Former works and supply minister and MMD chairperson for elections Mike Mulongoti says he will continue to actively participate in politics despite his formal expulsion from the Ruling MMD at the party’s ongoing convention in Kabwe.

Mr. Mulongoti says he will continue to push his democratic agenda now that he is free from the shackles of the MMD.

Mr. Mulongoti has told QFM news that people who are suppressing democracy within the MMD will be exposed one day.

He adds that the MMD decision to scrap off the position of vice president is a sham because some people in the MMD are trying to steal positions stressing that there can never be honor among thieves.

Meanwhile MMD’s Nason Msoni says the freezing of the position of Party vice presidency was expected because the behavior exhibited by some party officials prior to the convention was an indicate that president Banda did not want to be challenged.

Mr. Msoni has told QFM news that the whole process has been undemocratic and that the party members have been deprived of an opportunity to freely elect leaders.

He adds that the MMD is headed for its demise because of bad leadership.

Mr. Msoni says the scrapping off of the position of vice president demonstrates lack of character and confidence in the people heading the party.

Mr. Msoni was one of the people that hard shown interest in challenging president Banda for the Position of party president but later withdrew after allegedly receiving threats from some MMD top officials.

QFM

Two police officers accused of receiving a bribe amounting to K32 million yesterday appeared for mention in the Lusaka’s magistrates’ court.

Before magistrate Lameck Ng’ambi was Mabvuto Ng’uni and Evaristo Chisanza, both 35 and chief inspectors who are accused of receiving a bribe from a Zambian of Asian origin, Ahmed Bharuchi, amounting to K32 million.

The duo is alleged to have engaged in corrupt practices by public officers contrary to sections 15 (1) and 40 of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Act.

It is alleged that on April 2 this year, Ng’uni and Chisanza, by virtue of being public officers, received K32 million from Bharuchi as an inducement for them to discontinue investigations against the latter for an alleged offence of fraudulently dealing in a motor vehicle, a matter that was under the Zambia Police Service.

The officers are scheduled to appear in court on April 31, 2011 for mention and possible plea.

The two officers are being represented by Milner Katolo and Frank Tembo.
In another case, the Lusaka magistrates” court has sentenced three Kabulonga Boys Secondary School pupils to 12 months imprisonment to be served at a reformatory school for the juveniles after convicting them of engaging in an indecent act.

Five Kabulonga Boys Secondary School pupils between November 2009 and June 2010 were accused of having committed one count of indecent practice between persons of the same sex.

The boys allegedly coerced a fellow 15-year-old pupil to suck their private parts before subjecting him to anal sex. Two were acquitted.
The trio is aged between 16 and 18 years.

Lusaka magistrate Mwaka Mikalile said the offence committed by the three was serious, shameful and unnatural and should be condemned.
She said all the three juveniles and the victim needed counseling.

Ms Mikalile said the juveniles should undergo 12 months intensive counseling at a reformatory and further counseling at the Young Men’s Christian Association.

She said there was need for the juveniles to be taught what was right and what was wrong for them to grow up as law-abiding citizens.

A social welfare officer, Sandra Ndhlovu Muhango had submitted to the court that the juveniles were remorseful of their conduct and asked for lenience from the court.

[ Times of Zambia ]

FORMER Health deputy minister Solomon Musonda said yesterday that he feared for his life when a group of suspected Patriotic Front (PF) members blocked a road with branches and threatened to kill him.

And Kabwe High Court Judge Mugeni Mulenga has set May 31 as judgment date in the case in which Musonda, aged 34, was found with a case to answer for causing bodily harm with intent to maim, disfigure or disable a PF cadre, Jackson Musaka on June 1 last year in Serenje District.

Musonda, who is Chitambo member of Parliament (MP), told the court in his defence that he panicked at the time of the shooting because the atmosphere was tense.

“My lady, I feared for my life when a group of suspected PF cadres blocked the road with branches. I was in panic because of the atmosphere which was tense and some things which were happening. I was driven by extreme fear at the time of the shooting incident,” he said.

He, however, said he was not sure which bullet shot and injured Musaka that day and he had nothing against the victim.

“Up to now I don’t know how Musaka was shot and injured because I did not shoot him. Everyone has attributed that it might be my gun but what if someone had a gun because at the time it was dark,’’ he said.

He said while he agreed to having fired two gun shots, he wondered why the court was told that only one cartridge was picked from the scene and wondered what happened to the other one.

Musonda during cross-examination by State prosecutor Benson Mpalo told the court that on the fateful day he had travelled to Serenje to hold meetings over various development programmes.

He said he got a licence for the firearm for the purpose of protection and he did not notify the police over his meetings that were to be held in a classroom as they were not political.

He disputed the evidence given to the court by the ballistic expert that the empty cartridge found at the scene of incident was discharged from his firearm.

The court further set April 13, 2011 as day for the defence lawyers led by State Counsel Sunday Nkonde to submit their defence to the court.

Meanwhile, the Ndola High Court yesterday ruled that the case in which Finance Bank Zambia Limited shareholders had sued the Bank of Zambia be stayed pending an appeal to the Supreme Court by the shareholders over preliminary issues raised before the court.

Judge Munalula Lisimba made the ruling after lawyers for the shareholders, Stephen Malama of Jacques and Partners and John Sangwa told the court that they wanted to appeal the court’s decision.

The shareholders who have sued the Bank of Zambia as first respondent and First Rand Limited as second respondent are Finsbury Investment Limited, Clarkwell Limited, Job Albert Samuel, Chewe Puta, an administrator of the estates of Pat Puta, and Patrick Chamunda.

The attorney general is appearing as an intervener in the case.
The shareholders have sued the Bank of Zambia and First Rand Limited to prevent them from interfering with or dealing in any manner with their shares in Finance Bank Zambia Limited and to stop the respondents from selling the bank, whether as a going concern or its assets.

Attorney General Abyudi Shonga made an observation as a matter of providing for a smooth trial of the case that First Rand Limited had been conspicuously absent from the proceedings in court.

But the shareholders’ lawyers replied that First Rand Limited was free to make its own representation before the court.

The court ruled that the petitioners either serve First Rand Limited with the proceedings or have it removed on grounds of being wrongly joined to the proceedings.

But the lawyers for the shareholders applied for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court to determine whether the lower court had the jurisdiction to give the shareholders such options.

Hearing of the matter was stayed pending the appeal to the Supreme Court.
[ Times of Zambia ]

The MMD second extra-ordinary national convention yesterday expelled former Works and Supply minister Mike Mulongoti, former Defence minister George Mpombo, former Finance minister Ng’andu Magande and Katuba Member of Parliament Jonas Shakafuswa.

In the national secretary’s report, then deputy national secretary Chembe Nyangu proposed that Mr Mpombo, Mr Shakafuswa, Mr Magande, Mr Mulongoti, and a ward councillor in Kafulafuta David Kalutwa alongside Peter Kapamba, a ward councillor in Solwezi, be expelled.

The new constitution gave powers to the NEC to expel any indisciplined member without waiting for the national convention to seek endorsement.

Former national treasurer Suresh Desai also told the convention that the MMD was slowly moving away from the heavy indebtedness following strict rules that it had applied to stop abuse of resources by a few people as the case was previously.

Mr Desai said the party hoped to liquidate the remaining K3.5 billion debt within the next one year.

The financial report was adopted by the convention after it was proposed by Lusaka provincial vice-chairperson Charles Mumena and seconded by Sinoya Mwale, who is MMD Chipata District chairperson.

Rufunsa MP Kenneth Chipungu, who is Sports Minister, proposed the expulsions and the convention seconded by acclamation.
[ Times of Zambia ]

The Oasis Forum has demanded for the immediate resignation of Vice President George Kunda for misleading the nation on the constitution making process.

The Oasis Forum, which consists of five organizations, has resolved that President Rupiah Banda should fire Mr. Kunda by powers vested in him as president.

Non-Governmental Organisation Coordinating Council NGOCC Board Chairperson Beatrice Grillo said this during a media briefing in Lusaka this morning that the Oasis forum has lamented the lack of political will on the part of the president, the Attorney General and political parties in promoting a democratic dispensation through the constitution making process.

Ms. Grillo added that the oasis forum believes that the figure of 83 billion kwacha that was announced to have been spent during the process is grossly understated as the original budget was 135 billion kwacha.

She said that the nation will know the correct amount of money that was spent during the NCC deliberations once internal audits in the whole process are completed.

The Oasis forum has further demanded that government unconditionally apologize to the Zambian people for the misapplication of resources on a failed process.

It has further observed that it is possible for the country to hold its elections under a new constitution if there is political will from government.

The Oasis forum further said that there is need to urgently constitute a lean technical committee of experts to validate the Mung’omba draft constitution and report.

At the same briefing, the oasis forum announced the re-launch of the green ribbon campaign for the constitutional reform process.

[pullquote]General Shikapwasha said that civil society organisations demanding a new constitution before the general elections have six months to convince UPND and PF members of parliament to support the NCC draft constitution.[/pullquote]

The five members of the Oasis Forum include the Non-Governmental Organisation Coordinating Council, the Council of Churches in Zambia, the Law Association of Zambia, the Zambia Episcopal Conference and the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia.

However, Government has said that it was not possible to have a new constitution before this year’s general elections.

Chief Government Spokesperson, Ronnie Shikapwasha said that the draft constitution which failed to pass through parliament can only be brought back after six months.

Lieutenant General Shikapwasha who is also Information Minister said that it is also unfair to call for the resignation of Vice President George Kunda who is also Justice Minister over the failure by parliament to enact a constitution.

General Shikapwasha said that Mr. Kunda did his best as Justice Minister to bring the national draft constitution into parliament.

General Shikapwasha said that civil society organisations demanding a new constitution before the general elections have six months to convince UPND and PF members of parliament to support the NCC draft constitution.

QFM

A 72-year-old woman has died after a man torched the house of his in-laws in an attempt to kill his estranged wife and three children.

Six other people, including three children, managed to escape unhurt from the burning grass thatched house.

The 35-year-old man identified as Phenias Bwalya Mwele later committed suicide after setting the house ablaze.

The incident happened over the weekend in Mtima Village in Chief Chimese’s area of Mansa District.

Mable Mwenda who is the sister to the deceased, and Stanley Mwele the elder brother to the late Phenias both confirmed the tragic incident.

Ms Mwenda named her deceased sister as Emily Chibale.

Narrating the incident, Ms Mwenda said she and her husband saw a bright light in one of the rooms to their grass thatched house.

She said when they woke up to investigate the glowing light they discovered that the roof of the house was on fire.

She said when they tried to open the door to the house they failed to do so as it appears someone had tied it from outside.

She said they later woke up their three grandchildren and managed to get them out of the house through a small window.

Ms Mwenda said she, her husband and their daughter who was Phenias’ wife also managed to escape from the gutted house through the small window.

However, she narrated her deceased sister got stuck in the small window due to her big body size and was engulfed by the fire as they watched helplessly.

Ms Mwenda said her son-in-law Phenias Mwele had left a note in which he indicated that he was going to burn their house because his wife, who is her daughter, had refused to reconcile with him.

According to Ms Mwenda, her daughter Florence had separated from the husband Phenias due to physical abuse.

She said her son-in-law had visited them to try and reconcile with Florence who refused.

She said Phenias then threatened to deal with his wife once and for all.

Phenias’s brother Stanley Mwele also confirmed finding the letter left by his late young brother in which he notified them about his intentions.

He said his young brother had differences with his wife but he did not know Phenias had any intention to commit arson and later kill himself.

Mr. Mwele said that Phenias took vegetables from his garden and cycled into town to supply them to marketeers.

In the evening Phenias is said to have phoned his cousin to inform him that he had set the house of his in-laws on fire.

Mr. Mwele said Phenias also informed his cousin that he was also going to commit suicide because the police were now after him.

He said Phenias was found dead in his aunt’s house after taking suspected poison.

[ZNBC]