THE Patriotic Front (PF) says it may reverse “all” the wrongly awarded contracts that were entered into illegally by the former MMD government in various sectors, party secretary general Wynter Kabimba has said.

Mr Kabimba said the MMD government committed many mistakes during its tenure of office and that the PF government has started “correcting” them.

“All Zambians know that the sale of the US$257 million Zamtel to Lap Green of Libya was not done in the best interest of Zambia,” Mr Kabimba said.

“The President is even failing to have private conversations with other Heads of State because the security system of the country has been sold to another country.”

“The sale of the Zambia Telecommunications Company Limited (ZAMTEL) by the previous administration to Lap Green of Libya has put the country’s communication security at risk,” he said.

PF Secretary General Wynter Kabimba said the sale of ZAMTEL to a foreign country was not done in the best interest of citizens and that the PF was resolved on correcting such wrongs.

“It is a well known fact by all Zambians that the sale of ZAMTEL to Lap Green of Libya was not done in the best interest of Zambians. As PF Government, these are wrongs that we want to correct, in the best interest of the nation,” Mr Kabimba said.

He said ZAMTEL was a significant communication service provider and needed to be handled prudently to avoid placing the country’s communication system at risk.

[pullquote]“The President is even failing to have private conversations with other Heads of State because the security system of the country has been sold to another country.”[/pullquote]

Mr Kabimba said that the MMD acted against the will of Zambians to sell ZAMTEL.

Mr Kabimba said; “These are the wrongs that we want to correct, in the interest of the nation.”

He was speaking on the Radio Phoenix programme “Let the people talk” with veteran journalist Frank Mutubila from Lusaka yesterday

He also said the PF is ready to work with opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) to foster economic development in Southern Province.

Mr Kabimba said government is willing to work with the UPND to enhance development in Southern Province.

He said the PF does not perceive UPND “as an enemy” of the government and that it is more than ready to work with the opposition party in implementing development projects in the province.

Mr Kabimba said the PF is happy that some UPND members have shown willingness to work with the ruling party.

He was responding to a caller who wanted to know if the PF government perceives some people in the UPND as enemies.

But Mr Kabimba said despite the political differences that existed between the two parties in the past, the PF government is working hard to unite all the 73 tribes in Zambia to promote peace and unity and spearhead development in all parts of the country.

“The Patriotic Front doesn’t have enemies in the UPND or other opposition parties. We want to work with our brothers and sisters in the opposition. We are happy that UPND has supported us in some of the governance issues.

“We are inviting them to work with us so that we can develop this country. Let us put all our political differences aside and unite for the sake of development,” Mr Kabimba said.

He also said the PF government remains committed to fighting corruption in the country.

He assured the nation that the PF will continue to pursue and implement pro-poor social and economic policies, which will help to improve living standards.

Meanwhile, the UPND has welcomed Mr Kabimba’s call for the two parties to work together.

Spokesperson Charles Kakoma said the UPND is happy that the ruling party has extended an olive branch to it.

Mr Kakoma said the move taken by the PF will help to promote unity and development not only in Southern Province, but in all parts of the country.

He said the UPND is happy that the PF has shown political maturity by inviting the opposition to work with it in implementing development projects around the country.

“We have accepted this olive branch which has been extended to us and we are pledging to work with the PF government for the purpose of fostering development in our country,” he said.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Former Education Minster Dora Siliya will avail herself before the investigations team at the former taskforce offices for questioning on Monday 9th January, 2012 at 08:30 hours.

Ms Siliya’s Lawyer Sakwiba Sikota has told QFM that this against the medical doctors’ advice for his client to take several weeks of complete bed rest following her admission to hospital yesterday as a result of a condition she developed in April 2011 and for which she is on medical advisory to have surgically corrected.

Mr Sikota explains that Ms Siliya’s condition worsened while she was in South Africa, and that it was during this time that a call out was left at her home, prompting her to travel back to Zambia in order to attend to the call out against medical advice.

He says this aggravated her condition leading to her being admitted to hospital yesterday.

Mr Sikota says his client has decided has decided to override medical advice and avail herself to the team of investigators on Monday because of the speculation in the media regarding her being unfit to attend police interrogations.

And Mr Sikota says it is disappointing that the police seem to have already made up their minds to arrest and charge his client without even hearing from her.

He says this is evident from the story carried in the Post Newspaper of Thursday 5th January 2012.

He states that the arrest and charging of his client has therefore been decided already and that Ms Siliya is resigned to this new way of conducting police investigations through the press.

Mr Sikota has likened the prevailing situation in Zambia to the McCarthyism era in the 1950?s in America where a general witch hunt was started.

He says it is hoped that his client will either be charged for the motorized bicycles belonging to My Home Town that were taken from her home or the police will release the same.

He adds that police have had over a month to deal with what he says is a very simple and straightforward issue.

QFM

Chief Government spokesperson Given Lubinda has questioned the capacity in which Alliance for Democracy and Development (ADD) leader Charles Milupi is quoted suggesting that western province should be separated from Zambia if the Barotseland agreement of 1964 is not restored.

Mr. Lubinda says Mr. Milupi should realize that such sensitive matters can not be negotiated in such a poor style as he is suggesting.

Responding to QFM, Mr. Lubinda says it is also surprising to note that people in western province calling for the restoration of the Barotseland agreement are not agitating for secession but that such calls are coming from ordinary individuals.

He has since advised Mr. Milupi to present his suggestions to the commission looking into the Barotseland agreement, but wonders whether anyone will give him support on his secession suggestions.

QFM

Zambians for Empowerment and Development (ZED) President Fred Mutesa has observed that the Patriotic Front government’s fight against corruption will be in vain if the right channelS are not followed.

Dr. Mutesa said that the fight against corruption should not merely be a matter of accusing people of corruption without producing tangible evidence of the allegations.

He says the Patriotic Front government should fight corruption in a more professional manner by allowing investigative wings to carry out their functions freely rather than rushing to make unsubstantiated allegations in the media.

Dr. Mutesa says the PF government should fight corruption in a right way because Zambians believe in justice and fair play.

He tells QFM that being the head of State does not give President Michael Sata any powers to accuse people of wrongdoing without proper evidence.

The ZED president has since advised the PF government to let investigative wings in the country to investigate matters, and if there is enough evidence take the matters to court for the culprits to be prosecuted.

QFM

Revival Crew is a music group consisting  of Ariel, Jesse ,Chim-Boy and Stevie G-.The group was formed in 2008 and they have done some shows in schools and a few church gigs. They are all solo artists but when we get together we are called Revival Crew.They hope to work on more tracks after their solo albums, as they have many songs together.

The song, “Show me your pain” was written by Glen Banda from personal experiences and also related it to the experiences of the other members. It talks about God being the hope of our lives in whatever we go through.

The song will be available on Youtube, Zed Beats, Hone Fm, Christian Voice,Pheonix,Unza radio,jamradio.co.uk and several other sites from today 6th January 2012.

 SHOW ME YOUR PAIN – Revival Crew (Ariel,Jesse,Chim-Boy and Stevie -G) feat. Glen. (Produced by Nyno for Tym Line)

BY KAPA187

Summoned former transport and communication minister Dora Siliya this afternoon failed to avail herself for questioning before a combined team of law enforcement officers over the sale of Zamtel.

Ms. Siliya was expected to report at the task force offices in Lusaka’s woodlands area at about 14 00hrs.

Journalists waited in vain the whole afternoon for Ms Siliya who was expected by the law enforcement officers.

The officers from the investigative wings who were suppose to interrogate Ms Siliya were also made to wait in vain.

Reporters were later briefed by a police officer that Ms. Siliya was unable to come after waiting for her for about one hour, thirty minutes.

And when contacted via phone by QFM news, Ms. Siliya’s lawyer Sakwiba Sikota said he could not talk to QFM but later reversed his statement by promising to call back and give details concerning his client’s absence which he never did.

Police spokesperson Elizabeth Kanjela later told QM news that the police had been informed by lawyer Sakwiba Sikota that his client was unwell.

Ms. Kanjela noted that the police will consider rescheduling the dates for questioning to allow Ms. Siliya to recover.

QFM