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]

Minister of health, Kapembwa Simbao has challenged Philips healthcare senior director JJ van Dongen, to thoroughly clarify his accessions that government and Phillips have entered into a 25 million Euro project which is to fund among other things, the installation and maintenance of diagnostic imaging equipment including mobile X-ray, fluoroscopy, ultrasound scanners, operating theatres and dental treatment systems.

Mr. Simbao further charged that government has no idea of any deals between the Republican president, Rupiah Banda and Philips that could have resulted in favoring the company and signing the alleged 25m Euro deal which has lately brought the reputation of his ministry into disrepute.

Responding to kafulafuta member of parliament, George Mpombo’s questioning of government’s decision to award Philips a 25 million euro contract to cover the upgrade and maintenance of equipment in 71 government hospitals nationwide, Mr. Simbao maintained that there is no such deal that the ministry has struck with the said company.

Mr. Simbao reiterated that the only agreement that government has entered into with Philips is a 5 year, 9.7 million euro project to maintain health equipment throughout the country.

956,000 euros, as the first installment for the 5 year project which was signed in February this year, has already been made through a payment that was done on 1st June 2010.

These payments are to be done every six months for the next 5 years.

Meanwhile, Mr. Simbao has called on the media to help exonerate all those who might be innocently implicated in this matter if the issue of this project is not properly handled.

He said that a lot of people might be dragged in the mud for nothing and if the matter is not properly clarified soon enough, Zambians will lose trust and begin to believe the few accessions that are currently going around about a deal that is non existent.

QFM

Government says there’s need to enhance sporting infrastructure in the country in order to boost the morale of those involved in different sporting disciplines.

Sports, Youth and Child Development Minister Kenneth said lessons have been learnt from the just ended World Cup tournament in South Africa that it was only when the sporting infrastructure was conducive that the performance of footballers was excellent.

Chipungu was speaking in Kabwe this morning when he paid a courtesy call at Central Province Minister Ackimson Banda who was out of the Province on official duties but was represented by his Permanent Secretary Denny Lumbama.

He said government was already making efforts towards improving the country’s stadia and that Ndola Stadium which was currently under construction was one such example of government’s commitment.

He said government was also considering rehabilitating Kabwe Railways Stadium because of its proximity and central location and funds allowing, construction at the site will kick off.

Chipungu further stressed that government could not do this huge task alone but that it needed financial support from cooperating partners and other well-wishers.

The Minister therefore called on NGO’s and other cooperating partners to partner with government in ensuring that the country’s sporting infrastructure was improved.

Zambia wasted the opportunity to host the 2011 All Africa games citing the financial challenges that dogged the country following the global economic clump down early in the year.

Neighbouring Mozambique has however taken up the opportunity to host the prestigious games that will attract more than a third of the continent’s nations.

And Central Province Permanent Secretary has welcomed government’s decision to construct and rehabilitate sporting infrastructure in the country.

Lumbama says the gesture would go a long way in not only improving the performance of different sporting disciplines but also putting the country on the world map in terms of sports activities.

He said the move will also motivate funs who shunned sporting activities because of dilapidated infrastructure.

He said he was aware that government was doing everything possible in ensuring that the environment under which sporting activities were undertaken was favourable.

The Permanent Secretary however reiterated Chipungu’s ’s concerns that government alone could not manage to construct and sporting activities in the country without the support of cooperating partners and other well-wishers.

He further said the improved infrastructure would help boost the efforts footballers and those in other sporting disciplines such as athletes, Boxers and Basket-ballers.

The permanent Secretary said it was the responsibility of every patriotic Zambian to ensure that the sporting infrastructure was eminent and conducive.

He therefore appealed to all capable Zambians to partner with government by making viable contributions towards the improvement of the country’s stadia.

ZANIS

THE Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) has said it is premature and speculative to debate the proposed revision of section 37 of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Act because the bill has not been made public.

LAZ president Stephen Lungu also urged the public and other stakeholders to stop debating the proposed amendments until the bill was made public or taken to Parliament.

Mr Lungu said in an interview that he was surprised there was much debate about something that was still unknown and described the statements made on the matter as premature and speculative.

He said there was a worrying trend in the country where debate on national matters was based on rumours and speculation, which he said, was dangerous for the country.

The LAZ president said the association would only comment on the merits and demerits of the ACC Act if they were formally informed about the proposed amendments.

He said LAZ would examine whether the proposed changes were in public interest or not and what mischief was intended to be cured by the amendments.

Mr Lungu also said the bill would also be taken to Parliament and it was expected that members of Parliament would adequately debate it before making any decisions.

Of late, there has been heated debate about the reported intention of Government to amend section 37 of the ACC Act,

According to section 37 of the ACC Act, the director general, the deputy director general or any officer of the commission authorised in writing by the director general may investigate a public officer where there are reasonable grounds to believe that such public officer maintains a standard of living above that which is commensurate with his present or past official emoluments.

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

[Times of Zambia]