President Rupiah Banda was last night expected to join football fans to watch a crunch group G World Cup match between South American giants Brazil and African heavyweights, Ivory Coast. Special assistant to the president for Press and public relations, Dickson Jere said this in a media release in Lusaka yesterday.

Mr Banda made a stopover in South Africa on his way to Namibia for a State visit, where he was invited by his Namibian counterpart, Hifikepunye Pohamba.

‘‘President Banda will leave for Namibia via South Africa where he will stop-over for meetings and later in the evening join His Excellency, Mr Jacob Zuma, President of the Republic of South Africa at a World Cup match between Ivory Coast and Brazil,’’ Mr Jere said after the president’s departure.

The president was accompanied to Namibia by First Lady, Thandiwe Banda, Foreign Affairs Minister, Kabinga Pande, parliamentary chief whip Vernon Mwaanga and other senior Government officials.

This is the first State visit President Banda is undertaking to Namibia since he became Zambia’s head of State in 2008.

ZANIS

Patriotic Front (PF) rebel members of Parliament have trashed allegations by party president Michael Sata that they are buying national registration cards (NRC) and voters’ cards to rig the 2011 general elections.

Spokesperson for the members of Parliament Peter Machungwa said in an interview yesterday that the allegations show that the PF leader is desperate and anticipating a crashing defeat.
[pullquote]“Buying voters’ cards is an illegal act and can land one in trouble. Mr Sata’s statements are allegations of a desperate man. I advise him to report to police if he has information on what he is alleging,” he said.[/pullquote]
Dr Machungwa said if Mr Sata’s allegations are worth consideration, he should report to the police.

“Buying voters’ cards is an illegal act and can land one in trouble. Mr Sata’s statements are allegations of a desperate man. I advise him to report to police if he has information on what he is alleging,” he said.

Dr Machungwa said the members of Parliament are not surprised and that it is typical of Mr Sata to make wild allegations.

Mr Sata accused the members of Parliament of buying NRCs and voters’ cards at a rally at Musamba Basic School grounds in Chilanga yesterday.

He alleged that the members of Parliament are buying NRCs and voters’ cards because they are scared of the PF-UPND pact.

Mr Sata alleged that the members of Parliament are getting people’s cards without them knowing where they are taking them.

“Our rebel MPs are on rampage buying voters cards and NRCs because they are scared of us. They are giving people new cards without the people knowing what they are doing with the old ones,” he said.

Mr Sata also told the crowd that he will reverse the privatisation of Zamtel, Chilanga Cement and Zambia Sugar if voted into office.

He also said there is need for Zambians to unite in national development.

The rally was organised to encourage people to participate in the continuous voters’ registration exercise.

Despite PF and the United Party for National Development (UPND) being in a pact, no senior members of UPND turned up for the rally.

And Mr Sata has insisted that he will reverse the partial privatisation of Zamtel despite the condemnation he received for saying that last week.

President Banda has said the privatisation is irreversible and unions representing workers at Zamtel said they are in support of the partial privatisation of the company.

[ Zambia Daily Mail ]

THE MMD has said Kafulafuta Member of Parliament George Mpombo and his Chilanga counterpart Ng’andu Magande are ineligible to contest the presidency at the national convention because of their poor relations with the party leadership.

MMD national chairperson Michael Mabenga said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that the constitution only allowed members in good standing with the ruling party to contest any position.

Mr Mabenga was commenting on Mr Mpombo who re-stated on Thursday last week that he was preparing to challenge President Rupiah Banda.

But Mr Mabenga said Mr Mpombo and Mr Magande, who has also gone public about his intention to run for the party presidency, were not enjoying any constitutional powers that could guarantee their candidature after de-campaigning their own party on many instances.

Mr Mabenga said all the provinces had picked Mr Banda as the sole candidate even if other members were allowed to apply for the position.

The ruling party’s electoral commission that would be set up before the convention would be given guidelines to follow, and top among them was that a member interested to contest any position should have good relations with the party leadership.

Mr Mabenga described as unfortunate the continued announcements by the two leaders that they would stand at the convention when they know that eligibility was premised on their conduct in the run-up to the convention.

Mr Mpombo told the TIMES in an interview that his intention to challenge President Banda was alive and was sure of victory because many members had declared so.

Mr Mabenga, however, dismissed the statement as wishful thinking, particularly in view of the continued rise in popularity of President Banda.

He said it was difficult to understand the intentions of the two MPs who had spoken ill of the party they wanted to lead.
[Times of Zambia ]

United Party for National Development (UPND) has described as a “smoke screen,” the decision by republican President, Rupiah Banda, to re-appoint expelled science and technology deputy minister, Gabriel Namulambe into government.

And the party has urged the newly appointed mines deputy minister, to be cautious because the MMD have not changed their perception about the fact that he is their enemy and that is why he is being kept closer.

Mazabuka central Member of Parliament, Garry Nkombo said Mr Namulambe has been trapped by the ruling party to allow him to make a decision of his own.
Mr Nkombo has also challenged President Banda to reveal when he reconciled with mr Namulambe because everyone knows that the two have been at logger headas for a long time.

He indicated that the two leaders have differed on principle and it is suprising that mr Namulambe could just be brought back like that.

Mr Nkombo said that mr Namulambe was unceremoniously fired and the nation demands to know how the president decided to bring him back, despite the fact that hehas the appointing and disappointing powers.
[ QFM ]

National Revolution Party (NRP) Secretary General Kelly Walubita junior says it is wrong for the president to only react after pressure.
Mr Walubita noted that if public pressure was not applied, the former health deputy Minister was going to go scot free.

He said as much as the arrest of Dr. Musonda is welcome, the action was not timely.

Mr Walubita pointed out that it is evident that President Banda was trying to shield the former Health deputy Minister.

He added that the president was supposed to take action within 24 hours of the crime.

President Rupiah Banda last week relieved Health Deputy Minister Solomon Musonda of his duties.

This decision comes after the President received a report from the Director of Public Prosecution recommending for the prosecution of Dr. Musonda following a shooting incident in his constituency
[ QFM ]