The MMD party said that it will be willing to participate in any public debate as long as it is informed in good time. Party Deputy national Secretary Chembe Nyangu told QFM that people calling for public debates can go ahead and organize them if they so wish and that the MMD will be more than willing to participate and use the platform to sell its manifesto.

Mr. Nyangu said that the proposed debates should however not be used to humiliate the MMD as a party or be used to brew up squabbles that may put the party into disrepute. He added that MMD has a lot of people that are specialized in various fields who can efficiently articulate issues contained in the party manifesto.

Yesterday, Heritage Party president Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda who featured on QFM’s Monday Nite Live programme called for public debates were aspiring candidates in this year’s elections can debate issues.

And Mr. Nyangu has said people condemning President Rupiah Banda’s move to right off the balances owed by the tenants of the former mine houses on the Copperbelt should be realistic.

Mr. Nyangu says the directive issued by the president was in line with the MMD government’s policy of empowering the citizens of Zambia.

And Miners in Kitwe in the Copperbelt Province have applauded President Ruphia Banda for his directive to write off outstanding balances on former parastatal houses sold to sitting tenants in the region.

United Mineworkers Union of Zambia General Secretary Wisdom Ngwira said in a statement to ZANIS in Kitwe yesterday that his members have pledged support to Government under the leadership of President Banda.

Mr Ngwira said it was gratifying that President Banda’s leadership had realised to empower citizens with houses through the housing empowerment scheme.

He said it was a job well done to the people just as the second republican President Dr Fredrick Chiluba did in 1992.

And former dissolved Reform Party District Information Publicity Secretary Kenneth Nguluka appealed to President Banda not to be distracted by remarks of some clergy instead concentrate on improving the living standards of the people.

Mr Nguluka told ZANIS that the majority of the people were appreciating what President Banda had done during his term of office and only priests like Bishop Alick Banda with hidden motives could talk ill of President Banda’s performance.

Mr Nguluka was reacting to Bishop Alick Banda of Ndola Diocese’s remarks that the directive by President Banda to write of the outstanding balances on former parastatal houses was a move to lure votes in this year’s election.

He said though he was not a beneficiary of the directive he was in full support because it had been done in good faith.

He stated that it was a fact that people have no capacity to finish paying for the houses and that this directive had nothing to do with votes.

Mr Nguluka said all politicians got votes from the people who stood for the truth and listened to them.

He urged Bishop Banda to preach peace to the people as the country heads towards elections and not to provoke them.

ZANIS

Luapula Province Minister Besa Chimbaka has said that stories on suspected ritual killers carried on Radio Yangeni, a local radio station run by the Catholic Church, might have contributed to inciting the people of Senama and Kapesha to resort to violent protests.

He advised the radio station management to observe responsible reporting and always strive to verify their stories.

Mr Chimbaka has described as unfortunate violent protests that have erupted in Mansa and led to loss of life and property.

Mr Chimbaka has also directed Police to fish out all perpertrators behind the violence that has rocked the district for the past two days for them to face the law.

The Minister said police should fish out those behind the violence, adding that rumour mongering is a crime and police must immediately deal with it.

He also called upon opposition political leaders in the province to condemn and stop the people involved in the violent riots from using their slogans and symbols, as no single person is supposed to take pride or use the riots for political purposes.

[pullquote]The Minister said police should fish out those behind the violence, adding that rumour mongering is a crime and police must immediately deal with it.[/pullquote]

ZANIS reports that the Minister said the riots that have culminated into burning and looting of shops as well as houses belonging to selected businessmen is unfortunate and will have a long time negative economic effect on the people of Mansa.

He said no Mansa resident must take pride in what is happening and noone should even make political capital out of the situation.

“What is happening is unfortunate because innocent lives have been senselessly wasted while investment that is supposed to provide jobs to the people has been destroyed.

” This will have long economic effects on the people of Mansa and is not good for future investment.

[pullquote]He also called upon opposition political leaders in the province to condemn and stop the people involved in the violent riots from using their slogans and symbols, as no single person is supposed to take pride or use the riots for political purposes.[/pullquote]

” Look at AMICO investment, look at ICM and PAPI, they all had invested and employed a lot of people who will now have no jobs and this means perpetuating poverty in the district,” Mr Chimbaka said.

Residents of Senama and Kapesha areas in Mansa have in the past two days taken to violent riotus behaviour following a rumours that local businessmen have engaged killers who are abducting children for body parts to use in boosting their businesses.

Business properties that were looted and burnt belong to four business people AMICO investment belonging to Ibrahim Sanaullar, Nana belonging to John Kambafwile, ICM investment owned by Ireen Chilongo and Country Grocery run by Papi Muzungu.

The rioters also burnt down houses and vehicles belonging to the businessmen.

Another businessman a money lender named Wilbroad Chishimba was burnt to death yesterday, his was also house destroyed and four vehicles set on fire.
Meanwhile, relative calm has returned to Mansa after riot police and army personnel intensified operations. Attempts by some protesters to ransack Country grocery and Rendezvous Nite Club were quickly thwarted.

Luapula Province Minister has called for beefing up of police personnel in Mansa so that people’s life and property can be secured at all costs.

Authorities have confirmed that affected business together with their families have been taken to safety house where they are being kept.

Inspector General of Police has since warned perpetrators of violence that they will be dealt with.

ZANIS

Vatican Ambassador to Zambia, Nicola Girasoli, Girasoli has distanced the Catholic Church from the attacks on Government by some Catholic priests in the country.

Apostolic Nuncio Girasoli was speaking at a media breakfast and launch of his book entitled, “One Hundred Thoughts of Peace; we can negotiate everything except human rights” held at his residence in Lusaka today.

He explained that the Catholic Church in Zambia spoke through the Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) and therefore, opinions and statements from individual Catholic priests should not be regarded as the stance of the church.

“This (attacks on government by some catholic priests) is not the stand of the church, the stand of the Catholic Church is done by ZEC. So the voice of a single priest is the opinion of that priest and not of the Catholic church,” he stressed.

He said the Catholic Church was working well with Government but had a role to speak for the voiceless in society.

Ambassador Girasoli said the Catholic Church runs over 220 schools in the country and 39 hospitals with one university.

He also observed that Zambia was one of the countries with high respect for basic human rights.

Ambassador Girasoli said human rights and press freedom were highly respected in Zambia as compared to other countries on the African continent.

[pullquote]On the issue of some politicians planning to allow homosexuality if they came to power, Ambassador Girasoli explained that the rights of gays and lesbians should be respected because they were human beings too.He was however quick to point out that in Christianity, homosexuality was a clear sin adding that the Catholic Church strongly condemned the act.[/pullquote]

On the issue of some politicians planning to allow homosexuality if they came to power, Ambassador Girasoli explained that the rights of gays and lesbians should be respected because they were human beings too.He was however quick to point out that in Christianity, homosexuality was a clear sin adding that the Catholic Church strongly condemned the act.

Ambassador Girasoli has also observed that the Zambian economy had grown in the recent past due to favourable economic environment in the country. He said it was recognisable that the economy had recorded positive strides in the last five years of his stay in Zambia.

He that said among many factors that have contributed to the improvement of the economy were the favourable international economic developments.

Ambassador Girasoli pointed out that there was need to recognise the role of economic growth in the country and ensure that it benefitted all citizens.

“We must acknowledge the role of this growth and we must also see that this growth benefits the majority of the population,” he noted.

[pullquote]“What we see unfortunately is this gap between the rich and the poor is unfortunately becoming wider,” he said.[/pullquote]

However, Ambassador Girasoli noted that the economic growth that had taken place in Zambia in the recent past had not fully benefitted the ordinary Zambian people.

“What we see unfortunately is this gap between the rich and the poor is unfortunately becoming wider,” he said.

Ambassador Girasoli therefore suggested that it was important to allow citizens to have more access to the use of Zambia’s natural resources in order for them to come out of poverty.

He explained that citizens should have access to natural resources because they essentially belonged to them and not to Government.

ZANIS

The opposition Patriotic Front (PF) in Chipata Central Constituency in Eastern Province has called on its Provincial chairperson Lucas Phiri to immediately step down accusing him of dividing the party.

The Constituency Executive Committee said that the PF leader has no popularity within the party because of dictatorial and divisive leadership causing divisions among party members.

Constituency Secretary William Phiri told ZANIS in Chipata that PF in Chipata Central resolved at a meeting held on 16th April, to call on their Provincial leader to step down after all efforts to dialogue over his failure to lead the party failed.

He said the party was disappointed with the behaviour of Mr Phiri who he said had grown big headed and sidelined all duly elected party leaders in preference for people that supported all his deeds even when they were not in the interest of the PF.

“He has failed to maintain peace within the executive as he has been sidelining some members of the executive,” Mr Phiri charged.

The Party’s Constituency Secretary said the PF provincial chairperson had brought anarchy to the leadership and was intolerant of any kind of criticism
aimed at improving the party in Eastern Province.

He accused Mr Phiri of intimidating and humiliating party members who criticised him saying the PF Provincial Chairperson labelled them as rebels belonging to the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD).

The Constituency Secretary also alleged that Mr Phiri had been holding public rallies in wards and distributing party materials without prior arrangements with the constituency executive.

He also attributed the party’s loss of the Chiparamba Local Government by-election seat to Mr Phiri’s unprofessional leadership saying the Chairperson wanted to do everything without engaging other PF officials.

“Mr Phiri should understand that the party needs a mature leader who can accept criticism and accommodate all members of the party in order to move the PF forward,” he said.

Heritage party president Godrey Miyanda has called for live presidential debates as the country goes to the polls.

Brig. General Godfrey Miyanda says that presidents should be given a platform to sell their manifestos.

Speaking last evening on Monday Nite Live, Gen. Miyanda said that live debates will reduce political violence in the country.

He said that live debates will also allow voters to cast voter based on merit as candidates explain their plan for Zambia.

Gen. Miyanda has further castigated non-issue based politics that do not add value to the Zambian people.

Heritage party president Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda also stated that the debate whether Zambia should maintain its Christian nation status is irrelevant.

Gen. Miyanda said that the debate has come rather late stating that all the concerns raised, were earlier discussed.

He said that all the augments being brought were addressed before Zambia was declared a Christian nation by Dr. Chiluba’s government.

[QFM]