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VICE-PRESIDENT Guy Scott says Government will soon offload 45 percent shares in the government-owned media institutions to the public. Dr Scott said discussions are under way to offload 45 percent shares in the three public media institutions to help make them operate independently without any political interference from the ruling party and the government.
He said this in Parliament yesterday when responding to a question from Itezhi Tezhi United Party for National Development (UPND) member of Parliament (MP) Greyford Monde during the Vice-President’s Question Time.
Mr Monde wanted to know how far Government has gone with the privatisation of the Zambia Daily Mail Limited and TimesPrintpak Zambia Limited. Dr Scott said measures are under way to reposition the three public media houses to make them operate as truly public media institutions.
He said the measures the Patriotic Front (PF) government is undertaking will help ensure the Zambia Daily Mail, Times of Zambia and the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) are no longer monopolies of the ruling government.
“Discussions are underway to free the public media institutions from political interference of the ruling government so that they can inform, entertain and educate the public ethically and professionally.
“It is for this reason our government intends to offload 45 percent shares in these public media institutions so that they can be working independently,” he said. Dr Scott said once this is done, Zambians will have freedom of expression through the public media, unlike in the past when people were not given a platform to express themselves on many national issues.
He said the PF government will remain committed to ensuring that journalists in the public media operate professionally without any interference from Government. And the Media Liaison’s Committee (MLC) has welcomed Government’s plans to offload 45 percent shares in the three media institutions to the public.
MLC spokesperson Simon Mwila said the measure will help improve professionalism in the public media institutions as well as contribute effectively to the growth of the media industry in the country.
“We want to welcome the move that the PF government is intending to undertake to offload 45 percent shares in the three public media institutions. This will improve professionalism as well as allow these institutions to start operating as public media institutions.
“We also want to urge Government to consult the public media institutions before this process is concluded,” Mr Mwila said. He urged Government to protect the jobs of workers at the three public media institutions after offloading 45 percent shares to private investors.
THE Patriotic Front (PF) says it has no intentions of wiping out the opposition political parties because it needs them to provide checks and balances. PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba said the court petitions that some losing PF candidates have embarked on have nothing to do with the party leadership.
Mr Kabimba was reacting to MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya, who alleged during a media briefing on Thursday that the ruling PF wants to use court petitions to wipe out or weaken the MMD and other opposition political parties.
He said petitions are being pursued by individuals who feel they deserved to win the elections which they lost. “As PF we have no ill intentions regarding the opposition political parties because we need them to provide checks and balances. We are not like the MMD who had such motives,” Mr Kabimba said.
He said the petitioning of parliamentary by-elections cannot be attributed to the party leadership because everyone who feels grieved about the way elections were conducted has a right to seek justice with the courts of law.
Mr Kabimba said the petitions will also give the people a true picture on what transpired during the elections in the respective constituencies. “If the elections were genuine, parliamentarians whose constituencies are being petitioned have nothing to fear unless they engaged in malpractices,” he said.
He said the PF is also interested to know what transpired in the constituencies where the party lost.
About 51 constituencies are being petitioned by the PF losing candidates.
MINISTER of Foreign Affairs Chishimba Kambwili says Zambia has held bilateral talks with the Malawian government, which has promised to send an envoy to Zambia to deliver a special message to President Sata and an apology over his deportation in 2007.
“When we were in Perth (Australia) we had bilateral talks with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malawi, who is His Excellency President Bingu wa Mutharika’s brother, and he has promised that he is coming to Zambia to deliver a special message and an apology to His Excellency President Michael Chilufya Sata,” Mr Kambwili said
And Mr Kambwili has said that Government is waiting for Cabinet approval to recognise the new Libyan government after the ousting and subsequent death of former leader Muammar Gaddafi. Mr Kambwili said in an interview on Thursday Government will reopen its embassy in Libya after Cabinet approval, which the MMD administration closed during the unrest that rocked the North African country.
“I can tell you that we are waiting for Cabinet approval on whether to recognise the new government of Libya. Zambia believes in the sovereignty of other states and will not interfere in their internal matters. If the people of Libya have agreed to change government then we will respect that,” Mr Kambwili said.
He said he does not see any reason for Cabinet to fail to approve the recognition of the new Libyan government because no-one has objected to it. Mr Kambwili said the previous administration completely closed the embassy in Libya and opened another in Turkey.
“As PF government, we are relooking at the whole issue. We would rather maintain the embassy in Libya and open the one in Turkey,” Mr Kambwili said.
Members of Parliament listen to President Sata's speech n which he promised to deliver a new constitution in 90 days
THREE political parties have criticised the Patriotic Front (PF) government for allegedly failing to honour its campaign promise of delivering a new Constitution within 90 days of coming into power.
The three political parties are the opposition MMD, United Party for National Development (UPND) and the National Movement for Progress (NMP). They were reacting to the announcement in Parliament yesterday by Minister of Justice Sebastian Zulu that it will not be possible for the PF government to deliver a Constitution that will stand the test of time within 90 days as it had promised because there is a process involved.
Speaking in Lusaka yesterday, MMD national chairman Michael Mabenga said it is disappointing that the PF government has U-turned on its earlier campaign promise of delivering a Constitution that will stand a test of time within its first 90 days in office.
Mr Mabenga said it is not enough for Government to just promise to deliver a new constitution without a clear roadmap and that Zambians are disappointed to hear statements from Mr Zulu indicating that it will not be possible for government to come up with a Constitution within 90 days.
“During the campaigns President Sata repeatedly mentioned among other things that the PF will deliver the new Constitution that will stand a test of time in 90 days if it formed government. “We are now surprised and disappointed to hear that the same party has U-turned on its campaign promises,” he said.
UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma said his party is shocked to note that the PF government has failed to honour its campaign promises of coming up with a new Constitution within the promised 90-day period.
“President Sata, when he was campaigning, told the people of Zambia that he will deliver a new Constitution within 90 days. Even when he opened the First Session of the 11th National Assembly he assured Zambians that the new Constitution will be in place within 90 days.“We are now shocked that the Minister of Justice is contradicting what the President said,” Mr Kakoma said.
And NMP president Ng’andu Magande called on government to come up with clear roadmap on the Constitution-making process.
Yesterday, Mr Zulu said although Government is making frantic efforts aimed at coming up with a new Constitution, there is need for the people of Zambia to give the government time to come up with a Constitution that will stand the test of time.
Mr Zulu said this in Parliament yesterday when he outlined the new constitution review roadmap. He said President Sata will soon constitute a committee of experts to analyse the recommendations of all the previous constitution review commissions and come up with an inclusive draft law.
Mr Zulu said the draft Constitution, which will be drafted by the committee of experts from the Chona, Mvunga, Mwanakatwe, Willa Mung’omba commissions and the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) will be taken round the country for people’s input.
“Mr Speaker, let me inform the nation through you that this government attaches great importance towards the constitution-making process. President Sata will soon appoint a committee of experts that will consider all the previous constitution review commissions and come up with an inclusive draft law.
“Let me also inform the nation that it will not be possible for the Patriotic Front (PF) government to come up with a Constitution within 90 days. This is because we want to come up with a Constitution that the people of Zambia will appreciate, and this will take a little longer,” he said.
Mr Zulu said over the years, the people’s call for a Republican Constitution that is expected to stand the test of time has been loud and clear. He said it is unfortunate that the previous regimes have wasted a good portion of the country’s meagre resources on financing the previous constitution review commissions without coming up with such a Constitution.
The Justice Minister said it is shameful that after 47 years of political independence, the country has failed to give its people an acceptable Constitution that will embrace the interests of all Zambians.
He said the PF government should be commended for promising to deliver a new Constitution that will stand the test of time. Mr Zulu also said the committee which will be constituted to work on the Constitution should be given time to complete its work rather than 90 days if it is to do a thorough job in addressing the many contentious issues, errors and inconsistencies in the previous constitution review efforts.
He said the terms of reference for the committee of experts will be among other things to identify and examine contentious issues, errors and inconsistencies in the 1996 Republican Constitution and the draft constitutions of the commissions led by Chona, Mvunga, Mwanakatwe, Mung’omba and the NCC.
Mr Zulu said the committee will prepare a provisional draft Constitution based on its findings and that citizens will be given time in which they will present their comments on the content of the provisional draft Constitution, followed by the preparation of a final draft Constitution based on refinements made upon consideration of the people’s comments.
He said after the preparation of the final draft Constitution, a nationwide referendum will then be organised to gauge whether or not the final draft Constitution will reflect the will and the desires and aspirations of the Zambian people.
Mr Zulu said the role of Parliament and the President will be limited to the provision of financial and material resources to the constitution-making process, and to assent to the final output of the process after the referendum.
Zambezi Airline has challenged the suspension of its air service permit.
The Airline has sort judicial review over the matter in the Lusaka High Court.
Zambezi airline is seeking a court order to quash the decision by transport, works and supply Permanent Secretary, Dominic Sichinga to suspend the airline service permit.
Zambezi Airline has contended that the suspension of it airline permit is illegal as it lacks jurisdiction.
The Airline has also argued that Director of Civil Aviation acted illegally by invoking legislation which has not been enacted in Zambia to arrive at the suspension of the permit.
Zambezi Airline has also lamented that the verdict to suspend the air permit was defiance of the rule of Natural justice as the airline was not given an opportunity to be heard.
Justice Minister Sebastian Zulu has outlined a new constitutional road map in which the process will take longer than the 90 days earlier announced.
Mr. Zulu told Parliament that President Michael Sata is in the process of appointing a team of experts to revisit the Mvunga, Mwanakatwe, Mun’gomba Constitution review commissions.
He says the experts will also look at the recent constitution review commission draft constitution.
Mr. Zulu explained that the experts will then come up with a draft constitution which will be taken around the country for peoples’ inputs before going for a referendum.
After the referendum the draft constitution will then be brought before parliament for possible enactment.
Meanwhile Mr. Zulu says his Ministry is drafting various pieces of legislation to support the pronouncements made by President Sata in his recent speech to Parliament.
The Following is an open letter that was sent to UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema on 25th October 2011 using the email address on the opposition leader’s website by the author. Due to the lengthy nature of the letter. We shall publish it in two parts. The first part makes a case of tribalism against HH and the second part provides advise on how HH could deal with this issue and even hope to be Zambian president some day.
By M Makalu:-
The Post newspaper has in the recent past featured editorials condemning your “tribalistic and dangerous anti-Bemba politics.” The Zambian Inquirer asked Mr. Cornelius Mweetwa, Deputy Spokesperson of UPND and Choma Constituency MP, to comment on these allegations. Here is what he said,
“The (tribalism) attacks (from The Post) are unfair as the regional support given to the UPND is not different from that received by other parties including the Patriotic Front (PF).” He continued that, “A careful analysis of election results has revealed that the major political parties have attracted a home vote associated with a leader of the party. Further since 2001, UPND has received least votes in Northern, Luapula; while Sata has received support from the regions associated with his tribe.”
I want to give you that ‘careful analysis of elections results.’ Because clearly, if Mr. Mweetwa has ever done any careful analysis, he cannot tell such lies in the media; unless if he just wants to deceive you and the Zambian people. Or perhaps he is acting under your instructions, which I believe not, to defend your tribalism even if it means lying to the Zambian people.
According to the careful analysis, Mr. HH, the facts are:
The regional support given to the UPND is VERY DIFFERENT from that received by other parties from the region of their presidents.
The support Sata has received from regions associated with his tribe is not abnormal such that you should compare and use it to defend your tribalism.
Further from 2001, UPND has received least votes not just from Northern and Luapula, as if Bembas were tribalistic, but from other regions as well: Livingstone Constituency, Copperbelt, Lusaka and Eastern provinces. You have grown by just over 1% in Western, North western and Central combined.
Your party has received 99% growing support only from areas with growing anti-Bemba sentiments. Is that a coincidence?
Let us begin the ‘careful analysis’ that proves the above facts.
Please notice that since you took over from Mazoka, UPND has lost support as follows:
Northern – from 1.88% to 0.58% and Luapula – 1.20% to 0.35%. According to your reasoning, you continue to receive this declining support in these regions due to Bembas being tribalistic (taking their votes to somebody of their tribe). What about Copperbelt? From 8.32% to 3.54%. Or that too is part of “regions associated with Sata’s tribe”?
In Lusaka too, your support keeps falling. In fact, in Lusaka, your decline in support was even higher than that in Bemba territories? Your support fell from 16.80% in 2001 to 8.96% in 2011; that is a drop of 7.84% compared to Copperbelt of 4.78%.
How do you explain that? What is making you conclude that your support in Northern and Luapula, and for argument’s sake, Copperbelt, has been declining due to Bembas being tribalistic, while that in Lusaka declines for a reason other than tribalism? Or do you consider Lusaka as being Bemba territory as well?
[pullquote]‘Tribalism’ means, “Behaviour and attitudes arising from a person’s strong loyalty to his/her tribe (or social group) based on the prejudice that his/her tribe is ‘special’ while the other tribes are ‘wrong.’”[/pullquote]
Then what about Eastern province? Your support in Eastern shot to 18.81% in 2006 from Mazoka’s 1.98% in 2001. You will probably argue that this is proof of your tribalism explanation to voting behavior. I say so because in 2006, you headed a coalition of UNDP, FDD and UNIP (UDA – United Democratic Alliance). FDD and UNIP were started by Easterners: (C. Tembo and Kaunda).So in your tribalistic view of things, easterners voted for you because you allied with their tribal relatives.
If that is the case, why did you manage a paltry 18.81% and not the over 52% you scooped from Southern province? Are you saying Easterners are tribalistic against their fellow tribesmen? Because in 2006, Levy Mwanawasa, a non-Easterner, polled higher votes than you who allied with Easterners. He got 148,139 while you got 130,485, with Sata at 36,677. In 2008 and 2011, your Eastern vote has seen a downward trend: 3.29% in 2008 and 2.11% in 2011. How do you explain that, tribalism?
You are deliberately misleading the Zambian people when you send your spokesperson to say things like, “Further since 2001, UPND has received least votes in Northern, Luapula; while Sata has received support from the regions associated with his tribe.”
The truth, Sir, is: Further since 2001, UPND has received least votes in Northern, Luapula, Copperbelt, Lusaka and Eastern provinces; while Sata has received support BOTH from regions associated and not associated with his tribe. We will look at Sata’s statistics in a moment.
Your declining support, Sir, EVERYWHERE, not just in Northern and Luapula, is NOT due to tribalism. Livingstone constituency, among your fellow Tongas, attests to this point.
While Mazoka won Livingstone constituency with 53.52% (11,617 votes), UPND under your leadership has never won Livingstone on its own. In 2008 and 2011, you lost to Rupiah Banda.
It is even more enlightening when one realizes that you keep losing in Livingstone, while you win the other 18 constituencies in Southern province with very high margins, averaging 80% to 90%.
If you explain your declining votes in Northern and Luapula as being due to tribal reasons, what do you say is the reason Livingstone has never voted for you? The only time you won Livingstone was in 2006, as UDA, when you polled 15,198 votes (42.22%).
Since tribalism cannot explain this rare victory for you in Livingstone, we also cannot assume that your popularity in Eastern province in 2006 was because you allied with easterners. So your 18.81% popularity there was not due to tribalism either.
My point, Mr. HH, is this: It is true that you get your least votes from Northern and Luapula provinces and that since 2001, your support there keeps declining. But it is not only in Northern and Luapula where your popularity keeps declining, it is in many parts of Zambia. You are therefore, being malicious and simplistic when you explain this as, “Sata receiving support from the regions associated with his tribe.”
[pullquote]Your Tonga tribe is ‘special’ because it votes for you; Bembas are ‘wrong’ because they do not vote for you. You are therefore, singling Bembas out, telling lies in the media, that Northerners and Luapulans take their votes to somebody associated with their tribe. You want others to share your negative attitude about Bembas (and your positive attitude about Tongas). That is tribalism.[/pullquote]
Clealry, you are seeing tribalism where it is not. I think this is because you practice politics of tribalism, as the following statistics reveal.
Mr. HH, since you took over UPND, it has registered growth in Southern, Western, North Western and Central provinces. Your growth of 0.13% in Eastern, 0.24% in North Western and 1.02% in Central, cannot definitely compare with 16.20% in Southern province. So clearly, your focus is Tongaland, the region of your tribe. That Mr. HH is what makes you a tribalist. We have not even mentioned the fact that you have let your support fall in the other five provinces, which means you do not care about them.
‘Tribalism’ means, “Behaviour and attitudes arising from a person’s strong loyalty to his/her tribe (or social group) based on the prejudice that his/her tribe is ‘special’ while the other tribes are ‘wrong.’”
Your Tonga tribe is ‘special’ because it votes for you; Bembas are ‘wrong’ because they do not vote for you. You are therefore, singling Bembas out, telling lies in the media, that Northerners and Luapulans take their votes to somebody associated with their tribe. You want others to share your negative attitude about Bembas (and your positive attitude about Tongas). That is tribalism.
You aspire to be president of Zambia but all you have done since taking over UPND is gunning support from your tribe, raising it from Mazoka’s 36% in 2001 to 52% in 2011
(16% growth). If we follow the 50 plus 1 rule, which you are an advocate of, you have effectively turned what was once a United Party for National Development (UPND) into a United Party for Tribalistic Development (UPTD). UPND is no longer national; it is Tonga – Tribalistic.
[pullquote]You aspire to be president of Zambia but all you have done since taking over UPND is gunning support from your tribe, raising it from Mazoka’s 36% in 2001 to 52% in 2011[/pullquote]
Because of this tribalistic mindset of yours, you maliciously accuse others to be like you. When your spokesperson says, “A careful analysis of election results has revealed that the major political parties have attracted a home vote associated with a leader of the party,” you are accusing Mwanawasa, Banda and Sata to be like you.
But once again, a careful analysis reveals otherwise, proving the malice in your tribalistic propaganda. We will just go in details on Sata’s results; Banda’s and Mwanawasa’s.
Cecafa has withdrawn Zambia’s participation in this month-ends Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup to be held in Tanzania.
Cecafa general secretary Nicholas Musonye said in correspondence to Faz on Friday that they had been informed by Caf that regulations prohibited a team that had qualified for the Africa Cup from taking part in the event.
“We have just received a letter from CAF informing us that according to CAF regulations we cannot invite team(s) that have qualified to CAN to participate in CECAFA competition, more particularly after the CAN draws have been done,” Musonye said.
“This means we cannot invite you and Cote d’Ivoire as we had planned.”
A 24-man Zambia team was due to go into camp in Lusaka on Sunday to start training camp for the tournament that will be held in Dar es Salaam from November 24 to December.
Emmanuel Mwamba being sworn in as Permanent Secretary for Northern Province
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Defence minister Geoffrey Mwamba (in white) practicing how to shoot on an AK 47 assault rifle during the sound of war officer cadets battle demonstration in Ndola.
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Defence minister Geoffrey Mwamba (in white) is helped to disembark an army gun carrier after practicing how to shoot during the sound of war officer cadets battle demonstration in Ndola
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Zambia soldiers in action during the sound of war officer cadets battle demonstration in Ndola
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Zambia soldiers in action during the sound of war officer cadets battle demonstration in Ndola.
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Police in riot gear ‘invade’ Evelyn Hone College during a student’s protest against the shortage of water at the institution
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A female student is helped to ‘safety’ after choking with tear gas during a protest against the shortage of water at the institution.
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Evelyn Hone students rinse their faces after choking with tear gas during a protest against the shortage of water at the institution.
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A police officer in plain clothes talks to reporters during the student protest against the shortage of water at Evelyn Hone College.
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Sylvia Masebo, Nkandu Luo and other Patrotic Front members and supporters arrive for the filing in of nominations at Chongwe council chambers
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Patrotic Front cadres on a motor vehicle roof top of when they escorted Sylvia Masebo to file in her nominations in Chongwe
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Sylvia Masebo poses for an official photograph for the ballot papers during the filing in of nominations
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Finalists for MUVI TV's reality show Ready for Marriage contest
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Alangizi (traditional marriage counsellors) captured during the finale for MUVI TV's reality show Ready for Marriage contest, which had former sex workers as contestants.
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Precious Amukusana the first prize winner of MUVI TV's reality show Ready for Marriage
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Precious Amukusana the first prize winner of Ready for Marriage reality show
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Roma Catholic priests lay wreaths on the grave for late Mission Press director Father Miha Drevensek in Mpongwe
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Ndola diocess Bishop Banda performs a funeral ritual during the burial of Father Miha.
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Fr Camilo and Fr Chisanga lay wreaths on the grave for late Mission Press director Father Miha Drevensek in Mpongwe
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Catholic women during the requiem mass for the late Father Miha.
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Information, Broadcasting and Tourism minister Given Lubinda (second from r), Foreign Affairs minister Chishimba Kambwili (second from l) during the burial of late mission director Father Miha Drevensek
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William Banda with Edward Mumbi at the Lusaka magistrate court.
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James Banda, Edward Mumbi and William Banda at the Lusaka magistrate court.
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James Banda with lawyer Lindaba Linyambo at the Lusaka magistrate court
STATE House has clarified that the appointment of Emmanuel Mwamba as Northern Province Permanent Secretary is a re-deployment within the civil service contrary to perceptions that it is fresh appointment.
Special assistant to the president for Press and public relations George Chellah said in a statement yesterday that Mr Mwamba, who served as administrator in the office of the former president Frederick Chiluba, was a deputy permanent secretary at Cabinet Office.
Mr Chellah said prior to his appointment as Northern Province Permanent Secretary, Mr Mwamba had been on leave awaitingredeployment.
President Michael Sata on Tuesday swore in Mr Mwamba alongside Augustine Seyuba and Edwin Zumbunu as permanent secretaries for Western and Central provinces, respectively.
The president cautioned the new appointees against sitting in offices and peddling lies but that they should instead tour theirrespective provinces to listen to concerns of the people.
Chiboshi Mwansa a.k.a. Chibo, hails from Lusaka, Zambia . He started off by entering dancer competions in local talent showcases such as Radio 4 Fan Club, and variety shows for Munali High School. It was during his involvement with Radio 4 Fan Club that he started writing and performing his own music. Now based in Columbus, Ohio, USA, he has honed his craft to create the unambiguous sound that he has currently.
His music is a mixture of different genres , African style / hip hop/ dance all mixed in one. His current single is in rotation in different parts of the world such as Germany, where Kaleeza reached the #1 spot on the OLJO charts beating out major artists like J.Lo and LMFAO! Airplay in Australia, South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, and of course his home country of Zambia, has embraced the new sounds of Chibo with open arms. His new video and single Kaleeza is also creating major buzz in the US in cities like Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Dallas, Chicago and the list goes on. With combined Youtube views of over 50,000 hits fans can expect to see Chibo at a venue in their city soon!
He is spreading Zambian music world wide . He is currently working on some music with Dandy Krazy , this will be good for both artists as it will expand both there fan bases.
THE MUSIC
KALEEZA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGEaazX95ek
Its a very catchy song that will have you dancing all night long.
STATUTORY agencies which have for a long time depended on Government grants will have to sustain themselves next year to remove the financial burden on the treasury, Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Bob Sichinga has said.
Mr Sichinga said all statutory bodies will be required to sustain their operations considering that Government has limited resources.
And the Zambia Weights and Measures Agency (ZW&MA) requires about US$ 1.2 million to meet its capital requirement in the medium term and has a statutory debt of K4 billion.
Mr Sichinga said it is long overdue that parastatal companies are weaned off Government financial support to channel resources to other social sectors.
He said this during the familiarisation tour of the ZW&MA offices in Lusaka on Wednesday.
Mr Sichinga said supporting recurrent costs of statutory institutions has become costly on the part of Government due to limited resources.
“Business as usual is over, we all have to pull our socks and roll our sleeves to sustain our institutions. As ZW&MA, you will be entitled to settle all your costs and build a fund that will enable you buy the equipment you require to operate to full capacity,” he said.
Mr Sichinga said the boards appointed in parastatal companies are not there to have fun but help in the management of companies.
“To survive, there is need to change…from 2012 we expect you to be independent and if you want salary increment, work for it. Every deductions taking place whether National Pensions Scheme Authority (NAPSA) or Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) should be remitted,” he said.
Mr Sichinga urged ZW&MA to ensure that all outstanding accrues are settled by the end of the year.
Earlier, ZW&MA chief executive officer Sokwani Chilembo said the agency is working on system failures that date back five years, adding that by the first quarter of 2012 all the agency’s system will be automated.
Mr Chilembo said the key challenge faced by the agency is limited manpower.
Commenting on the debt, he said the company is solvent and has negotiated a timeframe on key statutory obligations that were accrued from 2003 when the agency was formed.
“We have liquidated the principle on NAPSA dues and we are liquidating the principle on the ZRA dues that expires next month. We are current on all other legal obligations,” he said.
The agency’s aim is to improve the range of services provided.
THE British government says it has not asked the Zambian government to legalise gay rights as a pre-condition to receiving aid.
British High Commissioner to Zambia Thomas Carter said the UK government’s provision of development aid to the Zambian government is on the basis of commitment to the reduction of poverty, respect for human rights and issues pertaining to good governance.
Mr Carter said in a statement made available in Lusaka that the British government engages in regular dialogue with its Zambian counterparts to monitor their commitment to progress against underlying principles.
“The UK government’s provision of development assistance to the Government of Zambia is on the basis of its overall commitment to reducing poverty; respecting human rights; improving public financial management; fighting corruption and promoting good governance and transparency,” he said.
He said the UK government raises issues with governments when there are serious and systematic violations of those rights. Mr Carter said to date the issue of gay rights has not arisen with the Zambian government.
His comment follows a statement that was made by UK Prime Minister David Cameron in Perth, Australia, during the Commonwealth heads of government meeting that human rights reform in the Commonwealth was one issue on which leaders failed to reach agreement.
Mr Cameron was reported to have said that countries receiving UK aid should adhere to proper human rights and end a ban on homosexuality.
And the Zambia Episcopal Conference has maintained that homosexuality is wrong and that Zambia as a Christian nation should not support such acts. ZEC spokesperson Paul Samasumo said the Catholic Church has not changed the position it had during the campaign period for last month’s tripartite elections when the issue on homosexuality was at the centre of political debate.
Father Samasumo, however, said in an interview that it is not right to discriminate against people practising homosexuality. “It is clear that we made comments during the campaign period on homosexuality because the Catholic Church regards all homosexual acts as wrong,” he said.
Fr Samasumo said homosexuals need help from the Christian community. He, however, said it is not good for Christians to prejudice people who they think are doing wrong.
ON Wednesday, Chief government spokesperson Given Lubinda said that Zambia will not enact pro-homosexuality laws in a bid to get British aid. Mr. Lubinda said the country would only enact laws supported by its citizens and in line with the Zambian culture.
“David Cameron must be reminded of what we agreed when we met in Paris for the Paris Declaration. Cameron was there, I was there,” said Mr Lubinda, an opposition parliamentarian at the time the Paris Declaration was penned.
He added: “When we met in Ghana, we came up with the Accra Agenda for Action and both those declarations are that no country will use its aid to influence the policies of an aid receiving country.”
He said Zambia was a sovereign state and would make independent decisions on which laws to enact.
“It is wrong for Mr Cameron to try and use aid as a way of influencing policies and laws of Zambia or any other country for that matter,” said Mr Lubinda.
“Zambia will not be pressured to formulate laws or policies by any foreign government,” Mr Lubinda told Lusaka-based Hot FM Radio
The Foundation for Democratic Process has demanded for a clear roadmap from government on the new constitution.
FODEP Executive Director, Mcdonald Chipenzi says it is not enough for government to just promise to deliver a new constitution without a roadmap.
He has told Muvi TV news that Zambians are anxious to know when a committee of experts tasked with delivering the constitution will be constituted.
Justice Minister, Sebastian Zulu recently stated that the constitution making process is not about the document but its quality.
President Michael Sata promised to enact a new constitution for the s country within three months. In his inaugural address to Parliament , President Sata said that he would constitute a committee of experts to analyse the recommendations of all previous constitutional review commissions and come up with an inclusive draft law.
“We are committed to delivering a new people-driven constitution within 90 days,” said Mr Sata who campaigned on a populist platform and was looking to capitalise on MMD’s failure to enact a new constitution after a lengthy process that gobbled billions of Kwacha in allowances to the NCC delegates.
The Movement for Multiparty Democracy(MMD) has condemned the move by the ruling Patriotic Front(PF) to petition over 50 seats in the just ended parliamentary elections. MMD Spokesperson, Dora Siliya has accused the Patriotic Front of attempting to weaken the opposition by opting to petition results of 50 parliamentary seats. She has further stated that the MMD will reject maneuvers to take the country back to one part state.
Yesterday, 51 Patriotic Front (PF) losing Parliamentary candidates in the September 20, 2011 general elections petitioned the election results in their respective areas.
The losing candidates have asked the court to nullify the election of the incumbent members of Parliament (MPs), saying their election to Parliament was null and void.
They also want the High Court to order for fresh elections, alleging that elections were marred with corrupt practices, intimidation, vote buying, and bribery.
And the MMD denied assertions of a power vacuum or struggle in its ranks and it has further formally announced the party presidency vacancy. Ms Dora Siliya has also announced that aspirants have up to this month-end to apply. Ms Siliya has further stated that the decision also goes for the vacant National Executive Committee positions.
Ms Siliya has attributed the MMD’s loss in the 20th September general elections to its failure to relate with the needs of urban areas. Ms Siliya has outlined water supply, improved sanitation and unemployment as among the needs the MMD did not meet.
