FORMER Patriotic Front secretary general Edward Mumbi says no one has barred PF president Michael Sata from attending Dr Chiluba’s funeral and it is surprising that the opposition leader has not been to the funeral house.

Mr Mumbi also alleged that some agents of The Post newspapers have been carrying concealed recorders to tap conversations from unsuspecting mourners.

“No one can stop anyone from attending a funeral. That is not true,” Mr Mumbi said.

Mr Mumbi said it is strange that Mr Sata has not yet visited the funeral house. He said all opposition political leaders have been to the funeral house, except for Mr Sata.

He also said it is irresponsible for PF to hold a political rally in Western province in the face of the death of Dr Chiluba.

Mr Mumbi said Zambians should judge the kind of leadership the PF can make if they cannot respect the funeral of Dr Chiluba who brought economic liberalisation to Zambia.

“It is unfeeling for any political leader to continue with their campaigns when the nation is in mourning,” he said.

PF founder member Samson Zulu has condemned the decision by the PF to shun former President Frederick Chiluba’s funeral, CHRISTINE CHISHA reports.

Mr Zulu, who is a former PF member, said the decision by PF not to attend the funeral is a clear indication that they are ungrateful for what DrChiluba did for its leader Michael Sata who was given an opportunity to serve in his Cabinet in various portfolios.

“This has vindicated me. I have been issuing warnings to Zambians that Mr Sata is an evil man who believes in vengeance and violence. It is clear that his decision not to attend Dr Chiluba’s funeral was out of hatred for the man,” he said.

“To have compassion is a distinctive attribute of every human being, especially a leader who is aspiring for the Presidency,” Mr Zulu said

And former Mandevu Constituency PF treasurer Alex Mulenga said Mr Sata should come out in the open and issue a statement, speaking through Lusaka Province PF chairman Davies Chanda.

Mr Mulenga said in the Bemba culture, when there is a funeral people bury their differences and come together to mourn with one accord.

He said Mr Sata should be aware that he has injured the people of Luapula by his party’s decision not to attend the funeral.

Meanwhile, United Liberal Party (ULP) president Sakwiba Sikota has condemned the PF for holding a political rally in Lukulu last Saturday, despite the death of Dr Chiluba.

And ULP deputy national information and publicity chairman David Zimba described the decision of the PF as “uncanny and inhuman”.

Mr Sikota said it is disappointing that the PF ignored the announcement that Dr Chiluba, who governed Zambians for 10 consecutive years, had died.

He said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that all politicians should understand that there is a time to set aside politics and unite when death strikes.

“I am very saddened that the PF went ahead to hold a political rally despite the death of Dr Chiluba. This is un-Zambian because what I know is that when such a person dies, politicians should unite and not only think about going to State House” Mr Sikota said.

He called on all Zambians to put political differences aside and mourn Dr Chiluba who fought hard for the re-introduction of multi-party democracy in Zambia.

“Dr Chiluba was not an ordinary person but a national leader from whom most of our leaders benefited greatly. The PF rally in Lukulu shows how uncanny and inhuman the party’s leaders are,” Mr Zimba said.

He said it is unusual for a political party to hold a rally when such an important person dies.

Mr Zimba called on leaders to work in harmony despite differences in opinions and ideologies.

And Die Hard Team for RB and MMD national co-ordinator Bowman Lusambo said the PF’s decision was wrong because Dr Chiluba was regarded as a father of the nation.

“We had lined up some social programmes in Bwacha, Kabwe Central and Roan constituencies but we decided to postpone them because of Dr Chiluba’s death.

“This is because he was a national leader and there is no way any well-meaning Zambian would go ahead with social programmes, especially those of a political nature,” he said.

Mr Lusambo called on fellow youths to heed President Banda’s call on every Zambian to mourn Dr Chiluba in peace and harmony. He advised youths not to be used to incite violence.

He said President Banda has proved to be a peacemaker.

On Saturday, PF leaders Given Lubinda, Guy Scott, Jean Kapata and Mumbi Phiri went ahead to hold a political rally at Fernando showgrounds in Lukulu.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

United Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema says no-one can take away the role late former President Frederick Chiluba played in restoring multi-partism in Zambia.

Mr Hichilema spoke shortly after visiting the funeral house in Kabulonga yesterday.

“We can’t take away the fact that he led Zambia into multi-partism which we are trying to develop,” he said.

Mr Hichilema said Dr Chiluba played a critical role in the transition from one party state to multi-partism.

“In politics, we have different opinions but there is no difference of opinions in death. Whatever differences we have we should unite,” he said.

Mr Hichilema urged Zambians to desist from focusing on judging DrChiluba because God is the only one who will judge people.

“It’s very unfortunate and we ask the family to accept our sincere condolences, and wish them strength. He was my next door neighbour but I didn’t hear of his illness. I left for my programmes only to be told that he had passed on,” he said.

Mr Hichilema said Dr. Chiluba did what he could for the people of Zambia during his tenure of office.

Former Minister of Finance and National Planning Katele Kalumba said people may have different beliefs and conflicting emotions about Dr Chiluba but that this should not divide them.

“Let us remember that death is an equaliser because it can happen to anyone and because it can happen to anyone…it helps us to reconcile ourselves to our conflicting emotions and to realise that every human being at one time has to die whether they were considered evil or angels,” Dr Kalumba said.

He said a dead man has no opportunity to make his case to the people to convince them on his positive virtues.

“The honourable thing for Zambians is to forgive and forget. If Dr Chiluba hurt anybody, my prayer to Zambians is please forgive him and if he pleased anybody, my prayer to Zambians is please tell his story and remember him,” Dr Kalumba said.

He said Dr Chiluba served the country within the limits of the talents that God gave him.

“So my prayer is that we should try and remember some of the good things that Frederick Jacob Titus Chiluba did for Zambians.” Dr Kalumba said.

“As someone who served under him for 10 years …as someone who persuaded me to come back home to join the fight for multi-party democracy and as someone who joined in at the Garden House Motel together with everyone and as someone together with Donald Chanda who advised him of his own strategy at that meeting, I can only feel a deep sense of loss because a part of my own personal history that I treasure most has been lost.”

Dr Kalumba, who is also former MMD national secretary and Chiengi Member of Parliament, added: “He has gone to rest and to answer the Lord’s call, let one positive grain of seed grow in the hearts of a thousand stars, young men and women who believe that democracy must never die.”

And MMD Luapula Province chairman Emmanuel Chungu said that the province has been robbed of a gallant son of the soil.

“We are very saddened by his death. We have lost the knowledge he has accrued as a father and as a politician. As a party we relied so much on his guidance. His demise is not only a loss to us as a party and people of Luapula but for the nation at large,” Mr Chungu said.

Former First Lady Maureen Mwanawasa said it is a sad moment for Zambia.

She said it is devastating for a country to lose two leaders concurrently.

Mrs Mwanawasa said as a person who ruled Zambia for ten years, Dr Chiluba achieved a lot for the country which could not be described in minutes.

Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) president Edith Nawakwi has described the late former President Frederick Chiluba as a statesman who sacrificed to turn Zambia into a democratic nation.

She also said Dr Chiluba gave the Zambian people hope by empowering them with houses, giving them hope for the future.

“He was a colleague and friend who gave us counsel. He sacrificed to turn Zambia into what it is today. His self-determination and belief as a head of state gave a solid foundation of a democratic dispensation in Zambia,” she said.

She said Zambians are devastated because it is hardly two years since the death of President Mwanawasa.

Ms Nawakwi said it is difficult for President Banda, who has seen the passing on of two Presidents.
She also said DrChiluba contributed to brokering peace in the region.

Ms Nawakwi said without Zambia turning into a democratic nation, there would have been a crisis in the region.

“He worked hard for Angola to attain peace and stability. Lusaka saw the birth of the future of Angola,” she said.

She described Dr Chiluba as a kind and caring person who visited the sick.

And National Restoration Party (NAREP) president Elias Chipimo said the legacy many people will remember Dr Chiluba for is having been at the helm of the drive of multi-partism.

“We owe our gratitude to the role he played to bring about multi-party politics,” he said.
MrChipimo said D rChiluba also spear-headed economic drive.

“I remember the late former President saying that he ate Structural Adjustment Programme in the morning, afternoon, and evening. He made decisions that he thought were right,” he said.

“People should judge his legacy based on the many achievements that he recorded. I ask that during this period of mourning, people should reflect with sober minds because none of us is without fault,” he said.

And former vice-president Enoch Kavindele also commended DrChiluba for turning round Zambia’s economy when he took over in 1991.

“The economy was right at the bottom, people had to queue to buy mealie meal and other goods, but he changed that within a short period of time. The developments you see now are as a result of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP). He believed that once Zambia’s debt was written off, the country would have more resources to develop,” he said.

Mr Kavindele also said Dr Chiluba was instrumental in bringing peace to the region citing an example of the Angola peace agreement which was signed in Zambia.

He said Dr Chiluba was also involved in resolving conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi during civil wars.

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) president Michael Sata is seeking to restrain the Zambia Daily Mail and other publications from running stories on his alleged support for gay rights.

Mr Sata has sued the Zambia Daily Mail and two of its reporters over recent articles alleging that he condones homosexuality.

He has asked the Lusaka High Court to grant him an interlocutory injunction restraining the newspaper from continued publication of articles and related stories on homosexuality, about him.

The PF president has sued Wallen Simwaka as first defendant, Rebecca Chileshe as second defendant and the Zambia Daily Mail as third defendant.

This is contained in a writ of summons and statement of claim filed in the Lusaka High Court on Thursday.

The matter has been allocated to High Court judge Jane Kabuka’s court.

Mr Sata is demanding general and punitive damages against the defendants, an order of injunction restraining the defendants from continued publication of stories on homosexuality and related articles in both print and electronic media.

He is also claiming interest on damages at the current commercial bank lending rate, any other relief and costs.

“The contents of the said articles are not true because I have never practised homosexuality and have not associated with any gay person,” Mr Sata said.

He claimed that since he intends to stand as a presidential candidate in this year’s elections, the articles may discredit his reputation and put his character into question.

Mr Sata said unless restrained, it is probable that MrSimwaka, MsChileshe and the Zambia Daily Mail will continue to maliciously malign him.

He said if the publication of the stories continues, it will negatively affect his chances of being elected president of Zambia.

“I undertake to pay damages for any loss the defendants may suffer as a result of the injunction order in the event that this court will hereafter be of the opinion that the order ought not to have been issued,” the PF president said.

Mr Sata said the contents of the Zambia Daily Mail articles of June 14 and 15 headlined ‘Sata’s gay love historical’ and ‘Sata condemned for gay love’, are understood to mean that he is immoral, hypocritical and a liar.

He said he has been lowered in the estimation of right-thinking members of society, both local and international and has suffered ridicule, odium and scandal.

The matter will come up on June 20 before Mrs Justice Kabuka’s chambers for hearing of MrSata’s application on restraining the media from publishing stories about him and his alleged support for homosexuality.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

THE Examinations Council of Zambia (ECZ) has nullified results for 311 grades nine and 12 candidates for alleged involvement in examination malpractices last year.

ECZ information, education and communications specialist Ronald Tembo said in a media release in Lusaka yesterday that 231 grade 12 candidates had their results nullified while 80 pupils who wrote their grade nine examinations had also been disqualified.

Copperbelt had the highest number of Grade 12 candidates affected, at 62, while Western Province followed with 45 and Lusaka had 29 candidates in the same grade involved in malpractices.

Mr Tembo said 23 grade 12 candidates were affected in Luapula Province, while Central had 22, North-Western Province 20, Southern 13, Eastern 12, with Northern Province recording five disqualified grade 12 examination candidates.

“In addition to the nullification of results in all the subjects for 311 candidates involved in examination malpractices, ECZ has slapped appropriate penalties to these culprits which include excluding them from writing any examinations conducted by ECZ for a period of two years,” Mr Tembo said.

He said that the nature of the malpractices received by ECZ included receiving assistance from teachers, prior knowledge of the examinations, smuggling of unauthorised materials into the examinations rooms, collusion by candidates, impersonation and obscenity.

Mr Tembo said apart from the 231 candidates at grade 12 level, 13 other cases were still under investigations.

He said the prominent cases in all the provinces were the smuggling of unauthorised pre-written materials which amounted to 128, with the Copperbelt alone recording 128 cases.

Mr Tembo said there was also a high percentage of pupils receiving assistance and that Western and Copperbelt provinces had the highest number of such cases.

At grade nine level North-Western Province did not record any malpractices while Lusaka had the highest number, at 22.

The lowest was Western Province which had five cases.
“Examination malpractices have become the most serious problem threatening the entire fabric of our educational system.

“The resort to malpractices during examinations is harmful for the moral intellectual development of our country,” Mr Tembo said.

[Times of Zambia]