President Michael Sata has said that he is saddened by the death of Mr. Crispin Menyani Zulu, a member of the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) who was killed in Rufunsa yesterday by an alleged combined group of opposition UPND and MMD cadres.

According to a statement released by his Special Assistant for Press and public Relations George Chellah in Lusaka last evening, Mr Sata described the death of Mr. Zulu as disheartening.

“It’s tragic that the political violence by the opposition UPND and MMD, which we have been preaching against, has resulted in a loss of an innocent life. As a responsible government we have said time and again that life and property will not be secure if politicians continue preaching violence,” President Sata said.

“What has happened today could have been avoided if the two opposition political parties mentioned in this heinous crime had listened and at least cared for the lives of innocent citizens.”

President Sata has directed the Zambia Police Service to ensure that the culprits are brought to book.

“These murderous acts are unacceptable and the people responsible must face the full wrath of the law. I therefore, instruct the police to do their job professionally by making sure that the perpetrators of this serious crime are dealt with accordingly,” the President said.

Yesterday, a fracas during a local government by-election in Rufunsa ended in the death of one person and serious injury to two others when political rivalry generated into violence.

Police spokesperson Elizabeth Kanjela who confirmed the death yesterday, said a male identified only as Menyani alias, Menyamenya, died in the fracas that occurred at Chimusanya ward where the by-election was taking place.

“Menyani was struck to death by some political opponents when violence erupted during voting. Two others were injured and rushed to the nearby Mumpashya hospital where one of them was treated and discharged while the other was admitted,” Ms Kanjela said.

Ms Kanjela could not however immediately say from which political parties the two warring parties belonged or what caused the fracas.

Speaker of the National Assembly Patrick Matibini has warned Members of Parliament (MPs) to desist from prematurely disclosing any information regarding parliamentary committees whose proceedings are held in camera.

Dr Matibini told the House yesterday that the MPs and members of the public should also desist from publishing any information whose report had not been presented to the House.

“‘It is therefore, a breach of parliamentary privileges and contempt of the House for any person to publish the proceedings of the committee before the committee’s report has been presented to the House,” he said.

This was in his ruling on a Point of Order raised by Patriotic Front (PF) Bangweulu MP Chifita Mutafwali regarding a newspaper article entitled ‘Kaingu suspected from Parliament’ published in the Daily Nation Newspaper on October 4, 2012.

Mr Mutafwali wondered whether the Daily Nation was in order to issue such a statement contrary to Dr Matibini’s ruling.

Dr Matibini said the matter was referred to the committee on privileges, absences and support services that was yet to formally report to the House.

He was equally perturbed when he leant about the unfortunate leakage and that obviously it could only be from a member but said the matter was under investigation.

Section 25 (a) of the National Assembly (Powers and Privileges) Act Cap 12 of the Laws of Zambia provides that: “Any person who (a) publishes, save by the general or special leave of the Assembly, a report of any proceedings of the Assembly or any committee when such proceedings have not been held in public, shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding 5, 000 penalty units or to imprisonment with or without hard labour for a term not exceeding 12 months or both.”

Dr Matibini appealed to parliamentarians to maintain honour in matters of that sort adding that confidence that was reposed in them should be justified.

“However, I suppose this is a very difficult habit to practice. Nonetheless .I will urge the House to observe utmost confidentiality. That is as far as I can go,” he said.

Dr Michael Kaingu who is MMD vice president and Mwandi MP was suspended for two weeks from Parliament business after he tore President Michael Sata’s official opening Parliament speech.

Dr Matibini said in line with parliamentary practice and procedure and the principle of natural justice, the office of Clerk of the National Assembly wrote to managing editor of the Daily Nation Newspaper Richard Sakala requesting him to disclose the source of information reported in the article in question.

He said Mr Sakala was requested to show cause why the National Assembly should not cite the Daily Nation Newspaper for breach of parliamentary privilege and compete of the House.

The Daily Nation Newspaper responded through its lawyers Messers Makala & Company “Our client’s position is that the article reported on a matter that was already in the public domain having gone viral as carried by the Online Watchdog publication http//www.zambianwatchdog.com and subsequent discussion by bloggers within and outside Zambia on October 3, 2012.The story published by our client on Thursday, October 4, 2012 in volume 2, Issue No. 292 was a follow up on the ensuring public debate and was titled: Kaingu suspended from Parliament?”

Among responses from the lawyers were that the article erroneously indicated the matter was before the standing orders committee of parliamentary procedures and privileged instead of the appropriate parliamentary committee where the matter had been referred to by the Honorable Speaker also lends credence to our clients’ position that the article was not based on any report of the proceedings of the appropriate parliamentary committee.

Dr Matibini said after examining the evidence submitted by Mr Sakala, the committee established that the defence raised by the Daily Nation Newspaper that it had published the article in question because the information was already in the public domain was justifiable.

He said the committee found that the Daily Nation Newspaper was not in breach of parliamentary privilege or in compete of the House.

Meanwhile, Transport, Works, Supply and Communications Minister Christopher Yaluma said Kenneth Kaunda International Airport did not experience a total power blackout as reported in the media this week.

Mr Yaluma said this in a ministerial statement in view of a Point of Order raised by UPND Monze MP Jack Mwiimbu that the airport lost power supply for more than 12 hours on November 5, 2012.

Mr Yaluma said on the said date, Zesco power supply at the airport developed a fault and the airport standby generator automatically supplied power to the entire airport.

“This therefore meant that operations at the airports continued normally despite the Zesco fault,” he said.

He clarified that the power interruption to selected areas of the airport was for 1.07 minutes and during that period, Kenya airways and South African airways check-in processes were partially affected and the airlines were delayed by 20 and 29 minutes respectively.

He said in the period the main generator was off, the smaller one supplied power to entail areas constituting the runaway lighting, taxiway lighting, apron flood lighting, control tower communication equipment and air navigation equipment that operated without interruption.

He said scheduled operations were normal as Kenya Airways and South African airways planes safely landed within the hour of controlled shutdown.

Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, Kennedy Sakeni has urged the police to arrest political activists and party supporters who physically attack or harass journalists and prevent them from doing their job.

According to media reports, Sakeni said this on Tuesday, 6 November 2012, as he received a petition from the Media Liaison Committee (MLC) against continued harassment of media practitioners by some political activists and cadres.

The MLC is an umbrella organisation representing media associations and trade unions in Zambia, with a focus on advocacy for media law reforms, protection of media practitioners and self-regulation of the media. It comprises of the Zambia Chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA-Zambia), Press Association of Zambia, Panos Institute of Southern Africa, Zambia Media Women Association (ZAMWA), Press Freedom Committee of The Post (PFC), Zambia Union of Journalists (ZUJ), United Nations Information Center (UNIC) and Zambia Union of Broadcasters and other Information Disseminators (ZUBID).

“Police should act swiftly on anybody regardless of their political affiliation for harassing and beating up journalists. Police should immediately arrest anyone who breaks the law,” Sakeni is quoted as saying in the press.

The minister assured media practitioners of government’s maximum protection, especially during their course of duty, saying they [government] will ensure that media practitioners operate in a free and conducive environment without intimidation or harassment from any individual.

However, he was also quick to point out that media still had a duty and obligation to abide by their codes of ethics and to aspire towards higher standards of professionalism in executing their duties, reporting in a manner that is fair and balanced.

MISA Programme Specialist for Media Freedom Monitoring & Research, Levi Kabwato, has described Sakeni’s comments as “positive” but was quick to caution against easing pressure on the government in demanding media freedom.

“The minister’s comments come in the wake of series of media freedom violations that have been caused by various political agents in Zambia and have been recorded and reported on by MISA. We see this as a positive step towards our broader efforts in ensuring that journalists within SADC operate within a safe environment that is free from harassment and even bigger risks like the loss of life. Hence, we are delighted that the Zambian government is talking the talk but a lot more will need to be done for them to prove that they can walk the talk too,” Kabwato said.

The Press Association of Zambia (PAZA) has urged government to implement the Freedom of Information Bill (FoIB) and desist from ‘changing goal posts’.

PAZA President, Andrew Sakala, says his organization is saddened by the continuous change of the important piece of legislation which affects the lives of the people.

Mr Sakala observed that the previous MMD administration lamentably failed to implement the Bill and this gives the new Patriotic Front (PF) Government an opportunity to table the piece of legislation in parliament before the end of this year without wasting time.

Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today, Mr Sakala said the people of Zambia look up to the PF Government to deliver to its promises.

He said the Bill is very urgent to the people of Zambia because it would provide for people accessing the vital information at all times, enhance transparency and help fight corruption and public officers will be accountable not only to the Government but to the people, too.

Yesterday, Chief Government Spokesperson, Kennedy Sakeni, indicated that the Bill will be tabled in parliament and implemented in March, 2013.

The PF administration intends to change from FoIB to Access to Information Bill once enacted next year.

ZANIS

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has arrested two government officers for corruption and abuse of office involving over K1.5 billion.

ACC Public Relations Manager Timothy Moono disclosed in a statement to ZANIS in Lusaka yesterday that Mwala Katundu, 33, and Emmanuel Gabby Nguni, 53 both of Lusaka have been arrested in connection with rehabilitation works at Livingstone Central Prison.

Mr. Moono said Katundu, a Quantity Surveyor with the Ministry of Works and Supply, Buildings Department, was arrested for one count of abuse of authority of office for certifying that rehabilitation works at Livingstone Prison were fully done when in fact not.

His co -accused Emmanuel Nguni, An Assistant Director Monitoring and Evaluation at the Ministry of Home Affairs was arrested and charged for two counts of corrupt practices by public office and one count of abuse of authority of office.

Nguni is alleged to have received K5 million cash gratification from Yolomino Mbewe, the Director of Choice Build Ltd, a company contracted to conduct works at the Prison for facilitating the award of the contract.

He is also charged for directing a total amount of K7 million be paid to the company without following laid down procedures.

Nguni is further charged for corruptly accepting or receiving a total of K86 million cash gratification as an inducement or reward from Yolomino Mbewe for having facilitated the payment of alleged extra works at Livingstone Prison amounting to K700 million.

Both Nguni and Katundu have denied the charges and have been remanded in custody and are expected to appear in court.

The arrest comes in the wake of investigations the Commission has been conducting in the manner rehabilitation works at the Livingstone Central Prison were conducted and certified complete.

Choice Build Ltd was in 2009 contracted by the Government of the Republic of Zambia to rehabilitate Livingstone Central Prison at a total contract sum of K3.4 billion.

However by the end of the purported execution of works which was a contract period of 28 months, and at the time the contractor was about to hand over the works to government, it was found that the works were incomplete and the Government had paid a total of K4.1 billion which includes the unapproved K700 million .

ZANIS

A Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock driver this morning pleaded with Lusaka Magistrate to have his K5 million cash bail amount reduced stating that his salary is not even half the amount the court was demanding for.

Abel Sakati Phiri 34, of Lusaka’s Chilenji Township who appeared at the Lusaka magistrate court today pleaded not guilty before Lusaka magistrate Maxwell Mwale for an offence of motor vehicle theft.

Particulars of the offence are that on October 31, this year Phiri jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown stole one motor vehicle namely Toyota Land Cruiser registration number GRZ 682CF, white in colour and valued at K321 million.The vehicle was the property of the government.

It is alleged that Phiri being a driver of the said vehicle at the ministry of Agriculture and Livestock stole the vehicle as it went missing at a time when he packed it at his house.

Phiri is charged with one count of motor vehicle theft contrary to section 281 (a) of the penal code chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia.

After taking plea, Phiri told court that he was asking for a bail adding that he was keeping five orphans and his mother.Phiri said his family has been subjected to untold suffering since he was arrested because they have no one else to find food for them.[pullquote]It is alleged that Phiri being a driver of the said vehicle at the ministry of Agriculture and Livestock stole the vehicle as it went missing at a time when he packed it at his house.[/pullquote]

However Magistrate Mwale reminded Phiri that it was not the responsibility of the court to weigh and distinguish how much someone can afford to pay adding that the law is clear on conditions of a bail.

Magistrate Mwale further told Phiri that his bail will only be given upon making full payment of the cash bail with two working sureties who should be in well recognised institutions.

Phiri was almost breaking down begged with the court adding that it was not easy for him to find the money because he was the one the family depended on.
Despite the several attempts to convince the magistrate to reduce the cash bail by Phiri, magistrate Mwale further set November 22 for a mention and December 2 for commencement of trial in the matter.