Kafulafuta Member of Parliament George Mpombo has said the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) government will lose this year’s election in a similar way that the former UNIP government failed.

Mr. Mpombo says Zambians should never make a mistake of voting for the MMD back into government.

He says if president Banda is given the instruments of power, injustice in the country will rise to higher levels.

The MP,however, stated that the MMD has no chance of winning the elections because of president Banda’s leadership.

Mr. Mpombo added that president Rupiah Banda has no capacity to lead Zambia anymore because of his shoddy deals he has been involved in.

He added that Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata will make a better president than the current government of MMD.

And Mr. Mpombo has stated that it is quite unfortunate that the MMD government has allowed tribal appointments to take root.

He says that it is a pity that most appointments by the president are being based on tribal relationships with president Banda.
[ QFM ]

Patriotic Front Leader Michael Sata has sued Information Minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha for libel and slander.

Mr. Sata is claiming damages for slander over the remarks Lieutenant General Shikapwasha allegedly made that Mr. Sata supports homosexuality.

In his statement of claim filed in the Lusaka high court Mr. Sata alleges that Lieutenant General Shikapwasha who is Keembe MP warned the residents against voting for Mr. Sata saying if they elected him into office he will change the laws that will see marriages breaking up.

The PF leader claims the remarks were aired on ZNBC’s main evening news of April 21 2011.

He is also seeking an injunction restraining Lieutenant General Shikapwasha from repeating the said slanderous statements and that the court should award him costs.

Mr. Sata claimed that the said statement was false and malicious as the words in their natural and ordinary meaning were understood to mean that he was a homosexual and has thereby been guilty of the criminal offences on indecent practices.

He says the words were further understood to mean that should Mr. Sata win the presidency of this country, he would compel all persons to become either homosexuals or lesbians.

Mr. Sata further states that the said words were calculated to disparage and diminish his political ambitions of ascending to the presidency of this country.

MUVITV

An eight (8) year old minor of Choma yesterday told the Choma Magistrate Court how her Germany stepfather Bernd Hieke allegedly sexually defiled her in their family house.

The minor, who is a grade three (3) pupil at a named local private School in Choma, told the court presided by magistrate Jackob Mbolele how Hieke used to sneak into her bedroom to have sex with her.

She told the court that her stepfather had on two occasions allegedly sexually abused her in their home during which time the accused threatened the minor not to tell her mother.
The minor told the packed courtroom that Heike had promised to continue buying her presents which the mother never provided because he loved her.

The 60 year old German step father, of House number 251 Mochipapa road in Choma is facing defilement charges contrary to section 128 sub section one of the penal code chapter 87 of Laws of Zambia.
Hieke who is currently serving as a financial controller at Southern Water and Sewerage Company (SAWSCO) in Choma is alleged to have defiled a minor aged 8 years.

According to particulars of offence, Bernd Hieke on the dates unknown but between 2010 and 22nd February 2011 at Choma district in the Southern Province in the Republic of Zambia had carnal knowledge of a minor under the age of 16 years.

Mr. Heike is being represented by defence lawyer Milner Katolo from Milner Katolo and Associates of Lusaka.

And testifying in the same case, the minor’s mother, Sonya Heike 32, of house number 251 Mochipapa road in Choma told the court that she only became aware that her daughter was sexually abused by her husband through a stench which was coming from her daughter private parts.

The trial Magistrate Jacob Mbolela adjourned the matter to 11th May,2011 for continuation of trial.
[ ZANIS ]

Expelled former Movement for Multiparty Democracy MMD chairman for elections, Mike Mulongoti has charged that the MMD should face reality and accept the opinion poll released yesterday by the Centre for Policy Dialogue favouring Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata ahead of this year’s elections.

Mr. Mulongoti says the MMD should accept the poll predictions because the political environment in the country does not favor them.

He states that the MMD should be realistic and note that the opinion poll is an indicator of what the elections might bring forth.

He adds that it is not enough for the MMD to dismiss the opinion poll results but should instead work on improving the ratings between now and the elections date.

Mr Mulongoti adds that the opinion poll has created an opportunity to improve on the current standing of the party.

Mr. Mulongoti adds that rushing into rejecting the poll prediction will not solve the MMD’s diminishing support countrywide.

And the opposition United Liberal Party has charged that it is too early to predict who is favored to win this year elections.

Commenting on the opinion poll results released by the Center for Policy Dialogue which has favoured Patriotic Front president Michael Sata, ULP president Sakwiba Sikota says the prediction has come a bit too early.

Mr. Sikota says the important opinion poll is the one that will be released on the day of elections.

In an interview with QFM, MR Sikota states that Zambia%u2019s election date is far from being known, and that conducting an opinion poll now cannot determine the political outcome.

He adds that it will not be wise to predict the winner of the elections now, when the mood for the elections has not yet gotten in top gear.

Patriotic Front president Michael Sata is the most preferred candidate to win the forthcoming electionbs according to the opinion poll results released by the Center for Policy Dialogue yesterday.

CPD executive director Neo Simutanyi announced in Lusaka that if the elections were held today, PF president Michael Sata would get overall 31 percent, closely followed by MMD’s Rupiah Banda with 28 percent, with the UPND’s Hakainde Hichilema getting 12 percent.

QFM

Some members of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia Chapter have demanded for immediate disciplinary action against executive director Sipho Kapumba following the fraudulent awarding of Get Involved Zambia Executive Director Frank Bwalya during the World Press Freedom Day commemoration.

The members, who spoke through long-serving member Emmanuel Mwamba, said the award was just among the many wrong decisions that were being made by the Executive Director.

He said the MISA board should act immediately in the interest of the members who were not involved in the selection of Fr Bwalya to receive the award.

Mr. Mwamba said the members were ready to challenge the board should it ignore their demands to discipline Mr. Kapumba.

He said the award was meant to frustrate the Government during the WPFD celebrations ceremony instead of promoting unity and celebrating in harmony.

He also cited Mr Kapumba’s recent decision to award a contract for presenting of the “Face-the-media” programme on Radio Phoenix without following tender procedure as one of the matters that should be addressed.

Mr. Mwamba said the members were disappointed that Mr. Kapumba single-sourced a person instead of allowing the members and others to bid for the job.

He said MISA faced audit queries last year because of a K75-million deal that led to the removal of the Henry Kabwe-led executive committee from office but that malpractices had continued.

Mr. Mwamba said the members were not happy and had started consultations over the next course of action should the board fail to fire Mr Kapumba.

MISA Zambia on Monday awarded Fr Bwalya with the Freedom of Expression award that did not get the approval of the World Press Freedom Day national organising committee and the criterion was decided by Mission Press director Fr Miha Drevensek.

The trophy was given by Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Ronnie Shikapwasha without a warning.

Fr Bwalya walked to the podium to receive the award with a red card, a symbol that he uses to fight the Government through his campaign for a change of government.

But Mr Mwamba said there should be decency in the conduct of public affairs and that MISA Zambia was a professional institution that should not be used to settle political scores against perceived enemies.

Gen Shikapwasha said on Wednesday that he decided to go ahead and present the award to avoid disrupting the spirit of the celebrations but objected to the award being given to Fr Bwalya who he said was a politician working closely with the Patriotic Front (PF) and not a media practitioner

When contacted, MISA Zambia chairperson Daniel Sikazwe said he would not react to the matter but urged the members to raise the issue officially with the board of directors while Mr. Kapumba declined to comment.
[ Times of Zambia ]

Some students at Evelyn Hone College in Lusaka have resolved to support President Rupiah Banda in this year’s elections, saying he is the only credible presidential candidate with a heart for the Zambian youth.

The students, who have since formed a committee dubbed ‘Evelyn Hone Students 4 RB’, have also congratulated the MMD convention for electing Local Government and Housing Deputy Minister Moses Muteteka as the party’s national youth chairperson.

Committee vice-chairperson Mwiinga Chidamba said in a statement in Lusaka yesterday that after wide consultations and an assessment of the various leaders aspiring for the Republican presidency, the students had resolved to support Mr Banda.

“We have been analysing the various leaders that are offering themselves for leadership this year and we have noted that we have three front runners, these being President Banda, Mr Hakainde Hichilema of the UPND (United Party for National Development) and Mr Michael Sata of the Patriotic Front.

“After a careful assessment, we have decided that we should support President Banda because of the tangible developments that the Government is undertaking. It is not in dispute that the economy is growing and we are on the right track,” he said.

Mr. Chidamba said by attracting massive foreign direct investment into the country, the Government was creating job opportunities for youths and Zambians in general.

He said Zambia was safer under the leadership of President Banda.

“As youths ourselves and students we want a future that is secured and we are seeing what this Government is doing in this area.

“Our parents that had lost employment in the mines, for example in Luanshya, now have their jobs back,” he said.

Mr. Chidamba said Mr. Hichilema should consider working with President Banda and the MMD ahead of this year’s elections.

“As of Mr Sata we do not think he best represents the interests of the youth and the country. From what we know, we do not think that he is best suited to lead this country,” he said.
[ Times of Zambia ]