The Supreme Court has cleared Education minister Dora Siliya of allegations of breaching the constitution by turning down the attorney general’s advice regarding tenders to evaluate Zamtel assets, when she served as Communications and transport Minister.

This is an appeal case filed by former Transport Minister William Harringtone.

The appeal was heard by a panel of five Supreme Court Judges.

These were Deputy Chief Justice Irene Mambilima, Judges Lombe Chibesakunda, Marvin Mwanamwambwa, and Hilda Chibomba and retired Supreme Court Judge Sandson Silomba.

Judge Mwanamwambwa delivered the judgment on Friday on behalf of other Supreme Court Judges.

He dismissed five out of the seven grounds of appeal raised by Mr Harrington.

Judge Mwanamwambwa also cautioned lawyers against making imputations that judges are biased when cases are not adjudicated in their favour.

In June 2009, Supreme Court Judge Philip Musonda reversed the Judge Dennis Chirwa tribunal ruling that Ms Siliya breached the constitution by defying the Attorney General’s advice on the award of tender to evaluate Zamtel assets.

And Dora Siliya, who is MMD Spokesperson, has challenged people on the Copperbelt to take advantage of the available business opportunities to develop themselves.

Ms Siliya says the MMD government has put in place a number of business interventions Zambians can exploit to develop themselves.

She has cited the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission and Youth Empowerment Funds which local people can access and create wealth for themselves.

Ms Siliya was speaking in Mufulira on Friday when she addressed a public meeting meant to explain to the people the achievements of the MMD government.

The meeting which is being held at Mufulira High School has been attended by civil society, the church, civil servants and the general public.

She also says the Ministries of Community Development and Gender have enough funds which can be used by women interested in form clubs and associations.

Ms Siliya has called on people on the Copperbelt to judge the MMD government based on what it has done for the people of Zambia instead of using emotions to effect change.

[ZNBC]

MINISTER of Information and Broadcasting Services Ronnie Shikapwasha has described as malicious a Post newspaper story purporting that he led a group of MMD national executive committee (NEC) members to resolve wrangles over the adoption of MMD Parliamentary candidates in Western Province.

In a statement released in Lusaka yesterday, Lieutenant-General Shikapwasha said the author of the story concocted everything attributed to him (the minister).

He said there is no strife in the adoption of Parliamentary candidates in the province as purported by the Post.

He said the party in the province is intact and the adoption process is going on smoothly.

“The meeting, which the author of the malicious story claims to have been attended by honourable Dr Kalombo Mwansa (Minister of Defence), honourable Moses Muteteka (Deputy Minister of Local Government) and Western Province Minister Richard Mwapela and others, was a figment of his imagination.

“At no point did I utter any words to the effect that I and other NEC members mentioned in the article, together with some senior MMD officials in Western Province, were in the region to establish why problems were lingering over the adoption of candidates,” Gen Shikapwasha said.

Gen Shikapwasha, who is also Chief Government spokesperson and MMD chairman for security, denied ever talking about the Linyungandambo, a pressure group, or whether the group has merged with the Barotse Freedom Movement, or about the status of the group.

He said he never asked MMD Western provincial secretary Fines Likando to tell him who was more popular in Mongu Central between incumbent MP Joseph Mulyata and former Economics Association of Zambia president Mwilola Imakando.

“Neither did I express interest to know the number of meetings each of the two held in their bid to be adopted as candidates for the Mongu Central seat.

“The whole story is a malicious fabrication. It was created at the Post,” he said.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

PRESIDENT Banda has launched his Facebook page which will provide members of the public information about him and his family.

The Facebook page was launched yesterday after a successful response to the development map page and his website. (http://www.presidentbanda.com/map.aspx).

This is contained in a statement released yesterday by special assistant to the President for press and public relations Dickson Jere.

Mr Jere said Facebook was used effectively during campaigns by President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria in the run-up to the recent elections in that country and by President Obama of the United States.

He said visitors can find the President’s Facebook page on http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rupiah-Bwezani Banda/130153693719287

Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) President Dr. Alex Ng’oma has refuted a story attributed to him in today’s Zambia Daily Mail Newspapers as having described the opposition Patriotic Front as dictatorial.

Dr. Ng’oma has since written to the Zambia Daily Mail management demanding an apology and the retraction of the article in question in the next edition of the newspaper as the article contains views he did not express.

In a letter dated 7th July, 2011, addressed to the Daily mail News editor and made available to QFM, Dr. Ng’oma states that the article in question is malicious and intended to injure him and to destroy the non partisanship reputation of FODEP.

He has further threatened to commence legal proceedings against the state owned newspaper should they fail to heed to his demands.

Dr. Ng’oma has also explained that earlier today he had a phone conversation with the author of the story Caroline Kalombe who confirmed that he did not express the views contained in the article but that other people at Daily Mail distorted the story.

He has since stated that as a result of this incidence, his future interviews with the Zambia Daily Mail will strictly be in writing.

[QFM]

Patriotic Front (PF) Kabwata Member of Parliament, Given Lubinda has filed a police complaint over an email published in the media alleging that he sourced money from Taiwan.

In the respective email, purportedly sent to PF Secretary General, Wynter Kabimba, Mr Lubinda is said to have commented over a 45 million dollars donated to the party from Afghanstian and Taiwan.

Mr Lubinda has reported his complaint to Lusaka Central Police station.

Earlier in the day, Police Director of Operations, Solomon Jere could not receive Mr Lubinda’s complaint at Zambia Police Headquarters.

Dr Jere advised Mr Lubinda to report the complaint to Lusaka central police.

And a senior police officer today harassed 4 Lusaka journalists among them a MUVI TV reporter, Paul Shalala. Others who were harassed were Evans Sinjela of 5-FM and Allan Mulenga as well as Bright Mukwasa, all from the Post Newspapers.

The journalists were harassed by Lusaka Division Police Deputy Commanding Officer, Jackson Simfukwe, as they pursued a story at Lusaka Central Police Station.

[pullquote]Mr. Simfukwe verbally abused the journalists and chased them saying he did not want to see them at the central police.[/pullquote]

Mr. Simfukwe verbally abused the journalists and chased them saying he did not want to see them at the central police.

He further personally directed his officers to escort the journalists out of central police premise.

The journalists were at central police covering Patriotic Front (PF) Kabwata Member of Parliament, Given Lubinda.

But Police spokesperson, Ndandula Siamana has described the incident as very unfortunate.
Earlier this week, 2 MUVI TV Journalists were verbally harassed by a Patriotic Front (PF) cadre verbally harassed in Kabwe, however the party has since apologised.

MUVITV