The Government has said it will use diplomatic channels to complain against United States Ambassador to Zambia Mark Storella if he continues pushing for the parallel vote tabulation (PVT) system, which the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) and the Government have rejected.

 

Foreign Affairs Minister Kabinga Pande said the Government would not allow activities that were likely to lead to chaos in Zambia just to serve the interests of a few individuals and organisations.

Mr Pande said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that the ECZ was a qualified institution that should be allowed to conduct the elections without hindrance.

He said it was not right to offer an important task such as PVT to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) when the country already had the ECZ, which was a competent statutory body.[pullquote]Mr Chifire said the NGOs were known to consistently work against the Government, undermine its mandate and scandalise it without cause, and that they were always on hand to support the opposition, and Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata in particular.[/pullquote]

“As the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we have a way in which we raise certain concerns and we will do so if he continues to agitate for that (PVT). We can’t allow things which will be a recipe for controversy.

“We need to rely on qualified institutions such as the ECZ. People who are not qualified are highly vulnerable to human error which can land the county in problems,” he said.

Mr Storella told journalists on Tuesday that the US government would support NGOs advocating for the PVT, arguing that it was the right thing in a democratic dispensation and that it was not the first time it was being done in Zambia.

Mr Storella could, however, not state whether the support would be in financial or material form.

Chief Government spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha said Mr Storella had been accredited to work in Zambia and should do so in accordance with the laws of the land as well as the Geneva Convention.

Lieutenant-General Shikapwasha said the ECZ, which is mandated to conduct polls in Zambia, had clearly stated that it did not support parallel vote tabulation.

Gen Shikapwasha, who is Information and Broadcasting Services minister, further said the Zambian laws did not support PVT activities.

He said if some stakeholders had certain concerns over the electoral process in Zambia, they were free to seek dialogue with the Government.

And the Committee of Citizens has said it is shocked with a statement by Southern African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) that it will defy the directive by the ECZ and go ahead to conduct the PVT.

Committee of Citizens executive director Gregory Chifire said SACCORD’s assertions that PVT was legal were not true and the argument that it was conducted by the Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) in 2008 was unfounded.

“It needs no emphasis that the conduct of national elections or referenda is exclusively a preserve of the ECZ as enshrined in Article 76 of the Laws of Zambia and other subsidiary legislation.

“The announcement by SACCORD to defy the law will breed anarchy in the country. This announcement gives us a window of the malicious intentions of the PVT by this sinister consortium of NGOs,” he said.

Mr Chifire said the ECZ had continued to carry out initiatives that made Zambia’s national elections transparent, free and fair.

He said ECZ initiatives included the invitation of all stakeholders to witness the printing of ballot papers, provision of transparent ballot boxes, inclusion of monitors from all stakeholders, invitation of foreign observers, tallying of votes and announcing of results at polling centres, among others.

“The NGOs’ justification that the PVT brings integrity to the electoral process is not true because of their known malicious intention in using this electoral tool,” he said.

He said the American-based National Democratic Institute (NDI) would spend £3.8 million (US$5 million) to sponsor the Press Freedom Committee of The Post, Caritas Zambia, Anti-Voter Apathy Project and SACCORD to establish the PVT during elections.

Mr Chifire said the NGOs were known to consistently work against the Government, undermine its mandate and scandalise it without cause, and that they were always on hand to support the opposition, and Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata in particular.

“It is for this reason that we are opposing the use of the PVT in the forthcoming elections as it would be used to destabilise the country,” he said.

And former PF secretary general Edward Mumbi urged Zambians to insist that only the ECZ was the legal institution charged with handling the elections.

“Zambians should not agree to succumb to foreign influence which can cause chaos in the country,” Mr Mumbi said.

Meanwhile, the MMD in Ndola has appealed to some diplomats and civil society organisations to consult the Government and other stakeholders on why they are opposed to the introduction of a parallel vote count system in Zambia.

MMD Ndola District chairperson Victor Konie said in a statement released yesterday that those championing the introduction of the parallel vote count system should explain what was wrong with the system where the ECZ was the only authorised body to issue election results.

 

[Times of Zambia]

Parliament has heard that Zambia as at December 31st 2010 had a debt stock amounting to 1.28 billion dollars.

Finance and national planning minister Situmbeko Musokotwane disclosed this in response to a question raised by roan Member of Parliament, Chishimba Kambwili.

Dr. Musokotwane explained to the house that multi-lateral agencies were the main sources of the loans acquired.

He named the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund –IMF- as the major multilateral financiers accounting for 65.5 percent of the debt while the Paris club consortium of members accounted for 75 percent.

The minister named some of the Paris club members as Brazil, Russia,and Japan while other financing nations are Bulgaria, China, Iraq,and Kuwait.

[ MUVI ]

Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata says the MMD’s celebration over the purported death of the PF/UPND pact is short lived because the pact is still intact.

Mr Sata says the PF/UPND pact is still intact because he has not received any formal letter from the UPND notifying his party of their pull out from the pact.

Mr. Sata says the pact is in the interest of the citizens and not individuals.

He told QFM radio that the pact is still in its infancy and is yet to deliver to the expectations of the citizens.

The opposition leader says what is happening in the pact is normal adding that a marriage without quarrels is not a marriage at all.

Mr. Sata has since assured pact follower not to worry as the pact is yet to prove its existence.

He says the only people who can be rejoicing that the pact is dying are those in the MMD as they want to continue plundering national resources.

Meanwhile Mr Sata has congratulated the United Party for National Development (UPND) for deciding to field members of parliament in all the 150 constituencies in the forthcoming general elections.

PF leader Michael Sata says the UPND is a registered and independent party obliged to work on its programs.

Mr. Sata says the UPND does not need to get permission from anyone for them to work on their independent party agenda.
[ QFM ]

House of Chiefs chairperson Chief Madzimawe has described as irresponsible, a Mongu headman Sampaya Nyambe’s statement that President Rupiah Banda should be arrested for murder when he leaves office over the death of two Mongu youths recently.

Chief Madzimawe said yesterday that the Government operated through a system and when anything happened, the system was blamed and not a single individual.

He said it was equally wrong to assume that protesters destroying property should be left to go scot-free.

Chief Madzimawe advised traditional leaders to be rational in their statements and use defined channels to air their opinions.

He said it was sad that some leaders had continued to issue statements with political connotations that were likely to cause anarchy.

Chief Madzimawe said this in reaction to a statement by Sampaya Nyambe, headman of Lifweko Village in Mongu, that President Banda should be arrested for murder when he leaves office over the death of two Mongu youths recently.

He said it was wrong for the headman to make such an irresponsible statement because as a traditional leader, he should be aware of how the Government operated.

“How can he make such a statement as if President Banda is the one that killed the two youths?

“How do you advance development when you are protesting and destroying property?” he asked.

Chief Madzimawe said if there was any wrongdoing in the Mongu incident that led to the deaths, the law was there to deal with the culprits through the laid-down procedures.

“Take the Mazabuka incident, for instance. We have been informed that the police officers involved have been arrested for causing the death of the four people there.

“This sends out a strong message that even the police had a responsibility to discharge their duties professionally.

Headman Nyambe was quoted in yesterday’s Post newspaper as having said President Banda should be jointly charged with Home Affairs Minister Mkhondo Lungu and Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde.
[ Times of Zambia ]

The Increased levels of theft at some of Lusaka’s Manda hill shopping have become a source of concern.

In the last few days, three female suspects have been arrested on theft charges after stealing from the shops.
A young lady of Lusaka’s Chelstone area was picked by the police when she attempted to get away with some underwear from Mr Price shop.

The shop’s Assistant Operations and Administration officer Mwenya Mulenga told Muvi TV News that a number female suspects have in the past few days been caught stealing.

Ms. Mwenya also said the trend among the female folk is worrying.
[ MUVI ]

MMD acting national secretary ChembeNyangu says suspended chairman for elections Mike Mulongoti, Katubamember of Parliament Jonas Shakafuswa and Kafulafuta MP George Mpombo will not be allowed to attend the national convention set for next month in Kabwe.

Mr Nyangu said at a media briefing in Lusaka on yesterday that the three are not eligible to attend the convention because they are not in good standing with the ruling party.

And Mr Nyangu said the party cannot act on Mr Mulongoti’s exculpatory letter because the MMD secretariat only received a photocopy while the original was allegedly leaked to The Post.

Mr Mulongoti was asked to exculpate himself for allegedly bringing the MMD into ridicule by publicly attacking the MMD leadership.

But Mr Mulongoti denied ever leaking the letter to The Post and that someone from the MMD secretariat picked the original copy from him and delivered it to Mr Nyangu’s office.

He said he will do everything possible to push for his rights until he attends the national convention.

“Mr Mulongoti is not eligible to attend the convention. Mr Shakafuswa and Mr Mpombo will also not be allowed to attend the convention because they are not in good standing with the party,” he said.MrNyangu said the national executive committee suspended Mr Mulongoti on charges of bringing the name of the party into disrepute and he was given limited time to exculpate himself as stipulated by the MMD constitution.

He said he was surprised that the letter of exculpation was published in The Post edition of February 7 without his office receiving the original copy.

The same exculpatory letter was also copied to the party president and national chairman.

“Mr Mulongoti delivered a copy of the letter to the acting national secretary, not the original. If I may ask through you, where is the original copy?”

He refuted claims by The Post reporter that the letter the newspaper published was obtained from the MMD secretariat. Mr Nyangu said he believes Mr Mulongoti leaked the letter to the tabloid.

Mr Nyangu said the MMD secretariat and media experts have observed that The Post reporter who wrote the article based on the letter was the same one whose story contributed to Mr Mulongoti facing disciplinary charges.

“Anyone will therefore know that Mr Mulongoti leaked the exculpatory letter to The Post and connived to accuse members of the secretariat of leaking it,” he said.

Mr Nyangu said he is not in the habit of discussing internal party matters in the press but that the secretariat has been forced to clear the air and state categorically that it did not receive the original copy of Mr Mulongoti’s letter.

He said Mr Mulongoti is a senior member of the party who knows the right channels of communication on any party matter. Mr Nyangu said Mr Mulongoti has all along been observing such communication channels but it is surprising that of late, he has deliberately been using the press.

He said since Mr Mulongoti allegedly decided to leak the original copy of his exculpatory letter to The Post, the secretariat will consult with party chairman for legal affairs BwalyaChiti on the way forward.

But Mr Mulongoti said he sent the original letter to Mr Nyangu and that there is nothing wrong with the latter seeing a photocopied letter as long as he knows who the author is.

Mr Mulongoti accused Mr Nyangu of not addressing substantive issues contained in his exculpatory letter.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya says the United Party for National Development (UPND) president HakaindeHichilema should consider contesting as a member of Parliament to gain experience on governance issues.

Meanwhile, Mr Hichilema has maintained that Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata is to blame for the demise of the pact between the two parties.

“It is good that Mr Hichilema has learnt a lesson, and should now consider running for a parliamentary seat,” Ms Siliya said.

She said at a press briefing in Lusaka on March 9 there have been MPs who were presidents and presidents who are now MPs.

Ms Siliya said it is for this reason MMD is encouraging Mr Hichilema to re-channel his energy.

She said the pact between the UPND and the PF died a long time ago.

Ms Siliya condemned PF president Michael Sata and his party members’ attacks on the media.

“You cannot have a leader who is violent, and he has started inciting his members to be attacking journalists,” she said.

Ms Siliya said it is for this reason that Mr Sata should stop using youths for his fight for the presidency.

She said youths have a right to say no to a wrong thing because leaders like Mr Sata are not building the nation, but destroying it.

She said even when the MMD has lost about four by-elections, it has increased President Banda’s popularity since 2008.

“This is so because we don’t work with emotions, but strive for national development,” Ms Siliya said.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

President Rupiah Banda has said this year’s general elections will be held before September.

President Banda also says the MMD and his expectations in the general elections are to win by a big margin.

According to the Reuters reports monitored in Lusaka, Mr Banda has not given a date for the polls but he says they are coming soon, however, indicating they would take place before September.

President Banda has also said that the MMD will score an easy victory this year in a general election.

Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) has charged that only desperate people with ill motives can be against a transparent system such as the Parallel Voter Tabulation system.

TIZ Executive Director Goodwell Lungu in a statement released to QFM today said it is extremely worrying that a wrong picture is being painted that a Parallel Voter Tabulation system in Zambia is illegal and can cause confusion, when the MMD used the same system during the 2008 presidential elections when it projected that president Rupiah Banda would win by 62,000 votes.

Mr Lungu said as far as TIZ is concerned the the system provided adequate checks,balances and promoted transparency ,and challenged Zambians not to allow a few selfish people to shoot down a tool that provides opportunities for greater transparency in the electoral process.

He added that it is not enough for Zambians to cast their vote, but that they should protect their vote and ensure that their choice is protected.

Mr Lungu has since declared that Transparency International Zambia is seriously considering looking at the possibility of undertaking a Parallel Voter Tabulation Exercise.

He added that they have already scheduled activities to train and deploy election monitors in most of the polling stations in Zambia and that working together with other CSOs, they intend to place monitors in all polling stations.

He further stated that they will consider the option of conducting a PVT to complement the work of the election monitors.

Mr Lungu challenged the Electoral Commission of Zambia to tell the nation which law disqualifies citizens from adding up declared results by presiding officers to compare with officially announced results.

He noted that the Electoral Code of Conduct, Statutory Instrument No.90 of 2006, the Electoral Regulations of 2006, Regulation 14 already provides for media to disclose election results.

QFM

Former Nchanga Member of Parliament Charles Chimumbwa has called on UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema to convince his party to join the MMD.

 

He said that if Mr. Hichilema hopes to become President one day he needs to partner and work with the able leadership of President Rupiah Banda.

Mr.Chimumbwa has also called on Home Affairs Minister Mhkondo Lungu to summon Colonel Panji Kaunda to explain his statements on violence in the forth coming elections.

Mr. Chimumbwa said there is need for a commission of inquiry to probe Col. Kaunda’s sentiments on violence.

He said this in a statement to ZNBC news in Lusaka.

Mr.Chimumbwa said Colonel Kaunda will be held responsible should there be violence in the country during and after the elections.

[ZNBC]

The MMD secretariat says it has not received the original exculpatory letter written by its suspended senior member Mike Mulongoti.

 

MMD Acting National Secretary Chembe Nyangu said the MMD secretariat has only received a photocopy of Mr. Mulongoti’ss exculpatory letter.

Mr Nyangu told a media briefing that the secretariat suspects that Mr. Mulongoti could have given the exculpatory letter to the Post newspaper.

He explained that the MMD secretariat will not act on photocopied letters and is currently consulting its legal department on how to proceed on the matter.

Mr Nyangu has advised Mr Mulongoti whom he said is a senior party member to follow the correct channels of communication, when aggrieved.

He explained that it is wrong for Mr Mulongoti to attack the party through the media.

Mr Nyangu said Mr Mulongoti,Katuba MP Jonas Shakafuswa and Kafulafuta MP George Mpombo are not eligible to attend the forth coming MMD national convention next month.

He said this is because the trio are not in good standing with the party.

[ZNBC]