TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“…His favor is for a lifetime…”
(Psalm 30:5, AMP)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

One definition of the word “favor” is an advantage for success. When you put God first, when you obey His commands, you open the door for His favor — you have the advantage for success! Even if someone has wronged you and it looks like they have the upper hand, even if it looks like things are never going to change, you need to keep reminding yourself, “I have an advantage. God is in control of my destiny. He’s fighting my battles for me. He is my vindicator, and it’s just a matter of time before things change in my favor.”

I love the scripture in Hebrews that says, “Don’t cast away your confidence.” One translation says, “…for payday is coming.” In the difficult times, you have to remind yourself that payday is on its way! God is a faithful God. If you’ll keep doing the right thing, honoring Him and expecting His favor, God has promised He will pay you back. He will restore everything in your life that the enemy has stolen so you can live the abundant life He has promised to you.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father in heaven, thank You for Your grace, mercy and everlasting favor. I open my heart and mind to You and receive everything You have for me. Thank You for restoring and healing every area of my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

— Joel & Victoria Osteen

Tourism and Environment Minister Catherine Namugala has urged all major political parties to ensure that the current female parliamentarians return the seats in this year’s elections.

Ms. Namugala says the female parliamentarians who would be clocking five years in office need to be given a second chance as this will enable them to gain more experience and contribute meaningfully to the country’s national development.

Ms. Namugala, who is also Isoka East Member of Parliament, however, says it is encouraging to note that the number of female parliamentarians has continued to increase.

She added that women need to be encouraged to take up leadership roles for them to manage national affairs.

Ms. Namugala has been a parliamentarian for Isoka East for almost ten years now.
[ QFM ]

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has outlawed displaying of “no refund, no return” disclaimers.

The commission says the action is illegal and has warned that it will soon start clamping down on offenders.

Public Relations Director, Brian Lingela says the any business firm found displaying such disclaimers will be fined up to 10 percent of its annual turnover.

Mr Lingela said the move will be taken to enforce the law and also to protect consumers from traders who usually sell defective products.

[pullquote]Public Relations Director, Brian Lingela said that  any business firm found displaying such disclaimers will be fined up to 10 percent of its annual turnover.[/pullquote]

He said this at a media briefing in Lusaka, yesterday.

Mr Lingela also said the commission will take action against traders who charge their customers more than the price indicated on a product or service.

He said the commission is currently investigating the airline industry for charging customers’ hidden costs when buying air tickets.

ZNBC

President Rupiah Banda has been invited by a leading global news and information company, Thomson Reuters ,to speak at its first ever Africa Investment Summit to be held in South Africa.

President Banda is expected to join top politicians, Executives and investors to explore the opportunities and challenges facing investors in Africa.

The inaugural Africa Investment summit will be held from the 7 to 10 of March 2011.

Reuters Bureau Chief for Southern Africa Marius Bosch said that the foreign investors and many Reuters clients are increasingly interested in Zambia and its investments prospects.

This is contained in a statement released to ZNBC by Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Dickson Jere.

Mr Jere said delivering economic prosperity to all Zambians has been at the heart of President Banda ‘s policies and his government has worked successfully to build strong foundations for tomorrow Zambia.

He said great achievements have been made in improving economic stability and the country has drawn considerable international recognition, receiving its first sovereign rating from FITCH which rated Zambia at B plus.

Zambia’s economy expanded to almost 7 percent last year and it is predicted to be one of the world’s top ten fastest growing economies for 2011-2015 a sign that there are good times ahead for the Zambian economy.

And Vice President George Kunda has said that the Credit rating of B plus by the International community will enable the country attract investment.

Mr Kunda said that the development also showed the confidence the International community has, in the government’s robust economic policies.

He said that following the rating, Zambia will be able to float bonds for various infrastructure development projects in the country.

Mr Kunda was speaking in Parliament on Friday in response to Milanzi Member of Parliament Whiteson Banda who wanted to know what it means for Zambia to gain a credit rating of B plus.

He said that the international community is also impressed with the way government is fighting corruption

[ZNBC]

The Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) has condemned the conduct of the police officers in the Mazabuka incident that occurred on Tuesday this week.

The Human Rights Committee of the law association of Zambia says that reported use of teargas canister in a public place where patrons were watching a soccer match on television is reckless, unjustifiable, and clearly criminal.

Governor of the Committee Bob Mwelwa Musenga says that the continued use of live ammunition on unarmed members of the public is a sad development.

Mr. Musenga has since called on the political leadership to condemn the continued loss of lives at the hands of the police service whose constitutional mandate is to protect lives of the people.

He says the right to life is the cornerstone of the bill of rights and the violation of this right with impunity is at the variance with the Association’s position as a democratic state that respects the rule of law.

Mr. Musenga has since reminded the police that they are not above the law and are equally subject to the same laws as other citizens.

He regret that two more lives were lost at the hands of the police barely 24 hours after the issuance of a statement by the minister of home affairs in parliament.

He has further urged government to immediately take corrective measures and ensure that the police operate within the law so as to restore the confidence of the public and international community.

[ QFM ]

Former Lusaka Catholic Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo has castigated Catholic priests practicing partisan politics.

Archbishop Milingo says the move is not only wrong but also has potential to divide the whole nation.

The Archbishop said the Catholic Church is a universal church adding that all Catholics should embrace politicians from various political parties.

Archbishop Milingo said on Friday in Lusaka that clergymen and women should play the role of mediators among politicians to promote peace and unity.

Meanwhile Archbishop Milingo has cautioned Zambians against engaging themselves in vices that may jeopardize the peace and security of the nation ahead of this year’s tripartite elections.

He said Zambians should desist from any forms of violence if the country is to continue enjoying peace and freedom.
[ ZNBC ]

Thirty one out of the 42 people that were feared dead after their boat capsized on Lake Mweru in Luapula Province are alive.

Police Spokesperson Ndandula Siamana confirmed this to ZNBC news in Lusaka Friday evening.

Ms. Siamana said some of the survivors were found on top of the capsized boat, while the rest managed to swim into neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo because it is nearer than the Zambian side.

Meanwhile, three bodies have been retrieved from Lake Mweru following the accident.

Ms. Siamana said that eight people are, however, missing and believed to be trapped underneath the capsized boat.

Forty two people were fishing on the lake, when the boat capsized.

[ ZNBC ]

United Party for National Development UPND national youth chairman Joe Kalusa says there is no reason why the UPND/PF pact should crumble because of him.

Mr. Kalusa says PF leader Michael Sata’s demands that he apologizes over his attacks on him for the benefit of the PACT holds no water.

He says individual demands that the PF leader is making are unfortunate especially that the UPND/PF pact was created by Zambians with the vision of hope.

Mr. Kalusa says the PF president should come out in the open and declare the real reasons why his does not seem to be interested in the PACT.

He added that it is unfair and wrong to use him as a scapegoat to pull out of the PACT by the PF as it was created for the benefit of the many Zambians.

Mr Kalusa says Mr. Sata should not look at the individual behaviour but look at the broader picture of the Zambian population that wants regime change.
[ QFM ]

Chikondi Foundation president Bishop John Mambo has charged that the killing of two people by police in Mazabuka this week is a clear indication that the nation has become a police state.

Bishop Mambo has noted that the Zambia police have seen it fit to use live ammunition against civilians whenever people decide to protest.

He says from the time of the protest in Western Province over the Barotseland agreement were lives were lost, police have gone on the loose in shooting at people.

Bishop Mambo called on the government to ensure that sanity is brought to the police service.

He says turning of the country into a police state is worrying because it has long term consequences.

Bishop Mambo noted that Zambia has a lot to learn from what is taking place in North Africa.
[ QFM ]

THE MMD has congratulated the Patriotic Front (PF) for winning the Mporokoso parliamentary by-election held on March 3.

And the MMD has won four, including Mutaba ward in Masaiti, out of the seven local government ward by-elections held simultaneously with the Mporokoso parliamentary by-election. The PF got two ward seats while UPND won one.

PF parliamentary candidate Maynard Misapa polled 2,844 votes against MMD’s Dominic Musonda, who got 2,217.

Congratulating the PF, President Banda told journalists in Kasumbalesa on March 4 that the election result is not a reflection that the ruling party is losing ground in Mporokoso, JERRY MUNTHALI reports.

“I congratulate very much the PF for winning that election, we think we gave it the best we could but that is the democracy we are talking about. We must go to elections to win or lose. When you lose, you must congratulate the other and wait for the next round,” he said.

He said it is sad that the MMD lost the seat but that the result does not mean that the ruling party is becoming unpopular in the district.

Mr Banda rated his chances of winning the presidential elections in Mporokoso as very high.

“Even in Mporokoso itself, I rate my chances very high. I think that in the elections, whose date I shall keep secret from you but it is very soon, we will re-organise ourselves,” he said.

“But that is politics, it is like boxing. If they hit you and you fall, you get up and start creating fear in the other person and you keep going. You can win the fight even if you had fallen earlier.”

[pullquote]In a Ward by elections on the Copperbelt, the MMD  Gilbert Kaindu got  477 votes, UPND’s John Tuseko  got 293  votes and PF’s West Phiri got  only 80 votes.[/pullquote]

On the Copperbelt Mutaba ward by-election in Masaiti, the MMD says it has shamed Kafulafuta member of Parliament George Mpombo, who de-campaigned the ruling party in the run-up to the by-election, reports KANGWA MULENGA.

Provincial vice chairman Frank N’gambi said in an interview in Ndola on March 4 that winning the Mutaba ward by-election is testimony of the popularity the ruling party is gaining on the Copperbelt, contrary to claims by Mr Mpombo that the MMD is finished.

The MMD fielded Gilbert Kaindu, who polled 477 votes, beating other candidates, John Tuseko of the United Party for National Development, who got 293 and Patriotic Front’s West Phiri trailed with only 80 votes.

“As MMD on the Copperbelt, the victory in Mutaba ward is good news for George Mpombo, who spent sleepless nights de-campaigning the ruling party. We have shamed him,” Mr N’gambi said.

He assured President Banda that the party will continue to work hard ahead of this year’s general elections.

Mr Ng’ambi commended all party structures in the province for the good job done during the campaigns.

MMD Ndola district chairman Victor Konie said the victory is a warning to the opposition that the ruling party has regained its popularity on the Copperbelt. Mr Konie said the ruling party on the Copperbelt will not relent in mobilising the party ahead of the general elections this year.

“We will not spend our energies responding to insults from the opposition but to organise the party to ensure that President Banda and the MMD win this year’s general elections. We have demonstrated this in the Mutaba ward by-election,” Mr Konie said.

In the Mporokoso poll, National Restoration Party candidate Joyce Mukandocame a distant third with 435 votes while UNIP’s Anthony Nkonde only managed a paltry 71 votes.

Announcing the results at Bulangililo Community Hall at 08:50 hours yesterday, returning officer Felix Mukuka declared Mr Misapa the winner of the by-election.

This was after ballot boxes from Nkantanga and Sunkutu polling stations were air-lifted by a Zambia Air Force helicopter around 08:00 hours.

And Mr Misapa said shortly after being declared winner that he expected to win the by-election because he was the most popular candidate.

But MMD acting national secretary Chembe Nyangu said although the ruling party had been negatively affected by the loss, the development was a temporary setback.

Anti-Voter Apathy Project executive director Bonny Tembo said it was worrying that only 5,567 people out of the 12,000 registered voters in the district took part in the election.

Mr Tembo said apart from the rains that disrupted the voting, many people could not manage to cast their ballots mainly because of the long distances they had to cover to reach polling stations which are far apart.

He, however, said the elections were conducted in a free and peaceful atmosphere.

The Mporokoso parliamentary seat fell vacant after Mr Misapa resigned from the MMD to join the PF.

This was after President Banda dropped him from the position of Deputy Minister of Sport, Youth and Child Development.

[Zambia Daily Mail]