Professor of the Human rights law, at the University of Pretoria, Michelo Hansugule has charged that government’s failure to commit to constitution making in the 2011 budget is testimony that the document will not be ready for the 2011 tripartite elections.

Professor Hansungule said it is finally evident that government has no intention of persuing the constitution making process next year.

He said what the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) government has done is to make a public announcement that elections are more important that finalizing the constitution which should be a good democratic premise for development.

The Professor noted that the overall reformation of the constitution will never be done before the 2011 elections and the omission of its commitment in the 2011 national budget only shows that government is giving up on the matter.

Meanwhile Professor Hansungule has observed that the revised electoral code of conduct which empowers the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) is a positive stride.

He said what is reassuring about the new code of conduct is that even without the new constitution in place, it can be enforced in totality.
[QFM ]

Enumerators recruited to take part in this year’s census of population and housing in Solwezi district have also protested over the K 1.5 million allowance.

Speaking on behalf of enumerators Aaron Mungoshi told ZANIS today that the K1.5 million allowance to be paid to them is not adequate and needs to be increased to K5million.

Mr Mungoshi said the enumerators have agreed not to sign the affidavit forms until government addresses their plight.

Addressing the protesting enumerators, Solwezi District Commissioner (DC)Frobisher Fulayi assured them that his office would resolve their concerns over allowances by tomorrow.

Mr Fulayi said the concerns raised would be looked into and a resolution will be found as soon as possible.

The DC dispelled claims that enumerators in other districts were getting more money than those in Solwezi District saying there were no disparities in allowances adding that the amount is uniform across the country.

Hundreds of Ndola-based Census of Population and Housing enumerators recently staged a protest outside the regional offices of the Central Statistical Office (CSO) demanding that their training allowances be increased after hearing that their counterparts in Lusaka were being paid K900,000 while they were paid K500,000 as training allowances.

Ndola DC , Joshua Mutisa and District police chief, Bonnie Kapeso held a meeting with the representatives of the enumerators after police convinced the protesters to disperse and give an opportunity to their representatives, CSO and the office of the DC to resolve the impasse.

Similarly , their counterparts in boycotted their training at Kitwe’s Vocational Training College recently demanding that they be paid the promised K 1.5 million allowances.

The Enumerators who were found standing outside the college are demanding that they also be refunded their transport allowances.

The enumerators have accused government of planning to under pay them after the whole census exercise.

The two hundred and twenty seven enumerators have vowed to go back to Lufwanyama were they came from if government does not honor what it promised.

[ ZANIS ]

The Catholic Church is disturbed by the continued trend of attacks and threats of violence against its leadership, Zambia episcopal conference spokesperson Father Paul Samasumo has charged.

Father Samasumo said he condemns acts of intimidation on the leadership of the Catholic Church.

He has reiterated that the whole Catholic Church stands with its leadership in working for a more democratic Zambia.

He said attacks on the Archbishop of Lusaka, Telesphore-George Mpundu, the Bishop of Mongu,Paul Duffy (OMI), and now against the Executive Director of Caritas Zambia,Samuel Mulafulafu are unfounded.

Father Samasumo said Caritas Zambia is not an NGO but an integral component of the structure of the Catholic Church, mandated to promote the social teaching of the Catholic Church.

He added that Caritas Zambia also works to empower Zambians in issues of justice, peace, development,and governance concerns.

He recalled that in March 2009, the Catholic Bishops of Zambia directed Caritas Zambia to animate volunteers throughout Zambia to prepare them to monitor the electoral process of 2011.

The Father said this is one way the Church has done to encourage ordinary Christians’ participation in governance matters and to promote the attainment of genuine democracy in Zambia.

And ZEC has condemned the recent violence that took place in Chilanga during the nominations for the parliamentary by-election.

He said after the experience of the Mufumbwe by-election violence, it was expected that the Zambia Police Service and other security wings would put in place proactive measures in policing election activities.

[ QFM ]

The Citizens Forum has charged that government’s silence on the constitutional making process is a clear confirmation that it does not care about it.

Citizens Forum Executive Secretary Simon Kabanda said the Finance minister should have given an indication on the way forward with regards the constitution making process during the presentation of the 2011 budget.

Featuring on Monday Night Live last evening, Mr. Kabanda said that finance minister Situmbeko Musokotwane should have announced how much money had been allocated for the referendum in the constitution making process.

He added that a lot of money was spent on the NCC and that the silence on the part of government on the way forward on constitution making process with regards to the allocation of funds in the national budget towards the process is questionable.

And featuring on the same programme, Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) Executive Director Patrick Mucheleka called on government to seriously consider revising the mining agreements.

Mr Mucheleka said it is important that the government considers reviewing the mining agreements so that the country could benefit accordingly from its natural resources.
[ QFM ]

Hundreds of Ndola-based Census of Population and Housing enumerators yesterday staged a protest outside the regional offices of the Central Statistical Office (CSO) demanding that their training allowances be increased after hearing that their counterparts in Lusaka were being paid K900,000 while they were paid K500,000 as training allowances.

Ndola District Commissioner (DC), Joshua Mutisa and District police chief, Bonnie Kapeso held a meeting with the representatives of the enumerators after police convinced the protesters to disperse and give an opportunity to their representatives, CSO and the office of the DC to resolve the impasse.
[pullquote]“The truth of the matter is that the Ndola enumerators will be paid the K2 million like their Lusaka counterparts who have also started receiving their down payments while the rest of the payments would be honoured after the completion of the 21-day long exercise,” Mr Mutisa said.[/pullquote]
Mr Mutisa said it was discovered that allegations that the Ndola enumerators were being underpaid were not true because the people they were comparing with in Lusaka were paid K500,000 training allowances and an additional K400,000 as down payment for their redeployment allowance.

He said the Ndola enumerators had not been given their redeployment allowances down payment because the local 2010 Census authorities planned to issue the payments after those engaged took oath and signed their contract forms.

“The truth of the matter is that the Ndola enumerators will be paid the K2 million like their Lusaka counterparts who have also started receiving their down payments while the rest of the payments would be honoured after the completion of the 21-day long exercise,” Mr Mutisa said.

The countrywide 2011 Census of Population and Housing is expected to officially kick off on October 16.

Lusaka resident chief magistrate Charles Kafunda yesterday rejected an application by Lusaka lawyer John Sangwa and his client, former Finance Bank chairperson Rajan Mahtani to have their forgery case stayed.

This is in a case in which Mathani and Sangwa are facing five counts of forgery, uttering false documents and fabricating evidence.

Mr Kafunda dismissed the application to stay the proceedings pending hearing of the same case in the Kitwe High Court because proceedings before him would not in any way be prejudicial to those before the Higher Court.

Mahtani had applied for judicial review in the Kitwe High Court challenging his arrest by the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) alleging that his arrest on money laundering charges by the commission was illegal.

Mahtani’s lawyer Steven Malama said his client had filed a notice of judicial review in the Kitwe High Court and urged the lower court to stay the proceedings pending hearing of outcome.

But Mr Kafunda said the notice of judicial review before the High Court may or may not act as a stay of proceedings of the matter and that there was no substance in the argument because the accused would not suffer any prejudice if the matter was not stayed.

And public prosecutor, Mwewa Musonda, had earlier objected to the application claiming it was based on speculation and it could not be prejudicial to the proceedings in the High Court.

Mahtani, 62, business executive, of 5 Finance House Heroes place in Lusaka and Sangwa, 45, lawyer, of subdivision 1/subdivsion U of farm number 125A Lusaka West have both denied the five charges.

In count one Mahtani, is jointly charged with Sangwa with one count of forgery contrary to section 342 and 347 of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.

Particulars of the offence allege that Sangwa and Mahtani between July 13 and August 30, 2010 jointly and whilst acting together and with intent to defraud or deceive did forge a letter dated July 12 this year purporting to show that it was genuinely prepared and signed by deputy Bank of Zambia Governor Denny Kalyalya when in fact not.

In count two, three and four Sangwa alone is facing three counts of uttering false documents contrary to Section 352 of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.

The matter comes up tomorrow.
[ Times of Zambia ]