Inspector General of Police Stella Libongani has said police have started investigations on United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema over his statement that Government is planning to send youths to Sudan for military training.

This was after Defence Minister Geoffrey Mwamba ordered Libongani to Hichilema’s revellations so that the public could know the source of the information.

Mr Hichilema made the allegations during a media briefing in Lusaka on Monday that Mr Sata wants to send Patrotic Front youths for military training in Sudan.

The UPND leader had claimed that the Government had signed an agreement with its Sudanese counterpart aimed at training Patriotic PF youths by militias of that country.

Libingani said in an interview that Mr Hichilema was under the police probe for the statement.

“We have started the investigations and it’s a process but you will be informed of more details soon,” Ms Libongani said.

Asked when Mr Hichilema would be summoned for questioning over the matter, Libongani said,” You will definitely know when he is going to be interrogated soon.”

Defence Minister Mr Mwamba said during a press briefing at his office on Monday that his instructions to Libongani were meant to ensure that correct and accurate information was given to the public.

He said Zambia was no at war adding that Mr Hichilema’s utterances were acts of desperation.

The Minister said that the allegations were serious and if not handled properly could sour good relations that Zambia was currently enjoying with h the Sudanese government.

“The last time we sent troops to Sudan was on July 21 last year and so far only 17 are remaining. I don’t think Hakainde is right to utter such sensitive statements and that is why I want the IG to investigate and give us a full report. The public needs to know the truth,” he said.

A team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.

PROS

• Amazing visual effects
• the grabs you from the first second and doesn’t let go until after the cinema lights come up
• Great acting by the cast especially Michael Fassbender who played David.

CONS

• Left too many unanswered questions

FAVORITE QUOTE

1. David: Why do you think your people made me?
2. Charlie Holloway: We made ya ’cause we could.
3. David: Can you imagine how disappointing it would be for you to hear the same thing from your creator?

Elizabeth Shaw: If we don’t stop it, there won’t be any home to go back to.

Elizabeth Shaw: This place isn’t what we thought it was!

CONCLUSION

Prometheus is a very entertaining movie which serves as a prequel to the 1979 movie Alien . You don’t have to watch “Alien” to be able to follow this movie , It makes the experience more interesting because you can think back to the classic but it’s not necessary. The characters and plot are all new and there aren’t any blatant references.  Prometheus asks the question of “Faith vs Science” which will leave you with something to debate about after the movie. With a great cast and excellent visual effects this is a must watch movie.

RATING

5 out of 5

By Kapa187

Vice President, Guy Scott, is today expected in Cham district in Muchinga Province for a three day visit. Dr Scott will pay a courtesy call on Chief Kambombo before holding a series of public rallies at Katangalika, Mwala and Kanyelele school grounds.

Dr Scott will have a night stop in Isoka where he will meet two Chiefs, namely Mulilo and Chibale before holding public rallies in the chiefdoms. Later in the day the Vice President is expected to be hosted to a dinner by the authorities. This is according to a tentative programme released to ZANIS by Chama District Commissioner, Josephat Lombe.

On Thursday the Vice President will have a stop-over in Chinsali, the provincial town of the newly established and tenth province, Muchinga. On Friday Dr. Scott will see Chief Lundu of the Senga people and conclude his trip after a rally at Lundi Basic School and depart for Lusaka thereafter.

And the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has reiterated its call on political parties participating in the forthcoming by-elections to ensure that they adhere to the Electoral Code of Conduct.

ECZ Public Relations Manager, Cris Akufuna, says this was vital as it would assist all the political parties to conduct themselves well during the by-elections.

Speaking to journalists in an interview in Lusaka last evening, Mr Akufuna said adhering to the Electoral Code of Conduct would add value in seeing that the by-elections are to be conducted in a free, fair and transparent manner.

He noted that as election facilitators, the commission was working with different stakeholders to ensure that political parties adhere to the Electoral Code of Conduct during the by-elections.

And Mr Akufuna has called on the political parties to conduct issue-based campaigns, adding that it was important to bring out issues that affect members of the community during their rallies.

The ECZ has set July 5, 2012, as the date of parliamentary by-elections to be held in Chama North Constituency in Muchinga Province, Muchinga Constituency in Serenje district of Central Province and Livingstone Central Constituency in Southern Province with the Local Government by-elections to be held on the same day.

ZANIS

UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema charged that the police acted as “hooligans” in the manner they handled the peaceful demonstration by his party’s supporters last week.

Speaking during a media briefing at the party’s secretariat in Lusaka, Mr Hichilema said on June 6, 2012, the party’s youths acted within the law as the statutes were clear that holding peaceful demonstrations only required notifying the police a week before without a permit, which he said the party did.

Mr Hichilema said when the police was informed seven days before staging the peaceful demonstration, the police told the party that it would not offer the demonstrators protection as there were hooligans who were planning to disrupt the procession.

“Little did we know that there were no hooligans other than the police themselves who turned out to be hooligans to come to attack our youths. That is unacceptable,” he said.

Mr Hichilema said he was going to visit Lusaka Province Police Commissioner Charity Katanga at her office yesterday so that she explained why she “cheated” that there hooligans trying to disrupt the demonstration when it was her who was a “chief hooligan” and for not providing police reports to the victims for them to seek medical attention.

“That Katanga lady, am going to her office today. Myself! Am going to her office. I am going to her office because it’s a public office. I want her to explain to me two things. One, why she cheated that there were hooligans when it was her who is a hooligan! I want her to explain, today! Today! And I am not inviting anyone to follow me. I am going there alone because they think that we are afraid. I am not afraid. I am going there alone!

“I want her to explain to me where were the hooligans when she acted as a chief hooligan on that day and started beating our youths who were harmless, who were unarmed,” he said.

He charged that on the fateful day, the police acted unprofessionally as they behaved like Patriotic Front (PF) vigilantes and that their action was allegedly premeditated, saying further that currently there was no rule of law in the country.

[pullquote]“That Katanga lady, am going to her office today. Myself! Am going to her office. I am going to her office because it’s a public office. I want her to explain to me two things. One, why she cheated that there were hooligans when it was her who is a hooligan! I want her to explain, today! Today! And I am not inviting anyone to follow me. I am going there alone because they think that we are afraid. I am not afraid. I am going there alone![/pullquote]

He wondered why Civil Society Organisations like Transparency International Zambia (TIZ), Human Rights Commission (HRC) and Southern African Centre for Constructive Disputes (SACCORD) renowned for denouncing such acts had been mute on the matter.

Mr Hichilema reiterated that the party was going to report the police brutality to the Southern African Development Community (SADC), African Union (AU), United Nations (UN), among others while it sought to exhaust local avenues and that no one was going to stop that move.

“This matter, we are taking it beyond this boundary, beyond Zambia’s boundary,” Mr Hichilema said.

The UPND leader also accused Government of signing an agreement with its Sudanese counterparts aimed training PF youths by militias of that war torn country, saying that was another issue the party wanted to bring to the attention of the international community.

He also blamed the impending the fuel crisis to Government’s alleged failure to critically assess the situation before recently donating 5 million litres of fuel to the Malawian Government during the funeral of then president Mbingu Wa Mtharika.

On the extension by 50 days the scrutinizing of the draft Constitution, Mr Hichilema said the party would not support extensions if the nation to be informed about the definite time-frame of the whole process as such extensions would result in the process gobbling more money than the National Constitution Conference (NCC).

ACTING-PRESIDENT Alexander Chikwanda says those who want to supplant the Patriotic Front (PF) as a ruling party should not engender divisions to erode peace and meaningful unity, which are crucial tools to accomplish Zambia’s development agenda.

Mr Chikwanda says 2016 (when the general elections are due) is a long haul and aspirants for the mandate from the electorate to rule Zambia “are advised to use their ammunition sparingly.” He said this in Lusaka yesterday during a media briefing on some issues of national importance.

Mr Chikwanda said Government will also abide by the Supreme Court ruling in the matter in which it has appealed against the High Court decision to stay the suspension of a Supreme Court judge and two high court judges and to appoint a tribunal to stay their alleged misconduct.

The three judges have challenged President Sata’s decision to suspend them from office and constitute a tribunal to investigate them. The trio are Supreme Court judge Phillip Musonda and High Court judges Nigel Mutuna and Charles Kajimanga.

Mr Chikwanda said the Judiciary has an advantage “in the undesirable war of attrition because they have an enviable role of being a player and referee.” He said the President cannot dismiss the judges under the provisions of the current constitution.

Mr Chikwanda, however, said the President’s latitude to appoint a tribunal is “beyond dispute.”

He said Government will not take any “precipitate measures” in the matter and appealed to members of the public and civil society organisations to be patient on the matter.

“The people of Zambia are being dared to sit in moral judgment of the executive and the judiciary because what is happening is far beyond legality. It is a moral issue, for no government can stand with sustainability without distinct moral bench marks. This is at the core of the very essence of any government premised on democracy and the rule of law,” he said.

On the recent demonstration by opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) youths which resulted in a confrontation with the police, Mr Chikwanda said this was a result of people intent on confrontation “tempting the police to react.”

He, however, said those wishing to demonstrate are free but must do so within the confines of the law.

“While we urge the law enforcement agencies to act with greater restraint, we also enjoin those who want to exercise their constitutional rights and freedom to assemble and demonstrate to do so with responsibility and within the confines of the law. They should avoid confrontational stances,” Mr Chikwanda said.

He said opposition parties must not be synonymous with violence and intolerance.

Mr Chikwanda said there is currently no conflict on the imperatives of national unity and urged all interest groups to observe the law.

“We appeal to all well- meaning Zambians to embrace peace and harmony and isolate the promoters of dissent and intolerance from the mainstream Zambians who are apostles of love, compassion and togetherness,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Chikwanda has clarified that Government currently owns about 90 percent stake in the Development Bank of Zambia (DBZ) because the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and Exim Bank of India have not increased their shares proportionately to Government’s equity contribution. He said this has increased Government’s shareholding, leading to “over-swamping” of other equity partners.

Mr Chikwanda, who is Minister of Finance, said Government’s shareholding in DBZ is in accordance with the provisions of Section Three of Minister of Finance Incorporation Act Cap 349 of the Laws of Zambia in conjunction with Section Seven.

“It is in this context and public interest that the Minister of Finance as shareholder directed the DBZ to ask their lawyer to pend (hold) the action before the court, not to withdraw but seek the Attorney General’s option because the matter before the court had acquired overtones which were contentious,” he said.

Mr Chikwanda said it is Government’s practice to seek guidance of the Attorney General’s opinion on matters without certainty.

[Zambia Daily Mail]