Chief Government spokesperson, Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha said PAZA submitted the position paper regarding the ongoing process on media reforms adding that government will soon meet with the association to see how best their proposals can be applied locally.

He has meanwhile expressed disappointment with the Media liaison Committee led by Henry Kabwe for taking a confrontational stance on the debate on media reforms.

Lt. Gen Shikapwasha, who is also Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, said in a statement to ZANIS in Lusaka today that government remains committed to the basic tenets of freedom of expression for its citizens.

He said government is accountable to its citizenry adding that the media draft bill under his Ministry will only be released to stakeholders if the media fails to come up with a self regulatory mechanism.

He has meanwhile said government has been saddened by the Media Liaison Committee whom he said have decided to take a confrontational stance on the matter.

Lt. Gen. Shikapwasha said contents from the press conference by the committee led by Mr. Kabwe recently lacks the spirit of dialogue and is a contradiction of the subject.

He said Mr. Kabwe created an impression that the committee is biting and exhibits political vigilantism which seeks to settle political scores with individual and institution based on innuendos, unsubstantiated and baseless observations.

Lt. Gen. Shikapwasha said there is no logic for Mr. Kabwe to agitate for demonstrations and legal challenges on the draft media bill since its still in draft form and eligible for input from the public and media practitioners.

He said this is more disappointing especially that PAZA has reaffirmed its commitment to a mature debate and dialogue on the media reforms.

Lt. Gen. Shikapwasha has however stated that government and his ministry in particular is ready to educate Mr. Kabwe on procedures for initiating legislation and the consultative process that involve the parliamentary committee.

He further called on Mr. Kabwe to ensure that he is also accountable to principles such as those contained in the Windhoek Declaration that calls upon media bodies to be accountable in terms of funds received from donor countries.

ZANIS

privatisation of Zamtel and the workers’ proposed package when he has little information on the matter.

NUCW has called on other politicians to refrain from politicking on the privatisation of Zamtel because everything is being handled by credible and knowledgeable institutions.

NUCW general secretary Clement Kasonde said in an interview in Ndola yesterday that Mr Kambwili should stop misleading the workers on issues he does not fully understand.

“Why should the MP allege that some Zamtel workers have been forced to sign agreements. You can imagine he named a trade union which does not even exist at Zamtel. Let him do politics on other issues,” Mr Kasonde said.

He said Mr Kambwili should stop his rhetoric and utterances on the privatisation of Zamtel because he seems not to have any knowledge on what is happening regarding the agreements which workers have signed.

On allegations by Mr Kambwili that workers will lose 70 percent of their benefits once the company is partially privatised, Mr Kasonde said the collective agreement provides for early retirement when a worker reaches 55 years.

He said those retired on medical grounds are also entitled to three months basic pay on each year served.

Mr Kasonde said repatriation allowance and leave benefits will be tax- free.

He said the package is the same one negotiated for by the trade union when the company is insolvent.

“Where is the loss of 70 percent to be paid to workers? The union regrets the MP’s political outbursts,” Mr Kasonde said.

Zambia Daily mail

Choma Police Officer-In-Charge Jackson Simfukwe told ZANIS today that robberies which rocked the town in the past few months have now been curbed.

Mr. Simfukwe said police have since arrested two more suspects believed to have been behind a spate of brutal assaults of people.
He said the arrest of the two brings the total number of suspected robbers to five.

Two people have since died in these robbery activities while a number of other people have been assaulted and robbed by robbers who use iron bars.

Mr. Simfukwe said police have intensified patrols in residential areas following the insecurity that had rocked the town.
“Just this week, we arrested two of them who are in our custody,” he said.

He said there is no need for residents to live in fear and panic because police were doing their best to protect property and life.

The bandits, locally known as ‘batunsimbi’, have been ambushing their victims who they beat up with iron bars as early as 19.00 hours
Mr. Simfukwe has however urged residents to be extra vigilant and provide relevant information about suspicious looking people to police.

He said police will work hard to bring the culprits to book provided residents cooperate in providing the needed information.

Mr. Simfukwe’s assurance comes in the wake of threats by residents to take to protest against the insecurity that has rocked the normally quiet town of Choma.

Residents, who have since formed an ad hoc committee to travel to Lusaka to meet the Home Affairs Minister, Lameck Mangani over the matter, have demanded the immediate transfer of some senior police officers whom they have accused of having failed the people of Choma.

ZANIS

A THIRTY- FOUR year old Kitwe business woman today narrated in the Kitwe High Court how she had received a call from a man allegedly informing her that he had killed his lover Stein Lomuthuzi Mwenso.

Before High Court Judge Catherine Makungu was Barbara Chipasha Whiteman, 34 a businesswoman of Flat one, Club Street in Kitwe’s Nkana West, Zambia

This is in a case in which Malcolm Lwamba 24 is accused of murdering Lomuthuzi Mwenso Stein aged 32, contrary to section 200 of the penal code chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia.

Facts before the court were that Lwamba, on May 9 this year, in Kitwe did murder Stein Lomuthuzi Mwenso.

Ms. Whiteman told the court that around 23:00 hours on the material day, she received a call from Lwamba informing her that he had killed her best friend Lolo (Lomuthuzi).

She said a few minutes later, Lwamba called her again asking her to inform Lolo’s mother that he had killed her precious daughter.

She further told the court that when she asked him why he had murdered her best friend, Lwamba allegedly said he killed her because he was tired of being treated like crap.

Ms. Whiteman also told the court that Lwamba later sent her a text message on her mobile phone saying that he was sorry for murdering Lolo and that he was going to flee to the Congo but if caught by the police, he was going to serve the jail sentence like a man.

She further said around 03:00 hours the same night, Lwamba allegedly phoned again asking her if Lolo had really died.

When asked by the defense lawyer Kelvin Bwalya if she still had the message allegedly sent by Lwamba, Ms. Whiteman said it got deleted.

Earlier, another witness Kaoma Mulongoti 26, of P3-03 Ndeke Changachanga Township, told the court that he heard Lwamba and Lolo quarreling behind the house.

Mulongoti, who was living in the servants quarters at the couples’ house, said he was woken up by Lolo’s daughter, Justina and the guard around 22:00 hours and was informed that Lolo and Lwamba were fighting.

He said when he got outside the house, he heard screams coming from behind the house where Lolo and Lwamba were fighting from.

He said he then went behind the house but could not see anything because it was dark but he could hear the couple arguing on top of their voices.

Mulongoti said he called out for Lwamba who told him to mind his business because the wrangle was purely personal.

He said he again heard Lolo screaming and he decided to check what was happening but he could not see anything because it was dark.

He called for Lwamba who assured him that he was not going to harm Lolo.

Mulongoti said later Lwamba came from behind the house and asked Mulongoti to give him fresh clothes from his bedroom because the ones he was wearing were dirty.

Mulongoti added that he refused and asked him to send his step daughter Justina.

He told the court that Lwamba asked his step daughter to get into the house because he wanted to change his clothes.

He further said when he finished changing his clothes Lolo’s mother and the father drove into the yard and Lwamba decided to ran away.

Mulongoti said when Mrs. Stein came out of the car and asked for her daughter, she was told that she was behind the house.

He said when she checked behind the house, she could not see her daughter because it was very dark adding that at that point, a search for her was conducted.

He said that they found Lolo lying unconscious in a furrow behind the house with blood coming out from her face.

Mulongoti said they tried to lift Lolo but her body was slippery because there was water, which was poured her.

He said they managed to lift her, put her in her mother’s vehicle and rushed her to their Company Clinic where she was pronounced dead.

Trial continues.

ZANIS

Mr. Muchanga says it is gratifying to see Zambians in Ethiopia teaming up to contribute resources towards the holding of important events such as Independence Day celebrations which government can no longer fund due to budgetary constraints.

This is contained in a press statement issued to ZANIS in Lusaka today by First Secretary for Press at the Zambian Embassy in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia Dorcas Chileshe.

He said as a result of such strong team spirit, Zambians living in that country have become a shining example of a community ready to support its government’s programmes willingly.

Mr. Muchanga was speaking when he addressed Zambians in Ethiopia during a come together end of year event in Addis Ababa organized by the Zambian community.

He urged the Zambians in Ethiopia to reflect on the year 2009 with the view of strengthening their team spirit in the coming year.

He further added that there was need to unite and explore ways in which they can participate in national development.

And Chairman of the Association of Zambians in Ethiopia Cosmas Chanda said he was happy with the unity existing amongst the Zambian community in Ethiopia.

Mr. Chanda has since urged the Zambians living in that country to continue exhibiting unity and peace as that was the identity of Zambians.

ZANIS

Ndola City Council Public Relations Manager Roy Kuseka confirmed the development in an interview with ZANIS in Ndola this morning.

Mr Kuseka said the 12 patrons, who included seven boys and five girls, were picked up from Sosikile bar in Masala, Dolphine and Chez Ntemba night clubs in the town centre while others were from Mutambala, Chipolopolo and High Life nightclubs in Chifubu.

He said the underage patrons have since been surrendered to Ndola central police station. He said would talk to the owners of the named night clubs on the same issue.

Mr. Kuseka has since called on parents to help the local authority by stopping their under age children from leaving their homes at night.

He said the battle which local authorities have embarked on was a serious one and it therefore needed concerted efforts to win.

He further said this was a presidential directive which should be adhered to by all citizens, including the parents of the underage patrons.

And speaking in a separate interview, Ndola District Commissioner Moses Mumba said the problem of children patronizing night clubs should be attributed to their parents.

Mr. Mumba explained that some parents were fond of spoiling their children all in the name of modern life and human rights.

He said there was need for the local authority to counsel both the underage patrons and their parents.

He urged parents to be responsible for their children and not to leave the responsibility of looking after the welfare of their children to government. ZANIS