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 ]

BRITISH High Commission consular officer Karen Michelle Van Boxtel, who is accused of assaulting her husband Carl Frieslaar, has refuted reports suggesting that she had fled the country for fear of appearing before the court.

Ms Van Boxtel said yesterday in an interview that she had never left the country, contrary to claims by her husband that she had run away with her children.

She said in the presence of her lawyer Chifumu Banda that it was malicious for her husband to claim that she had left the country when she had been within.

“It is very malicious for my husband to claim that I had left the country. He is saying that to influence the police because I cannot leave Zambia because this is my country,” she said.

She said Mr Frieslaar had been emotionally and physically abusive from the time she filed for divorce in August and had paid a private investigator to trail her.

“He knows that he cannot have me anymore, so he is bitter and wants to frame me because even my surety has not left the country,” he said.

She claimed that even the private investigator James Kasamanda had allegedly been lying on her movements because he wanted to please Mr Frieslaar who had paid him money.

On the three children, Ms Van Boxtel said she was living with them because the eldest was seven years old, while the youngest was three and that the court had granted her custody of the children.

But Mr Frieslaar said he was not bitter with his wife and that he welcomed her intentions to file for divorce because he could no longer live with her.

He said he was ready for the divorce and that he wanted to be with his children adding that his wife had defied a court order that asked her not to have custody of the children.

Ms Van Boxtel in the company of two other persons was alleged to have assaulted her husband a month ago and the matter had since been reported to the police.

But Lusaka police commanding officer Greenwell Ng’uni has said that Ms Van Boxtel and Mr Frieslaar had both reported assault cases to the police and that dockets had been taken to the Director of Public Prosecutions for further instructions.

[Times of Zambia]

THE MMD is ready to embrace former Republican vice-president Enoch Kavindele provided he follows the right channels, party deputy-national secretary Chembe Nyangu has said.

And Mr Kavindele said his decision to run for the number two party position at the MMD convention was aimed at assisting the ruling party realign itself as a formidable force ahead of the 2011 general elections.

Mr Nyangu said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that Mr Kavindele should have just followed the right channels to talk to the party hierarchy about his decision to come back to the party instead of rushing to the media to announce his decision.

“There is, however, no problem, we welcome him back following the amnesty that the ruling party has extended to our former members and those intending to join our party,” Mr Nyangu said.

Mr Kavindele in an interview earlier reiterated his decision to contest for the vice-presidency in the MMD.

The position has been vacant after late president Levy Mwanawasa froze its election.

“I want to assist the MMD, the party has had problems of late and hence my decision to contest for the position of the vice-president at the forthcoming party convention,” Mr Kavindele said.

The former vice-president was quoted in yesterday’s Post edition saying the MMD organisation had suffered as a result of not having a vice-president to support the president and so he intended to contest for the position at the convention to avail the required support.

Mr Kavindele said his decision was in response to calls by party members that he gets involved in the organisation of the party ahead of next year’s general elections.

[Times of Zambia]

Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) says the vacant Mpulungu parliamentary and local government by- elections will be held on 28th October 2010.

The additional Chilanga constituency and Kaumbwe ward by – elections in Chilanga and Petauke district, respectively, will also take place on the same date.

This is contained in press release made available to ZANIS by ECZ Public relations Manager Chris Akufuna in Lusaka today.

Mr Akufuna explained that all the requirements applying to the Mpulungu parliamentary and local government by –elections will also apply to the Chilanga Constituency and Kaumbwe ward by-elections.

He has advised voters in the affected areas to seek additional information from the office of the director at the ECZ or the district electoral officers , Town clerks , council secretaries in the respective districts.

The Mpulungu seat fell vacant after the untimely death the area Member of parliament Lameck Chibombamillimo who died in India after an illness last month.

On the other hand, the Chilanga seat fell vacant following the expulsion of the area Member of Parliament Ngandu Magande by the MMD. Also expelled is out spoken Kafulafuta MP George Mpombo.

[ ZANIS ]