President Banda yesterday assured the people of North-Western Province the Government was determined to continue with development projects that have been initiated in the area.

Speaking at a rally in Mwinilunga at Freedom Square, the president said the MMD Government would build a road to Chavuma and money was already available for the project.

He said Government would go ahead with plans to build a hydro-power station in the district and generators for the hospital had been bought while in the Budget, money had been set aside for the rehabilitation of Mwinilunga Farming Institute.

The Government was also going ahead to reopen Kalene School of Nursing.
He told the crowd that Government had allocated K9.4 billion for the expansion of Mwinilunga Trades Training Institute and was building more boarding and day schools.

He told the people that the developments were not because of elections as the polls would only be held next year.

The projects, which include attracting investors to rebuild the pineapple factory, were part of prudent planning by the Government.
He appealed for unity and condemned any form of violence including violence perpetrated by MMD members.

Earlier, President Banda attended the funeral of Senior Chief Sailung’a-Ikunda of the Lunda people in Mwinilunga with a call for people to emulate the late chief’s leadership qualities.

Mr Banda said Chief Sailung’a, who died at his palace last week, did a lot to unite the people of Mwinilunga.

Speaking at the palace, President Banda said he was honoured to have been allowed to attend the funeral of the chief who was put to rest on Saturday, a few metres from the palace.

“I would like to show my appreciation to the royal establishment for allowing me to mourn with you after the death of our father who we looked up to for guidance and advice,” he said.

He said that the opportunity to mourn with the Lunda people was something he would never forget.

He said that traditional rulers were important in the governance of the country as they were the ones who lived with the people.

Responding to a welcome speech delivered by Tommy Kamalata on behalf of the Nyawunda royal establishment, Mr Banda said that Government’s desire was to develop Mwinilunga at a faster pace.

“I want to pledge that although you are thanking us for what we are doing in your area, we are not satisfied, we want to do more.

“We want to allocate more resources to this area for the people to begin to appreciate what the Government is doing for them,” he said.

Earlier, Mr Kamalata thanked the president for sparing time to mourn with the Lunda people.

He said from the time the late chief fell ill, the Government had done everything possible to ensure that he recovered.
[ Times of Zambia ]

MMD deputy national treasurer Mwansa Mbulakulima has said Change Life Zambia director Frank Bwalya is seeking to contest the position of Member of Parliament (MP) for Kwacha Constituency in Kitwe in next year’s tripartite elections.

Mr Mbulakulima said he had information the Catholic priest was interested in running for the Kwacha Constituency seat and had decided to start his campaign by insulting the Government of President Rupiah Banda in the media so that he could get support from some opposition politicians who were in the habit of insulting.

He was speaking at the weekend in Kitwe when he met youths during the launch of the MMD talent identification programme in Kwacha Township.
But when contacted, Fr Bwalya said he had no comment to make on the matter.

Among the people who attended the meeting were Copperbelt MMD taskforce chairperson Joe Malanji, party provincial chairperson Joseph Chilambwe, district chairperson George Lungu, and other MMD members.

Mr Mbulakulima said it was sad that Fr Bwalya had decided to ditch the pulpit and join the political platform in the pretext of speaking for the vulnerable people in various parts of the country when in actual fact he just wanted to use the people for his personal ambitions.

“Father Bwalya is trying to ride on the backs of Zambians by telling lies that he is speaking for the voiceless or the vulnerable, but in actual fact his interest is to contest the Kwacha Constituency seat in next year’s elections.

“He has started his campaign by insulting the MMD Government so that he can win the support of some opposition politicians. I just wanted to inform you about the plans of the former priest so that you know and make your own decisions,” he said.

Mr Mbulakulima said the MMD was not scared of anybody since its primary interest was to serve the people of Zambia.

He thanked the Catholic Church for making it clear that the views of individual priests should not be taken as representing the entire church.

He said the statement by the church leadership had cleared a number of things because some individual priests, who were against the MMD Government, were using the Church to fight personal battles.

He said the Government perceived the Catholic Church as a partner in development and so it was irresponsible, unfair and unrealistic for any individual to try and create friction between the two institutions because of personal interests.

However, when contacted for comment, Fr Bwalya said he had nothing to say on the matter.

Meanwhile, the Forum for Progressive Politics (FPP) has advised Roman Catholic Church priests to differentiate their personal views from those of the Church.

FPP interim chairperson Edwin Sakala said in a statement in Lusaka yesterday that Vatican ambassador to Zambia Nicola Girasoli had made it clear that comments from some priests did not represent the views of the whole church.

Mr Sakala said priests engaging the church into politics should resign and become politicians so that they could spare the church from political assaults.
[ Times of Zambia ]

The group cycled the 874 miles on stationary bikes positioned around town to raise funds for this year’s Project Zambia, an ambitious initiative launched last year.

The £560 raised from this event will go towards the project set up in 2009 by a group of dedicated students and staff from the University of St Andrews.

Students are recruited from two sections of the University’s student body: top performance athletes are chosen for their commitment to sport, while students who have shown commitment to pastoral volunteering, aiding their fellow students, are chosen to extend their experience in the caring professions.

The students, and staff seeking professional development, travel to Zambia to live and work in the communities, schools and orphanages for the summer months in conjunction with Sport in Action.

For further information on Project Zambia visit: www.st-andrews.ac.uk/projectzambia.

To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/projectzambiadonate.

[Media-Newswire.com]

Patriotic front vice president Dr. Guy Scott says the political violence exhibited by the MMD during by-elections has blessings from president Rupiah Banda.

Featuring on the MISA sponsored Livewire program on Radio Mazabuka on Saturday, Dr. Scott said reports of violence from Mufumbwe were steered by the MMD and that the opposition were just reacting in defense. Dr. Scott alleged that the ruling party was ferrying its cadres to Mufumbwe to go and scare the electorate and disclosed that one Marcopollo bus registration number ABM 5108 believed to belong to a named tertiary learning institution of Lusaka was on Friday night impounded with about 70 cadres armed with machetes heading to Mufumbwe.

Dr Scott said recent reports of violence from Mufumbwe were not the first ones saying different sectors have been complaining about violence by the MMD. He said the people of Mufumbwe especially those in opposition are defenseless and that they have no one to defend them because the police are partisan adding that they are left alone to defend themselves.

He said the president was day-dreaming to publicly allege that the PF councilors had pocketed the money meant for community services in the PF run councils. He explained that it was disappointing to have a president who never understood the operation of the council saying it was not easy for councilors to pocket council funds because they had no access to it.

Dr. Scott added that councilors and MP’s are policy makers and are not in the administration of the councils for them to sign cheques and pocket the money. Dr. Scott said even the insults that have purportedly been complained by the president were started by him.

[pullquote]Mr. Mumba also accused the inspector of police, Francis Kabonde of being compromised and failing to deliver despite making numerous deployments of officers to Mufumbwe.[/pullquote]

He said President Banda was always cheating people that he was not reacting to comments from the opposition when he was always attacking the two leaders during his addresses.

Meanwhile, New revolution party NRP president, Cosmo Mumba has challenged republican president to explain the uncertainties surrounding the recent violent attack of the United Party for National Development (UPND) spokesperson, Charles kakoma by the ruling movement for multi party democracy MMD cadres.

Mr. Mumba also accused the inspector of police, Francis Kabonde of being compromised and failing to deliver despite making numerous deployments of officers to Mufumbwe.

This is a constituency that has recorded some of the highest political violent cases ahead of the by elections slated for April 29th. He told QFM in an interview that the violence in Mufumbwe is unfortunate because it clearly seems to be having the backing of the highest office.

He says that the fact that the president and his government have remained adamant on the violent attack that was made on Mr. kakoma yesterday in the early hours of the morning by MMD cadres who forced their way into his room armed with all sorts of weapons.

[pullquote]Mr. Mumba also described it as nonsensical for the entire police force in this country to fail to find a mob of cadres who would have allegedly murdered a senior opposition leader such as Mr. Kakoma just to instill fear in all those who would want to support UPND during the by-election.[/pullquote]

Mr. Mumba also described it as nonsensical for the entire police force in this country to fail to find a mob of cadres who would have allegedly murdered a senior opposition leader such as Mr. Kakoma just to instill fear in all those who would want to support UPND during the by-election.

He stated that it is injustice for the police to take such a long time to identify the people responsible for yesterday’s attack when that would have not been the same case, had the opposition cadres been in wrong.

Patriotic Front (PF) Member of parliament (MP) from Luapula Province Peter Machungwa has charged that he is still a member of the party.

Dr. Machungwa dismissed assertions that he is an MMD sympathizer saying that the insinuations were just a political witch-hunt.

He said that he would never resolve the problems with the PF president Michael Sata until he accepted that he was wrong.

Dr Machungwa noted that he could only reconcile with his party if they are willing to reconcile with him.

He added that the seat in his constituency was given to him by the people of Luapula charging that he is the only one who can deliver development to that area.

Dr Machungwa said that no person could beat him in an elections whether in the PFor other parties.
He further directed QFM reporter to ask the PF leadership about his future with the PF.

He is among the PF MPs that are called fail out of favour with Sata for their accepting to participate in the constitution making process which is expected to be concluded this year.
[ QFM ]

PRESIDENT Banda is today expected in Mufumbwe to beef up the campaign for MMD candidate Mulondwe Muzungu in the Mufumbwe parliamentary by-election set for April 29, 2010.

According to a programme released by Mufumbwe district commissioner Robert Muyutu yesterday, President Banda will be in Mufumbwe for four days.

Mr Muyutu said Mr Banda is expected to address two campaign rallies at Kashima and Wishimanga tomorrow, before addressing two other rallies at Mushima and Kaminzekenzeke on Tuesday.

The President will address his last rallies in Mufumbwe on Wednesday at Kinkonge and the boma before flying back to Lusaka on Wednesday.

President Banda will also visit Chief Sailunga’s palace in Mwinilunga to pass condolences on the death of the traditional leader last week.

[Zambia Daily mail]

The royal establishment at Chief Sailunga’s palace has summoned Patriotic Front president Michael Sata to publicly apologise to the people of the chiefdom for touching the chief’s head when he was in hospital.

Spokesperson for the establishment Yakoba Pasela, who was the senior advisor and younger brother of the late chief, said at the palace yesterday that Mr Sata has been written to, but that he had not responded.

Mr Pasela said traditionally, it was unacceptable to touch the chief’s head as Mr Sata had done when the traditional leader was admitted to the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka.

He said Mr Sata’s actions were wrong and disrespectful to traditional authority.

“If he fails to appear before the royal establishment, we will involve all chiefs in the district in this matter,” Mr Pasela, who was flanked by eight members of the royal establishment, said.

He said Mr Sata had apologised to him in Lusaka, but that the establishment is demanding a public apology since a picture of Mr Sata’s action was published in a local newspaper.

Meanwhile, Chief Sailunga, who died last Thursday, was buried at the royal grave at his palace yesterday.

Speaking after the burial, Local Government and Housing deputy minister Elijah Muchima said it is a sad that the people have lost a chief who was committed to development such as the Kabompo hydro-power project.

Mr Muchima appealed to the royal establishment to choose a mature, accountable and responsible person who can spur development in the area.

He said the successor should also be able to maintain harmony among the people.

Chief Sailunga was born Alphonso Pasela in 1932 in Mwinilunga.

He served in the then Zambia Police Force from 1951 to 1978 before being installed Chief Sailunga in June 1980.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“…I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead”
(Philippians 3:13, NLT)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Are you determined to forget the past? I know many people don’t fully understand what that means. They wonder, “How can I forget something that’s happened to me?” But one definition of the word forget is to disregard intentionally or to overlook. In other words, you have to choose to disregard your past so that it doesn’t keep you from moving forward. That means the good and the bad. Sometimes our past victories keep us from rising higher as much as past failures. If we don’t let go of the old, we’ll never be able to embrace the new.

It doesn’t matter what’s happened in your history, it’s time to forget what lies behind. Make the choice today to look forward. Trust that God has a better future in store for you. Trust that He’s working behind the scenes on your behalf. As you forget what lies behind and press forward, you will see the abundant life the Lord has in store for you!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father in heaven, I choose to forget the past today. I don’t want anything to hold me back from the good future You have prepared for me. I choose forgiveness and ask that You help me, by Your Spirit, to press forward in every area of my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Movement for Multi Party Democracy Kafulafuta Member of Parliament George Mpombo says the threats he is receiving from the party Leadership may deter him from challenging president Rupiah Banda at the party’s convention next year.

Mr Mpombo says threats on those eyeing the MMD presidency have continued to increase as the party draws closer to the convention.

He says the intimidation and threats coming from the MMD leadership have become clear and unbearable.

He however maintains that he is still a fully fledged member of the party contrary to statements by party chairman Michael Mabenga that he is no longer a member of MMD.

But MMD Elections Chairman Mike Mulongoti has dismissed assertions by Mr Mpombo that those that intend to challenge president Rupiah Banda at the convention are being intimidated.

He says no one is being intimidated and that those wishing to challenge Mr Banda are free to do so.

Mr Mulongoti has since challenged those who have intentions to challenge president Banda at the convention to make their intentions known.

He has maintained that MMD is and will always remain a democratic party to when it comes to electing its leaders.

QFM