Patriotic Front leader (PF) Michael Sata has refuted claims by his former Secretary General Edward Mumbi that he received money amounting to US $ 100 000 from Finance Bank to fund Change Life Zambia Executive Director Frank Bwalya’s Anti-government campaigns.

Speaking on Joy FM radio in Lusaka today, Mr. Sata said the allegation is a desperate move by a few individuals within Finance Bank who want to destroy their former chairman Rajah Matani.

The PF leader said he does not get money from Finance Bank and has charged that those who want to accuse him are wasting their time.

Mr Sata said it was unfortunate that Bank officials are engaging in breaching the confidentiality of its customers.

Mr. Sata was reacting to the allegation leveled against him by former PF Secretary General Edward Mumbi on the 9th of October that the PF leader received 100,000 US dollars through a Mr. Miles Sampa at Finance Bank in Lusaka who deposited the money into the dollar account number 0011016930015.

[pullquote]Mr Sata said it was unfortunate that Bank officials are engaging in breaching the confidentiality of its customers.[/pullquote]

It is further alleged that the money was meant for the purposes of buying Father Bwalya’s vehicles and to intensify his campaigns against government.

And Mr. Sata has observed that the MMD government has respected foreign investors at the expense of indigenous people adding that the removal of removal of the abuse of office clause will encourage stealing in public offices.

Meanwhile, Committee of Citizen’s executive director Gregory Chifire has observed the revelation that Change Life Zambia executive director Fr. Frank Bwalya received 100,000 United States dollars from Patriotic front leader Michael Sata to de-campaign government raises a lot of concern.

Mr. Chifire said that it is a pity that Father Bwalya had to reduce himself to that level. He said that what is more surprising is that Fr. Bwalya is a church leader who should not engage himself in dubious activities.

He said that Father Bwalya holds a position of high esteem in the society and it’s a pity that he had to use unexplained circumstances. Mr. Chifire has since called on the church to clear state their position on the matter. He was speaking to QFM News this morning.

QFM

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised”
(Hebrews 10:36, NIV)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

What are you believing God for today? Promotion? Healing? Stronger relationships? Deliverance? God has promised all these things to you in His Word because it’s His heart for you to live in blessing and wholeness.

When you follow the will of God by obeying His Word and precepts, it opens the door for His promises to be fulfilled in your life. You may be doing all the right things today — don’t give up! Perseverance will carry you to the promise.

Perseverance means that you are focused, that you are believing what God says about your situation. It’s looking away from distractions and any negative, defeating thoughts. Perseverance looks away from discouragement and looks to the Word of God. Perseverance has a voice, and it says things like, “No weapon formed against me shall prosper! If God is for me, who can be against me! I am more than a conqueror through Jesus!”

Whatever you are believing for today, keep believing! Stand strong and fight the good fight of faith. Ask God to give you endurance, perseverance and patience so that you can see His promises fulfilled in every area of your life!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father in heaven, thank You for Your good promises to me. I ask that You give me a heart that is steadfast and fixed on You. Fill me with Your peace and perseverance so I can live in victory all the days of my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

— Joel & Victoria Osteen

United party for national development UPND youth national youth spokesperson Ronald Manenga has challenged the state owned Zambia Daily Mail newspaper to retract the article claiming that he vows not to allow, PF leader, Michael sata to ever lead the pact.

The Zambia Daily Mail,today, November the 6th, carried an article that stated that Mr. Manenga indicated that UPND youths will not allow a person who insults Government, especially President Banda, to lead the PACT into next year’s general elections.

However Mr. Manenga told QFM in an interview that the statement is a misplacement of facts and unethical because he never uttered the words.

[pullquote]Former PF youth national secretary, Erick Chanda has challenged his fellow youths across the country that to begin campaigning for Mr. Sata in order to avoid last minute disappointments by the pact partners.[/pullquote]

He accused the newspaper of having had fabricated the information given to the journalist in an interview with him earlier. Mr. Manenga has since demanded for an apology from the institution.

Nevertheless, former PF youth national secretary, Erick Chanda has challenged his fellow youths across the country that to begin campaigning for Mr. Sata in order to avoid last minute disappointments by the pact partners.

Mr. Chanda says that Zambia needs Mr. Sata’s caliber of leadership to create the necessary changes and crash the inhuman treatment that the people have been subjected to for years.

QFM

President Banda has said that he is happy to have found a Finance Minister, Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane, who is ten times better than former Finance Minister Ng’undu Magande.

The President said Mr Magande thought it was going to be difficult for him to be replaced. Mr. Banda was reacting to Mr Magande’s statement in Friday’s Post Newspaper alleging that the President has exhibited stubbornness when dealing with national issues.

And President Banda has advised Zambians to take advantage of the on-going voter registration exercise and register as voters.

Mr. Banda said it is the only opportunity Zambians can decide on who should be their leader.  He was speaking to journalists at Lusaka International Airport Saturday shortly before he left for Tanzania to attend the inauguration ceremony for his counterpart Jakaya Kikwete.

President Banda said government in September decided to extend the voter registration exercise for an extra three months to capture more eligible voters.

Mr. Banda said he has received reports indicating that more people are now registering as voters than when the exercise started in June this year.

President Banda also said his Tanzanian counterpart Jakaya Kikwete has been re-elected for a second term in office because of working hard.

Mr. Banda said Mr Jakaya Kikwete managed to transform Tanzania’s economy during his first term in office.

Mr. Banda said he was happy that his Tanzanian counterpart won the election despite the negative publicity he received.

By Lusaka Times Reporter

Works and Supply Minister,Mike Mulongoti has said President Rupiah Banda has been part the Late President Patrick Mwanawasa’s legacy since he was Mwanawasa’s Vice-President and both of them had been planning developmental projects together. Mr. Mulongoti was reacting to some sentiments by members of the opposition that Mr. Banda is using the Late Mwanawasa’s name to gain cheap political mileage.

Mr.Mulongoti was speaking yesterday during the official commissioning of the Livingstone-Zimba road by President Banda. Mr.Mulongoti, who is former MMD spokesperson, said President Banda has also been a front-runner in the visualization of economic developments in the country.

“Those who are saying you are carrying on Levy’s legacy do not know what they are saying because Levy’s legacy is your legacy…You have been there as Vice when most of these projects started,”he said.

Mr.Mulongoti encouraged President Banda not to despair in his work despite useless talks by what he called some political jokers.

President Rupiah Bnada opened the Livingstone-Zimba road to the public for use and become the first one to use it when he took a 32Km drive on the road.

And Southern Province Minister,Elijah Muchima described President Banda as a true man of the people who is capable to bring development into this country. Mr.Muchima further justified President Banda’s trips as fruitful.

He said when President Banda goes abroad he goes to look for development when he comes back he comes back with development.

But a group of UPND officials in the province are rumoured to have issued a negative statement towards RB’s visit. Sources say the officials who where reacting shortly after the opening of the road also had some bone to chew with Livingstone Member of Parliament Sakwiba Sikota whom they are calling a ghost MP.

Mr Sakwiba Sikota praised President Banda for ensuring that the road project is completed. The United Liberal Party leader said he was proud to have joined hands with President Banda, during the 2008 campaigns, which he said has yielded positive results.

Mr Sikota said at the time, President Banda promised to bring change to the lives of Zambians, and this has now been evidenced in the construction of the Zimba-Livingstone road.

The 72.8km road, which gobbled about K125bn, is now open to the public thanks to China Geo Construction (CGC) Company.

Vice president George Kunda has disputed the 2010 Global Human Development Report released yesterday in New York which names Zambia among three African countries with a lower human development index over the last 20 years.

The human development index is a measure of well being published by the UNDP for the past 20 years that combines individual economic prosperity with education levels and life expectancy.

The report says only three countries have a lower human development index than in 1970 — Congo, torn by conflict since the 1990s, Zambia, hit by falls in the price of copper, its main export, and Zimbabwe, where inflation reached 500 billion percent two years ago.

But responding to a question by Ndola central members of parliament Mark Mushili during the vice president’s question time who wanted him to confirm the findings of the report,Mr Kunda described the report as highly misleading.

MR Kunda described the findings of the report as an individual’s opinion who has no knowledge or has limited knowledge about what is going on in Zambia.

The vice president said everything is there for everyone to see that Zambia developing pointing to the ongoing construction works at Manda Hill and the construction of hospitals and schools across the country.

The UNDP’s human development index has become one of the most trusted indicators of poverty, and in the latest report they got about 40 years to assess progress in the developing world.

Instead of year-on-year shifts, this year’s report focused on what it said were upward long-term trends, assessing developments in 135 countries since 1970.

QFM