Government has denied allegations that the powers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) have been taken over by the Executive.

Chief Government Spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ronnie Shikapwasha says the media statement attributed to Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) president Steven Lungu, in yesterday’s Post Newspaper, must be dismissed as it adds no value to enhancing the integrity of the judiciary and other arms governance.

Lt. Gen Shikapwasha says as far as government is concerned, the office of the DPP is a constitutional office that is independent from the executive and shall continue operating as such.

Lt. Gen. Shikapwasha, who is also Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, said this in a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka last evening.

He said the impression created by Mr. Lungu’s statement is that the DPP can only show his independence from the Executive by making decisions that are against the government.

“We as government are saddened that LAZ, which is a key institution in legal matters, is issuing misleading statements” he said.

Lt. Gen Shikapwasha said there was no logic in LAZ making outrageous allegations, before getting feedback from the Attorney General.

He noted that the move was only aimed at intimidating the DPP into passing anti-government opinions, even when government is right.

Lt. Gen Shikapwasha added that it was regrettable that LAZ, which initially seemed to be giving a good example in approaching national issues, is being discredited by people issuing careless statements in its name.

He said Government believes that the right approach to the matter was for LAZ to write to the Attorney General high lighting their observations concerning the office of the DPP, which he said they had done, as opposed to rushing to the media.

ZANIS

Luena independent Member of Parliament Charles Milupi has been elected President of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Parliamentary Assembly.

Mr. Milupi was elected at the just ended 18th session of the African, Caribbean and Pacific-European Union Joint Parliamentary Assembly, which took place from November 25th to December 3rd, 2009 in Luanda, Angola.

He was also elected as Co-President of the African, Caribbean and Pacific European Union Joint Parliamentary Assembly.

According to a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today by National assembly Media Liaison Officer Chikomeni Banda, Mr. Milupi is expected to carry out duties of presiding officer of the ACP Parliamentary Assembly and Co- Presiding Officer of the ACP-EU JPA.

The ACP-EU JPA is one of the organs of joint institutions provided for under Article 8 of the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement.

It was created out of a common desire to bring together elected representatives of European Community, Members of European Parliament and elected representatives of ACP groups of states.

ZANIS

The Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) in Luapula Province has asked President Rupiah Banda to dismiss Science and Technology Minister Gabriel Namulambe over his alleged tribal remarks.
MMD Luapula provincial secretary Davis Chitwaka said in a statement to ZANIS that Mr Namulambe’s tribal remarks have brought embarrassment to the cabinet and therefore President Banda must relieve him of his duties.
Mr. Chitakwa said MMD does not condone any form of tribalism as it believes in One Zambia One Nation, adding that Mr Namulambe no longer deserves to be a cabinet minister for peddling tribalism.

Meanwhile MMD Luapula provincial secretary Davis Chitwaka has said the party leadership in the province has welcomed the announcement by MMD deputy national secretary Jeff Kande that the National Executive Committee (NEC) will soon meet to announce the date of the convention.

Mr. Chitakwa said Luapula province will give overwhelming support to President Rupiah as its candidate for the party presidency at the party convention, whose date is yet to be announced.

The MMD provincial secretary warned people forming pressure groups to campaign against the top leadership of the party in the province to refrain from the practice before they are exposed.
He said anyone with genuine intentions to help organise the MMD in Luapula province must use the normal channel of presenting issues to the party rather than use underhand methods.

He advised party members who have other preferred presidential candidates for MMD to come out in the open and market their candidates instead of holding dark corner meetings.
He said this was important because the ruling party wants to prove that it is transparent and upholds democratic principles.
Mr Chitwaka said the party officials in the province will work hard to ensure President Banda gets a landslide victory over other contenders for party presidency because he has performed well for the short time he has been in office.
He said President Banda has a lot of support in Luapula and there was no reason to worry about the people who are attacking him in the Press alleging that such people were just sponsored.

ZANIS

The Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) has denied allegations from some sections of society that it has failed to address the human-crocodile conflicts in some parts of the country.

ZAWA Public Relations Officer Wilfred Moonga said it was wrong to accuse ZAWA of failing to address the human-crocodile conflict.

Mr. Moonga told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that ZAWA should not be blamed for crocodile attacks because the authority has been warning people against drawing water from crocodile infested rivers and lakes.

He said some members of the public have been ignoring the warning hence continued incidents of people being attacked by crocodiles.

He said people need to understand that once they heed to ZAWA’s sensitization messages against drawing water from crocodile infested rivers and lakes, the human-crocodile conflicts will reduce.

ZANIS

President Banda said in a speech read for him by Vice President George Kunda, that government will continue to strength the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) and other law enforcement institutions by providing them with necessary resources for them to operative effectively.

He called on all Zambians to continue supporting government and the investigative agencies to guard and preserve public resources.

He further urged the civil society and other stakeholders in the private sector to continue supplementing government efforts by coming up with corruption prevention and sensitization programmes that could serve as a basis for establishing a robust national anti-corruption framework.

President Banda was speaking today during the commemoration of the International Anti-Corruption Day, an annual event held every ninth day of December every year.

This year’s commemoration was held in Lusaka at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre under the theme “Don’t Let Corruption Kill Development”.

“My Government has continued to demonstrate its commitment to the fight against corruption through various measures and interventions that have been put in place to fight this scourge. In August this year, my Government launched the National Anti-Corruption policy which will ensure that the fight against corruption is well coordinated and meaningful”, he said.

Mr. Banda said for the country to ensure that the fight against corruption is well co-coordinated and meaningful, all Zambians should take a keen interest in implementing the anti corruption policy and play a proactive role in the fight against the vice.

He said the war against corruption is not the responsibility of government alone but for all people in the country.

Meanwhile, Anti-Corruption Commission Chairperson Valentine Chileshe said it was important for the nation to recognize that fighting corruption requires concerted efforts from all key stakeholders regardless of political and social affiliations if tangible results were to be achieved.

Justice Chileshe said there is need to form more partnerships that would ultimately culminate into the formation of a stronger force to effectively deal with the scourge of corruption.

He further hoped that with the continued support from government, cooperating partners and all anti corruption stakeholders, the fight against corruption in all sectors would continue to be a top priority for the country to achieve meaningful development.

And Head of the Department for International Development (DFID) in Zambia, Mike Hammond said corruption in the public service could undermine global aid to developing countries.

Mr. Hammond said developing countries need to seriously combat corruption in the public service, noting that it would be difficult for donor countries to continue providing aid when corruption was rampant in the public service.

He was however happy that the Zambian government was taking a lead in the fight against corruption as evidenced by the prosecution of some public servants on corruption allegations.

ZANIS

Visiting South African President Jacob Zuma has been conferred with a honorary Degree of Doctor of Law by the University of Zambia (UNZA) Great East Campus.

UNZA Chancellor Dr. Jacob Mwanza bestowed the honorary degree on President Zuma at a colourful ceremony held at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre and witnessed by President Rupiah Banda, in Lusaka today.

Others who attended the ceremony include Ministers from Zambia and South Africa, Diplomats, and several Zambians and South Africans.

This was when President Zuma gave a Memorial Lecture on Oliver Reginald Tambo.

Speaking during the ceremony, Dr. Mwanza said the University of Zambia is privileged to honor President Zuma, whom he described as a Great son of Africa.

He said by honoring, now Dr. Zuma, the institution was fulfilling one of its mandates for which it was established, public service.

In accepting the honor, President Zuma said this was the first honorary degree he has received from outside South Africa and thanked the people of Zambia for the gesture.

President Zuma, in his key lecture reflecting on veteran South African freedom fighter and liberator Oliver Tambo, said the latter had distinguished himself by endeavoring to re-build what the colonial apartheid regime had destroyed many years ago.

Mr. Zuma said the late Tambo produced the Harare Declaration because his wise counsel united African National Congress (ANC) members as well as those in the neighboring countries to have vigor to fighting for a noble cause.

The late Tambo was born on October 27, 1917 at Kantolo village in the modern Eastern Cape. He died in 1993.

Mr. Tambo, a former ANC secretary general and President was a scientist, teacher, humanist and veteran leader who championed the fight against injustice on the South Africans.

Mr. Zuma further paid tribute to Zambia’s First Republican President Dr. Kenneth Kaunda whom he said refused to be intimidated but stood bold for the freedom of neighboring countries and their freedom fighters.

At the same ocassion President Banda said he was happy that Zambia, through the University of Zambia, had decided to honor President Zuma with an honorary degree of Doctor of Law.

Mr. Banda also described the late Mr. Tambo as a gallant freedom fighter who embraced unity and orderliness not only among south Africans but Zambians as well.

He said this was meant to enhance democracy and good governance on the African continent.

Meanwhile, the two leader this afternoon proceeded to the Leopards Hill cemetery where the laid their wreaths on the graves of African National Congress freedom fighters.

President Banda and his South African counterpart Jacob Zuma laid among other grave on former ANC secretary General Johnny Mfanafuthi Makhatini who died on December 3, 1988.

Over 20 South African freedom fighters lay at the Leopards Hill cemetery in Lusaka.

Mr. Zuma, who is in the country, on a three-day state visit is accompanied by his wife Nompulelelo Nthuli, eight ministers and senior government officials.

[Zanis]