GOVERNMENT has described as unfortunate and untrue insinuations that it was abbeting violence and should be held accountable for the Chongwe shooting incident.

Mr Sakeni said contrary to the accusations, Government had a duty to ensure the safety and security of all its citizens regardless of their political affiliation and that at no time would it abdicate the solemn responsibility it has sworn to uphold.

Reacting to insinuations in some sections of the media, Chief Government spokesperson Kennedy Sakeni said all cases of violence were being dealt with by law enforcement agencies in accordance with the provisions of the law.

“It is therefore immoral for some sections of the opposition to seek political mileage from the Kampasa shooting incident by raising unfounded allegations against His Excellency President Michael Chilufya Sata and the Government,” he said.

He accused some opposition parties of making futile attempt to boost their faltering political fortunes by wanting to use the unfortunate tragedy for political and partisan gain.

Mr Sakeni said in a statement that Government is on record as having not only condemned but also ensured that perpetrators of violence are brought to book as per law established.

Mr Sakeni said all perpetrators of violence, including from the Kampasa shooting incidence, will be brought to book.

He said the unfortunate loss of life in the Kampasa shooting incident is a national tragedy which all well meaning Zambians deeply regret.

He called upon the nation to mourn the two departed citizens who died in the Chongwe shooting incident in unity and dignity as investigations into the matter are well underway.

Last week, two people were killed by the Zambia National Service (ZNS) officers during an eviction exercise for squatters who had encroached on on ZNS land.

Passengers, Pedestrian and Cyclists Association of Zambia ( PPCAZ ) president Lawrence Kaoma has condemned United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema for declaring illegal support to contravening bus drivers.

Mr. Kaoma said that any form of lawlessness should not be encouraged at all cost.

He said it is not fair for any person to protect law breakers who have highly contributed to the loss of life the country has faced in the recent past.

“ It was wrong for UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema to offer legal support to law breakers instead of sensitizing them on how to be law abiding citizens and help the country protect lives of all road users.

ZANIS reports that Mr. Kaoma said this in an interview in Lusaka, yesterday.

He said Bus drivers are important persons in society that should always be mindful of the lives of people they carry and all other users’ lives.

He said all contravening bus drivers who have been arrested should be meant to face the justice.

He said there is nothing wrong with the traffic officers impounding the contravening bus drivers adding that all the officers are doing are to ensure that sanity on the roads is restored.

He said protests are not a solution to the problems the bus drivers have adding that there are better ways of addressing them.

He said if bus drivers have any grievances such as corruption by traffic officers let them report to relevant authorities.

Mr. Kaoma has since thanked the Zambia police traffic division and Road Transport Agency for the move adding that this will serve as a lesson to other would be contraveners.

Last week UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema said he sympathized with the mini bus drivers whose buses have been impounded by police for contravening the road service licence.

He assured the mini bus drivers that he would uses two of his party lawyers to help with their court cases.

ZANIS

Chongwe Member of Parliament Sylvia Masebo says the breakdown of law and order in the acquisition of land in the country is worrying.

Ms. Masebo says there is an urgent need therefore for the Ministry of Lands, Environmental Protection and Natural Resources (MOLEPNR) and other stakeholders to address these irregularities that have resulted in violent attacks in the country.

The Parliamentarian, who is also Tourism and Arts minister, said this last evening when she featured on a MUVI television program dubbed “Assignment.”

Ms. Masebo said government should implement the law regardless of the person involved.

She described as unfortunate the situation where some people were using name of government to engage in illegal land allocation, which has in unfortunate events resulted in loss of life.

Ms. Masebo further called on citizens to be weary of unscrupulous people engaging in the sale and allocation of land ion restricted areas.

She has called on citizens to ensure that then rule of law is takes place and also acknowledged government’s failure to implement the law in relation to land issues.

Meanwhile, Miss Masebo has called on women in the country to take centre stage in politics to bring sanity in the country.

She observed that the political climate was characterized by insults and quarrels because it is dominated by the male folk.

ZANIS

The Chikopa tribunal set up to probe judges is today expected to sit and hear preliminary issued raised by Dr Justice Philip Musonda. The Tribunal which is expected to sit in the morning would among other things consider Dr Musonda’s submissions that it had no jurisdiction proceed with the hearing because he had decided to leave office.

But Tribunal secretary Chipili Magayane had in her response advised that her office would sit today to hear the issues raised by Dr Musonda.

Ms Magayane advised Dr Justice Musonda’s lawyers to present issues raised before the Tribunal for consideration and not through the exchange of letters.

Today should have been the official date set by the Tribunal to start receiving evidence in the alleged professional misconduct of Dr Justice Musonda, judges Mutuna and Kajimanga had the two not been granted leave to stay the proceedings by Mr Justice Siavwapa which Mr Malila has since challenged.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Mumba Malila has filed an application asking Ndola high court judge Mwiinde Siavwapa to discharge the leave to commence judicial review granted to judges Nigel Mutuna and Charles Kajimanaga to challenge the legality of the Tribunal about a forty night ago.

The grounds on which Mr Malila has based his arguments to urge Mr Justice Siavwapa to discharge his ruling to grant permission to judges Mutuna and Kajimanga to commence judicial review to challenging the legality of the tribunal could not by press time be accessed because they were yet to be filed before Mr Justice Siavwapa in Ndola.

But according to information gathered, the Lusaka high court yesterday morning had date stamped the application by Mr Malila enroute to Ndola where the trial court was based.

The attorney general is in his application expected to put across arguments asking Mr Justice Siavwapa to review the Supreme Court judgement that established that president Michael Sata was on firm ground when he suspended the judges and set up a tribunal to probe them.

Mr Malila would in the light of the above ask Mr Justice Siavwapa to discharge his ruling in favour of the two judges and allow for the Tribunal to continue.

The Department of Immigration has refuted speculations that Zambia will lose a huge amount of revenue at the Tunduma Boarder.  

Immigration Public Relations Officer Namati Nshinka said the Department has noticed some apprehension among some quarters of society with regards the requirement introduced by the Tanzanian Immigration Authorities for Zambians crossing from Nakonde into Tunduma to be in possession of a valid border pass.

Mr Nshinka added that the requirement is in accordance with the Immigration and Deportation Act which was implemented to aid cross border movements within the region.
 
He said a border pass is primarily designed to be issued for the purpose of providing a facility to Zambians living in border areas to pay social visits to immediate neighbouring areas.
 
Mr Nshinka was reacting to speculations from some members of the public that the requirement by Tanzania will lead to Zambia losing revenue, adding that Zambia stands to gain in revenue collected as the border passes issued to Zambians will be issued by the Zambian Immigration Authorities.
 
He said Zambians holding border passes are not allowed to go beyond Tunduma without Zambian National Passport as doing so is abrogating the conditions of the border pass.
 
This is according to a news statement issued in Lusaka today.

The MMD in Eastern Province has recommended for the expulsion of its Mkaika Member of Parliament David Phiri and warned other parliamentarians serving as Deputy Ministers in the PF Government that they risk being expelled from the party.

Eastern Province MMD Information and Publicity Secretary, Samuel Lugomo Phiri, told ZANIS this morning that Mr Phiri had been disowned by the former ruling party for allegedly uttering statements that were inimical to the MMD on whose ticket he went to parliament.

Mr Phiri said this should serve as a warning to other MMD MPs who were double-legged that they would be forced out of the party if they do not abide by the code of conduct to the MMD.

And in a statement signed by Provincial Chairperson, Alexander Miti and Mr Phiri, the Provincial Executive Committee decided to recommend for his expulsion following recommendations from constituency and Katete District Executive Committees.

The dual claimed that the party leadership in Eastern Province decided to disown the Mkaika MP, adding that the party organs had already written to the National Executive Committee (NEC) to recommend for his expulsion.

The MMD Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) said the party could not continue to accommodate the leader whose conduct they claimed was against the party and its code of conduct.

The Parliamentarian was also accused of distributing materials to PF cadres at Katete stores and other places in his constituency.

The PEC also charged that Mr Phiri, who is also Tourism Deputy Minister, made it clear that he was now supporting the PF as he told people in his constituency that he could not discuss the MMD, adding that he also tried to lure councillors in his constituency to defect to the PF.

“Mr Phiri has shown that he has no respect for the people of Mkaika. The nation must know that during the adoption process in 2011, he was rejected by the constituency and district committees in Katete district,” they said.

The committee claimed that it had investigated the conduct of the MP and concluded that Mr Phiri was a selfish leader who did not appreciate those who helped him to be where he was.

Mr Phiri could not be reached for comment as his mobile phone was not reachable.

ZANIS