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President Banda off to Uganda

Entertainment Editor
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President Rupiah Banda

PRESIDENT Banda is today expected to leave for Uganda to attend the African Union (AU) 15th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government that is expected to tackle maternal and child mortality in Africa.

The Uganda AU summit will be held on the theme: “Maternal, infant and child health and development in Africa.”

While at the summit, African leaders are expected to discuss various challenges facing the continent in reducing maternal, new born and child mortality rates.
This is contained in a statement issued in Lusaka yesterday by special assistant to the President for press and public relations Dickson Jere.

And President Banda has said Zambia has made progress in reducing maternal and child health through measures Government has put in place, such as allowing midwives to administer life-saving interventions.

“It is our collective duty as nations and Governments to tackle deaths during child birth so that the right to life is not terminated in the very circumstances where life should be brought into the world,” Mr Banda said ahead of the summit.

On June 12 this year, President Banda launched the Zambian version of the Campaign for Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa, aimed at speeding up implementation of strategies of reducing maternal mortality.

Mr Banda said Zambia has maintained high levels of immunisation coverage over the years through routine and supplementary immunisation activities, which has helped in reducing vaccine-preventable diseases.
He said Zambia has, for instance, managed to eliminate neonatal tetanus and polio since 2003.

The President will be accompanied to Uganda by Minister of Health Kapembwa Simbao, Minister of Foreign Affairs Kabinga Pande, Ministry of Health permanent secretary Peter Mwaba and other senior Government officials.
He is expected to return home after the summit.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

My hands are clean – RB

Entertainment Editor
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President Rupiah Banda

President Banda says he has the mandate of the Zambian people to attract investment as opposed to accusations by some sections of society that he is involved in shady deals.

Mr Banda said some people have accused him of involving himself in questionable business transactions for his personal gain, which he said is far from the truth.

He said this yesterday when he officially opened Pick n Pay store in Lusaka’s Woodlands area.
“As President, I am proud that I do deals for the people of Zambia to better their lives,” he said.
Mr Banda said he has the people’s mandate to attract investment into the country.

He said he is not ashamed to say he met with Pick n Pay management in May 2009, in South Africa, when he went to attend the inauguration of Mr Jaboc Zuma as that country’s President.

Mr Banda said he is pleased that Pick n Pay is making use of local suppliers for commodities that can be obtained within the country.

He said he is also pleased that the outlet charges favourable prices and hoped they can be maintained.

Mr Banda pledged that government will continue to work hard to ensure that Zambian produce has access to the regional and international market and challenged local suppliers to ensure that their produce meets international standards.

“I am particularly heartened that Pick n Pay has kept its promise of ensuring that it sources some of its agriculture produce from our local producers,” he said.

Mr Banda said he is happy that the company has opened up its central distribution system to producers from Zambia.

He said if the quality and pricing of Zambian agriculture products is ideal, they will not only be bought by Pick n Pay Zambia but will be distributed and sold in any of the more than 800 Pick n Pay stores in South Africa and other countries.
Mr Banda said it is encouraging that management is working closely with the Ministry of Labour to set out conditions of service for employees.

“I urge you to look after our Zambian employees well and give them opportunities within your company…you will prosper in Zambia,” he said.

He said Zambia offers opportunities for investors that are willing to work with the nation on a fair and equal basis, adding that the nation has abundant skill and a disciplined and hard working population.

The President thanked investors that are already in Zambia saying they have contributed to the economy over the years.

Mr Banda said the fact that Pick n Pay has come to Zambia just when the world economic recession is ending is a vote of confidence in the country.

“It proves that we are still an attractive investment destination. I am happy to say while our expectations were that economic growth will decline due to the recession, it declined by much less than was anticipated,” he said.
Mr Banda said positive economic growth over the last two financial years of economic crisis has been due to prudent management of the economy.

He said efforts to strengthen reserves have continued and that they stand at US$2 billion and about four months of import cover.
The President said the country has moved from a maize deficit to a surplus.
Mr Banda later toured the store and bought a few groceries before going outside to greet people who were waiting to do some shopping.

And Pick n Pay group enterprises director Dallas Langman said the company will work closely with the community.
He paid gratitude to the employees for the support and loyalty to ensure that the store opens.
Mr Langman said the company will eventually spread to other parts of the country.

And Zambia Association of Manufacturers board member Chibamba Kanyama said the opening of the store indicates that the income circulation in the country is growing.

He described as a myth, the belief that income circulation is only among the 400,000 people in formal employment.

Mr Kanyama said the more trade outlets the country has, the more potential Zambian products will have to reach various destinations.

Private Sector Development Association chairperson Yusuf Dodia said the development is positive.
Mr Dodia said competition that the outlet will create will benefit consumers as prices of commodities will drop.
[ Zambia Daily Mail ]

Pact non-existent – Chiluba

Entertainment Editor
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Former President Frederick Chiluba says PF-UPND pact is non-existent because ideologically, the two parties have different agendas.

Dr Chiluba said PF President Michael Sata and UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema cannot work together because it is difficult for them to promote their agenda based on two different manifestos.

He was speaking to journalists during celebrations to mark the Egyptian National day in Lusaka yesterday.
“Sata cannot work with Hichilema because ideologically, PF believes in totally different things from UPND.

How can they work together like that? What agenda are they promoting when one is saying he will do this and the other is saying he will do something else,” Dr Chiluba said.

Asked to comment whether a pact with the UPND would be the best way to go for the MMD, Dr Chiluba said it is difficult for him to say because the MMD has not said it wants to go into a pact with any party.
He said MMD is strong enough to win an election on its own.
[pullquote]“Sata cannot work with Hichilema because ideologically, PF believes in totally different things from UPND.

How can they work together like that? What agenda are they promoting when one is saying he will do this and the other is saying he will do something else,” Dr Chiluba said.[/pullquote]
And Dr Chiluba has trashed allegations by Mr Sata that he went to Kitwe to campaign for an MMD councillor.
He said he has been to a number of places where there are no elections taking place and that people merely take advantage of his presence to air their views on a number of issues.

Dr Chiluba said people will only be justified to accuse him of campaigning for a particular party when the 2011 general elections are near.

Dr Chiluba said it is his Constitutional right to campaign for a party of his choice.
He said he is a founding member of MMD and still remains a member of the party.

“I am the founding father of MMD, so how can I dump my own baby. I can speak out for my party,” he said.
[ Zambia Daily Mail ]

I can be vice-president, says Sata

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PF leader Michael Sata

PATRIOTIC FRONT (PF) President Michael Sata has claimed that he is ready to serve as vice-president of PF-UPND pact if UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema is chosen as president of the pact.

But spokesperson for PF rebel MPs Peter Machungwa said it would be a mark of naivety for anyone to believe that Mr Sata would accept to be vice-president.

Mr Sata said in Lusaka yesterday on HOT fm Radio’s hot seat programme that he has no problem being vice-president of the pact because positions are not his preoccupation.

“Why not be vice-president…positions are not my priority, we are concerned about the welfare of the people,” he said.

And Mr Sata has accused rebel MPs from PF and UPND of being scared of the pact forming Government in the 2011 elections.

He said some MPs are worried of the PF-UPND pact forming Government hence soliciting to be pro MMD and speaking ill of the pact.

[pullquote]“Why not be vice-president…positions are not my priority, we are concerned about the welfare of the people,” he said.[/pullquote]

“Some MPs are very worried on where they will be when the pact forms Government hence soliciting to stand on the MMD ticket through speaking bad about the pact, they know that 2011 is very near,” he said.

Mr Sata cited PF rebel MPs from Luapula Province as some of those who are pro MMD.
But Dr Machungwa said it would be a mark of naivety for anyone to believe that Mr Sata would accept to be vice-president.

Dr Machungwa said the statement is a political gimmick and that Mr Sata will spring a surprise on Mr Hichilema who he, for now, wants to dupe into believing that he can be made president.

He said instead of making assumptions, Mr Sata must categorically state who is going to be president of the Pact.

Dr Machungwa said Mr Sata is hallucinating by insinuating that the rebel MPs are scared of the possibility of the pact forming government next year.

He said it is infact Mr Sata who is has his figurative tail between his legs because he knows that he will never rule Zambia.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Twenty-seven percent of prisoners in Zambia have HIV

editor
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Prisons are excellent breeding grounds for HIV, enabling the AIDS virus to propagate swiftly and stealthily, yet many options exist for tackling the problem, the world AIDS conference heard.

Incidence of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) runs far higher among the 30 million people in the world’s penitentiaries than in the general population, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Sex between inmates, injecting drug use and tattooing are the main triggers for the spread, helped by overcrowding, corruption and poor access to condoms and anti-HIV therapy, said specialists at the International AIDS Conference here.

Katherine Todrys, who carried out a study for Human Rights Watch in six Zambian prisons, said that country did not even have a programme to test newly-admitted inmates for HIV.

“Currently there is no health screening whatsoever (for them),” she said.

Only 14 healthcare workers were available for 15,300 prisoners in Zambia’s 86 jails, and caring for this population was limited essentially to distributing paracetamol, a pain reliever and fever reducer, she said.

For those diagnosed with HIV, many fail to get treatment because of “security fears, lack of transport and the decision of non-medical officers and other inmates”, according to the HRW report.

Twenty-seven percent of prisoners in Zambia have HIV, nearly double the rate outside jail, according to 2008 figures published by the US State Department.

In Nigeria, campaigners are barred even from distributing condoms in detention facilities, Emeka Chima, from the Society for Family Health, told AFP.

“It is prohibited because if you do that you’re encouraging sodomy, that’s the stance,” he said. “In Nigeria, officially, same-sex practices don’t exist.” His association has now launched an information and education campaign for inmates and guards with the support of the Nigerian prison system.

The UNODC chose the AIDS forum to launch a “toolkit” spelling out ways for governments to introduce HIV prevention and treatment systems in prisons.

“Health care in prisons should be at least equivalent to that in the community,” it insisted.

HIV prevention in detention facilities can be hugely effective, the Open Society Institute (OSI) said, citing the case of Moldova, which introduced needle and methadone programmes in the late 1990s that now reach 75 percent of inmates.

Researchers from Brown University in the United States said HIV prevention was most effective when initiated behind bars.

For instance, prisoners who were started on methadone, a safer substitute for heroin, before their release were far likelier to stick to this regimen compared with counterparts who, after emerging from prison, were simply pointed in the direction of a counsellor.

Relapse — in which an injecting drug user turned once more to illegal drugs — increased the later risk of HIV infection through shared syringes.

“Virtually every prisoner and every person who’s arrested for a drug offence will return back to their community,” said Samuel Dickman, who conducted the investigation.

“This isn’t just about prisoners. This is about communities prisoners return to.”

[By Sim Sim Wissgott (AFP)]

Zambia to issue oil exploration licences by October ?

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Zambia, Africa’s largest copper producer, will issue oil and gas exploration licences to seven foreign and local companies by October after approving new licencing fees, Mines Minister Maxwell Mwale said on Thursday.

Mwale said only two local companies bid for four of the 23 exploration blocks Zambia advertised in December 2009 in six of the southern African country’s nine provinces. The bids were yet to be evaluated by the petroleum technical committee.

“The petroleum committee will licence the companies that were awarded blocks for them to commence exploration before the end of the dry season this year,” Mwale said in a statement.

Mwale said non-oil producing Zambia had faced difficulties to attract investment in the sector, but hoped confidence would build once the exploration companies started getting positive results expected to trigger an influx of petroleum exploration companies to invest in the country.

Mwale said the government was also finalising new petroleum regulations for the effective monitoring and regulation of the petroleum sector but did not give further details.

Britain’s GP Petroleum and Petrodel Resources, Glint Energy of the United States and Exile Resources of Canada were chosen in November along with Zambian firms Majetu, Barotse Petroleum Company and Chat Milling Company Ltd to explore for oil and gas.

Zambia, which relies on copper mining for most of its foreign exchange earnings has said soil samples sent to European laboratories have shown good traces of oil, particularly in areas bordering oil-producing Angola.

(Reuters)

Mbulakulima’s Goats Eating Away Zambia Open

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With almost a month to go before the Zambia Open Golf championship, the organizers arehaving to deal with a four-legged foe causing havoc to some sections of the front and back nine’s at the Ndola Golf Club.

Goats belonging to Copperbelt deputy minister Mwansa Mbulakulima are said to be helping themselves to some hearty patches of the greens and fairways on the 80-year-old golf course much to the displeasure of the organizing committee.

On Thursday, Sunshine Tour director Gary Todd, whose South African-based organ sanctions the Zambia Open, was here to inspect works ahead of the Open to be held from August 26-29 was greeted by stray goats inside the Ndola golf club perimeter.

Golfers questioned as to who was the owners of the goats they pointed in the direction of Mbulakulima’s residence.

Mbulakulima’s offical residence is located smack in the middle of the Ndola golf club making the greener grass an irresistible target for his goats and sheep.

Club officials refused to comment on the presence of the goats although off- the-record admitted that the beasts were an irritant and destroying the delicate greens and were a huge headache on keeping the course in shape ahead of the big tee-off next month.

‘ About 41,000 people were to die of AIDS last year ‘

Entertainment Editor
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Forty one thousand two hundred and forty seven people were projected to die in the year 2009 owing to AIDS related diseases, parliament heard today.

Acting Health Minister Brian Chituwo revealed that an estimated 23,554 women and 17, 693 women were projected to die, according to the HIV/AIDS modes of transmission report.

Dr. Chituwo also announced that the malaria annual death rate of malaria in 2005 alone, 7, 738 people died.
The acting health minister also adds that in the 2006, 6,485 people died due to malaria related illness and 6,183 people died in 2007 because of the same disease.

Dr. Chituwo further added that in the year 2008, malaria killed 3,871.

In response to a question by Batuke Imenda Member of parliament for Lukulu East what has been the annual death rate from 2005 to 2010 owing to the following HIV/AIDS related diseases and Malaria, Dr. Chituwo stated that the annual death rate has continued to go down because of the interventions that government is implementing.

And Dr. Chituwo has advised the private sector in the country to help government reduce on the donor dependency.

This was after Dr. Chituwo responded to how much donor funding has been made available to the health ministry between 2005 and 2010.
[ QFM ]

Chibale appears in court for chopping off wife’s lips and nose

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Barry Chibale 36, who allegedly beat up his wife Rutendo Bobo and chopped off part of her nose and upper lip during the fight on Sunday appealed in court for plea yesterday.

Chibale appeared before principal resident magistrate Justin Banda and pleaded not guilty to two counts of unlawful wounding contrary to section 232 (a) of the penal code chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia

Bobo and her friend Harriet Mutale were allegedly assaulted by Chibale on July 18 this year in Kabwe after picking a quarrel with his wife.

Chibale’s wife who is still admitted at Kabwe Mine hospital told ZANIS from her hospital bed that Chibale used a broken beer bottle to cause wounds on her and her friend.

Part of her nose and upper lip were sliced off during the fight that occurred at one of the bars in Kabwe.

The couple had just divorced and had differences over the sharing of household property.

The court granted Chibale bail in the sum of K5 Million with two working sureties.

Magistrate Banda said Chibale would remain in custody until the bail requirements were met.

Trial has been set for August 4, this year.

ZANIS

Zambia National Farmers Union concerned about farmers in Mkushi Block

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Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) has assured farmers in Mkushi that it will seriously champion their grievances on matters related to crop marketing and security.

Speaking during the tour of Mkushi farm block, ZNFU President Jarvis Zimba said that farmers in the district have persistently brought out issues of crop marketing and security.

He said that his tour of the farm block was essentially a response towards mitigating concerns raised by farmers and incorporate their contributions in addressing the problem.

Mr. Zimba observed that the farmer’s quest for favorable marketing policies was cardinal to ensuring the growth of agriculture as a viable commercial activity.

He said the ZNFU national secretariat was committed to incorporating views from farmers during dialogue with the central government.

Mr. Zimba said that farmers played a critical role in the national economy and that agriculture products added a significant dimension to wealth generated from within the country as well as from the exports.

He said that Mkushi had become one of the leading agricultural districts in the country with consistent bumper harvest of maize, soya beans, tobacco and wheat standing out as major crop products.

Mr. Zimba however said he was saddened to learn that in the farm block had been experiencing crop thefts, a situation which could have negative impact on the gross produce from the farms.

He said that amongst the efforts aimed at addressing crop theft, the ZNFU would soon donate vehicles to Lubuto Police Post located in the farm block to help boost police patrols in the area.

In a related interview, Central Province Police Commanding (CO) Simon Mphande acknowledged the frequency occurrence of crop thefts in the farm block areas.

Mr. Mphande said that crop thefts had for long posed great worry to the district police command, and that lack of transport logistics in farm blocks was a major hindrance for prompt response towards reported crimes as well as routine patrol exercises.

More than 35 commercial farmers in Mkushi District are located in Mkushi farm block area, encompassing the chiefdoms of Chitina, Shaibila and Mulungwe.

ZANIS

Country on course to achieving MDG on HIV/AIDS

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National AIDS Council (NAC) Board Chairperson Joshua Banda

National AIDS Council (NAC) Board Chairperson Joshua Banda says Zambia has made remarkable progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria.

Bishop Banda said the country has so far achieved 100 percent HIV blood screening and has also managed to put about 70 percent of the people who require treatment on Anti Retro Viral (ARVS) drugs.

Bishop Banda said this in Kasama today when he addressed the 7th AMICAALL- Zambia General Assemble being held alongside the 47th Local Government Association of Zambia (LGAZ) Annual General conference under the theme “Local Government – A responsive approach to accelerating MDGs attainment through decentralization”.

Progress has also been made in the reduction of the risk of HIV transmission from mother to child from 30 percent to 10 percent while the number of people willing to know their HIV status has increased from 16 percent to 43 percent.

The NAC chairperson also revealed that the country has registered a TB cure rate of 80 percent and a reduction in the default rate.

Bishop Banda has since appealed to civic leaders to be part of the intensified efforts towards meeting the set targets by 2015 by using their comparative advantage to harness resources for the attainment of other MDGs.

He said local government has a critical role in the attainment of MDG targets as it plays a catalytical role in linking central government to communities dealing with health, political and social economic challenges caused by HIV/AIDs.

Bishop Banda said NAC has resolved to intensify HIV/AIDS interventions at local level for the next framework circle 2011-2015 which was in tandem with the MDG target date.

He pointed out that the decentralization of HIV services will lead to their integration and mainstreaming in Local Government programmes

Bishop Banda added that decentralization will help communities be part of the problem identification and solving process as opposed to importation of solution which tend to alienate the people.

He noted that collaboration with influential community actors such as traditional and faith based leaders will lead to enhancement and synergies of programmes and achievement of long term sustainable development results.

Meanwhile, Bishop Banda says there were no plans to make HIV testing compulsory besides the routine testing being done when women go for antenatal clinic.

Responding to a question by one of the delegates who wanted to know whether NAC had plans to make HIV testing compulsory, Bishop Banda said NAC was of the view that voluntary counseling was more empowering.

He said individuals should be concerned with saving their lives by willingly knowing their HIV status.

Bishop Banda also said NAC has prioritised the maximization of male circumcision as there was documentary proof that it is quite effective in the fight

ZANIS

Let pact be intact-RB

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PRESIDENT Banda says the PF-UPND pact should remain intact so that the MMD defeats it in its united form. President Banda said this in response to journalists who asked for his comment in Lusaka yesterday.

“I told you before, if the pact were in MMD I will answer you but the pact are outside the MMD; it’s up to them to sort out the problem,” he said.

Mr Banda said the MMD has been winning despite the pact being together.

“They have always been fighting us. So for me, as president of MMD, I am working on the belief that they will continue together. I don’t want to presume that they will crack; that is up to them. If they do crack, okay. But we always campaign assuming that they are together,” he said.

President Banda said the MMD stands a good chance of scooping both Luena and Chifubu parliamentary by-elections.

“Of course we have to work hard; you know how elections are like. Until you win, you haven’t won,” he said.

“I am going to Luena first. It will be very tight the next 10 days but I am going to both Luena and Chifubu,” Mr Banda said.

He urged all political parties to condemn election violence.

He said there are just a few people who want to use violence as a means to win elections.

“I think the majority of Zambian people want peace. Our democracy is so important, it is more important than any individual political party or any leader. So I believe that the Zambian people will rally behind peace.

“Reading what you have been reporting in the papers, it looks like the majority of stakeholders in this country have condemned violence. The churches, newspapers, politicians, everyone has condemned violence. So those who think violence will take them anywhere are mistaken,” he said.

Mr Banda said what the Zambian people want is to have peaceful elections because it’s their chance to give a fresh mandate to their leaders.

“The message is that violence does not pay. When you have an election, that is the time and chance to make the changes that you wish,” he said.

And commenting on the concerns raised by the Catholic Church on the National Constitutional Conference, Mr Banda said as a leader, he will try to get everybody together and see if they can agree on something which is good for the country.

“I have just seen it this morning; you know this is a very important body of people. We have just read what they have said and understand it. But sometimes you (the press) may also misunderstand what they are trying to say,” he said.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

MTN CELL Z to reduce tariffs by 50%

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MTN Zambia has agreed with Zamtel to reduce interconnectivity charges by 50 percent after Government issues a Statutory Instrument.

And the firm has donated K86 million towards the Likumbi Lya Mize traditional ceremony slated for September 1 to 4.

Company managing director, Farhad Khan, said the reduction in interconnectivity fees will be effected after the SI is issued.

Mr Khan said the firm has also engaged in discussions with other operators on the reduction of interconnectivity charges.

He was speaking in an interview in Lusaka yesterday.
Mr Khan said there is need to reduce interconnectivity charges that different networks charge each other for cross networks.

The current cross networks call charges are very high, thus reducing efficiency in service delivery.

The company reaffirmed its commitement to ensuring that every subscriber has access to cheap mobile communication but the vision is being hindered by high cost of interconnectivity charges.

Last month, Zain Zambia reduced international call tariffs by 40 percent while MTN reduced by 40 percent after Government’s decision to allow mobile service providers to manage their own international gateway.

The new Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) has provisions that require interconnectivity fees to be cost-reflective and transparent.

MTN wrote to ZICTA and ZCC to look into interconnectivity charges within Zambia which it says are too high due to higher interconnectivity charges.

And MTN said the donation of the K86 million to Likumbi Lya Mize cultural association is part of the firm’s corporate responsibility to support the community.

Mr Khan said the firm has to date invested K400 million in numerous cultural activities across the country.

And association chairperson Gideon Kaumba said the association is scouting for K150 million to host the event.

Mr Kaumba said so far the association has raised slightly above K100 million.

MTN is the main sponsor of the ceremony this year and will hold a fundraising dinner dance this week Friday at Intercontinental Hotel.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

ZRA chief testifies

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ZAMBIA Revenue Authority (ZRA) Commissioner General Chriticles Mwansa told the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday that he does not condone violence and disturbances at the place of work.

Mr Mwansa said that is why he got concerned when it was reported to him that two senior ZRA officers had engaged in a fight within ZRA premises.

This is in a case in which dismissed ZRA assistant commissioner George Siame is facing one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm contrary to section 248 of the Penal Code Cap 87 of the Laws of Zambia.

It is alleged that on November 30 last year, Siame assaulted ZRA director of human resources Roselyn Kaeli at Revenue House in Lusaka.

“I rushed to Victoria Hospital from my home during lunch time to check on the condition of Ms Kaeli. I went to the hospital in my capacity as ZRA chief executive officer after receiving information about the fight,” Mwansa said.

He told magistrate William Banda that he found Ms Kaeli’s face swollen and took pictures of her as part of evidence.

Mwansa said he was not bothered to check on Siame because he was reported not to be in danger.

He said he has much interest in the matter because it involves two senior officers at ZRA.

He said it was the first time a fight involving senior management officers had been reported in the institution.

Mwansa told the court that Siame was given an opportunity to exculpate himself against the charge.

And during cross-examination, Mwansa said as chairperson of the ZRA appeals committee, he had not been biased towards Ms Kaeli in handling the matter.
Mwansa said he signed Siame’s dismissal letter to confirm management’s decision that he had been relieved of his duties.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

PF behaviour nauseats UPND

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FLASHBACK: A female youth member of the UPND tries to give flowers to Hichilema at Lusaka international airport

THE United Party for National Development (UPND) on the Copperbelt has accused its pact partners, the Patriotic Front (PF) of behaving like it was more superior than UPND.

Copperbelt UPND provincial chairperson has also said the PF has blown the emergency Kitwe meeting recently chaired by party’s vice-president Richard Kapita, out of proportion.

Mr Matambo said yesterday the UPND in the province was disappointed with the behaviour by the PF and urged their pact partners to respect the UPND as it was equally strong on the Copperbelt.

Mr Matambo was disappointed with Nkana Member of Parliament (MP) Mwenya Musenge for thinking the PF was more superior than the UPND on the Copperbelt and demanded that the PF should respect his party because they needed them in the pact.

Mr Matambo was reacting to Mr Musenge’s condemnation of the meeting held at Kitwe Little Theatre on Friday last week where it was alleged that the UPND had resolved to back President Rupiah Banda if its party president Hakainde Hichilema was not picked as the pact’s presidential candidate.

“The PF should realise the meeting was purely a UPND meeting. PF has been having its own meetings without UPND members attending and we have not been complaining. We now wonder why they should be jittery whenever we hold our meetings,” Mr Matambo said.

[pullquote]“The PF should realise the meeting was purely a UPND meeting. PF has been having its own meetings without UPND members attending and we have not been complaining. We now wonder why they should be jittery whenever we hold our meetings,” Mr Matambo said.[/pullquote]

He said people and Zambians in general, should know that the UPND and the PF were two different political parties with each one working hard to reorganise itself.

“Mr Musenge should not think it is only the PF which is strong on the Copperbelt. He should realise that the UPND is not a dead party on the Copperbelt, we are equally strong and we demand the respect from PF because we need each other in the pact,” he said.

He said it was, infact, Mr Musenge who was in the forefront of hindering the progress of the pact in the province as he never wanted to organise meetings aimed at promoting common ground for the two parties.

ADD president Charles Milupi said the pact was formed as a result of the realisation by Mr Hichilema that his party had lost popularity and could not win any election.

Mr Milupi said in Lusaka yesterday in an interview that the weaknesses in the pact were long predicted because it was formed without consideration for the sticky issue of policy harmonisation, non-selfish agenda and balancing power among the leaders to secure the long term strength.

Mr Milupi said PF president Michael Sata and Mr Hichilema formed the pact without considering how they would relate policies that would guide education, health and agriculture.

He said before the formation of the pact, the two parties contradicted each other on windfall tax, the National Constitutional Conference but went ahead without much debate on these matters.

The two opposition political parties have offered separate candidates in a ward by-election in Chadiza in contravention of the ideals of the pact that provide that they would not compete against each other in future elections.

[Times of Zambia]

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