Samson Zulu, one of the founder members of the Patriotic Front (PF) has written to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to have the PF leader Michael Sata and two others arrested for having allegedly masterminded his abduction and harassment in June 2009.

Mr Zulu said in a complaint letter to the DPP that there were omissions in the case he reported to the Zambia Police Service on June 5, 2009, after his traumatising abduction, assault and humiliation which happened on the same day while he and his colleague Mubanga Chileshe were addressing a Press briefing at Courtyard Hotel.

According to a letter dated February 7, 2011 obtained by the Times of Zambia, Mr Zulu said he wanted justice to prevail by arresting and prosecuting Mr Sata and others.

He said following the conclusion of two court cases involving The People Vs Judge Ngoma and others unknown and The People Vs Anshell Kampengele, George Lemba, Francis Mumba and others unknown in which the four of the seven accused body guards of Mr Sata were convicted and sentenced for assaulting his colleague and himself, it was now time to arrest the master mind.

“I submit that the other two, Roy Mulenga Kasama and Clement Nchinga have not been brought before the courts of Law together with the master mind of this whole crime Mr Michael Chilufya Sata and other known senior party officials,” he said.

Mr Zulu said that facts before the police and the courts of law are that he was assaulted and abducted from Courtyard Hotel and bundled and delivered to a place he came to know as the national secretariat of the PF along Luanshya Road in the light industrial area of Lusaka before Mr Sata.

Mr Zulu said it was at this place that Mr Sata ordered the abductors to continue beating him while he and other senior party officials kept on interrogating him to reveal the sponsors of the Press conference.

“Your honour, there is adequate facts and material evidence both with the police and courts of law which you may wish to evaluate as regards my complaint to your office in the matter,” he said.

He said Zambia was about to hold tripartite elections this year and as a victim of politically motivated violence, he could not sit idle and watch the vice escalate to unprecedented levels.

He said he was scared for his life and had reported the matter to police.

“Mr Sata is a senior citizen and political leader in Zambia, and, therefore, must lead by example and not the one syndicating such crimes which undermine the very fabric and fundamentals of this young democracy.

“I wonder what will happen to this country if by default he rigged his way to power using violence. I, therefore, plead that with you and other relevant authorities for the sake of posterity to ensure that justice is applied firmly and fairly without discrimination to all despite one’s standing in society,” the letter to the DPP read.

Mr Zulu has also written to Police Inspector General (IG) Francis Kabonde on the need to arrest Mr Kasama and Mr Nchinga for the offence of assault.

Mr Zulu in a letter dated January 14, 2011 to Mr Kabonde said the two suspects who were on the run had been spotted in Lusaka town centre on many occasions and that police had also been notified on the development.

He said he was disappointed that no arrest had been made.

[ Times of Zambia ]

Government has embarked on the construction of a multi- billion kwacha housing project in Misisi compound as part of the expansion of Lusaka Central Business District.

Local government Permanent Secretary Timothy Hakuyu said this when he appeared before the parliamentary committee on government assurances, Tuesday.

Mr Hakuyu has assured the people in Misisis and Kuku Compounds that they will be compensated through the housing project.

He added that the residents will not pay rentals for the government houses.

Mr Hakuyu told the committee that this is part of the expansion of Lusaka City.

He further said that a business complex has already been designed.

And National Housing Authority Chief Executive Officer Elias Mpondela said a Chinese company called China National Complete Trans Import and Export group will take part in the construction project.

Mr Mpondela said the project which will cost 200 million US dollars will take six years to be completed.

ZNBC

TWO people have died, while eleven others sustained injuries after a ZAMPOST bus they were in over turned along the Great East road.

The accident occurred Tuesday morning around Chinyunyu area in Chongwe district.

The ZAMPOST bus was enroute to Chipata.

Some accident victims, attributed the accident to lack of concentration by the driver.

They told a ZNBC News crew at the scene that the driver was allegedly trying to Change a CD when the bus overturned.

The casualties were earlier rushed to Chongwe district hospital before being rushed to University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka.

And ZAMPOST Head of Security and Investigations Gilbert Mupeta dismissed allegations of negligence on the part of the driver.

Mr Mupeta however said that the company will take care of the needs of all the injured victims.

[ ZNBC ]

Former opposition Patriotic Front -PF- Secretary General Edward Mumbi has dismissed sentiments and insinuations by Former Legal Affairs Minister Dr. Rodger Chongwe that the ruling MMD will rig elections.

Mr. Mumbi has described the statements as careless, desperate and dangerous to the country.

And Mr Mumbi has challenged Dr. Chongwe who was also Chief Advisor to government to tell Zambians how he advised the government that he served in preparing the rigging of elections.

He said Dr. Chongwe must be responsible enough to guide the nation on how elections are conducted.

Mr. Mumbi also told ZNBC News that Dr. Chongwe has in possession a foreign judgment against Zambia in the sum of 5 million United states dollars which he thought President Banda would influence Government to pay after the 2008 presidential elections.

He alleged that Dr Chongwe supported President Banda because the late president Levy Mwanawasa wrote to him that there was no law that provided or supported registration of such a foreign judgment.

Mr. Mumbi said Dr. Chongwe’s outbursts and anger towards President Rupiah Banda only reflect his profound loss.

He also challenged Dr. Chongwe to tell the nation what happened when he allegedly fled the country.

[ ZNBC ]

The ministry of Education has announced that the school curriculum currently under review will be ready by March next year.

Minister of Education Dora Siliya says a team of experts will formulate the new syllabus once the review of the curriculum has been concluded.

She told journalist at a media briefing in Lusaka, Monday that the school curriculum is being reviewed to incorporate entrepreneurship and Information Communication Technology-ICT- skills.

Ms Siliya explained that government is of the view that school leavers should have entrepreneurship and ICT skills when they complete school.

The minister said this will enable school leavers become self employed because of survival skills they will have acquired at school.

And Ms Siliya said her ministry will play a critical role in the implementation of the Sixth National Development Plan -SNDP.

She said under the plan government intends to build more schools in the next five years.

The Sixth National Development Plan was officially launched by President Banda last week Friday.
[ ZNBC ]