High Court Judge Albert Wood has nullified the election of former Mines Minister Maxwell Mwale as Malambo Member of Parliament.

Judge Wood nullified the election of Mr Mwale when he delivered judgment in the matter this afternoon.

Patriotic Front’s Kaweche Kaunda, son of first republican President Kenneth Kaunda had petitioned the election of Mr Mwale citing electoral malpractices during campaigns.

Mr Kaunda in his petition contended that the former Minister’s election was influenced by bribery and vote-buying.

Witnesses in the matter testified how money was being dished out to voters about 300 metres from one polling station on polling day.

QFM News reports that delivering Judgment in the matter, Judge Wood noted that it was not possible that 1,000 bicycles could be distributed as charity to the people in the constituency.

He also noted that the fact that the distribution of bicycles was done on a large scale is evidence enough that the move could influence the outcome of the election.

Judge Wood further noted that the use of government facilities to store political campaign materials is by law prohibited, referring to storing of MMD campaign material at a post office in Malambo.

And Judge Wood has upheld the election of Chisamba Member of Parliament Moses Muteteka.

He dismissed the petition by the PF’s Osward Chuulu and UPND’s Joe Mboyoma on grounds that the petitioners failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the alleged corrupt practices took place.

MMD Chisamba Member of Parliament Moses Muteteka has hailed the judgment saying it is a clear indication that the judiciary is independent

Libya will do all it can to protect its 75 percent stake in Zamtel, the fixed-line telecoms firm in Zambia, whose government announced plans last week to seize Libya’s stake in the firm, Libyan Foreign Minister Ashour bin Khayyal said on Monday.

“The Zambian government has taken a unilateral action by nationalising this company,” Khayyal said, adding he had spoken to his Zambian counterpart about the issue at the African Union summit in the Ethiopian capital.

Zambia dissolved the board of Zamtel and appointed a new acting CEO last Tuesday, a day after announcing plans to seize 75 percent of the firm from Libya’s LAP Green Networks.

The previous Zambian government had sold the 75 percent stake to LAP Green Networks for $257 million in 2010.

Libya made major investments in Africa during Muammar Gaddafi’s rule, some of them managed by the $65 billion Libyan Investment Authority (LIA) through a $5 billion fund known as Libyan African Investment Portfolio.

LAP, a telecom company operating in six African countries, was one of these investments.

Khayyal said Libya’s ruling National Transitional Council would review such investments. “We will keep what (investment) is successful, and we will review what is facing difficulty or is a failure,” he told Reuters on the sidelines of the summit.

He said Libya would send a delegation to Zambia to discuss the Zamtel issue in one or two weeks.

“Definitely this money is Libyan money, and owned by the Libyan people. We will exercise all our efforts to protect this money,” Khayyal said

[Reuters]

Former Zambia’s High Commissioner to Canada, Nevers Mumba yesterday opted to remain silent when he appeared before a combined team of investigative wings of government at the former taskforce on corruption offices.

Dr. Mumba was able to speak to the media claiming allegations leveled against him are baseless.Dr Mumba is alleged to have solicited and received more than half a billion Kwacha from Barrick Gold, purporting to fund a Zambian cultural week in Canada.

“We have made our position very clear that there was no such thing that happened that they are talking about. So I just came to make that one statement that they are talking about private money and not public money that was given as a sponsorship to Amayenga to come and perform in Canada”

Dr Mumba said that he was disappointed with what was going on. He urged MMD members to be strong and organise the people and said that if investigative wings have questions, he was ready to go to court and answer those questions.

According to joint investigative wings Spokesperson, Charity Chanda, Dr. Mumba exercised his constitutional right not to respond to any questions from the officers.

She said that the investigating team will explore other options including recalling Dr. Mumba as investigations in the matter progress.

And Patriotic Front (PF) secretary general Wynter Kabimba says investigations being carried out on some former leaders in the MMD government are justified because people want to know whether they stole tax-payers’ money or not.

Mr Kabimba said in an interview over the weekend that law enforcement agencies should arrest and prosecute all former leaders who are alleged to have misappropriated public funds.

He said once arrested and prosecuted, such former leaders will serve as a deterrent to would-be offenders.

Mr Kabimba said he is disappointed that some former leaders allegedly abused public resources despite being aware of the suffering most Zambians go through.

“I think it will be unfair to Zambians to allow former leaders who are alleged to have stolen public funds to go without being probed. There arevarious allegations that have been levelled against them which need to be cleared,” Mr Kabimba said.

He said the PF government will only show its commitment to fighting corruption when it ensures that all former leaders suspected of having plundered national resources are arrested and prosecuted.

“When we were campaigning, we promised the people of Zambia that we will fight corruption when ushered into office and we have already started showing our commitments towards this fight.

“We want all the people who have plundered public funds at the expense of development to be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law,” Mr Kabimba said.

Mr Kabimba said the crusade against corruption is being done without malice. He called on Zambians to support President Sata’s resolve to rid the country of corruption.

MUVITV/Zambia Daily Mail

As Zambia gears for their quaterfinal encounter with Sudan this weekend ,hopes are high that this year Zambia will do very well in the AFCON.

Here is a look back at the 1994 team that was rebuilt after the Gabon disaster . They were able to soldier on after the tradgic accident and almost qualified for the world cup .

BY KAPA187

Zone fam won an award for Best African Group at the Global Music Awards . The other nominees in their category were ;

1- Blacberry crase – Britella
2- Fly But ghetto – Chizika
3- Highcuts – A2 Empire
4- Like you – Afro Geng

The 1st Global African music awards unveiled its winners list , the nominees were from all over Africa . The big star of the night went to Nigerian artist, Ng(Don Zubi Entertainment). He picked up GOLD for Best African Male Artist, Best Collaboration with Kelly Handsome and tied for Song of The Year with Dare David. He also walked away with a Silver award in the Best R&B artist.

The rest of the wins was very well spread out and the closest other big winner of the night went to Young Stunna who took Gold for Best Hip-hop solo act, a Silver in Best African Male Artist and a Bornze in Song the Year for his collaboration with James Baum on the song, Top Priority.

BY KAPA187