DEC public relations officer John Nyawali said the second summoning of Mr. Sata by the DEC follows his failure to provide answers when he appeared before investigators last week.

Mr. Nyawali said Mr. Sata was given time to adequately prepare so that he could provide answers to some questions.

And Mr. Sata said the DEC the source of the 100,000 United States dollars he is alleged to have given Change Life Zambia executive director Father Frank Bwalya to de-campaign the Rupiah Banda administration.

The PF leader who arrived at the DEC offices at 09:49 hours, accompanied by his lawyers, PF vice president Guy Scot, party secretary general Wynter Kabimba, and some MPs, left an hour later after being questioned.

He said it is up to the DEC to tell the nation what he has told them.

The DEC public relations manager refused to give details about Mr Sata’s questioning stating that today’s interrogation was part of the on-going investigation.

Police kept vigil at the premises which was clear of carders.

Meanwhile, the commission has expressed disappointment with some members of the public who are issuing statements that it says are misleading.

Mr. Nyawali said politicians should not mislead people by insinuating that the commission is working under instructions to investigate and allegedly persecute people perceived to be not in good standing with government.

He noted that the commission is an autonomous and professional organization which is there to serve the interest of Zambians and not settle political vendettas.

The DEC relations manager said it is quite unfortunate that some people have deliberately chosen not to support the fight against money laundering and drug trafficking by attempting to frustrate efforts aimed at protecting Zambia from becoming a haven for drug traffickers and money launderers.
[ QFM ]

Mr. Sata questioned why the Zambia police did not arrest the cadres who they claimed had missiles and tear-gas canisters, to exhibit them to the people.

He noted that tear gas canisters and fire arms are only found with the military personnel and challenged anyone with evidence to substantiate the allegations that the PF is in possession of fire arms to prove the allegations.

Mr. Sata added that it will be only possible that the PF cadres were in possession of tear gas canisters if the police officers personally gave the cadres the canisters, a situation he described as impossible.

Meanwhile, the PF leader has expressed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family of late All People,s Congress (APC) party leader, Kenny Ngondo.

Mr. Sata said the opposition has been robbed of one of the vibrant leaders in the opposition.

Mr. Ngondo died in Lusaka yesterday after an illness.
[ QFM ]

President Rupiah Banda has appealed to the World Soccer Governing Body FIFA to urgently help resolve the problems affecting the administration of football in Zambia.

The President has also called for dialogue between the leaders of the two FAZ executive commitees.

President Banda also said having two parallel FAZ executive Committees is not healthy for the development of football in Zambia.

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

President Banda has maintained that government will not interfere in the administration of football, but will use available conflict resolution mechanisms through FIFA to try and resolve the wrangles.

President Banda who is also the Patron of FAZ is an ardent supporter of Zambian football and has been instrumental in raising funds for the National team.

And World Soccer Governing body- FIFA- has advised the Football Association of Zambia -FAZ, -to take stern action against individuals who have brought the name of football into disrepute in the country.

FAZ President Kalusha Bwalya said the association has been guided by FIFA to punish anyone who has used the name and logo of FAZ without the approval of the FAZ council.

Speaking at a press briefing in Lusaka Monday, Kalusha also disclosed that FAZ has signed a memorandum of understanding with MTN for the sponsorship of the premier league and national team.

Kalusha further said consultations with Barclays Bank Zambia are continuing on the date for the final between ZESCO United and ZANACO.

The final between the two teams was called off after some teams decided to boycott FAZ premier league games.

In a related matter Police have continued to man Football house, the premises of the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ).

ZNBC Sports found a heavy presence of police officers at the football house Monday.

And Lusaka Police Division Commanding Officer Greenwell Nguni said the presence of Police at Football House should not surprise people.

Nguni said the presence of police officers has been necessitated by the formation of two FAZ executive committees.

Nguni pledged that the Police will work to ensure that the two factions are kept apart and that peace prevails.

[ZNBC]

Sitting tenants of Ndola Itawa National Pensions Scheme Authority (NAPSA) flats have submitted a petition to President Rupiah Banda requesting him to intervene in the pricing of the flats which have been pegged between K120million and K195 million.

The tenants who submitted the appeal letter to one of President Banda’s private secretaries at Ndola’s International Airport yesterday before his departure for North-Western Province, said they were making a passionate appeal to the president because the current price was unaffordable.

A one bed roomed flat had been pegged at K120 million while a four bed roomed flat was going at K195 million.

Spokesperson for Itawa NAPSA Tenants Association Baldwin Chatupa said the flats were not worth the price because they were in a deplorable state and had not been rehabilitated in a long time.

Mr Chatupa said the decision by NAPSA to price the 82 flats highly was against the MMD Government’s policy of home ownership empowerment.

“We are, therefore, making a passionate appeal to you your Excellency Sir to intervene in this matter like you have ably and decisively intervened in the sale of the flats of our neighbours at the Itawa council flats and Chinese complex,” he said.

He said the sale of the Itawa council flats and the Chinese complex housing units had benefited the people with the majority being widows and the unemployed.

“We the residents of NAPSA flats have unanimously resolved to rally behind your leadership and support you in the 2011 elections,” he said.

He commended President Banda for his leadership capabilities and integrity because of his ability to deliver and this could be attested by the re-opening of the mines, construction of the roads, schools, clinics and hospitals taking place in different parts of Zambia.

[Times of Zambia]

Patriotic Front (PF) members of Parliament have condemned their president Michael Sata for ferrying cadres to the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) offices where they fought running battles with the police.

And UNIP secretary general Jemima Banda has said Mr Sata is a failed politician who has outlived his usefulness and now wants to use the Barotse Agreement to get votes from the people of Western Province.

Speaking in separate interviews in Lusaka yesterday, Mwense (MP) Jacob Chongo, his Luapula and Kawambwa counterparts Peter Machungwa and Elizabeth Chitika respectively, said that it was wrong for Mr Sata to ferry cadres when he was appearing for a personal issue.

Mr Chongo said when an investigative wing calls a political leader, such a leader should realise they were called in their individual capacity and not as a political entity.

“Whenever a political leader is called by the investigative wing in his individual capacity, he should avoid ferrying cadres. Nobody is stating that Mr Sata has done anything wrong, they want a clarification. Why carry the cadres when it’s a personal matter?” Mr Chongo said.

He said there was no need for cadres to accompany or be ferried to DEC offices, as the issue of the US$100,000 was not a PF matter but a personal issue involving Mr Sata.

Mr Chongo said he feared what kind of state Mr Sata would run if elected president considering that he was exhibiting violent traits.

“He is not in power but what more if he has instruments of power, we need to see more of these so that the Zambians know the kind of leader that the PF president is,” Mr Chongo said.
Ms Chitika said it was wrong for a political leader to involve a political party in personal matters, noting that the issue of the US$100,000 was Mr Sata’s personal issue and, therefore, should not involve the PF.

“The point is that what is happening now is not a party issue. It is something personal and what is important is for Mr Sata to go there in his individual capacity and not to involve the party,” Ms Chitika said.

She said if lives had been lost, Mr Sata would have been to blame. Ms Chitika said that opposition leaders seeking political office should desist from engaging themselves in acts that could cause turmoil in the country.

Her Luapula counterpart, Dr Machungwa said leaders aspiring to lead the nation such as Mr Sata should not undermine law enforcement agencies as doing so would compel them to respond with firmness like what happened on Thursday.

Dr Machungwa said DEC and other security wings are meant to protect every citizen and as such when politicians dare them, Zambia would lose law and order.

“Those aspiring to be national leaders should leave the security wings to operate smoothly because if they intimidate them, they will react with firmness. Political leaders should, therefore, educate their cadres to respect law enforcement agencies and their work,” Dr Machungwa who is the spokesperson of the PF rebel MPs said.

He said Zambians should ensure that they defended the peace they had continued enjoying since independence. The MP said it would not help for people to take the law into their own hands.

Meanwhile, UNIP secretary general Jemima Banda has said Mr Sata is a failed politician who has outlived his usefulness and now wants to use the Barotse Agreement to get votes from the people of Western Province.

Mrs Banda said Mr Sata was becoming so desperate for power that he was trying to use anything to get to State House and that his recent talk on the Barotse Agreement was just one of his populist statements that Zambians should ignore with the contempt it deserved.

Mrs Banda said in an interview yesterday that it was sad that the PF leader was always trying to use divisive ways of getting into leadership, instead of proving to the Zambians that he was a quality leader who was ripe to rule the country by articulating issues of national unity and development.

Mrs Banda said she could not continue to support the wrong things that some opposition colleagues were doing because he was patriotic, mature and objective politician.

She said UNIP would continue to be objective and mature by giving credit where it was due, instead of being perpetual critics of the Government.

“When the Government does something good, we should give credit where it is due, but if it does something wrong, we should provide solutions to where the Government has gone wrong, instead of insulting it in the media. As UNIP, we shall maintain our objectivity and we will not support anything rubbish just because we are from the opposition,” she said.

“I strongly believe the MMD is the only party at present which could deliver to the people of Zambia, hence I am cautioning Zambians not to be excited with calls for change of Government.
[ Times of Zambia ]