The Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) has expressed disappointment with the manner political parties especially the opposition are handling controversial issues pertaining to elections.

FODEP President, Stanley Mhango told ZANIS in Mazabuka yesterday, that it sad and disappointing to note that the opposition parties are now concentrating on trading insults at the expense of lobbying government to address legal impediments that hinder the holding of free and fair elections.

Mr. Mhango said currently, the department of National Registration is carrying out a countrywide issuance of national registration cards but regretted that opposition political parties are not doing enough to encourage their members to obtain the NRCs.

He said the insults, accusations and counter accusations on government concerning the issuance of NRCs in their strongholds is not inspiring voters to participate in the electoral process.

He said the issuance of NRCs is crucial in the electoral process as people cannot register as voters without NRCs.

Mr. Mhango said the opposition only wanted to complain at the eleventh hour.

He said real issues such as the enforcement of the electoral code of conduct, access to public media have been ignored by the opposition but want to bring them up during election period.

Mr. Mhango observed that holding elections under the current legal regime will be disastrous unless the opposition political parties engaged government in serious dialogue on reviewing the electoral laws.

He, however, said instead of offering alternative policies, checks and balances the opposition are concentrating their efforts on hurling insults.

ZANIS

Luena Independent Member of Parliament, Charles Milupi has challenged opposition political parties not to direct their energies on removing the MMD from power but offer practical solutions that will improve the economy of the country.

And Mr. Milupi has said politics of insults being perpetuated by some political leaders is not helping the country to move forward.

He says politicians aspiring to lead the country should convince the voters by defining their plans to move the country economically as well as programmes aimed at reducing poverty.

Mr. Milupi who was speaking in Mazabuka when he featured on radio Mazabuka’s Live Wire programme yesterday said it is disappointing to note that politicians are instead engaged in trading insults without offering solutions on how they are going to revive the economy once voted into office.

He said he had a discussion with the PF-UPND leadership but declined to join the pact because of the different visions for the economic development of the country.

Mr. Milupi explained that until the agenda for the pact is reviewed, he would not join the PF-UPND pact.

He said among the issues he raised were that he would only join a political party with national wide support and that gives confidence to the people.

Mr. Milupi urged Zambians to be careful with some political leaders engaged in trading insults at the expense of defining what they are capable of doing to improve the economy.

He warned that while some political parties have huge support, Zambians should not experiment leadership because some leaders may plunge the country into serious economic problems which will be difficult to handle.

Mr. Milupi who openly declared that he is capable of running the affairs of the country, however said, a new political grouping to be launched soon is an alternative to ending the high poverty levels and under development in the country.

Meanwhile, a named senior provincial PF leader and an MMD party official were spotted at radio Mazabuka and offered a lift by Mr. Milupi to a secret place where they had lunch together.

The PF official had difficulties to accept that he was a PF provincial executive committee member when asked by the presenter of the of the programme.

ZANIS

Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) Lusaka Province Chairman William Banda has challenged MMD party officials to work hard in order to improve the living standards of the people in the province.

Mr. Banda says people in the province want to see their elected leaders in various portfolios of the party working hard to develop the province and the country as a whole.

He says Republican President Mr. Rupiah Banda is hard working and needs to be surrounded by hard working people that would help him foster economic growth in the country.

Mr. Banda was speaking in Kafue today when he addressed party officials.
He also thanked the people of Kafue for voting for the MMD candidate Ozzias Banda in the November 19, 2009 Chisankane ward by-elections.

He stressed that people should not hold party positions if they were not prepared to work because leadership was all about working hard to better the lives of the people.

The MMD Lusaka Provincial Chairman warned party officials at ward, district and provincial levels against engaging in confrontations over party positions but to work together for the good of the people.

He urged the new councilor of Chisankane ward to work hard and ensure that he addresses the many challenges people in his area were facing.

Meanwhile, Chisankane Ward Councilor Ozzias Banda pledged to work hard in fostering social and economic development for the people of Chisankane.

Mr. Banda said in an interview that the MMD government was committed to ensuring that the living standards of people in the country are raised and would not relent in its efforts to ensure that poverty is eradicated in the country.

ZANIS

MMD deputy national secretary, Jeff Kaande has described former Gender in Development minister, Patricia Mulasikwanda as a frustrated politician after failing to get a job under President Rupiah Banda’s administration.

Reacting to Ms Mulasikwanda’s statement in yesterday’s Post newspaper that President Banda would lose in 2011 because he was being ill-advised by people like Mr Kaande, among others, Mr Kaande said Ms Mulasikwanda was a chancer and a frustrated politician who was now bitter because she could not lie her way through to any Government position like she lied before being given a position by the late president Levy Mwanawasa.

Mr Kaande said it was unreasonable for Ms Mulasikwanda to say he was ill-advising President Banda when the former minister knew too well that he (Kaande) was not a presidential advisor.

He said it was unrealistic for Ms Mulasikwanda to allege that he was ill-advising President Banda when there were advisors for the president at State House.

He said Ms Mulasikwanda used to tell lies to get a ministerial position from the late president and should not pretend to be concerned about President Banda because she was one of the first persons to issue statements against the president even before the MMD national executive committee (NEC) could sit to recommend him as candidate in 2008 presidential by-election.

He said it was Ms Mulasikwanda who was supposed to be grateful for having been welcomed in the MMD from UNIP.

Mr Kaande said he was not a defector like Ms Mulasikwanda and advised her to leave the MMD because she was more of a liability than a factor in the ruling party.[quote]

“Let her go and join the PF/UPND Pact and she should not even think she will be missed. If anything, she is just a liability and not even a factor in the party,” Mr Kaande said.

He said Ms Mulasikwanda was bitter because she could now not get a job on a silver platter like she did during the late president Mwanawasa’s reign.

Mr Kaande said the late president saw the knowledge and ability in him, hence appointing him deputy national secretary of the MMD

[Times of Zambia]

Works and Supply minister, Mike Mulongoti, says the decision on whether government printers will print the 2011 ballot papers will be made in consultation with political players in the country.

Mr. Mulongoti says stakeholders such as political parties, civil society and the electoral commission of Zambia will have to endorse the decision.

The minister however said government is confident that the 2011 general election ballot papers will be done at government printers in Lusaka.

Mr. Mulongoti told ZNBC news that government is already making efforts to buy security camera’s for government printers.

This is to ensure transparency during the printing of ballot papers.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia- ECZ has requested governmemnt to install security cameras and a fence at government printers.

[ZNBC]