PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda has said he is only interested in unifying the MMD as opposed to discussing the imminent cracking of the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) and Patriotic Front (PF) Pact.

Speaking to journalists at the Lusaka International Airport shortly before his departure for Turkey yesterday, President Banda said the preoccupation of the MMD leadership and him was to unify the party at all the levels.

Mr Banda, accompanied by First Lady Thandiwe, was seen off by Vice-President George Kunda, Information Minister Ronnie Shikapwasha, Mines and Minerals Development Minister Maxwell Mwale, Secretary to the Cabinet Joshua Kanganja and Lusaka Province Minister Charles Shawa, among others.

“Whatever is happening in the pact is not our business. Like you and I have just read that in the papers but that is not our business. What we are interested in is the unity of our party,” President Banda said.

On his trip to Turkey, President Banda said Zambia was bound to learn a lot from that country considering that Turkey’s economy was one of those emerging in the world.

For the last one year, he said Turkish President Abdullah Gul had been inviting President Banda to that country and it was, therefore, an honour for him to accept the invitation.

“As you know, Turkey is an emerging economy and I feel greatly honoured to be invited. We are going to see how we can benefit from the visit,” President Banda said.

Speaking in an interview, Lieutenant-General Shikapwasha said the MMD and the critics of the pact had been vindicated following its cracking.

[pullquote]“We have been telling them that the entire pact is a useless thing and they have not understood us,” Gen Shikapwasha said.[/pullquote]

Gen Shikapwasha said for a long time now, there had been a prediction that the pact would crack but the leaders of the PF and UPND pretended that all was well in their alliance.

“We have been telling them that the entire pact is a useless thing and they have not understood us,” Gen Shikapwasha said.

He claimed that the decision to form the pact was pushed by UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema because of his realisation that he could not stand and win an election without entering into an alliance.

“It’s Mr Hichilema who has been pushing for the pact because he knows that he has no legs to stand on his own,” Gen Shikapwasha said.

Gen Shikapwasha, who is Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, said as a result of the cracks in the pact, the MMD would emerge victorious in both the Luena and Chifubu parliamentary by-elections.

“We are going to win handsomely,” Gen Shikapwasha said.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia has set August 5 as the election date for the by-elections in the two constituencies.

[Times of Zambia]

United Party for National Development (UPND) President, Hakainde Hichilema, has accused President Rupiah Banda of finding solace in the air.

Reacting to President Banda`s trip to Turkey through South Africa, Mr. Hichilema said the President is at it again to go and dine with foreign dignitories when he has no regard for those in the country when they ask how their money is being used.

He said the President`s trip to Turkey is not necessary, adding that he must know that domestic issues take precedence to any other issues.

He accused the President of taking initiative to clean other people`s governments when his own government is filthy with all sorts of dirty.

Mr Hakainde said President Banda was supposed to stay at home and ensure that the civil servants` delayed salaries are resolved.

He added that the country expects the President to spend time supervising his subordinates to ensure that pending issues such as the underpaying of teachers and police officers are worked on as opposed to spending his time in the air.

He advised the President to reduce his trips abroad so that he could have enough time to address issues affecting the people domestically.

President Rupiah Banda is scheduled to leave for Turkey on Sunday on a trade and investment promotion visit.

President Banda, who has been invited by Turkey leader Abdullah Gul, is expected to sign a number of agreements, address the business community and tour one of the largest car manufacturing plants.

President Banda, who will be accompanied by first lady Thandiwe, energy minister Kenneth Konga, finance minister Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane, foreign affairs minister Kabinga Pande and deputy minister in the Vice-President’s office Gaston Sichilima, returns to Zambia on Thursday.

[ QFM ]

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong in behalf of those whose hearts are blameless toward Him;”
(2 Chronicles 16:9 AMP).)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Are you looking for God to move in your life today? The Bible says that God is actually looking to show Himself strong in the Earth. He is looking for those who have a blameless heart toward Him.

When you open your heart to Jesus, and ask Him to forgive you and cleanse you by His blood, He gives you a blameless heart—then you are the person the Lord is looking to work through! When you understand the fact that God longs to work in your life, your faith will increase. Your hope will increase. And God’s work in your life will increase! Have confidence in this scripture today. Begin to thank God for giving you a clean and blameless heart. Thank Him for choosing to work in you.

As you thank and praise Him, expect Him to act! Expect to see Him move mightily on your behalf in every area of your life!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, thank You for the blood of Jesus which cleanses my sins and gives me a blameless heart. Search my heart today and remove anything that isn’t pleasing to You. I open my heart and invite You to work in every area of my life. I bless You and thank You for Your faithfulness, In Jesus Name. Amen.

Government has officially handed over Zamtel assets to new owners LAP Green Networks of Libya.

Zamtel was sold last month to the Libyan telecommunications company for US$257 million.

Speaking during the official handover ceremony in Lusaka this morning,Finance and National Planning Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane revealed that the new Zamtel owners will inject US$62 million in its operations in the next two years.

Dr Musookotwane said government is confident that LAP Green is a strong partner in national development and will provide an improved service in the ICT sector.

He described the process leading to the sale of Zamtel as a transparent one and the best privatization exercise that government has ever carried out.

He further said that the transaction also helps government push the nation’s ICT agenda forward.

Dr Musokotwane has since assured the nation that a comprehensive statement on the sale of zamtel will be presented to parliament by Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Felix Mutati.

And LAP Green Networks Managing Director Abdulbaset Elazzabi noted that Zambia’s economic and political stability has created an increase in foreign direct investment into the country.

He said the handover of Zamtel assets is a significant step in LAP Green Group’s intention in transforming Zambia into an ICT hub for Africa.

CONFUSION erupted in the UPND/PF Pact on Thursday during the filing of nomination papers for local government by-elections in the Chanjowe Ward in Chadiza Central Constituency in Chadiza District.

The two opposition political parties which last year entered into a pact failed to agree on which political party was supposed to float a candidate for the pact.

This resulted in United Party for National Development (UPND) fielding their own candidate while the Patriotic Front (PF) also picked their own candidate.

Those who successfully filed in their nomination papers are Isaac Phiri for MMD, Paul Phiri of PF, and Jester Mbewe for UPND.

And commenting on the misunderstandings, UPND secretary general, Winstone Chibwe expressed shock that PF fielded a candidate because according to the agreement, UPND was supposed to pick the pact candidate.

Mr Chibwe described the development as unfortunate but indicated that the confusion would not cause further division in the pact.

But UPND deputy chairperson for youth and child development, Michael Chuzu who also played down the confusion said it was unfortunate that the PF wanted to behave like they were more popular than UPND.

Mr Chuzu said that the PF members in Chadiza disregarded the agreement which was supposed to allow a UPND candidate represent the pact in the ward by-elections.

Information gathered indicated that PF insisted to contest the by-elections because the UPND did not give them enough support during the Milanzi parliamentary by-election which was scooped by MMD on April 29 this year.

And MMD provincial youth and information secretary, Chembe Daka said the confusion in the pact over which candidate to float was a clear indication that the ruling party has won the by-election slated for August 5.

[Times of Zambia]

The Southern African Centre for Constructive Resolution of Disputes, SACCORD, has accused government of attempting to legalize the theft of public funds.

Reacting to Justice Deputy Minister, Todd Chilembo’s statement that there is no need for Article 37 of the ACC Act which relates to abuse of office because public officers have other sources of income, SACCORD Information Officer, Obby Chibuluma,said the statement amounts to an attempt by government to legalize the theft of public funds.

He said there is no need for the government to remove article 37 of the ACC ACT because it exists to provide preventive mechanisms to people who might abuse public office.

Mr Chibuluma said despite public officers having other sources of income, removing the article would leave public funds prone to abuse.

He noted that removing the article would mean everyone entrusted with public funds will be at liberty to abuse their public office with impunity.

Mr Chibuluma said despite the trust bestowed on people with public funds, the fact that they are humans could tempt them to abuse the funds.

In yesterday’s Times of Zambia, the Government said there is need to review the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Act in accordance with the present global and national realities that take into account the fact that public officers have other sources of income.

Justice Deputy Minister said in an interview that the current Act was insensitive to the fact that public officers had other sources of income, and it would, therefore, be unfair to criminalise a person with wealth more than their income.

He said the current law as provided for in Section 37 of the ACC Act of the Laws of Zambia was wrong because it assumed that any public service worker with wealth above their income had engaged in wrong acts.

[pullquote]He said the current law as provided for in Section 37 of the ACC Act of the Laws of Zambia was wrong because it assumed that any public service worker with wealth above their income had engaged in wrong acts.[/pullquote]

He said the economic situation had changed and workers were earning other incomes by engaging in other economic activities.

According to Section 37 of the ACC Act, a director-general, deputy director-general or any officer of the commission authorised in writing by the director-general, may investigate a public officer where there were reasonable grounds to believe that such public officer maintained a standard of living not commensurate with the present or past official emoluments.

Under the section, the ACC could institute an arrest on a public officer “who is in control or in possession of pecuniary resources or property disproportionate to his present or past official emoluments.”

Mr Chilembo, however, said currently, public officers had extra means of earning income.

[pullquote]He said the economic situation had changed and workers were earning other incomes by engaging in other economic activities.[/pullquote]

“Looking at the changed economic situation where people, even civil servants, have other sources of income, it will be wrong to have such a law,” he said.

Zambia had sufficient laws to deal with public officers who abused their offices.

“The Penal Code, which is the principle law, has various provisions to deal with such offences,” Mr Chilembo said.