FORMER Church of God regional overseer for eastern and southern Africa Bishop John Mambo has condemned former Patriotic Front (PF) secretary general Edward Mumbi for reportedly leading a group of people circulating stories that President Sata’s health has greatly deteriorated.

Bishop Mambo said it is absurd that Mr Mumbi has decided to be part of continued efforts to frustrate President Sata and the PF government which was duly elected by the majority Zambians.

The clergyman, who is also founder of the Chikondi Foundation, said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that it is unZambian and uncalled for, for Mr Mumbi and his colleagues to spread falsehoods about President Sata’s health.

Mr Mumbi has denied that he is part of any such group peddling rumours about Mr Sata’s health.

He has accused the Daily Mail and Deputy Managing Director Anthony Mukwita of trying to alienate him from President Sata, following a story in yesterday’s edition, which linked him to circulating malicious rumours against the President.

In a letter addressed to Mr Mukwita in his official capacity, Mr Mumbi reckons the Daily Mail conduct shows that they want him to continue having political differences with the President and cause him anguish.

Bishop Mambo said he is disappointed that even after attacking and insulting President Sata before the September 20, tripartite elections, Mr Mumbi has reportedly continued to show disrespect to the head of State.

“We want to know who is supporting this group because it is unZambian for a person to discuss someone’s health or to wish him or her death. It is only God who gives and takes life. My advice to Mr Mumbi is that he should not continue doing what he was doing before the elections,” he said.

Bishop Mambo said the people behind the circulation of stories alleging that President Sata’s health has deteriorated should be dealt with by the law.

He said Mr Mumbi should have been remorseful for causing harm to Mr Sata through malicious statements in the run-up to the September elections.

“We want him to apologise to the nation for all the damage he has caused Mr Sata because even in the West, medical records are confidential. They are just between the doctor and the patient. This is a very sad development to a country such as Zambia, which is a Christian nation,” he said.

The Lusaka-based clergyman also called on the people spreading alarming rumours about the health of the head of State to stop.

Bishop Mambo said opposition leaders should stop criticising the President unnecessarily and that they should only offer constructive criticism to build a better Zambia.

He said Zambia can only develop meaningfully with concerted efforts from all stakeholders.

Reports indicate that the group which could be led by Mr Mumbi, a former MMD supporter, has given President Sata only about seven months to live due to an “unspecified” illness.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Former first lady Thandiwe Banda has filed a law suit in the high court claiming damages against the Times of Zambia and its editor-in-chief.

In her statement of claim filed in the Lusaka High Court, Mrs. Banda states that the paper has refused to apologise over a story headline “State Seizes Thandiwe properties”.

She containds that the story was published on December 20th, 2011, and that it stated that the state seized properties worth billions of kwacha including a hotel in Malawi, belonging to her.

Mrs. Banda claims in their natural meaning, the said words meant the properties were acquired improperly and unlawfully hence the seizure.

She has accused the state owned newspaper of refusing to apologize and retract saying they did not get a verification from her before publishing.

Mrs. Banda has since asked the court to grant her an injunction,restraing the paper from publishing similar words defamatory of her and that she be awarded compensatory damages for libel.

She is also asking the court that all legal costs arising from the court action be borne by Times of Zambia.

MUVITV

President Michael Sata has called for strengthened cooperation with foreign partners this year and in the future.

President Sata says he firmly believes that no country can achieve its aspirations in isolation.

The President was speaking in Lusaka this afternoon during the annual cocktail organized for the diplomatic community in Zambia.

Mr. Sata says it is worth noting that democracy in any country is a pre-condition to social and economic development.

He adds that it is for this reason that the people of Zambia remain highly indebted to the international community for its valuable support rendered to the electoral process.

Mr. Sata says the Patriotic Front government will within the sixth national development plan;focus on five core programmes stipulated in its manifesto namely; education development, health services, agricultural development, local government and housing development and the fight against corruption.

He says he is confident that these key economic drivers will create multiplier effects and propel the development of the country.

President Sata has since committed governments continuous participation at all regional and international meetings that will be held to look at various important issues affecting the world.

And in a vote of thanks, dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Ditlhabi Oliphant says cooperating partners are happy with the manner in which the government has embraced foreign direct investment as a means to create employment and contribute to the economic empowerment of the Zambians.

QFM

The Zambia Police service has confirmed the summoning of former transport and communications minister Dora Siliya for questioning.

Police spokesperson Elizabeth Kanjela has confirmed the development to QFM saying Ms. Siliya is expected to report at the former task force offices in Lusaka’s woodland area around 14:00 hrs.

The summoning of Ms. Siliya comes a few weeks after the commission of Inquiry that was constituted to investigate the sale of Zamtel established that the company was fraudulently sold as the then government did not follow that laid down tender procedures.

Ms. Siliya is also reported to have single sourced RP capitals of caymen islands to valuate the Zamtel assets which the commission’s report indicated was undervalued.

The commission established that the sale of Zamtel by the Zambia Development Agency was hastily done and that LAP Green failed to satisfy at least three of the procurement requirements and that it was shocking that they were awarded the tender.

QFM

GOVERNMENT has assured tourists visiting the Victoria Falls in Livingstone that the bungee jumping equipment at the falls is safe.

Minister of Information, Broadcasting and Tourism Given Lubinda said in an interview on Tuesday that tourists should not worry about the equipment as it has proven its reliability over the past years with only one mishap.

“The bungee has proven to be a very viable operation considering that more than 50,000 tourists jump on it every year. It has been in operation for 10 years. This is the first time I am hearing of an incident. The probability of an incident is one in 500,000 jumps,” he said.

Mr Lubinda was commenting on an incident where a 22-year-old Australian tourist plunged into the Zambezi River on Saturday after the bungee jumping cord snapped.

Southern Province commissioner of police Brenda Muntemba, who confirmed the incident, said the tourist managed to swim to the Zimbabwean side where she was treated and later evacuated to South Africa.

And Mr Lubinda said the safety record of the bungee jumping equipment at the falls is enough to guarantee tourists’ safety.

The minister, however, said he will soon engage the operator of the bungee jumping equipment, Bungee Extreme, to ensure the equipment is safer than it currently is.

“I myself will be engaging the operator on how we can make this exciting tourism event become totally incident-free,” Mr Lubinda said.

He said his ministry has already swung into action on the matter and that he is waiting for a report from his officers in Livingstone before further action can be taken.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

THE LUSAKA City Council is collecting revenue worth K600 million per month from inter-city bus terminus since political cadres were banned from running the bus station last year.

LCC public relations officer Henry Kapata said in an interview in Lusaka on Tuesday that in the past, revenue from the bus stations was being pocketed by cadres, a trend which has since been reversed.

Mr Kapata said since the directive by Vice-President Guy Scott to depoliticise bus stations and markets, cadres are no longer interfering with these facilities.

“Currently, we can confirm that the local authority is collecting K600 million per month, from intercity bus station,” he said.

He said the cadres are cooperating following several meetings with them through the market and bus managers, tasked to run the facilities.

He dismissed reports that some cadres were defying the Vice-President’s directive by clinging to bus stations and markets.

Mr Kapata said the focus now is to ensure that the revenue from intercity, which is an international bus station, is ploughed back into the facility by modernising it.

He said part of the money will be used to establish a police station and improve sanitation at the bus station.

[Zambia Daily Mail]