President Rupiah Banda has dissolved parliament and cabinet, and has set 20th September as the date for this year’s tripartite elections.

President Banda says after consulting the Electoral Commission of Zambia on all logistics for holding elections, he is satisfied that the country can hold the polls and has signed statutory instrument number 76 0f 2011 for holding the presidential and general elections.

President Banda has also signed statutory instrument number 77 of 2011 for the Local Government elections.

This means that both the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local government elections will be held on the same date.

But president Banda says he and the vice president will continue running affairs of the nation and representing Zambia in international affairs until another government is ushered into office.

The president has says state functions will continue to operate normally.

Mr Banda says the decision made is in line with the Zambian constitution.

He says permanent secretaries will help him run government while the police and the army will continue to safeguard Zambia’s sovereignty.

President Banda says Zambia’s stability is underpinned by peace, unity and economic development and there is need to ensure that the elections are violence free.

Mr Banda has called on all candidates and players in the elections to ensure adherence to election guidelines.

President Banda has drawn the attention to the revised electoral code of conduct to ensure that there is harmony during and after the elections.

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President Rupiah Banda’s FACEBOOK STATUS

Rupiah Bwezani Banda:
“I am really happy that the country will be going to the polls on Tuesday 20th September. Why not join me on Monday for the MMD campaign launch at the Intercontinental Hotel here in Lusaka? Nafuti nafuti!”

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President Banda says International observers are welcome to come and monitor elections in Zambia.

And President Banda says government has managed to develop the country.

He says the Zambia of 2011 is different from the Zambia of 2006 as the country’s economy over the last five years has grown to 6.6 per cent.

Government also managed to implement prudent fiscal and economic policies that saw the inflation rate plummet to a single digit.

The country also witnessed two consecutive bumper harvests under the leadership of the MMD government.

President Banda has thanked all cabinet ministers for their contribution to the economic gains made during the period.

President Banda also reminded the nation that over the period 2006 – 2011, the country lost two presidents, Dr Mwanawasa on August 19th 2008, and Dr Chiluba on 18th June 2011.

Republican PRESIDENT RUPIAH Banda, President of the Republic of Zambia, is today Thursday July 28, 2011 scheduled to address the Nation on both national radio and television at State House.

The President’s address will be carried live by Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) television and radio channels. President Banda’s address is scheduled for 10:00 hours.

The agenda of the presidential address to the nation is not yet known but sources have indicated to QFM that he is likely to dissolve parliament and subsequently announce the date of elections.

There have been growing calls for president Rupiah Banda to announce the date of elections in order to create a level playing field for all political parties.

This follows the use of government vehicles and other resources by ministers in campaigns.

President Rupiah Banda has responded to calls for the election date to be announced by stating that the ECZ is not yet ready for the polls.

QFM

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) president Michael Sata is alleged to have hijacked the process of adopting parliamentary candidates in his party, leaving no room for other members to have a say.

Impeccable sources said in Lusaka yesterday Mr Sata has been conducting interviews in person and drafting a list of preferred candidates from his home.

The development is said to be frustrating older members of the party, who fear that the opposition leader will give preference to new members.

“Mr Sata is allegedly conducting interviews at his home, and he has drafted a list of candidates for Lusaka and Copperbelt provinces,” one source said.

He said Mr Sata’s action has caused anxiety among party faithfuls because they do not know their place in the party.

The sources said Mr Sata’s alleged tribal inclination has affected the adoption process of the PF.

The names on Mr Sata’s list include Miles Sampa for Matero Constituency, Sylvia Chalikosa (Lusaka Central) and the PF president’s son, Mulenga.

Mulenga is reported to have initially been eyeing Lusaka Central and Kabwata, but may now have to settle for the lower position of councillor in one of the wards in the capital city.

The sources said Mr Sata’s action contradicts what the lower organs of the party have recommended.

They said because of lack of democracy in the PF, the MMD has adopted some of the opposition members of Parliament to stand on its ticket.

Grassroots members of the PF have rejected former minister of Health Nkandu Luo, who is PF leader Michael Sata’s preferred candidate for Munali Constituency, to take over from incumbent MP Mumbi Phiri.

Sources said Ms Phiri has also not been interviewed because the members prefer someone else for the seat.

The development comes a few days after some PF members of the central committee said members in Munali Constituency have also rejected former Chongwe MMD MP Sylvia Masebo, whom Mr Sata wanted to impose on them against the wish of the party members in Chongwe, who prefer Geoffrey Chumbwe.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda said that he will announce the date of this year’s elections soon. President Banda told journalists in Lusaka yesterday was his prerogative to tell the general public when the general elections will be held.

“The election date will be set very soon, and I mean soon,” President Banda said.

Meanwhile,Mr Banda says it is wrong for Heritage Party president Godfrey Miyanda to insinuate that the development projects that are being initiated and implemented across the country are part of the campaign gimmicks of the MMD.

President Banda said he became republican President as a result of the demise of President Levy Mwanawasa, who did not finish his term, and that he has a duty to continue implementing development projects.

“There can never be a better time for me to contribute to the development of this country than this one because when I took over office I was not given a five-year mandate. I just carried on from where my predecessor left.

“So, all these projects which are being carried out are within my term, and it is strange for Brigadier General Miyanda to insinuate that projects that are supposed to be completed in four years’ time are being done within a short period of time,” he said.

Mr Banda said all the township roads and other projects being rehabilitated and built are being done within the period he has been given by Zambians to be in office.

And President Banda said the MMD manifesto is being received well in all parts of the country.

He said the people in rural areas do not have many privileges that their counterparts in urban areas have, and that his administration will continue with rural development.

Earlier, General Miyanda told a media briefing that this year’s elections will not be free and fair because the ruling party has already started campaigning by carrying out projects such as road rehabilitation at the last minute.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Heritage Party President Godfrey Miyanda says he is working with three other political parties to form a coalition.

General Miyanda says he is however still considering standing as a Presidential candidate on Heritage party ticket if the grand coalition fails to work.

General Miyanda also says the Heritage Party will only field candidates in constituencies the party is confident of victory.

General Miyanda was speaking at a press briefing in Lusaka on Wednesday.

But General Miyanda has not mentioned political parties he intends to form a coalition with ahead of the tripartite elections.

And General Miyanda has called on all stakeholders not to pressure the Electoral Commission of Zambia over the date for the 2011 tripartite elections.

General Miyanda says the ECZ should be allowed to do their work and complete the preparations ahead of the general elections.

[ZNBC]

Reuters reports that Bank of Zambia Governor Caleb Fundanga has said today that Zambia’s inflation should stay in single digits this year helped by a good maize crop, and interest rates in Zambia are expected to decline further.

Zambia’s inflation ticked up to 9.0 percent year-on-year in June and the central bank has said higher oil prices are the main risk to the outlook, while easing food prices are expected to offset that.

“Inflation is expected to remain in single digits owing to prudent macroeconomic policies and the bumper harvest recorded during the 2010/2011 harvest season,” Fundanga said in a speech on Wednesday.

Food has the biggest weighting in the inflation basket and the central bank’s target is for inflation of 7.0 percent by the end of the year.

Zambia does not have a benchmark repo rate but rates on its 5-year bond are currently at 11.8 percent, after peaking above 20 percent in late 2009.

Fundanga also said medium to long-term economic prospects were bright and Zambia’s strong growth trajectory was expected to be maintained due to expansion in mining and other sectors of the economy.

“The robust GDP growth momentum is expected to be maintained premised on favourable growth performance in mining, agriculture, construction, tourism, manufacturing amongst other sectors.”

“This will be supported by favourable commodity prices on the international market, government’s investments in infrastructure and an expected increase in foreign direct investments,” he added.

In May, Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane said the economy was likely to grow by more than 7.0 percent this year, which is higher than the International Monetary Fund forecast of 6.8 percent.

The growth forecast should be revised by August.

The economy in Zambia has been heavily reliant on copper mining but is becoming more diversified, Fundanga said.

“In the past, we had growth which was just mostly concentrated on mining sector (but) today we see growth particularly strong in agriculture where the majority of our poor people live,” Fundanga said.

[Reuters]