Hope for Human Rights has charged that former vice president George Kunda is a racist. This follows the remarks Mr Kunda’s made recently against vice president Guy Scot.

Executive director Smart Chanda says the sentiments by Mr. Kunda in which he also referred to Dr. Scott as a dummy vice president are unfortunate and an indication that the former vice president is still bitter about the loss of his party which subsequently meant him losing the position of vice president which he held.

Mr. Chanda has told QFM that Mr Kunda should show some respect to Dr. Scott because he has the mandate to serve in government from the people of Zambia who elected him as a Member of Parliament.

He says it is wrong for George Kunda to state that the current Vice President is closer to homosexuality than the Zambians are.

Mr Chanda notes that Zambia is a unitary state and that any form of discriminatory statements should not be entertained.

Mr. Kunda during a press briefing recently challenged Dr. Scott to state his position on homosexuality stating that he is closer to the practice than Zambians are.

Bishop John Mambo has welcomed government’s move to come out and state its position on the controversial debate on homosexuality.

Bishop Mambo hopes that the government’s decision to break the silence will bring to an end the debate on homosexuality.

He has also commended the church and other stakeholders for coming out strongly on the issue of gay rights.

He has further advised the Zambian government to concentrate on fulfilling the promises made to the Zambian people during the campaigns.

Bishop Mambo says government should move fast in addressing the issues of development in the country.

[QFM]

THE United States (US) deputy chief of mission to Zambia Stephen Schwartz has said that his government has not asked the Zambian government to legalise gay rights as a pre-condition to receiving aid.

He said the US government’s provision of development aid to Zambia is on the basis of commitment to poverty reduction, respect for human rights and good governance.

Mr Schwartz said the US government engages in regular dialogue with Zambia to monitor its commitment to poverty reduction and other areas.

“The US government’s provision of development assistance to the Government of Zambia is on the basis of its overall commitment to reducing poverty, respecting human rights, improving public financial management, fighting corruption and promoting good governance and transparency,” he said.

Mr Schwartz said the US raises issues with governments when there are serious and systematic violations of human rights.

He said to date, the issue of gay rights has not arisen with the Zambian government, adding that the US will continue to assist the Zambian government, even if the authorities refuse to legalise gay rights in Zambia.

“My government will not cut aid to Zambia and what I can say at the moment is that our development aid to Zambia has increased and we will continue to assist Zambia as we promote human rights for all the people,” Mr Schwartz said.

His comment follows calls by United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-Moon that the Zambian government should discourage discrimination against anyone, based on sexual orientation.

Mr Schwartz said this in Lusaka during the week when he held a governance and public dialogue meeting with students at the National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA).

[Zambia Daily Mail]

FORMER Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services Ronnie Shikapwasha and former permanent secretary Sam Phiri have been given 21 days to respond to the surcharge notice issued to them regarding the legal fees incurred by Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) for airing the documentaries dubbed ‘Stand Up for Zambia’ by Chanda Chimba III.

The two were surcharged for allegedly instructing ZNBC to air the highly libellous documentaries in the run-up to the September 20 general elections.

Secretary to the Treasury Fredson Yamba said Lieutenant General Shikapwasha and Dr Phiri were served with the notices on February 24 this year.

Mr Yamba told journalists in Lusaka yesterday that he invoked Section 31 of the Public Finance Act, which provides for the surcharging of erring public officers.

He said his office is waiting to hear from the two former public officers, on the notices served to them.

“We issued them with notices on February 24 regarding the surcharge over the legal fees which were incurred by ZNBC for airing Chanda Chimba’s documentaries,” he said.

On February 23, Minister of Information, Broadcasting and Labour Fackson Shamenda announced that Gen Shikapwasha and Dr Phiri had been surcharged close to K1 billion legal fees ZNBC owes SBN legal firm.

SNB represented ZNBC when individuals sued the national broadcaster for airing Mr Chimba’s documentaries.

Mr Shamenda said Gen Shikapwasha and Dr Phiri have been surcharged about K900 million which they should pay SBN.

This follows investigations which have ascertained that the two instructed ZNBC to air the libellous documentaries, on the agreement that the ministry would reimburse ZNBC expenses on retaining lawyers to defend the national broadcaster.

Mr Shamenda said if Gen Shikapwasha and Dr Phiri fail to settle the bill, Government will withhold benefits owed to them.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Republican Vice President Guy Scott has explained why he does not act as president in the absence of Republican President Michael Sata. Dr. Scott has revealed that the constitution does not allow him to stand for the republican presidency or act as president because of his ethnic background.

QFM NEWS reports that during the vice president’s question time, Dr. Scot recalled that in 1996, under the late former president Dr. Frederick Chiluba, parliament passed an amendment that forbids Zambian residents whose parents are born outside the country to act or stand as president.

He stated that the amendment is discriminatory as agreed by most legal experts in the country.

The vice president further said that he was anxiously waiting for former vice president George Kunda to take him to court over his eligibility to hold the position vice president.

He told the house that the former vice president prefers to politic other than going to court because he knows that he will lose the case.

Dr. Scot was responding to a question from Mpongwe Member of Parliament Gabriel Namulambe who wanted to know why he does not act as president in the absence of the president.

And Dr. Scot has stated that government consulted stakeholders on the realignment of the districts contrary to assertions that there was no consultation.

QFM

Government has refuted media reports that the Copperbelt University (CBU) has been closed indefinitely following the hail-storm that blew off the roofs of two buildings at the Campus.

Education Minister John Phiri has told Parliament yesterday that the time the incident happened the University was already on routine which has since been extended to allow for repair works to the damaged buildings before the University can reopen.

Dr Phiri says the University was due to reopen on 3rd March for the 2012/2013 academic year.

He says Government and the University management is hoping that the University will reopen within a month after the repairs works have been completed.

Dr Phiri says the University Council will meet tomorrow to give direction as to when exactly the University will reopen.

He adds that the ministry has put in place a team of experts to assess the extent of damage and design corrective measures.

He further stated that ministry of Education is determined to ensure that the Copperbelt University reopens as quickly as the University Council directs.

[QFM]

Former Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia executive director Bishop Paul Mususu has charged President Michael Sata’s change of thought on the restoration of the Barotseland agreement casts doubt on whether the PF will fulfill most the promises they made during the campaigns.

Bishop Mususu says it is important for political leaders to live up to the promises they make during campaigns.

He says politics can only inspire the voters once politicians live up to the promises they make when asking voters to vote for them during campaigns.

Bishop Mususu says it is disappointing to note that the PF raised the hopes of the people of western province on the Barotseland agreement only to change its position.

He says it is a fact that the victory of the Patriotic Front in the 2011 elections can be partly attributed to the promise the party made on the Barotseland agreement.

Bishop Mususu says the leadership in the Patriotic Front government should ensure that corrective measures are made on the Barotseland agreement.

And Former Anti Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) Executive Director Bonnie Tembo says Dr. Rodger Chongwe should not be blamed for his commission’s recommendations to the Zambian government on the Mongu riots because he merely adhered to people’s wishes.

Speaking to Qfm exclusively, Mr. Tembo said it is not right to accuse Dr. Chongwe of applying his personal emotions in coming up with a report adding that his recommendations are a reflection of what the people of Barotseland want.

Mr. Tembo has since appealed to government to consider subjecting the matter to a national referendum so that Zambians can decide whether to have the Barotseland agreement of 1964 restored or not.

He has further implored government to avail the Rodger Chongwe commission of inquiry report to the public so that people can debate the matter from an informed point of view.

The Rodger Chongwe commission of inquiry has recommended for the restoration of Barotseland agreement of 1964,but President Michael Sata has categorically stated that he is reluctant to endorse the recommendations.

QFM