FORMER United Party for National Development (UPND) chairperson for Agriculture and Cooperatives Simon Kunda has said party president Hakainde Hichilema’s decision to form a pact with Patriotic Front (PF) was an indication of his failure to provide quality leadership.

And the National Revolution Party (NRP) has accused Mr Hichilema of dribbling his PF counterpart Michael Sata by engaging him in an electoral pact that the UPND leader is sure will not work.

Mr Kunda said the move was out of the realisation that the UPND was slowly becoming weak as well as Mr Hichilema losing popularity, especially among his members of Parliament (MPs).

He said Mr Hichilema should not pretend that he went into the pact with the PF to remove President Rupiah Banda from State House.

He said Mr Hichilema’s decision to form a pact with the PF was a clear indication that he had failed to provide leadership and now wanted somebody to help him run the political party that was once vibrant and reputable.

Mr Kunda said in an interview in Kitwe yesterday that Mr Hichilema’s decisions were unpopular among his members and that was why the party was slowly going into extinction with some vibrant MPs suddenly taking a low profile.

He said if UPND members were not careful, their party would be swallowed by PF and it may be too late to reverse the damage.

But UPND chairperson for publicity and Information Charles Kakoma declined to comment on the matter.

And Mr Kunda has said it was unfair for opposition political parties to continue accusing and attacking President Banda over corruption and tribalism when in actual fact they were also practicing the same vices in their political parties.

Mr Kunda said the MMD has tried to fight tribalism by ensuring that it has structures in all parts of the country, unlike some opposition political parties that were known to be tribal because they were only concentrated in certain parts of the country.

FORMER Lusaka MMD District secretary Michael Phiri has deplored the ranting of former Defence minister George Mpombo as unacceptable and called for his immediate dismissal from the party.

Mr Phiri has also challenged Mr Mpombo to reveal his true origins instead of masquerading as a spokesperson for the Lamba speaking people.

Speaking in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Phiri said it was becoming increasingly embarrassing for Mr Mpombo to continue disparaging the party in public and it was now a foregone conclusion that the man was no longer an MMD member and remained so only on paper.

While the concept of freedom of expression was roundly accepted and understood in any civilised society, it was folly for the former minister to stand on an anthill almost on a daily basis and without grounds use all manner of invectives against the party leadership to gain political mileage.

Mr Phiri wondered how Mr Mpombo who claimed to be an MMD member found it appropriate to publicly insult the party leadership when he knew too well what party structures, protocols and forums were available to him if he wanted to complain about issues.

‘If you quarrel with your wife in a home, you do not go in the middle of the street and start insulting her in public, not if you still want her, Mr Mpombo’s behaviour clearly shows that he is not interested in the party and he yearns to be dismissed,” Mr Phiri said.

He challenged Mr Mpombo to state the truth about the recent reorganisation of the party, which saw former deputy national secretary Jeff Kaande dropped from his position and replaced by former diplomat Chembe Nyangu and other positions.

Mr Mpombo recently charged that all those who were placed in new positions hailed from Eastern Province when according to Mr Phiri it was a fact that notable names like Vernon Mwaanga who were not Easterners had also been co-opted.

Mr Phiri insisted that appointments in the party were not based on tribe stressing that in any case, the NEC was a committee comprising many people and the acting party president only usually chaired it.

He said there was nothing sinister about the acting president co-opting party members from the general membership because that had happened before.

“I am forced to discuss how Mr Kaande himself was brought into the MMD NEC by the late president Mwanawasa, Mr Kaande was an ordinary member who took over the reigns of the office, why did Mr Mpombo remain mute then?

“Those appointed to such party political offices are brought in to serve the interests of the party and that of the president,” he said.

And commenting on the real origins of the man, Mr Phiri challenged Mr Mpombo to deny that he was not Lamba but hailed from somewhere in Luapula Province adding that it was not up to Mr Mpombo to ordain himself spokesperson for the Lambas because he only settled in the area.

He said the former minister could do well to concentrate on his personal businesses instead of making a clown of himself in public.

[Times of Zambia]

Zambia’s President Rupiah Banda has urged the Youth, Sport and Child Development minister Kenneth Chipungu to facilitate payment of the US $ 6,000 ( K 20, 443, 500 million as ) winning bonus to the National Soccer team despite losing 5-4 on post match penalties to Nigeria during the on going 2010 AFCON Cup tournament in Angola.

President Banda urged Mr Chipungu to pay the amount promised to the players if they had won the quarterfinal game against Nigeria.

Mr. Banda said despite the team having lost the game on post-match penalties, the team played very well in the 120 minutes game which included the extra time and therefore deserves the bonus.

The ministry assured the national soccer team players to be paid US $ 6000 each if they win the quarter finals against Nigeria. The West African footballing giants however ended up as winners against Zambia 5-4 on post match penalties.

And Mr. Banda has urged the country’s soccer fans to turn up in large numbers tomorrow to welcome the National Soccer Team alias Chipopopolo boys from the 2010 Africa Confederation Cup (AFCON) Angola at the Lusaka International Airport.

The President has since dispatched a plane to pick the national team from the mineral rich Southern African country has urged local soccer fans to dress themselves in national colours to welcome the national team tomorrow.

This is contained in a statement issued to ZANIS in Lusaka today by the Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations, Dickson Jere.

Mr. Banda said the national team made Zambia proud by their excellent performance in the quarterfinal game against Nigeria which they lost 5-4 on post match penalties.

He noted that the last time Zambia reached the quarterfinal was 14 years ago.

The President has also disclosed that he will host the team for a luncheon at State House on Thursday together with various companies that contributed to the Presidential Fund raising Initiative for the team.

President Banda, who has taken a leading role in raising funds for the team, said he was certain that Zambia will be a team to reckon with in the future because it has many young talented players.

Zambia is one of the countries that qualified in the quarter finals at the ongoing Orange Africa Cup of Nations in Angola but was booted out of the competition when they lost to Nigeria by 5-4 on post match penalties.

ZANIS

The Zambia Red Cross Society (ZRCS) is disappointed with Zambians on their poor response to the international appeals for humanitarian support to the Haiti earthquake victims.

ZRCS Public Relations Manager James Zulu described Zambia’s response to the international appeal as bad and discouraging.

Recently, there was a global appeal for countries to provide humanitarian assistance to the Haitians that were left homeless following an earthquake that claimed over 150,000 lives a fortnight ago.

Mr Zulu said since the appeal was launched, only one family of Lusaka has responded by donating US$22O (about one million Kwacha).

He told ZANIS in Lusaka today that the donated money has since been sent to the victims through right channels.

Mr Zulu has since urged the Zambian government to show more political will and offer help to the people of Haiti.

He said people of Zambia have always been known to be compassionate, saying they should exhibit that compassion by responding positively towards easing the suffering of the Haitians.

Mr Zulu said despite the poor response, the ZRCS would continue appealing to Zambians to give whatever humanitarian support they could to the people of Haiti either online or through the society in order.

He said the Haitians require were still desperate for humanitarian support, especially food and medical supplies.

Recently, government said Zambia had no capacity to send humanitarian assistance to that country.

ZANIS

Osama bin Laden has warned Barack Obama, the US president, that there will be further attacks on the United States unless he takes steps to resolve the Palestinian situation.

In an audio tape obtained by Al Jazeera on Sunday, the al-Qaeda chief, praised the Nigerian accused of a failed attempt to blow up an airliner heading for Detroit on Christmas Day.

“The message I want to convey to you through the plane of the hero Umar Farouk [Abdulmutallab], reaffirms a previous message that the heroes of 9/11 conveyed to you,” Bin Laden said. “America will never dream of living in peace unless we live it in Palestine. It is unfair that you enjoy a safe life while our brothers in Gaza suffer greatly. Therefore, with God’s will, our attacks on you will continue as long as you continue to support Israel.”

The speaker said to be Bin Laden added that “If it was possible to carry our messages to you by words we wouldn’t have carried them to you by planes.Therefore, with God’s will, our attacks on you will continue as long as you continue to support Israel”

The Obama administration said intelligence analysts had not confirmed that the al-Qaeda leader’s voice was the one on the tape. But it quickly dismissed its significance.

David Axelrod, a senior Obama adviser, told CNN’s State of the Union programme that “assuming that it is him, his message contains the same hollow justifications for the mass slaughters of innocents that we’ve heard before”.

“And the irony is that he’s killed more Muslims than people from any other religion – he’s a murderer,” Axelrod added.
ZANIS/Al Jazeera

MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya has said the party’s chairperson for finance Ng’andu Magande risks disciplinary action if it is established that he has prematurely started campaigning for the party presidency through the placing of advertisements on some community radio stations round the country.

And MMD Copperbelt Province chairperson Joseph Chilambwe has advised Mr Magande to immediately withdraw his campaign advertisement on the Kitwe based Catholic owned Radio Icengelo because it was premature to do so.

In an interview yesterday, Ms Siliya said Mr Magande was a senior member of the ruling party who understood the party constitution and the need not to be involved in activities which violate the party’s constitution.

“We have just received reports alleging that Mr Magande is involved in campaign activities and if the reports alleging that he has placed advertisements to call on delegates to vote for him at the national convention are true, the party’s disciplinary committee will deal with him according to the laid down procedures,” she said.[quote]

She said the MMD national chairperson’s message was clear that no one was allowed to campaign for any position at the forthcoming MMD convention until they were authorised to do.

Ms Siliya said a special NEC committee that had been tasked with the preparation for the national convention had not completed its work and it was premature for any official or NEC member to get involved in any kind of campaign.

Mr Chilambwe said Mr Magande should desist from the habit of playing hide and seek with the MMD leadership by engaging in campaign activities using the back door.

An advertisement playing on Radio Icengelo, which broadcasts to the entire Copperbelt is calling on the delegates to the forthcoming MMD convention, especially the youths to vote for Mr Magande as the party president.

The advertisement, which is in form of a song, also promises youths employment opportunities once they voted for Mr Magande.

[Times of Zambia]

Kapiri Mposhi traditional rulers have passed a vote of no confidence on area Member of Parliament and Community Development Deputy Minister Friday Malwa for failing to effectively represent the electorates.

The traditional rulers who included headman Mwanja, Headman Kantumoya and headman Mwanawakabwata accused the MP of inefficiency and failure to visit the constituency since he was elected in 2006.

The traditional rulers said this at a meeting addressed by Central province minister Ackimson Banda yesterday.

‘Go and tell president Banda that we do not want Malwa here and also tell him, Malwa, that we have rejected him.

They said they loved the party MMD and would continue voting for the ruling party even if nobody went there to campaign but were only disappointed with the kind of political leaders representing them because they allegedly failed to tick.

In defence of the MMD MP, Mr. Banda said it would be unfair for the people of chief Chipepo to accuse Mr. Malwa who is also Community Development Deputy Minister of having failed them because the his constituency was so vast that he could not manage to reach all corners within a short time.[quote]

Mr Banda further said that government would reduce Kapiri Mposhi constituencies to make it manageable.

He told the traditional rulers who included senior headman Mbofwana and headman Mwanja that they should remove the notion that they did not want Mr. Malwa because he would visit them as well.

And Mr. Malwa said it was not true that he had neglected the electorate in his constituency. Speaking to ZANIS in a separate interview in Kabwe, Mr. Malwa said he was on the ground to ensure that people’s expectations were met.

He explained that he had been to the constituency six times this month adding that there were works to show that development was being delivered to the area.

Mr. Malwa said Ngabwe road, which passes through Mpunde, was being worked on and already 17km had been done while Chipepo boarding school was under construction at a cost of K23 Billion and more boreholes for
safe water would be drilled.

‘I have not abandoned the people of my constituency, am with them and I will ensure that through government, they receive the much desired development.

” We have also completed a clinic at mumba chaala where we are waiting for the ministry of health to send staff and it will open soon,’ he said.

ZANIS

National Constitution Conference Spokesperson Mwangala Zaloumis has advised government to make education a universal right for all citizens since the NCC has adopted a clause for aspiring presidential candidates to have a degree.

Mrs. Zaloumis noted that the position of president needs someone who can articulate issues on a higher level adding that the clause is an encouragement for people aspiring for presidency to work hard.

She observed that things have slowly changed in the world hence the need for leaders in higher offices to be enlightened.

Mrs. Zaloumis was speaking when she featured on ‘Let the people talk’ programme on radio Phoenix today together with newly appointed MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya and opposition PF spokesperson Given Lubinda.

Mrs. Zaloumis said the clause is not meant to discriminate against the poor or to hinder opposition PF leader Michael Sata as seen by sections of society.

She said the fact that Mr Sata has a degree is encouraging adding that the opposition leader has not been just sitting but studying in readiness to contest for the republican presidency.

And MMD spokesperson Siliya said the 50 plus one advocates should realise that the clause is a recipe for anarchy in many countries where it has been practice.

Ms Siliya said if the people of Zambia says the referendum is costly for the nation, they should also realise how expensive it would be for the nation to go for a re – election in a case where the contestants fail to reach 50+ 1 per cent mark.

She however disclosed that it was the opposition MPs attending the NCC who pushed for the degree clause to be enshrined in the constitution.

And FP Spokesperson Given Lubinda said that his party will not rescind its decision on the NCC and will not fall pray to the ruling party’s strategy to destabilize the pact through some article of the NCC.

Mr Lubinda however said MMD should be ready to apologize to the people of Zambia should the constitution be a waist of taxpayers’ money in the end.

ZANIS

Ndola residents have received the first degree requirement for a presidential candidate with mixed feelings.

In an interview with ZANIS in Ndola today some residents were against the requirement saying that it was discriminatory while others felt it was necessary to have an educated leader.

Robert Mbewe said the requirement was necessary because modern politics and economic dynamics needed a leader whose mind was of a certain academic appreciation to grasp the sophistication in politics.

Mr. Mbewe said education was key to a clear thinking and realistic approach to national matters.

He said taking a leaf from many countries whose leaders have university degree qualifications was testimony enough that a leader with University degree was an asset for the country and those he was leading.

And Gibson Chinunka said a first degree requirement was a political tool to bar certain political leaders not to aspire for the top political position in the land.

He said the first degree was just the beginning of making the presidential position exclusively for the rich and those who had certain attainments no matter how they acquired them to victimize the less privileged.

Mr. Chinunka said eventually they would even call for qualifications from selected Universities to prevent perceived political challengers from meeting them on the same platform.

He added that University degree should not be used as a yardstick for leadership because some people were endowed with wisdom even to surpass those with degrees.

Mr. Chinunka added that first degree was nothing if the candidate was an upstart in politics because even in the real working world, those straight from University learn from those who have been on the job for some time.

ZANIS