by the council adding that once the residents submitted the names the council would then ratify and approve before moving in to put up the selected names.
Mr Habeenzu disclosed that the council will also be correcting house numbers during the exercise.
Neanwhile, LCC says it has received good response from members of the public in the compliance of paying land rates.
Speaking to ZANIS in an interview today, LCC Assistant Public Relations Manager Habeenzu Mulunda said there has been significant improvement in the compliance of land rates.
Mr Habeenzu also disclosed that plans are underway to create more Car Parking Slots in the City’s Central Business District (CBD).
He explained that currently there is a total of 1197 public parking slots, and 603 institutions reserved parking slots in the central business district.
Mr Habeenzu however, cautioned motorists that it is illegal for anyone to personalize public parking slots as they do not belong to any individual or institution.
He stated that if an institution wants to reserve certain space for their vehicles, they have to apply and go through the necessary procedure.
Mr Habeenzu also disclosed that the LCC will soon introduce the Car Park Metering system, to keep track of the amount of time a vehicle is parked in a specific area.
The Car Park Metering System is used in many cities around the world where money is inserted into the meter, allowing the commuter to keep his or her car parked in the spot for a certain time before it is necessary to insert more money.
If the person fails to insert more money when time runs out, he or she may receive a parking ticket from a traffic officer.
Get Involved Zambia (GIZ) Executive Director Frank Bwalya has urged law enforcement agencies in the country to ensure that they arrest political leaders when they have solid grounds on which to base their cases.
Fr. Bwalya says it would not be wise for the law enforcement agencies to arrest individuals on flimsy charges saying doing so would send a wrong signal about the country’s law enforcement system.
Fr. Bwalya says this despite the fact that the MMD while in power allegedly instituted fake arrests for people that had divergent views.
He has however called for the prosecution of all officials that could have abused their authority while in government.
Meanwhile, Zambia Council for Social Development Country Coordinator for local governance capacity development and support project, Humphrey Sikapizye has called on political stakeholders to be tolerant.
Speaking in an interview with Qfm, Mr. Sikapizye says Zambians are eager to see development which will impact positively on their lives.
Mr. Sikapizye has also urged government not to use government machinery to suppress those in opposition.
He calls for co-existence in delivering quality services to the majority Zambians.
He adds that the ongoing political squabbles in the country do not inspire the young generation.
Mr. Sikapizye has therefore appealed to leaders to cultivate the culture of responsibility and service to the people who accord them a chance to serve.
File: FAZ Media liaison offficer, Eric Mwanza with president Kalusha Bwalya
The Norwagian Football Team is expected to arrive on Friday ahead of the international friendly match against Zambia this Saturday at Levy Mwanawasa stadium in Ndola.
Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) Communications officer Erick Mwanza confirmed the development at a press briefing in Lusaka today.
At the same briefing, Multi Choice Zambia Public Relations Manager Marlon Kamanda announced that his institution will beam the match between Zambian and Norway live on Super Sport 11 and on Goal TV selected spots.
Mwanza however reaffirmed that the Chipolopolo has intensified its preparations in readiness for the most important friendly game against Norway.
This will be the last international friendly match that the Chipolopolo will be playing before the team finally travels to South Africa to set base ahead of the AFCON tournament which begins on the 19th of January.
And Mwanza has said Coach Herve Renard dropped veteran defender Chintu Kampamba due to an injury he sustained during the friendly match against Tanzania.
Mwanza’s remarks come amidst controversy among soccer fans in the country who wondered why Chintu Kampamba was omitted from the final AFCON squad when he was in good form.
Meanwhile, Mwanza today unveiled the new Chipolopolo jersey the team will be using during the AFCON tournament in South Africa.
Mwanza said the new jersey has distinct features than the previous one which he said will not be easy to be replicated.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has refuted a story published by an online publication, the Zambian Watchdog, suggesting that the ongoing continuous voter registration exercise was aimed at rigging elections in favour of the ruling Patriotic Front (PF).
ECZ Public Relation Manager Crispin Akufuna said electoral regulations of 2010 section 10 (1) on the registration of voters’ state that, a person who has attained the age of 18 years may apply to be registered as a voter to the registration officer for the polling district in which the applicant ordinarily resides.
“This therefore means that one can only register where he is resident and registration officers are duty bound to ensure that the law is followed as stated,” he explained.
He said this in a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka yesterday.
He noted that it was misleading for the Zambian Watchdog to suggest that a political party, ruling or the opposition, can shift their members to register in areas where there are by-election at anytime and anyplace.
Mr. Akufuna said the suggestion that this formula was widely used during the Mufumbwe by-elections and various wards across the country is farfetched as can be attested by voter registration records available at the commission.
He added that according to the records, the commission did not receive any new application to register, amend particulars or even transfer in the last by election in Mufumbwe and local Government by elections.
He said as for the fourth coming by elections, only Muchinga ward in Matero constituency registered two new voters and five updates.
Mr. Akufuna further said in Livingstone in Southern Province, there was only one new registration adding that there are no changes to the register of voters in Mpongwe constituency in the Copperbelt province and other wards where by-election will be held.
He advised the public that the suspension of the voter registration whenever there are by-elections was in accordance with the law and not a response to any perceived scheme.
Mr. Akufuna said the commission will also ensure that the register which was used in 2011 is used in the forthcoming elections.
Secretary General of the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) Wynter Kabimba
PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba has said that he has not yet received the report from the Edgar Lungu-led disciplinary committee. Mr Kabimba was speaking yesterday when he was contacted for comment on Foreign Affairs Minister Given Lubinda’s case.
Mr Kabimba said that he was expecting to have received the report on Tuesday, but that he did not do so for reasons he did not know.
“I don’t have the report. I am also waiting for the report which I was told I was going to receive yesterday ,” he said.
When contacted, Home Affairs Minister Mr Edgar Lungu who led the disciplinary committee said that the report was complete and it would be handed over to the PF Central Committee this week.
“The report is complete. We, as the disciplinary committee, are just cross-checking it,” he said.
Mr Lungu said that he could not comment on the resolutions of the disciplinary committee meetings, reiterating that the Central Committee was the rightful body to do so besides deciding the next course of action once it received the report.
The PF disciplinary committee sat for three days to hear eight disciplinary cases, among them that of Mr Lubinda’s alleged leaking of vital party information to online publications and working in collaboration with opposition MMD and UPND.
Meanwhile, Lusaka district Patriotic Front (PF) district Chairperson Goodson Banda has said the district wants Foreign Affairs minister Given Lubinda to step down on moral grounds.
Mr Banda said Mr Lubinda should step down because of his treachery, disloyalty and ability to destabilise the party by leaking information to the opposition.
“Lubinda’s action of leaking information to the opposition is treacherous and if left unchecked would greatly destabilise the party if left unchecked,” he said.
He alleged that the transparent disciplinary committee found Mr Lubinda guilty which prompted the committee to demand for his resignation.
Mr Banda said Mr Lubinda’s action was unacceptable and warranted dismissal because he was jeopardising the PFs developmental efforts.
He said the entire district demanded for the resignation of the minister because it was proved beyond reasonable doubt that he was guilty of destabilising the party.
Mr Banda said if Mr Lubinda did not step down they would continue pressuring the party’s Central Committee until necessary action was taken against him.
He called on all party members to be loyal to the party and government regardless of their status and that no one would be spared if found wanting.
He warned all the members that were siding with the embattled minster saying they would be dealt with.
He said the party was aware that Mr Lubinda had already started campaigning with the help of his UPND sympathisers and other disloyal members.
“We are aware that Mr Lubinda has started campaigning for the Kabwata seat with the help of UPND sympathisers, but I want to tell him that we are going to meet him head on,” he said.
He said the party at district level would not condone Mr Lubinda’s arrogance and would labour until he was dealt with accordingly.
Forum for Democracy and Development FDD leader, Edith Nawakwi
FFD president Edith Nawakwi’s daughter, Hatamba Hambulo was found murdered at her home on Tuesday.The body was found dumped in a manhole.
Below is the Press statement by The Inspector General of Police
Zambia police is concerned with the happenings in the recent past, where we have recorded reports of murder contrary to the laws and norms of our society. Sadly these incidences are affecting youths both as victims and suspects.
In some of the cases we have recorded, the bodies of the victims have had some of their body parts removed. We have made significant progress in investigating these cases.
While we have successfully investigated and arrested suspects, sadly these cases have continued to surface. This evil vice will not be tolerated.
Human life is sacred and shall remain so and as Zambia police service we shall endeavour to protect each and every life as provided for by the laws of Zambia. We shall ensure that all pepetrators of these crimes are brought to book.
It is sad that in some of these cases recorded we have come across information suggesting that the killers perform these acts with intentions of selling body parts to others so that they use them to gain wealth.
We shall work to ensure that whoever is involved in such practices directly or indirectly faces the full wrath of the law.
With regard to the latest murder of Hatamba Hambulo a female aged 26 years of plot number 776, Ibex hill, I wish to inform the nation that at the moment we have in our custody two suspects and our officers are still investigating the matter in order to bring to book all who could have been involved in the crime.
I want to commend police officers for working tirelessly in the present and past cases. Their alertness and professionalism in their conduct of duty has lead to the successful arrest of suspects within reasonable time.
Opposition MMD leader Nevers Mumba arrives at the magistrate’s court complex in the company of plain clothes police officers and sympathizers
MMD President Nevers Mumba has defiantly vowed to continue speaking out against the alleged failure by the PF government to deliver on its campaign promises.
Dr. Mumba said no amount of intimidation and harassment will cripple him and make him give up on his role of providing credible checks and balances on behalf of the Zambians people.
He said the numerous arrest he has suffered over the last 30 days have made him stronger and more determined.
“I’m determined through sweat and blood not to let you down the people of Zambia, am determined to pay the highest price through sweat and blood for the liberties of our people in this country. We are a free people, we got our independence in 1964 and we are not going back 50 years as a country.”
He added, “We want our freedom Mr. Sata and we want it now. We shall not allow the PF government to stifle us, we are not afraid. Take us to any jail you want and we shall not be afraid until the Zambians are free. Zambia shall be saved.”
Dr. Mumba was speaking in Lusaka this afternoon shortly after the Lusaka Magistrate Court granted him a K30, 000 bail Principal resident Magistrate Joshua Banda.
Meanwhile, Dr. Mumba has thanked MMD members countrywide for the solidarity shown over his latest arrest.
“Thank you for the messages of good will I have received from all the ten provinces of this country. The support we have received from our general membership and the general public that believes in liberty, they believe in democracy and believe in governing Zambia in a civil manner.”
“Today I want to move away from the fact that I have been incarcerated and the fact that I have been victimized for more than 30 days without stop is not my problem. My problem is the difficulties that the Zambian people are going through. Zambians are going through bigger problems than what I have gone through in the past 30 days.
He added, “ I would like to put the PF government on trial today that the difficulty we have is that Mr. Sata has a big problem and that the promises Zambians a lot of things and they failed to honour those promises.”
Principal Resident Magistrate Joshua Banda granted Dr. Mumba, 52 of 17 C, Middle way Street Kabulonga a K30, 000 bail in his own recognisance and two working sureties.
This was after Dr. Mumba has pleaded not guilty to three counts of abuse of authority of office and one count of willful failure to comply with applicable procedure in managing public funds.
The matter comes up on January 31 2013 for hearing of preliminary issues raised by the defense counsel comprising Sakwiba Sikota of Central Chambers, Sunday Nkonde of SBN Legal Practitioners, Irene Kunda of George Kunda and Company and Macabi Zulu.
Meanwhile, former Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services LT Gen Ronnie Shikapwasha, Journalist Chanda Chimba III, former Deputy MD of Zambia Daily Mail Davis Mataka and consultant Ngande Mwanajiti who were arrested earlier today have been released on bond.
Government joint investigations team Spokesperson Namukolo Kasumpa has confirmed the release of the four to the media in a telephone interview.
Ms Kasumpa says the four were released around 16:30 hours this afternoon.
They will appear in court tomorrow.
Opposition MMD leader Nevers Mumba arrives at the magistrate’s court complex in LusakaOpposition MMD leader Nevers Mumba arrives at the magistrate’s court complex in LusakaPlacard carrying opposition MMD cadres give solidarity to their leader Nevers Mumba at the magistrate’s court complex in Lusaka
