The Southern African Center for Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) has condemned Copperbelt University (CBU) students for damaging vehicles and beating up some members of the public on Saturday evening after the institution experienced a power failure.

SACCORD Information Officer Obby Chibuluma said the violence by the CBU students was very unfortunate and should be condemned at all levels.

Mr. Chibuluma told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that the students should have used the right channel to air their grievances.

He added that it was unfair that they ended up damaging vehicles and beating up some innocent members of the public.

Mr. Chibuluma said the students should have instead acted like professionals as expected of them every time they were aggrieved.

He said it was surprising that the students did not learn from their past mistakes when they have engaged themselves in violent activities and got arrested by the Zambia Police Service (ZPS).

He said SACCORD would continue discouraging any form of violence across the country as violence was not a solution to any problem.

Mr. Chibuluma added that what people needed to realise and understand was that any form of violence endangered the lives of people in the country.

On Saturday evening CBU student damaged vehicles and beat up members of the public after the institution experienced a power failure and two students were arrested by University security officers and were detained at Riverside police post.

ZANIS

The Energy Regulation Board (ERB) has approved Zambia Electricity Supply Company (ZESCO)’s request to increase electricity tariffs by 25.6%.

This follows ZESCO’s earlier application to ERB to authorise the increment of electricity tariff of up to 36% which the power utility company proposed. ERB Chairperson Sikota Wina announced the adjustments at a Press briefing in Lusaka today.

ZANIS reports that Mr. Wina said the board arrived at its decision to approve the 25.6% increase after considering submissions from both the power utility company and the general public.

He explained that the new tariffs would take effect from August 1st, 2010 to 2011 and would be applied according to customer categories.

Once effected, residential customers would be paying K376.09 per kilo watt hour representing a 41% instead of the 69% tariff increase which ZESCO applied for while large power consumers would now be paying K320.54 per KW hour representing
a 12% increase.

For the small power consumers, the tariffs have increased by 15% equal to K280.32 per KW hour instead of the 14% the utility company applied for. 27%increase has been slapped on commercial customers and 33% increase would be effected for
the services tariff.

The Board Chairperson hoped that ZESCO would generate adequate resources to operate commercially and profitably after the 25.60% tariff increase.

Meanwhile, the board has recommended that Government should consider recapitalising the power utility company if it was to operate efficiently saying that it was under- capitalised.

The board has also observed that ZESCO’s receivables were still high and that Government should liquidate the debt it owes the power utility company.

Mr. Wina further added that ZESCO should accelerate the installation of pre-paid meters in all Government departments and urged the company to be proactive in debt collection.

He stated that it was imperative that the tariffs in the country were cost reflective to encourage more investment in the energy sector especially in light of the power deficit.

And speaking in a separate interview, ZESCO Managing Director Ernest Mupwaya said the power utility company was happy with the approved tariff adjustments.

Mr. Mupwaya noted that the increment would help the company cover operating costs and serve its customers more efficiently.

ZANIS

Commerce Minister Felix Mutati has called for unity among MMD members as they campaign for their candidate Frank Ng’ambi for the August 5 Chifubu Constituency parliamentary by-election.

Addressing a meeting at Pamodzi Basic School grounds in Ndola yesterday, Mr Mutati said it was only the MMD candidate who would be able to develop Chifubu if they voted for Mr Ng’ambi as member of Parliament (MP) for the area.

Mr Mutati said the MMD would not promise development in Chifubu for the sake of doing so, but that through Mr Ng’ambi, Government would ensure the area was transformed.

Meanwhile, the Alliance for Democracy and Development (ADD) has claimed that some PF members have promised to vote for its candidate Brian Banda in the Chifubu by-election.

ADD campaign manager, Joseph Phiri said in Ndola yesterday that some PF cadres were not happy with the party’s candidate, Susan Kawandami whom they alleged to have been imposed on them.

And the PF has said it would reclaim the Chifubu seat because its candidate was the best as she has experienced suffering that women undergo.

PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba was speaking at a rally on Saturday to drum up support for its candidate, Ms Kawandami.
[ Times of Zambia ]

Government says it embraces every citizen in the country who wishes to join and support the ruling MMD party.

Chief Government Spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha stated that the MMD is a party for the people and is always ready to welcome everyone regardless of their status.

Lt. General Shikapwasha told the media in Lusaka this evening, that the announcement of United Party for National Development (UPND) members in Chifubu constituency to vote for MMD candidate Frank Ngambi in the forth coming parliamentary by elections is appropriate hence the MMD embracing the move.

He expressed gratitude to all UPND members who have pledged to vote for Mr. Ngambi in the Chifubu Parliamentary by elections.

Lt. General Shikapwasha, who is also Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, noted that people were now rejoining the ruling party because they have now realized that they were misled by the opposition parties.

He was also hopeful that similar actions where people are rejoining and supporting the ruling party would take place in Luena constituency of Western Province in the run up to the August 5, 2010 bye -elections .

The media today reported that UPND members in Chifubu constituency have pledged to vote for the MMD candidate Frank Ng’ambi in the August 5 Chifubu Constituency parliamentary by-elections.

This decision comes at a time when Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata launched a scathing attack against UPND counterpart Hakainde Hichilema thereby putting the future of the pact in serious doubt.

[ ZANIS ]

FEDERATION of Free Trade Unions of Zambia (FFTUZ) president Joyce Nonde-Simukoko has said opposition political parties are not ready to take over Government because they have failed to demonstrate how they would run the affairs of the country.

Ms Simukoko said the failure by opposition parties to show Zambians their structures and who was in their shadow cabinets to explain how they would improve the various sectors of the economy was a clear indication that they are not ready to lead Zambia.

She said in an interview at the weekend that it was disappointing that instead of discussing issues that would benefit Zambians, opposition politicians were thriving on insults and petty matters.

She said Zambians expected opposition politicians to convince them that they would do better than the MMD if they were voted into office.

“The opposition should tell us how they would run the Government by giving us a picture of how they would deal with problems of unemployment and how they would improve education, health and other sectors.

“They have not explained anything and this shows that they are not ready to take over Government,” Ms Simukoko said.

Meanwhile, veteran politician Dennis Katilungu has said it is sad that the opposition, particularly the Patriotic Front (PF) and United Party for National Development (UPND) leadership, had kept inciting people to rise against the Government.

Mr Katilungu wondered why the opposition had preoccupied itself with campaigns
aimed at inciting people to revolt against the MMD leadership when the term of
office for the current Government had not ended.

[pullquote]Meanwhile, a recent opinion poll conducted in Lusaka by a non-governmental organisation shows that the MMD was now more popular in the province, at 55 per cent, trailed by PF at 30 per cent.[/pullquote]

Chisamba Member of Parliament Moses Muteteka also described the pact as a ‘sinking titanic’ with no future and direction.

And UPND Mpima Ward chairperson Dearson Banda and several other pact leaders yesterday at rally held at Mpima grounds in Kabwe defected to the MMD at a rally addressed by Mr Muteteka.

Meanwhile, a recent opinion poll conducted in Lusaka by a non-governmental organisation shows that the MMD was now more popular in the province, at 55 per cent, trailed by PF at 30 per cent.

The poll puts UPND at third position with 15 per cent.

Leadership in Development executive director Moses Kalonde said in Lusaka yesterday the MMD had started regaining its traditional support in the province because of President Banda’s good economic policies that were now bearing fruit.

The poll also reveals that Zambians have lost confidence in PF leader Michael Sata and his UPND counterpart Hakainde Hichilema because both leaders were preoccupied with ambitions for State House.

[Times of Zambia]