President Michael Sata on Saturday said he would welcome Chinese investors, promising to strengthen relations with Beijing, in a U-turn on his pre-election anti-China stance.

“When we were campaigning people were complaining about the Chinese and I promised that I will sort the Chinese out,” said Sata who hosted a luncheon for Beijing investors at the State House.

“They are also going to sort me out and so we are going to use them to develop,” he said.

Sata, who was elected in September is known for his tough stand against the influx of Chinese investment into the country, particularly in the mining sector, which he says does not benefit locals.[pullquote]They are also going to sort me out and so we are going to use them to develop[/pullquote]

He observed that although China with had a big population it was developing at a faster rate and wondered why Zambia with a small population is faced with so many developmental challenges.

He said China was developing because of ‘aggressiveness’ exhibited by the Chinese people in getting what they want for their country.

“Let’s give China proper specifications because what I know is that specifications have a back-up. China with a big population has got less constraints but developing so fast why because of aggressiveness by the Chinese people.”

“Zambia with a small population with 13 million people has huge constraints comparing with China with a bigger population. This should not be the case since China is at our disposal today,” President Sata said.

The President said he would utilize the Chinese Government in his first five-year tenure of Office so that Zambians largely benefit from their Chinese counterparts.

[pullquote]“The Chinese can do with one meal a day; use them properly and if you find there are more Chinese on one job, don’t blame the Chinese, blame the immigration officer who gave them work permits. Do they deserve those work permits?”, he asked [/pullquote]

“Don’t blame the Chinese, blame yourself because the Chinese are willing to work, they are very hard working people,” he said. “The Chinese can do with one meal a day; use them properly and if you find there are more Chinese on one job, don’t blame the Chinese, blame the immigration officer who gave them work permits. Do they deserve those work permits?”, he asked

Mr. Sata said the Patriotic Front (PF) policy is not different from that of the China therefore the reason for sending Dr. Kaunda to re-new Zambia-China friendship which he said dates way back in the 1950s.

At the same event, Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Zhou Yuxiao disclosed that the volume of trade by Chinese companies stood at US $2.8 billion in 2010 while the total trade and investment with Zambia stood at US $ 5 billion respectively.

The Chinese Envoy further pledged to assist Zambia in various economic sectors such as agriculture, construction, health, technology, trade, science, schools, hydro-power sports stadium as well as the provision of grants and loans.

And Chairman of the Chinese Corporation of Zambia Shin Hu said the Chinese community has so far invested US $2 billion translating into over 30,000 jobs created for the local people.

Mr. Hu, who is also Chairman for Chinese Non- Ferrous Metal Corporation, appealed to the new Government to protect the Chinese investors in the country and further pledged to work with the Government of the day.

Chief Justice Ernest Sakala, Speaker of the National Assembly Dr. Patrick Matibini, Cabinet Minister and their deputies, former Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister in the Chiluba regime Dipak Patel, Zambia and Chinese senior government and China Communist Party Committee and PF senior party officials were among the people that attended the luncheon at State House.

KALULUSHI Mayor Howard Simpemba has expressed disappointment at the alleged failure by the police to effectively handle the case involving a 67-year-old white man accused of drugging and pushing young girls into bestiality.

But acting Copperbelt police Chief Milner Muyambango has said the police had little evidence to give them sufficient grounds to build their case again Evert Wolf.

Mr Simpemba said at a press briefing in his office in Kalulushi that he was disappointed with the manner the police had conducted themselves over the matter.

“Personally I am not happy with the police because even in the case where there is no evidence they should show interest which they are not doing,” Mr Simpemba said.

The mayor said there was overwhelming evidence against the man, which his office had come up with.

Mr Simpemba said so far his office, together with other stakeholders, had spoken with three girls who alleged to be victims of bestiality and that they had all admitted to having fallen prey to Mr Wolf.

He said his office and other stakeholders in the community had resolved to take the matter to its conclusive and logical end.

“The police even know where this white man is including the girl who was luring her colleagues into this vice,” he said.

But Mr Muyambango said the community had not been helpful enough in the case because nobody had come forward with tangible evidence to help police build a strong case.

He said all the police had, were mere allegations which could not be used as evidence in court.

“Even the girl who was mentioned as key witness in this case has totally refused, so you can see how complex this issue is,” he said.

Mr Muyambango, however, said police were still investigating the matter and appealed for calm among members of the public.

[Times of Zambia]

EMBATLED former Minister of Transport and Communications Dora Siliya yesterday appeared before the Commission of Inquiry into the sale of Zamtel and Finance Bank but opted not to say anything on all allegations levelled against her during the submissions.

Ms Siliya, 41, of 411 Independence Avenue and clad in a red suit arrived at Mulungushi International Conference Centre in the company of her lawyer Sakwiba Sikota and informed the tribunal led by Commission chairperson, Sebastian Zulu that there were no irregularity in the sale of Zamtel.

Ms Siliya who spoke through her lawyer said she would not commit herself to any statement because the said allegations especially by Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) would be subjudice.

“ Everything she has to say is already on record so there is nothing more to add except to refer this commission to all the court proceedings.

“Since these allegations by TIZ persist notwithstanding the fact that courts of competent jurisdiction have adjudicated over the same, our client will not commit herself to any statement as these matters are subjudice,” said Mr Sikota.

He said Ms Siliya appeared before the tribunal where the same allegations by TIZ were tested after considering together with the evidence and made its findings which were contained in a detailed report submitted to the former Republican Rupiah Banda on April 16 in 2009.

Mr Sikota said her client had elected to refer the commission to visit the records of all the aforesaid matters which were public documents and were available at the courts, Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) and the Ministry of Justice.

He said after Ms Siliya was cleared by the High Court, TIZ appealed to the Supreme Court addressing the same allegations and in turn the Supreme Court also cleared his client and wondered why TIZ decided to raise the same allegations.

A Mr Francis Chilumba who referred to himself a ‘Patriotic Zambian’ claimed Ms Siliya had been mislead by her lawyer not to personally defend herself because she was the one who signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with RP Capital to evaluate the sale of Zamtel.

Mr Chilumba claimed that Ms Siliya allowed the under evaluation of Zamtel which was supposed to be sold at over US$1 billion and not the actual price which was US$257 and urged the commission to ensure that they see RP Capital evaluation report before coming up with a final report.

And the commission earlier advised Ms Siliya not to feel intimidated to represent herself because the commission was set to get more information on the sale of Zamtel and not for people to feel as if they were being tried in the court of law but to allow them to defend themselves once mentioned.

The opposition United Party for National Development(UPND) says it is ready for fresh elections should President Michael Sata dissolve Parliament. The President has threatened to dissolve parliament and call for fresh elections if the opposition parties in parliament continue to frustrate government business in the House.

President Sata was referring to the decision by opposition MPs to vote against the motion moved by Finance and National Planning Minister Alexander Chikwanda last Tuesday on the formation of the Public Accounts Committee for the first session of the eleventh National Assembly.

Both UPND vice President Richard Kapita and the party’s deputy whip Likando Mufalali says the UPND welcomes President Sata’s statement and wished he could go ahead and dissolve Parliament.

Mr Kapita has however cautioned that such statements can scare away investors. Mr Kapita has however reiterated that the UPND will continue providing checks and balances to the government.

The duo was speaking at a media briefing in Lusaka on Friday where MMD member Paul Moonga defected to join the UPND.

And Mr Moonga says he has decided to join the UPND because the MMD has no President.

[ZNBC]

Speaker of the National Assembly, Patrick Matibini has told parliament that President Michael Sata acted on the provisions of the law by stating that he will dissolve parliament if the opposition continue to frustrate his government efforts in parliament.

Dr. Matibini stated that article 88 part C of the constitution gives power to the President to dissolve parliament at any time.

He, however, stated that the National Assembly Powers and Privilege Act chapter 2 section 3 also gives powers to the Members of Parliament (MP) to have freedom in the house.

Dr. Matibini was making a ruling to a point of order raised by Malambo MMD MP, Maxwell Mwale, who wanted clarification on whether President Michael Sata was in order to threaten to dissolve parliament when the constitution provided for separation of power among the judiciary, executive and the legislature.

Mr. Mwale who is also former Minister of Mines in the Rupiah Banda administration said MPs were practicing their privileges and freedom of expression in parliament.

And the Speaker said the MPs enjoy freedom of speech in parliament which can never be questioned by anyone including the courts.

“Members of Parliament enjoy freedom of speech which, however, cannot be questioned by anyone including the courts of law,” he said.

President Michael Sata yesterday threatened to dissolve parliament if the opposition continued to shoot down government bills and motions the government is tabling in the house.

This follows the decision by opposition MPs to vote against a motion which was tabled in parliament by Finance Minister, Alexander Chikwanda for the constitution of the Parliamentary Accounts Committee for the first session of the eleventh national assembly.

[ZANIS]