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Rupiah refutes siphoning public funds

Guest Editor
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President Banda's Aid D'camp Mr Mayoko helps the President put on a jacket before left for Turkey at Lusaka International airport.

President Rupiah Banda says his administration is not siphoning public funds from Government for the ruling MMD campaigns as alleged by the opposition.

And President Banda has urged Zambians to judge for themselves on who is a mature and upright leader to steer national development between him and opposition PF leader Michael Sata.

In addition, Mr Banda has denied allegations that he is attacking the catholic clergymen.

Speaking to journalists at the Lusaka International Airport, today,shortly before departure for the SADC summit in Windhoek, Namibia, President Banda categorically denied the opposition’s accusations that his administration was abusing public funds to fund ministers’ trips in all provinces for the ruling MMD party campaigns.

Mr. Banda affirmatively refused to be drawn into ‘cheap administration’ by the opposition saying this is because Government and the MMD party are two different entities operating independently.

He added that though 2011 was an election year for Zambia, his administration is going to ensure that development flourishes in all sectors of the economy.

He castigated Mr. Sata for suggesting that the K1 trillion loan meant for roads is meant to hoodwink the Zambians.

Mr. Banda advised the opposition leader that his Government working with other cooperating partners is a creative one with a vision and focus to steer development across the country and that funds meant for projects could be sourced way possible.

“ We have started building the roads and hospital and you cannot run a Government only in the budget you have to be creative and sit with other stakeholders to find cash and build projects.

” We are going to the polls we should remain focused well co-ordinated as we embark on these projects. It is not hoodwinking people as Mr. Sata thinks,” he said.

Mr. Sata accused President Banda of hoodwinking the Zambian electorate on the K1 trillion loan for roads and hospitals suggesting that there is no budget for that.

He challenged scribes in the country to verify their stories before publishing them and desist from getting half baked information.

“….Abuse of public funds… there is no way l can give cash and give it to the party because the party has got programs. l have never collected or given money to ministers and l can’t do that because there are programs of raising money and not in that manner.

” You as Journalists can go to Permanent Secretaries in these provinces or indeed any other authority to verify facts with valid documents because this is what is expected of you and your fellow Journalists in other countries do,” he said.

And President Banda has also denied that he is attacking the catholic clergymen.

Mr. Banda stated that catholic priests and bishops have got the fundamental right who to support or not maintaining that some are in good books with him and Government in particular.

“It is not true that l attack the catholic people but l can tell you that there are those who support us and not,” he said.

On his trip to Windhoek, Namibia where he has gone to attend a two-day Extra Ordinary Summit of the Southern Africa Development Community-SADC, President Banda said the region is concerned about events in Madagascar and Zimbabwe.

He assured that a lasting solution would be found as the Heads of State were meeting to discuss the matter and a report would come out on Zimbabwe.

“We have always been concerned about the peace in some in Madagascar and Zimbabwe but we shall discus on Madagascar we will be making a report on Zimbabwe as you know we recently had a summit in Livingstone where we agreed the report was coming…,” he said

President Banda who is Chairman of the SADC Organ on Defence and Security Cooperation expressed optimistic that the SADC region was moving close to the table for attaining peace that would bring about change in the affected countries.

Mr. Banda is tonight expected to brief the SADC Summit on the progress made in the implementation of the Global Political Agreement in Zimbabwe and the Peace Mediation Process in Madagascar.

The SADC Summit has been called to discuss issues pertaining to regional peace and security following the SADC Troika Organ Summit which Zambia hosted in March.

SADC Chairman and Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba was mandated to call for an Extra Ordinary Summit to discuss issues agreed at the Livingstone Troika Organ meeting.

The SADC Summit will discuss progress towards the implementation of a joint Free Trade Area among the African regional blocs that include COMESA and the East African Community.

President Banda is accompanied to Namibia by Foreign Affairs Minister Kabinga Pande, Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Felix Mutati and other senior government officials.

Mr. Banda was seen off at the Lusaka International Airport by Works and Supply Minister Gabriel Namulambe, Energy Minister Kenneth Konga, Secretary to Cabinet Dr. Joshua Kanganja, Defense Chiefs and senior Government officials.

[ ZANIS ]

Mbesuma To Know His Club Fate This Weekend

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Striker Collins Mbesuma will know his fate at Golden Arrows this weekend when the South African league season comes to a close.

According to Kickoff.com Golden Arrows boss Mato Madlala will make a decision at the end of their last game of the season on Saturday.

She said the future of coach Ernst Middendorp will also be made clear after the game against Orlando Pirates.

“The future of Middendorp and Mbesuma will only be discussed after our last game. We will release an official statement regarding whether they are staying or leaving after that,” Madlala told Kickoff.com.

Mbesuma joined Golden Arrows in January after a six month period in limbo.

He is 10th placed Golden Arrows’ top scorer with 10 goals in 20 matches.

Mbesuma is part of the Dario Bonetti’s 30-man team picked for Zambia’s 2012 Africa Cup Group C qualifier against Mozambique on June 4 at Nchanga Stadium in Chingola.

Small plane crash lands in Nkana East, Kitwe

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A lone pilot survived  after her one seater plane crashed in Nkana East of Kitwe.
Here, residents look at the mangled plane

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Government is behind attacks on Catholics – ZEC

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The Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) says it has become clear that attacks on the Catholic in the public media are co-ordinated and planned, and that the conclusion is that they are sponsored by the Government.

In a pastoral letter made available to QFM, to all Catholics in Zambia on the constant attacks directed at the Catholics in the public media, to be read in all Catholic churches on Ascension Sunday on 5th June, ZEC President says it a well known fact that the likes of Chanda Chimba III a Catholic himself would never on their own accord have the operational and financial ability to carry on the kind of attacks being waged against Catholics.

Bishop Zulu says whatever the case, this is not the way of winning the Catholic vote in an election year.

Bishop Zulu has also noted the growing but steady stream of individuals, journalists and questionable organisations that are ready to parade themselves before the public media vilifying innocent citizens and the Catholic Church, who are being given what he describes as puzzling and unfettered access to the public media.

He says they are allowed to despise, with such venomous passion and impunity, more than three million Catholics in Zambia, a third of the country’s entire population.

[pullquote]Bishop Zulu has also noted the growing but steady stream of individuals, journalists and questionable organisations that are ready to parade themselves before the public media vilifying innocent citizens and the Catholic Church, who are being given what he describes as puzzling and unfettered access to the public media.[/pullquote]

He questions how this can happen in a country where the Zambian people, as tax payers are supposed to be the owners of the public media.

Bishop Zulu who is also Bishop of Chipata observes that the gist of the attacks, clearly, is meant to discredit and cast aspersions against the leadership and general membership of the Catholic Church in Zambia.

He says in the process, this is meant to create despondency, division and confusion among Catholics,adding that whoever is behind these attacks is working on the principle of divide and rule trying to divide Catholics in Zambia.

He adds that when these attacks distort the Catholic Church’s moral doctrine on celibacy or homosexuality, there is cause for alarm.

Bishop Zulu has re-stated that the Catholic teaching does not promote homosexuality. He explains that the Catholic Church’s constant and firm teaching on homosexual acts is unequivocal, stating that homosexual acts are seriously wrong and sinful,adding that under no circumstances can homosexual acts be approved.

[pullquote]Bishop Zulu has re-stated that the Catholic teaching does not promote homosexuality. He explains that the Catholic Church’s constant and firm teaching on homosexual acts is unequivocal, stating that homosexual acts are seriously wrong and sinful,adding that under no circumstances can homosexual acts be approved.[/pullquote]

On the Catholic church engagement in politics, Bishop Zulu says the church is only motivated by its divine obligation to speak on behalf of the voiceless in the country, stating that they will not be intimidated, cowed into silence or be silenced on national issues that affect the poor.

He adds that the Executive Board of ZEC has since directed the Catholic Secretariat management to monitor the situation and if attacks continue,to consider taking legal action against those who are making a habit of defaming and vilifying the Catholic church including the media houses that enable them to do so.

Sata calls for arrest of Dora Siliya for allegedly distributing pornographic pictures

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Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata

Patriotic Front leader Micheal Sata has called for the arrest and prosecution of Education Minister Dora Siliya for allegedly distributing pornographic pictures during her recent campaign tour of Northern Province of two males kissing.

Mr Sata said that Police should also arrest the two men in the pictures Ms Siliya was distributing.

He has also maintained that he does not support homosexuality but that it in fact the cabinet of President Rupiah Banda which has Ministers who are homosexual who he did not name.

The PF leader added that some those Ministers are having marital problems in their homes because of the issue of homosexuality.

Mr Sata added that if the PF was cheap as the MMD is they would have gone ahead and named the people practicing homosexuality in the MMD Cabinet.

He was speaking on Hot FM’s the Hot Seat programme.

And Mr Sata has announced that the long awaited PF General conference is likely to be held in June.

He has since called on those that want to challenge him during the General conference to come forward and do so.

QFM

Beware of some Catholic clergy and the P.F- Mundia

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PF cadres line up along a red carpet for party leader Michael Sata

LUSAKA lawyer Christopher Mundia has warned the people of Western Province not to be hoodwinked by Catholic clergy and the PatrioticFront (PF) that the opposition would be an alternative government because it is a tribal party.

 

He also called upon law enforcement agencies to take appropriate action against people who are in the habit of insulting and ridiculing President Rupiah Banda because it was a crime under section 69 of the penal Code.

He said in a statement in Lusaka yesterday the Catholic clergy did no trepresent anyone as they had no families to worry about if there was a crisis in the country since they had no children.[pullquote]It is regrettable also that without any iota of truth the Head of State is being insulted, ridiculed and scandalised every day by characters who behave like graduates of mental asylums[/pullquote].

Mr Mundia said it was a betrayal of the people of the Western Province to see a person taking up a position in PF because some leaders in PF had an inherent hatred for the people of the province.

“To the people of Western Province, let me appeal to their conscience that PF cannot be an alternative to MMD because it is a tribal party,”he said.

Mr Mundia said it was totally unacceptable for some people to continually insult the president.

He reminded Zambians that the campaign being mounted against President Banda by the clergy, particularly the Catholic Church was also done against the late president Mwanawasa.

“It is not far fetched to believe that our beloved president died as a result of such campaign against him and the same people want to inflict the same damage on the current president who has done wonders in less than three years he has been in office,” he said.

It was totally unacceptable that the country was being turned into a den of hatred, ridicule and contempt for each other abandoning the moral fabric upon which people have existed for many years as one nation.

“It is regrettable also that without any iota of truth the Head of State is being insulted, ridiculed and scandalised every day by characters who behave like graduates of mental asylums.

Some clergy have also joined the band wagon of pseudo political quislings by portraying a picture that hell has broken loose in Zambia simplybecause the president in office is not someone from their province,”he said.

Mr Mundia said some clergy want their “kith and kin” to take over when infact they know that unless there is unity based on love all that the country had gained would be lost.

[Times of ZAmbia]

Let’s talk about Mbita Chitala…

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Mbita Chitala
Dr Mbita Chitala

By Daimone Siulapwa

 

IN the next few articles to come, I will break it down as to how our politicians are playing games with us, be it the defectors from MMD to PF or PF to MMD, including the so called Rebel MPs. On the expense of development, they have decided to play games moving from party to another just to secure a position of power for personal gain. Are these the kind of leaders we want? The choice is yours. We will be voting soon.

BEFORE the ruling Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) national convention, former party deputy national secretary Mbita Chitala seemingly saw nothing wrong with the ruling party.

Let us put it this way. Mbita Chitala was interested in the position of MMD national secretary, but unfortunately he did not get the backing that he wanted from President Rupiah, despite his pronouncements in a private tabloid that party organs across the country were clamouring for him to take over the position from Katele Kalumba.

The interpretation, at least going by the interest that Dr Chitala had shown in the position of national secretary, which would have made him the chief executive of the party, is that the man still believed in the MMD vision.

Had he won the position of national secretary, Dr Chitala would today have been appearing in the so-called government owned and State-controlled media not only defending the policies of President Banda and the MMD, but also attacking the opposition, particularly Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata, who is the main challenger in this year’s elections.

By the way, Dr Chitala was President Banda’s campaign manager in the 2008 presidential elections and went about his work to ensure that he trounces Mr Sata.
But matters have seemingly changed now.

Dr Chitala, who thinks he has so much influence in Mbala is on a campaign trail trashing RB and the MMD while heaping all sorts of praise on Mr Michael Sata.

Question to ask is at what point did Dr Chitala, who together with Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika are the two founder members of the MMD, come to realise that the PF was the best thing that can happen to Zambia.

Maybe, who is this same Mbita Chintundya Chitala other than the fact that the late Levy Mwanawasa fired him as Ambassador to Libya after failing to play by the rules of international diplomacy?

After spearheading the formation of the MMD, he was elected party deputy national secretary and appointed deputy minister of finance in Frederick Chiluba’s first government. He was later relieved of the post and expelled from the party in 1995.

Together with the late Dean Mung’omba and Chulu Kalima, they formed the Zambia Democratic Congress (ZADECO), which against the advice of other opposition parties unsuccessfully contested the 1996 elections. After that dismal failure, he left ZADECO and active politics only to resurface towards the 2001 elections.
But before that, and just after the formation of the MMD national interim committee, which had the likes of Arthur Wina, Vernon Mwaanga, Chiluba, Ephraim Chibwe, Levy Mwanawasa, Andrew Kashita, Aka and Keli Walubita in it, Mbita Chitala was left disappointed at the fact that he was left out.

With that, he wrote a letter to the chairman Arthur Wina in which he pleaded his case. Thereafter, Arthur Wina was left with no choice but to convince other members of the committee to co-opt Chitala as deputy national secretary.

When Chitala was appointed finance deputy minister, he became one of the biggest defenders of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), which we know left most of our citizens in dire straits.

Responding to two articles that appeared in the Sunday Times (October 30, 19 94) titled “SAP makes Rich Richer, Poor Poorer” by Josias Mbuzi and another by Nason Banda in the Times of Zambia (November 12, 1994) under the headline “Is SAP in the interest of the majority”, Chitala said “the two are some utopian critics of the government’s reform programme that continue to appear in our media”.

“A quick response to these articles is that they were arrant nonsense and the authors would be well-advised to go back to school and catch up with the recent work in development studies,” Chitala wrote in a response letter.

So, with the support of Chitala, under SAP, about 12 companies were wound up and liquidated, 13 handed back to the owners for almost nothing, 59 mostly run-down farms and companies were sold to non-indigenous Zambians, mostly Asians and Greeks while 51 companies, the very best and profitable of the parastatals, were sold to foreign interests. This last batch included Northern Breweries, Zambia Breweries, Zambia Sugar Company, Daily Produce Board, Mpongwe Development Company, Chilanga Cement, BP Zambia, ZAMEFA, ROP Ltd and Pamodzi Hotel among others. As for the nerve centre of Zambia, the mines, the story is well documented.

Later of course, Mbita was fired, for what he terms opposing corruption and drug dealing in government although it is widely believed that those who truly opposed these traits are Dean Mung’omba, Dr Boniface Kawimbe, Dr Matthias Mpande, Katele Kalumba and Aka.

In his book, Not Yet Democracy, Mbita Chitala accuses Michael Sata, Enock Kavindele, Sikota Wina and his wife Nakatindi as well as the late Kangwa Nsuluka of orchestrating his dismissal from the MMD.

When ZADECO lost the elections, and following the shooting of opposition leaders like Dr Kaunda and Roger Chongwe in Kabwe, Mbita Chitala announced his retirement from active politics on September 11, 1997.

A few years later, he rejoined the MMD after being convinced to do so by Michael Sata who argued that with the death of Ronald Penza, he had remained a lone voice from the Northern Province in the party.

But also, it seems the other motivation for rejoining the MMD was the opportunity to allow him sort out his financial positions. In his book, he admits that he suffered immensely including being denied to supply paper and other office equipment to the bank of Zambia and almost getting killed in Angola where he had gone to look for diamonds.

“While all this was happening, my personal economy was also going down. Bills of all manners were accumulating. I could not pay school fees for my children which forced me to re-locate them from private schools to government schools.

“This caused enormous street on them, but I explained my situation to them. My electricity and water bill was regularly disconnected as was my telephone. The rates of the council remained unpaid and I was a victim of harassment by bailiffs.

“At the same time, I had several court cases. My life was real hell, it was because of all these trials that finally, I made a decision to re-enter active party politics.

With respect to what party it was obvious that my former party, the MMD would be the only sanctuary,” he writes.
Clearly, Mbita Chitala has demonstrated that the decisions he makes in politics are driven more by the stomach than any principles. If his personal economy was doing well, he would not have re-joined the MMD.

With that, one would wonder whether the decision to support Michael Chilufya Sata for the Presidency in this year’s election, is driven by genuine reasons or its because he see’s an opportunity to be rewarded with a job which will eventually improve his personal economy.

Michael Sata should be careful with people like Mbita Chintundya Chitala.

MMD claims PF is using the slogan ‘Don’t Kubeba’ to promote homosexuality

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Dora Siliya greets MMD cardres before addressing first press briefing as MMD spokesperson in Lusaka

The MMD in Lusaka has uncovered a scam in which they claim the opposition PF is using the slogan ‘don’t kubeba’ to promote homosexuality.

MMD task force spokesperson Chiwele Maimisa says ‘don’t kubeba’ slogan is a message to homosexuals not to speak now but wait until PF leader Michael Sata comes into power.

Mr Maimisa says the calls for change means that once in power the PF will allow laws that support homosexuality.

He says the opposition party is desperate and is using youths most of whom are unaware of the true meaning behind the slogan.

Mr Maimisa has advised youths to refrain from being used as tools of violence.

And MMD Spokesperson Dora Siliya has cautioned Zambians against voting for opposition Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata because he allegedly betrayed freedom fighters during the liberation struggle.

Ms Siliya says Mr Sata allegedly acted as an informer to the colonial masters by exposing all schemes by freedom fighters among them Kenneth Kaunda and Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe.

She wonders why a politician who allegedly betrayed the cause of Zambia’s liberation struggle should now rise to aspire to lead the nation.

Addressing scores of people at Chitulika village market in Mpika, Ms Siliya said the PF leader’s fight for the Presidency is misplaced in the light of his questionable political background.

Ms Siliya also accused Mr Sata of having been among political leaders who opposed the provision of subsidised farmer inputs leading to the exploitative cost of fertiliser during his service in government.

At the same meeting MMD national Youth Chairperson, Moses Muteteka said former President Frederick Chiluba could not anoint Mr Sata to succeed him because he knew he lacked leadership qualities befitting a head of state.

Mr Muteteka who is also Local Government Deputy Minister said Mr Sata and the PF can not form government because the opposition party was born out of frustration after Dr Chiluba settled for late President Levy Mwanawasa as his successor.

ZNBC

RB to attend SADC Extra ordinary summit in Namibia

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President Rupiah Banda is tomorrow set to leave for a two-day extra-ordinary summit of the Southern Africa Development community ( SADC ) in Namibia.
President Banda, who is also the Chairman of the SADC organ on defense and security cooperation, is expected be among his fellow heads of states and government.

The summit is expected to discuss the progress works of the implementation of a joint Free Trade Areas ( FTAs ) among the African region blocs, which includes the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa COMESA and the East Africa Community ECA.

The SADC Summit will also discuss issues partnering to regional peace and security following the recent SADC Troika organ summit held in Zambia in March this year.

Host President of Namibia, Hifikepunye Pohamba, was mandated to call for an extra –ordinary summit to discus issues that were agreed upon at the Livingstone Troika organ meeting.

This is contained in a statement made available to ZANIS by the special assistant to the President for press and Public Relations Dickson Jere in Lusaka today.

Accompanying President Banda will be Foreign Affairs minister Kabinga Pande , Commerce and Trade Minister Felix Mutati and other senior government officials.
President Banda and his delegation will return to Zambia after completing the scheduled business in Namibia.

ZANIS

Govt introduces community sentencing to reduce prison congestion

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Government has welcomed the introduction of community service as a non- custodial sentence which it sees will help decongest prisons in the country.

And Zambia Law Development Commission Deputy Director Joyce Shezongo said that few people were faced with community service sentencing though the Community Service Sentencing was enacted in 2000.

Eastern Province Permanent Secretary Eularia Zulu said government has been concerned for a long time about the congestion in prisons.

Ms Zulu said that the 1996 special report on prisons and condition of detention Zambia prisons, the State was drawn to the lapses in the criminal justice system,the treatment and condition of inmates.

She was speaking in a speech read on her behalf by Chipata District Commissioner Moses Nyirenda at New Crystal Springs workshop organized by Zambia Law Development Commission in Chipata today.

She stated that it was for this reason that government was committed to meeting the United Nations (UN) minimum rules for non-custodial measures.

Ms Zulu said that having studied the report, it led to the discussion on non-custodial measures the enactment of the Penal Code and prison act of 2000 providing for non-custodial act

The Permanent Secretary said that government through the Ministry of Home Affairs which had the portfolio to manage prisons was anxious to see the implementation of community service sentencing come to pass.

And Zambia Law Development Commission Deputy Director Joyce Shezongo said that few people were faced with community service sentencing though the Community Service Sentencing was enacted in 2000.

Ms Shezongo said that there was need to have increased appreciation of community service sentencing as an alternative to custodial sentencing.

She also said that the Zambia Law Development Commission would facilitate recommendations for the implementation of the Law on community service sentencing.

The two day workshop was comprised of participants from the Zambia Police, Zambia Prisons, Ministry of Justice, Social ware fare and other stake holders.

ZANIS

Rupiah commissions Copperbelt road rehabilitation works

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President Banda

President Rupiah Banda has commissioned rehabilitation of works on selected urban roads on the Copperbelt which will gobble one trillion Kwacha ( K 1 trillion)

President Banda said the commissioning of the road works programme is another massive programme that his government has embarked on in seven districts on the copperbelt.

The president was speaking in Kitwe today when he officially commissioned the rehabilitation works on selected roads on the copperbelt in Kwacha constituency at Mitanto high school grounds.

The urban road rehabilitation program is targeting approximately 500 kilometers of both tarmac and gravel roads and is estimated to cost about K1 trillion.

” This programme is on because of the serious state of disrepair that these roads have been in for many years,’ the President said.

President Banda said urban roads have been depreciated over time and because of this towns are dusty and look old and dilapidated.

Government through the RDA has embarked on major rehabilitation and up grading of main trunk roads countrywide while urban roads have so far not received the same urgent attention due to limited funding.

The President expressed his happiness that at long last government has also secured funding to rehabilitate selected roads in Lusaka , Kafue, Kapiri Mposhi, Kabwe Districts.

The seven towns towns on the Copperbelt targeted include Ndola, Kitwe, Mufulira, Chingola, Kalulushi, and Chililambobwe, respectively.According to President Banda, this programme will alleviate hardships road users face due to the poor state of the roads.

” The rehabilitation of the roads will facilitate the easy movement of the people goods and services, it will also significantly reduce vehicle maintenance costs and reduce on travel time, ” the president noted.

President Banda said the selection of roads to be worked on was mainly based on factors such as bus routes centers for social amenities like markets hospitals police station and residential areas.

President Banda also said the implementation of the programme will be coordinated by RDA the national road fund agency the road transport and safety agency the lo9cal authorities and the rural road unit under the ministry of works and supply.

He said the proposed urban roads are expected to complement the works on the road development agency 2011 annual work plan and the Japanese international development agency JICA programme on the copperbelt.

He said government has also mobilized funds to supplement the RDA 2011 annual wok plan budget were a provision for food for work activities will be done.

The president said government will provide maize grain from the 2.6 billion tonnes bumper harvest to pay people who will volunteer to participate in working on the roads as this will give work opportunities to people living in the communities where roads are located.

Mr Banda stressed contractors to carry out works on paved roads in various towns have already mobilized to commence works soon.

” I expect that all contractors and consultants who have been awarded these contracts will perform according to specific standards quality and timeliness,” he added

President Banda also commended Mopani Copper Mines for making available K50 billion for the rehabilitation of Chibuluma and Sabina Mufulira roads while government in its road annual work plan for 2011 has provided K20 billion for the maintenance of the same road.

He said government intends to upgrade the main trunk roads including urban and feeder roads country wide.

Meanwhile well wishers in Kitwe have donated 50 bicycles to the ruling MMD party. This was done during a commssioning of the rehabilitaion work on urban raods in the district..

And works and supply minster Gabriel Namulambe said 32.6 kilometers of urban roads will be tarred in kitwe and on an average of 30 kilomters in all district on the copperbelt will be done.

Mr. Namulambe said the next 14 days president Banda will flag off the rehabilitation of the Kalulushi Lufwanyama road. he said this is because government would want to see that roads are passible

ZANIS

Government happy with more Zambians driving vehicles

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Transport minister Geoffrey Lungwangwa
Transport minister Geoffrey Lungwangwa

Communications and Transport Minister Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa says the increased number of motor vehicles in Zambia is a positive indicator that the country’s economy is growing.

Professor Lungwangwa said this development is due to government’s effective implementation of various social-economic policies.

He said the country could now boast of about half a million vehicles on its streets, indicating that the economy was growing and citizens were now in a position to afford buying vehicles of their choice.

The Minister said this in Livingstone recently when he met civil servants and heads of government departments to get first hand information on their concerns and challenges.

Professor Lungwangwa said Zambia was set to surpass other countries on the continent in terms of development due to its impressive growth rate.

He said the nation’s vision of turning into a middle income country by the year 2030 was imminent despite some critics claiming that government had not achieved any tangible results in terms of implementing developmental programs.

Professor Lungwangwa urged civil servants to continue implementing government’s developmental programs if the country was to sustain and subsequently increase its rate of economic development.

ZANIS

Updated: Zanaco Beat Zesco in “Zed” Derby

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Zanaco came from behind to beat their rivals Zesco United in the “Zed” derby this afternoon at Sunset Stadium in Lusaka to move into second place.

Zanaco beat Zesco 2-1 in their rescheduled Week 2 game to move from 5th to the number 2 spot displacing Red Arrows.

Zesco took the lead in the 45th minute through midfielder Arthur Kasoloki to give the defending Faz Super Division champions 1-0 lead into the break.

However, Zanaco equalized four minutes before the hour-mark through defender Mwelwa Sakala.

Striker Moses Phiri scored his fourth goal of the season to seal the three points in the 63rd minute.

Zanaco are now on 15 points, four points less than leaders Nakambala Leopards, ahead of their Week 9 game against Konkola Blades at the same venue this Saturday.

[standings league_id=18 template=extend logo=false]

Post Newspaper losses bid to cross examine RB

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President Banda

The Post Newspaper has again lost its bid to stay contempt proceedings, instituted when the paper defied a court order not to publish libelous articles on President Rupiah Banda during the 2008 Presidential by-elections.

Supreme Court Judge Gregory Phiri has ruled that the application to stay proceedings filed by the Post Newspaper lacks merit.

Judge Phiri has dismissed with costs the application by the Post Newspaper to stay the proceedings, pending the out-come of the appeal to compel President Banda to personally appear in court for cross-examination.

He stated that the contempt matter can only be halted if the High Court rescinds its leave issued to effect the proceedings.

The Post Newspapers applied to stay the contempt proceedings after the High Court turned down its demands to cross-examine President Rupiah Banda.

The court ruled that it is disrespectful to parade the incumbent Republican President in court for cross-examination.

ZNBC

ZACA hails govt for successive bumper harvest

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Last year's Maize from the bumper harvest in Kapiri Mposhi
Last year's Maize from the bumper harvest in Kapiri Mposhi

The Zambia Consumer Association (ZACA) has praised government for initiating sound agricultural policies that have seen the country record a successive bumper harvest.

ZACA Assistant Executive Director Samuel Simutunda says the successive bumper harvest is testimony enough of government’s good agriculture policy.

Mr Simutunda told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that his association is impressed with government’s pronouncement of a second but historic bumper harvest.

The ZACA Assistant Executive Director has since urged government to put in place measures to ensure no maize goes to waste.

“The big challenge now lies with government to provide enough storage space to safeguard the produce from going to waste. If we let the maize go to waste, we’ll be eroding the efforts small scale farmers have put in place to ensure we have a bumper harvest yet again”, he said.

He also appealed to government to improve the road infrastructure especially in rural areas for easy transportation of the maize to the markets.

And the ZACA Executive Director says there is need for government to come up with strategies that will ensure that consumers benefit from the bumper harvests that the country has been recording.

He said consumers have not really benefited from the subsidized maize that government is selling to millers because the millers have failed to respond favourably to government efforts to ensure consumers benefit from the country’s successes in the agriculture sector.

And Farmers and stakeholders in the agricultural sector are impressed that the country is headed for another record bumper harvest.

The farmers are confident that with government’s continued support, it is possible for the country to sustain the same path.

The Zambia National Farmers Union- ZNFU- says the bumper harvest shows that with government support farmers can respond positively in turning the country into the bread basket of the region.

ZNFU president Jervis Zimba has also congratulated farmers across the country for the bumper harvest which he says is a positive achievement.

He has also indicated that farmers expect smooth marketing arrangements following government’s assurance that it will buy off the entire crop across the country.

And the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection-JCTR says Mealie meal prices on the local market are expected to reduce following the three point two million metric tones of maize.

JCTR Social Conditions Programs Manager Miniva Chibuye says the surplus maize should steer millers to reduce the price of mealie meal.

Ms Chibuye has praised farmers in the country for recording another bumper harvest.

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