INFORMATION, Broadcasting and Tourism Minister Given Lubinda yesterday told Parliament that all the three public media houses are in serious financial difficulties because of the partisan instructions by the former ruling party – the MMD.

Mr Lubinda told the House that his Government had inherited a public media that had been suffocated under heavy political patronage at the hands of the former ruling party. “As I speak today Mr Speaker, all the three public media organisations, ZNBC, Times of Zambia, Daily Mail are in serious financial difficulties arising from partisan instructions dispensed by the MMD government.

For example, for two to three months before the elections, the MMD government for purely political reasons, instructed the Times of Zambia to increase its circulation from 12,000 copies a day to 20, 000 copies even if there was no market demand to justify the increase. “They further instructed that part of the Times of Zambia be printed in Lusaka using Zambia Daily Mail printing press on the premise that the Ministry of Information would meet the cost of this costly venture.

This decision Mr Speaker cost both the Times of Zambia and Daily Mail hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ money,” he said. He said because of what he had termed unethical and politically motivated instruction from the then government, the Times of Zambia owes more than K400 million. He said as a result of that instruction, the Zambia Daily Mail had also incurred colossal amounts of money. “As though that is not enough, the Zambia Daily Mail under the instruction of those on the left were also instructed to print a paper called Stand Up For Zambia and other MMD propaganda publications, much to the erosion of the Zambia Daily Mail capacity,” he said.

Mr Lubinda said an inquiry into the programmes by “the disgraced journalist Chanda Chimba” clearly showed that the programmes were sponsored by the MMD using Government resources. “And I am sure my friend honourable (Kennedy) Sakeni is listening. Against professional advice the MMD government continued to broadcast the highly libelous, malicious programmes on the national broadcaster and even engaged private legal practitioners to defend Chanda Chimba’s matters in courts.

“These lawyers have since sent a fee note amounting to K500 million, half a billion to ZNBC for the services rendered in the Chanda Chimba matter. ZNBC has in turn forwarded the note to my ministry for payment because the MMD promised that they would use Government resources to pay those lawyers K500 million,” he said.

He said because of MMD’s corrupt instructions, the taxpayers will have to bear the burden. He told the House that the PF Government had a public media that had been suffocated under heavy political patronage at the hands of the former ruling party.

“We inherited a public media Mr Speaker whose only agenda was to sing praises for those in power at the expense of national interest, a media in which the public had completely lost confidence because of its highly partisan, unprofessional and unethical conduct,” he said. Mr Lubinda said the PF Government was committed to Press freedom and independent media. He said Press freedom was key as people would have information to make decisions in their lives.

Earlier in the day, Commerce Trade and Industry Minister Robert Sichinga hailed Zambian youths who braved the MMD propaganda machinery for granting the PF an opportunity to rule the country. Mr Sichinga told the House that the public media in the run-up to the polls was exclusively for former president Rupiah Banda and that if it was not for The Post newspaper, his party could have been overshadowed forever.

He was certain that President Sata would deliver on most of his campaign promises and be able to re-align the economy which he said was mismanaged by the MMD regime. “The PF Government assignments would be to create jobs; wealth, match-making between Zambians and foreign investors in order to create wealth and a win-win situation for all.

“To attract foreign direct investment (FDI) from outside to compliment our own efforts and to absorb the huge number of unemployed or underemployed youths,” Mr Sichinga said. He said the Government was already attracting business partnerships and his Government’s single visit to Perth in Australia had attracted over U$1 billion through such an initiative.
[Times of Zambia]

FORMER Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) commissioner general Criticles Mwansa has been named in the alleged irregular transactions in which the commission single-sourced projects worth over K230 billion (US$45 million and two million pounds) in favour of Cargo Scans and the Zambia Border Protection Company (ZBPC).

This was during the on-going hearing of the Kingsely Chanda ZRA commission of inquiry into the operations of the institution at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre. ZRA director of administration Tenthani Banda said the institution single-sourced after correspondence signed by Mr Mwansa addressed to the Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA) director Samuel Chibuye seeking authority to single-source on account that Cargo Scans had worked with the suppliers of the scans.

Mr Banda said the justification for single-sourcing was that Smith Detectors worked with Nuctech who supplied the scanners and were knowledgeable about the features of the scanners. Mr Chanda and his team dismissed the claim, saying there was no guarantee that no other firm in the world could run the scanners and expressed concern that the border facilities had been left in the hands of a foreign firm, which was a security risk.

Mr Banda told the commissioners that ZRA received guidance from ZPPA through a letter dated June 2, 2009 and that the letter was signed by director general Samuel Chibuye. The first contract was signed on December 12, 2008 and was for the procurement of railway cargo and vehicle inspection systems and three scanners while the second was single-sourced through a contract signed on April 24, 2009 for managing the scanners. Mr Banda said the institution proceeded to sign the contract after it received correspondence from former Ministry of Finance permanent secretary Emmanuel Ngulube that the contract had been authorised by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

When Mr Chanda wanted to know his opinion as regards the single-sourcing of firms to provide such a costly exercises, Mr Banda maintained he would not issue any opinions but insist on making reference only to what was contained in the documents in his possession. Public Private Partnership (PPP) director David Ndopu, who also appeared before the commission, said Cabinet ministers who sat as council members made directives which had to be implemented in disregard of the law.

“We were uncomfortable with the whole thing but we were directed by the council of ministers to single-source. Like I said that our role is to advise but you cannot push the Cabinet ministers. They will just say ‘look, you are wasting your time, we have already decided’. They were in a hurry to do certain things and that shows in the number of concessions they signed,” Mr Ndopu said. Mr Ndopu said ministers were overzealous and overused their powers while experts such as the PPP had no power in the deals. Mr Chanda said PPP had become meaningless because they opened up to irregularities, especially in the construction of the Kasumbalesa border post.

He said the customs and excise law was the only institution legally empowered to open and close borders and wondered why such a sensitive area could be handed over to a foreign private firm, which amounted to holding the country to ransom.

An insurance broker, Christopher Lukonde accused ZRA director of finance Kabaye Mwale of engaging in corruption and cancelled a contract that was signed in his favour in preference for a named firm that won the insurance deal without a proper explanation. Mr Mwale, however, denied the allegation and said ZRA always advertised its insurance business. He said he made his observations about the sharing of resources at 15 per cent for the Zambian Government while 85 per cent want to ZBPC.

President Michael Sata last month constituted a commission of inquiry on ZRA to establish the awarding of tenders by management, illegal activities in the collection of taxes and other matters incidental to the operations of ZRA. A trade consultant Gilbert Nkamba submitted that the decision to engage ZBPC was a security risk because foreign firms could not be trusted with a border of a nation. He claimed that he uncovered secret payroll between 2001 and 2006 where senior officials received gross salaries instead of net salaries.

[Times of Zambia]

FORMER president Rupiah Banda yesterday flew to South Africa for a “routine medical check-up”. Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Bizwayo Nkunika and Mr Banda’s administrative assistant, Mikatazo Wakumelo confirmed this in separate telephone interviews from Johannesburg yesterday.

Colonel Nkunika disclosed that he was instructed by President Sata to receive Mr Banda and make all the necessary arrangements for the former head of state. Col Nkunika said Mr Banda was received the same way he was being received when he was president and that he would go to the same medical institution that had been treating him for his knee problem.

“Yes I can confirm that I received the former president. I received him today after he arrived by South African Airways at about 16:00 hours. He came for his usual knee problem and he has been put in a lodge from where he would travel to see the doctors tomorrow,” Col Nkunika said. Mr Wakumelo also said the former head of State was in Pretoria to see doctors over his knee problem.

Mr Wakumelo could not say how long Mr Banda would be in South Africa but said the entourage would return to Zambia as soon as the doctors were through with the check-ups. “I cannot say how long we will be here as you know it’s all dependent on what the medical personnel say. However, we should be back the moment we are through,” Mr Wakumelo said. He dismissed word that the former head of State was evacuated after falling ill.

“It’s just a routine check-up. I am sure you remember that knee problem of his. Even if you called our embassy here, they will tell you there is nothing wrong. He went round the whole country during campaigns, if you remember, and that should tell you that he has been enjoying good health apart from the old knee problem,” Mr Wakumelo said. This is the first time Mr Banda has left the country after leaving office through an election defeat by President Michael Sata.

[Times of Zambia]

MMD Lusaka Province chairperson William Banda has been slapped with new charges in connection with the Chongwe violence during the run up to the September 20 general elections.

Banda re-took plea yesterday together with four other suspects before a different magistrate, facing three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and another one for unlawful wounding.

Banda, 61, a politician and business executive of Lusaka’s Bauleni Township was jointly charged with four other business executive. The four, who were charged together with Banda and pleaded not guilty to all the four counts included Patrick Chungu, 31, Somili Mushiku, 39, Simon Banda, 32, and Sebastian Mainde of Kanyama, Old Chibolya and Garden townships, respectively.

Banda, Chungu, Mushiku, Banda (Simon) and Mainde, who appeared before Lusaka resident magistrate Rodgers Kaoma, said they understood the charges but pleaded not guilty to all of them.

It is alleged in count one that Banda, Chungu, Mushiku, Banda and Mainde on September 3 this year in Chongwe District of Lusaka Province jointly and while acting together did assault Priscilla Ndhlovu, thereby occasioning her actual bodily harm.

The five, who were charged with the offence of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, which was contrary to the Laws of Zambia, were also alleged to have in count two assaulted Andrew Lombe in Chongwe.

It is further alleged that Banda, Chungu, Mushiku, Banda (Simon) and Mainde jointly and whilst together on September 3, 2011 did assault Precious Malama thereby occasioning her actual bodily harm.

Banda, Chungu, Mushiku, Banda (Simon) and Mainde were in the fourth count charged with unlawful wounding of Lackson Kabimbi on September 3, 2011 in Chongwe which was contrary to the Laws of Zambia. And Magistrate Kaoma yesterday granted the four K15 million bail each in their own recognisance.

[Times of Zambia]

THE Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has postponed the poll date for the by-elections in Chongwe, Magoye and Nakonde parliamentary constituencies and thirty-five wards that were scheduled to be held on Thursday November 24 to Monday November 28.

According to a statement issued by ECZ public relations manager Cris Akufuna, the postponement has been necessitated by the grade 9 examinations which would be taking place on the 24th and 25th of November at the same venues for the by election.

“To this end, campaigns which were scheduled to end on 22nd November 2011 will go on until 26th November 2011 at 06:00hrs,” he said.

[Times of Zambia]