The Zambia National Marketeers Credit Association (ZANAMACA) has warned politicians against using youths as tools of violence.

And ZANAMACA has called on youths to unite and resist temptations and falling prey to violent political activities.

Commenting on the alleged clashes between MMD and Patriotic Front cadres that rocked the Kamwala market over the running of market, ZANAMACA President Frank Mupila said young people are vulnerable to the activities of politicians who are using them as tools for violence in politics.

Mr. Mupila told ZANIS in Lusaka in an interview today that there is need for top leadership in younpolitical parties to unite the young people and engage them into dialogue as opposed to fighting.

Mr. Mupila further said there is need for the adult society to give direction to young people so that they stay away from acts of violence and contribute to the development of the nation.

“The reason why youths are always fighting and causing violence is because they are vulnerable to the activities of politicians who are using them in politics. There is need to give direction to the young people so that they stay away from acts of violence,” he said.

He added that party cadres from the ruling MMD and opposition should embrace each other in order to develop the nation.

He, however, disclosed that his organization has set up a number of sensitization programs and workshops with the young people in an effort to educate them on the country’s development agenda.

He appealed to youths to stay away from acts of violence and to reject selfish politicians who are in the habit of using them when approached.

The ZANAMACA chief regretted that there was a growing tendency of every politician in this country of approaching young people in retrogressive ideas at the expense of poverty, unemployment and HIV/AIDS.

[ ZANIS ]

President Banda has reiterated his condemnation of political violence in the country.

Mr. Banda said violence should be strongly condemned regardless of whether it was perpetuated by the MMD or the opposition political parties.

The President has since directed the police to ensure that all those involved in the act are brought to book and punished.

He was commenting on the clashes between suspected MMD and PF cadres in Lusaka yesterday.

President Banda said it was ridiculous that the two political parties were involved in acts of violence without any justifiable reasons.

He stressed that it was immaterial for citizens to start debating on who was wrong or was not wrong as violence affected everybody.

“I don’t care who did it, or didn’t do it, it was all wrong .If anyone is found guilty will be locked up,” he said.

ZANIS

The Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has strongly condemned the decision by Shoprite management to dismiss all workers who have been on strike in the last four days.

ZCTU Director of Public Relations and International Affairs Martin Chembe in a statement released to QFM today says the trade union demands the immediate and unconditional reinstatement of all the fired workers.

Mr Chembe says it is immoral for Shoprite management to fire workers when government through the ministry of Labour and Social Security is meeting the management and the union to try and find a solution to the situation.

He says ZCTU is aware that Shoprite management and the National Union of Commercial and Industrial Workers (NUCIW) are currently holding meetings with the ministry of Labour in an effort to resolve the situation.

He adds that the action by Shoprite management clearly shows that it is has little regard for workers’ welfare and the efforts being made by government to find a lasting solution.

Mr Chembe further says that it also shows that management does not respect labour laws governing industrial relations and has since urged government to act quickly and decisive on the issue.

He states that the labour movement will not allow foreign investors to focus on profit maximization without paying any attention to the welfare of workers, adding that workers should not be used as tools for production.

Mr Chembe has since appealed to dismissed Shoprite workers to remain calm as the union deals with the situation.

QFM

We are glad to anounce to the public that last week we received a very Big cheque from a wealthy Patriotic Front (PF) supporter to help us improve our struggling web site which of late has faced a huge onlaught of traffic from the increasing number of people that come to it.

 

We thought we owe it to our vistors to tell them the change in direction and how we are going to use the money, in the name of transparancy of course.

We have already started putting this money to work. There are actually a number of things that we have started fixing in the background. First of all, with this funding, we have re-designed the site for clear typography and visual clarity for the text of the stories we post. The current fonts are just too small and crumped for a lot of people and we expect to launch the site next weekend. With this funding from a wealthy PF supporter, we have managed to hire an expensive Tech Guru who has managed to fix our facebook page which has been an eyesore for many years. Thanks to this funding we have been able to fix our act on the face book page and the fan page as well. We shall now be able to consistently publish to facebook (www.facebook.com/lusakatimes) as we have been doing on our twitter site (www.twitter.com/lusakatimes/). With this PF funding, we have asked our tech guru to make sure that even comments that take place from twitter and facebook are imported into the conversations taking place on Lusakatimes so that all convesations are captured there. And our new motto concerning any News event will be “If it has Not been on LT, it has not been discussed”.

We shall also use this PF funding to introduce more categories and features because we have managed to secure a server with 10 times the capacity than we had before. Am sure some of you have noticed that we moved our server to Europe. So expect more services as soon as next week.

Obviously, let us not cheat ourselves or be naive about this. Two things are definite in life. First, everyone has an agenda: things are always given with strings attached. Secondly, everything is for sale as long as the price is right, have we sold our soul? Be the judge. The Funding from PF is too good to be true and so we have accepted their agenda and we want to advise our readers that this is what we shall offer PF in return for their hefty funding we have received.

First, staring from tomorrow all adverts will be removed as the funding covers for this cost and we don’t need ad revenue anymore. Instead they will be replaced with PF campaign material for elections 2011. Site will run campaigns for all 150 MPs with effect from tomorrow. Additionally, we shall introduce an editorials section where we shall write editorials in support of PF. No comments will be allowed on the editorials lest we offend our new masters. Editorials will not feature MMD President Rupiah Banda or UPND president HH , even for negative coverage because even bad publicity is publicity.

We shall also introduce a ‘letters to the editor section’ and ensure that all letters to the editors are in support of PF. Only letters to the editor critising President Rupiah Banda UPND President Haikainde Hachilema stand a chance of being considered for publication. Comments on letters to the editor will not be allowed as well.

All comments will be moderated to root out any anti PF comments. We need this funding and we can not afford to risk losing it.

We shall also not cover UPND president Hakainde Hachilema or Rupiah Banda and his government proganda from ZNBC, ZANIS, TIMES and ZAMBIA Daily Mail in the headline section. The only big headlines we shall run featuring HH or RB will be those discrediting or attacking the two.

That is the new world order people. Lastly, Oh, what is today’s date?

The Supreme Court has given Mufumbwe Member of Parliament, Eliot Kamondo seven days in which to file in a record of appeal.

This is in case in which Mr kamondo has appealed against the nullification of his election as MP.

Judge Muyinda made the order after passing a consent judgement to allow Mr. Kamondo’s lawyers file in the record of appeal outside court time.

He made the order on March 28th 2011 meaning that the record of appeal must be filed in by April 5th 2011.

However, one of Mr. Kamondo’s lawyers, Mwansa Mumba has indicated that the record is ready and will be filed in by tomorrow.

Mr. Kamondo, who appealed against a high court judgment, that nullified his election as Member of Parliament in December last year, was by law expected to file in the record of appeal within sixty days after lodging in his appeal to the Supreme court.

Following his non compliance to the stipulated time frame, Mr. Kamondo’s lawyers applied that they be allowed to file in the record out of court time.
[ MUVI ]

Home Affairs Minister Mkhondo Lungu has called for an immediate stop to the riotous behaviour among political rivals following yesterday’s clash between some suspected cadres belonging to the Patriotic Front (PF) and MMD in Lusaka.

The minister said it was dangerous to get involved in fights during an election year because the situation could easily degenerate into widespread violence.

Police yesterday quelled what could have led to a full-scale riot when some youths hurled stones and other missiles at one another in the city centre area, Kamwala and Villa Elizabetha near the Zambia Revenue Authority.

Inspector General of Police, Francis Kabonde said the patrol team had managed to prevent the situation from escalating by sealing off the trouble spots to disperse the riotous groups.

No injuries were recorded.Confusion started around 16:00 hours in Kamwala when the youth, who could not be properly identified, stoned people around the area and proceeded to the town centre where they met resistance from police officers.

There was confusion as people scampered in different directions for safety, while shops closed prematurely and motor vehicles took both lanes of Freedom Way to leave town.

Police patrol vehicles helped defuse the confusion when they deployed in potential trouble spots where the rowdy youth had attempted to fan more confusion.

MMD acting national secretary Chembe Nyangu accused the PF of having started the riot while callers to 5FM Radio accused the MMD youths of being behind the confusion.

Mr. Nyangu said the MMD youths in Lusaka were at Capital Hotel holding a meeting and were being addressed by provincial chairperson William Banda at the time the riot erupted.

PF chairperson for local government Given Lubinda declined to comment on the matter.
[ Times of Zambia ]

CHIEF Government spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha says Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata’s calls to dissolve parliament and early elections are baseless.

Lieutenant-General Shikapwasha said in Lusaka on March 31 that Mr Sata should be the last person to challenge President Banda to dissolve parliament and call for early elections because the opposition leader has failed and betrayed the Zambian people by refusing to back the Constitution of Zambia Amandament Bill.

“President Banda is the only one who can set the date for elections. There is no need for all those processes Mr Sata is dreaming about,” he said.

Gen. Shikapwasha said the President is mandated to make decisions on governance issues and he would do just that.

“Mr Sata is dreaming and his dreams will not take him anywhere as he has failed to provide for the Zambian people. His plans to rule this nation are finished, no wonder he has started daydreaming,” he said.

He said Mr Sata should not blame President Banda because he (Mr Sata) has betrayed and failed the people. Gen. Shikapwasha said the Constitution is a national issue that needs input from all political parties and stakeholders.

He said Mr Sata has continued to display his bad leadership which is reflected in the behaviour of his members of Parliament in Parliament March 29’s voting on the Constitution Bill.

Gen. Shikapwasha said the loss on the Constitution of Zambia Bill is not a failure of the MMD government but a betrayal of Zambians.

Gen. Shikapwasha said Mr Sata has no powers or right to instruct President Banda to dissolve parliament and call for early elections.

He said the President has powers to make decisions at an appropriate time.

Gen. Shikapwasha said the failure by Mr Sata to provide good leadership cannot force President Banda to dissolve parliament

[Zambia Daily Mail]