Disability HIV/AIDS Human Rights Programme Director Elijah Ngwale says the capital City, Lusaka has become un-friendly to the persons with disabilities.
Mr. Ngwale says physical environment does not favour persons with disabilities in terms of infrastructure because persons with disabilities do not have access to roads, schools, houses, health facilities among others not only in Lusaka but also other towns in the country.
The Disability Activist has for this reason challenged the Zambia Environment Management Agency (ZEMA) to monitor the guidelines that impede the rights of his members.
ZANIS reports that Mr. Ngwale said this in an interview as the country joins the rest of the world in commemorating the World Environment Day, today.
He said since the United Nations (UN) General Assembly adopted the Convention on the rights of persons living with disabilities in 2006 in which rights of disabled people are enshrined, only three countries have domesticated the Convention.
He regretted that most African countries neither have disability legislation in place nor have made any effort to mainstream issues of persons living with disabilities in their programmes.
Mr. Ngwale has however commended the Zambian Government for being proactive in dealing with issues pertaining to persons with disabilities in which the Zambian Government enacted the Persons with Disabilities Act number six of 2012.
The theme for 2013 World Environment Day celebrations is dubbed, “Think. Eat and Save.
Think.Eat.Save is an anti-food waste and food loss campaign that encourages people to reduce their food-print. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), every year an estimated 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted.
FAO further reports that 1 in every 7 people in the world go to bed hungry and more than 20,000 children under the age of 5 die daily from hunger.
This year’s campaign sensitizations seeks to take action from homes and then experience the power of collective decisions from people in positions of influence including political will from respective governments.
This is to reduce food waste, save money, minimize the environmental impact of food production and force food production processes to become more efficient.
Philip Mubiana accused of involved in a homosexual relationship walking into the court room while covering his face
Defence lawyers in a case in which two men of Kapiri Mposhi are appearing in court on charges of practicing homosexuality have u-turned and applied for commencement of trial in the Magistrates Court.
On 22 May 2013 when the case came up for commencement of trial before Central Province Principle Resident Magistrate, John Mbuzi, the defence lawyers from SNB Legal Practitioners of Lusaka applied for determination of some constitutional issues which they raised in the matter before the high court.
This prompted Magistrate Mbuzi to adjourn the matter to June 5, 2013, for ruling whether the issues the defence raised could only be determined in the High Court.
This is in the case in which James Mwape, a bricklayer, and Philip Mubiana a hair dresser, both aged 21 and residents of Ndeke and Soweto compounds respectively in Kapiri Mposhi, are facing four counts of engaging in homosexuality.
However, when the case came up for ruling today the defence lawyers backed-down and instead applied that their earlier application to determine constitutional issues in the matter be thrown-out to facilitate commencement of trial in the Magistrates Court owing to the fact that the accused have been in remand for a long time.
In his application, defence lawyer, Sunday Nkonde, said his team has decided to backtrack and go ahead with trial in the matter in order to expedite conclusion of the case.
Mr Nkonde stated that the determination of constitutional issues will merely delay progress in the case bearing in mind that his clients were not on bail and had their police bond revoked barely two days after being arrested.
The suspects had their police bond revoked after they were allegedly found committing similar offences.
Magistrate Mbuzi also denied the duo bail on 22 May 2013 owing to their earlier abrogation of police bond which was given to them after they were arrested for committing similar offences as charged.
And the state applied for adjournment of the case to allow it to prepare its witnesses for commencement of trial.
The state intends to call six witnesses in the matter.
Magistrate Mbuzi adjourned the matter to June 10 and 11, 2013 for commencement and continuation of trial.
The duo was arrested on May 4, 2013, and was slapped with four counts of committing unnatural offences contrary to Section 155 of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia as read with amended Act number 15 of 2005.
Lusaka Province Patriotic Front Chairperson Geoffrey Chuumbwe has accused father Bwalya of being Judas Iscariot because be abandoned Jesus Christ for secular matters to fulfill his human desires.
Mr. Chuumbwe has also described Father Bwalya’s our busts in the political arena as utopia which will not take him anywhere in the Zambian politics.
The provincial Chairperson said that the unwarranted attacks by Father Bwalya on the President and the PF Party will not yield an results.
Mr. Chuumbwe said Father Bwalya is a bitter man who expected to be rewarded much that he was given hence the bitterness against the PF Government.
ZANIS reports that the Province Patriotic Front Chairperson said this in an interview with in Lusaka, today.
“It is just the act of indiscipline in the party of Father Bwalya. He is just a bitter person because he expected more than he was rewarded as former Zambia Electricity Supply Co-operation Board Chairman”, Mr. Chuumbwe noted.
He further warned Father Bwalya to be careful and avoid nu necessary attacks on the head of state and the PF.
Mr. Chuumbwe appealed to Zambians not listen to the outburst of Father Bwalya because they are made out of anger and bitterness.
Yesterday, Alliance for Better Zambia (ABZ) President Frank Bwalya has likened President Michael Sata to Judas Iscariot of the Bible who betrayed the Lord Jesus.
Fr. Bwalya alleged that many people including him had great hopes in President Sata and feel betrayed by turning away from the ideals which he believed on while he was in the opposition.
He contended that the man whom people considered their ‘savior’ has drifted away from his core values saying he has betrayed the Zambian people like Judas did to Jesus.
He also alleged that the PF under President Sata has become worse than MMD in corruption stating that it has started engaging themselves in corruption which he also attributed to the rising cost of living and prices of goods and services.
He said he has, however, no regret supporting Sata and the PF in 2011 saying he was convinced that they will deliver according to their promises.
Fr. Bwalya who strongly campaigned for the ruling party has since advised the Zambian people not to vote someone out or in government because of desperation for change.
He explained that the Zambian people made the same stance in 1991 and 2011 when voting out Dr. Kenneth Kaunda and Rupiah Banda out of desperation for change but that never helped matters.
He has since advised the electorates to carefully analyze candidates during elections to ensure that they usher in credible leaders in government.
Fr. Bwalya.
Information and Broadcasting Services minister Kennedy Sakeni
Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services and Chief Government Spokesperson, Kennedy Sakeni, has described as unfortunate and unfounded reports in some sections of the media purporting that President Michael Sata’s trips are not benefiting the country.
Mr Sakeni says President Sata and his government are working hard to put Zambia on a sustainable path to social and economic development.
In a press statement released to ZANIS this afternoon, Mr Sakeni said it is time opposition leaders, such as United Party for National Development (upnd) spokesperson, Charles Kakoma, appreciated the need to give credit where it is due.
The Minister said all trips and official engagements President Sata is undertaking, both at home and abroad, are intended to benefit the Zambian people.
Mr Sakeni pointed out that a case in point is the just-ended Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), in Yokohama, Japan, where a series of high level meetings with the Japanese government and investors were held to woo that country’s investment to Zambia.
He noted that among President Sata’s engagements in Japan was a meeting with potential investors from the Central Japan Railway Company on the feasibility of clinching a deal to revamp the Zambian railways network.
He further explained that while in Japan President Sata also met Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, during which the Japanese government announced its new grant assistance to Zambia towards the improvement of medical equipment in hospitals.
“Using its advanced technology, the Japanese government further pledged to continue cooperating with Zambia in various sectors, including the Kazungula bridge project on the Zambia-Botswana border,” said Mr Sakeni.
Mr Sakeni said needless to belabour, other such missions the President has undertaken to China and elsewhere in the recent past are meant to market Zambia’s vast and virgin investment potential in order to spur job and wealth creation for the people of Zambia.
PRESIDENT Michael Sata has arrived home from his official visit to Japan where he went to attend the fifth Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD).
Prior to attending the TICAD, President Sata attended the African Union (AU) summit in Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, which coincided with celebrations to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Organization of African Union (OAU).
President Sata arrived aboard the Presidential jet which touched down at the Kenneth Kaunda International in Lusaka today at 13:15 hours.
The President was welcomed by acting President and Home Affairs Minister Edger Lungu, Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba, Tourism and Arts Minister Sylvia Masebo and other senior Government officials.
Others that welcomed Mr Sata included defence chiefs, and a horde of Patriotic Front members.
He arrived in the company of Commerce Trade and Industry minister Emmanuel Chenda, Lands Minister Wylbur Simuusa, Foreign Affairs minister Effron Lungu and State House Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations, George Chellah.
During the high level meetings, the Head of State attended both private and open door meetings with other leaders from around the world to discuss matters of global and continental concern.
The President also held private meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday this week, where he invited Japanese investors to set up businesses in Zambia. He also had a private meeting with the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon while in Ethiopia.
File:An old woman battling for her life in a makeshift hamlet and she has no relatives to take care of her.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has launched two projects in three chiefdoms of Madzimawe, Nzamane and Mishoro’s areas in Chipata district to benefit more than fifty thousand people living with HIV and AIDS, orphans and vulnerable children.
Speaking at the launch, Eastern Province Permanent Secretary Bert Mushala said the two projects, Thrive and Mawa were aimed at improving the living standards of the intended beneficiaries.
He said that the Thrive project would deliver a consolidated nutrition package to people Living with HIV and AIDS while Mawa was aimed at offering nutrition assessment, counseling and support on nutrition and farming mechanisms.
Mr Mushala noted that government appreciates the intervention by stakeholders as the country continued to face both food insecurity and high levels of nutrition, especially among sub groups of the population.
Mr Mushala said the projects which would be implemented in Chipata and Lundazi will equip 21,500 households in the two districts with agricultural and marketing skills for improved agricultural production and effective engagement with markets.
He stated that the projects would also encourage crop diversification and consumption of more diverse, nutritious foods.
USAID Zambia Mission Director Dr Susan Brems said Eastern province was a focus area for both projects adding which have one thing in common as they both deal with nutrition.
And speaking at the same function Chief Madzimawe said that the projects which would be carried in Chiefs Mishoro, Nzamane and his chiefdoms for a period of five years would impact positively on people’s lives.
Information and Broadcasting Services minister Kennedy Sakeni says as far as government is concerned , the contract to procure oil for the country was awarded correctly and transparently to Trafigura, contrary to reports in some sections of the media.Mr. Sakeni has for this reason invited members of the general public with information to the contrary to freely approach relevant wings of the Government and put their case across.
ZANIS reports that the Information and Broadcasting minister said this in a statement , in Lusaka, today.
“ As a matter of fact, the public may wish to know that Trafigura is the company that bought BP Oil company in Zambia, now operating as Puma (Z) Limited, “ he said.
He explained that the company is therefore highly reputable and credible in the oil industry worldwide.Whatever is being insinuated around the company’s oil procurement deal with Zambia are mere assumptions with no aorta of truth in them.He explained that the oil pricing structures in Zambia and its neighbouring countries may not be at par depending on distances from seaports. Others may be selling at higher or low prices.
“ Otherwise, I would not like to say much on the issue to avoid giving credence to what are clearly wild allegations, “ he said.
He said government remains unflinchingly committed to transparent and accountable utilization of public resources for national benefit.Government recently signed a one year US$500 million contract with Netherland’s multinational commodity trader, Trafigura, for the supply and delivery of finished petroleum products because Zambian investigative wings have cleared the company.
However ,the Netherlands based Oil firm was embroiled in an investigation into Justice minister Winter Kabimba who was accused of taking bribes over the contract.
According to the Guardian(http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/dec/03/trafigura-zambia-bribery-allegations) Trafigura categorically refutes any allegation of corruption at any stage before, during or after the award of this tender and welcomes the investigation by the Zambian Anti-Corruption Commission.”The company added that it had never made any payments to Midland Energy.
Kabimba is a director of Midland Energy and the Guardian has seen copies of the company’s incorporation documents which list the minister as a board member and shareholder. The company was registered on 10 January 2012, four months after the current government came into power.
Local reports suggested that the allegations against Kabimba have been made by sources close to Zambia’s defence minister, Geoffrey Mwamba. Among the claims are that he recently travelled to Lebanon to collect the payment on behalf of Midlands Energy.
However, the Anti- Corruption Commission (ACC ) has since cleared the minister of the allegations over the Trafigura Oil deal.
[ZANIS/the Guardian]
Hunt for Successor 42: Money is the root of all evil
“Money is the root of all evil,” the email read. “It is the reason you Africans are a failure; a dependent of the West. It is the reason you languish at the bottom of the totem pole. Don’t blame us. You have put yourselves there. It is your self-interest, pettiness, and meanness that have put you at the brink of economic Armageddon. It is the greediness of your political leaders that makes you an endangered people.”
The lengthy email was from Walter, the Caucasian and former IMF official I had sat next to on my flight from Los Angeles to Boston on New Year’s Eve of 2011. I had not heard from him in months. I read on:
“It is this unbridled greed that is killing you at an alarming rate. It has turned you into beggars at the hands of the IMF-World Bank and condemned you to debt. The indebtedness, superior to colonialism, is the reason for the wanton deaths of African folk and the fast reduction of the African population. It’s a great shame for a people who have enough natural resources to feed, clothe and shelter every single soul on the continent.
A Sinazongwe fisherman with his children on Lake Kariba
Like children your so-called economists and your ill-informed politicians get excited when IMF-World Bank announces that your economic growth has ‘surged’ to 8%, 4%, 2%… What they fail to understand is such are insignificant percentages of low development. IMF-World Bank is simply putting cheese on its traps and like mice you all are getting caught. Where are the African economists to fight this scourge?”
Walter’s last remarks on African intellectuals steered a debate across Africa that has lasted up to today. From the email it was clear that he was still following closely the activities in Africa.
“I see your president has become a victim of IMF-World Bank placebos. He has removed subsidies on maize and fuel. I will address that later. Let me first inform your readers that I love Africa. I’ve left the New York “Vulture Fund” company I worked for when you and I met on JetBlue. It was too much for me. In 1999, I moved from the loan shark IMF to a broking company that was ripping off countries like yours by buying up the debt at cheap prices and demanding much higher than the original price.
“In 2007, we sued Zambia for $40 million, after buying off some of the debt for $4 million. Chiluba paid us $15 million, and we rewarded him with $2 million. We went to the Democratic Republic of Congo and did the same thing. Overtime, I became disillusioned. I was often haunted by the view from the bedroom window of my Kabulonga home back in the 1980s.”
For those familiar with Walter, you’ll remember his words: “I was part of the IMF group that came to rip you guys off. Your government put me in a million dollar mansion overlooking a shanty called Kalingalinga. From my patio I saw it all—the rich and the poor, the ailing, the dead, and the healthy.”
A LandRover finding its way through the flooded Njashishi Road in Kanyama Compound in Lusaka
Walter reminisced: “The daily sight of funeral processions from Kalingalinga to Leopard’s Hill Cemetery have stuck to the walls of my brain—the sound of wailing, and solemn hymns. I have quit. I am no longer a vulture. I have now become a fighter for Africa’s economic empowerment.
“I’m a staunch supporter of Joseph Stiglitz whom I have always admired. I totally agree with him when he says that the IMF must be dismantled. Joe was at the World Bank when I was in Africa. The man has a big heart for Africa. How I wish some of your rational economists like Caleb Fundanga, who is familiar with the IMF, would take a leaf from Stiglitz and persuade your president to find a way of avoiding the IMF-World Bank high restrictive conditions and abominable interest rates that have brought misery to your people.”
For those who do not know Joseph Stiglitz, he is the Nobel Prize laureate in Economics who served as Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of the World Bank in the 1990s. In 2011, TIME magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world. He is a guru at asset risk management, corporate governance, and international trade. The man was inside the World Bank and saw it all.
In a 2002 radio interview with Doug Henwood of WBAI, New York, Stiglitz was asked what struck him when he first got to the World Bank. The reply is quoted in full because it is the reason African states are stuck with IMF-World Bank for good.
[pullquote]It bothered Stiglitz greatly to discover that both the IMF and the World Bank were exploiting Africa. At the same time it bothered IMF-World Bank that Stiglitz had discovered their horrors and gone public. He was fired.[/pullquote]
Stiglitz: “One of the most traumatic experiences I had there was just a month after I started. I went to Ethiopia, one of the poorest countries in the world. It had a balanced budget, no inflation, and had had rapid growth for five years, had cut back on defense expenditures from 6% to 2%, even though it had come to power through military means. This is a really unusual government – no charges of corruption. And yet the IMF had suspended its program.
“I asked, ‘Why?’ The answer was that the budget wasn’t balanced. But it was. They said, ‘But you shouldn’t include foreign aid.’ I said, ‘Why else are governments giving money if it’s not for them to build schools and hospitals?’ They said, ‘You can’t rely on it.’ The government had a very good answer. They said, ‘As long as we get the money, we’ll build the schools, and when we don’t get the money, we’ll stop building the schools.’ And when we came back to Washington we discovered that tax revenues were more unstable than foreign aid.”
It bothered Stiglitz greatly to discover that both the IMF and the World Bank were exploiting Africa. At the same time it bothered IMF-World Bank that Stiglitz had discovered their horrors and gone public. He was fired.
Walter writes: “I was in Washington D.C. when Joe was fired. Some African presidents and Finance Ministers celebrated. It was Joe who opposed the privatization of national assets. He was against high interest rates, and trade liberalization. But he was alone. Your president and your Minister of Finance disliked him. He was standing in the way of their commissions. They were making tons of money by associating themselves with the IMF and the World Bank. It was in the Washington IMF and World Bank offices that money became the root of evil. It was here that the “carrot and stick” game was played like Russian roulette. Ministers of Finance were staking their country’s assets for a commission and we kept winning, even when they shot themselves in the head.
“Now you know why the Ministry of Finance is the most sought in African countries. African Finance Ministers are the richest of the cabinet and are confidants of the president because they are the carriers of the begging bowl. Their best telephone call is the one from Washington D.C.
By the way, I was appalled, but not surprised when one of your junior ministers was quoted as saying “we will continue borrowing; we are in a hurry to develop.” Watch him. He’s drunk with power.
It is this chronic borrowing that has worsened your county’s debt and increased poverty. A debt results in cutbacks in spending on health care, and is the reason people in your country continue to die from HIV/AIDS and poverty-related diseases. I have seen his picture; he looks chubby and is always smiling. I am sure he has a relative or two who are not as fortunate as he. If I had it my way, I would arrest him, lock him up, and throw away the key for mortgaging a country in which the majority are poor. He’s a half-hearted economist; an impetuous and selfish fellow.
“This is the type of foolish behavior I saw at IMF. The so-called African economists sent to Washington didn’t care how much they borrowed, at what interest rate. They didn’t bother to read the fine print. They did care if they flogged their electricity and water companies. They simply didn’t care about the poor back in their countries. It was what was in it for them and their president—period. And we didn’t care how much we dished out as long as we kept a country such as yours below the poverty line, and within the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC).
“I began to lose respect for African economists, dressed, as they were, in their tailor-made suits, with golden cufflinks and draped bowties. Not one of these African Iscariots I met during my stay at IMF said anything negative about IMF; not one could see the drastic impact IMF and World Bank was having on their people. Not one could see that IMF and the World Bank were merely credit risk agencies.
“Field, how do you like the tag HIPC on your country? That’s what Zambia is and will always be—a Heavily Indebted Poor Country, that’s right. IMF and the World Bank love it. It’s a way of separating lepers from society. Your president, Chiluba, sold everything for a nickel and your country slipped to 164 of the 187 countries on the United Nation’s Development Index of poverty. You are still lepers, all I know. You are a country without an airline, meaningful mining and manufacturing industries, and now no subsidies—nothing. You are a country without health, education and development. Look at your dilapidated hospitals, schools, roads—just look at them. It’s shameful.
Patients sleeping on the floor at a ward in UTH
“When I read that your president had removed subsidies on maize and fuel, two reasons came to mind. The first is obvious; your president has no choice. He needs to maintain the IMF and the World Bank (your new colonial masters) seal of approval. Your country will not get help from Western donor countries without the IMF and the World Bank endorsement. That’s a smart way of keeping your country colonized, poor and dependent. If your president refuses to remove subsidies he risks having the extension of your country’s loans denied. This is what I call ‘loss of state sovereignty.’ Like you and other writers have hinted, when a country removes subsidies, it allows the market to determine demand and supply for food. This reduces support for farmers, and leads to the poor failing to afford essentials.
“The second reason is often ignored, but true. It is what Stiglitz calls the IMF riots. Stiglitz observes that when a nation is, ‘down and out,’ the IMF squeezes the last drop out of it. I dare add that the IMF-World Bank can be political at times. Don’t forget your president is not a very likable man in the West. They think he has become a puppet of China. He has been placed under the radar and is being watched. When you make the West uncomfortable, they will have you removed. The IMF and the World Bank know that when subsidies are removed, essentials will become unaffordable and people will riot. In your country maize and fuel are good dynamite with which to blast the ruling party. If they fail this time, I can assure you they will succeed next time.
“Joe is right. He’s speaking from his heart when he says IMF has failed. It is true IMF has purloined enough from poor countries, but, unfortunately, it is only Joe and a few like me who understand this. Your president and his economists don’t. We know that the West did not develop under such harsh conditions as those imposed on Africa. They kept subsidies for domestic industries. Your economists know this, and yet they can’t see that your country is being duped through monetary austerity; fiscal austerity; privatization; and financial liberalization. What a shame.”
Walter has spoken. I shall add no more.
Solwezi press club has joined the rest of stakeholders in condemning to the strongest terms the attack of innocent people including pressmen by suspected PF cadres at the Bible Gospel Outreach Church in Lusaka’s Matero township last Friday.The club expressed worry that the media practitioners are now living in fear as these political thugs might go to the extent of attacking them and their families in their respective homes.The club observed that it is saddening to attack innocent journalists who were merely executing their duty diligently so that the people in the country are well informed of the happenings.
Meanwhile The Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) has condemned last Friday’s attack on the church during a Black Friday procession to protest the Patriotic Front’s poor governance record and removal of subsidies on maize and fuel calling on government to bring the perpetrators to justice.
In a press statement released to the media The Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) vehemently condemned last Friday’s attack on the church, media and civil society by suspected politically influenced group of militias. The JCTR said the attack is a clear affront on freedom of expression, association and assembly all of which are a hallmark of a democratic society.
“We condemn the attack on the church, media and civil society and demand that the police expeditiously bring the culprits to book”, says JCTR Faith and Justice Programme Manager, Brian Banda.
[pullquote]The attack is a clear affront on freedom of expression, association and assembly all of which are a hallmark of a democratic society.[/pullquote]
In a free, democratic and Christian nation, people have the right to assemble and express their views on issues that touch their lives.
On Friday, the Church, media, civil society and other Zambians of good will met with the sole intention of praying, sharing, and informing the public about the issues that are currently adversely affecting the people of Zambia, especially the poor. The people at the prayer meeting deserved support, protection and security and not barbaric treatment from some non-law abiding citizens. Where the rich and powerful take advantage of the poor the church has and will always speak on behalf of the poor because God has a great passion for the poor and marginalized of our society and anyone who oppresses the poor and weak shows contempt to God their maker (Ps147:7-9), said Mr. Banda.
We urge the government, through the ministry of Home Affairs, to ensure that security and protection is given to all Zambians regardless of political affiliation or dissenting views. Dissent is expected in a democracy and so no Zambian should be intimidated to say what is contrary to government policy. Unless the ministry of home affairs protects the people of Zambia, especially those who hold divergent views, Zambia will certainly turn into a lawless nation. We denounce any form of lawlessness because that is inhuman, un-Zambian and undemocratic.
As JCTR, we want to promote a society where human dignity, which is the bedrock of human rights and democracy, is respected, promoted and protected especially by the state and every Zambian. Neither violence nor intolerance promotes human dignity or democracy. We encourage dialogue and peaceful demonstrations among stakeholders and all Zambians of good will as a way of engaging on issues of national policy and good governance. Where human rights are violated, we want to see Justice prevail. Therefore, we call upon the government, through the police, to bring the perpetrators of last week’s violence to justice now.
The Consortium of twelve Civil Society Organizations championing the Black Friday campaign has described the apology by Patriotic Front Matero Member of Parliament over the brutal attack on worshipers at BIGOCA church in Lusaka last Friday as a crocodile apology that does not hold water.
Spokesperson of the consortium Macdonald Chipenzi says for the apology to be accepted, the PF should go further in ensuring that all the thugs who were involved in the brutal attack are brought to book.
Mr. Chipenzi has also described the twenty million kwacha donated to BIGOCA church by Mr. Miles Sampa as fooling the church.
Mr. Chipenzi has argued that there is no way Mr. Sampa can make a donation to the church after what happened as doing so showed that the PF was only seeking to make peace with church and not regretting what the alleged PF thugs did.
He has also stressed the need for the Patriotic Front to allow people in the country to freely assemble and express their view as Zambia is a Democracy.
Former President Rupiah Banda
THE Lusaka High Court will today hear the application by former Republican President, Rupiah Banda that may determine whether he would travel to South Africa to attend the African Presidential Centre.
Banda who made his application in the High Court yesterday after two senior magistrates turned the earlier ones, also asked the court to vary his police bonds to enable him travel for the said function scheduled to start today and ending on June 8 this year.
But when the matter came up yesterday, High Court Judge-in-Charge who is in conduct of the matter granted an inter-parte hearing in the matter to allow both parties to make submissions.
The State had by press time not yet submitted its response on grounds that they were served with the written application late and needed time to study it and make a written response as well.
Banda in his application contended that he was making the application to the court to order the release of his passport to enable him attend the important function and future functions that he would be invited to attend.
He said he was a family man with two very young children, had properties in Zambia and previously lectured at Boston University in American and came back knowing that the State intended to prosecute him as comments to that effect were made long before the current prosecutions.
“I have now been invited by the African Presidential Centre to make a presentation at the African Presidential Roundtable 2013 in Johannesburg from June 5 to 8 this year and with me is a copy of the invitation letter written by the director which was copied to the US embassy in Zambia and Zambian embassy in US,” he said.
The Boston University had already sent two return air tickets and for one aide to travel with him to South Africa and back.
Chief Resident Magistrate Joshua Banda and Principal Resident Magistrate Obbister Musukwa in denying releasing the accused’s passport said the subordinate court had no jurisdiction to vary Banda’s bond conditions and advised that in an event that he was aggrieved with the outcome, he should apply to the higher court.
Mr Banda said the application to vary the accused persons’ police bond was before a wrong court saying even though he had inheritance power, it should not override the statutory provisions.
“The magistrate only has powers to extend the police bond and not to make any variations, and on the accusations of people making running comments, let all those including the accused stop making any running comments over the cases before court,” he said.
Mr Musukwa said section 126 (3) was the only statute that gave the High Court powers to vary the accused person’s police bond.
Some road rehabilitation projects left by the MMD government are still progressing. Here, a grader from Sable Construction levelling gravel and stones on the once rugged Katima Mulilo road in Lusaka. The road will be upgraded from two lanes to four lanes to ease congestion on the stretch.
The road rehabilitation and construction that will change the landscape of Zambia’s capital city in the process helping to end the traffic congestion will commence in two weeks time.
The Road Development Agency (RDA) in collaboration with the Lusaka City Council (LCC) announced yesterday that the works would involve 408 kilometers of Lusaka roads and would be completed in 43 months from the date of commencement.
The commencement of the project follows the conclusion of the designs by the contractor and the consultants.
The RDA and the Council have since appealed to car-wash owners, traders and others currently operating their businesses within the road reserve to vacate the areas to enable the road contractor carry out the works.
RDA chief executive officer Bernard Chiwala confirmed in a statement in Lusaka yesterday that the contractor AVIC international project Engineering Company had since mobilised.
He said phase one of the project would include the expansion of the 12.12 km stretch of Burma road from Independence Avenue to the Kasama road junction, the expansion of Mumbwa road from Lumumba road junction to a stretch of 9.41 km.
The expansion of the 2.19 km Thabo Mbeki road from Alick Nkhata junction to Arcades roundabout and the expansion of the 6.74 km of the Independence Avenue.
He said subsequent phases would involve the construction, rehabilitation and improvement of over 300 km of residential roads and bus routes, 45 km of the industrial and collector roads and 10 junctions in order to improve traffic flow.
Others would include construction, rehabilitation and improvement of 19 bus bays, one interchange on the Great East road and street lighting of selected roads.
The RDA and the Council appealed to the general public to exercise patience and give the contractor maximum cooperation as the contractor undertook the works.
Zambia’s foreign-based callups are complete as Herve Renard oversaw Tuesday training with a full house ahead of Saturdays 2014 World Cup Group D qualifier against Lesotho in Ndola.
And strikers Collins Mbesuma and Jacob Mulenga sat out this afternoons training.
In training on Tuesday was the China -based duo of James Chamanga and Christopher Katongo from Liaoning Whowin and Henan Jianye respectively.
The duo joined camp on Monday night.
Also in came are midfielder Nathan Sinkala and defender Hichani Himonde of TP Mazembe also joined the team on Monday.
The quartet was part of both morning and afternoon training at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
However, Mbesuma and Mulenga joined midfielder Rainford Kalaba on the sidelines in the afternoon although the duo are said to be nursing minor knocks.
Rainford Kalaba has been ruled out of Saturday’s 2014 World Cup qualifier against Lesotho at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
And defender Stopilla Sunzu has joined camp and started light training with the team in Ndola.
Team Doctor Joseph Kabungo said Kalaba needed to complete rest for his calf injury to heal.
Kalaba has been carrying an injury for the last two weeks
“For now I think he won’t make it for this weekend’s game because we need to give him a bit of time to fully recover and keep monitoring him,” Dr Kabungo said.
“But from a medical point of view he is out.
“We will see how he will respond by next week but chances are still are at 50 per cent to make the Sudan game.”
And Dr Kabungo said Sunzu was in the team purely for his rehabilitation programme only.
“As you noticed he was not part and parcel of the whole groups training we have a programme for him which he will continue,” Dr Kabungo said.
“He is not part of this weekend’s game neither will be part of the Sudan game.”
