MMD Copperbelt provincial information and publicity secretary Yotam Mtayachalo has said the absence of Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata at the 2011 Kuomboka traditional ceremony is a clear indication that he has no regard for the people of Western Province.

Mr Mtayachalo said it was surprising that while some sections of the media had continued projecting Mr Sata as the favourite presidential candidate for the people in the area, the opposition leader shunned their ceremony.

“If Mr Sata had regard for the people of Western Province, he could have made sure that he attended the Kuomboka traditional ceremony, especially that some sections of the media are reporting that he is the preferred presidential candidate. His absence shows that he has no respect for the people in the area.

“He has no regard for the Lozi people and he knows that some sections of the media are just misleading him by reporting that he is the preferred presidential candidate in the province,” Mr Mtayachalo said.

He said Mr Sata had a track record of not attending traditional ceremonies and that Zambians should not make a mistake of voting for him in the 2011 elections because he would easily ban the country’s rich traditions.

Mr Mtayachalo said unlike some opposition leaders who attended traditional ceremonies, Mr Sata did not seem to have any regard for the annual events that were treasured by the Zambian people.

He challenged Mr Sata to tell Zambians which traditional ceremony he had attended since he became PF leader.

[Times of Zambia]

Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) has advised chief government spokesperson Liutenant General Ronny Shikapwasha to use his position to build instead of issuing statements that are termed to be political.

TIZ President Rueben Lifuka says general Shikapwasha, should provide guidance to the radio stations instead of taking punitive positions of threatening them with closure.

This follows Chief government spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha’s statement suggesting that all radio stations playing campaign songs risk losing their licenses because the Electoral Commission of Zambia has not declared the commencement of political campaigns ahead of this year’s tripartite elections.

Mr. Lifuka says General Shikapwasha should not just provide guidance but should also consider advising his party to refrain from advertising on the same radio stations allegedly being used by the opposition.

He tells QFM that General Shikapwasha’s statement is not only disadvantaging the opposition but also putting pressure on president Rupiah Banda to announce the election date.

QFM

Residents in Kitwe, who are beneficiaries of President Rupiah Banda’s directive to write off outstanding debt on their houses have described the president as a father of the nation who is ready to listen to the cries of the people.

Michael Chitundu of house number MN 97 Mukuba Natwange said by instructing the relevant authorities to write off all outstanding balances for 3,338 former parastatal houses that were sold to sitting tenants, Mr Banda had demonstrated that he had compassion for the Zambian people.

Mr Chitundu, who owed Mukuba Pension Fund some money to complete the purchase of his house, said he was overjoyed by President Banda’s directive and was convinced that his Government would continue to respond to people’s cries.

“I had paid some money towards the purchase of the house, but I had not completed the payment. I am now happy that the president has written off our debts.

“For me, I must say I am very thankful because this is a very good development. I feel this is the Government to have in power,” Mr Chitundu said.
President Banda on Saturday issued a directive that all outstanding balances on 3, 338 housing units on the Copperbelt be written off and sitting tenants given letters of sale immediately.

Mr Banda also directed boards of Zambia Forests and Forestry Industrial Corporation, National Pensions Scheme Authority, Development Bank of Zambia, and Mukuba Pension Fund to offer their housing units countrywide to sitting tenants for purchase.

The president instructed Mines Minister Maxwell Mwale to ask Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines-Investment Holdings (ZCCM-IH) to immediately write off the outstanding debts on housing units offered to sitting tenants in six towns on the Copperbelt.

The directive covers 1, 518 houses in Mufulira’s Kankoyo, Kantanshi and Mupambe townships and 1, 011 housing units in Luanshya.

Outstanding balances would be written off in Kitwe on 732 houses in Wusakile, Mindolo, Nkana East, Nkana West and Chamboli while 92 tenants in Kalulushi and Chambishi would benefit from the directive.

In Chililabombwe, outstanding debts on 31 housing units would be written off.
Charles Siyunda of House number MN 75 said although he had finished paying for his house, the directive was a good development and it showed that the MMD Government was there for the people.

Mr Siyunda urged opposition political parties not to politicise the directive as it was meant to benefit many people.

“This is a good development and this is what we call a listening Government. We just hope that the opposition will not politicise this issue.

“We are now urging you the media to follow up the issue and ensure that Mukuba Pension writes off the debts,” Mr Siyunda said.

Another resident, who only identified herself as Moddy, welcomed the directive, although she said it should have been made much earlier before some tenants committed themselves to loans while others sold their houses so that they could not lose out completely.

“But this is a wonderful idea, it is going to give relief to many people,” she said.

[Times of Zambia]

More than 100 trucks are marooned at Kazungula border post on the Zambian side waiting to be cleared and cross into Botswana.

The trucks are marooned because big pontoon, which was reliable, stopped working yesterday due to engine problems.

The other big pontoon has been non-operational for two months now.

Only the small passenger pontoon, which only carries small vehicles and light trucks, operating at the moment.

This has angered truck drivers whose vehicles have been marooned at Kazungula border post for many days.
The drivers are angered because they have allegedly not seen progress towards repairing the big pontoon which broke down two months ago and are losing fuel through thefts since they have been stationary for too long.

The situation worsened yesterday after the other big pontoon broke down forcing the truck drivers to demand an explanation from Engineering Services Corporation (ESCO) management on the situation.

Today, the truck drivers ran amok blocking the three kilometer stretch road from the T-junction of Livingstone-Sesheke road to the border post in protest against ESCO management’s alleged failure to work on the big pontoons.

This means that vehicles on transit cannot pass on either way forcing some tax drivers to create routes in the bush for them to reach the border.

Concerned citizens have since called on authorities to immediately address the situation at the border post.
They said truck drivers have the right to protest because they face a lot of difficulties while waiting to be cleared at the border.

Truck drivers are accusing ESCO management of failing to give a satisfactory explanation as to why the pontoons are not working.

When contacted for a comment, ESCO manager Daniel Mutapo’s phone was not reachable.

Meanwhile, Kazungula District Commissioner, Albert Chifita, confirmed the development but decline to comment further referring all queries to Southern Province Minister, Elijah Muchima.
ZANIS

The Forum for Progressive Politics (FPP) has commended the people of Western Province for hosting a successful Kuomboka traditional ceremony despite negative coverage from some sections of the media.

FPP Secretary General Charles Kafumbo said the people of Western Provinces have proved their love for the ceremony by exhibiting maturity despite desperate attempts by some sections of the media and politicians to incite hatred in the province.

Mr. Kafumbo told ZANIS in an interview that the peaceful environment that characterized the ceremony symbolizes that people of the province can co-exist with other tribes amid seemingly political tension.

He warned politicians to desist from politicizing traditional ceremonies as it acts as a unifying factor among the people.

Mr. Kafumbo said traditional ceremonies are important for the promotion of tourism and preservation of the cultural heritage and customs of the Zambian people.

And Mr. Kafumbo has made an earnest appeal to Get Involved Zambia executive director, Father Frank Bwalya to seriously reflect on his involvement in partisan politics.

He said it was disheartening that Fr. Bwalya has taken a confrontation stance against government instead of preaching peace and unity as the country goes to the polls this year.

Mr. Kafumbo said as advocates of the White Card Campaign which intends to counter the Red Card Campaign of Fr. Bwalya, the FPP has offered an olive branch to him to immediately stop his political activities and renounce violence.

He has reiterated his call to the Catholic Church to categorically distance itself from the political activities of Fr. Bwalya and take disciplinary action against him.

Mr. Kafumbo stated that the apparent silence by the church may imply that it is supporting Fr. Bwalya’s activities.

He noted if the church does not clearly state its stance on Fr. Bwalya, it will divide its members who support different political parties.

ZANIS