The National Youth League (NYL) has challenged expelled Kafulafuta Member of Parliament and former Defense Minister George Mpombo to come out in the open and declare himself a Patriotic Front (PF) member.

And the NYL says it is happy with the manner in which President Rupiah Banda in has maturely handled criticisms by sections of society .

The organization’s Secretary General Lucky Soko charged that Mr. Mpombo is being used as a pawn to smear propaganda exhibiting traits of hatred, bitterness and jealous on President Rupiah Banda’s government.

Mr. Soko says it is unfortunate that Mr. Mpombo who had a good time during the tenure of government would like to blind himself to the fact that there has been a change of leadership style in the country to that of President Banda.

In a press statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today, Mr. Soko said It was very interesting to note that Mr. Mpombo who has been portrayed by the Post as ‘Brave’ has actually proved to be a coward.

“It is an open secret that Mr. Mpombo was favoured by the late President Mwanawasa’s administration but it could be wise enough for him to realize that status quo has changed for him. Let Mr. Mpombo come out in open and declare himself a PF sympathizer,” Mr. Soko said.

He claimed that Mr. Mpombo has been portrayed by the Post Newspaper a ‘Brave’ but actually proved a coward who is dead afraid of running for a by election on PF ticket of which he is currently a member.

Mr. Soko reminded Mr. Mpombo that he was expelled from the MMD Party for gross indiscipline and failure to respect party rules and procedures and the NYL finds it immature for Mr. Mpombo to comment on MMD issues.

“The National Youth League finds the behavior of Mr. Mpombo to be childish and immature which is nothing short of that of a toddler. Mr. Mpombo at his age is expected to show maturity and not bitterness as a result of loss of pecuniary benefits as a result of change of government. Mr. Mpombo needs to realize that Mr. Banda is the Head of State for 12 million Zambians” he said.

According to Mr. Soko he named education, road infrastructure, the Farmer Input Fertilizer Programme as some of the notable economic development achievements set in place by the MMD government’s good policies.

ZANIS

Among these is the former ruling but now renamed as United National Independent Party (UNIP) which rates its chances of scooping the seat very highly asserting that no other party is as popular in Chilanga as it is.

UNIP Secretary General Jemimah Banda told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that her party is confident of victory adding that it would leave no stone unturned to ensure it grabbed the Chilanga seat.

Mrs Banda said her party has embarked on a vigorous preparation exercise since area MP Ng’andu Magande was expelled by the ruling MMD.

“Immediately we heard that MMD had expelled (Mr ) Magande from the party and he accepted the expulsion, that was the time we started preparing ourselves for the Chilanga by-election”, she said.

She said the party’s internal organs have been to all the wards in Chilanga identifying possible candidates that are to be adopted to contest and out rightly win the elections.

Mrs Banda has since revealed that the party has so far received two applications from would be candidate but stressed that many more are in the process of applying.

She said UNIP has done its homework and would continue doing so until the by-elections are held to ensure a landslide victory.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has set October 28 as the date for voting in the Chilanga parliamentary by-election, necessitated by the expulsion of Ng’andu Magande from the MMD.

[ ZANIS ]

UPND cadres marched to Parliament on Tuesday to air their demands, charging that Major Chizyuka is not a member of parliament claiming he has continued insulting the party president Hakainde Hichilema.

The cadres who were led by UPND Lusaka Province Chairperson Shell Mulyata demanded that the UPND Namwala MP joins the ruling MMD.

Police in riot gear, however, blocked the irate placard carrying cadres who wanted to meet the embattled MP at Parliament buildings.

Major Chizyuka has fallen out of favor with his party for strongly opposing the UPND/PF pact.
[ MUV TV ]

Members of the government’s Movement for Multiparty Democracy has threatened to “physically harm” the bishop if he does not apologize for his remarks, while the Zambian bishops’ conference and individual priests have defended the prelate.

Bishop Paul Duffy of Mongu said Sept.3 that the general feeling of the people he interacted with in his diocese was that Zambian President Rupiah Banda’s government should be voted out of office next year because it has failed to improve their living conditions.

“Here in Western province, people think it is time for change,” Bishop Duffy told a reporter from the Post, the country’s leading daily tabloid.

Government spokesman Ronnie Shikapwasha accused the bishop of “being used by opposition political parties” to campaign against “a popularly elected government,” and others asked him to apologize.

On Sept 13, senior Movement for Multiparty Democracy officials, referring to themselves as the “MMD crack squad,” threatened to travel to Mongu to “physically harm” Bishop Duffy.

Bishop Duffy, 78, said he owed no one any apology over the statement because he was merely voicing the people’s feelings.

“Why should I apologize? Moreover, I have received a lot of solidarity messages over my statement,” said Bishop Duffy, who was born in Norwood, Mass., and has worked in Zambia for 26 years.

On Sept. 13, Bishop George Lungu of Chipata, president of the Zambian bishops’ conference, said the president deserved to know the truth about the state of the nation through listening to credible people like bishops who are in constant touch with the people.

“I deeply sympathize with my brother bishop with regard to reactions which his statement has elicited … but as bishops and shepherds of the people, our prophetic voice is motivated by our divine obligation and wish to see (the) government do better and succeed,” he said.

“This has nothing to do with any perceived dislike or preferences for any particular sitting president or government,” Bishop Lungu added. “The collective voice of bishops, speaking on behalf of the Catholic Church in Zambia, is always clear … when we speak as bishops, our message is distinct.”

Oblate Father Godfrey Mpundu, the order’s treasurer general, said the government was using the “so-called ‘crack squad'” to wage violent attacks on people with divergent views and those who wanted to promote the common good in the nation by criticizing the wrongs of the movement.

He urged the police to take seriously the threats on the bishop’s life, and he called on Catholics in the Mongu Diocese to be on alert and ensure that Bishop Duffy is protected from disgruntled political cadres.

Meanwhile, Caritas Zambia condemned the ruling party’s threats on Bishop Duffy’s life and expressed shock at the police’s lack of action on the perpetrators of such criminal acts.

“Caritas Zambia will not sit and watch ruling party officials insult Bishop Duffy, who works tirelessly to uplift the lives of people in the diocese,” said a Sept. 17 Caritas statement. “Every person has the right to expression, which should be respected as contained in the laws of Zambia.”

Milimo Mwiba, the head of Caritas Zambia’s justice and peace unit, said the threats demonstrate “the growing intolerance to divergent views as we approach the 2011 general elections.”

“It is a fact that Western province still remains one of the poorest provinces in Zambia. Yes, people are tired, and someone has to stand up for them; this is what the bishop has been doing and will continue to do,” Mwiba said of Bishop Duffy, who heads the board of Caritas Zambia.

[Catholic News Service]

Second Republican President Frederick Chiluba has described as liars, people claiming that President Rupiah Banda is enjoying achievements of past leaders.

Dr Chiluba says President Banda has drawn the attention of critics because of his hard work.

The former President says Mr Banda is following up on the aspirations for a better country, as contained in the MMD manifesto.

Dr Chiluba was speaking to ZNBC news in Lusaka Monday.

He said that President Banda has worked extra hard in his two years in office as President.

He has urged the media and the Ministry of information to help publicise the achievements made by the MMD government.

[ZNBC]

The Electoral Commission Of Zambia (ECZ) has been advised to consider extending the just ended voter registration exercise.
ECZ had set June 21st, 2010 as the date for the commencement of the Continuous voter registration exercise.

Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) Information Officer Macdonald Chipenzi has told MUVI TV News that the organisation’s assessment indicates that very few people have registered due to low publicity.

Mr Chipenzi has cited North-Western Province as having ranked low in the number of registered voters.

He attributes this to the high number of Jehovah’s Witnesses who do not vote due to their religious beliefs.

Mr Chipenzi says affording more time for eligible voters to register would help the ECZ capture the two point five million voters it had earlier targeted in the 90 day exercise.

Sources within ECZ have revealed that the the institution has failed capture the targeted number of new voters and it is consulting with government to have an extension of the exercise.

[ MUVI TV ]