The ruling MMD has become the first political party to announce adopted Members of Parliament to contest on its ticket in this year’s election.

And the MMD National Executive Committee (NEC) has adopted six opposition Patriotic Front and two United Party for National Development UPND MPs to contest on its ticket.

Others include National Democratic Focus (NDF) President Ben Mwila who is standing in Nchelenge Constituency while nominated Finance and National Planning Minister Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane is standing in Liuwa constituency.

The six PF MPs are Bahati’s Besa Chimbaka who is also Luapula Province Minister, Dr Jacob Choongo (Mwense), Dr. Peter Machungwa (Luapula) who is now standing in Kabwata, Faustina Sinyangwe (Matero), Majory Mwape who has been fielded in Munali constituency in Lusaka and Elizabeth Mulobeka Chitika will re-contest her Kawambwa seat.

Expelled Namwala UPND MP Major Robbie Chizhyuka will re-contest his seat on the MMD ticket and so will another UPND bigwig Josephine Limata who will re-contest the Luampa constituency seat on the ruling party ticket.

UNIP’s Mkhondo Lungu is standing in Lundazi and FDD’s Levy Ngoma will contest the Sinda seat.

Katanshi and Kasama central constituencies’ adoptions have been deferred.

President Rupiah Banda announced this to ZANIS last evening after a full NEC meeting that sat at State House to finalise the selection of names in the morning.

“I’m pleased to announce the full list of adopted parliamentary candidates for the MMD as adopted by a full MMD NEC which sat today at State House,” announced President Banda in a press statement released to ZANIS last evening by his Special Assistant for Political Affairs Dr. Francis Chigunta.

Seasoned politicians from both the ruling and opposition members who have also been adopted include Patrick Ngoma (Feira), Donald Chilufya (Chawama), Muhabi Lungu (Lusaka Central), Major Celestino Chibamba (Shiwang’andu) and David Diangamo (Itezhi-Tezhi)

New entrants include Japhen Mwakalombe (Chongwe), Dr. Carnitius Banda (Mandevu), Rosaria Fundanga (Chilubi), Chileshe Kapwepwe (Chinsali), Mwalimu Simfukwe (Mbala), Laiven Apuleni (Mbabala) and Joshua Simuyandi (Pemba).

Others are Trymore Mwenda (Chikankata), Dr. Victor Mukonka (Monze Central), Noah Siasimuna (Siavonga), Muti Beyani (Sinazongwe) and Charles Mututwa for Senanga Central among others. The rest of the MMD current MPs have maintained their seats in this year’s adoption process.

Ronal Mukuma (Kabompo MP), Gunston Sichilima (Mbala MP) and Charles Shawa for Feira are among those who have not been adopted this year.

Meanwhile, President Banda who is also MMD President observed that the selection process was transparent, meticulous and highly competitive.

He congratulated the adopted candidates and wished them success in their campaigns in this year’s polls.

Mr. Banda appealed to MMD aspirants who have not been adopted to continue supporting the ruling party and not retreat into bitterness.

“The unsuccessful aspirants should note that the selection process was a balanced collective exercise involving the entire party through NEC,” President Banda said.

He urged all the MMD members to put the interests of the party above their own and campaign vigorously to ensure that the ruling party wins this year tripartite elections.

THE FULL LIST

Number Constituency Candidate adopted
1 Chisamba Moses Muteteka
2 Katuba Dr Patrick Chikusu
3 Keembe Lt Gen Ronnie Shikapwasha
4 Bwacha Godfrey Pende
5 Kabwe Central Jane Chileshe
6 Kapiri-Mposhi Lawrence Zimba
7 Mkushi North Sydney Chisenga
8 Mkushi South Musonda K. Mutale
9 Mwembeshi Bornwell Matawe
10 Mumbwa Dr Brian Chituwo
11 Nangoma Prof. Luke Kanyomeka
12 Chitambo Mushili Malama
13 Muchinga George Kunda
14 Serenje Maxwell Kabanda
15 Chililabombwe Trudy Ng’andu
16 Chingola Severine Kazenene
17 Nchanga Mwape Christon
18 Kalulushi Spartan Musowoya
19 Chimwemwe Ronald Manenga
20 Kamfinsa Itayi Chinkuli
21 Kwacha Joe Malanji
22 Nkana Divo Katete
23 Wusakili Pavyuma Kalobo
24 Luanshya Simon Kachimba
25 Roan Goodward Mulubwa
26 Kankoyo Shadreck Musozya
27 Kantanshi Deferred
28 Mufulira Evans Chibanda
29 Kafulafuta E. Chishimba
30 Lufwanyama Anne Chungu
31 Masaiti Michael Katambo
32 Mpongwe Gabriel Namulambe
33 Bwana Mkubwa Kelvin Chaume
34 Chifubu Frank Ng’ambi
35 Kabushi Rapson Kopulande
36 Ndola Central Emmanuel Mulenga
37 Chadiza Allan Mbewe
38 Vubwi Dr Eustarckio Kazonga
39 Chama North Darius Mumba
40 Chama South George Lungu
41 Chipangali Vincent Mwale
42 Chipata Central Mtolo Phiri
43 Kasenengwa Victoria Kalima
44 Luangeni Angella Cifire
45 Milanzi Whiteson Banda
46 Mkaika David Phiri
47 Sinda Levy Ngoma
48 Chasefu Yotam H. Banda
49 Lumezi Isaac Banda
50 Lundazi Mkhondo Lungu
51 Malambo Maxwell Mwale
52 Nyimba Forrie Tembo
53 Kapoche Nicholas Banda
54 Msanzala Peter daka
55 Petauke Central Dora Siliya
56 Kawambwa Elizabeth Mulobeka
57 Mwansabombwe Sunday Maluba
58 Pambashe Dr Bulangeti Chisha
59 Bahati Besa Chimbaka
60 Chembe Mwansa Mbulakulima
61 Mansa Central Dr Chitalu Chilufya
62 Chipili J. Kapungwe
63 Mambilima John Chinyanta
64 Mwense Dr Jacob Chongo
65 Chiengi M Mampi
66 Nchelenge Beny Y. Mwila
67 Bangweulu Sylvester Chifwembe
68 Chifunabululi Chiliyea Kapekele
69 Luapula Daniel Chisala
70 Kafue Bradford Machila
71 Feira Patrick Ngoma
72 Chilanga Keith Mutaka
73 Chongwe Japhen Mwakalombe
74 Rufunsa Kenneth Chipungu
75 Chawama Donald Chilufya
76 Kabwata Dr Peter Machungwa
77 Kanyama Yohane Mwanza
78 Lusaka Central Muhabi Lungu
79 Mandevu Dr Carnicius Banda
80 Matero Faustina Sinyangwe
81 Munali Majory Mwape
82 Chilubi Rosaria Fundanga
83 Chinsali Chileshe Kapwepwe
84 Shiwang’andu Major Celestino Chibamba
85 Isoka East Catherine Namugala
86 Isoka West Paul Sichamba
87 Nakonde Clever Silavwe
88 Chimbamilonga Brian Sikazwe
89 Kaputa Mutale Nalumango
90 Kasama Central Deferred
91 Lukasha Benard Mpundu
92 Malole Humphrey Musonda
93 Lubasenshi George Mwamba
94 Lupososhi Albert Mulonga
95 Mbala Mwalimu Simfukwe
96 Mpulungu Given Mung’omba
97 Senga Hill Kapembwa Simbao
98 Kanchibiya Sunday Chanda
99 Mfuwe M. Songolo
100 Mpika Central Danny Chisanga
101 Lunte Felix Mutati
102 Mporokoso Brian Mundubile
103 Chavuma Kenneth Konga
104 Kabompo East Danny Chingimbu
105 Kabompo West Daniel Kalenga
106 Kasempa Kabinga Pande
107 Mufumbwe Stephen Masumba
108 Mwinilunga East Newton Samakayi
109 Mwinilunga West Elijah Muchima
110 Solwezi Central Lucky Mulusa
111 Solwezi East Richard Taima
112 Solwezi West Humphrey Mwanza
113 Zambezi East Sarah Sayifwanda
114 Zambezi West Prisca C. Pulu
115 Choma Siachona Simalonga
116 Mbabala Laiven Apuleni
117 Pemba Joshua Simuyandi
118 Gwembe Chisangano Malungo
119 Dundumwezi Sebastian Hambokoma
120 Kalomo Central Sikaduli J. Munsaka
121 Katombora Jelasi Barthlomew Sikonda
122 Mapatizya Lloyd Jembo
123 Livingstone Lukolo Katombola
124 Chikankata Trymore Mwenda
125 Magoye Bevin Mweene
126 Mazabuka Central Maxwell Mwiinga
127 Bweengwa Bbuku Tsibu
128 Monze Central Dr Victor Mukonka
129 Moomba Isabel Nanja
130 Itezhi Tezhi David Diangamo
131 Namwala Robby Chizyuka
132 Siavonga Noah Siasimuna
133 Sinazongwe Muti Beyani
134 Kalabo Central Richard Mwapela
135 Liuwa Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane
136 Sikongo Mundia Ndalamei
137 Kaoma Central Austin Liato
138 Luampa Josephine Limata
139 Mangango Mwendoi Akakandelwa
140 Lukulu East Dr Christopher Kalila
141 Lukulu West Misheck Mutelo
142 Luena Mwangala Mwaopo
143 Mongu Central Joseph Mulyata
144 Nalikwanda Pro. G. Lungwangwa
145 Nalolo Mrs Catherine Akayombokwa
146 Senanga Central Charles Mututwa
147 Sinjembela Mubika Mubika
148 Mulobezi Michael Mabenga : CORRECTED
149 Mwandi Michael Kaingu
150 Sesheke Frank Kufakwandi

ZANIS

Government has strongly condemned the harassment and beating up of Journalists from Muvi Television by some suspected MMD cadres in Lusaka West yesterday.

Chief Government Spokesperson Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha says beating up of Journalists amounts to lawlessness, is undemocratic and unacceptable to government.

Lt. Gen. Shikapwasha said the Government of President Rupiah Banda has come out openly in support of the media which he said is the country’s fourth estate.

Lt. Gen. Shikapwasha said this in a statement in Lusaka today.

Lt. Gen Shikapwasha, who is also Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, said government remains a firm proponent of freedom of the media as part of the continued growth of the country’s democracy.

The Minister warned that government will not allow anarchy in the nation as the country approaches a sensitive period of the general elections.

He has since advised political activists and the public at large to respect Journalists and restrain themselves from engaging in any manner of harassment and violence against media practitioners .

He stressed that information is the hallmark of any democratic society adding that Journalists should be free to gather and disseminate information to the public without intimidation and harassment .

The Minister stated that there are adequate administrative and legal avenues in the country which aggrieved members of the public could pursue instead of resorting to taking the law into their own hands.

The Chief Government Spokesperson reiterated government’s position that perpetrators of violence against Journalists will be met by the full force of the law.

QFM

Kitwe high court has squashed a bail application by a convicted 59 year old man of Ndola who is charged with having carnal knowledge of a 12 year old school girl against the order of nature.

According to a statement of offence, Grey Servana 59 years, committed unnatural offence contrary to section 155(1) of the penal code Chapter 87 as amended no.15 of 2005

The particulars of the offence are that Servana on November 5, 2009 in Chingola had carnal knowledge of a 12 years old girl against the order of nature.

Servana on the material day sodomised the minor at his garage in Chingola.

He was convicted and sentenced to 25 years imprisonment by the Kitwe High Court in May this year and applied for bail pending an appeal in the Supreme Court.

Servana stated in his ground of appeal that the lower court erred and misdirected itself when it held that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt when the weight of the evidence did not go to support such findings.

But the state opposed the application stating that the court had jurisdiction to admit a convict to bail pending appeal. The state also argued that the application ought to be exercised judiciously.

The defence urged the court to exercise its inherent discretion and admit the application to bail pending appeal as the state would not suffer prejudice.

In making her ruling Judge Judy Mulongoti said the issues raised in the applicants affidavit as bad health and ability to find sureties were not special circumstances.

Judge Mulongoti said the bail pending trial is liberally granted as a right as it’s not the case with bail pending appeal.

She stated that the prospect of success of appeal may be considered as a special circumstance and did not see it as such in this matter.

Judge Mulongoti said accordingly she has exercised her discretion and refuse to grant the application for bail pending appeal.

[ ZANIS ]

Patriotic Front Shiwangandu Member of Parliament Celestino Chibamba has resigned from the opposition PF to join the ruling MMD.

Major Chibamba’s resignation comes barely a week after Mufulira Central MP Marjorie Mwape ditched the opposition party to join the MMD.

Major Chibamba says he has resigned from the PF because the party and its leadership of Mr Sata have nothing to offer to the country.

He says the country cannot risk putting the leadership mantle in Mr Sata’s hands because the PF leader is petty and is too preoccupied with crticising the development of President Banda.

Major Chibamba says he has joined the MMD because President Rupiah Banda has demonstrated a clear vision of developing the country as seen in the last few years.

Major Chibamba has told ZNBC News in an interview that he cannot risk being a member of the PF when the MMD under President Banda has delivered development to the satisfaction of the Zambian people.

ZNBC

Commerce Minister Felix Mutati was on Monday involved in a road traffic accident in Mporokoso district, and has since been evacuated to University Teaching Hospital by the Zambia flying doctors service.

Mr Mutati along with his driver left Kasama aboard a flying doctor service around 11:30 hours on Tuesday.

He was seen off by Northern Province Permanent Secretary Mwalimu Simfukwe, some MMD officials, Members of the local business community and a team of doctors from Kasama General Hospital where he was briefly attended to.

Speaking to ZNBC shortly before the departure, Mr Mutati said he had been referred to UTH for further medical attention which will include a scan for his head and neck injuries.

The accident happened on the newly rehabilitated Zachariah Chanda road when the driver lost control and rammed into a tree.

Mr Mutati was briefly treated at Mukupa Kaoma Rural Health Post before being referred to Kasama General Hospital.

ZNBC

Teachers in Luwingu district in Northern Province have appealed to Examination Council of Zambia ( ECZ ) to consider paying invigilators’ risking allowance.

Teachers made a resolution at a meeting held at Luwingu high school staff room over the weekend that they risk handling the examinations during invigilation which has lead into some of them being fired from employment.

They argued that their fellow teachers who prepare final papers for grade seven, nine and twelve and those who mark the same papers are paid leaving three quarters of the teachers who invigilate these examinations.

The aggrieved teachers said the ECZ should emulate Cambridge examination which pays teachers who invigilate their papers. They cautioned that if ECZ does not improve on the condition then the teachers will boycott handling of their papers.

They said that handling of ECZ examination papers was not among the conditions of service for teachers but they were merely risking their work.

Zambia national union of teachers (ZNUT) district chairperson Mr. Michael Bwalya Chimponda said teachers have lost employment without getting their benefits leaving families in misery.

And Mr. Chimponda observed that some members of ZNUT were captured wrongly by Basic Education Teachers Union of Zambia (BETUZ) resulting to contributing twice.

He said the affected teachers did not apply for memberships and wondered how their names were capture by BETUZ.

Mr. Chimponda appealed to the authorities to quickly normalize the situation immediately before the matter gets out of hand.

He said the affect teachers are not happy with what BETUZ has done saying they might take the matter to court.

The district chairperson has thanked the government for embarking on managerial training courses which has resulted into improving the standard of education for most of school managers who lacked such skills.

[ ZANIS ]

Patriotic Front (PF) aspiring ward councilors have disclosed that their party will not be in the position to purchase maize next year if it is elected into office in this years presidential and general elections.

Aspiring ward councilors said the party will not purchase 2011/2012 agricultural produce because MMD government would have exhausted funds and that the new government will have no money to buy the agricultural produce from peasant farmers’ country wide.

The ward councilors accused MMD government of spending huge sums of money in order for PF government to find it hard to carry out its functions if elected into office next year.

Speaking on behalf of aspiring councilors, Kanfinsa ward aspirant Moses Chanda said Rupiah Banda’s administration has embarked on infrastructure development this year aimed at crippling Patriotic Front (PF) if it is elected into office.

He said, following the misuse of government funds by MMD government, it is automatic that the new government will not purchase maize from peasant farmers, if they (farmers) decide to intensify their farming activities this year.

It is a known factor that the MMD government has deliberately begun a vigorous infrastructure development country wide which will require spending huge sums of money leaving the country bankrupt.

Mr. Chanda, however, appreciates government for embarking on infrastructure development saying even if MMD loses the election people will benefit and that the standards of living will be uplifted especially in remote areas.

He said Luwingu is one of the districts which has also benefited in these infrastructure development especially in health, education, and the tarring of Kasama Luwingu road.

Mr. Chanda further appealed to the government to speed up the construction of lupososhi high school situated in chief Chabula area and the tarring of township roads.

[ ZANIS ]

MMD national chairperson for women’s affairs Catherine Namugala has said Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata is enjoying ad hoc levels of popularity he has repeatedly experienced since 2006 and people joining him will regret their actions.

Ms Namugala reminded Zambians that 21 ministers, senior MMD officials resigned to form a formidable political party in 1991 but they all went down.

She said former Works and Supply deputy minister Lameck Mangani, her predecessor Sylvia Masebo, former minister of Works and Supply Mike Mulongoti and former chairperson for Lands Judith Kapijimpanga would enjoy temporally popularity but must prepare for their downfall.

In an interview in Lusaka at the weekend, Ms Namugala said a lot of people got carried away by the public rallies addressed by Mr Sata despite repeatedly losing all the previous elections after creating wrong impressions about his popularity.

Ms Namugala, who is minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources, said the Government of President Rupiah Banda would forge ahead after elections while Mr Sata would continue with his usual rantings and living in fantasy.

She said the PF did not have any future because its senior leadership did not have any programme and their flare would end soon.

“They will enjoy some headlines in their favourite newspaper but Zambians know that about 21 senior leaders, including 12 ministers and the former vice-president resigned from our party to form their own party but where are they?

The same will happen to these people like Mr Mangani, Mr Mpombo, Ms Masebo and the rest,” Ms Namugala said.

She said people were being cheated by the crowds that turned up to attend Mr Sata’s big rallies.

She said Mr Sata was not attracting big rallies for the first time and the PF leader would always lose elections.

Ms Namugala said President Banda’s performance, especially the construction of schools, roads and health centres country-wide had already campaigned for him.??She said the Zambian people knew what President Banda was capable of doing and would not leave a performer for a man who had no vision for the country.

And MMD chairperson for finance and economic affairs Situmbeko Musokotwane has said the people of Luapula Province have changed after the MMD delegation received a high-profile reception during the 12-day tour of the province. Dr Musokotwane said Mr Sata’s campaigns were failing because the Government had implemented everything that he promises to do if elected president.

Dr Musokotwane said Mr Sata was not clear with what he wanted to do for the people and had ended up backtracking on many policy issues that he previously stood for.

He said the people of Zambia would not accept to be cheated again following President Banda’s decision to implement what he promised in many areas while other development projects were being lined up.

Meanwhile, MMD Copperbelt provincial chairperson Joseph Chilambwe has said Mr Sata should not be misled by the artificial rally crowds but start preparing how he is going to stomach the worst defeat in the 2011 elections because the electorate had seen that he had become irrelevant to the current politics.

Mr Chilambwe said Mr Sata had allegedly become irrelevant to the country’s political landscape because he did not articulate issue of national development.??The MMD provincial chairperson said the claims that PF had taken Eastern Province were wishful thinking because it would never be a reality.

He said PF had resorted to cheap propaganda of claiming that it was becoming popular everywhere by using borrowed crowds, when the party was falling apart because of alleged poor leadership.

“Serious-minded Zambians have seen that Mr Sata is not a leader who can drive the country’s economy forward and so, no matter what kind of propaganda the PF leader and his allies put up, the MMD will scoop the 2011 elections,” Mr Chilambwe said.

[Times of Zambia]

THE Ngoni-speaking people of Eastern Province have said the appearance of Paramount Chief Mpezeni at a rally addressed by Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata was not an endorsement of the opposition leader’s candidature.

Chief Madzimawe, who is chairperson of the House of Chiefs, said he had an audience with the paramount chief who explained that he would have attended the rally even if it was addressed by United Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema.

He said he was certain that the people of Chipata would attend all rallies, including the ones to be addressed by President Rupiah Banda since people wanted to listen to the leaders for them to vote wisely.

Paramount Chief Mpezeni appeared at a public rally addressed by Mr Sata at Feni Village in Chipata where he greeted the cadres but Chief Madzimawe said the paramount chief had made it clear during the public rally that his appearance should not be misconstrued as endorsing Mr Sata.

“Paramount Chief Mpezeni cannot endorse Mr Sata. The fact that he appeared at a rally does not mean that he is supporting PF but that is his village, he can greet his people. I have spoken to him and I am still making efforts to speak to him. He never endorsed Mr Sata,” Chief Madzimawe said.

He said the paramount chief would attend all rallies where he had been invited, especially that it was held in his village.

Meanwhile, Chief Madzimawe said Mr Sata’s huge rallies in Eastern Province were not a measure of popularity, especially that voting was secret and people were making their decisions on who to vote for on the basis of the messages during rallies.??He said rallies were held in selected corners of the?province and careless talk that PF was gaining ground in the province was inaccurate.

“How can you hold a rally in one corner of Chipata and claim that the whole province is supporting you? People will attend all rallies and do not get surprised if the next rallies by MMD or UPND at the same venue will be bigger than the PF ones,” chief Madzimawe said.

He said it was not possible for any leader of a political party to address a rally and people do not turn up because attendance helps them make informed choices about leaders.

Chief Madzimawe said the Ngoni Royal Traditional leadership had been encouraging people to elect leaders who would provide development to the people.

He said President Banda had shown the zeal to address the needs of the Zambian people by launching a programme to construct schools, roads and hospitals but the Zambian people would judge on their own.

[Times of Zambia]