FORMER President Frederick Chiluba has dispelled assertions by the Southern African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) that he is indirectly controlling the nation by influencing the decisions of the ruling party.

Dr Chiluba said this through his spokesperson Emmanuel Mwamba, who featured on a Joy FM programme dubbed ‘Ultimate Mind’.

Mr Mwamba said Dr Chiluba is not influencing the decisions of the ruling party and that the former head of State has just decided to support President Banda and his administration.

He said Dr Chiluba is supporting President Banda because of the good leadership being demonstrated.

Mr Mwamba said it is sad that some people and organisations are issuing unsubstantiated stories about Dr Chiluba alleging that the former head of State is influencing the decisions of the MMD.

SACCORD programmes manager Obby Chibuluma was quoted in yesterday’s Post Newspaper saying during the conference organised by Save Life Zambia at Kitwe’s Buchi Hall on Saturday that the people of Zambia must fight the concept of retired presidents influencing Government’s decisions.

But Mr Mwamba said it is sad and disappointing for some people to allege that Dr Chiluba is controlling the nation when the former head of State is just exercising his constitutional rights of supporting the candidate of his choice.

“People should not just be talking anyhow, how can people be saying that Dr Chiluba is ruling when there is an incumbent President? Dr Chiluba has just decided to support President Banda and his administration because of the good leadership he has seen in the current Government,” he said.

Mr Mwamba said people must stop attacking and insulting Dr Chiluba because of his decision to support Mr Banda.

“Zambians must learn to respect the decision which Dr Chiluba has taken. They must also refrain from saying that the former head of State has come back to active politics. He is merely trying to play his role as a goodwill ambassador of the country by advising the incumbent President on matters affecting the country because of his invaluable experience,” he said.

Mr Mwamba advised Zambians to be wary of some politicians who are aspiring for the high office in the 2011elections.

He said there is need for Zambians to start scrutinising the current crop of political players and ensure that they vote for the right candidate.

“People should not just be blaming President Banda and his administration anyhow. The current administration has done a lot of things for this nation, so it is not good for people to start insinuating that Government is not doing anything for the people.

“As the nation prepares for the 2011 presidential and parliamentary elections, it is important that the people of Zambia start scrutinising the current crop of political players if they are to usher into office right leaders who will recognise the needs of the people,” Mr Mwamba said.

And Mr Mwamba said Dr Chiluba did not attack the Constitution of South Africa as reported in a story attributed to a South African national Mbongeni Dlamini in yesterday’s Post Newspaper.

Mr Dlamini alleged that Dr Chiluba attacked the South African laws and Constitution for supporting homosexuality and gay rights.

Mr Mwamba said it is not true that Dr Chiluba described the Constitution of South Africa as devilish.

He said the former head of State only criticised the promotion of homosexuality and gay marriages as this is unChristian.

“Dr Chiluba is very glad that Zambia has not embraced homosexuality and gay marrying. This is a sin and should not be supported and it is sad that the South African national is accusing Dr Chiluba of attacking the Constitution of that country when he did not,” he said.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

A ROMAN Catholic Church priest in Chipata has said it is not in order for a man married to two women or those publicly known to have extramarital affairs to receive the Holy Eucharist.

St Atanazio Parish priest, Richard Chiyanjano said in an interview yesterday that the church doctrine only permitted a man in a monogamous relationship to take the Holy Eucharist.

“The Holy Eucharist, as far as I am concerned, is not allowed to be eaten by a man who is married to more than one wife or who has a known relationship or children outside marriage, the church doctrine does not allow that,” Father Chiyanjano, who is also Caritas Chipata director, said.

Fr Chiyanjano added: “What I know is that if a man is married to two wives, the first wife is free to eat the Holy Eucharist but the other one, including the man, are not allowed to eat it.”

Last Friday, Zambia Episcopal Conference president, George Lungu, when asked why Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata had not been stopped from receiving the Holy Eucharist despite allegedly siring two children outside his marriage, refused to comment on the matter, saying the issue should be addressed by Mr Sata’s parish.

Meanwhile, Lusaka lawyer Keith Mukata said yesterday that Mr Sata’s case of alleged financial misconduct involving K1.2 billion was prosecutable because it was stopped at administrative level and the decision could be reviewed.

He said a criminal matter did not go stale at administrative level, so the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP)’s office still had the power to re-open the case if need be.

Mr Mukata said he was not sure about the facts backing the decision not to prosecute Mr Sata, but the fact that it was a criminal matter and was not prosecuted made it possible for re-opening in a court of law.

He said criminal cases were better disposed of in the courts of law.
Mr Mukata said the issue of whether the case would proceed in court or not was another subject.

“Well, honestly speaking, this is an actionable case. In my opinion, a criminal case does not go stale as long as a prima facie case was found, this is reasonable enough to allow him to be prosecuted up to the Supreme Court level,” he said.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) said recently that it probed Mr Sata in 1992 for alleged financial misconduct involving K1.2 billion when he served as minister of Local Government and Housing.

The commission said Mr Sata had directed his officers to deposit the funds in a special 45 days investment account at Standard Chartered Bank, contrary to financial regulation number 10 of 1992.

And Lusaka Province MMD chairperson, William Banda has asked the police and ACC to investigate where the PF leader obtained the US$27,000 which he was dispossessed by South African authorities.

Mr Banda said in Luangwa yesterday the Government should not take lightly the serious allegations against the opposition leader, as the amount involved was huge.

Luangwa Member of Parliament, Charles Shawa urged the residents to rally behind President Banda in next year’s tripartite elections because he was the only credible leader .

[Times of Zambia]

Kabwe Municipal Council Director of Engineering Cosmas Mpundu says the K 100 Million Land Development Fund (LDF) his council received, was used for placing beacons in Makandanyama area.

Mr. Mpundu told ZANIS in an interview, that the provincial survey department used part of the funds for beacon placement in Makandanyama area.

He was commenting on the Auditor general’s report which has revealed that the K 100 Million disbursed to the council for land development was lying idle in the bank thereby attracting dormant and ledger fee amounting to K 650, 000.

Mr Mpundu told ZANIS in an interview that the money was particularly for surveying and beaconing the 184, 000 hectares of land.

Mr. Mpundu explained that part of the money would be spent on street lighting project in Kabwe.

The Auditor General’s report, revealed irregularities in the administration of that Land development fund (LDF) by some councils including Kabwe municipal council.

ZANIS

Anti Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) Executive Director Bonnie Tembo has welcomed the move by government to re- do Mobile National Registration in areas that were not fully covered.

Mr.Tembo commended government saying the move is long overdue as AVAP had also called on government to consider going back to areas where mobile issuance of NRCs was not properly done.

He explained that the exercise will also help to ensure that first time voters get NRCs ahead of 2011 elections.

Mr. Tembo, however, appealed to government to ensure that the exercise is carried out after rain season as at the moment the bridges in most parts of these areas have been washed away.

He noted that the third phase for Mobile National Registration should also be carried out in dry season to avoid wasting resources.

And Mr. Tembo has called on Ministry of Home Affairs to tell the nation on how many people got NRCs during the second phase.

He said according to AVAPs report, in the first phase 165 000 people in Eastern Province were recorded to have been issued NRCs, 85 000 in North – Western Province and 80 000 in Western Province.

In the second phase Northern Province overshot the target of 1000 by recording 176,417 people to have been issued NRCs, and 130 000 people from Eastern Province.

Mr. Tembo advised officers in charge of issuing NRCs to be accountable and ensure proper documentation for the nation to be well informed.

He also appealed to government to fund the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services (MIBS) to enable officers under Zambia News and Information Services to participate actively and effectively in informing people with developments that take place during the exercise.

Home Affairs Minister Lameck Mangani recently assured that officers from the National Registration Office will redo mobile national registration in areas that were not fully covered in the first and second phases.

ZANIS

The Drug Enforcement Commission DEC, has arrested three government employees and a private economist for money laundering activities involving K 400 million.

Sampa Besa Makala and Bwalya Nga’ndu Selemani who are an Assistant Procurement Officer at the Legal Aid Board and an Economist, respectively were arrested last week for money launmdering.

Also arrested is Cyprian Sichone, a Government Valuation Officer.

The trio connived to inflate the cost of property no.93/20 situated in Kabwe District of Central Province from the initial K180 million to K 580 million.

DEC public Relations Manager John Nywali told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka on Friday.

Mr Nyawli said the property in question was in the process of being purchased by the Legal Aid Board.

Meanwhile, the Commission has also arrested two Zimbabwean businesswomen for being in possession of implements and chemicals used for manufacturing counterfeit notes.

Auxilia Zembela, 38, and Mary Ndembera, 39, both residents of West Gate in Harare were arrested from Budget Motel in Lusaka.

He said the duo was also found with US$400 counterfeit notes in $100 bills.

Also arrested in connection with possession of counterfeit notes is Jonas Mtonga, 39, a resident of Misisi compound who was found with the counterfeit US $1000.

And 52 people were in the last seven days arrested for trafficking in various quantities of cannabis with a total weight of 438 kilograms.

Among those arrested are three inmates of Mpima State Prison in Kabwe and a 23 year old housewife of Nakonde who was found with 23 bundles of Mirra.

ZANIS

Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) plc has recorded a month-long, without experiencing injuries among its employees in January this year , the first-time that such a feat has been achieved in a company which employs 20 000 workers including over 9 000 contracted labour.

KCM management said in a press statement that the record was impressive considering that 70 percent of its workforce is involved in underground operations where the risk factor is high.

However, employees have ridiculed the impressive performance claiming that management was failing to address their affairs and improving the standard of the mine.

The mine is among the largest private-sector employer in Zambia, is owned by London-listed FTSE 100 mining and metals major Vedanta Resources, with operations in Chingola, Chililabombwe, Kitwe and Nampundwe.

A state-of-the-art smelter, two concentrators, refinery and tailings leach plant (TLP) are among its major assets, along with the multi-million dollar Konkola Deep Mining Project (KDMP) currently under development in Chililabombwe.

The statement says that the company-wide January safety record comes on the back of two recent impressive departmental performances.

It stated that last year, the 3 500 staff at the Nchanga Under-Ground (NUG) went on a six-month run without a lost-time injury while the Konkola underground team of 6 170, has just gone four months without lost time.

KCM recently became the first mining operation in Africa to be awarded three stars under the British Safety Council’s Five-Star rating system. It was the company’s first attempt at the rating which is one step away from the Sword of Honour, the ultimate accolade in global safety standards.

The statement reaffirmed that in 2009; the company was awarded the International Safety Award by the BSC and won the Zambia Federation of Employers’ top award for the Best Safety and Occupational Health Policy in Zambia.

The company also holds OHSAS 18001 certification for occupational health and safety and ISO 14001 for environmental management while the recently-commissioned Nchanga smelter was recently awarded ISO 9001-2008 certification at the first attempt.

But, despite the improvement in safety management, the scenario on the ground is different as Lusakatimes investigations at the mine revealed that the workforce was dissatisfied with the way management was handling the workers affairs.

The workers talked to revealed that the standards at the mine have drastically gone down as compared to the days when Anglo-America was still in operation.

They said management has only concentrated on the smelter, two concentrators and has foregone all the major activities that could ensure the smooth running of the mine.

The workers noted that Chingola town is now dirt and have dilapidated roads despite the huge profits that KCM is reaping and the company was failing to maintain the roads that even leads to its own mining plant.

Lusakatimes, have discovered that management especially those from the Indian origin built themselves a complex where they live while the Zambian workers were left to look for their own accommodation.

The workers disclosed that KCM top management also frustrated Augustine Seyuba who was the Corporate Affairs manager and resulted in his resignation a situation that saddened most employees who were happy with his management skills.

“The impression the outsiders get is that KCM is performing well when in fact performance have gone down. Yes they are making huge but management is not replacing any damaged equipment and relies on what it found,” they said.

MORE than 70 flood-affected families in Lusaka have been relocated to the temporary site near Independence Stadium, Zambia Red Cross Society (ZRCS) public relations manager James Zulu has said.

Over 150 families in Lusaka’s flood-affected townships such as Kuomboka, Kuku, Chawama, Kanyama had registered for the relocation process to that location.

Speaking in an interview, Mr Zulu said as of yesterday, 73 families who represented a total population of 430 had safely relocated to that temporary site provided with tents and other facilities.

“I can confirm 73 flood-affected families who represent a total population of 430 have been relocated to the temporary site and have safely settled,” Mr Zulu said.

A TIMES check at the site yesterday found a combined team of defence personnel erecting more tents and putting water tanks.

Several families talked to thanked the Government for its swift action to relocate them saying had it delayed, many lives would have been lost because the floods became unbearable in their localities.

Amos Daka and his wife Alice said they enjoyed staying at that site, especially that the Government also provided them with foodstuff like mealie-meal, beans and Kapenta.

Others however called on the Government to find a permanent solution for the flood problem and not a temporary one because floods were not new in prone townships.

And some school-going children at that site wondered how they could get to their schools because of long distance from their new location to schools such as those in Chawama.

Kizito Mbewe, a grade three pupil at Chawama’s Twatasha Basic School, said his parents could not afford to pay for his daily bus fares hence he would briefly stop school.

Some parents appealed to the Government to provide a special truck that could ferry their children to respective schools daily since they (pupils) went to schools located in one township like Chawama.

[Times of Zambia]

HOME Affairs Deputy Minister Misheck Bonshe has died. Home Affairs Minister Lameck Mangani, who confirmed the death of Mr Bonshe in an interview, said Mr Bonshe, who was Mufumbwe Member of Parliament, died in Nigeria yesterday.

Mr Mangani described the death of Mr Bonshe as shocking and that his contribution and service to the nation would be missed.

He said the Government was making arrangements to bring the body back home, and that the nation would be informed once the arrangements had been finalised.

Mr Bonshe left for Nigeria last week on Tuesday after he asked for permission to travel to that country for prayers.

MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya said the death of Mr Bonshe was sad and that he would be missed by the party, Parliament and his constituency.

[Times of Zambia]