Second Republican president Frederick Chiluba has said the launch of the Patriotic Front (PF)/ United Party for National Development (UPND) Pact does not make it relevant to the Zambian people and therefore does not threaten the existence of the MMD Government after the 2011 elections.

Dr Chiluba said in an interview in Ndola yesterday that the PF-UPND Pact was not relevant to the Zambian people as it was working towards removing the MMD Government and not serving the Zambian people.

The pact should be seen to be doing something for the Zambians before citizens took it seriously otherwise it would soon be defunct.

“This pact is part of the statistics in the Zambian politics and nothing more, it is not going anywhere,” Dr Chiluba said.

He said the policies that govern the Pact were retrogressive to the Zambian economy and merely fanned violence unlike the MMD Government that was serving Zambians.
[pullquote]“This pact is part of the statistics in the Zambian politics and nothing more, it is not going anywhere,” Dr Chiluba said.[/pullquote]
Dr Chiluba said one of the leaders of the pact, the leader of the PF Michael Sata opposed progressive political and economic trends that made Zambia a real democratic country.

He said Mr Sata, who was quoted in the media to have invited him to campaign in the upcoming Chifubu Constituency by-elections to test his popularity, should not even bother inviting him because he had already invited himself to campaign in that election.

“I don’t have to tell anyone of how popular I am but the people will tell the story of how popular I am in the Chifubu elections,” Dr Chiluba said.

And Dr Chiluba said the sale of 75 per cent shares of Zamtel by the Zambian Government was commendable and was one of the many efforts by the current Government meant to improve people’s lives and saving jobs.

And the Committee of Citizens has expressed concern over the PF/UPND Pact’s failure to disclose the candidate in next year’s elections saying it should not be taken seriously.

Committee of Citizens president, Gregory Cifire said in a statement yesterday that the pact had not harmonised its programmes, manifestoes and its vision for the people of Zambia.

He said despite the launch of the pact there was also no disclosure of what programmes it has for the people if it was elected into office.

“This is dangerous as the unity between them is held by a very thin thread of naked ambitions to go to state house,” he said.

And Chief Chikanta of the Tonga people in Kalomo has warned that the PF/UPND Pact lacks fundamentals similar to the 2006 failed alliance formed by Hakainde Hichilema and Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) president Edith Nawakwi.

Chief Chikanta said launching the PF/UPND Pact does not resolve the many technical and unresolved issues such as the shared popularity, which cannot easily be transferred to the candidate who would be adopted.

He said there were inherent weaknesses in the pact such as their failure to articulate development issues as they had only concentrated on insulting President Rupiah Banda and his Government.
[Times of Zambia ]

The identity of the Zambia’s opposition political party leader Hakainde Hichilema has been questioned.

A civil society leader today told QFM that the United Party for National Development UPND president Hakainde Hichilema is not his real name.

QFM news has been told that Hichilema was known as Sunny Hichilema until later in his life and that he acquired his middle name Hakainde well into his adulthood.

It has also been disclosed that Hichilema’s father is Chitombwa and that Hichilema comes from his maternal grandfather in whose household he grew up.
[pullquote]Gregory Chifire, Committee of Citizens executive director explained that Hichilema’s father had many issues with the law and was always found in conflict with the law as a cattle rustler as police and prison records show in Namwala, Monze and Mazabuka.[/pullquote]

Gregory Chifire, Committee of Citizens executive director explained that Hichilema’s father had many issues with the law and was always found in conflict with the law as a cattle rustler as police and prison records show in Namwala, Monze and Mazabuka.

Chifire said it is immoral for Hichilema to hide his identity of his father even if his dad had an embarrassing history.

Chifire accused Hichilema of being afraid that an unfair comparison might be made between the manner he accumulated his wealth and the past criminal record of his father.

Mr. Chifire further expressed concern about the numerous reports about the way the UPND leader treated his workers he hired in his cattle ranches across the country.

[pullquote]Government has therefore has been called upon through the Human Rights Commission and labor commissioner to investigate the serious abuse reports and quickly protect these workers from exploitation perpetrated by Hichilema.[/pullquote]

He claimed that the workers have complained of very harsh slave conditions of service and were given poor remuneration.

Government has therefore has been called upon through the Human Rights Commission and labor commissioner to investigate the serious abuse reports and quickly protect these workers from exploitation perpetrated by Hichilema.

The civil society executive director further says that as a man contending to be Zambia’s next republican president, it is imperative that a full disclosure is made by Hichilema of his wealth, his past and parentage.

QFM

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins”
(Mark 2:22, NKJ)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Are you ready for increase? Are you ready to go to the next level spiritually, physically and emotionally? In today’s verse, Jesus is basically saying that you can’t go to a new level with an old way of thinking.

I’ve found that many people hear the truth that God has more in store for them, and something resonates on the inside. Their spirit comes into agreement with God. But often times, their natural minds will try to talk them out it. Thoughts come like, “It’s not going to happen for you. You’re not going to have a great year. You know what the economy is like.” Or, “You’re never going to get well. You saw what the medical report said.” “You’re never going to get married. You’ve been single so long.”

Friend, those are the old wineskins that you have to get rid of. This is a new season. What’s happened in the past is over and done. You may have been through some disappointments, you may have tried and failed or things didn’t work out. That’s okay. We serve a God of restoration. It’s time to get a new vision for your life. It’s time to open yourself to a new way of thinking so that you can move forward and receive all the blessings God has in store for you!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father in heaven, today I choose to get rid of old wineskins. I choose to release old thinking, old habits, and anything that would keep me from Your best. Strengthen me by Your Spirit so that I can live my life in a way that pleases You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

The long awaited United Party for National Development and Patriotic Front UPND/PF pact has finally been launched with the two pact leaders calling on the Zambians to take up a personal responsibility in cementing and securing the pact.

And Patriotic Front leader, Michael Sata has alleged that the ruling movement for multi party democracy MMD led government yesterday sold off the Zambia telecommunications company ZAMTEL and leaving the workers unattended to as they moneys have not yet been paid.

Mr. Sata said that the current government is still being led under the first republic regime and that is why the MMD has continued to sell off the national resource without the consent of the people of this nation.

He said that the ruling MMD is fully aware of the high level of poverty in this country but has decided to put a blind eye to the needs of the people and focus on enriching themselves at the expense of the people.

Meanwhile Mr. Sata has observed that the decision by government to jail post editor, Fred Mmembe who was yesterday sentenced to four months in prison with hard labour will cost the MMD.

Mr. Sata said that the MMD could have thought of something better than jailing and detaining a journalist because he will expose them for who they really are and how they have failed to take care of the prisoners in this country.

And speaking earlier, UPND president, Hikainde Hichilema charged that the MMD failure to put an end to corruption within the governing system has exacerbated the levels of poverty in the country.

Mr. Hichilema said that the government has been unable to provide quality social services to the people of this nation and is largely responsible for the people’s suffering.

Mr. hichilema has also challenged the government to bring back the windfall tax in the mining sector.

QFM

President Banda yesterday refused to comment on the conviction of The Post editor-in-chief Fred M’membe by a Lusaka magistrate court and on Deputy Minister of Health Solomon Musonda’s alleged shooting and wounding of a suspected Patriotic Front cadre, Jackson Musata, in Serenje on Tuesday.

Answering questions from journalists at Lusaka International Airport shortly after arriving from France at about 18:00 hours, the president said he would not comment om Mr M’membe ‘s case because it was a legal matter which he was yet to study.

“I don’t want to get involved until I have a chance to talk to my Minister of Justice to get a brief about it,” he said.

On Dr Solomon Musonda’s alleged shooting and wounding of a suspected Patriotic Front cadre, Mr Banda said he is unable to immediately comment on the matter, especially that it took place in his absence.

Meanwhile, President Banda has announced that French investors will start arriving in the country as early as next week to explore avenues of investment in various sectors of the economy.

This follows successful meetings he held with them on the sidelines of the just ended France-Africa summit held in Nice.

He said the summit was of great benefit to Zambia and Africa as a whole as it tackled critical areas of development, climate change, peace and security in Africa, including other development issues between Africa and France.

“The summit was very useful. In addition to that, I spent one-and-half days talking to various investors and other people who want to come to Zambia to invest in various fields. I look forward to greater achievements in that sense,” he said.

Mr Banda said it was wonderful to see English, French and Portuguese-speaking Africans getting together to discuss development programmes.

He said France is going to be chair of the G20 and there is an agreement among African countries that Paris will try and actualise some of the recommendations of the summit, particularly those on international governance, membership to the United Nations and other institutions.

“We have agreed with France that they will carry our message. But they will have to wait until we meet as African Union(AU) to finalise our position and pass it on to France,” he said.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Post Newspapers Editor-in-Chief Fred M’membe who was this morning sentenced to four months imprisonment with hard labour has been taken to Lusaka Central Prison to begin serving his prison sentence.

His lawyers George Chisanga and Remmy Mainza struggled to get him out on bail pending appeal to the High Court. According to information received, Magistrate David Simusamba who is supposed to sign the bail has disappeared, leaving prison officers without an option but to send Mr. M’membe to Prison.

Mr. M’membe has been sentenced to four months imprisonment with hard labour after being found guilty of contempt of court together with the Post Newspapers by Magistrate Simusamba.

Mr M’membe has also been sentenced to four months simple imprisonment on behalf of the Post Newspapers, after Magistrate David Simusamba set free Post Human Resources Director Rueben Phiri who was standing in for the Newspaper.

Passing sentence this morning, Magistrate Simusamba said Phiri could not be the right person to suffer for the Post. He said the sentences will run concurrently meaning Mr M’membe will only serve a four months jail term.

Magistrate Simusamba said the sentence is meant to reform Mr M’membe as well as to deter would be offenders.

QFM

Post Editor-in-Chief Fred Mmembe has been sentenced to four months imprisonment with hard labour after being found guilty of contempt of court together with the Post Newspapers by a Lusaka magistrate court.

Mr M’membe has also been sentenced to four months simple imprisonment on behalf of the Post Newspapers, after Magistrate David Simusamba set free Post Human Resources Director Rueben Phiri was standing in for the Newspaper.

Passing sentence this morning, Magistrate Simusamba said Phiri could not be the right person to suffer for the Post. He said the sentences will run concurrently meaning Mr M’membe will only serve a four months jail term.[pullquote]Mr M’membe’s defence attorney Mr George Chisanga commented: “It’s really a dark day for press freedom in Zambia.”[/pullquote]

The contempt case arose from an article authored by US-based Zambian law Professor Muna Ndulo titled: ‘The Chansa Kabwela case: A Comedy of Errors’, and published in the paper on August 27, 2009.

Magistrate Simusamba said he jailed Mr M’membe to “reform” and deter would-be offenders. He declined to give Mr M’membe an option of a fine.

Although Mr M’membe had contended in his defence that he was on study leave at the time the article was published, Mr Simusamba said the editor had the capacity to issue instructions or grant authority from anywhere using technology.

Mr M’membe’s defence attorney Mr George Chisanga commented: “It’s really a dark day for press freedom in Zambia.”

“I just want to say that we understand what is going on. We fully know what is going on and we are ready for it,” said Mr M’membe.

Mr M’membe lawyers Remmy Mainza and George Chisanga have applied for bail pending appeal after filing a notice of appeal yesterday in the High Court.
M’membe, clad in a checked blue shirt and jeans, was led to prison by warders immediately after the sentencing. Mr M’membe is detained in police custody pending the outcome of his bail application.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Africa Program Coordinator Mr Tom Rhodes said: “Fred M’membe’s conviction appears to be part of the ongoing harassment against The Post since President Rupiah Banda came into office in 2008.”

“This undermines Zambia’s democratic credentials and we call on the administration to drop all legal proceedings against The Post,” stated Mr Rhodes.