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Expelled former MMD chairman for elections Mike Mulongoti
Expelled former MMD chairman for elections Mike Mulongoti has charged that the ruling party made a mistake in welcoming members from other political parties without scrutinizing them.
Mr. Mulongoti’s statement will be seen as a direct reference to Republican president Rupiah Banda, who is a former member of the former ruling party UNIP.
He said that some members of the MMD who joined from other political parties have brought dictatorial tendencies in the ruling MMD.
The former works and supply Minister said that members from other parties in the ruling MMD still carry dictatorial arrangement, instead of democracy.
He said that it is a pity that such members are not questioned on their loyalty to the ideals of the MMD.
He says as can be seen in the MMD, democracy has sunk, were leaders are chosen to appoint other than being subjected to democratic elections.
Mr. Mulongoti adds that he feels deeply hurt on the happenings in the MMD, stressing that the vision of the party has been made blur.
And Mr. Mulongoti has stated that he will soon announce the political party he will support ahead of the elections.
Mr. Mulongoti says has been engaged in discussions with certain political parties, who he has described as having excellent manifestos.
He adds that he will not judge individuals but what they can do for the Zambia, in furthering development in the country.
Mr. Mulongoti was speaking on a live programme on UNZA radio this morning monitored by QFM.
The Patriotic Front (PF) is reported to be ferrying cadres from the Copperbelt and Lusaka to Western Province ahead of this Saturday’s Kuomboka traditional ceremony to create an impression that the opposition party has made inroads in the area.A source from within the PF central committee told the Times in Lusaka yesterday that Mr Sata and the party’s national chairperson Inonge Wina wanted to show at all costs that the PF was popular in Western Province when in fact not.The source said Ms Wina was behind the ploy to show that the MMD was losing ground in the province.“Ms Wina has been camping in Mongu for the past one week trying to convince people that they should ditch the MMD and support the PF.
“But because of the resistance from the people, she has now opted to ferry our members from the Copperbelt and Lusaka.“The idea is to position people during the Kuomboka who will be flashing PF symbols against the guest of honor and send an impression that the party is strong in the province,” the source said.
According to the source, Ms Wina had been in Mongu for the past one week with a reporter from a daily tabloid who had been writing stories against the MMD Government and President Rupiah Banda.The PF, through its propaganda publication, was desperately trying to incite the people of Western Province using the events in the province on January 14 this year over the Barotseland Agreement.The source said Mr Sata and Ms Wina had been insisting that cadres should be ferried from the Copperbelt and Lusaka despite opposition from other party members.Mr Sata is also said to have told a meeting for senior party officials that PF members in public transport business should volunteer their buses for the operation.
But MMD Western Province chairperson, Simasiku Namakando said no amount of propaganda or tactics would sway the people of the province to support Mr Sata because they know that the opposition leader hates the people from the area.He said yesterday that Western Province remained a stronghold for the MMD because of the various development projects that the Government was undertaking in the area.
“The MMD is very popular here in Western Province. The insinuations that PF is making inroads are misplaced because the PF is non-existent here. No Westerner in their right frame of mind can support Mr Sata.“Memories of the people here are still very fresh, we still remember how Mr Sata told the people of Malole in Northern Province that they should not vote for the late Emmanuel Kasonde because he was selling the Bembas to the Lozis just because the National Party was then led by a Westerner,” Mr Namakando said.Mr Namakando said the people of the province were also aware of how the PF members of Parliament opposed the allocation of resources for the construction of the Mongu-Kalobo Road.When contacted for comment, Mr Sata cut the call immediately after the reporter introduced the subject to him.
First Republican President Kenneth Kaunda says Tourism has the greatest potential to address poverty.
Dr Kaunda says unlike mining, the tourism industry impacts directly on poverty reduction in rural communities by providing job opportunities.
The former President said this at the re-opening of the Chichele Presidential lodge in Mfuwe on Wednesday.
He urged government, tourism board and traditional leaders to support sustainable conservation of wildlife by involving local people in tourism activities.
Dr Kaunda said Sanctuary Retreats, the new owner of Chichele have the capacity to promote Zambian tourism through its global tourism network.
And Tourism Deputy Minister Vera Tembo said government is determined to promote Zambia as a major tourist destination.
Meanwhile, Eastern Province Minister, Isaac Banda said government has invested millions of dollars in tourism by constructing roads and airports.
Tourism Board Chairman Timothy Mushibwe challenged the media to help promote Zambia as a tourist destination both locally and abroad.
Sanctuary Retreats managing director Anthony Post said over K2 billion has been invested in rehabilitating Chichele Lodge.
He said the sanctuary will invest more at the lodge and other tourist spots in the country.
THE Zambia Police Service has refuted a story in The Post of April 13 linking the amputation of 70-year-old Mwiya Sihope’s right leg to his detention in connection with the January 14 riots related to the Barotseland Agreement.
Inspector-General of Police Francis Kabonde said in a statement released in Lusaka on April 13 when Mr Sihope of Mongu was released on a nolleprosequi, he had both legs.
He said MrSihope was admitted to Lewanika General Hospital for asthma related complications, which later forced medical staff to amputate his right leg.
“The Zambia Police Service would like to refute the impression created in today’s (April 13’s) Post newspaper, which showed on the front page Mr Mwiya Sihope, aged 70, as having had his right leg amputated following his arrest and detention on 14th January, 2011, when he was suspected to be among those involved in the riots,” Mr Kabonde said.
He said the information obtained from Lewanika General Hospital indicated that Mr Sihope has been an outpatient there, and has been undergoing treatment for chronic asthma. He had developed wet gangrene on both legs, and subsequently admitted to the hospital.
Mr Kabonde said that is what necessitated the amputation of MrSihope’s right leg on Friday last week.
He appealed to the media to refrain from publishing inflammatory and unsubstantiated stories that could make people react negatively, leading to a breakdown of law and order.
And the Zambia Police Service says it will deploy 600 officers to provide security during this year’s Kuomboka ceremony of the Lozi people in Western Province.
Mr Kabonde said in a statement released in Lusaka on April 13 the ceremony is important because it has social, economic and cultural values to the people of Western Province and Zambia at large.
“As Zambia Police Service, we are ready for the occasion. Six hundred police officers will be deployed both on water and land to ensure total security,” he said.
The Kuomboka ceremony takes place in Mongu this weekend.
Copperbelt police commanding officer Martin Malama
Police in Kitwe have arrested a man believed to belong to a gang known as the Jerabos that attacked people attending a bridal shower on Sunday.
Copperbelt Police Chief Malama has named the man as John Kalabo.
Dr. Malama has vowed that police will arrest the rest of the gang members.
He told ZNBC News in Kitwe on Monday that police will not allow the Jerabos to break law and order at will.
On Sunday, the Jerabos stormed Kitwe Basic School where people were celebrating a kitchen party and caused chaos.
The gang also beat up those in attendance, broke presents and window-panes before fleeing the scene.
The gang fled away with some of the presents, including hand-bags and cell phones meant for the bride.
It is believed that one of the gang members was angered because the future bride refused to get married to him.
Dr. Malama described the action taken by the Jerabos as primitive and warned that they will not escape the wrath of the law.
And Mninister of Home Affairs Mkhondo Lungu has called for the immediate arrest of members of a gang calling themselves Jerabos who have allegedly unleashed a wave of terror on Kitwe residents.
Mr Lungu said in an interview from Lundazi on yesterday that the activities of the Jerabos must be stopped immediately.
“The Jerabos or whatever they call themselves must be arrested. We have a very efficient Copperbelt police commanding officer in the name of Dr Martin Malama, who is doing a good job. The activities of these men who disturbed a kitchen party in Kitwe must be stopped with immediate effect,” he said.
Mr Lungu condemned the gang for its bad behaviour, saying all law breakers must be arrested. He called on youths to desist from engaging in vices that can ruin their lives.
“Any person who engages in violence must be arrested. Violence is not good. This is why we are saying the Jerabos must be arrested and dealt with,” Mr Lungu said.
THE United Party for National Development (UPND) has expelled Colonel Panji Kaunda from the party for breaching the party constitution.
UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma said at a press briefing in Lusaka yesterday that Col Kaunda’s expulsion follows his failure to exculpate himself as stipulated in the suspension letter of March 29.
“Following the suspension of Col Kaunda and his subsequent failure to exculpate himself from the charges we put to him, UPND has today (April 13) expelled Col Kaunda from the party pursuant to article 70 of our party constitution,” Mr Kakoma said.
He said Col Kaunda breached article 8 of the party constitution, which compels members to respect and follow the constitution.
“We have found Col Kaunda wanting and therefore liable to expulsion. We therefore wish to advise our supporters and the public that Col Kaunda is no longer a member of UPND,” he said.
Mr Kakoma said the article states that members should uphold and defend the philosophy, vision and objectives of the party and its democratically adopted position on internal and international issues.
He said article 8 further states that party members should safeguard party policies and programmes from ‘undue corruption of thought’.
[pullquote]“This is a free country and the UPND has a right to expel whoever they want to expel. I am currently busy campaigning for my candidate,” Panji said.[/pullquote]
The article also states that members should adhere to collective responsibility and defend their ideas and positions through the established party structures.
Mr Kakoma said any meeting called by Col Kaunda from today onwards should be deemed illegal because he has ceased to be a member of the UPND.
The UPND has also formally welcomed former MMD Katuba member of Parliament Jonas Shakafuswa to the party.
Mr Kakoma said Mr Shakafuswa has indicated to the UPND that he will officially join the party after the dissolution of Parliament but the opposition party says it is ready for a by-election if the Katuba seat is declared vacant before the dissolution of the National Assembly.
Commenting on his expulsion, Col Kaunda said he will not fight the UPND’s decision because his pact is with the people and not any political party.
“This is a free country and the UPND has a right to expel whoever they want to expel. I am currently busy campaigning for my candidate,” he said.
Col Kaunda said he does not have time to discuss the affairs of the UPND because he is busy in the field.
File :President Banda speaking to his press aid Dickson Jere
State House has dismissed a media report that President Rupiah Banda will not attend this year’s Kuomboka Ceremony because he does not want to spend his money.
Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Dickson Jere says the report is misleading.
Mr Jere says the story in question that was carried out in Wednesday’s Post Newspaper was poorly sourced.
He has accused the paper of being bent on creating despondency in Western Province by alleging that the President has neglected them.
Mr Jere says Vice President George Kunda requested to grace at the ceremony on grounds that he has never attended the event.
He said President Banda has officiated the Kuomboka Ceremony many times including his previous tenure as the Republican Vice President.
Mr Jere says there is nothing sinister for Vice President George Kunda to grace the ceremony.
He said this is on account that there are several traditional ceremonies in the country that have either been graced by the Vice President or ministers.
Mr Jere has appealed to the media to be careful and factual in their reporting as the country anticipates the general elections.
Meanwhile Mr Jere says President Banda has initiated key projects in Western Province.
Mr Jere says the projects include the Mongu-Kalabo road which has never been worked on since independence.
Here are all the results from Wednesday’s action at the on going Africa Zone 6 Under-16 Championship currently taking place at the Olympic Youth Development Centre in Lusaka. Thursday and Friday fixtures included.
Africa Zone Six Junior Basketball Championship
Olympic Youth Development Centre
13/04/2011
Boys
Angola 44 South Africa 35
Zambia 52 Zimbabwe 55
Botswana 25 Mozambique 110
Women
Botswana 6 Zimbabwe 126
South Africa 96 Zambia 37
14/04/2011
Women
15:00
Zimbabwe-South Africa
Men
17:00
Zambia-Angola
19:00
Mozambique-South Africa
15/04/2011
Men
Zimbabwe-Botswana (17:00 hours)
Women
Zambia-Mozambique (19:00 hours)
20:30 hours
Closing Ceremony and Presentation
Nchanga Rangers won their first game of the season in contentious circumstances after rallying to beat Zanaco at Nchanga Stadium in Chingola today.
And at Trade Fair Grounds, Zesco United extended their unbeaten run to six matches after beating Kabwe Warriors 2-0 in Ndola.
Rangers defeated Zanaco 2-1 in the two sides delayed Faz Super Division Week 1 match.
However, it was Zanaco who took the lead thanks to a 41st minute goal scored by Makundika Sakala.
Rangers defender Gift Sakuwaha equalized five minutes after the break.
Rangers winner meanwhile came under controversial circumstances after Zanaco seemingly won a penalty in the 88th minute when Sakuwaha tackled midfielder Henry Banda in the box.
However, referee Bernard Chabala ruled for no-foul before Zanaco players accosted him.
And no sooner had the fracas ensued than Chabala allowed play to resume and Rangers striker Kabwe Chileshe scored the winner in time added on.
Rangers two goals were the teams first this season after three successive defeats.
And in Ndola, Zesco sent Warriors reeling with goals from ex-Zanaco striker Winston Kalengo and Alfred Luputa in the 54th and 78th minutes respectively.
Government has released ten Million Kwacha for clearing water channels from Lealui to Limulunga in preparation for the Kuomboka ceremony.
The ceremony takes place this Saturday.
Mongu Harbor Master Sternly Simwaka disclosed this in an interview Wednesday morning.
Mr. Simwaka said his office has made boat surveys in three districts of the Province to make sure that all coxswains are competent and licensed.
He says his office is yet to receive a team of officers from the office in Lusaka, and marine police officers to beef up on water transport operations.
This year’s Kuomboka traditional ceremony will graced by the Vice president George Kunda.
Minister of Local Government and Housing Brian Chituwo
Local Government and Housing Minister, Brain Chituwo has appealed to multi-lateral agencies, development partners and the private sector to support Zambia’s urban renewal and development programmes which are aimed at upgrading and preventing informal settlement.
Speaking during the 23rd session of the Governing Council of UN-Habitat in Kenya’s capital Nairobi, Dr. Chituwo said Zambia, like most developing countries, was facing a serious challenge of high urbanization which had resulted in the mushrooming of unplanned settlement with inadequate basic services for human habitation.
According to a statement issued to ZANIS by Local Government Permanent Secretary, Timothy Hakuyu today, Dr. Chituwo said Zambia had developed urban renewal and development programmes and strategies to upgrade some shanty compounds.
He has therefore called on various development partners such as the United Nations Human Settlement Programmes (UN-Habitat) to support such programmes so that lives of the majority of citizens in high density areas are improved.
Dr. Chituwo is leading a Zambian delegation attending a week-long 23rd session of the Governing Council of UN-Habitat whose theme is “sustainable Urban Development through expanded access to land, housing, basic services and other infrastructure”.
The Minister also presented Zambia’s reform initiative such as land and housing policy reform, the reviewing of the Town and Country Planning Act, the enactment of the Public-Private Partnership Act to facilitate infrastructure development, including housing and the development of integrated development plans.
On the sidelines of the 23rd session of the Governing Council of UN- Habitat, the ministers also attended the African Ministers’ Conference on Housing and Urbanisation Development (AMCHUD), SADC Consultative meeting for the ministers responsible for housing development and the Ministerial commonwealth Consultative Group on Human Settlement where countries resolved to put access to land, housing development and upgrading of unplanned settlement high on their development agenda.
During AMCHUD, SADC, Commonwealth and (UN-Habitat) meetings, member countries observed with grave concern that many developing countries were not putting housing development as one of the priority sectors of sustainable development and poverty alleviation which was a recipe for an urban development crisis in the face of the high urbanizing world and climate change.
Member countries recognized the role housing development played in sustainable social-economic development and poverty alleviation and urged government to give housing development the priority it deserved and start to seriously plan for sustainable urban development in order to prevent the mushrooming of slums without basic services such as clean and safe drinking water and adequate sanitation.
The 23rd session of the Governing Council UN-Habitat was officially opened on Monday 11th April by Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki, and is being attended by about 80 countries from all over the World. It is scheduled to officially close on 15th April 2011.
Zambia assumed her seat as the fifth Vice Chairperson and Rapporteur of the Bureau of AMCHUD for the next two years following her elections in Bamako, Mali in November last year 2010.
USAID mission Director Melisa Williams says the high mortality rate in developing countries is a source of great concern.
Ms. Williams notes that estimates show that over half a million women, mostly in developing countries die each year during pregnancy.
She said most of these deaths could be prevented if women have access to quality care during pregnancy and childbirth.
She commended Zambia for recording a decrease in maternal mortality since 2000 but however noted that the current ratio of 591 deaths per 100,000 live births is still high and more needs to be done.
ZANIS reports that Ms. Williams was speaking when USAID handed over tents and various medical and laboratory equipment worth K1.5 billion kwacha to the Ministry of Heath in Lusaka today.
She explained that the tents will provide a clean, safe and private environment for physical exams during antenatal care and Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV activities in Zambia‘s rural communities.
Ms. Williams stated that the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, commonly known as PEPFAR, provides financial and technical support to strengthen HIV prevention, care and treatment services throughout the country.
She added that the US government was pleased to partner with the Zambian people by continuing to support comprehensive, quality HIV prevention, care and treatment services, including interventions aimed at reducing maternal and child mortality.
And Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Dr. Peter Mwaba said the donation has come at an appropriate time when his ministry was doing everything possible to improve on health service delivery as stated in the Fifth National Development Plan and the National Health strategic plan of the ministry.
Dr. Mwaba said the ministry is committed to providing Zambians with equity of access to affordable cost effective and quality health services as close to the family as possible.
He thanked PEPFAR through USAID and Zambia Prevention Care and Treatment Partnership (ZPCT) for the donation.
Dr. Mwaba noted that the equipment received will significantly improve on the much needed resource supplies, leading to improved health care.
He added that the ministry of health acknowledges the vital role the cooperating partners play in the development of the country.
The tents will be taken to five provinces identified by the Ministry of Health namely Copperbelt, Northern, North-Western, Luapula and Central provinces.
Foreign Affairs minister Kabinga Pande and Egyptian Ambassador to Zambia Salah Sadek make a toast after receiving computers from the Egyptian government
Egyptian Ambassador to Zambia Salah El-Sadek has advised Zambian local companies to network with companies from other African countries to produce goods that meet international standards.
And Ambassador El-Sadek has called on the country to work hard and produce goods that match international standards for the country to fully reap the benefits of hosting the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
Ambassador El-Sadek says there is need for African countries to work together to address challenges they have been facing in having their products penetrate the American and European markets.
He said there is need for African countries to form synergies with each other and learn from one another on how they have been able to penetrate international markets in order to boost economic growth in the region.
And the Egyptian envoy has said Zambia needs to utilize the AGOA facility to improve the quality of products earmarked for the American market under the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
He told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka that the world especially the United States expects a lot from Zambia ahead of the AGOA forum.
Ambassador El-Sadek said the US has expressed great trust and confidence by choosing Zambia as the venue for the forthcoming AGOA conference and therefore Zambia needs to live up to the expectations and host a successful conference that will reap benefit for the country.
He said the country should use the AGOA conference to measure the potential the country has in penetrating the American market.
The Non Governmental Organisation Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has reiterated its call for a new constitution to be in place this year.
NGOCC Board Chairperson Beatrice Grillo said that her organisation can not deny the relationship that exists between good governance and a good constitution adding that it is the custodian of the citizen’s rights and responsibilities.
Mrs Grillo has since called on all women in the country to continue advocating for a complete replacement of the current constitution with a new one but stressed that NGOCC will remain truthful to its core values of being non partisan in conducting this campaign.
She stated that women from all walks of life should sensitise the Zambian people on the need to have a new constitution in place if peace is to be upheld in the country.
Mrs Grillo explained that the Green T-shirt campaign is meant to send a signal to the planners of the National Constitution Conference (NCC)’s failed constitution that women of Zambia demand for a new constitution that will carry their views.
She said the Green T-shirt will be worn by all women countrywide every Wednesday.
The NGOCC Board Chairperson added that the campaign will take place countrywide in the next two weeks adding that the exercise will symbolise their commitment and peaceful demonstrations.
And speaking in an interview by telephone, Chief Government Spokesperson Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha told ZANIS that that ever since people of Zambia demanded for a new constititution, Government had always been willing to give the people of a new constitution and that is why the process was started and allowed almost 500 Zambians from all walks of life in the NCC to represent other Zambians to debate recommendations of the Mung’omba Constitution Review Commission.
General Shikapwasha has since advised NGOCC to go to the opposition political parties and convince them to pass the constitution in Parliament and observed that they boycotted the NCC.
He observed that those that were not willing to have a constitution boycotted the NCC and that as Government brought the draft constitution to Parliament, which is the Legislature, the opposition political parties rejected the constitution.
”Whatever the NGOCC is planning to do, there are laws in Parliament. The bill was rejected by the opposition MPs and it takes about six months to restart the process in Parliament. Government has no problem but let the NGOCC talk to the opposition MPS. Govt was willing to have a new constitution and it met all the costs.” He advised
Two weeks ago, the Constitution of Zambia Bill failed to pass through the second reading stage in Parliament after failing to garner the minimum two thirds majority .
This was after only 93 Members of Parliament voted in favour of the Bill of the required 106.
Twenty Members of Parliament abstained from voting which was conducted through a physical division after the electronic voting system developed a technical fault shortly before voting could take place.
Speaker of the National Assembly Amusa Mwanamwamba told Members of Parliament that the failure of the Constitution Bill to go through the second reading stage meant that the 1991 constitution as amended substantially in 1996 will remain in place in its current form.
Earlier, Vice President George Kunda told the House that the Constitution of Zambia Bill sought to preserve laws in existence before the coming into effect of the constitution as amended.
The Patriotic Front has accused the ruling MMD of getting people from Tanzania and issuing them with National Registration Cards NRCs and voters cards.
PF leader Michael Sata says the MMD is desperate to cling to power and is trying everything possible to find a way of rigging the elections this year.
Mr. Sata has told QFM news that his party has evidence indicating that the MMD is getting people from Tanzania and issuing them with Voters Cards and NRCs.
The PF leader says his party is watching the situation and will soon take action against such activities.
And Mr. Sata has written to President Rupiah Banda to intervene and put to a stop the hate speeches vice president George Kunda has been making on him.
According to a copy of the letter made available to QFM news Mr. Sata has observed such speeches if left unchecked have the potential to breed anarchy in the nation.
He adds that for the past six months the state controlled media has been writing articles that are meant to tarnish his image.
Mr. Sata has also wondered why the minister of information and broadcasting services has been issuing threats to radio stations that are airing political adverts.
He argues that the adverts that that have been running in the media about the developmental achievements of president Banda equally amount to campaign messages.
