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Speaker of the National Assembly Amussa Mwanamwambwa (l) and Chief Justice ernest Sakala exchange notes during the remembrance ceremony
Speaker of the National Assembly, Amusaa Mwanamwambwa has retired. And several parliamentarians today made emotional comments in appreciating the outgoing speaker.
Mr Mwanamwambwa has since written to all Members of Parliament over the matter thanking them for their service in the past five years.
He became speaker for the 9th and 10th National assemblies in 1998 after serving as MMD Member of Parliament for Liuwa.
Among the Members of Parliament, who contributed to debate on his retirement, were Sylvia Masebo for Chongwe, Charles Milupi of Luena and Emmanuel Hachipuka of Mbabala.
Expelled former MMD chairman for elections Mike Mulongoti
Former Works and Supply Minister Mike Mulongoti says it is hypocrisy of the highest kind for President Rupiah Banda and the ruling MMD to claim to have loved late former President Fredrick Chiluba now that he is dead.
Mr. Mulongoti expressed sadness that the ruling MMD could turn around and claim to have loved Dr Chiluba dearly and condemn Patriotic Front, PF leader Michael Sata for not attending the funeral.
He questions how the ruling party expects Mr Sata to visit the funeral house when MMD cadres have threatened to harm him.
Mr. Mulongoti says despite security assurances by Chief Government Spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha for would be mourners; the funeral place is still not safe for certain people.
He expressed disappointment that General Shikapwasha at his level as a minister could issue such a statement encouraging people to go to the funeral house to be harassed by MMD cadres.
He states that it would have been better if president Banda had assured the public of security at the funeral and asked the Inspector General of Police to provide security to opposition political party leaders with their delegations as a sign of unity and peace.
Mr. Mulongoti however said that people will still find a way to visit the family of the late president after burial despite being barred from attending the funeral.
Mr. Mwamba is in South Africa for a normal medical
Patriotic front leader Michael Sata has continued to refute claims that he is in bad health, as alleged by media reports circulating on the Internet.
Mr. Sata has wondered why such reports have continued to circulate despite him appearing on a private TV station to clarify the matter.
Mr. Sata in an exclusive interview with QFM radio Friday evening stated that such reports are a sign of frustration by the MMD.
Mr. Sata, who sounded with high spirits noted that the there is high panic in the ruling MMD.
And Mr. Sata has also refuted claims that he was engaged in a quarrel with Kasama central Member of Parliament Georgery Mwamba which has resulted Mr. Mwamba to be flown to South Africa for a heart condition.
Mr. Sata says that Mr. Mwamba is in South Africa for a normal medical check unlike what is circulating that he had a heart attack.
And in an interview from South Africa, Mr. Mwamba popularly known as GBM expressed shock with the news circulating that he had a heart attack after a quarrel Mr. Sata.
He clarified that he is only in South Africa for a normal media check.
Mr. Mwamba challenged the MMD to verify medical reports anywhere if it is true that he was in a critical condition in South Africa.
Zambia Daily Mail reported that the MMD had information that Michael Sata and Kasama central member of Parliament Geoffrey Mwamba were gravely ill.
Quoting, MMD Northern Provincial secretary Stephen Chanda, the paper reported that that the reason the duo had not attended the funeral of former President is because they are both unwell.
Lieutenant-Colonel Chanda said that the two leaders had a heated argument and shortly after that, Mr Mwamba, popularly known as GBM, left Kasama for Lusaka about two weeks ago.
Shortly after the argument, the two simultaneously fell ill. Mr Mwamba reportedly suffered a stroke and has since been flown to South Africa while MrSata remains ill at his home in Lusaka.
“We have received reliable information from a PF member of the central committee, who is a friend of the MMD that the two had a heated argument and used strong language. Mr Sata is reported to have caned GBM for using strong language when addressing PF members in Kasama. GBM also accused MrSata of doing the same to the PF members,” he said.
“As we speak, the family is planning to fly Mr Mwamba to London for specialist treatment,” Lt Col Chanda said.
He said the MMD in Northern Province felt it was important for the nation to know the health status of the two leaders, especially thatMrSata is vying for the Presidency in this year’s general elections.
Meanwhile, MMD youths in Kasama district have commended the United Party for National Development (UPND) for showing maturity and solidarity during the funeral of Dr Chiluba.
Youth chairperson Moses Mulenga said at the same briefing that despite differences in political affiliation, the UPND decided to put aside the differences to mourn the former president with dignity and honour.
“We would also like to urge the PF to join us in mourning Dr Chiluba because he was a president for all Zambians,” Mr Mulenga said.
Minister of Local Government and Housing Brian Chituwo
A COMMITTEE appointed to investigate the Lusaka City Council (LCC) Lilayi land scam has recommended that councillors and other council staff involved in the illegality be prosecuted.
The committee has also recommended that the suspension of the Patriotic Front-controlled council be extended and that the land swap between LCC and Lilayi Holdings, which resulted in the illegal allocation of plots, be nullified.
Minister of Local Government and Housing Brian Chituwo disclosed this at a media briefing in Lusaka yesterday.
“Some of the recommendations of the committee were that prosecution should be considered because the transactions were illegal. Secondly, the committee recommended that the land swap should be nullified and that in fact, the suspension was in order because of the irregularities in the allocation of land,” DrChituwo said.
He said LCC did not have the land agency from the Ministry of Lands but still went ahead to offer the land.
The committee also recommended that money should be recovered where there is need to do so.
The report of the committee that Dr Chituwo appointed under the Inquiries Act, was submitted to Cabinet, which has since considered its recommendations.
Dr Chituwo said the report contains certain aspects, bordering on breaches of a criminal nature.
“Clearly we have to institute the law enforcement agencies to follow up those findings,” Dr Chituwo said.
He said at the moment, he cannot release the entire report and that the Ministry of Justice will advise on the propriety of releasing the entire document.
“For now, it is clear that the law was not followed in the land swap because the Local Government Act is very clear. Before a council disposes of any property, they have to seek the permission of the minister. That was not done. Lusaka City Council’s land agency was withdrawn and therefore, they have no authority to issue offer letters for any piece of land,” he said.
Dr Chituwo said even before proper papers were obtained in terms of title, the privileged councillors were already selling plots.
“Clearly, one can see how the general public was denied an opportunity to own land as per prevailing law. There is no provision for the council to allocate 10 plots to the mayor and five plots to the deputy mayor, there is nothing like that.
“I believe that when the law enforcement agencies play their role in the matter, the innocent men and women who bought land, believing that the land was available in the right manner, consideration will be given,” he said.
Dr Chituwo suspended the LCC early this year after revelations of a scam in which councillors and members of staff allocated themselves 91 plots in Lilayi. The plots were allocated from a land swap between LCC and Lilayi Housing Project after the demarcation of farm number 915 in Lilayi.
During the third ordinary council meeting held on January 3, 2010, the council approved the proposed land swap with the Lilayi Housing Development of farm number 915 in Lilayi where the councillors have since allocated 91 of the 103 plots to themselves.
Meanwhile, Government has directed the LCC not to renew existing leases or offer new ones for car wash bays on roadsides or other designated places including play parks.
Dr Chituwo said this is intended to promote decency in the development of the city, in line with Government’s desire to improve the road network by redesigning any particular road that will ease flow of traffic.
DrChituwo urged all local authorities not to allow any construction of car wash bays on the road reserve or any designated areas.
“Any local authority which will not adhere to the provisions of the law will be dealt with in accordance with the Local Government Act Cap 281 of the Laws of Zambia. I wish to appeal to the owners of these structures to co-operate with the LCC, by pulling them down as they are temporary structures. In light of this, the council has given notice to affected owners in good time to avoid loss of property,” he said.
Dr Chituwo said Government is concerned with the manner in which local authorities countrywide are using land for various developments, and that over the years, there has been an increase in car wash bays without any regard to the dictates of the Town and Country Planning Act.
He said currently, the LCC has granted permission to some car wash bay owners without considering any development, which involves the formation, lay-out or material widening of a means of access to a main road, as defined by the Roads and Road Traffic Act.
Charles Musonda’s son Lamisha Musonda has made some Zambian football history after the latter was promoted to the Anderlecht first team.
Lamisha has been elevated from Anderlecht’s Under-21 team to the first team making him available for both league and European cup action for the Belgium club this coming season.
“.. 19-year-old Lamisha will be part of the Sporting Anderlecht A-squad from this season on,” Anderlecht announced on its website on Thursday.
The 19-year-old midfielder becomes the first Zambian player plying his trade on the European football theater to follow in his footballing father’s footsteps by playing first team action with the same club.
Musonda was at Anderlecht for 10 years from 1987 until 1997.
MUTAPA SENIOR INTERRED
Meanwhile, in other news former Nkwazi official and player Oswald Mutapa senior was laid to rest Friday at midday at Leopards Hill Memorial Park in Lusaka.
Mutapa, farther of current Nkwazi coach and ex-midfielder Mutapa Junior and current player Perry Mutapa, passed away on Tuesday in Lusaka after collapsing.
He was 60.
Parliament has adjourned sine die paving the way for Republican President Rupiah Banda to announce its dissolution ahead of this year’s tripartite elections.
This was after Vice President George Kunda moved a motion that Standing Orders 20 and 21(1), if necessary, and Standing Order 101 be suspended to enable the House to complete all business on the Order Paper and all matters arising there from and that, on such completion, the House do adjourn sine die.
Mr Kunda described the third session of tenth national assembly as a success.
The house has adjourned having failed to pass the constitution Bill during the last sitting which gobbled billions of kwacha.
The length constitution making process came to an end after the constitution Bill failed to garner the two thirds majority required to go through.
The current Parliament’s life has expired having considered 591 questions for oral answer.
President Rupiah Banda is following the adjournment of parliament today expected to announce the dissolution of the house in due course and the subsequent announcement of the election date.
The Judiciary has failed to respond to former High Commissioner to Malawi and Botswana Milton Phiri’s claims that President Rupiah Banda was not born in Zambia because he gave wrong contact details.
The Judiciary says Mr Phiri gave wrong residential address, while his mobile phone number is permanently unavailable.
The Judiciary received a letter from Mr. Milton Phiri, addressed to the Chief Justice on June 3.
Mr. Phiri’s contact address as indicated on the letter are Plot No. 11/26 Katima Mulilo Road, Garden; Lusaka.
However, according to Judiciary Public Relations Officer Terry Musonda, attempts made on the same day to serve a reply to Mr. Milton Phiri failed as it turned out that the address indicated on the application letter is either non-existent or wrong.
Mr. Phiri’s application to the Judiciary was delivered by a Mr. Chansa Mwape, who indicated that his residential address is Plot No. 48, Nangwenya Road, Rhodespark, Lusaka and NRC as 288158/84/1.
But efforts to serve a reply to Mr. Milton Phiri via the address of his agents Mr Mwape, also proved futile as his address also turned out to be non-existent or wrong altogether.
According to Mr Musonda, further attempts have been made to contact either Mr. Milton Phiri on his cell -phone number or Mr. Mwape, but all in vain as both mobile numbers are permanently off or unavailable.
The Judiciary is now appealing to either Mr. Milton Phiri or Mr. Chansa Mwape to collect the letter from the Supreme Court.
Mr. Phiri has written to Chief Justice Ernest Sakala claiming that President Banda’s father was not born in Zambia.
But relatives of the President and chiefs in Eastern province have denounced the claims as false.
[ ZNBC ]
Mazabuka district has received 50, 000 doses of vaccines for foot and mouth disease ( FMD ) and 4000 doses of east coast fever ( ECF ) for the vaccination of cattle in the district.
Mazabuka district commissioner Tyson Hamaamba revealed this at third ordinary council meeting held in the council chambers yesterday.
Mr . Hamaamba said that government has also released K 360 million for the construction of animal holding pens and dip tanks in Mbiya and Magoye areas of the district.
He said that the district has been affected by animal diseases in resent past and that government was not lying back.
The District Commissioner said that the government was committed to protecting the live stock of the people and would do its best to eradicate cattle diseases in the district.
Mr. Hamaamba said that the district has also recorded another bumper harvest and that the government was preparing to buy maize off the farmers as soon as the moisture content dropped to 12.5.
He said that depots were being off loaded of last years crop to make space for this years harvest and that the district had received 136 000 empty grain bags.
’’We are currently transporting maize to Lusaka from our rural depots to make space for this year’s crop, ’’ the district commissioner said.
Mr. Hamaamba also said that the district was planning to increase the numbers of maize depots from seventeen to avoid farmers walking long distances to sell there maize.
And to avoid long queues when paying of the farmers for there crop more banks will be engaged to make the paying process shorter.
’’The banks that will be engaged are Barclays, Standard Chartered and ZANACO, ’’ the District Commissioner said.
Mr. Hamaamba also said ministry of agriculture was also preparing for this years farming season and that the district had received urea fertilizer and that D compound would be in soon.
ZANIS
An epidemic outbreak is looming at the Fisheries Department training centre in Sinazongwe where staff and their families have lived without piped water for a month now.
The development is due to the disconnection of electricity supply to the institution by ZESCO thereby paralyzing the borehole water pumping system.
Department staff and their families are now fetching water from the nearby crocodile infested Lake Kariba.
Officials at the fisheries department told ZANIS in Sinazongwe that they and their families have been without piped water for nearly a month now after ZESCO cut off power supply due to nonpayment of outstanding electricity bills.
The officials expressed fears of possible death of their family members as they fetched water from Lake Kariba where marauding crocodiles have been claiming human life in the area.
They also said they were worried of an imminent outbreak of a waterborne disease because their families were consuming untreated water from the lake.
According to the officials, they are presently unable to settle the outstanding ZESCO bills because of lack of funding.
They said funding to the department has been extremely poor this year thereby making it difficult for the training institution to meet its obligations with service providers.
They have appealed to Livestock and Fisheries minister Dr Bradford Machila to come to the rescue of the department by ensuring that funding is urgently released to the department to facilitate clearance of outstanding electricity bills with ZESCO.
Family spokesperson of the late Second Republican President Frederick Chiluba, Ben Mwila, addresses journalists at Belvedere lodge in Lusaka
President Rupiah Banda has declared Monday, 27th June, 2011, a public holiday.
Secretary to Cabinet Dr. Joshua Kanganja announced the development in a statement to ZANIS this afternoon.
Dr. Kanganja said this was done to allow the nation put to rest Second Republican President, Dr. Frederick Chiluba.
He said the body of the late Dr. Chiluba will lie in state at Mulungushi International Conference Center on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th June, 2011.
The Secretary to Cabinet also said paying of last respects by the general public will start on Saturday and Sunday from 11:30hours to 18:00 hours will on Sunday the public will view the remains of the late Head of State from 08:00 hours to 18:00 hours.
THE latest publication of the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has maintained its prediction that President Rupiah Banda and the ruling MMD will win the 2011 general elections.
The report, in the June 2011 issue obtained by the Times of Zambia yesterday, states that although the elections would be closely contested, an election victory for President Banda and the MMD remained the most likely outcome.
It notes that although the next few months would be dominated by political squabbling, the MMD, under President Banda, would maintain stability of the nation.
According to the report, the potential voters are disillusioned with the opposition’s enduring failure to offer a united front, and that the vote itself was expected to be free and fair.
It notes that Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata’s nationalistic rhetoric had also raised concern.
The report says that Zambia was not expected to face any external threats over the forecast election period and donors would continue with their budget support.
It says the Government would stick to a market-oriented agenda and would remain committed to macroeconomic stability.
The fiscal incentives on investment of more than US$500,000 in priority sectors were likely to be maintained and that would boost investment in manufacturing, tourism and energy.
The report further predicted an increased improvement to infrastructure as large investments would be made in power supply and roads through public-private partnerships.
Last month’s report also predicted that President Banda and the MMD would win the forthcoming elections based on nationwide support.
It noted that the MMD would benefit from the advantages of incumbency and its formidable electoral machinery.
The report added that President Banda emerged from the MMD national convention in a much stronger position.
“Recent trends have shown that the MMD still has a bigger rural support base of about 65 per cent of the total population,” the report said.
On policy agenda, the report said that would be underpinned by the Sixth National Development Plan and the medium-term expenditure framework 2011-13.
The report said fiscal policy in 2011-12 would be expansionary, with expenditure forecast to rise by an average of 17.2 per cent per year.
“The Government plans to implement a shift from public consumption to public investment, with the former projected to grow by 11 per cent on average and the latter by 38 per cent.”
The Uranium Ore being mined at Lumwana in North-Western province has reached 4.5 million metric tones.
But the mining company’s Managing Director, Adam Wright says there are no plans to export the respective mineral ore.
Mr Wright instead says Lumwana’s immediate focus is copper production especially that the particular international prices area favourable compared to uranium prices.
And Mr Wright has disclosed that Lumwana mine will revise its 2011 production projections after the recent Equinox Minerals buy-out by Barrick Gold Corporation of Canada.
[ MUVI ]
UPND Mbabala Member of Parliament Emmanuel Hachipuka says he will not re-contest his seat in the forthcoming elections.
Mr. Hachipuka says he has been a parliamentarian for the past 12 years and that it is time he paved way for the younger generation.
The parliamentarian noted that he will continue to contribute to the country’s political system by advocating for improved financial management systems in the public sector.
Mr. Hachipuka hopes to come up with projects that will create a platform for advocating for improved utilization of public resources for the benefit people Zambians.
[ QFM ]
Lusaka lawyer Sakwiba Sikota and former Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) president Stephen Lungu have said Zambia is among the few countries in the world where the judiciary operates without any form of interference from the Government.
Mr Lungu said during his presidency at LAZ he did not receive any indications from judiciary officials or LAZ members of any interference directly or indirectly from the Government or President Rupiah Banda.
The allegation that President Banda was interfering with the judiciary was published in The Post Newspaper and attributted to former task force on corruption executive chairperson, Maxwell Nkole while Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata has also made such allegations regularly.
Mr Lungu said he could not remember handling any complaint at LAZ during his tenure of office to validate the statement issued by Mr Nkole.
And Mr Sikota said Mr Sata and Mr Nkole should avoid misleading Zambians, adding that there were institutions in Zambia that were set up specifically to deal with complaints against anyone infringing on the operations of the judiciary.
He said the Judicial Complaints Authority, office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, office of the Chief Justice, the Judiciary and LAZ were responsible for hearing complaints where someone had evidence that there was interference in a particular case.
Mr Sikota said it was unfortunate that some people were in the habit of making empty statements on sensitive issues without facts.
Special assistant to the president for Press and public relations, Dickson Jere this week described Mr Nkole’s statement that appeared in The Post as demeaning to the president and insulting to the judiciary.
Mr Jere said President Banda strongly believed in the doctrine of separation of powers which underpins the independence of the judiciary from the other two arms of Government – the executive and the legislature.
[ Times of Zambia ]
