Mr Sata who refused to give his position on the matter said in an interview that the issue is too petty for him to comment.

He said he could not involve himself in dealing with such petty political matters which are better placed to be dealt with by his juniors in the party.

Mr Sata said he could not comment because he is too senior to deal with such a matter.

The PF leader said also said he is too senior to comment on delay by Police to deal with a case involving Gender Deputy Minister, Lucy Changwe, in which she is being investigated for bouncing a K10 million cheque.
[QFM ]

UPND Secretary General, Winstone Chibwe, said Major Chizyuka would be defeated resoundingly if he choose to re-contest on the MMD ticket.

And Mr Chibwe said if Major Chizyuka decides join the MMD he would not be resigning from the UPND because he was expelled a long time ago from the party.
[pullquote]Mr Chibwe maintained that Major Chizyuka is a finished politician who destroyed his political career the moment he chose not to adhere to party regulations.[/pullquote]
He noted that the outspoken Namwala MP would merely be joining the ruling MMD, adding that his joining of the MMD means nothing to the party.

Mr Chibwe said there are many instances where an MP has resigned from the UPND to stand to join the ruling MMD and re-contested the same seat and have ended up losing.

He cautioned Major Chizyuka that he is destined for the same situation since he has shown high interest of joining the ruling MMD.

Mr Chibwe maintained that Major Chizyuka is a finished politician who destroyed his political career the moment he chose not to adhere to party regulations.

National Revolution Party President, Cosmo Mumba says he has gone on a two day fasting and prayer period following the dismissal of an application for the registration of the London High Court judgment by the Lusaka High Court.

Dr. Mumba told QFM in a telephone interview that he has gone on a two day period of fasting and prayer to petition God to punish second republican President, Frederick Chiluba, for all the alleged crimes he committed while he served as president.

He says his fasting and prayer programme began today at 14 hours and will end on Saturday August 28, 2010.

He adds that the Zambian government might be shielding Dr. Chiluba from being punished for all his deeds but that he will not be spared by God after he is done with his fasting and prayers.

Dr. Mumba has also backed Change Life Zambia executive director, Father Frank Bwalya’s calls for demonstrations against the Lusaka High Court’s decision to refuse to register the London Judgment.

And Alliance for Development and Democracy ADD president, Charles Milupi says government’s adamancy not to appeal against the High Court’s decision throw out an application seeking to register London High Court judgment is a mockery of the judicial process.

Mr. Milupi notes that the costs incurred in pursuing the case against former President Fredrick Chiluba and others in the London High Court leading to the Court’s judgment are too huge for the State not to appeal against the High Court ruling.

He says it is surprising that the MMD government can allow the loss of such amounts of public funds without even attempting to appeal.

Mr. Milupi says the decision by government not to appeal to the Supreme Court sends a signal that it is okay to loot the country’s wealth under the MMD government and get away with it.

He says this is also an indication that there is no real desire on the part of the current government to curb corruption.

Mr Milupi says embezzlement of public resources should not be permitted and government should be seen to take action against culprits.

[QFM]

The Southern African Centre for Constructive Resolution of Dispute (SACCORD) says attacks against the judiciary over the dismissals of the London High Court Judgment by the Lusaka high court will amount to nothing.

SACCORD Information Officer Obby Chibuluma said the court has already passed judgment and comments against the judgment can not reverse the decision.

Mr. Chibuluma told ZANIS in an interview today that what Zambians can do is to pressure government to appeal against the judgment in the Supreme Court.

He said it is only through pressure on the attorney that the case can be appealed in the Supreme Court and thereby getting another opportunity for the case.

Mr. Chibuluma has meanwhile advised Zambians to be cautions with the approach they are taking on this case.

He said while it is the democratic right for anyone to demonstrate over anything that they feel aggrieved of, it will only be important for people to base the matter on the failure to appeal than over the judgment itself.

He however said it will be up the Zambian people themselves to decided whether to go for demonstration or not in the case involving former President Dr. Frederick Chiluba and others.

Mr. Chibuluma has meanwhile called on government to listen to people’s view on the need to appeal against the judgment.

He said by appealing against the judgment, government will allow the law to decide on the case.

Change Life Zambia Executive Director Father Frank Bwalya was yesterday quoted in the dailies as calling on Zambian to demonstrate over the decision by Lusaka High Court judge Evans Hamaundu to throw out the London High Court judgment against Frederick Chiluba.

This was a case in which the London High court judge Peter Smith found second Republican president Frederick Chiluba and seven others liable for theft of US$46million.

ZANIS

ZANIS

CONGOLESE Rhumba giant Koffi Olomide and his Orchester Quartier Latin 001 back-up band jets in the Zambian capital Lusaka today, at 14:00 hours for what could be best described as a memorable launch of his Mandra Manda Skol album that follows heels of the Bora Zenga.

The Paris-based music mogul and four-time Kora award winner including continental awards is expected to enter into his serious business scheduled for Lusaka’s Taj Pamodzi Hotel on Friday, August, 27.

According to the programme made available to the Times Entertainment, the self-acclaimed King of Universal Tcha -Tcho, who is coming with an entourage of eight dancing queens and a backline of 19 members, will upon arrival address members of the Press from the Zain headquarters.

Not wanting to detach himself from the things of He who created and gave him the talent that arguably makes him Africa’s top singer, dancer, composer and producer and best artiste of the decade, Koffi will on the eve of his performance make a donation to Jesus Souls Winning Ministry – a Church in Lusaka’s Matero Township.

For those that might not afford to raise K250,000 for the Pamodzi show, they would have less to worry about because the man will put up yet another family show at Barclays Bank sports complex at K70,000 on August 28.

The show has been sponsored by Kayembe Kaloji’s international dancing club – Chez ntemba – in conjunction with Kaya Gold Bureau De Change, Mad Max Auto Spares and Zain Zambia while the Matero gym musclemen will ensure the visiting star is well-protected while keeping at bay any gate-crashers.

[Times of Zambia]

THE retrenchment of the more than 2,400 Zambia Telecommunications Company (Zamtel) employees has started and some employees have started receiving their redundancy packages.

Zamtel, which is now managed by LapGreen Network of Libya, has appointed Hans Paulsen as the new managing director and a new management team in which Mr Paulsen’s predecessor, Mukela Muyunda is the interim chief of operations.

According to an internal memorandum seen yesterday by the Times from Mr Paulsen to the employees, the implementation of the new organisational structure had started.

“The new company structure guarantees full realisation of goals and objectives under a five-year business plan.

“A detailed programme of all activities that will be communicated in the next 100 days will be finalised in the coming few days,” he said.

The retrenchment of the employees which started on August 16 was expected to be concluded by August 31.

A skeleton staff would remain in office for three months after which new and re-engaged employees would start work.

Some workers who received their letters of termination of service last week said they were given their retrenchment packages within 48 hours.

The packages include three months basic salary for each year served, two months salary for repatriation and a month’s basic salary in lieu of notice.

Mr Paulsen said consultation was being done with relevant stakeholders, including external experts, to ensure the best results were achieved.

The former managing director, Mr Muyunda has been appointed to head a five-member team of senior Zambian managers to head the Zamtel transitional process.

On July 5, 2010, LapGreen Network officially took over 75 per cent shares in Zamtel after successfully concluding a US$257 million equity purchase deal with the Zambia Development Agency.

The new company is expected to pump in an additional $75 million in existing vendor financing and a further $62 million to cover network expansion.

National Union of Communication Workers general secretary, Clement Kasonde said in an interview in Ndola that the union leadership was confident that the payment of redundancy packages and the management of the period in which the company would change hands would be smooth.

[Times of Zambia]