THE Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has dismissed as baseless assertions by United Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema that President Rupiah Banda’s directive to expedite road works amounts to systematic rigging of next year’s elections.

ECZ public relations manager Cris Akufuna said Government has a mandate to develop the country and was at liberty to plan and execute its projects.

Mr Akufuna said the Government’s decision to intensify road construction works did not violate provisions of the electoral code of conduct ahead of the 2011 general elections.

He said in Lusaka yesterday that works that were planned ahead of any election should go ahead because the law did not prohibit Government’s mandate to deliver development to the people.

Mr Akufuna was reacting to accusations by Mr Hichilema and other opposition leaders and civil society groups that President Banda’s directive for intensified road works was slanted towards systematic rigging.

President Banda recently directed Minister of Finance and National Planning Situmbeko Musokotwane to immediately mobilise additional funds for the construction of main roads throughout the country this year.

Mr Banda said the cost of repairing the roads had gone up because of delays in
completing the works and wanted to specifically see the completion of the construction of the Mutanda-Chavuma Road in North-Western Province, Choma-Chitongo-Namwala Road in Southern Province, and the Kasama-Luwingu Road in Northern Province.

Mr Akufuna, however, said ECZ only expected reduced non-emergency public philanthropic activities at an election time but not planned development projects which were approved long before execution.

“The commission, however, encourages and expects the scaling down of any public philanthropic activities not related to emergency situations at election time,” Mr Akufuna said.

He said the prohibitions in the electoral (code of conduct) regulations as set out in Regulation 7 were specific.

“They do not restrict Government’s mandate to execute developmental projects in the country,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Chama-Senga Cultural Association has joined other sections of society in commending President Banda for directing Dr Musokotwane to source funds for the rehabilitation of roads countrywide.

Secretary general Yotam Mtayachalo said in Ndola yesterday that the directive was a clear indication that President Banda and the MMD were committed to developing the country because a good road network was vital to the development of the country’s economy.

Mr Mtayachalo said it was indisputable that for many years now, the road network in Zambia had been neglected.

“This is the more reason that every reasonable Zambian must give President Banda a pat on the back for his initiative,” he said.

Mr Mtayachalo said the association realised that the construction of roads was an expensive exercise but asked the president to equally consider the Chama-Matumbo Road that connected Chama to Northern Province through Isoka.

He said the road had been on Government’s drawing board since the 1970s and that it was cardinal that this time around it should be among the roads to be rehabilitated under the president’s directive.

He noted that Chama had abundant natural resources that remained unexploited due to the poor state of the road.

[Times of Zambia]

THE Barotse Royal Establishment has said President Rupiah Banda was appropriately dressed at this year’s Kuomboka Traditional Ceremony which took place on Saturday.

Kuomboka ceremony Lusaka organising committee chairperson Oliver Saasa said during a royal banquet hosted by the Litunga, Lubosi Imwiko at the winter palace in Limulunga yesterday that there was nothing surprising by the white beret President Banda wore during the ceremony.

President Banda was among the dignitaries who attended the banquet.
Professor Saasa said the hosts of the Kuomboka Traditional Ceremony were happy with what the president and First Lady, Thandiwe wore.

He said the president as the guest of honour at the event was under no obligation to wear a Liziba (traditional suit) or any kind of attire, including the red beret.
Prof Saasa said a guest of honour at the Kuomboka could come dressed in any attire they felt comfortable with.

“What was written in The Post newspapers that people were surprised when the president wore a white beret has nothing to do with the Barotse Royal Establishment. We are happy with the whole attire the president wore,” Prof Saasa said.

He explained that the red beret was not official attire of the Kuomboka as it was fashion that started with Litunga Mulambwa and was associated with the paddlers of the royal barge.

The red beret became popular after that time and people attending the ceremony adopted it as part of their attire.

Prof Saasa said this year’s Kuomboka went well and that it was good that the president accepted to grace it.

And Litunga Imwiko thanked Mr Banda for gracing the event and for attending the banquet.

He thanked all the chiefs from other parts of the country who witnessed this year’s Kuomboka ceremony.

Litunga Imwiko said Kuombaka was a national event that unified the country and was important for the preservation of culture.

He said the fact that a lot of people from all parts of Zambia attended the ceremony was a sign that it did not just belong to the people of Western Province but to the whole country.

Yesterday’s edition of The Post said President Banda surprised people when he arrived at Mongu Airstrip dressed in a white beret instead of the usual red beret.

And President Banda has disclosed that Government has initiated projects aimed at improving the health services in Western Province worth K27 billion.

Projects worth K4 billion have already started and 40 others aimed at poverty reduction were yet to start.

This is according to a report monitored on Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation television news last evening.

Meanwhile, President Banda arrived in Lusaka around 18:30 hours and was met at Lusaka International Airport by several Cabinet ministers and Government officials.

[Times of Zambia]

VICE-President George Kunda says there is a rift between Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata and his United Party for National Development (UPND) counterpart Hakainde Hichilema.

Mr Kunda charged the two leaders, whose parties have formed a political alliance, have not been in talking terms of late.

He said the rift between the two leaders has been evidenced by Mr Hichilema’s silence whenever his co-leader in the pact has come under attack.

Mr Kunda said this at Kinkonge Basic School in Mufumbwe where he is drumming up support for MMD candidate Mulondwe Muzungu in the Mufumbwe parliamentary by-election slated for April 29.

He said there has never been a time that Mr Hichilema, UPND officials and Members of Parliament have come to Mr Sata’s rescue whenever he has had issues to explain. Mr Kunda said Mr Sata and his party officials, too, have never defended Mr Hichilema.

“We have never heard Mr Hichilema and his MPs defend Mr Sata. In fact they feel happy and they even send us text messages encouraging us to continue exposing Mr Sata’s weaknesses,” Mr Kunda said.

The Vice-President, who is also MMD’s national trustee, said the two pact leaders have different agendas and wondered how they would govern the country if elected into office.

[pullquote]“We have never heard Mr Hichilema and his MPs defend Mr Sata. In fact they feel happy and they even send us text messages encouraging us to continue exposing Mr Sata’s weaknesses,” Mr Kunda said.[/pullquote]

He encouraged the people of Mufumbwe constituency to vote for the MMD candidate, saying it is the only party that has a national character.

Mr Kunda said the MMD has nominated MPs from Southern Province where it did not win any parliamentary seats so that it could have a national representation in Cabinet.

He said the MMD is running a Government that believes in peace and tranquility and that the party has a programme for the nation.

Mr Kunda is accompanied by ministers of Works and Supply Mike Mulongoti, Energy and Water Development Kenneth Konga, Sports, Youth and Child Development Kenneth Chipungu, Presidential Affairs Ronald Mukuma and Livestock and Fisheries Development Deputy Minister Albert Mulonga.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Police have arrested 14 United Party for National Development (UPND) cadres in the wake of a two-hour violent confrontation with Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) members on Friday night.

And chief government spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha has commended police for its vigilance against acts of violence by the UPND cadres.

Three police officers who were in a group of others sent as reinforcement to Mashitu in Mufumbwe were injured in the confrontation and one is admitted at Mufumbwe rural health centre.

Commissioner of Police Graphael Musamba confirmed the incident which was triggered in the heat of campaigns for the Mufumbwe parliamentary by-election.

Mr Musamba said four vehicles, including a Mufumbwe Police van, a district council Land Cruiser and a Hiace minibus had their windscreens shattered.

He said the 14 UPND cadres have been charged with various offences ranging from unlawful blocking of a road, malicious damage to property and assault.

Mr Musamba said among the arrested cadres is a UPND councillor.

MMD National Executive Committee (NEC) member Albert Chifita, who was caught up in the fracas, said police had to extricate Presidential Affairs Minister Ronald Mukuma, Southern Province Minister Daniel Munkombwe, Education Deputy Minister Akakandelwa Mwendoi and MMD deputy national secretary Chembe Nyangu from a horde of UPND cadres at Mashitu Basic School.

Mr Chifita said their vehicles had to be escorted by police for 5km in fear of an ambush by UPND cadres who were reportedly hiding in the bush.

He said police fired shots in the air and teargas canisters to disperse the two groups of opposing political party cadres.

North-Western Province police commanding officer Fabian Katiba’s vehicle was also stoned as he rushed into the area.

Mr Chifita said the MMD was holding a meeting with headmen and some pastors when UPND cadres arrived at the scene saying that they, too, wanted to hold a meeting at the same venue.

UPND district co-ordinator Alex Ifwaha said his team went to have a meeting at the school because the police permitted them to have it there.

Mr Ifwaha, who was accompanied by Patriotic Front (PF) provincial chairperson Dennis Kanyakula, accused the MMD of blocking them from having meetings at schools.

He accused the police of not helping them, saying nine of their members have allegedly been assaulted and police have opened dockets but no arrests have been made.

Mr Katiba said the UPND must complain to higher authorities in the police if they feel their complaints are not being attended to.

Mr Katiba said the police are there to protect everyone and called for peaceful campaigns.

And Lieutenant General Shikapwasha, who is also Minister of Information and Broadcasting services, has called on police to be more vigilant against acts of violence from political cadres because the situation could degenerate if those attacked retaliate.

In an interview on the incident, Gen Shikapwasha urged Patriotic Front president Michael Sata and his United Party for National Development counterpart Hakainde Hichilema to restrain their cadres from violence.

He urged the opposition to keep the campaigns clean, saying this is the instruction the ruling party has given to its campaign teams in Mufumbwe and Milanzi.

Gen Shikapwasha urged the opposition to devise other campaign methods, not violence if they feel that they are losing ground.

He said he was informed that some people caught up in the fracas spent a night in the bush and only returned to safety in the early hours of yesterday.

He called on police to be more vigilant and deal with all perpetrators of violence irrespective of their political affiliation.

Meanwhile, Gen Shikapwasha has said that Government will allow the due process of the law to take its course in continued red card campaigns by Change Life Zambia executive director Frank Bwalya, who is appearing in court.

Fr Bwalya is indicted of conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace on March 12, 2010 during Youth Day celebrations in Kitwe.

A police officer is reported to have permitted Fr Bwalya to address his supporters near Freedom Park in Kitwe last Friday. Police are reported to have sanctioned the meeting, but later dispersed Fr Bwalya’s supporters because the officer in question did not consult his superiors.

He said Fr Bwalya’s campaign against Government is a futile political exercise.

Gen Shikapwasha said Fr Bwalya’s campaign agenda is baseless because issues of the Constitution were being dealt with by the National Constitutional Conference.

He said the former priest is also misinformed about issues of governance as Government is running the country well.
[Sunday Mail ]

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day”
(Proverbs 4:18, NIV)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Sometimes it’s easy to become so goal-oriented and so focused on our dreams that we overlook the simple things that we should be enjoying in our everyday life. But we have to remember that life is not really about the destination, it’s about how we live all along the way. It’s about the path we’re on that shines brighter and brighter.

In this life, there is no such thing as a finish line. Once you accomplish one dream, God will give you another. When you overcome one challenge, there will be another. There is always another mountain to climb. If we make the mistake of just living for the destination, we’ll look up one day and realize we’ve missed out on the biggest part of life because most of life is routine. Most of us get up every morning, go to work, come home, eat dinner, go to bed and do it again. There are very few mountaintops where you graduate from school, or you get married, or have a child, or go on vacation. The high times are few and far between. Don’t get stuck living for the mountaintops. Learn to enjoy the path you’re on. Learn to enjoy the people in your life. Learn to enjoy the simple blessings of walking in the path the Lord has prepared for you.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father God, thank You for the gift of life. Thank You for the good plan You have for me today and for my future. Teach me to enjoy the journey of life, to embrace each day with joy and enthusiasm. Help me to see the blessings of every moment You have given me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.