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

[Zambia Daily Mail]

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.

MUVITV

More than 50 Patriotic Front (PF) losing Parliamentary candidates in the September 20, 2011 general elections have petitioned the election results in their respective areas.

Out of 68 losing candidates who have questioned the results, the PF has petitioned 51 while the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) has petitioned 11, with MMD querying five and a losing independent candidate petitioning one.

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.

In some cases, the losing candidates have also joined the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), saying the electoral body neglected its statutory duty of protecting them while in other cases, two losing candidates from different political parties have petitioned the winning candidates.

Those that have petitioned the results are losing PF Nyimba candidate Augustine Mwanza, who has asked the Chipata High Court to nullify the election of MMD’s Forrie Tembo while Ikelenge PF losing candidate Victor Kayekesi has petitioned the election of Elijah Muchima (MMD).

Losing MMD candidate for Kaoma Central Austin Liato and PF’s Enock Kaleka have petitioned the election of Antonio Carlos (UPND) while PF candidate Lameck Mangani (Chipata Central) has petitioned the election of Reuben Phiri, who won under the MMD ticket.

Losing candidate for PF in Lukulu West Eileen Imbwae has asked the court to nullify the election of MMD’s Misheck Mutale, while Emmanuel Chilubanama (PF), who was the losing candidate for Lunte has petitioned the election of MMD’s Felix Mutati.

UPND losing candidate for Solwezi Central Watson Lumba has asked the court to nullify the election of MMD’s MP, Lucky Mulusa.

Losing UPND candidate in Livingstone Frederick Chuunga and Josephs Akafumba of PF have both petitioned the election of MMD’s Lukulo Katombola, while PF losing candidate for Chitambo, Chanda Mutale has petitioned the election of MMD’s Mushili Malama.

Others that have petitioned the elections are UPND losing candidate for Petauke Central Cuthbert Phiri, who is petitioning former MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya, while PF’s Patrick Mwanawasa has petitioned the election of Evans Chishiba (MMD) for the Kafulafuta seat.

UPND losing candidate for Mufumbwe Elliot Kamondo has asked the court to nullify the election of Steven Masumba (UPND), PF’s Christabel Ngimbu has petitioned UPND’s Kakoma Wahuma in the Zambezi West seat.

Losing Chisamba PF candidate Oswald Chulu has petitioned the election of Moses Muteteka (MMD), while PF losing candidate for Feira James Pastor has asked the court to declare the election of MMD’s Levy Ngoma as null and void.

In Kapoche, PF losing candidate Paradious Sakala has petitioned the election of MMD’s Nicholas Banda, while Godfrey Banda (PF) has petitioned the election of independent Joseph Lungu in Msanzala Constituency in Eastern Province.

In Northern Province, Giles Yambayamba, the PF losing candidate for Senga Hill wants the court to cancel the election of MMD’s Kapembwa Simbao, while PF’s losing candidate for Mbala, Evaristo Simfukwe has petitioned the election of Mwalimu Simfukwe of MMD.

The PF losing candidate for Chilanga Geoffrey Chumbwe has asked the court to nullify the election of MMD’s Keith Mukata, while Kaweche Kaunda of the PF who lost the Malambo seat has questioned the election of MMD’s Maxwell Mwale.

PF’s Ingrid Mpande has petitioned MMD MP for Mkushi, Mutale Musonda and ECZ as first and second defendants, respectively.

Maina Wamunyima (PF), the losing candidate for Senanga Central has asked the court to nullify the election of Likando Mufalali (UNIP), Mutomena Mubiana (PF) is petitioning the election of MMD’s Poniso Njeulu (UPND) in Sinjemela Constituency while MMD’s Richard Simbula has petitioned the election of UPND winning candidate for Mangango, Robert Chiseke.

Others are MMD’s Maurice Munembo (Nalikwanda), who has petitioned MMD’s winning candidate Geoffrey Lungwangwa, Truman Simuyuwa (PF), who lost the Liuwa seat and has petitioned the election of MMD’s Situmeko Musokotwane while in Sikongo, losing PF candidate Kufuka Kufuka has questioned the victory of MMD’s Ndalamei Mundia.

The PF petitioners are represented by KBF and Partners, MNB, Dumisani Tembo and Company, Messrs Andrea Masiye and Company, Messrs Ellis and Co, Chola Chama Legal Practitioners, Messrs Fred Jere and Company, and AD Mwansa Mumba and Company, among others.

The UPND petitioners are being represented by Messrs Mwiimbu and Company, while the MMD is represented by George Kunda and Company, among others.

[Times of Zambia]

One of the most well known boxers today is Manny Pacquiao . Even if you dont follow boxing ,you will have still heard about him.  He is arguably the best pound for pound boxer in the world  , Zambia’s very own Hasting Bwalya can attest to that , after being in the ring with him.

Pacquiao’s small stature  shows you that true knockout power is not about how big you are. It’s about being fast with your hands, strong through your body and sharp with your feet. Endurance is very important.

THE WORKOUT

For core strength do the following;

Rocking crounches

Do 30 reps

How its done;

• Lie down on the floor or a mat
• tuck your knees in so that they touch your elbows.
• Rock forwards so your shoulders come away from the floor, then rock backwards.
•  Use your core to control the motion for punch-stopping abs.

One legged gym ball press up

For punching power do the following;

Bar-press

Do 3 sets .

• Holding an unweighted barbell with shoulder width overhand grip.
• Raise it to shoulder level, and bring it to your chest.
•  Explode the bar away and back to your chest 20 times, ensuring your arms don’t lock out, but extend fully.

Sandbag carry

Do 2 sets

How its done;

• Carry a 40kg bag of sand or meali meal or what you can find.
• Cradle the bag like it is a big baby and keep your back straight.
•  Power walk from one end of the room to the other. Do it for 30 seconds (1 minute as your fitness increases)

For footwork do the following;

Skipping

How its done;

• First warm up and get used to the movements with out a rope quickly bouncing from one foot to the other.
•  As you improve, add the rope and keep to the time, getting faster as your technique increases. Skip for three minutes in total.

Quick step

How its done;

• Standing on one leg , kick the other leg back , forward then across your leg.
• Then quickly switch legs and do the same on the alternate
• . Skip for 3 minutes. Rest for 4 minutes, then repeat the whole circuit. Aim for 3 circuits in total.

just because you train like him doesn’t mean you should fight like him .

BY KAPA187

FORMER Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services Ronnie Shikapwasha has apologised to President Sata for the harm he caused him when he was in charge of the ministry and during the September 20 tripartite election campaigns.

Gen Shikapwasha told Parliament on Tuesday politicians called each other names and spoke many injurious words against each other before and during the campaigns. “At this point I want to render unreserved apology to his Excellency Michael Chilufya Sata for the injurious words that I spoke against him. I apologise wholeheartedly,” he said.

Gen Shikapwasha said it is important to respect authority because leadership comes from God. He said God has given President Sata to Zambians and he should be respected.
Gen Shikapwasha also apologised to United Party for National Development (UPND) Hakainde Hichilema for many injurious words he spoke against him.

“I apologise to you, Mr Hichilema, for the many injurious words I spoke to you, some of them parroted,” he said. Gen Shikapwasha, who is also Kembe member of Parliament (MMD), said prayers must continue in Zambia so that there is no witch-hunting to ensure that reconciliation is promoted.

He thanked Merdado Cardinal Mazombwe for his reconciliatory remarks at Saint Ignatius Catholic church last Sunday. Gen Shikapwasha said it is important that the nation reconciles and starts on a new chapter.

And contributing to the President’s speech, Gen Shikapwasha said the speech left out important issues such as the mine taxes, national security and Zambia’s Christian nation status.

And Lieutenant General Shikapwasha has said government did not follow the right procedure when appointing the director general of the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC).

He said the ZNBC Act demands that the position of the national broadcaster’s director general should be advertised, which Government failed to do. “The appointment for ZNBC’s DG was single-sourced and did not give many Zambians an opportunity to compete,” Gen Shikapwasha said.

Bangweulu MP Chifita Matafwali (PF) said it is gratifying to note that President Sata has recognised the need to undertake a review of the Farmer Input Support Programme with a view to establishing whether it is achieving its intended purpose.

Lukulu East MP Christopher Kalila (MMD) said the inclusion of the mother and child health to the Ministry of Community Development will have a negative effect in achieving the Millennium Development Goals on health.

“It is just the same as creating another Ministry of Health because it will lead to the duplication of what the Ministry of Health has been doing regarding mother and child health, which will have a negative impact in attaining the goals on health,” Dr Kalila said.

[Zambia Daily mail]

By Henry Kyambalesa

We should be proud that at 47 years of age, our beloved country has continued to be a land of lasting peace and stability. We should, therefore, make an earnest effort to build on Dr. Kenneth D. Kaunda’s concept of “One Zambia, One Nation” in order to create a society in which political, ethnic, cultural, racial, and religious diversity is genuinely appreciated, tolerated and celebrated.

In this Press Release, I wish to share my views concerning the role of government in independent Zambia. In this endeavor, let us first briefly examine a point of view advocated by the founders of the free enter­prise ideology, that a government should have very limited functions.

In their view, “That government is best which governs least.” Essen­tial­ly, they advocated for a govern­ment whose functions are limited to the following: protecting private property, providing for public safety and security, enforc­ing business and other forms of contracts among individu­als and/or institutions, inducing (rather than perform­ing) commer­cial and industrial activities, and, among other things, facilitating the provi­sion of quality educa­tion and health care.

There are, however, many factors which may lead to an increase in the functions of a country’s national gov­ernment, such as the follow­ing: increases in the country’s popula­tion, an unprecedented number of demands by vari­ous interest groups for gov­ern­ment involvement in ad­dressing their needs, and, among other things, problems brought about by a multitude of hu­man-induced and natural calamities.

There is no doubt that these and other factors can put pressure on a government to expand existing public servic­es and facilities and/or to introduce new ones. Franklin D. Roosevelt, United States president between 1933 and 1945, must have had these and/or other similar kinds of factors in mind when he said: “As new conditions and prob­lems arise beyond the power of men and women to meet as individu­als, it becomes the duty of … govern­ment[s] … to find new remedies with which to meet them.”

Nevertheless, the proper governmental role in a free-market economy, as Michael E. Porter once advised in an article entitled “The Competitive Advantage of Nations,” which appeared in the Harvard Business Review of March-April 1990, should be that of serving as “a catalyst and challenger … to encourage—or even push—companies to raise their aspirations and move to higher levels of competitive perfor­man­ce.”

42nd President of the United States of America, Mr. William J. Clinton, espoused this point of view in general terms when he stipulated his Administrati­on’s desire in the State of the Union Address of January 27, 1998 thus: “[We need to] build a govern­ment that [func­tions as] … a catalyst for new ideas, and, most of all, a govern­ment that gives … people the tools they need to make the most of their own lives.”

In serving the business commu­ni­ty and other segments of society as a “catalyst and challenger,” a gov­ernment needs to provide adequately for various kinds of guarantees, inducements and essential services and facilities, such as the following:

1) A well?developed transportation infrastructure and ad­e­quate tran­sporta­tion services to industrial, com­mercial, and residential areas to ease or facilitate the distri­bution of production inputs and finished products;

2) Adequate public ser­vices (including police protec­tion, fire protec­tion, public utilities, and decent housing), as well as telecommunica­tions, educa­tion­al, vocation­al, health, and recreational facili­ties;

3) Equitable sales, corpo­rate, and other taxes, as well as tax conces­sions and induce­ments that are more attractive than those in alterna­tive coun­tries or regions which inves­tors are likely to consider for invest­ment;

4) Political and civic leaders who are fair and honest in their dealings with private business institutions, and stable econom­ic policies (inc­luding a formal assurance against nationalisation and/or expropria­tion of privately owned business undertakings by the national govern­ment);

5) Political and civic leaders who are genuine and resolute in their fight against the scourge of corruption in governmental and non-governmental settings;

6) Less bureaucratic licensing, import, export, and other procedures, and ade­quate information about in­vest­ment and marketing prob­lems and opportu­nities in the various sectors of a coun­try’s econo­my and in cross-border markets;

7) A system of justice that is fair, impartial and independent in both word and deed; and

8) A social safety net designed to adequately cater to the needs of economically disadvantaged members of society that is not subject to political meddling or manipulation.

These inducements, ser­vices, facilities, and guarantees, among a host of other things, can enable economic units, for example, to operate more efficiently and eventually deliver economic and social outputs to society at reason­able costs and prices.

As Alassane Ouattara (current president of Ivory Coast) once advised in an article entitled “Africa: An Agenda for the 21st Century,” which appeared in Volume 36/Number 1 of Finance and Development of March 1999, therefore, there is an urgent need for national leaders to re-define the roles of their governments away from direct involvement in commercial and industrial activities toward the pro­vision of inducements, guarantees and essential public services and facilities to their primary stakeholders.

Given the many positive changes currently being introduced by the Patriotic Front administration, our beloved country seems to be destined for a brighter future. Together, we can realize the benefits of independence, democracy and economic liberalization, and we can succeed in our quest to create a more democratic, more peaceful, more prosperous, more egalitarian, and more environmentally sustainable society.