Chief Government Spokesperson, Ronnie Shikapwasha has accused Patriotic Front (PF) President Michael Sata of trying to gain political mileage out of the death of Mpulungu Member of Parliament Lameck Chibombamilimo. Lieutenant General Shikapwasha said while the nation was mourning the death of the MP, Mr. Sata was busy without remorse engaging in cheap and selfless political rhetoric over his death.

Mr. Sata was today quoted in the Post newspaper as saying President Banda’s wish to eliminate Lameck Chibombamilimo has been fulfilled. Lt. Gen. Shikapwasha described as un-Zambian, unethical and unacceptable Mr. Sata’s conduct.

Lt. Gen. Shikapwasha said this in a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today. He has since advised Mr. Sata to leave politics out the death of the former MP so that the nation could mourn his death in peace.

“It is shocking that while the nation is engulfed in grief and sorrow over the passing on of one of its nationals, Mr. Sata without remorse chooses to engage in cheap and selfish political rhetoric. This is un-Zambia, unethical and unacceptable,” Lt. Gen Shikapwasha said.

Lt. Gen. Shikapwasha who is also Information and Broadcasting Services Minister said President Banda as a father of the nation cared for all Zambians including Mr. Sata. He emphasized that it was out of this care that he sanctioned the evacuation of Mr. Chimbombamilimo for specialist treatment to India.

He added that Mr. Sata also benefited from the government intervention when he was flown for specialist treatment in South Africa in 2007. “Lest he has forgotten, Mr. Sata himself is a beneficiary of government intervention when he was flown to South Africa for specialist treatment a few years ago no one politicized his evacuation as he is doing” Lt. Gen Shikapwasha said.

Meanwhile, Body of the late Mpulungu MMD Member of Parliament (MP) Lameck Chibombamilimo arrived today at Lusaka International Airport aboard an Ethiopian Airways at 14:55 hours. Mr. Chibombamilimo, who is also former Energy Deputy Minister, died in the early hours of yesterday due to a kidney failure.

The late Chibombamilimo was evacuated recently by government to India at Apollo Hospital in New Delhi for specialist treatment where he died. The body of the late Mpulungu MMD MP was received by Foreign Affairs Minister Kabinga Mpande, Minister of Health Kapembwa Simbao and Lusaka Province Minister Charles Shawa.

Others who were at hand to receive the body are Tourism Minister Catherine Namugala, MMD National Chairman Michael Mabenga, Deputy Minister in the Office of the Vice President Guston Sichilima, Patriotic Front President Micheal Sata and other MMD and leaders from opposition political parties.

And in receiving the body, MMD Lusaka Central Constituency Chairperson, Chilekwa Munkonge said the party will try to avoid differences with the opposition Patriotic Front as this was a time of mourning. Mr. Munkonge noted that funerals were supposed to bring people together regardless of their political affiliation hence the need for everyone to behave as a mourner and not cadre.

He hoped that the bad behavior the PF cadres exhibited at the airport would not be extended to the funeral house or to Northern Province if the body would be transported and buried there.

And Mandevu PF Member of Parliament Jean Kapata said her party is saddened by the death of Mr. Chibombamilimo. Ms Kapata said the death of the late MP was not only a great loss not only to the MMD but the country as a whole. She noted that the PF would have loved to see the late Chibombamilimo finish his term of office because he was hard working person.

She has since appealed to the family and mourners to mourn peacefully and encouraged the widow to remain strong during this trying moment.

ZANIS

Government has disclosed that it will soon enact a law that will give Zambian nationals a chance to hold high positions in companies owned by foreign investors.

Labour Deputy Minister Simon Kachimba says Zambia has highly qualified nationals who have the capability to effectively run most of the big companies in the country hence the need to for them to be given a chance to hold key positions in these companies.

Mr Kachimba said though investors can bring in a few expatiates in key positions like finance, the majority of top portfolios should be held by local people, adding that Government will ensure that this happens in its bid to empower local people.

The Deputy Minister was speaking in Lusaka today when he addressed the Zambianisation committee that has been tasked to implement measures aimed at curtailing the recruitment of cheap expatriate labour.

Mr Kachimba said Government is committed to providing decent employment for its people and will do everything possible to ensure that it safeguards employment for its nationals.

He stressed that Government is also committed to preparing Zambian nationals so that they take over jobs from expatriates as a way of empowering them.

Mr Kachimba however said for this to happen it is vital to come up with a succession plan aimed at identifying and developing internal personnel with the potential to fill key or critical organisational positions.

He urged the Zambianisation committee to follow up each company’s succession plan so that the country has fully backed nationals who will run companies effectively once they take over.

[ZANIS]

NATIONAL Constitutional Conference (NCC) chairperson Chifumu Banda says the conference is determined to make its contribution towards ensuring that Government delivers a new Constitution before the 2011 general elections.

And Mr Banda has told NCC members who no longer believe in the process to stay away from it.
Mr Banda was speaking in his opening remarks at the eighth session of the NCC plenary.

He said the NCC secretariat received and compiled memoranda from the public, which will facilitate debate and adoption of the final report and Constitution Bill in readiness for submission to the Minister of Justice.

Mr Banda said the final stages in the constitution-making process have had to be revised to exclude certain activities such as the collection of views from all the 72 districts because of inadequate funding.

He said because of lack of funds, the current session of the NCC will be held for only four days. “This time around, we do not have the luxury of time and financial resources in the face of the 31st August, 2010 deadline, when the National Constitutional Conference will stand dissolved,” Mr Banda said.

The remaining tasks of the NCC involves the incorporation of the views and comments of the public into the final report and draft Bill in readiness for handing them over to the Minister of Justice by the end of this month.

The NCC will be dissolved and the terms of offices of members will expire on August 31, 2010, in accordance with the NCC Amendment Act number 5 of 2010.

Another task which needs to be undertaken by the NCC in this session is to determine how the provisions of the draft Constitution will be enacted.

Mr Banda said it is important to note that the input of the public is crucial for the final conclusion of the constitution-making process, and the consequent realisation of a people’s Constitution.

“It is gratifying to note that an overwhelming number of members of the public, including those stakeholders who had boycotted the NCC, submitted their comments to the secretariat on the initial report and draft Constitution,” he said.
Mr Banda urged members to ensure that no submission is neglected even if one individual submits it on an isolated subject.

He said the NCC executive and secretariat have since engaged Dr Mutumba Bull and Dr Sichalwe Kasanda to edit the final report of the NCC, while Justice Matthews Ngulube and Dr Mpazi Sinjela, who have a legal background, have been engaged to identify inconsistencies in the draft Constitution.

“It must be noted that these experts have been instructed not to alter any decision of the Conference as they undertake their work,” Mr Banda said.

And Mr Banda advised members who no longer believe in the NCC process to stay away from the proceedings.
This was after commissioners Ngenda Sipalo and Dante Saunders openly alleged that the process was going nowhere.

Mr Sipalo alleged that the process was being driven by the MMD. He accused Vice-President George Kunda and Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services Ronnie Shikapwasha of being spokespersons of the NCC.
But Mr Banda stated that although the NCC only had one spokesperson, Mrs Mwangala Zaloumis, every Zambian has the right to comment on the process.

“I will allow those who believe in this process to continue, but those of us who have stopped believing in it should stay away,” Mr Banda said.

And Mr Banda said no NCC member will be paid gratuity.

Major Chizyuka said the recent by-election defeat in Luena to the Alliance for Democracy and Development (ADD) is a clear indication that Mr. Hichilema has limited support in the country.

He said it is quite surprising that the UPND president has been boasting that he controls the western province when in fact not.

The Namwala MP said the only province that the UPND could boast of having support is southern province, and a bit of North western province.

Major Chizyuka said Mr Hichilema’s hopes for the presidency are a bridge too far, adding that the sooner he realizes it the better.

He added that in the history of Zambia, no candidate has won the presidency with support from one province.

Major Chizyuka noted that the only hope for the UPND president is to become vice president to Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata.

He, however, observed that the PF is making inroads in the UPND strongholds.
[ QFM ]