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]

Slap Dee released the video for his song “Kuichayila”

Camstar released the video for his song “Wiso Munandi”

By Kapa187

The Alliance for Good Governance (AGG) has expressed concern at the continued stay of Malawian judge Lovemore Chikopa in the country despite the tribunal he is supposed to preside over being on a stay.

Alliance chairperson Reverend Phukuta Mwanza observed that it will be better if Judge Chikopa returns to Malawi and follow the proceeds of the courts from there because he is only staying in Zambia at the expense of Zambian tax payers money.

Reverend Mwanza noted that once the case is disposed off by the courts of law and the tribunal becomes operational, he can return to Zambia and resume his assignment.

Speaking at a press conference this morning, Reverend Mwanza said Judge Chikopa’s continued stay in the country is a contrast to government’s policy of prudent utilization of public resources.

He said in as much as the president has powers to appoint any judge from any region, it works against the PF’s pronouncement of putting more money in the pockets of Zambians and is instead putting more money in the pockets of Malawians.

The Alliance for Good Governance comprises six organizations namely, the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ), the Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP), the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), the Operation Young Vote (OYV), the Zambia Federation of the Disabled (ZAFOD), 2410 and the Press Association of Zambia (PAZA).

And alliance chairperson Phukuta Mwanza said the calls for the dissolution of the judiciary are unjustifiable stating that the move should be a last resort.

Reverend Mwanza said a complete sudden dissolution of the judiciary will only have far serious consequences on the huge number of cases currently in the various courts countrywide.

He said the alliance is in full support of judicial reforms but states that the approach should be handled with caution and objectivity and not bitterness and hate.

[QFM]