CALLERS to Radio Christian Voice’s Chat Back programme yesterday questioned the health of Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata, who developed a serious hiccup during a phone-in programme.

Mr Sata, who sounded low during the one-hour talk show, when asked by a Mr Muchindu of Lusaka about his state of heath responded: “I think I am fine.”

“Your supporters are cruel because they have continued to encourage you to go on even when your health is deteriorating,” Mr Muchindu said.

He said it was clear that the opposition leader was not well from the way he was sounding on the radio.

Another caller also only identified as Bright said it was clear that the opposition leader was not well because his breath was not that of one who was enjoying good health. He urged Mr Sata to instead take a break and attend to his health.

A caller who identified himself as Eddie said: “I can hear from your voice that you are not well. It is important to take a rest so that you look after your health. We shall pray for your quick recovery.”

A woman who identified herself as Bwalya wished the PF leader quick recovery as it was evident that he was not too well.

Some callers, however, encouraged the opposition leader to soldier on as he was the only “messiah” for the country. However, Mr Sata accused some people of having sponsored stories on his health status even on the Internet.

He said the illness talk was started by the same group and that the Times of Zambia and Zambia Daily Mail allegedly had picked it up from there. “To some people I was supposed to have died in 2009, but it did not happen,” he said.

Asked about the failure of the pact with the United Party for National Development (UPND), Mr Sata said the UPND leadership was not sincere on their membership to the opposition alliance. He said to date his party had not yet received correspondence on why UPND pulled out of the pact.

Mr Sata said the problem of the UPND was that it had been hijacked by a leader who had no political background. “There are two people in Zambia who came from nowhere and started leading political parties, so it is difficult to run a joint venture,” he said.

Mr Sata said if elected in the September 20, 2011 elections, his party would divide Northern Province because it was too vast. He also said his party would create employment opportunities for the youth and that there was need for political parties to disclose their source of funding.

[Times of Zambia]

President Rupiah Banda has expressed optmism of defeating Patriotic Front(PF) leader Micheal Sata, yet again, in this year’s polls.

President Banda dismissed calls by PF leader Mr. Michael Sata over his parentage because they were immature for a leader aspiring to be a leader of this nation.

Mr. Banda says he was proud that he emerged victorious each time he stood with Mr. Sata.

President Banda saying this when he addressed a public rally at Senga Hill area in Mbala district.

He reiterated that he has a track record of developing Mbala district and the entire country as a whole.

He disclosed that his administration had embarked on developmental projects by opening up more mines, expanding training and health institution along side with empowering more Zambians with houses so that the Zambian economy could grow bigger to benefit the Zambian people.

He urged the people of Mbala district to vote for him and his MMD aspiring candidates to foster economic development in the country.

And president Banda says he was glad that the MMD was becoming bigger on a daily basis.

He appealed to MMD members to embrace and unity with the opposition members joining the MMD.

He said this when he received 26 former PF cadres who defeated to join the
MMD.

The defectors led by Mwuluzi ward Youth Chairman Moses Sinyangwe said the opposition party had nothing to offer to the Zambian people in terms of development.

Speaking earlier, former republican Vice president Enock Kavindele advised Zambians not to vote for the PF leader because he would reverse the economic gains the country had scored.

QFM

Some political parties monitoring the printing of ballot papers in Durban South Africa have expressed sadness at negative reports suggesting that the ballots have already been printed.

United Party for National Development international officer Brian Hapunda has since advised political parties not to mislead the Zambians on the printing of the ballot papers.

Mr. Hapunda told ZNBC that the printing of the ballots is yet to start.

And National Restoration Party secretary general John Phiri says his party is saddened by the negative reports by political players that the process of printing the ballot papers has already started.

Mr. Phiri says political parties present in Durban are waiting for the process to commence later in the week.

Meanwhile, Zambians for Empowerment and Development secretary general Kelly Mukonka says it is important that political parties give the correct picture of what is taking place.

In a separate interview, Patriotic Front representative Troy Mwila says he will give a better comment when the time is right.

And the Movement for Multi Party Democracy which is being represented by Mikatazo Wakumelo says stakeholders present in Durban are waiting for the actual printing of the ballots to begin.

ZNBC

PF Vice President Dr. Guy Scott has called on PF members to engage in door to door campaigns for the party to emerge victorious during the elections.

Dr. Scott observed that the PF lost the previous elections because it relied on rallies to campaign while the MMD engaged people in door to door campaigns.

And according to PF press release, the Patriotic Front has scooped two Local Government seats in Western province after its candidates went through unopposed.

The statement further went on to state that the development now goes to prove to all those still sitting on the fence that the wind of change of government is truly blowing across the country seeing that the PF is today able to grab seats in territories that were previously considered difficulty.

PF secretary general, Wynter Kabimba, confirmed this, naming the two seats as Lulang’uuyi and Lweti wards in Sikongo constituency, Kalabo district.

Mr. Kabimba described the development as “the beginning of history in the making as PF marches toward forming government.”

He said the MMD should be embarrassed and ashamed that they failed to find anyone willing to stand on their ticket when they are the ones that have been shouting loudest that they were a national party with presence across the country.

“We are extremely delighted that we are the first party to record victory in the elections that are yet to be held, especially that it is in Western province, ,” Mr. Kabimba said.

THE Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) and MMD have challenged Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata to disclose the location of the ballot papers he claims the party is hiding in Lusaka.

And UNIP has said the PF has already conceded defeat in the September 20 elections and is now using the printing of ballot papers in South Africa as an excuse to try and deceive the Zambian people.

During The Post Press Freedom Committee-organised newsmakers’ forum on Sunday, Mr Sata said the MMD was hiding some ballot papers in Lusaka that they want to use to manipulate the September 20 polls.

However, MMD deputy national secretary Chembe Nyangu in an interview yesterday challenged Mr Sata to report his allegations to the relevant authorities.

Mr Nyangu said the ruling MMD was not in the habit of rigging and did not even know how the process was done hence it was not right for Mr Sata to accuse MMD of hiding some ballot papers.

“If Mr Sata knows about those ballot papers he is claiming, let him come out in the open and report to the relevant authorities. He is in the better position to know and why he is not taking action. MMD is not in the habit of rigging,” Mr Nyangu said.

He said the ruling party would concentrate on issued-based campaigns.

ECZ public relations manager Cris Akufuna said in a telephone interview yesterday from Durban that a Mr Mwila from PF was among several representatives from various political parties who went to witness the printing of the ballot papers in South Africa.

He wondered why Mr Sata could allow Mr Mwila to travel to Durban if he knew MMD was hiding some ballot papers in Lusaka.

Mr Akufuna also challenged Mr Sata to reveal where the ballot papers are being hidden by the MMD.

Mr Akufuna said he and many political parties’ representatives including media were currently in Durban to witness the printing of ballot papers and he was surprised Mr Sata made such claims on the ballot papers.

He said representatives of civil society organisations (CSOs), Zambia Police Service and the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) were expected to arrive in Durban yesterday in the afternoon to join other stakeholders to witness printing of ballot papers.

He said some officials from Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), journalists from institutions such as Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation and Zambia News Information Services were already in Durban.

He said Mr Sata’s claim of ballot papers in Lusaka was not true because the printing process of ballot papers was yet to start after arrival of all invited stakeholders to witness the process in Durban.

Mr Sata claimed during the newsmakers forum that his party knew the location where the MMD was hiding ballot papers and would fight hard to ensure there was transparency in handling of ballot papers.

And UNIP Copperbelt provincial vice-chairperson Brian Chishimba said there was nothing sinister for ECZ to award the contract to the Universal Printing Group of Durban to?print ballot papers.

He said UPG was the same company that was contracted to print the 2008 ballot papers during 2008 presidential by-elections and that it was sad that the PF was now condemning it at the expense of various stakeholders witnessing the printing process.

Mr Chishimba said attacks on the printing of ballot papers could be an indication that PF was jittery of the elections and wanted to find a way to buy time by trying to deceive Zambians if it lost the elections.

In an interview yesterday, Mr Chishimba said when MMD finalised its parliamentary adoptions recently, PF expected some MMD aspiring candidates who were not adopted to defect to the opposition party.

“There is nothing sinister about printing of the ballot papers in Durban. In my view, I think PF are just trying to make what I would say compensation for their failed anticipation that there could be massive defections of MMD candidates to PF,” Mr Chishimba said.

[Times of Zambia]