United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon says people with different cultural backgrounds need dignity and respect. Mr. Ban notes homosexuals, lesbians and gays are people whose rights need to be dignified and respected by mankind.

ZANIS reports that the UN Chief said this in Lusaka today when he paid a courtesy call on First Republican President and Dr. Kenneth Kaunda at his Office in Kabulonga.

Mr. Ban observed and regretted that people’s rights were trampled upon instead of being respected. He thanked Dr. Kaunda for uniting Zambia and that he has become a source of inspiration to Africa and the world-over in terms of leadership and wise counsel.

Mr. Ban called for equal and fair treatment because the United Nations body respects human dignity and basic human rights. He further disclosed that UN cares for people living with HIV/AIDS and he was happy with the government’s strides in combating the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Mr. Ban said Zambia was on track and pledged to work with the Zambian government to achieve and realize the 2015 UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)in the coming years. Mr. Ban was accompanied to Dr. Kaunda’s Kabulonga Office by Foreign Affairs Minister, Given Lubinda and other senior government and UN officials.

And Dr. Kaunda said the visit by the UN chief has given Zambia a formidable ground to stand on.

Dr. Kaunda said Zambia continues to cherish the principles and purposes of UN which inter-alia enables humanity to co-exist in peace and harmony through promotion of peace, international co-operation and understanding.

Earlier, President Michael Sata hosted a luncheon for United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon. Mr. Ban made the observation that presidential elections especially in Africa have become a source of conflict. Mr. Ban said that elections should be used as democratic mechanism to choose leaders and has since commended Zambia for having held democratic elections last year.

Mr. Ban added that this year, 25 elections are expected to take place in Africa and has hoped that the nations holding elections will emulate Zambia by having a peaceful transition of power. He added that it was an honor for him to be accorded an opportunity to address national assembly yesterday and also commended the Zambia for its commitment towards addressing global issues such as poverty, climate change, and hunger among others.

Mr. Ban has advised the Zambian government to reduce dependency on foreign aid. Mr. Ban said that Zambia and other developing countries should find ways of generating wealth locally saying this is key attaining national development.

And President Sata noted he was pleased to host Mr. Ban was also comes from a country that is on record of having faced challenges similar to those that Zambia is experiencing. The President also commended Mr. Ban for his commitment to promoting peace and enhancing women empowerment.

MUVITV

Former President, Rupiah Banda has accused the ruling PF of engaging in acts of abuse of authority. He said that the PF has of late made questionable decisions that reflect abuse of power.

Mr. Banda has questioned the PF motive in petitioning all the parliamentary seats it lost to the MMD yet the Presidential results for the said constituencies were accepted. He has cautioned the PF against making the same mistakes his party made while noting the importance of learning from each others’ backgrounds.

Mr. Banda warned the ruling party against using the Police to abuse the rights of people.

Meanwhile Mr. Banda has urged his party to remain strong and to be the voice for the voiceless. He was speaking during the party’s 2012 card renewal exercise. And MMD National Chairperson, Michael Mabenga has threatened to take action including engagement of the police against erring members of the party.

And the MMD has said that the accolades showered on the country by visiting United Nations-UN-Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon is due to the policies the party implemented while in government.

MMD Lunte MP Felix Mutati who is also leader of the opposition in Parliament says the MMD implemented sound economic policies which are bearing fruits. The UN Chief addressed a special session of parliament yesterday where he noted some achievements the country has scored on the economic and political fronts.

Meanwhile, Mr. Mutati who is eyeing the MMD top job says the former ruling party’s campaigns have not recorded any hooliganism from the five camps. Five Presidential contenders have so far shown interest in taking over from Rupiah Banda as MMD president.

The contenders are Felix Mutati, MMD Chisamba MP Moses Muteteka and Kasempa law maker Kabinga Pande. Others include MMD’s Liuwa MP Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane and former Zambia High Commissioner to Canada Dr. Nevers Mumba.

MUVI TV

Ndola residents have called the Ndola City Council to find a lasting solution to the issue of street vending in the town centre.

ZANIS a reports that the residents have complained that the street vending which is rampant in the city centre is the reason for the increased cases of thefts through pick-pockets.

Mr Martin Mwewa complained that traders with second hand clothes are the reason why there is a lot of pick pocketing in town.

Mr Mwewa said most second hand clothes dealers have employed call boys who shout and call customers in a bid to attract more customers to their merchandise, said the same call boys are the ones that are stealing from unsuspecting customers.

“These people that sell salaula (second hand clothes) are a problem because they have employed kaponyas (call boys) to be singing and shouting for customers, now what happens is that when customers go there the same kaponyas steal phones, money and anything they can lay their hands on from the unsuspecting customers,” he said.

Mr Mwewa called has upon the Council to put up measures that would bring sanity to the business trading area.

“My appeal to the Council is to find a lasting solution to this problem, we don’t want to have temporal remedies, no street vendors in the city centre, they should go for good, there has to be sanity in the city period,” he said.

Another resident Sylvia Malambo said the increased street vending was the causes of most vices such as harassment of women whom call boys deem ‘in appropriately dressed.’

Mrs Malambo said the call boys that spend the whole day drinking small beer sachets (Tujilijili), shower a lot of insults on women regardless of age.

She said council should come up with stiffer penalties for people that are found vending.

ZANIS

THE Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) says it will sit as a council to analyse President Sata’s position on the Rodger Chongwe commission’s recommendations that the Barotseland Agreement should be restored.

BRE member Prince Siisii says the council will have to consult all its members before coming up with a concrete position on President Sata’s decision.

He was reacting to President Sata’s statement that he would be reluctant to restore the Barotseland Agreement as recommended by the Chongwe commission of inquiry.
President Sata on Thursday rejected the proposal, noting it would “open a Pandora’s box”.

And the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation reports that National Restoration Party president Elias Chipimo and former UNIP stalwart Malimba Masheke say it is too early to make a decision on the Chongwe commission’s findings.

Mr Chipimo said the President should have taken time to study the report before making the statement.

General Masheke said the agreement is not about seceding but about devolution of power and development.

Get Involved Zambia director Father Frank Bwalya advised President Sata to tread carefully on the matter.

Alliance for Democracy and Development president Charles Milupi said the agreement is about unity and development.

Mr Milupi said other chiefdoms cannot raise any claims on the agreement because they have never had any such agreement.

He said it would be wrong for any other chiefdom to make such claims.

He said the commission of inquiry appointed by the President to look into the Barotseland Agreement restoration was highly competent and the President should have listened to it.

Mr Milupi said recommendations made by the commission expressed the views of the people and that President Sata should have taken time to consider the views before taking the position that he did.

On Thursday, the commission presented its report to the President in which it recommended, among other things, that the Barotseland Agreement should be restored.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

POLICE in Southern Province is geared to counter the youth who intend to mount protests in the province over the re-alignment of Chirundu and Itezhi-tezhi districts. President Sata recently moved the two districts from Southern Province to Lusaka and Central provinces, respectively.

Southern Province police commissioner Brenda Muntemba said in an interview on Wednesday that the police is ever ready for anything that comes its way, effectively fulfilling its mandate to protect people’s lives and property.

“By virtue of being police officers, we must always be prepared,” Ms Muntemba said.

She said the youths have applied for a permit and the police are still looking at the application before making a decision on whether to grant them or not.

But United Party for National Development (UPND) Southern Province vice-chairman John Chidyaka has asked police to co-operate with the protesters, who now include UPND members in the province. Mr Chidyaka said if police do not co-operate, the protesters will go on with the protests and disregard the officers’ presence.

“If police don’t grant us the permit, we will go ahead without it. From all walks of life, we will demonstrate. We hope the police will co-operate with us,” he said. Mr Chidyaka said the UPND leadership in the province has sanctioned the protests.

He said the protesters are exercising their right to freedom of expression on the re-alignment of the districts. MMD Southern Province chairman Edgar Keembe said his provincial leadership has not taken any position on the matter.

But speaking as co-chairperson of the Choma stakeholders’ meeting on the re-alignment of Chirundu and Itezhi-Tezhi, Mr Keembe said the people of Southern Province are not happy with the decision.

Mr Keembe said the people were not consulted on the re-alignment, which is ‘a recipe for conflict’. He called on Government to initiate talks with the people of Southern Province on the matter.

The Post newspaper yesterday carried a story in which it said a youth group calling itself ‘Mazabuka Youth Entrepreneurs’ had distributed fliers in readiness for the protests which should have taken place yesterday in the district.

[Zambia Daily Mail]