As the Controversy continues on the prospective reversal of the Zamtel transaction, it has now emerged that the transaction was the second best placed telecommunication deal on the African continent.

In its continued spirited defence of the transaction, the former governing political party, MMD, claims it did a decent job on the Zamtel deal to Lap Green of Libya.

Felix Mutati, Former Commerce and Trade Minister, whose Ministry oversaw the tendering processes has accused the PF government of distortion of facts.

Mr. Mutati says the current government is only focusing on the net and not gross proceeds of the transaction after debt and pensioners were paid.

He said unlike in the past where pensioners were left languishing, the Zamtel deal ensured that former workers were paid their dues on time.

Mr. Mutati says the deal is a model of the best privatization in the country because it followed what is provided for by the law.

Situmbeko Musokotwane, Finance Minister in the previous alleged corrupt administration equally added his voice with an observation that the transaction was in the interest of revamping the broke Zamtel at the time of deal.

Dr. Musokotwe, who is MMD national chairperson for economic affairs, claims there is nothing irregular about the Zamtel transaction.

However, a six member Technical Committee tasked to investigate the sale of Zamtel to Lap Green of Libya has described the whole process and sale as an economic sabotage.

The Technical Committee claims Lap Green fail short of the qualifications that were shortlisted by Zambia Development Agency-ZDA.

Technical Committee Chairperson, Dimple Ranchhod says a lot of information pertaining to the sale of the telecommunication company has been destroyed.

She says her committee has also found that there was a suspense account established to settle the legal fees for Zamtel which was also allegedly paid George Kunda and company for the services which were not provided.

The Committee consisting of six experts in the field of law, procurement, accounts, communications and Valuation has cast down suggestions by some stakeholders that it had a predetermined out as outrageous.

The committee has further questioned why Government acquired twenty-five percent shares when it injected 184 Million US Dollars of the total 257 Million Dollars as the numbers do not tally.

MUVITV

THE Lusaka City Council (LCC) has dragged Bread of Life Church International to court in connection with the local authority’s findings at the Blessing Centre where a congregant died on Saturday after a ceiling fell on him during a Church service.

LCC public relations officer Henry Kapata said in Lusaka yesterday that the council had sued Bread of Life Church International for failure to obtain a partial certificate of occupation and a fire certificate. Mr Kapata said the summons was served on the Church on Tuesday this week.“The Lusaka City Council has sued Bread of Life Church International. They will appear in court on December 20, 2011.

The summons was delivered to them yesterday,” he said.On Monday, LCC sent a team of public health and building inspectors to the multi-billion Kwacha Blessing Centre currently under construction in Emmasdale residential area following the death of Arton Nyirenda.

Mr Nyirenda died on his way to the University Teaching Hospital after sustaining fatal facial injuries caused by a falling ceiling board during a special dedication service at the centre last Sunday. The incident was caused by a strong thunderstorm that lasted between 10 and 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, Bread of Life Church International presiding bishop Joe Imakando led hundreds of mourners in Kitwe to pay their last respects to Elder Nyirenda.

The requiem service started at Bread of Life Church Central where scriptures were read and body viewing was done before proceeding to Kitwe-Chingola Road Cemetery for burial.

[Times of Zambia]

PRESIDENT Sata says he has found investors to take over operations of Mazabuka’s Munali Nickel Mine, which was recently put under care and maintenance for the second time.
The move is aimed at saving a number of jobs that are at risk of being lost at the mine.

Mr Sata announced this when he addressed a campaign rally in Magoye yesterday to drum up support for Patriotic Front (PF) candidate Eugene Munyama in the November 28 parliamentary by-election.

At the peak of the global financial crisis in 2009 the mine was put under care and maintenance and only resumed production in March 2010.

But just a few days ago the mine stopped production due to insolvency.

The President told scores of Magoye residents who attended the rally that they should vote as they wish and that he will not force them to vote for Mr Munyama. He, however said should Mr Munyama win he would appoint him Southern Province Minister.

“If you people here still trust Hakainde Hichilema (UPND president), it is not my problem. It is your problem. It is up to you to reject him (Mr Munyama), the choice is yours. You have had your own UPND MPs for 10 years but you have seen what they have done for you. Southern Province is one of the richest and if we work together as one, the sky is the limit,” Mr Sata said.

Mr Sata instructed Southern Province permanent secretary In’utu Suba to advertise for feasibility studies for the Magoye, Mazabuka-Nampundwe Mine and the Mazabuka-Itezhi Tezhi roads.

He said UPND MPs have no solution to the animal diseases that have continued to ravage the province.

Mr Sata said if elected, Mr Munyama will find it easy to access funds for development from Government.

The President cautioned Mr Munyama against neglecting the people once elected MP.

[pullquote]“When I was in MMD government, the late Ronald Penza picked him (Mr Hichilema) to sell parastatals. We gave him Luanshya Mine to sell but we have never seen the money. We gave him Lima Bank to sell but he got a house for Lima Bank and that is the one he lives in. We gave him to sell Kagem Mine but we don’t know how much he sold it. We gave him to sell Intercontinental Hotel in Livingstone but today he is the chairman of Sun Hotel (the former Intercontinental Hotel).[/pullquote]

“When you go to Parliament don’t just go to drink tea and beer. Speak for the silent majority. Some people go to Parliament and forget where they come from. I am talking from experience because I was MP for 20 years and I know problems of MPs,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Sata has questioned Mr Hichilema’s source of wealth after the latter chaired the Zambia Privatisation Agency, which was responsible for selling Government companies and institutions.

However, Mr Hichilema could not be reached for comment on his mobile by press time.

“When I was in MMD government, the late Ronald Penza picked him (Mr Hichilema) to sell parastatals. We gave him Luanshya Mine to sell but we have never seen the money. We gave him Lima Bank to sell but he got a house for Lima Bank and that is the one he lives in. We gave him to sell Kagem Mine but we don’t know how much he sold it. We gave him to sell Intercontinental Hotel in Livingstone but today he is the chairman of Sun Hotel (the former Intercontinental Hotel).

“Today Mr Hichilema has more than 75,000 animals in Southern Province. Where did he get those animals?” Mr Sata wondered.

Mr Sata said Mr Hichilema has no track record of political experience and that he assumed the UPND’s leadership using money.

The President reiterated that in 2009 Mr Hichilema formed the pact with the PF in the hope that he would lead the alliance in the event that Mr Sata died.  “After seeing that I did not die in 2010 he left,” he said.

Mr Sata said shortly before the September 20 tripartite elections, the UPND leader started peddling lies that he had died.  Mr Sata also dismissed Mr Hichilema’s claims that he (Mr Sata) is tribalist.

He said he is determined to address problems of all Zambians regardless of their tribe because hunger does not choose tribe.

Mr Sata also said he has appointed a number of people from other tribes to key decision-making positions.

To demonstrate this, Mr Sata announced that he has appointed former minister in the UNIP government Frederick Hapunda as a diplomat.

Speaking at the same rally Minister of Information, Broadcasting and Tourism Given Lubinda said Mr Hichilema hijacked the UPND and that he has been peddling lies because it has become difficult for him to lead the opposition political party.

The PF local leadership commended Mr Sata for choosing Mazabuka as his first place to visit outside Lusaka after winning the September 20 tripartite elections.
And speaking when he paid a courtesy call on Chief Hanjalika, Mr Sata also instructed Minister of Agriculture Emmanuel Chenda to buy tractors, which will be given to traditional rulers to lease them out to farmers.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL Mumba Malila has submitted to the Lusaka High Court that more than 80 MMD motor vehicles were seized because they were bought using public funds.

He said the seizure of the motor vehicles in question was legally justified and supported by the Zambian Constitution because they were procured using public funds.
Mr Malila was responding to a petition by MMD national secretary Richard Kachingwe, who had challenged police seizure of 101 vehicles.

He said the vehicles in the custody of the police and those that were about to be seized were all bought using public funds.

He stated that police had instituted investigations to find out the alleged use of public funds or the acquisition by the MMD of more than 175 motor vehicles, among others.

Mr Malila said the Zambia Police Service had so far taken custody of 84 motor vehicles for investigations and the MMD was not the only one claiming ownership of the seized vehicles.

Apart from the MMD, a named company and some individuals from whom the vehicles were recovered were also claiming ownership of the vehicles.??Mr Malila said the true ownership of the motor vehicles was yet to be established, adding that the MMD would be expected to prove that it was the owner of the vehicles as claimed by Major Kachingwe.

He further stated that investigations carried out so far had revealed that the vehicles in question were imported, cleared and registered under unclear circumstances.??He said there was reason for the investigators to suspect that duty was not paid on the vehicles.

Mr Malila said it was necessary and legally justified for the Zambia Police Service to continue keeping the vehicles until the on-going investigations were concluded.

The attorney general said the vehicles were not in danger of being vandalised.

He further said it was not clear who the petitioner was between Maj Kachingwe and the MMD.

“The State is not aware of the petitioner’s claim that MMD members’ homes are being subjected to illegal searches.

The petitioner will be put to strict test to prove that allegation,” he said.??Maj Kachingwe had petitioned the attorney general claiming that the MMD’s 101 vehicles had been indiscriminately targeted by Patriotic Front members and the Zambia Police Service.

He alleged that the money used for the procurement of the vehicles in question was from private resources and donations to the party.

He accused the police of having objected to the release the vehicles, and further alleged that the residences and offices of MMD members and officials had been subjected to illegal search contrary to Article 17 of the Constitution.

Lusaka High Court Judge Annie Sitali set February 20, 2012 as the date for commencement of trial in the matter.
[Times of Zambia]