President Rupiah Banda says he had nothing to do with the prosecution, convictions and sentencing of former Defence Minister, George Mpombo, by the Ndola Chief Resident Magistrate Kelvin Limbani.

President Banda said he had nothing to do with Mr. Mpombo’s court case, in which he was facing one count of issuing a cheque on an insufficiently funded account in December last year.

President Banda, who said he had just heard about Mr. Mpombo’s conviction from journalists, said those accusing him were being insincere.

“You know they are lying. I am not in charge of the police, I am not in charge of the judiciary and I did not even follow his case,” he said.

He was responding to journalists at Lusaka International Airport before he left for Botswana for a two- day state visit at the invitation of his counterpart, Ian Khama.

The journalists who wanted to get his comment on allegations that he was playing double standards in the administration of the justice system in the country.

Some sections of the political sphere have accused President Banda of being biased in the administration of justice saying Mr. Mpombo’s case was done speedily while Deputy Minister of Gender, Lucy Changwe, who also issued a cheque on an insufficiently funded account, has not been arrested.

Mr. Mpombo, who is also Kafulafuta Member of Parliament, was found guilty of one count of issuing a cheque on an insufficiently funded account in December 2009 and has since been sentenced to two months simple imprisonment.

President Banda is accompanied to Botswana by Permanent Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Lucy Mungoma while Minister of Health, Kapembwa Simbao, is already in that country for the same visit.

While in Botswana, President Banda will officiate at that country’s international trade fair and open Serowe Institute of Health Sciences in Serowe.

He was seen off at the Lusaka International Airport by Vice President George Kunda, Minister of Defence, Kalombo Mwansa, Minister of Information Ronnie Shikapwasha, Works and Supply Minister Mike Mulongoti and Presidential Affairs Minister, Ronald Mukuma.

Others are Local Government Minister, Eustarckio Kazonga, Mines Minister, Maxwell Mwale, senior government officials and defence and security chiefs.

The President is expected back home tomorrow.

ZANIS

The Ndola Magistrate Court has jailed former Defence Minister George Mpombo to 60 Days Simple imprisonment and fined him K4million for dishonoring a cheque amounting to K10million.

ZANIS NDOLA reports that in a case which came up for sentencing after the court convicted him on Friday August 6, 2010, Ndola Chief Resident Magistrate Kelvin Limbani sentenced Mr. Mpombo to 60 days simple imprisonment and consequently fined him K 4million for the offence.

Magistrate Limbani said the court had taken note of what was said in mitigation and added that cases of a financial nature had serious consequences that can adversely affect the economy of the country.

“The Court has taken note of what was said in mitigation, but you deserve punishment so that you can reform and so that would be offenders can be deterred from committing the same offence, cases of a financial nature have serious consequences which can have adverse impact on the economy of a nation e.g. the global economic crisis,” he said.

He further said the failure by Mr. Mpombo to honour his obligation did not just have an impact on Colwyn Limited but the economy of the country as a whole.

“Failure by you to honour your obligation did not just have impact on Colwyn but the country as a whole, therefore I am sentencing to pay a fine of K4million and 60 days simple imprisonment,” he said.

And speaking from the Court Cell soon after his sentencing Mr Mpombo told journalists that he was going to appeal to a higher court.

He explained that it was unfortunate that the Magistrate passed judgment based Mr Terence Findley’s concoction story.

He further said the whole ordeal was not going to break his spirit or discourage him in any way.

“This whole ordeal is just a passing phase, my spirit is not broken and am not discouraged at all,” he said.

And Mr. Mpombo said appealed to the Human Rights Commission to look into the status of prisons in the country.

He said prisoners were currently not having breakfast and that most prisons were heavily congested.

The Ndola Magistrate Court on Friday August 5, 2010 convicted former Defence Minister George Mpombo of one count of dishonoring a cheque amounting to K10million.

ZANIS

UPND President, Hakainde Hichilema, has bragged the UPND has won more parliamentary seats than any other party in the last 12 to 15 months.

Congratulating Alliance for Democracy and Development interim President, Charles Milupi’s victory in the just ended Luena Parliamentary by-election, Mr. Hichilema said the UPND accepts the loss, adding that other parties must also be given chance to win other parliamentary seats in a democracy.

He said in every election, there has to be a winner and a loser, and that UPND, MMD, and other parties that contested the election were losers in this case, and the ADD was the winner.

He said the UPND is not aggrieved by the lose because it has won the majority seats in parliament in the last 12 to 15 months.

He said the UPND is the only party that has gained more parliamentary seats, as opposed to the ruling MMD which has been retaining seats in parliament.

He added that what is important in an election is to gain a seat and not to retain it.

He said while Mr. Milupi must be congratulated for emerging winner in Luena, there is not much impact because he merely retained his seat.

QFM

MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya has urged Zambians to develop political careers by joining the ruling party.
Ms Siliya said the leadership in the party is friendly and embracing, adding that those who join the party are assured of being given an opportunity to aspire for various positions.

She said Zambians, especially the youth, should associate themselves with the MMD because President Banda has their interest at heart.

Ms Siliya said the victory which the party recorded in the recent local government elections is evidence that the party has support from people at the grassroots.

She said most Zambians are happy with the policies of Government as witnessed by the voting pattern in the local government elections.

Ms Siliya said the youth must be sober-minded and consider joining the MMD as they stand to benefit from a number of opportunities
She further encouraged the womenfolk to join the party saying MMD is all-embracing.

Ms Siliya said the economy is growing as the private sector has also expressed confidence in the leadership of President Banda.

She said it is highly unlikely that the private sector would want to see a change in policies and programmes of Government.
[pullquote]“The President has been so embracing to the private sector that I do not think they would want to see change in policies and programmes of Government,” Ms Siliya said.
[/pullquote]
Ms Siliya said Government has put in place incentives to make business transactions flexible in the country.
“The President has been so embracing to the private sector that I do not think they would want to see change in policies and programmes of Government,” Ms Siliya said.

Meanwhile, former secretary general of the National Energy Sector and Allied Workers Union (NESAWU) Yotham Mtayachalo has advised PF president Michael Sata to respect President Banda and desist from scandalising his office.

Mr Mtayachalo said it is unfortunate that Mr Sata has developed the habit of making wild and unsubstantiated allegations against Mr Banda in an effort to gain political mileage.

He said this in reaction to an article in yesterday’s edition of The Post newspapers in which Mr Sata was quoted saying the conviction of Kafulafuta member of Parliament George Mpombo was secured by Mr Banda.
Mr Mtayachalo said the remarks by Mr Sata are a mockery to the independency of the Judiciary.

He said the judiciary is independent but that the opposition usually deems it biased when a person who is perceived an enemy of the State is convicted.
“When the judiciary rules in favour of a member of the opposition, it is all smiles but if it rules against them, then the Judiciary is deemed compromised.

“It must be realised that in all countries where the judiciary has been undermined, there has been no peace. Mr Sata should stop the habit of commenting on everything for the sake of political mileage…this is not the first time he is making allegations without facts,” he said.

Mr Mtayachalo said Mr Sata should produce evidence to prove his claims that the judiciary is working in favour of President Banda.

He said a person who is aspiring for Presidency should desist from making reckless and wild allegations which have no substance.

Mr Mtayachalo said the office of the President must be protected and respected at all times.
He said Mr Banda has nothing to do with Mr Mpombo’s conviction as the law on bouncing a cheque is clearly stipulated.

“The President is not the one who came up with the law on bouncing a cheque so he should not be blamed for what has happened to Mr Mpombo,” he said.
On Friday, Ndola Magistrates court convicted Mr Mpombo of one count of dishonouring a cheque amounting to K10 million.
[ Zambia Daily Mail ]

The MMD leadership from seven wards in Kafulafuta Constituency yesterday petitioned the district executive committee to expel area Member of Parliament (MP) George Mpombo from the party after passing a vote of no confidence in him.

MMD Masaiti District secretary Patrick Zulu said some of the wards which withdrew their support for Mr Mpombo were Muyenga, Shitwe, Majaliwa, Kambowe and Mutaba.

He said the district party leadership had received the petition and that it would meet on Thursday to decide Mr Mpombo’s fate.

Mr Zulu said the leaders would discuss matters regarding Mr Mpombo, whose recent stand in the party has been a source of controversy.

The Kafulafuta MP has caused tension in the ruling party with his constant attacks on the top leadership, including President Rupiah Banda.
[ Times of Zambia ]

United Party for National Development, UPND, President, Hakainde Hichilema, has backed his Patriotic Front(PF) counterpart, Michael Sata, in saying that the MMD government has a hand in the conviction of former Defense Minister, George Mpombo.

Mr. Hichilema said the MMD government drove Mr. Mpombo’s conviction just like it did drive Post newspaper editor, Chansa Kabwela’s case.

Mr. Hichilema said the way Mr. Mpombo’s case was handled, it clearly shows that there was pressure on the judiciary by the government.

Meanwhile, Mr. Hichilema has said the judiciary in the country has been divided, one for the MMD sympathizers, and the other for non MMD sympathisers.

The UPND leader noted that there is need for the judiciary in the country to operate the way it ought to operate.

He said the judiciary is being driven by those in authority, adding that this could be clearly seen from the way Ms. Lucy Changwe’s case where she failed to honour a cheque to a Mr. Musonda was handled by the government.

Mr. Hichilema said that Mr. Mpombo’s case is almost the same as that for Ms Changwe, but that she was not convicted.

He added that it is extremely not fair for the government to handle cases in such an imbalanced manner.
[ QFM ]

Political analyst, Dante Saunders called on government to completely change the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to instill confidence in the electorates who continued to shun participating in elections.

Mr Dante observed that the current abnormal political situation in Zambia is responsible for the low voter turn out in the Chifubu and Luena by-elections.

He said that there is need to stream line the work of the ECZ whose credibility Zambians have continued to question.
[pullquote]“This will help the ruling movement for multi party democracy MMD government regain the people’s confidence in the commission” Mr Dante said.[/pullquote]
Mr Saunders said that it is vital for government to allow a complete change of the ECZ.

“This will help the ruling movement for multi party democracy MMD government regain the people’s confidence in the commission” Mr Dante said.

Mr. Saunders also explained that government should be able to allow the participation of the opposition in the ECZ.

He said as long as government does not agree to allow the ECZ to be changed, the current voter apathy will remain.

The political analyst also noted that failure to address this situation now, the ECZ is bound to experience worse apathy next year when the country goes to the tripartite polls.
[ QFM ]