Vice President George Kunda is expected in Solwezi today for last campaigns to drum up support for the Movement For Multiparty Democracy (MMD) candidate Albert Chifita for the November 19 Solwezi Central Constituency by-election.

The Vice President is tomorrow expected to hold rallies and tour five markets in Solwezi.

The five markets that are expected to be toured by Mr. Kunda are Kyawama, Zambia, Main, Mitec and Messenger markets and he is also expected to hold a big rally at Mushitala School grounds in the afternoon.

Mr. Kunda is expected to hold two more last rallies on Wednesday at Kayebela and Kyawama School grounds before voting starts.

The Solwezi central constituency seat fell vacant after the death of Local Government and Housing Minister Ben Tetamashimaba.

Meanwhile, MMD National Coordinator for Youths and Students Tobias Kafumukache has called upon youths to desist from criminal activities during political rallies.

Mr Kafumukache said the MMD is a peaceful party and most fights are amplified by the opposition who are always causing havoc at political rallies sighting the recent fights in Solwezi.

He also castigated the post newspaper for irresponsible journalism saying they are causing strife among people.

Mr. Kafumukache said since 1996 the post has been attacking the MMD through their editorial comments and negative reporting unfairly.

He observed that the opposition party members have drugged the whole Copperbelt into Solwezi for the purpose of fighting the innocent ones.

Mr. Kafumukache said this country needs development and people should drive their energy into communities.

He said the opposition should stop violent attacks adding that negative reports will not take the country any where.

Mr. Kafumukache noted with sadness that the headlines in the post are not pleasant but well calculated in an effort to proke the situation.

ZANIS

ZANIS

Government has condemned attacks on the judiciary by opposition political parties concerning former president Fredrick Chiluba’s acquittal.

This follows media reports that President Rupiah Banda’s conscience is troubling him over Chiluba’s dubious acquittal.

Chief Government Spokesperson Lt General Ronnie Shikapwasha in a press release made available to ZANIS this evening said that political leaders should respect the office of the Chief Justice, for the betterment and equitable dispensation of justice in the country.

Lt Gen Shikapwasha who is also Information and Broadcasting Minister said the office of the Chief Justice is a sacred institution in the land, which Mr Sata and Mr. Hakainde should not cheapen to gain political mileage.

He said the media report paints the picture that President Banda did actually acquit former President Chiluba, when in fact it was the courts of law that acquitted the former president.

Lt Gen Shikapwasha said there was no evidence that President Banda had a hand in the acquittal of Dr Chiluba adding that the President cannot, therefore, be under any pressure nor have a troubled conscience, as is being falsely touted by Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata.

He has since appealed to the people of Zambia to desist from making statements that suggest that the judiciary in Zambia is under manipulation and added that the same people making these statements will need the same courts to protect them.

Lt Gen Shikapwasha emphasised that government also finds no collusion whatsoever between President Banda and the judiciary in the dispensation of justice in the country.

Meanwhile, commenting on reports that Mr Sata addressed the police in Solwezi, Lt Gen Shikapwasha said the reports are only meant to intimidate and control the police saying no political authority can address the police.

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the charges of circulating obscene materials.

The Post editor in July this year, sent graphic images of a woman giving birth without medical assistance outside the University Teaching Hospital, to various prominent people in Zambia, including the vice president. During a press conference President Banda condemned the circulation of the pictures and ordered her arrest.

Kabwela argued that she sent the pictures because she wanted to highlight the effect the strike had on the health care system. The baby shown in the photos died.

If found guilty Chansa would have faced a possible five-year jail.

Magistrate Charles Kafunda today said prosecutors had failed to prove its case against the Post editor.

“The prosecution failed to establish an element of a prima facie case and I therefore dismiss the case and subsequently acquit the accused. The state has however the right to appeal,” Kafunda told a packed courtroom.

Kabwela, dressed in a black suit and accompanied by her husband Henry, smiled as Kafunda read out the verdict.

She later told reporters outside the court that her acquittal was a victory for everyone affected by the doctors’ strike, which lasted two weeks in June.

The world summit on food security officially opened in Rome, Italy, on Monday with a call for decisive action for the total eradication of hunger in the world.

President Rupiah Banda is among world leaders attending the meeting being held at the Food and Agricultural Organisation -FAO- headquarters in Rome.

President Banda is accompanied by First Lady Thandiwe, Agriculture minister Dr Brian Chituwo and other senior government officials.

The President who arrived in Rome on Sunday is among heads of state and government scheduled to address the summit.

On Sunday, President Banda participated in a pre-summit consultative meeting on rural development.

The meeting was also attended by Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, and Brazilian leader Lula de Silva.
[ZNBC]

VICE-PRESIDENT George Kunda has accused United Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema of auctioning his party to the Patriotic Front (PF).

Mr Kunda said Mr Hichilema has made a political mistake to join forces with PF president Michael Sata, whom he described as unpredictable and untrustworthy.

He said soon after arriving in Monze yesterday that Mr Hichilema has managed to divide the UPND because his ambitions of becoming the country’s President have melted into the pact with the PF.

“The UPND has cracked in Southern Province with Mr Hichilema’s desire to offload his party to the Patriotic Front. My brother Mr Hichilema has made a political fatal mistake for auctioning his party to the PF. Mr Sata will dump Mr Hichilema as soon as he achieves his ambitions,” Mr Kunda said.

He said some UPND members of Parliament have been conferring with the MMD on the future of their party and urged them to join the ruling party.

Mr Kunda said it is shameful for Mr Hichilema to enter into a pact with Mr Sata without the blessings of the majority of his party members.

He said Government is currently implementing a lot of development programmes in Southern Province and that those MPs who are genuine in the province have been commending Government.

Mr Kunda said while the UPND MPs are looking for development in the province, Mr Hichilema has been busy campaigning for Mr Sata in North-Western Province.

He said it is sad that Mr Hichilema, who is an economist, failed to read the motive of Mr Sata’s manoeuvres to use him for his political mileage.

Mr Kunda said he is in Southern Province to physically interact with the grassroots because that is where the voters are.

He said he would ensure that the people of Southern Province are sensitised about the evils of the pact between Mr Sata and Mr Hichilema.

He said most of the people who formed the UPND were from the MMD and it is only proper that they return to the ruling party.

Meanwhile, Mr Kunda has also cautioned the people in flood prone areas in Southern Province to be ready to move as the rainy season has started.

He said Government has distributed the farming inputs for the 2009/2010 farming season in good time.

And Mr Kunda has castigated some media houses for allegedly promoting anarchy by their failure to observe professional ethics.

He said while Government is pleading with the media to come up with a private members bill in Parliament for self regulation, it is important that media houses and professionals know that Government will table its own bill if they failed to do so.

And Mr Kunda said Government is not eager to regulate the media but that some named media houses have been propagating insults and anarchy in the country.

“Government is promoting community radio stations because they are supposed to propagate development in communities in which they operate. Some private newspapers that have been promoting anarchy are insulting Government and President Banda all the time.

This we believe is being unprofessional and Government would want to regulate things like training and the observance of ethics,” Mr Kunda said.
He said during a live programme on Sky FM Radio in Monze.

He said Government has a lot of statutory instruments which it can use to impose sanctions on media houses that are allegedly promoting anarchy.