MMD chairperson for elections Gabriel Namulambe has instructed lower organs of the party entrusted with adopting candidates ahead of this year’s tripartite elections not to issue any statements to the media regarding pre-election adoptions.

And Mr Namulambe has asked Chongwe Member of Parliament (MP) Sylvia Masebo to state her position on which platform she wants to re-contest her seat.

He has also warned that candidates should not declare themselves as having been adopted following their victory at pre-constituency elections because such declarations could only be done after approval by the National Executive Committee (NEC).

At a Press briefing in Lusaka yesterday held at the MMD secretariat, Mr Namulambe said the adoption process was continuing in all the constituencies and was progressing well.

He said the MMD’s goal was to ensure that the party won the elections, adding that the issue of any candidate coming out first at constituency level was less important.

“I want to inform the MMD lower organs that the process is ongoing and there should not be any issues of people declaring themselves as having been adopted after winning the pre-constituency elections.

“This is not the case because there are other things that need to be determined before adopting anybody,” Mr Namulambe said.

[pullquote]Mr Namulambe has asked Chongwe Member of Parliament (MP) Sylvia Masebo to state her position on which platform she wants to re-contest her seat.[/pullquote]

He said candidates should wait until they received their adoption certificates signed by himself and the party national secretary, Richard Kachingwe.

Mr Namulambe said the notion that whoever came first at the lower organ would be automatically adopted was misleading.

He said there were other interviews that would be conducted by the provincial executive committee, with the final being NEC.

“So it is after the approval by NEC that candidates are adopted, this business of candidates declaring themselves as having been adopted is neither here nor there and it is therefore too early to announce who has been adopted,” he said.

He also said the perceived differences in Chiengi Constituency did not exist and that jealousy people were the ones spreading reports that there was confusion in the adoption process.

Mr Namulambe said the party would wait to know on what party platform Ms Masebo wanted to re-contest her seat.

[Times of Zambia]

Chief Fuka Mapili, whose names are Witly Graham Phiri, of the Thonga people of northern Malawi has said he is not aware about President Rupiah Banda’s father having originated from his chiefdom.

The traditional leader refuted claims by former Zambian ambassador to Botswana Milton Phiri that President Banda’s father, Bwezani Banda was born in Tukombo Village of his chiefdom.

The 71-year-old traditional authority, as they are known here, who presides over 50, 000 subjects with six senior group village headmen and 25 village headmen, said in an interview at his Mbamba headquarters yesterday that he was not aware of Mr Banda having roots in his chiefdom.

He said it was wrong for people to suggest that President Banda’s parents were Malawians just because of the name as the Banda name was common to Zambia and Malawi.

“We have heard that there are some people who say that President Banda comes from here in Malawi. Many of us here in my chiefdom are not aware about that, we have tried to make our research to establish if he has any relations but there is no truth in those allegations.

“There is no truth in that. If it is because he is a Banda, and because Bandas, Phiris come from Malawi go to Lundazi, go to Chipata but there are Bandas who are born there, their parents are from there, the same with President Banda he doesn’t come from here,” he said.

He said there were a number of elderly people in FukaMapili area who would have remembered Mr Bwezani Banda if the allegations by the former Zambian envoy to Botswana were really true.

Chief FukaMapili, who has been on the throne since February 25, 1984, said Chewa speaking people in Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia shared the same heritage as they all come from the same roots, in Katanga in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“We have relatives in Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia and we all fall under Kalonga Gawa Undi and that is why we meet every year in Mkaika, Katete for the Kulamba traditional ceremony,” he said.

The chief, however, said as far as he and his people were concerned in his area, President Banda was Zambian, just like his parents.

“I don’t know much about President Rupiah Banda but I know about Kaunda (former president Kenneth Kaunda) because he is even my relative. We do not have any records that Mr Bwezani Banda was born here,” he said.

Asked specifically about Tukombo Village as claimed by Mr Phiri, the traditional leader, who was flanked by his chief adviser Sume Chirwa said the village was within his chiefdom but that there was also no record on President Banda’s family.

He advised politicians to desist from making unfounded allegations but to find lasting solutions through dialogue by talking to each other.

He said it was important for traditional leaders as well as elected leaders to dialogue over issues that affect their countries.

“My word to our friends in Zambia is that first, we wish them all the best. We wish them well; if there is anything they want us to do together they are welcome any time.

“If they will need us chiefs from here to go we are ready to go there and be together with our friends Zambians and Malawians as our culture is one and the same. So what we want is please let’s live as one people, if anything is wrong let’s sit down and think together,” he said.

Mr. Phiri recently said President Banda’s father, Bwezani Banda was born in Tukombo Village in Chief FukaMapili’s area in Nkhata Bay in the then Nyasaland.

President Banda has dismissed Mr Phiri’s allegations and on Monday, the president’s brother, James also refuted the allegations that their father was born in Malawi.
[ Times of Zambia ]

Finance and National Planning Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane has warned Zambians that they would grapple with huge supplementary budgets if they voted for opposition parties such as Patriotic Front (PF) that had promised to give cash to the people and undertake development projects within 90 days.

Dr. Musokotwane said such parties would leave chaos in the country because they would mismanage the economy and cause high levels of poverty since there was no example of a place where such promises had been fulfilled anywhere in the world.

The minister said this in Parliament on Tuesday evening after Kabwata PF Member of Parliament (MP) Given Lubinda submitted that the K1.4 trillion supplementary budget the Government was asking for showed lack of control and was contrary to the promise the Government made in 2003 not to overspend by more than two per cent of the budget.

This was when the House debated the Supplementary Appropriation Bill for 2009.

Mr. Lubinda said the K1.4 trillion represented about eight per cent of the national Budget and called on the minister to assemble measures that would curb over-expenditure by permanent secretaries.

But Dr Musokotwane said Mr Lubinda debated from a point of ignorance because the supplementary budget resulted from the global economic crisis when the buying power of the Zambian people went down and affected the taxation system because of uncertainty about their jobs.

The minister said as such, the Government had to spend more to cushion the impact of the crisis and also protect Zambians from losing their jobs.

He also told the House that the lack of controls had resulted from the failure by the opposition MPs to support the Constitution Amendment Bill that sought to implement the draft Constitution where progressive provisions on controlling budgets were contained.

Dr. Musokotwane said instead of supporting the progressive law, the opposition MPs from the PF walked out of the House and wondered why they were not steadfast on national matters.

[pullquote]He also told the House that the lack of controls had resulted from the failure by the opposition MPs to support the Constitution Amendment Bill that sought to implement the draft Constitution where progressive provisions on controlling budgets were contained[/pullquote]

He challenged Mr Lubinda to ask if he did not understand matters and also explained that the United States of America, China and other developed countries spent more to stem losses of economic activity.

Dr. Musokotwane told the House that economics were not just about figures on how one spent more but were about explaining contexts which Mr Lubinda failed to do when he accused Government of overspending.

Bweengwa MP Highvie Hamududu urged the Government to provide a ceiling of supplementary expenditure beyond which controlling officers should not exceed.

[pullquote]He challenged Mr Lubinda to ask if he did not understand matters and also explained that the United States of America, China and other developed countries spent more to stem losses of economic activity.[/pullquote]

And Foreign Affairs Minister Kabinga Pande said the Government was in the process of training officials working at Zambian missions abroad to improve their skills in promoting the country’s economic and political interests internationally.

Mr. Pande said the embassies had a lot of work for Zambia, resulting in the Zambia Development Agency approving US$2.4 billion by September last year and $7.6 billion from the Asian market between 2007 and 2010.
[ Times of Zambia ]

The Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) Limited and Electrometer Zambia today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the supply contract of two million Compact Florescent Light bulbs to be distributed to customers at no cost.

The bulbs will be manufactured locally by Electrometer Zambia at total cost of US$ 4.6 million over a period of two years.

ZESCO Managing Director Ernest Mupwaya signed on behalf of his company and Electrometer Zambia Managing Director Magdy Abdelhakim signed on behalf of his organisation.

Speaking at the signing ceremony in Lusaka today, ZESCO Board Chairperson Kwalela Lamaswala said the MoU represents yet another significant investment on the part of the power utility company in ensuring delivery of its mission aimed at encouraging a culture of energy efficiency among its customers.

ZANIS reports that Mr. Lamaswala said in a speech read on his behalf by ZESCO Board member Professor Jorry Mwenechanya that such initiatives complement numerous projects that the company recently commissioned with a view to reducing demand on domestic electricity.

He added that this will be carried out through the deployment of strategic energy efficient appliances in order to support the growing customer base and ultimately reduce load shedding.

Mr Lamaswala said the florescent light bulbs will be distributed through ZESCO’s customer service centres around the country and via operational teams on the ground who will conduct door to door operations.

He pointed out that this will ensure that conventional bulbs are replaced with energy efficient bulbs in order to support the drive for new connections.

Speaking at the same occasion, ZESCO Managing Director Ernest Mupwaya noted that connecting customers and keeping them on supply was the primary objective of the company.

Mr. Mupwaya added that this was why ZESCO decided to sign the MOU with Electrometer Zambia to connect more people across the country.

And Electrometer Zambia Managing Director Magdy Abdelhakim said the bulbs will go a long way in saving electricity consumption.

Mr. Abdelhakim expressed happiness that the MOU between the two companies has finally been signed.

Witnessing the Signing of the MOU between ZESCO and Electrometer Zambia was Egyptian Ambassador to Zambia Salah Eldin Abdel-Sadek who called on the two companies to continue being cooperating partners.

Mr. Abdel-Sadek said this is very vital as the two are partners in the economic development of Zambia.

ZANIS

Mr. Sata said most people are trying to find their way to parliament and not even concerned about which party should form the next government for the benefit of the Zambians.

The opposition leader added that the kind of attitude among some political leaders has seen a lot of people crossing from one party to the next.

Mr. Sata has since advised political leaders in the country to be selfless and ensure that they have a heart of serving Zambians.
[ QFM ]

JESSE

Jesse is an upcoming Zambian RnB singer. His songs fuse English, Bemba and Nyanja.

KAPA187: Welcome to the interview, for the readers who do not know you, can u tell us a bit about yourself.

JESSE: My full name is Jesse Phiri, born in Lusaka, Zambia, 23 years ago. I am the fourth in a family of 6. Currently, I am a graduate with a Diploma in Insurance and I am also an RnB Artist.

KAPA187: How long have u been doing music and what was your inspiration to start?

JESSE: I started singing solo in church at the age of 6. To be honest, no one really inspired me to start singing. I just remember my mom choosing and helping me to learn songs that I would sing. But of course along the way I developed interest in some well renowned singers such as Mainza Chipenzi and R. Kelly to mention a few, who have inspired me to what I am today.

KAPA187: What is your motto, or advice you live by?

JESSE: In everything that you do, every noble cause that you endeavor, put GOD first and apply your best effort

KAPA187: If you could be any singer in the whole for a day, who would it be and why?

JESSE: I wouldn’t want to be anyone else but me because I believe I am a unique and special singer and I delight in what I do.

KAPA187: What has been your biggest achievement since starting your music career?

JESSE: My biggest achievement to date would be reaching the last 5 from 30 contestants of “The Ultimate Slinger Season 2”, a very tough and challenging but educative singing contest. It is a Sling Beats/ZNBC initiative. Unfortunately I had to withdraw from the contest due to circumstances beyond my control.

KAPA187: Do you write your own songs, and do u have any plans of releasing an album?

JESSE: Yes I do write my own songs, I have plans of releasing an album as soon as possible but first I am looking to establish myself in the Zambian music industry as a force to reckon with.

KAPA187: Nakupeza is a nice song. How did it come about?

JESSE: Nakupeza is a concept that I have always had. When I got the beat to the song and wrote, everything just fell in place. I intended Nakupeza to not only be a wedding song but also for anyone who has found ‘the one’.

KAPA187: where do u see yourself in the next 5 years?

JESSE: I see myself as an internationally recognized artist/inspiration/role model with so much to offer to my country.

KAPA187: Do you do any vocal training?

JESSE: I have attained beginner’s level of voice training at the moment. Am awaiting to start intermediate voice training soon.

KAPA187: Where can your fans listen to your music.

JESSE: Facebook/jesse Zambia and reverbnation

THE MUSIC

Jesse is new to the music industry and hasn’t released a lot of music. A stand out track that has releases is Nikupeza. This is a song for those who have found that special someone.

NIKUPEZA

another good song of his is Nikukonda

NIKUKONDA

MMD Chiengimember of Parliament Katele Kalumba says some individuals violated procedure when applying for adoption for the parliamentary seat ahead of this year’s elections.

Dr Kalumba said in an interview from Chiengi yesterday that it is not acceptable for the adoption procedure to be circumvented.

“It appeared as if they were coming here to challenge the perceived hegemony and to use the words that a deputy minister, who I won’t name, used ‘the evil genius of Katele’,” Dr Kalumba said.

Dr Kalumba said those who failed to follow procedure by applying for adoption in Mansa are the ones who provoked the sensibilities of MMD leaders in Chiengi, who feel sidelined.

He dismissed assertions that he is stopping aspirants from applying for adoption for the Chiengi parliamentary seat.

“The procedure is clear because nominations are supposed to be lodged with the local organs which go through the procedure before candidates are recommended to the national executive committee,” Dr Kalumba said.

He also said he will not stand because he wants to concentrate on ‘securing his freedom’ through the legal process.

Dr Kalumba, who is former MMD national secretary, said he is not available to contest the seat because he stands convicted by courts of law and that he has appealed against his conviction.

“I am not just available to stand because by law, I was convicted and I have appealed. I have decided to pursue my freedom through the legal process and I want to give it all my time because I know that I am innocent. One does not appeal when they know that they are guilty,” Dr Kalumba said.

He vowed to use whatever legal channel available to secure his freedom.

“In my view, I believe that I am innocent. It is up to the courts of law and legal infrastructure available to Zambian citizens to establish whether I have a basis for appeal or not,” Dr Kalumba said.

He also said he has been injured by media reports suggesting that he has stopped his wife, Lumba, from contesting the Chiengi parliamentary seat.

“I love my wife, I respect my wife. We make individual decisions and bring them to the family for consultation and counsel. But we finally make up our minds, depending on our analysis of the information available. My wife is quite capable of analysis. I stood by her when she made the decision to go to the convention, regardless of the fact that I was not standing and as a family, we are grateful that the party received her,” Dr Kalumba said.

He said his wife has made an independent analysis on whether to contest the Chiengi seat and she feels that the situation does not favour her to do so.

He urged MMD members to remain solidly behind President Banda to ensure victory in this year’s tripartite elections.

[Zambia Daily Mail]