Government has trashed United Party for National Development (UPND) President Hakainde Hichilema’s allegations that it does not care about the critical water shortages in Masemu compound in Itezhi Tezhi district.

Area District Commissioner Mary Mukwiza said she doubts that the opposition leader could make such unfounded statements during the live discussion program on Itezhi Tezhi community radio station (ITT FM 91.1), recently.

Ms Mukwiza said that she found it difficult to believe that a respected senior politician like Mr. Hichilema can make such unfounded allegations, degrade the government and promote false agenda that government is doing absolutely nothing about the plight of the Itezhi Tezhi people on water.

“I find it difficult to believe that a person aspiring to be a President of this country can make such allegations on radio, degrade the government and resort to falsehood in order to gain cheap political mileage and deliberately fails to appreciates visible efforts that government is doing to alleviate the problem, “ Ms Mukwiza said.

On Thursday night UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema accused the MMD government of neglecting the people of Itezhi as evidenced by chronic water shortages, poor roads and lack of accommodation for civil servants in the district.

He said that it was sad that people of Itezhi Tezhi have been contracting asthma and Tuberculosis due to the poor state of the road saying that government has failed to reconstruct the D769 road which was once a tarred road and government has resorted to grading it.

But Ms. Mukwiza said that contrary to Mr. Hichilema’s sentiments, government through Itezhi Tezhi Power Corporation ( IPOCO )has already started constructing the US$5million water and sewerage infrastructure in Itezhi-Tezhi.

“Government of Zambia through its electricity utility, ZESCO Ltd and Itezhi Tezhi Power Corporation (ITPC) project will invest US$ 5million in water and sewerage infrastructure that will supply new houses and Masemu compound.

This development will also boost the current insufficient water because the capacity of the water plant being constructed is double the existing one” Ms Mukwiza said.

“The current water plant’s capacity is only able to supply in excess of 200 houses mainly those owned by ZESCO Ltd in Itezhi-tezhi. With this new plant we will have more than enough water for the district” Ms Mukwiza said.

The District Commissioner said that all infrastructure works on water and sewerage and others will be completed and delivered by 17 April 2012 which is just seven months time from now.

She said that SinoHydro, a reputable Chinese company that has been contracted by Itezhi Power Corporation (ITPC) to construct the power station has since moved on site and much progress has been done on the building of houses and the water and sewerage system.

She said that government is aware of the difficulties people on Masemu face in accessing water due to chronic water shortages.

She said that Government deliberately included the construction of the new water plant and sewerage system in the project because of the greater need for water in Masemu which is the most populous area in the district.

Ms Mukwiza said that UPND leader should not make cheap political mileage on issues that he does not understand well.

On the D769 road Ms Mukwiza said that the MMD government under President Rupiah Banda is has already devised a work plan to work on all major roads in the country and that Itezhi Tezhi Mongu junction road(D769) is one of those roads planned for and that government has budgeted for the reconstruction road next year.

“the issue of the feeder roads and the Main road is of great concern to the MMD government because it is one of the priority on the seven points development plan president Banda has devised and I can assure Itezhi Tezhi community that the authorities have made a work plan to reconstruct all feeder roads and the D769 road in the district, ” Ms Mukwiza said.

She said that government will soon embark on the emergency rehabilitation works on the Bachele Bridge and the Itezhi Tezhi Namwala road.

“I do not think that the people of Itezhi Tezhi would be fooled or cheated by some politicians who just make promises because they can see the numerous development programmes in the district.

She further trashed allegations that she was using a government vehicle to campaign in Mbila saying that she was a civil servant and that she is currently distributing checks for women empowerment programmes which is a government duty.

ZANIS

United Party for National Development (UPND) President Hakainde Hichilema has pledged to increase salaries, when voted as the next Republican President. Mr. Hichilema also vowed to increase the workers’ allowances and introduce a transparent and efficient tax regime for the benefit of all Zambians.

The opposition leader was speaking at a mammoth rally held at Itezhi Tezhi Basic school grounds in Itezhi Tezhi district, yesterday. He added that his party when in power will re-introduce a well designed and transparent windfall tax system that will make enough money available to increase the salaries and allowances of civil servants, the police and army with the minimum worker to get K5 million.

“UPND government will introduce an open and transparent windfall tax system that will enable us to increase salaries and allowances of civil servants so that the lowest paid will be K5 million.

“We believe that an open and transparent windfall tax system will be achieved by encouraging dialogue around tax issues which our government initiate and we believe that this system will act as a catalyst towards a more accountable political system which Zambians yearn for” Mr. Hichilema said.

He said that his government will also downsize the cabinet to 30 ministers only in order to save K800 billion which he claimed is spent on minister’s vehicles and allowances.
“We want to be an efficient government that will deliver to the people of this country. We will not have a bloated cabinet. We will restrict ourselves to 30 ministers inclusive of deputy ministers so that we can save about K800 billion which is spent on ministers vehicles and allowances” Mr. Hichilema said.

He said by downsizing the cabinet, re-introducing a transparent and fair windfall tax policy as well as introducing innovative taxing system, more money will be made available to improve health, education and road infrastructure in the country.

Mr. Hichilema said that UPND government will introduce free education policy from grade one to university level because the party believes that education is a right and not a privilege.

“We consider education as a right for everyone and we believe it is key to economic development of this country hence our resolve in our manifesto to provide it free up to university level once we form government,” the opposition leader said.

Mr. Hichilema who received applauses from the crowd at intervals, passionately appealed to civil servants, police officers and the army to join the campaign for UPND so that once they are in power, they will enjoy improved conditions services.

He encouraged the electorates in Itezhi Tezhi to accept every chitenge materials and money they are given by political parties but to vote otherwise on 20th September.
Mr. Hichilema asked the Itezhi Tezhi electorate to vote for him as President and Greyford Monde as their Parliamentarian.

Mr. Hichilema also strongly denounced politicians who are campaigning on tribal lines saying that politics of tribalism have no place in Zambia.
And in a discussion monitored on Itezhi Tezhi community Radio station (ITT FM 91.1), Mr. Hichilema sternly warned government officers against the abuse of government property for campaigns.

He said that it was an offence under electoral code of conduct for every officer to use government property that has been bought from tax payer’s money to campaign for a party of their orientation.

He further said that 20TH September 2011 is a year for the people of Zambia to vote for compassionate and corruption- free leaders that will deliver what he termed the much needed development in the country.

ZANIS

United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema says he will increase Constituency Development Funds (CDF) to K 5 billion kwacha per constituency once elected as Republican President.

ZANIS reports from Itezhitezhi District that the opposition leader said this during a live discussion programme on Itezhi Tezhi community radio on Thursday night.

Mr. Hichilema said on the radio that the current CDF funds are insufficient to bring about meaningful development in the country.

“The current CDF of K700 million is insignificant to bring any tangible development in the constituencies in the country that is why we, as UPND will increase it to K5billion kwacha per constituency,” he said.

Asked on where the money would come from to increase the CDF, Mr. Hichilema said that the UPND government will re-introduce the windfall tax and trim the cabinet to only thirty (30) ministers.

He said that by downsizing the cabinet and introducing the windfall tax, UPND government will save more than K 4 trillion and thereby which will be available to increase CDF and increase salaries of civil servants.

“When we increase the CDF to five billion per constituency each ward will be able to carry out meaningful development projects that will uplift people’s living standards in the country.

“ We will also pay rural hardship to government workers in rural districts like Itezhi Tezhi, ” Mr. Hichilema said.

Mr. Hichilema also said that government will increase the number of constituencies in the country because most of them are too vast.

He also said that UPND will put agriculture as top priority and will distribute fertilizer through headmen and ensure that proper storage facilities are built to prevent wastage of the maize.

He further said that UPND government once voted into power will built dip tanks and provides cheaper animal vaccines and employ adequate veterinary officers.

ZANIS

Police in Nakonde yesterday morning fought running battles with suspected Patriotic Front ( PF ) cadres outside Nakonde Police station over a truck registration number TZ 762 AMR and Trailer Number P592 AXR that they suspected to be carrying marked ballot papers to Lusaka.

The irate Pf cadres who escorted the truck to the police station fought running battles with the Police for over 30 minutes until the container was unloaded and the goods inside inspected.

However, contrary to the cadres suspicions, the vehicle only contained marked red and white tapes and cell ( or adhesive ) tapes to be used at poling stations in September, tripartite elections.

District Commissioner for Nakonde Billy Silwimba, who was physically present at the police station, together with Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA ) Senior collections of customs Stephen Mwansa, condemned the behavior of the PF cadres.

Mr. Silwimba said it is wrong for the PF cadres to alarm the nation on mere speculations that can plunge the nation into chaos if not well handled.

He said nothing was destroyed during the confusion and has since appealed to concerned parties to ensnure that such matters are handled with care next time.

The District Commissioner warned that people issuing alarming remarks and giving false information to the public risked being arrested and prosecuted once found wanting.

He further called on the District Conflict Resolution Committee to table the matter with all the participating political parties in this year’s elections in order to avoid un necessary suspicions.

Afterwards, the protesting cadres immediateltly dispersed after noticing that the container did not carry marked ballot papers as earlier rumored.

The truck has since been released and Zambia Revenue Authority Officers were being awaited to place new seals on the container before it can be allowed to leave.

Zambia goes to the polls on September 20 th and the ballot papers for Presidential Parliamentary and Local Government elections are being printed in Durban South Africa and are expected in the country on September 13, 2011.

And The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) says it will not entertain the disruption of the delivery of its election materials.

The commission has since disclosed that the boundary tapes were the consignment of all imported election materials which were being transported into the country by road as all the materials have since been delivered.

The announcement follows the blocking of the truck in Nakonde yesterday that was carrying the consignment of polling station boundary tapes by the Patriotic Front (PF) cadres.

ZANIS reports ECZ Senior Public Relations officer Sylvia Bwalya making the announcement in a statement in Lusaka yesterday.

Ms. Bwalya further stated that the printing of Local Government ballot papers is still ongoing while the printing of ballot papers for the presidential and National assembly elections has been completed.

She stressed that the Presidential, National Assembly and Local Government ballot papers will be airlifted directly from Durban to Lusaka on Tuesday 13th September 2011.

She noted that political parties and other stakeholders will be advised of the expected time of arrival at the Lusaka International Airport of the chartered flight that will carry the ballot papers.

The commission has emphasized that there will be no delivery of ballot papers by road.

ZANIS

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop”
(Luke 8:15, NIV)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Sometimes in the natural, we don’t see how God’s promises are going to come to pass in our lives. It seems like there are so many obstacles to overcome. But we have to see God’s Word like a seed. When it’s planted in our hearts, and we water it by thinking the right thoughts and expecting good things, that little seed begins to grow into something much, much greater.

Jesus told a parable in Mark, chapter four. He said, “God’s Word is like a tiny mustard seed. When it is sown, it is less than all the other seeds, one of the smallest. But when it grows up, it becomes greater than all.” Notice it goes from being less than all to being greater than all.

Are you in an overwhelming situation today, maybe in your health, finances or relationships? Does God’s promise seem small compared to what you’re facing?

Don’t sit back and think, “Man, it’s never going to get any better. It’s never going to change.” Instead, sow the Word by speaking it every single day. Water that seed by staying in faith because the seed of the Word has supernatural power in it. It will grow and flourish, and you will see God’s promises come to pass all the days of your life!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father God, today I choose to sow the Word of God! Thank You that it will not return void, but it will accomplish what it was sent forth to do! Thank You for giving every good and perfect gift to Your children. I bless Your holy name today and always. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

— Joel & Victoria Osteen