President Banda has described the Luena Constituency by election as a confusing one because it had not been triggered by the death of an incumbent or court ruling but it was as a result of the resignation of its former Member of Parliament(MP) Charles Milupi for unexplained reasons.

The President said the only reason Mr Milupi resigned and was standing again was to prove that he owned the people of Luena and that he could do anything at anytime to influence them.

The President said this today at Limulunga Basic School in Mongu when he addressed a mammoth rally to drum up support for the MMD candidate, Mwangala Maopu in the Luena by election set for 5th August 2010.

Mr Banda said it was wrong for Mr Milupi to claim that he was the one who constructed a new market in the Limulunga area when it was the MMD government using Constituency Development Funds (CDF).

The President explained that each of the 150 MPs were entitled to receive K600 million CDF for the benefit of their constituents.

He further said it was false that Mr Milupi would open up a mine,timber processing factory and sugar processing plant in Luena as an MP for the second time.

President Banda wondered what development Mr Milupi would bring to the area in the remaining one year, if he failed in the past four years.

The President said Zambia could only develop faster if all Zambians could have a common purpose explaining that no one individual could develop the country no matter how rich or well educated as Mr Milupi may be.

Mr Banda said it would be wrong for Zambians to vote for a leader who ascended to power through violence as such a leader would abuse Government machinery to oppress the Zambian people.

He said what Zambians needed was a leader who guaranteed continued peace and development to attract more investors for job creation.

The President said the New Deal Government wanted to bring development in all parts of Zambia covering all the 750 000 square kilometers of the country’s land.

And speaking on the UPND-PF Pact, the President said the Pact was formed for wrong motives, propelling the two opposition leaders to leadership who at the moment did not agree as to who should lead the pact.

President Banda further said many times, Mr Hichilema had stood up urging Zambians to vote for a young president forgetting that his pact partner Mr Michael Sata was as old as the President.

He said Mr Sata at one time was recorded to have described Mr Hichilema as an under five.

Mr Banda recalled that after the death of Anderson Mazoka, Mr Sakwiba Sikota was denied an opportunity to lead UPND because he was not a Tonga.

‘’The MMD is getting stronger in Luapula Province where the PF had 100 percent predominance and the ruling party will work hard to gain ground in Southern Province’’, President Banda said.

He said the MMD which won six local government seats during the recent eight local government elections would ensure that it wins the majority of the remaining nine other ward elections.

Mr Banda noted that on many occasions some opposition political leaders had peddled lies against him that he had first watched the world cup in South Africa before going to Turkey and that at another time he was in Cape Town for his knee when in actual fact he was in Namibia for an official visit.

The President said when the late President Levy Mwanawasa appointed him as Vice President, some opposition leaders were saying he had made a wrong choice.

He said it was now surprising that the same political leaders were praising the late President as having been a good man.

Speaking later at the same rally, MMD candidate, Mr Maopu urged the people of Luena to vote for him as he would have easy access to Government resources for use in developing the constituency.

Present at the meeting was Western Province MMD Chairperson Namakando Imasiku, MMD Campaign Manager Professor Geofferey Lugwangwa, MMD National Chairperson Michael Mabenga, Community Development Minister Michael Kaingu and other senior Government and MMD officials including some representatives from the Royal establishment.

ZANIS

Government will ensure that Zambians, wherever they are enjoy the same opportunities and access to information, Chief Analyst for Economic and Development Affairs at State House, Ngoza Munthali, has said.

Speaking at a dialogue meeting with Zambians living in London at the Zambia High Commission on 26th July 2010, Mrs. Munthali said it was Government’s aim to develop a positive and progressive working relationship with all Zambians, including those in the Diaspora.

She said Government considered Zambians in the Diaspora as key partners and not rivals in national development.

Mrs. Munthali, who is Diaspora Liaison Officer at State House said Government would engage the Diaspora through harnessing their resources, both skills and financial for national development, enhancing the impact of remittances towards the socio-economic development of Zambia, increase their participation in investment and projects implemented in Zambia, enhancing their positive dialogue with the Government and provision of information on opportunities and what was happening in Zambia, among others.

She challenged the Diaspora to engage with Government through Missions abroad and the Diaspora Liaison Office at State House and seize the moment to market themselves.

She noted that there was need to sensitise people in order to dispel beliefs that migration was negative and build capacity on how to effectively tap from the Zambian Diasporas.

“Take advantage of the Government good will and make positive contribution by coming up with innovative ways on how best to contribute to national development. Instead of thinking of what the Government can do for you think of what you can do to contribute to the development of mother Zambia.

“As Government, we believe there is a wealth of not just skills, but money among Zambians abroad which could be pooled together to help develop the country both as long and short-term partners in development,” she said.

She said the Diaspora Liaison Office had so far supported the inclusion of dual citizenship in the draft constitution and established a committee to look at land issues for the Zambians in the Diaspora. There has also been increased recognition by many ministries, Government institutions and the private sector on the need to engage the Diaspora more actively. The Office has also undertaken a survey to establish more information on the Diaspora and their needs.

Mrs. Munthali said the Government will develop a comprehensive database which would help know the number of Zambians living in the Diaspora and ensure that the support for the Diaspora did not lead to resentment by Zambians at home towards Zambians in the Diaspora on a presumption that they were being favoured.

On land acquisition, Mrs. Munthali informed the gathering that the Government, through the Ministry of Lands had developed mechanisms to make it easier for the Zambians in the Diaspora to acquire land. She said the process had started and land was currently being identified in collaboration with all the 73 districts in Zambia.

“Plots recommended for allocation shall be numbered and surveyed in advance considering that it would not be easy for applicants in the Diaspora to follow through such processes. Ministry of Lands shall combine the survey and lease charges to enable those offered to settle them at the same time,” she said.

She explained that applications shall be channeled through Zambian Missions in the applicant’s country of residence or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for those in countries without a Zambian Mission.

On housing, Mrs. Munthali told the audience that the National Housing Authority (NHA) had embarked on process to provide housing to Zambians living in the Diaspora through housing schemes that it had developed in various localities.

With regards to economic development over the years, Mrs. Munthali said the country had sustained levels of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Growth Rate of over five percent over the past five years with 6.4 percent Growth rate recorded in 2009 amidst the Global economic crisis. This was as a result of the growth in Mining, agriculture, tourism and some non-traditional sectors of mining. The country recorded a reduction in inflation to 7.8 percent in June, 2010 while Gross International reserves rose to about US$1.8 billion, amid stable macroeconomic indicators.

A number of reforms aimed at reducing the cost of doing business were implemented over the years and this resulted in improved rankings on the World Bank Doing Business rankings to number 99 in 2009 and number 90 in 2010.

Earlier, Zambia’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, His Excellency Professor Royson Mukwena, urged Zambians resident in Britain to build strong links with the Diaspora Office at State House to benefit from the good policies of the current Government.

Mrs. Munthali was accompanied by Mr. Christopher Mulenga of CMM Property Consultants and Mrs. Florence Mumba – Director of Research at the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA). The two also made presentations.

The delegation also held meetings with Zambians in Wales, Scotland, Manchester and Coventry.

ZANIS

By Henry Kyambalesa

While addressing a campaign rally recently at Mombo Basic School in Western Province to drum up support for the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) candidate in the forthcoming Luena parliamentary by-election, Vice-President George Kunda said the country’s opposition political parties were erratic because they had no vision or plan for the country.

As usual, he could not specifically state the MMD’s vision or plan for Zambia or Western Province.

Hon. Kunda also talked about “Vision 2030” at the rally. “Vision 2030” should be balanced with the needs of our generation because in the long run, to paraphrase the famous economist John Maynard Keynes, we are all going to be dead! For this reason, there is a need for Hon. Kunda to cite some of his political party’s short-term and medium-term projects and programs designed to strike a balance between the needs and expectations of the people in Luena constituency, and the needs and expectations of future generations.

There are a lot of important projects and programs which the MMD needs to work on in Western Province in order to improve the socio-economic well-being of residents. These projects and programs include the following:

(a) Improvement of the availability of safe and clean water in the province through boreholes, dams, water pipes, and protected shallow wells, and also provide for modern sewage facilities and both public and private conveniences.

(b) Completion of the 50 km road from Uwee to Mongu through Nangula, and upgrading and maintenance of the Limulunga-Ushaa-Lukulu Road.

(c) Construction of Kalongola Bridge on the Zambezi River and Liyoyelo Bridge on the Mongu-Kalabo Road, and maintenance of all other bridges throughout the province—including foot bridges.

(d) Allocation of adequate resources for upgrading and expansion of the Lewanika School of Nursing, and construction of a new District Hospital in Mongu district.

(e) Provision of incentives for the establishment of processing industries for cotton, timber, leather, mangoes, fish, tobacco, paprika, rice, cassava, and cashew nuts.

(f) Planning adequately for both the prevention and the containment of diseases like the Contagious Bovine Pleuro-Pneumonia (CBPP) disease (which recently hit the border area between Kazungula district in Southern Province and Sesheke district in Western Province) and effective control of the tse-tse fly in order to reduce the incidence of sleeping sickness—particularly in Kaoma and Shang’ombo districts.

(g) Improvement of the road infrastructure in the province through the construction and/or rehabilitation of the Mongu-Lusaka Road, Mongu-Senanga Road, Senanga-Sesheke Road, Katunda-Lukulu Road, Mongu-Lukulu Road, Senanga-Kalabo Road, Kalabo-Sikongo Road, and the Luampa-Machile Road. It is also important to provide for the rehabilitation of the Mulobezi railway line.

(h) Exploitation of waterfalls like the Sioma for hydro-electric power, and the sandy soils found in much of the Province for glass manufacturing. There is also a need to provide for the re-opening of Mulobezi Sawmills in order to boost economic activity and the creation of employment opportunities in the Province.

(i) Upgrading of resettlement schemes in the province by providing financial and material resources for constructing and/or rehabilitating boreholes, water wells, irrigation dams and canals, feeder roads, culverts, low-cost houses, clinics, basic schools, police posts, and other essential public services and facilities. Such schemes include the Kalumwange scheme.

(j) Elevation of the Namushakende and Nkeyeme sub-districts to full district status.

I have had an opportunity to skim through brief biographies of the five contestants in the Luena parliamentary by-elections—that is, Charles Milupi of the Alliance for Democracy and Development (ADD), Muyunda Illilonga of the United Party for National Development (UPND), Mwangala Maopu of the MMD, Mutakela Mutakela of the United National Integration? Party (UNIP), and Sikatala Musole of the United Liberal Party (ULP).

I wish to urge my cousins in Luena constituency to cross political party lines and elect Mr. Muyunda Ililonga to represent them in Parliament. I believe he will competently and impartially represent them in the National Assembly irrespective of their political alignments, tribal identities, religious convictions, and/or professional affiliations.

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The MMD says it is in the process of disciplining Kafulafuta member of Parliament George Mpombo and his Chilanga counterpart Ng’andu Magande following their refusal to exculpate themselves against charged levelled against them.

MMD deputy national secretary Chembe Nyangu said yesterday that there are no sacred cows in the party and that any member who abrogate the party’s constitution will be dealt with.

Mr Nyangu said the two MPs will soon be disciplined for their continued attack on the party leadership.
He said Mr Mpombo and Mr Magande should not think they are clever, adding that they will be dealt with like other members who have been punished in the past.

Mr Nyangu said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that the two should not think they are smarter than the party leadership.

He said the MMD is a party of laws and that any member who goes against rules and regulations should resign as it is the most honourable thing to do.

“Almost everyday, they are in the newspapers insulting the top leadership as if there are not members of this party. I can assure you that they are no sacred cows in this party so they will be punished like any other ordinary member,” he said.

Mr Nyangu said the party had written to the two MPs to exculpate themselves but that they have not responded.

He said the 14-day period given to the two to exculpate themselves has elapsed and that the leadership is taking the next step of action in the disciplinary process.

Mr Nyangu said the disciplinary committee is following all steps in disciplining the two.

“We want to ensure that we follow all the steps in the process of instituting disciplinary action against Mr Mpombo and Mr Magande so that we do not lose out in this case in terms of technicalities,” Mr Nyangu said.

He said MMD members should not be swayed to follow the ways of Mr Mpombo and Mr Magande.

Mr Nyangu said party members should rally behind the leadership of President Banda as he will steer the economy in a positive direction.

He said there is need for the party to mobilise more members ahead of next year’s elections.

Meanwhile, parliamentary chief whip Vernon Mwaanga says it is indiscipline for Mr Mpombo to continue attacking President Banda through the media when he knows the communication channels that exist in the MMD.

Mr Mwaanga said Mr Mpombo’s outrageous and irresponsible utterances against Mr Banda and the MMD are unwarranted.

He charged that Mr Mpombo’s outbursts have a serious political consequence on his life.

“Mr Mpombo is a misguided political comedian who is hell-bent on committing political suicide by acting like a vuvuzela for enemies of the MMD,” Mr Mwaanga said.

Mr Mwaanga said the party constitution is clear on members that violate regulations.
[ Zambia Daily Mail ]