CHIEFS in Mambwe district have advised the Patriotic Front leader, Michael Sata, to swallow his pride and apologise for comparing them and their subjects to animals.

The chiefs have also advised Mr Sata to apologise to President Banda.
Chief Jumbe said the Chipata-Mfuwe road which Mr Sata is referring to as being favored at the expense of other roads has been an issue since independence.

The chief said in an interview yesterday that it is unfortunate for someone who is aspiring to be a leader of the nation to utter such retrogressive remarks.

“Mr Sata should humble himself and swallow the words because traditional rulers who reside here where the road will be constructed are upset with him for comparing them to animals, it is unacceptable,” Chief Jumbe said.

He said the tarring of the Chipata-Mfuwe road which President Banda commissioned was an issue even in President Mwanawasa’s Government.

The traditional leader said what the incumbent President is doing is fulfilling President Levy Mwanawasa’s promise of giving the people of Mambwe a good road.

“The late President said the road will be constructed and that is what I can remember. It is very unfortunate that Mr Sata can go as far as calling us animals when there are chiefs here who have been crying for this road,” he said.

Chief Jumbe said the road being constructed is not for President Banda but for the people who live there.
He said it is important for the opposition leaders to give credit where it is due and not to criticise unnecessarily.

“The opposition leaders are there for checks and balances and not to issue baseless attacks where one is doing a commendable job,” Chief Jumbe said.
He said a good road is key to national development and that the construction of the road will help boost economic activities in Mambwe.

And Chief Mukanya described Mr Sata’s remarks as retrogressive to national development.
He said Mr Sata should know that thousands of people reside in Mambwe and not just animals.
The chief said the subjects will be scared of Mr Sata because his remarks are a clear indication that he does not regard them as people.

“We doubt if Mr Sata can remember us if he happens to be President of this nation because he does not respect people,” Chief Mukanya said.
He said the best thing the PF leader should do is to apologise.

“I wonder if Mr Sata knows this place where we live and what we go through just to reach our chiefdoms,” Chief Mukanya said.

But Mr Sata said he will only apologise when the Katete-Chadiza road is commissioned.
Mr Sata said many of the roads in Eastern province have not been worked on for many years and that it is only cardinal that Government shared the money equitably to benefit other roads.

“I am willing to apologise when they commission the Katete – Chadiza road because it connects many parts of the province and people living there want to see the road in a good state,” he said.

Mr Sata said in an interview yesterday that the people living along the Katete-Chadiza road have been complaining about the poor state of the road.

Apart from the chiefs, the MMD in Eastern Province has demanded an apology from Mr Sata for saying that President Banda has favoured the construction of the Chipata-Mfuwe road which leads to a game park where animals live at the expense of equal development of all provinces.

Zambia Daily Mail

Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) Lusaka Province Chairman William Banda has warned the opposition to desist from unwarranted attacks and insults on President Rupiah Banda.

Mr. Banda said it is sad that despite the president not responding to their insults politicians from the opposition political parties have continued to insult the republican president.

He said president Banda and the party will not respond to the insults as the president is concentrating on implementing national programs that are aimed at improving the lives of the many Zambians including those in the opposition.

Mr. Banda made the remarks in Lusaka today when he addressed MMD party members in Chawama compound on the need to start reorganizing the party at the grass root level in readiness for the 2011 general elections.

He said there is need for party members at the grassroots to concentrate on building the party if the MMD is to win the general elections.

Meanwhile Mr. Banda has called on all MMD branches in Lusaka province to start organizing meetings aimed at looking at various challenges the party is facing at the grassroots in an effort to strengthening the party.

Mr. Banda also disclosed at the same gathering that he will this month unveil the official program for the province that will guide all party members on how to operate in their duties in the quest to bring coordination among party members.

He said this will also help reduce division among members within the party as every one will know exactly what is expected from them before the general elections.

And speaking at the same gathering Lusaka Province District Chairman, Paul Chihade instructed Chawama Constituency Executive Committee to rename one of the branches out of the 28 branches in Chawama compound which is named after Patriotic Front President Michael Sata.

Mr. Chihande noted that Mr. Sata is not a member of the MMD adding that there is no way a branch could be named after him.

“The branch was named after the PF leader when he was MMD National Secretary and now that he is not our member you have to rename the branch.” Mr. Chihade instructed.

ZANIS

Opposition United National Independence Party (UNIP) Acting Secretary General Jemima Banda has taken a swipe at his Patriotic Front (PF ) counterpart Winter Kabimba’s attacks on first President Kenneth Kaunda.

Mr Banda said in a statement received by ZANIS, today, that the first republican President Dr. Kaunda has the right to advise politicians to practice clean politics in the country.

The UNIP Acting Secretary General said Mr. Kabimba should not be excited on the matter as the former head of state’s statement was not meant to injure anyone.

“Dr. Kaunda statement was rather constructive advice to anybody who cares to listen,” Mr. Banda added.

Meanwhile, Mr. Banda challenged Mr. Kabimba to just explain how he acquired properties in Independence Avenue, one on Njoka Road and Taverns which he turned into business Centre.

“Lusaka residents would like to know who shared Council properties during his reign as Town Clerk,” he said.

ZANIS

Speaking on arrival at Livingstone Airport this morning to officially open the 2010 high court session, Mr. Kunda said government will this year change the legal system to make Zambia a better destination for doing business.

He said the year 2010 should be a year of hard work from all Zambians in order to make the country better and prosperous economically.

He said government has done its best to change the budget cycle adding that there should be no excuses for not using the budget fully this year by those tasked to implement the developmental projects.

Mr. Kunda said business houses, individuals and other stakeholders should take advantage of the attractive business environment prevailing in the country and focus of effective service delivery.

He thanked people of Livingstone for their hard work in 2009.

Mr. Kunda is expected to address a rally in Kazungula district later in the day.

And Mr. Kunda, who is also Minister of Justice, said 2010 is a year of strengthening MMD party structures, rejuvenate and mobilize more people in readiness for the 2011 general elections.

Mr. Kunda is accompanied by Local Government Minister, Eustarckio Kazonga, Justice Deputy Minister Todd Chilembo and Livestock and Fisheries Minister Bradford Machila.

On hand to receive the Vice President at was Southern Province Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) Chairperson Solomon Muzyamba.

And Mr. Muzyamba commended President Rupiah Banda for performing well in the just ended 2009.

He said the party in the province would continue supporting President Banda’s leadership for continued economic development in the country.
On recent resignations of some members from MMD, Mr. Muzyamba said the party was not shaken at all.

He however said MMD will continue to mobilize people adding that those that resigned were rejects.

Mr. Muzyamba thanked the Vice President for visiting the people of Livingstone.

THE United National Independence Party (UNIP) has said Malimba Masheke is not a party member and should not pretend to speak for UNIP.

UNIP secretary general Jemima Banda said General Masheke was a Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) member and not a spokesperson for UNIP because he had never at one time told the nation that he had resigned from FDD.

“General Masheke is FDD national chairperson and he cannot turn around today and say he was UNIP revival chairperson because he has nothing to revive in the party,” Mrs Banda said.

Mrs Banda was reacting to a statement by UNIP Revival Forum chairperson Gen Masheke that Dr Kaunda had become an MMD cadre.
She said Gen Masheke was an FDD party member and was just a desperate individual who had always been aspiring for higher positions to no avail.

She said Dr Kaunda was UNIP and the father of the nation who should embrace every president of Zambia and should be accorded the respect that was due to him.
Dr Kaunda was an icon whose footsteps should be followed by every well meaning Zambians and called on Gen Masheke to stop using the former president’s name in his ill-motives to gain his sinking political image.

And UNIP Copperbelt provincial Information and publicity secretary Brian Chishimba said Dr Kaunda who is the founding president was playing a role above politics and deserved the respect of all.
Mr Chishimba said when Dr Kaunda advises politicians, people should not be quick to condemn former head of State.

Leadership in Development executive director Moses Kalonde has also condemned some people issuing disrespectful remarks against Dr Kaunda and President Rupiah Banda.

Mr Kalonde said in Lusaka yesterday that Dr Kaunda was the father of the nation and that there was nothing wrong for him to have said that President Banda should be respected.
Meanwhile, Dr Kaunda’s special assistant for Press and public relations, Sunday Musonda has described attacks on the former head of State as misguided and unjustified.
Mr Musonda said it was sad Dr Kaunda’s critics have decided to ignore the advice given on the need to respect the office of the former president but instead has chosen to accuse him of being MMD.
“It is unfair for some politicians to attack Dr Kaunda because there is nothing wrong for him to give advice to political leaders. If the office of the president is not respected what are we telling the world,” he asked.
Mr Musonda appealed people against Dr Kaunda’s advise to either take the advise or leave it and that involving the former Heads of State in squabbles is not necessary.
He said politicians with issues with the government should not use Dr Kaunda to discredit the Government.
[Times of Zambia]