The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) says it is concerned with the continued violation of the electoral code of conduct by some political parties during campaigns.

ECZ Commissioner Joseph Jalasi said it is important for candidates and election agents to understand the provisions of the code as it is now law adding that any violation of this piece of legislature defeats the purpose for which it was made.

Mr Jalasi said during campaigns some political parties conveniently forget the existence of the code of conduct and behave as if they are a law themselves, adding that this kind of behavior does not help at all.

He has since challenged all candidates and political party members to familiarize themselves with the electoral code of conduct in order for them to carry out their campaigns in a very peaceful manner.

Mr Jalasi was speaking during a post-nomination briefing for candidates, monitors, observers and the media for the forth coming parliamentary by election held in the IFAD hall in Solwezi yesterday.

Commissioner Jalasi said there is need to lift political campaigns to a higher level where name calling and politics of personalities will be a thing of the past.

He said candidates should base their campaigns on real issues that face the electorate in their day to day lives rather than castigating each other.

The Commissioner advised all political players to resolve conflicts through established channels and not resort to violence as this violates the code of conduct.

Mr Jalasi said the commission is hopeful that all stakeholders will play their respective roles in the forth coming by election in order for it to be conducted in a credible manner.

Speaking at the same briefing ECZ Public relations manager Cris Akufuna advised the media not be used as campaign tools by political parties but execute their duties professionally and in accordance to their roles provided for in the electoral code of conduct.

Mr Akufuna said the media should exercise professionalism in their duty and provide balanced and fair coverage to all political players.Violence rocked Solwezi , yesterday, between the ruling MMD cadres and UPND /PF cadres who gathered Kyawama Market fro a rally after filing nominations papers in the Soplwezi Central parliamentary by-elections scheduled for November 19, 2009, left vacant following the death of Local government and Housing minister Ben Tetamashimba.

The ruling MMD is fielding Albert Chifita, while UPND/PF pact are fielding Laston Lumba, Forum for Democratic Alternative are fielding Muhammed Kalela.

ZANIS

Government says it is in a process of launching and implementing the code of ethics for public service workers aimed at improving their service delivery to the public.

Secretary to the cabinet, Joshua Kanganja, says the code of ethics will create a public service that will enhence values and provide guidelines on the standards of accountable behavior required for public service employees.

Speaking when he officially launched the Payroll Management and Establishment Control (PMEC) Luapula Office in Mansa today, Dr Kanganja said there is need for public service workers to be responsible and accountable to the public in the way they execute their duties.

Dr Kanganja noted that this is because civil servants have an important role to play in the development process of the country through quality service delivery.

He added that with total commitment, public service employees could assist government in achieving the set targets of developmental goals such as the Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP) and the Vision 2030.

He explained that the realization of the set developmental goals will require efficient and effective public service participation, hence the need for workers to be proactive.

“You should be aware that the vision for our country to become a middle class income status by the year 2030 demands purposeful, efficient and effective action on the part of the public service”, he Said.

Dr Kanganja further pointed out that there is also need for workers to adopt a positive mind set and apply themselves to the different tasks that they are expected to do in a transparent and accountable manner.

“As public workers there is need for a major paradigm shift in the manner you conduct yourselves, as employees, institutions engage in culture of excellence, accountability and transparency in your service delivery”, he added.

Meanwhile, Dr Kanganja said it is for this reason that government will also use the PMEC system to establish a sustainable process and systems that will ensure effective monitoring of the government employment act.

He further expressed optimism that the establishment of the PMEC office in the province will go a long way in the enhancement of accountability and ownership in the execution and administration of the payroll system in the area.

Earlier, Public Service Management Division (PSMD) Permanent Secretary, George Kawatu, said the establishment of the PMEC payroll system in all provincial centers will help government reduce costs of sending financial officers to Lusaka to retire their input.

Mr Kawatu also disclosed that this is because about 140,000 government workers are on the PMEC database, adding that the system will assist in addressing some of the challenges that government faced in the establishment of an effective payroll management.

“The opening of provincial centers without external consultants means that the money is saved and is being redirected to other needy areas in the country, “he said.

And Luapula Province Permanent Secretary, Jazzman Chikwakwa, thanked government for opening PMEC offices in the province, adding that the move will contribute positively to the development of the area through an improved payroll management system.

ZANIS

President Rupia Banda says he is sadned to note that after 50 years of existence, Mindolo Ecumenical Foundation (MEF) still depends on donors and other corporating partners for support.

And Mindolo Ecumincal Foundation has disclosed that it owes the Kitwe City Council over K430 million in land rates.

President Banda said organisations like MEF required massive injection of funds for programmes, infrastructural development and maintaince in order to depend less on donors.

He said there was urgent need for management at Mindolo Ecumenical Foundation in Kitwe to move with the times and embrace the changes that are happening politcally, socially and economically if the institution was to remain viable.

The President said this in Kitwe today in a speech read on his behalf by Education Ministrer, Dora Siliya, at the joint 51st Pan African graduation ceremony and golden jubilee celebrations.

He added that while it was good for the institution to look back at the past accomplishment, MEF could not afford to remain stuck in history and fail to utilise the historical achievements for the betterment of the future.

He said government was in a hurry to develop the country and would continue creating an enabling environment for players in the tertially education sector like MEF to smoothly implement there programmes.

Mr Banda said Mindolo, in the spirit of ecumenicalism, should bring together various stakeholders to a table and determine the future for this country, including addressing the challenges of poverty and underdevelopment through its programmes.

He added that government was proud to be associated with MEF because the organisation has made significant contribution to the development of Africa for the last 50 by managing to bring together people of difference races, nationalities and religions through the courses it offers.

The President further said the currently 50 per cent of the Zambian population were women and that the programme of gender and good governance being implemented by the institution was critical to national development.

He observed that there was need for MEF not to confine such programmes but to spread them to the entire country, especially rural areas.

The President urged the the graduants to take the first step in developing Africa using the necessary skills acquired from MEF.

He added that they were the greatest human resource that Africa had produced and that no one would develop Africa except for them.

And MEF Board Chairperson, Reverand Susanna Matale, said the organisation, which had trained several African leaders, was going through enormous administrative and operational problems.

Rev Matale said the institution was chocked by land rates of over K430 million that were being asked for by the Kitwe City Council.

She said the institution had failed to clear this bill, a situation which had forced the local authority to grab property from the institution.

She appealed to the President to squash the current debt and abolish all land rates being imposed on the MEF by the council.

Rev Matale also called on church leaders to slow down on divisions and concentrate on issues that would build the nation.

He urged management at MEF to soldier on to ensure that the institution pulled through its problems.

Earlier MEF Director, Rev Peter Daka, said the student intake at the institution had dropped from the previous 150 to 31 due to a decline in donor support.

Rev Daka appealed to government to give the institution necessary support by sending civil servants to undertake refresher courses at the institution.

ZANIS

Expelled United Party for National Development (UPND) Namwala Member of Parliament Robbie Chizyuka says he does not recognise his expulsion from his party for alleged gross indiscipline.

Major Chizyuka said in a statement to ZANIS last evening that the action by UPND national executive committee to expel him is in defiance of the court injunction in the Lusaka High court.

” Mr Hakainde Hichilema is aware that on 21st November, 2009 Lusaka high court judge Musonda will hear my application for an
injunction to restrain the UPND and Mr. Hichilema from suspending me, ” said Major Chizyuka.

He explained that Mr Hichilema’s defiant action against the injunction, it was time Zambians looked closely and wisely into the
mirror image of Mr. Hichilema whom he labeled as a ” new dictator.”[quote]

With reference to UPND’s allegation that he failed to exculpate himself, within the seven days period, Major Chizyuka said to-date he has not received the suspension letter which stipulated the charges requiring his response.

The embattled MP urged UPND to be honest to the public to show when he received that the expulsion letter, who gave him the letter and where he signed for receipt.

He said as far he was concerned, he was just learning it in the media on Sunday 4th October, 2009.

” I was in my constituency attending the Shimunenga ceremony when this entire saga was unfolding as news.
Upon reading my suspension in the Post Newspaper, and realizing that I was not given a hearing let alone a warning on the alleged misconduct, I realized that the party was up to some hidden, malicious and already predetermined actions against me,” he said.

Furthermore, Major Chizyuka has challenged the expulsion saying he cannot exculpate himself before the injunction is cleared in court.

ZANIS