Speaking during the launch at Mulungushi International Conference Centre this morning, NCC Chairperson, Chifumu Banda, said the launch has been done in accordance with Section 23 of the National Constitutional Conference Act, No. 19 of 2007, which states that the National Constitutional Conference should publish the Initial Report and the Draft Constitution adopted by the Conference and facilitate public debate and comments.[pullquote]Mr. Banda said the governance of the country will not improve by how much citizens quarrel among themselves.[/pullquote]

He says the public should spend much of their time to study the document instead of issuing unworthy criticisms of the NCC.

Mr. Banda launched the three documents which the NCC produced which include the Initial Report of the Conference, the Draft Constitution, and the Summary of the Resolutions of the Conference.

Mr. Banda has since appealed to the general public to take time to study the documents during the 40 days period starting today for the public to make their contributions, observations and other responses to the draft constitution.

He says the documents will be made available to the general public through the office of the District Commissioner in all the districts across the country, through the NCC Secretariat at Mulungushi International Conference Centre, as well as through the three websites which have been provided.

He named the Websites as the governance Secretariat under the Ministry of Justice on www.governance.gov.zm; the National Assembly website on www.parliament.gov.zm; and the National Constitution Conference website on www.ncczambia.org.

Meanwhile, Mr. Banda said the governance of the country will not improve by how much citizens quarrel among themselves.

He says the public should spend much of their time to study the document instead of issuing unworthy criticisms of the NCC.

The Press Association of Zambia (PAZA) has called on government to desist from issuing threatening statements to the independent media in the country.

Reacting to government threats to revoke the license of Sky FM radio station in Monze for allegedly reporting threats by Chief Mwanachingwala to burn the sugar cane plantations belonging to Zambia Sugar Company in Mazabuka, PAZA vice president Amos Chanda said such threats are an affront to media freedom in the country.

Mr. Chanda said the threats have an effect of intimidating journalists working for the independent media. He challenged government to tell the nation the offence the radio station committed that can cost it its operating license.

Mr Chanda said the government should stop questioning the radio station, but rather divert its questions to the Chief who threatened to burn the sugar cane plantations.

[QFM]

Former Defence Minister George Mpombo says MMD Chairman Michael Mabenga has no right to stop either him or former Finance Minister Ng’andu Magande from contesting the MMD presidency.

In a telephone interview with QFM, Mr. Mpombo said it is not possible for Mr. Mabenga to be a hindrance to interested people who want to challenge President Rupiah Banda at the MMD convention.

Mr. Mpombo said Mr. Mabenga’s statement that both him and Mr. Magande are not eligible to stand for the MMD presidency because they are not in good standing with the party is not valid.

He accused Mr. Mabenga of taking the matter personal, doubting his utterances as to whether they have the endorsement of other party officials.

Meanwhile, Mr. Mpombo has vowed to fight his way in the party. He reiterated that he will go ahead and challenge President Banda at the convention because the party manifesto allows him to do so.

MMD National Chairman Michael Mabenga was recently quoted as saying that Mr. 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.

Mr. Mabenga said the constitution only allowed members in good standing with the ruling party to contest any position.

He said Mr. Mpombo and Mr. Magande, who have also gone public about their intentions 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.

[QFM]

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 ]