Vice President George Kunda has urged Zambians to guard jealously the peace the country is enjoying ahead of the September 20 general elections.

Mr. Kunda says this year’s elections are special and Zambians need to ensure that they protect the country.

Mr Kunda was speaking when he paid a courtesy call on Senior Chief Mwata Kazembe at his palace in Mwansabombwe on Saturday.

He also says government will continue to consult the Mwata Kazembe on issues of national development both in his chiefdom and Luapula province.

Mr. Kunda says government wants to share developmental ideas with Chiefs and get their input on matters of national interest.

And Senior Chief Mwata Kazembe says he will not allow any politician to engage in acts of violence in his chiefdom before and after the elections as long as he remains chief.

The Traditional ruler has also praised government for the massive infrastructure development taking place across the country.

He says President Banda deserves to be praised because he has performed exceedingly well in the few years in has been in office.

The Vice President and Senior Chief Mwata Kazembe later held closed door talks.

[ZNBC]

State House has dismissed reports that Malawian President Bingu Wa Mutharika has been invited to open the 85th Zambia Agriculture and Commercial Show.

Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Dickson Jere says he is not aware of any invitation to any foreign head of state to officiate at the show.

He says the statement by Former Patriotic Front Member of Parliament Given Lubinda is misleading.

Mr Jere says records are available at the ministry of foreign affairs to prove that the President did not invite any foreign head of state to officiate at the show.

He says it is unfortunate that the PF has decided to conduct a malicious campaign and statements about President Banda and his Malawian counterpart whose country has enjoyed long standing warm relations with Zambia dating back to pre-independence days.

Mr Jere has also clarified that the decision by President Banda not to invite President Mutharika or any other head of state has nothing to do with recent disturbances in Malawi.

He told ZNBC News that the President had issued a statement that he will officiate at the Agricultural and Commercial shows in Kitwe and Lusaka as well as the Trade Fair in Ndola.

The Post Newspaper has published a lie from former Kabwata PF Member of Parliament that the Malawian president is in the country to officially open the Agricultural and Commercial show in Lusaka.

And President Rupiah Banda Saturday morning toured stands at the on-going 85th Zambia Agricultural and Commercial show in Lusaka.

President Banda who arrived in the showground’s shortly after 10 hours and was met by Show Society officials and Deputy Secretary to cabinet Evans Chibiliti.

Some of the stands the President toured included Jubilee hall where several small scale farmers are exhibiting, Diary Association of Zambia, and ZANACO bank.

During his tour President Banda was accompanied by Agriculture Permanent Secretary Abednigo Banda and his counterpart at the Ministry of livestock Professor Isaac Phiri.

And President Banda took time to interact with show goers that wanted to have a glimpse of him.

President Banda made several stopovers to shake hands with people who included the young and the old.

[ZNBC]

Bishop John Mambo says the decision by the Zambian government to print ballot papers outside the country is clear testimony that the Electoral Commission of Zambia is compromised.

Bishop Mambo says the compromised position of the ECZ makes it doubtful whether this year’s elections will be free and fair.

He says Zambia is capable of printing ballot papers locally, wondering why the ECZ and government have decided to print ballot papers in South Africa.

Bishop Mambo in an interview with QFM in Lusaka says whichever political party will be ushered into office should ensure that the ballot papers for future elections are printed locally.

He has also advised the next government to ensure that the Electoral Commission of Zambia is independent.

He has however stated that despite the Electoral Commission of Zambia being compromised, there is nothing that will stop Zambians from voting for their preferred candidates.

And Bishop Mambo has advised political parties to conduct their campaigns in a peaceful manner.

He says now that the elections date has been set, political parties should ensure that they conduct campaigns in a peaceful manner.

QFM

THE Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has described the performance of President Rupiah Banda in the last three years as exemplary and asked Zambians to give him another chance to deliver more.

And Lusaka residents have welcomed President Banda’s call for unity and peace during campaigns when he dissolved Parliament on Thursday in a live address aired on Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation where he also announced that the general elections would take place on September 20, 2011.

ZCTU deputy secretary general, Cosmas Mukuka said President Banda had stabilised the exchange rate while civil servants were now accessing loans from commercial banks which they were using to improve their living standards.

Mr Mukuka, who is Basic Educational Teachers Union of Zambia president, said before Mr Banda assumed office in 2008, the exchange rate was volatile and changed everyday but was now stable.

He said Zambia was now competing well with other international convertible currencies in terms of exchange rate while agricultural development had added to the economic growth.

Former Foundation for Democratic Process president Stanley Mhango urged voters to take stock of the performance of all presidential, Parliament and local government candidates to make informed decisions.

He said Zambians should give credit where it was due but should not hesitate to reject leaders who had not performed well.

Mr Mhango said President delivered a rare speech where he even wished his own competitors good performance in the elections.

“For a leader who is also aspiring to wish his competitors good luck sets a good precedence for the leaders who would come after him. That speech was inspiring,” Mr Mhango said.

A Lusaka resident, Harold Chandabala encouraged everyone to be focused on this year’s elections and supported President Banda’s statement that Zambians should not be divided because of choices of political parties.

Another resident, Mundia Lufafa advised the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to ensure that it conducted free and fair elections in line with the aspirations of President Banda.

Mr Lufafa said the explanation given by ECZ that ballot papers could only be printed in South Africa due to inadequate printing facilities and resources made a lot of sense.

The Hotel and Catering Association of Zambia president Felix Mulenga said the home empowerment policy and increased funding had significantly contributed to the growth of the tourism sector.

Mr Mulenga said the home empowerment policy had contributed to the room spaces because some sitting tenants had turned their houses into lodges to accommodate tourists.

He said apart from the home empowerment policy, the Government’s increased funding to the Zambia Tourism Board had also contributed to the development of the sector.

He said he was impressed that the Government had increased funding to the board from K3 billion to K12 billion per year.

Chief Madzimawe said the Government had made stringent efforts to develop the tourism sector by rehabiliting and constructing roads leading to national game reserves, heritage sites and other tourist attractions.

He urged the Government to sensitise traditional leaders on the importance of game reserves and the tourism sector in general.

The Chabuka-Aba-Ushi Cultural Traditional and Development Association commended the MMD Government for the democratic and economic achievements scored in the last three years.
Copperbelt region chairperson Stephen Chitwa said in Kitwe that Government had scored success in agriculture, education, health and social sectors of the economy.

He said schools, health centres and hospitals had been built and upgraded across the country and were being used by all Zambians regardless of their political affiliation.

Mr Chitwa said the rural electrification programme was also commendable as most areas were now electrified.

135 pellets of cocaine have been stolen from the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) offices in Livingstone.

The respective cocaine had been kept at the DEC offices as exhibit for a case, which is active before the courts of law.

It was seized from Leonardo Kasapa, an Angolan national, in November 2009 at the Livingstone International Airport upon his arrival from Brazil.

DEC spokesperson, John Nyawali has told MUVI TV that the cocaine was stolen by suspected thieves, who broke into the DEC offices.

MUVITV

A CLERGYMAN in Kitwe has condemned former solicitor general Sebastian Zulu for accusing President Banda’s government of being corrupt and described him as a frustrated man.

Worldwide Ministries Church Bishop Bernard Mafale said in an interview in Kitwe, Mr Zulu must stop practising petty politics and urged Zambians to ignore him.

Bishop Mafale said it is unfortunate that Mr Zulu accused President Banda’s administration of being corrupt without producing any evidence.

He said President Banda has managed to run the affairs of the country in a transparent manner since he was elected into office in 2008.

“It is shocking that Mr Zulu can come up with such accusations on Government without having evidence,” Bishop Mafale said.

Bishop Mafale said President Banda has been spearheading the fight against corruption, and that a number of new mines have been opened in various parts of the country, creating thousands of jobs for Zambians.

He said fighting corruption and other social vices is not only prosecuting suspects involved in the vice.

“As a church we are happy with the way President Banda’s government is running the affairs of the country. There is accountability and transparency in the current government.

“It has shown commitment to fighting corruption. This is why we are saying it is shocking that a former solicitor general can accuse the government of being corrupt,” he said.

Bishop Mafale urged Zambians to be wary of people who are bent on causing unnecessary confusion in the country.

“Donors and other international agencies have shown a lot of confidence in President Banda’s government, and they have continued working hand in hand with President Banda’s government in addressing various challenges facing the country,” Bishop Mafale said.

He urged young people in Zambia to rally behind the MMD during this year’s elections.

Bishop Mafale said President Banda deserves a full five-year mandate so that he can complete the development projects his government is initiating countrywide.

He said President Banda is the most popular presidential candidate, and hopes the MMD will win the 2011 elections.

[Zambia Daily Mail]