Republican President Michael Sata has castigated individuals condemning government for not evacuating late former republican vice president George Kunda for specialist treatment outside the country.

President Sata says it is time Zambians started appreciating the quality of services the local health practitioners offer as evidenced by the successful operation on Robiana Muteka.

Mr. Sata says people should always understand that when someone’s time on earth is up, the will of God defeats science.

He was speaking at Lusaka’s Cathedral of the Child Jesus during the church service for the late former republican vice president George Kunda.

President Sata said self ordained pastors, who he said he could not name because they are already known, should not mislead people that government hesitated to evacuate Mr. Kunda for specialized treatment.

He says it is the same self ordained pastors without churches that condemned him for according Mr. Kunda an honorary state funeral.

President Sata says he is not the one to blame for not according late former republican vice president General Christon Tembo a state funeral because he was not the one in power at that time.

And President Sata, in the midst of the church service ordered Inspector General of Police Stella Libongani to quell a possible physical confrontation involving cadres outside the church who said were Dr. Nevers Mumba’s supporters.

Outside the church, cadres especially women from the opposition MMD and UPND bitterly complained of harassment by PF cadres, accusing them of intimidation during the funeral of their own member.

The women bemoaned that the behavior by the PF cadres is unbearable as it was not the case during the reign of the MMD.

The president led thousands of mourners at the church service for the late George Kunda, who died on Monday at the University Teaching Hospital and has since been put to rest at the Leopards hill memorial park.

Those who attended the church service included vice president Guy Scot, Chief Justice Ernest Sakala, Speaker of the national assembly Patrick Matibini, senior government officials, defence and security chiefs and leaders of various political parties.

And in his homily, Cardinal Merdado Mazombwe emphasized the need for faith in the almighty God, regardless of a situation.

Cardinal Mazombwe said death can never separate man from the love of God, as long as he believes.

And MMD acting party president Michael Mabenga said Mr. Kunda’s sudden death is a big blow to the nation but most especially to the party.

Mr. Mabenga says the party is comforted by the teachings of the gospel that no one on earth has got power to alter God’s plans on any man.

He also paid tribute to President Michael Sata and government for honoring late George Kunda, with three days of national mourning.

QFM

The Supreme and High Courts this morning held a joint valedictory session in honor of the late former republican vice president George Kunda who was a lawyer by profession.

The session was presided over by Chief Justice Ernest Sakala, and those in attendance included ECZ chairperson Justice Ireen Mambilima, Director of Public Prosecutions Mutembo Nchito and Attorney General Mumba Malila.

Others who attended the session included Solicitor General Musa Mwenye, High Court Judges, and several lawyers.

And Chief Justice Ernest Sakala has described the late Mr Kunda as strong supporter of judicial autonomy who also contributed significantly to the enactment of the progressive laws.

Justice Sakala also noted that the late Mr. Kunda will also be remembered for having been a strong defender of separation of powers, rule of law and good governance.

And Solicitor General Musa Mwenye said Mr. Kunda was a fearless opponent who was also very courageous to defend his opinions.

Meanwhile, Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) president James Banda wished the bereaved family God’s comfort during this hard time of mourning.

And former LAZ president Christopher Mundia said the former Vice president will be remembered for the crucial role he played to advocate for the multi-partism clause in the Zambian constitution.

Mr Mundia however noted that Mr. Kunda just like any other person could have made mistakes but that those mistakes are overshadowed by his good works.

Mr Kunda who was a State Counsel will put to rest at Leopards hill memorial park this afternoon.

The first Zambian Republican President also said Mr. Kunda has left an impact that will be felt by everyone and advised the nation to mourn him with dignity.

Former vice president Enock Kavindele says Mr Kunda will be remembered for his great contribution in Parliament as a leader of government business in the house.

Earlier, Former Works and Supply Minister Mike Mulongoti had said that Mr Kunda was a man who did not know social life but dedicated all his life to serving the nation.

The Attorney General Mumba Malila also described him as a hardworking and focused lawyer.

[QFM,ZNBC]

Responding to statements made this week by the Secretary General of the Patriotic Front political party Wynter Kabimba, lawyer Robert Amsterdam has stated that the ruling party’s harassment of legal counsel stands as proof of the political motivations behind the Zambian government’s allegations concerning Henry Banda.

“Based on this slew of attacks against Mr. Banda and myself unleashed by the ruling party, it is now clear beyond the shadow of a doubt that these allegations are entirely political,” said Mr. Amsterdam of Amsterdam & Peroff LLP, who represents both the former president and his son.

Mr. Amsterdam also noted that the persecution of Mr. Banda is occurring in the context of nationwide crackdown on the political opposition, aimed at eliminating their ability to compete in future elections. The cases undertaken against political figures often take place outside the formal structure of the court system, said Amsterdam. “Mr. Kabimba is misinformed concerning the issue of judicial independence in Zambia. There are many independent and prestigious judges, prosecutors, and jurists in Zambia. But that’s exactly why much of what we are seeing takes place outside the judiciary, with handpicked Commissions of Inquiry led by politically biased chairpersons, who are publicly scolded if their reports do not produce the desired results,” Amsterdam said.

“The reason Mr. Kabimba is attacking me is because it is the Patriotic Front who have ‘cried havoc’ and ‘let slip the dogs of war’ when they unlawfully seized many of the MMD’s vehicles, opened up absurd cases with no evidence, and put Zambia on the road back to a one-party state with the attempted de-registration of their main opponent. This is what happens when the separation of powers breaks down and the constitution is ignored.”

During a press conference held on April 17th, Kabimba denounced Henry Banda’s legal counsel as a “dog of war” and a “mercenary.” Mr. Kabimba also derided Mr. Amsterdam as “wild” and “emotionally charged,” and then ominously warned that “he ought to be extremely careful with the manner he utters statements for the sake of protecting his client.”

“It is highly irregular and prejudicial for any government official to comment on unproven allegations against a citizen, and even more so for Mr. Kabimba to do so in his capacity as the representative of the party, not the administration,” said Mr. Amsterdam. “Henry Banda has done absolutely nothing wrong, and has not been charged, tried, or even officially informed as to the nature of allegations against him, and yet the government defames him and his lawyer in the press every day. There is no rule-of-law court in the world that would consider extraditing Mr. Banda following such persecutory statements from Mr. Kabimba.”

Amsterdam & Peroff LLP along with law firm Brian Kahn Inc of Johannesburg, South Africa represent the Former President Rupiah Banda and his son Henry Banda. The legal team is in the process of presenting appeals before the relevant international bodies to expose the unlawful conduct undertaken by the current administration against the political opposition.

UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema claims PF cadres plan to harass him today’s church service for late former republican vice president, George Kunda, the same way they did at the funeral of Princess Nakatindi Wina.

Mr. Hichilema has since accused republican president Michael Sata of instructing PF cadres to beat up opposition political party leaders at state functions.

In an interview with QFM, Mr. Hichilema says it is unfortunate that the PF is using state functions to harass the opposition.

He says it is therefore better for the opposition to stay away from the Africa freedom day celebrations, instead of being subjected harassment for no reason.

Mr. Hichilema says whoever has concerns over the decision by the opposition to shun the celebrations should first express concern at the root cause, which he says is the harassment by cadres of the ruling Patriotic Front.

QFM

World Bank Vice President for the Africa Region, Ms Obiageli Ezekwesili has urged Zambia to focus on further diversification of her economy to create new jobs and to spur faster economic growth.

“Diversification generates jobs in agriculture, tourism, transport and other sectors such as road infrastructure,” she said when she met with Minister of Finance and National Planning Mr. Alexander Chikwanda.

She expressed confidence in Zambia’s economic potentials and stressed that “it has been a delight to work with Zambia over the years”

Ms. Ezekwesili said the World Bank would continue to support Zambia’s economic growth in areas such as tourism, infrastructure development, energy and education.

The Vice President called on the government to take full advantage of the warm relations the World Bank group has offered to advance the cause of development for Zambia.

Meanwhile, Finance and National Planning Minister, Alexander B. Chikwanda said that the Zambian people had very high expectations from the Zambian government to deliver real improvement in their lives since the Patriotic Front came to power.

“Considering the fact that the coming of the new Government coincides with the development of the Bank’s Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) for Zambia, the government is keen to work with the Bank in this process,” he said.

Some of the key areas that the Country Assistance Strategy will take on board include skills development, infrastructure development, particularly for rural areas, agricultural development particularly irrigation, livestock development and the development of market infrastructure.

Others are the decentralization in order to ensure that Government programmes are implemented more efficiently and equitably and the development of the private sector especially the medium small and micro enterprises so that they can play their full role as the engine for growth and job creation.

The Minister, was however, concerned to note that the level of development support that the Bank has provided to Zambia in recent years was below the level desired by the Government.

He appealed to the Bank to consider increasing the support provided to Zambia and the country’s desire to access Bank resource through the blend of the International Development Association (IDA) and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) resources.