Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) President Dr. Alex Ngoma has denied every trying to steal a sample ballot paper and described the allegation as nonsense. According to Dr Ngoma, there were sample ballot papers on the table and he just picked up one, like any other person in the delegation, just to look at it and the ballot paper remained in his hand as delegation was being shown around the facility.

He categorically said that he did not hide the sample ballot paper as suggested. He said that he did not just know that he was supposed to have left the sample ballot paper.

Mr Ngoma describe the all fuss as nonsense and noted that people just wanted to twist stories to sort their case and said that he was ready to be sent back home.

And the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) says it has resolved the misunderstanding that arose following allegations that FODEP President, Dr. Alex Ngoma attempted to steal a presidential ballot paper.

ECZ Public Relations Manager, Chris Akufuna told MUVI TV News in a telephone interview from Durban South Africa that the misunderstanding has been resolved.

He says following the resolution of the matter, Dr. Ngoma is not coming back to Zambia and will continue to monitor the printing of ballot papers in Durban.

Dr. Ngoma is alleged to have been captured on Closed-circuit television (CCTV) trying to put the ballot paper in his diary.

Mr Akufuna explained that all the delegates where given sample ballot papers to look at and then asked to return them but one ballot paper just remained in Dr Ngoma’s hands and was later retrieved.

Meanwhile, Mr. Akufuna says an update on the progress of printing of ballot papers will be given today. He notes that good progress has been made so far.

The printing of presidential ballot papers is expected to wind up this weekend ahead of the commencement of parliamentary and local government ballot papers printing.

The ballot papers for the September 20th polls are expected to be ready on 10th September, 2011.

MUVITV

President Rupiah Banda has said it was pleasing that the Mopani Copper mine was taking its social responsibility seriously. The President was speaking when he commissioned the multi million dollar Chibuluma-Mindolo by-pass road rehabilitation project yesterday. Mopani will spend a total sum of US$10 million on various social projects in Kitwe city to which the Chibuluma-Mindolo by-pass road is part.

The president told the gathering at the commissioning site that the partnership that exists between Mopani and government in easing people’s lives in many areas and should be emulated by other private companies.

“The new roads we have seen today benefit all- not just the company. This unselfish act is greatly appreciated by all who have had to use bad roads,” he said.

The President noted that good roads and other infrastructure were vital to the development of the country hence his administration has prioritized the road sector.

He said the US$10 million which Mopani was spending on social projects in Kitwe was money well spent because it would benefit various categories of citizens.

President Banda thanked Mopani for pumping in another US$5 million in improving sanitation in selected parts of Kitwe city.

He also inspected a rehabilitation toilet at House number B47 in Wusakili township which is among areas where Mopani Copper mine is improving sanitation.

Meanwhile, Mopani Copper Mine Chief Executive Officer, Emmanuel Mutati, said his company between US$15 million and US$20 million annually on projects that are aimed at benefiting communities.

Mr. Mutati said at the same function that Mopani supports two hospitals, seven clinics, four schools and a number of local orphanages and charity organizations.

He said his company was planning to increase its expenditure on community projects in future.

And Ministry of works and Supply Permanent Secretary, Watson Ng’ambi thanked Mopani for the intervention it is providing in the area of roads.

“The intervention by Mopani is vital because it integrates into our programme of providing Zambians with good roads,” he said.

ZANIS

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come”
(2 Corinthians 5:17, NIV)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Everyone loves to get something new. But as a believer in Jesus, you’re not only getting something new, you are something new. You are a brand new creation! Your eternal being, your spirit, is re-created in Christ. The old is gone, the new has come! You may not necessarily feel new right away. That’s because the Bible tells us that we are to “work out” our salvation. That means you have to retrain your body and mind to act, think, speak and live according to God’s ways instead of the old habits you used to have. Don’t ever get stuck in the rut of thinking, “I’ll never change…that’s just the way I am.” No, the Bible says that the Spirit of God aids us in our weakness. He gives us strength to overcome. He empowers us to live as more than conquerors in this life.

Is there something you want to change in your life today? If you’ve received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then start declaring, “I am a new creation in Christ! I am empowered to overcome! I am equipped to walk in the new, abundant life the Lord has in store for me!”

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father in heaven, thank You for making me a new creation. Thank You for empowering me to live as an overcomer. I give this day to You and ask that You help me to fully understand the plan You have for me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

— Joel & Victoria Osteen

The patriotic front secretary general Wynter Kabimba says that he is patiently waiting for the next cause of action the ECZ will take on the allegations of corruption against Universal Print Group.

Mr. Kabimba says that the ECZ should this time show Zambians that is it not comprised.

Mr. Kabimba in an interview says that the ECZ should come out in the open and deny the corruption allegations leveled against the company printing Zambia%u2019s ballot papers.

He says that failure by the ECZ to state its clear position on the corruption allegations will undermine the confidence Zambians will have on the poll day.

Mr. Kabimba has further observed that if such matters are not handled with the seriousness it deserves, it has the potential to bring civil strife.

The secretary general of the patriotic front has further stated that the party has revealed enough evidence and questions the silence on the party of the ECZ.

And Mr. Kabimba says that it is the MMD has lost political value in the political arena as was the case in the previous years.

Mr. Kabimba has described the MMD as fragmented in terms of being intact and membership.

QFM

Lusaka Province Permanent Secretary Daniel Bowasi says government recognizes the importance of ensuring that young people are brought up with the right morals and values.

Mr. Bowasi said government through the ministry of community development and social services has in this vain embarked on a number of programs aimed at supporting the development of the child especially the under privileged.

“ Programs such as child protection, foster care, educational support and juvenile welfare are some of the programs the ministry has embarked, “ he said.

The Permanent Secretary was speaking in speech at the graduation ceremony of about 143 children at the University Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) church in Lusaka today.

He further urged the young people to welcome and receive the counsel l they receive from elders so that they can in future become professional and contribute to the development of the nation.

And speaking earlier Vacation Bible School coordinator Joyce Kunda said the vacation bible school was aimed at empowering young people into becoming responsible citizens in future.

The vacation bible school was held for a fortnight under the theme “the amazing book” and was aimed at emulating the charity works of our lord jests Christ of helping the under privileged in society.

Earlier this week, the Seventh Day Adventist church Vacation Bible School donated various item worth millions of kwacha to the Matero after Care Center.

ZANIS

Thousands of people braved the August sun to gather at Changanamayi grounds in Kitwe’s Kwacha compound to listen to President Rupiah Banda campaign rally.

The crowd drawn from all parts of Kitwe , also known as the Hub of the Copperbelt, most of whom were clad in the traditional MMD blue regalia attires, sang political songs in praise of President Banda’s somewhat splendid leadership.

The President too responded positively to the huge crowds desire to listen to him as he later reminiscence what his government has done in the now three years of being in office.

He outlined future social and economic plans for Zambia.

ZANIS reports from Kitwe, today, that President Banda told the mammoth rally that there was every reason for the people of Zambia to vote for him and all the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) candidates in the local government and parliamentary positions.

He explained that the reason why Zambians should vote for him and the MMD is that he has lived to fulfill all the promises he made in 2008 and fulfilled them accordingly.

“Our duty as leaders is to listen carefully to what the people are saying. In 2008 when I came here I promised you that I will be a president who will bring security, stability, peace and development. Since 2008, a lot of development has taken place and today we are a middle income country,” he said amid cheers from thousands of people who chanted slogans in support with his administration.

President Banda, who is in the Copperbelt for a series of activities including political rallies, said in the education sector, a lot of infrastructure development has taken place.

He explained that among this infrastructure is the construction of kamfinsa, Lufwanyama, Mpongwe, Masaiti and Masangano high schools which will significantly help improve enrollment levels and quality of educations to children of the school going age in the Copperbelt province.

He reminded the people of Kitwe that since 2008, his government prevented five mines from closing completely thereby serving thousands of jobs which would have otherwise sent thousands of families into poverty.

President Banda named the mines as Luanshya, konkola North, Konkola Deep, and Nkana while Mopani Copper Mine has expanded during the same period.

“To us Zambians, the word mine means jobs and prosperity,” he said adding that mining was a mainstay of the people of the Copperbelt province which has contributed largely to the economic stability of Zambia.

The President said the health sector has also benefitted a lot as government built health posts, clinics, hospitals and expanded and rehabilitated existing ones in the province just like in any other part of the country.

He said more people were now owner of homes in the Copperbelt and other provinces of Zambia.

President Banda said his government will continue empowering Zambians with homes noting that his government still has piles of petitions from sitting tenants asking him to help facilitate the sale of such houses to them.

He added that 2,000 kilometers of feeder roads have been worked on in the province.

President Banda however noted that despite all this visible development whose spillover effects are felt among Zambians, much more needs to be done.

He said his government was aiming at changing the current economic status quo by providing hospitals, schools, roads and other social amenities which will trigger massive economic development in the country.

“The change I want is to enable Zambians grow more food so that other countries can be getting it from here. I also want change where we will build universities in every province of this country where people in all fields will be trained,” he said.

The President reiterated that his biggest ambition was to make Zambia attractive even to those Zambians professionals that have sought greener economic pastures elsewhere to return and offer their services to the local people.

He said in the last few years, industrialization has increased thereby consuming a lot of energy and fuel.

Mr. Banda said despite this increase in industries, his government has continued to provide fuel without any shortage and standardized fuel prices countrywide.

“We want development in every part of this country. That is why we are doing roads for Zambians to conduct their businesses smoothly,” he said.

And President Banda has expressed sadness that the Kitwe City Council, which was dominated by opposition Patriotic Front Councillors in the last five years.

He said it is saddening that the PF led council has failed to provide vital services to residents of the city.

He said during the last five years, social services deteriorated in Kitwe especially in the area of sanitation.

“ Avoidable diseases such as cholera and typhoid have been experienced here because of the council’s failure to provide good health and hygienic services, “ said the President.

The President therefore urged the people of Kitwe not to vote for the opposition political parties because they have failed them.

He said politics was a serious profession because it is about bettering people’s lives and their welfare.

And the same rally, former Vice President Enoch Kavindele asked the people of the Copperbelt province to appreciate what President Banda’s government has done in the last few years in order to serve jobs and make their lives betters.

Mr. Kavindele said President Banda was a respectful, honesty and focused person who has the interests of Zambians at heart.

He said if President Banda will be allowed to lead Zambia again in the next five years, the country will be changed for the better.

Meanwhile, Zambia National Marketers Association (ZANAMA) Chairman General, Elvis Nkandu said the fixing of township roads in Kitwe and elsewhere will ease the transportation of goods by traders.

Mr. Nkandu said this will in turn improve the economic statuses of marketers in the country.

After the rally, scores of MMD supporters went round the Kitwe City honking and singing solidarity songs while branding their party symbol to residents who in turn waved back in support.

President Banda will tomorrow attend a Church Service at St. Maximillian Catholic Church in Luanshya, address miners and later in the day address a rally in Roan township.

ZANIS

New Horizon Printing Press says it has no capacity to print the 2011 ballot papers.

ZANIS reports that the Lusaka based New Horizon Printing Press Managing Director Shawky Hemeidan said during a press briefing that his firm has no security printing equipment for printing ballot papers.

He further stated that New Horizon Printing Press does not have the technology and the know how to print the 2011 ballot papers.

Mr. Hemeidan revealed that New Horizon Printing Press intends to invest 5.7 million dollars in procuring security printing equipment that will be used to print the 2016 ballot papers.

He told journalists that his firm did not participate in the tendering of printing the 2011 ballot papers because the company had no capacity to print the ballot papers.

And Mr. Hemeidan says New Horizon Printing Press is the biggest print press in Zambia surpassing government printers.

Meanwhile , Mr. Hemeidan has thanked the general public for having faith in the company by suggesting that the company prints the 2011 ballot papers.

The development somewhat pacifies the growing calls and concerns in sections of society who are calling on the Electoral Commission of Zambia ( ECZ ) cancel the contract with the Universal Printing Group (UPG ) of South Africa due to alleged corruption.

The ECZ has however remained adamant to this call and has gone ahead with the contract. It has also for reasons of transparency dispatched an observer team to Durban , South Africa on a fact finding mission concerning the operations of the company.

ZANIS

Patriotic Front secretary general winter Kabimba has denied reports that there is division in the party following a letter written by some central committee members asking for party president Michael Sata to take rest from conducting campaigns.

PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba has described the reports as MMD propaganda aimed at decampaigning Mr. Sata.

Mr. Kabimba adds that Mr. Sata is in perfect health and that he is currently in Kabompo were he is conducting his campaigns.

He has questioned the quality of journalism being practiced at some public media institutions and has since challenged the authors of the reports allegations on the health of the PF leader to reveal their source of information.

Mr. Kabimba has told QFM that Mr. Sata welfare does not in any way concern the MMD and since advised ruling party to concentrate on their candidate Rupiah Banda.

Mr. Kabimba notes that his party has will not allow the MMD to derail his party’s focus on selling itself ahead of this year’s elections.

In yesterday’s edition of the Times Newspaper has carried a story alleging that the opposition PF has been rocked with divisions following the alleged ill-health of their party leader Michael Sata.

QFM