Forum for Leadership Search Executive Director, Edwin Lifwekelo says Chongwe Member of parliament; Sylvia Masebo is planning to defect to the opposition Patriotic Front (PF).

 

Mr. Lifwekelo says his organization has information that Ms Masebo is likely to cross over to the PF on Saturday or Sunday.

Ms. Masebo is currently Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) Chairperson for women.

He told ZNBC News in an interview that Ms Masebo has betrayed MMD members who voted for her as chairperson at the MMD convention.

Efforts to get a comment from Ms Masebo failed as her mobile phone went unanswered.
Ms. Masebo has also not applied to re-contest her Chongwe parliamentary seat in this year’s elections under MMD.

[ ZNBC ]

THOR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thor is a must see movie. It has action, humor, drama and a bit of romance. One could call it a full package.

The movie centers on Thor and his mighty hammer. He is about to inherit the throne from his ailing and aged father Odin, when an unexpected incursion by the Asgardians’ longstanding foes, the Frost giants, disrupts the coronation. Thor does not heed his father’s words so the powerful but arrogant god of thunder is banished to earth where he is forced to live amongst the humans.

There is pleasure to be plundered from some of the battle scenes, especially when Thor is confronting frost giants with blood-red eyes, and from the culture clash that resounds when he is banished to present-day Earth.

PROS

Chris Hemsworth was a good choice of actor to play Thor, he played the role perfectly.

There was an interesting twist about Thor’s brother Loki.

The visual effects were excellent.

CONS

Not enough time was given to develop the relationship between Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Jane fosters (Natalie Portman).

The storyline was a bit predictable.

CONCLUSION

Thor is a very entertaining super hero, adventure movie that will leave wanting more of the hammer wielding god of thunder and is guaranteed to leave you with a smile on your face.
FAVORITE QUOTES

Odin: He has disobeyed his king. His fate is in his own hands now.

Fandral: Our dear friend is banished to Earth! Loki sits on the throne of Asgard as our King! And all you have done is eat two boars, six pheasants a side of beef and drink two barrels of ale! Shame on you!

By Kapa187

The Government has maintained that pressure to force it to impose higher taxes on mining companies is unrealistic because the Zambian law on taxation is a replica of the laws in developed countries such as Canada and Australia.

Finance and National Planning Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane has also maintained that the Government’s decision to privatise the mining companies is irreversible because the current poverty levels and under-development in the mining hubs had resulted from the mistakes made in the 1970s when the mining companies were nationalised.

Speaking during a recording of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) television debate at Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka yesterday, Dr Musokotwane said African countries were encouraged to nationalise for them to become rich but the opposite was true.

He said the mining companies had matured and were able to pay more taxes that had helped the Government raise more money for various development projects.

He said the windfall tax being agitated for would make Zambia less attractive to foreign investors and lead to massive job losses.

Apart from Dr Musokotwane, the debate featured former British secretary of state for international development, Claire Short, Andrew de Simeone from the Brazilian mining giant Vale, and Mopani Copper Mines chief executive officer Emmanuel Mutati, and was moderated by BBC broadcaster Tihabi Redi.

Ms Short said Africa’s wealth had become a curse instead of it being a tool for poverty reduction, but Dr Musokotwane opposed the view and said minerals had done a lot for Zambia by creating jobs while the money from taxes was being used for poverty reduction.

He said the value of mining declined because of the poor management of the companies, especially when they were nationalised, but that the fortunes had changed drastically.

Dr Musokotwane said the law guiding the mining systems in Zambia was similar to the one obtaining in countries like Canada, Australia, and South Africa and that it was wrong to demand that Zambia should have a special tax that was not applying to other mineral-producing countries.

[ Times of Zambia ]

Some Livingstone residents have asked former Zambian ambassador to Libya Mbita Chitala and former Works and Supply minister Mike Mulongoti to retire from active politics because they have become irrelevant to Zambian politics.

The residents said the two were currently attacking the MMD and the Government because they were out of the ruling party.

But Dr Chitala and Mr Mulongoti, who featured on a phone-in programme on Zambezi FM in Livingstone yesterday, insisted that they had a right to actively participate in politics and claimed that the MMD Government had failed to run the affairs of the country.

A resident, Neto Halwabala said Mr Mulongoti had been in Government for a long time and had nothing new to offer to Zambians.

Mr Halwabala wondered why the former minister was currently supporting Patriotic Front (PF) and its leader Michael Sata and yet he criticised Mr Sata when he served as a minister in the MMD Government.

Contributing to the programme, Mr Halwabala described Mr Mulongoti as a person who was ever changing positions on national issues.

“You used to call Mr Sata all sorts of names but all of a sudden you are now supporting the PF leader simply because you are out of Government. Is Mr Sata now different from the person you used to criticise some years ago?” Mr Halwabala asked.

Other callers said Mr Mulongoti was a double-tongued and arrogant person who could not be trusted.

Some callers, who preferred to remain anonymous, said Mr Sata was known to be a violent man and it would, therefore, be wrong for Dr Chitala or anyone to support the PF leader.

In response, Dr Chitala said he decided to endorse PF because it was the only party that had higher chances of winning this year’s elections while Mr Mulongoti said he would officially announce his endorsement after the dissolution of Parliament this year.

They both maintained that MMD had failed to run the affairs of the country and that the United Party for National Development (UPND) had no chances of winning the elections.
[ Times of Zambia ]

UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) president, Hakainde Hichilema has said Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata has no credibility and is only depending on The Post newspaper to boost his image.

Mr Hichilema said at a Press briefing in Lusaka yesterday that Mr Sata’s popularity had reached a new low despite the vigorous campaign launched for him by The Post, which he described as a PF information department.

He said Mr Sata’s popularity had drastically gone down and that The Post had failed to revive it.

Mr Hichilema said the newly-coined slogan that PF had formed a pact with the people of Zambia was a smokescreen having realised that there was nothing left for Mr Sata.

“They want change, what change do they want because they have been in Government for over 57 years? What has been changing are titles, today he is governor tomorrow he is minister and so on,” Mr Hichilema said.

He said The Post had resolved to stop covering UPND and wondered why the tabloid had started fabricating lies that his party was discussing formation of an alliance with the ruling MMD.

Mr Hichilema said apart from personal attacks against leaders and calling them by their tribes, Mr Sata did not know how to articulate issues and did not even understand economic management.

“You cannot have a newspaper which is always fighting people. I cannot sue them because I do not have a small brain and I do not make money out of suing others, I do business. We will just continue talking about these issues but things will be fine one day,” Mr Hichilema said.

He said if he won the elections, he would provide free education to the Zambian people and grow the economy by re-introducing windfall taxes for the benefit of the Zambian people.

The UPND leader said The Post newspaper was becoming unprofessional by not calling UPND to seek clarification each time they made accusations.

“We are ahead and The Post newspaper and their candidates are trailing. This is the reason they are panicking and fabricating lies about alliances which do not exist,” Mr Hichilema said.

The UPND president called on the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to resolve anomalies on the voters’ register, and that he had asked for a meeting with them to discuss some important electoral issues.

He said this would guarantee free and fair elections and bragged that he had been to the United States of America to discuss democracy which some leaders like Mr Sata had never done.
[ Times of Zambia ]

GOVERNMENT has dispelled assertions that President Mwanawasa delegated the instruments of power to former Minister of Defence George Mpombo on his last trip to Egypt.

Vice-President George Kunda told Parliament yesterday that according to the Government Gazette notice number 307 of 2008, President Mwanawasa delegated the functions of the presidency to then vice-president Rupiah Banda from June 28 to July 2, 2008.

Mr Kunda was responding to Kabwata member of Parliament Given Lubinda (PF), who wanted to know whether Dr Mwanawasa legally delegated the functions of the head of State before he left for Egypt on his last trip in 2008, under which Gazette notice the functions were delegated and to whom.

Mr Lubinda posed the query during the session on questions for oral answer. Mr Kunda said President Mwanawasa did not delegate any functions of head of State to Mr Mpombo and no such Gazette notice exists.

And Minister of Agriculture and Co-operative Eustarckio Kazonga says Government is committed to ensuring that farmers use safe farming methods to avoid soil degradation.

Dr Kazonga said Government is aware of the benefits of using organic fertiliser, which help to preserve the environment.

He said in Parliament yesterday during the question and answer session. He was responding to Kalulushi MP Anson Simama (PF) who wanted to know what measures the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives has taken to encourage farmers to use organic manure instead of chemical fertilisers, which contribute to land degradation.

Dr Kazonga said the Ministry of Agriculture encourages farmers to use organic fertilisers because they are safe and could be used with organic manure.

Rupiah, Chinese officials confer
By CHARLES MUSONDA

PRESIDENT Banda yesterday held a private meeting with a delegation from the Communist Party of China (CPC), which is in the country to strengthen ties between Zambia and China.

The meeting, which lasted about 30 minutes, took place at State House and was attended by MMD national chairman Michael Mabenga and party national secretary Major Richard Kachingwe.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, the CPC delegation’s spokesperson Zhou Guohul said the delegation is in the country at the invitation of the MMD to strengthen bilateral relations between the CPC and the ruling party; and between the Chinese and Zambians.

“The head of the delegation had a very good meeting with President Banda. They have exchanged views politically, economically and in other areas. They agreed to continue to strengthen the good relations between our two parties and our peoples,” Mr Zhou said.

He said although the CPC and the MMD have different political ideologies and economic policies, his party adheres to the principle of equality, respect and non-interference in the internal affairs of other parties.

“This is the guidance we would like to use in establishing and strengthening our relations and exchanges with all parties and friends in Africa,” Mr Zhou said.

He said when the MMD came to power in 1991, it established and eventually strengthened ties with the CPC.

Mr Zhou said during the meeting, President Banda defended China on the recent concerns raised by United States Secretary of State Hilary Clinton that China is not transparent in its dealings with other countries, and that it does not observe the principles of good governance.

He said Mr Banda noted that Zambia must co-operate with China in the same way it co-operates with the US.

“Besides, China has a long history of traditional friendship with Zambia,” he said.

And Mr Zhou said the delegation’s visit to Zambia has nothing to do with this year’s elections.

“We are here for the friendship, not only between our parties but also between our people. We don’t think this has anything to do with elections,” he said.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya says the MMD is not short of aspirants to contest the Chongwe parliamentary seat.

Ms Siliya said in an interview yesterday that the MMD cannot compel anyone to contest the seat.

“We cannot force anyone to contest a position they do not want. The process is ongoing and the sitting MP Sylvia Masebo may still apply. Let us wait until the adoption of candidates is closed,” Ms Siliya said.

Ms Siliya was commenting on insinuations that Ms Masebo has declined to re-contest the seat on the MMD ticket.

She said should Ms Masebo officially declare to the MMD that she is not contesting the Chongwe seat, the party will pick a candidate from other applicants.

Ms Siliya, who is also Minister of Education, said the MMD has a vision for development and that there are many people in Chongwe who share the same vision and can carry the party agenda forward as MPs.

She said Ms Masebo is still a member of the party until she officially indicates that she has ceased to belong to MMD.

“Ms Masebo has not written to the ruling party and is therefore considered a senior member of the MMD.”

Ms Siliya said that the fact that Ms Masebo has not applied to be adopted to re-contest her seat on the MMD ticket is not an indication that she has ceased to be a member of the party.

She said if Ms Masebo, who is also MMD national chairperson for women’s affairs, decides not to re-contest her seat, she can still remain an ordinary member of the party.

Ms Siliya said members of the public should not hold on to the thinking and notion that an MP is the only person who represents the party.

Meanwhile, CHARLES CHISALA reports that Lusaka lawyer Hobday Kabwe has urged MMD members in Chiengi Constituency in Luapula Province to remain united and heed their member of Parliament Katele Kalumba’s advice to ensure that President Banda wins this year’s poll.

Mr Kabwe, who was recently in Chiengi to file his application for adoption as parliamentary candidate on the MMD ticket, said the party leadership and rank and file in the constituency must take Dr Kalumba’s advice seriously.

“We need to be united as a party to deliver victory to President Banda as Dr Kalumba has advised us. All members must heed Dr Kalumba’s advice,” he said.

Mr Kabwe said he is confident that the problems the party is currently experiencing in Chiengi will be resolved as soon as possible so that mobilisation is not derailed.

“I do not believe that the problems the party is experiencing in the constituency are insurmountable. I have a lot of confidence in the constituency, district and provincial leadership’s ability to resolve the issues,” Mr Kabwe said.

He advised members to discuss MMD matters internally instead of issuing negative statements in the media because that can divide the party.

Mr Kabwe said it is important for leaders and ordinary members to refrain from activities that are inimical to the interests of the ruling party because that will only benefit its enemies.

“The negative statements and activities that are contrary to the advice of the member of Parliament, the provincial and national leadership will only give the enemies of the party an advantage. We must always be united to strengthen our party,” he said.

Lately, there have been stories in the media suggesting problems around the adoption of a parliamentary candidate for Chiengi Constituency, currently held by former MMD national secretary Katele Kalumba.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

THE ‘change agenda’ being advocated by some people is exaggerated as most Zambians are happy with President Banda’s leadership, former Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) director for investment and promotion Muhabi Lungu said in Lusaka yesterday.

Mr Lungu said voters must assess President Banda’s performance based on the three years he has been in office, and not on the 20 years the MMD has been in power.

Mr Lungu, who recently re-joined the MMD, said on Hot FM Radio’s Hot Seat programme that Zambia’s economy has been recording positive growth in all sectors and change advocates must appreciate this.

He said there is no need to change a government that is doing the correct thing and that he has no doubt that the MMD will win this year’s elections.

“Looking at the three main contenders for the republican presidency, the only person, who has demonstrated his capabilities, is President Banda,” Mr Lungu said.

He said although Patriotic Front president Michael Sata, and United Party for National Development president Hakainde Hichilema are saying 20 years of the MMD is too much, they were both part of that era.

Mr Lungu said Mr Sata held various senior positions in the MMD and government, including that of Minister Without Portfolio and secretary general of the party, while Mr Hichilema was involved in the privatisation of major companies.

“President Banda should be evaluated on his performance in the last three years he has led government. Even credible international organisations and United States Secretary of State Hilary Clinton have commended Zambia on its economic performance,” Mr Lungu said.

He said Mr Banda is the only presidential aspirant who has demonstrated democratic credentials.

Mr Lungu said some opposition leaders have never been elected by their members and that because of their tendency to hold on to power, it will be difficult to remove them from office if they were elected President.

He said it is just as well President Banda was republican Vice-President at the time of President Mwanawasa’s death because had it been other people, they would have refused to hold elections within three months as required by law.
Mr Lungu said the MMD government is doing all it can for the people of Zambia and must be given another mandate in this year’s elections.

“Yes, the economy has grown and we are not saying that we have solved everyone’s problems. Zambians must vote for President Banda and the MMD so that they can have a better future,” he said.

He said it is because the country is moving in the right direction that some people are now falsely accusing President Banda of doing things he is not even capable of doing.

Mr Lungu said the people making accusations against the President do not even have evidence and emphasised that President Banda has done enough to guarantee his return to State House.

He said he is ready to campaign for the MMD because it is the only party that has a vision for Zambia.

“I am back in the MMD because President Banda’s government is implementing the policies I believe in. As young people, it is time to get involved in the political dispensation of this country. I believe in the ideals and values of President Banda and the MMD,” Mr Lungu said.

And MARTIN NKOLOMBA reports that MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya says Zambians do not want change that will introduce perverse cultures in the country.

Ms Siliya said on Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation news yesterday that Zambians do not want negative change such as the one being promised by opposition Patriotic Front president Michael Sata, who is promoting homosexuality.

Ms Siliya said Zambians need positive change such as that being provided by President Banda through the improvement of infrastructure.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Transparency international Zambia (TIZ) has urged political parties participating in this year’s elections to clearly explain their Anti-Corruption policies to Zambia.

TIZ president Reuben Lifuka told journalists that the politicians should clearly indicate how they intend to fight corruption so as to improve the country’s governance system.

Mr. Lifuka says there is also need for the public sector to be nuetral.

He added that once public institutions become independent from political interference, it will be easy for them to operate efficiently.

He observed that corruption had only affected the development of the country but that is has also proved to be expensive in public expenditure.
[ QFM ]