The MMD in Kafue district has welcomed party Deputy National Chairman Jeff Kaande’s announcement that the ruling party will hold its national convention next year.

Kafue District MMD Treasurer John Mwansa told ZANIS in Kafue today that holding a convention will enable MMD members to elect leaders of their choice.

Mr. Mwansa said MMD was founded on democratic principles and it was therefore going to be unconstitutional to forgo the national convention.

He said the convention was unavoidable because most of the positions in the National Executive Committee (NEC) are held on an acting capacity, including the position of the president.

Mr. Mwansa explained that avoid holding the national convention would have divided the ruling party, noting that some leaders in the NEC need to be replaced them with people that have fresh ideas.

He noted that the convention does not deal with elections alone but also reviews the challenges and progress of the party in other areas such as finances, membership and manifesto.

Mr. Mwansa has meanwhile challenged the opposition Patriotic Front and United Party for National Development (PF/UPND) pact and other opposition political parties to emulate the ruling party by holding conventions.

ZANIS

Government says it is determined to fight corruption and uphold good governance contrary to perceptions from some sections of society.

Foreign Affairs Minister, Kabinga Pande says government has shown serious commitment to the fight against corruption but was sad that some section were busy trying to paint a bad picture about its efforts.

Mr. Pande said this when newly appointed African Development Bank (ABD) country representative, Freddie Kwesinga called on him at his office in Lusaka today.

He said government would not relent in the fight against corruption as it has the potential to derail the development process and worsen people’s standards of living.

The Minister said President Rupiah Banda has also shown commitment to fighting corruption by promoting transparence and good governance.

Meanwhile Mr. Pande has called on the public to also get involved in fighting corruption at every level.

He said the fight should not be left to government alone.

And ABD Country Representative, Freddie Kwesinga advised Zambia to take advantage of the regional markets in Africa to sale their products.

He said Zambia has a lot of potential to penetrate the markets but bemoaned the lack of infrastructure to make this possible.

Mr. Kwesinga said infrastructure was the key to economic development and pledged his bank’s continued support to infrastructure development.

ZANIS

President Rupiah Banda has warned that he will not hesitate to sack all ministers and those trying to frustrate his Government.

President Banda said he had tried his best to keep stability in the Government and the Movement for Multi Party Democracy since the death of his predecessor Dr. Levy Mwanawasa.

The President said he was human and that if people pushed him beyond a certain point he would not hesitate but deal with all those that were frustrating his works.

The president said the Zambian economy was currently doing very well with Foreign Reserves currently standing at US$1.8 billion an amount which has never been recorded before.

He noted that at one time Zambia’s foreign reserves stood at US$1.3 billion but now the reserves have gone up.

Mr. Banda who was speaking at celebrations to mark the Silver Jubilee of the Zambia National Marketeers Association in Kitwe today, said as the Economy continues to register growth, money would start getting into the pockets of an average Zambian.

The President said all those that were calling for Change or die Zambia at a time when the economy was growing and jobs being created were confused persons.[quote]

And President Banda has said no well balanced person can give out over K1.2 billion to an individual

He charged that he was not a mad person who can just give out Government resources at will.

The said a lot of people were not happy with his style of leadership because they had found out that he was not an easy person to work with.

The President further said there was need for Zambians to remain calm and not listen to eccentric people who wanted to put the country on of Fire.

The President cautioned Zambians against involving themselves in acts that may bring chaos in the Country as no one was going to take care of their Children if they started killing each other.

The President also disputed media reports that he had spent over K1 billion in Western Province saying it was not possible for him to have spent such colossal sums of money in two days.

“They are no shops in Liuwa were could I have spent all this money, this is insane, “said President Banda.

ZANIS

The Japanese government has given Zambia a grant of K15.4 billion for the procurement of medical equipment for the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka.

Minister of Finance and National Planning, Situmbeko Musokotwane and Japanese Ambassador to Zambia, Hideto Mitamura signed the grant agreement in Lusaka today.

Dr. Musokotwane said the grant, which will be managed by the Japanese International Cooperation Aid (JICA), will be used for the intended purpose of assisting UTH procure medical equipment.

“I want to put it on record here that this grant money comes from the Japanese taxpayers and therefore the government will ensure that it is put to its intended purpose,” he said.

He expressed gratitude to the Japanese government for the grant, adding that Zambia has received a lot of assistance from that government.

And Mr. Mitamura said the equipment to be provided to the UTH include among others, anesthesia machines, suction machines, sonograms and patient surveillance monitors.

He noted that although indicators show that child and maternal health have improved since the late 1990s in Zambia, the health situations in the country was still unsatisfactory.[quote]

He said his government has contributed significantly towards the improvement of the health sectors in various African countries.

“The economic and human burden of poor health in any nation impacts negatively on the progress of any economy,” he said.

Mr. Mitamura said the equipment would help Zambian medical personnel to apply their skills effectively, adding that this will translate into improved health services for Zambian people.

Meanwhile, Mr. Mitamura has urged government to seriously and conclusively pursue the matter of public funds embezzlement at the Ministry of Health.

“The embassy urges the Zambia government to get to the bottom of this matter and take necessary measures to improve financial management system so that foreign assistance will reach effectively to the people who need it,” he said.

ZANIS

DUNAMIS Centre senior Pastor Dan Pule has been swindled out of US$62,000 in a scam in which conmen sold him fake gold pieces.

And three suspects have since been arrested with thousands of fake gold stones and are currently in custody.
Police spokesperson, Bonnie Kapeso, who confirmed the development and displayed the fake gold, said Dr Pule had since reported the matter to the police.

Mr Kapeso said the fake stones that Dr Pule bought were put in a safe but when he organised other pastors to pray with him for the stones, the safe exploded.

He said when the safe exploded, pastors scampered in fear after they saw things that appeared like witchcraft ornaments on top of the fake stones.

Mr Kapeso said the conmen were using an American GMC Suburban motor vehicle, registration number ABJ 3635 to hoodwink the would-be customers into thinking that they were genuine businesspersons.

Dr Pule, who was at Lusaka Central police station at the time, refused to narrate his ordeal to the media.
Mr Kapeso said the same conmen also attempted to sell more fake stones to two foreign nationals but the transaction could not take place.

He said one of the suspects was in court facing a charge of theft of K1.3 billion.

He advised people buying things like gold to seek expert advice before they lost huge sums of money.

[Times of Zambia]

MMD chairperson for elections Mike Mulongoti has advised members of the ruling party aspiring for positions in the national executive committee to lobby for support in a decent manner.

Mr Mulongoti, who is MMD acting spokesperson, said although the ruling party’s constitution allows members to campaign ahead of the convention, this must be done in a decent manner.

He said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that those vying for positions should not use corrupt means to woo voters at the convention.

This follows the announcement by MMD deputy national secretary Jeff Kaande that the national executive committee will next month set dates for the ruling party’s convention.

Some MMD officials on the Copperbelt are alleged to have started campaigning to challenge President Banda at the convention.

Mr Mulongoti said contestants should not buy delegates to vote for them at the convention.

“You know Zambia is a big place, so you can’t stop people from campaigning. They are free to do so, but my appeal is for the campaigns to be done in a transparent and decent manner,” Mr Mulongoti said.

He said the party has a huge task to ensure resources for the convention are raised to conduct a successful convention.

Mr Mulongoti advised MMD members to be patient and remain united as the party goes to the convention.
He urged MMD members to desist from issuing unwarranted statements on the convention.

[Zambia Daily Mail]