FORMER Minister of Defence, George Mpombo has denied allegations by Government that he has been holding dark-corner meetings with some diplomats.

Mr Mpombo said the allegations have no basis to show his involvement.

He said in an interview yesterday that remarks by Government Spokesperson Lieutenant-General Shikapwasha are aimed at destroying his character.
“I will not be shaken because at no time have I held such disgraceful meetings,” Mr Mpombo said.

He challenged Gen Shikapwasha to produce evidence to show that he has been holding dark-corner meetings.
Mr Mpombo said he is a patriotic Zambian and that he has the interest of the nation at heart.

“I was prompted to comment on the issue of the donor community because I saw that it was getting out of hand and that a solution was needed,” he said.

Mr Mpombo urged Government to bring back the foreign policy that will only give leeway to the Minister of Foreign Affairs to comment on issues that border on foreign policy.

“As it is now, any Government minister has the privilege to issue statements regarding foreign policy issues,” Mr Mpombo said.

On Tuesday, Government accused Mr Mpombo of being one of those allegedly holding secret meetings with some diplomats with a view to bring down Government.

Gen Shikapwasha said the State is aware that Mr Mpombo is being used to destabilise Government.

He said Government is aware that Mr Mpombo is being used to destabilise Government.

“As Government, we are fully equipped with information regarding Mr Mpombo as being one of our former senior Government officials holding dark-corner meetings so that people can rise against the MMD Government,” Gen Shikapwasha said.

Gen Shikapwasha said Mr Mpombo has no interest of the nation at heart but is out to promote his own agenda.
He advised Mr Mpombo to stop issuing comments on issues of diplomacy because he understands little or nothing about the subject.

“Mr Mpombo has never worked in a foreign mission for him to issue statements that Government must be careful with donors,” Gen Shikapwasha said.

He said Government is only safeguarding the interest of all citizens and not to be in conflict with donors.

Gen Shikapwasha said Government is going to abide by the Geneva Convention by resolving contentious issues with diplomats accredited to Zambia amicably.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

THE consortium of 18 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) has temporarily suspended honking, but will instead seek legitimate ways of protesting the acquittal of former President Chiluba.

And the Zambia Police Service has welcomed the move and warned that anybody who will honk on Friday risks being arrested.

Spokesperson of the consortium Sam Mulafulafu said the decision was made after the NGOs met with the Zambia Police Service command.

This is contained in a press statement issued in Lusaka yesterday.

“We shall temporarily suspend honking for this Friday. However, we encourage the general public to continue whistling, drumming and blowing horns/vuvuzelas to show their support to this noble cause. In addition, we appeal to Zambians to continue wearing black attire on Friday and actively participate in all advocacy activities in their respective areas,” the statement reads in part.

Police have assured the NGOs that their rights to demonstrate will not be interfered with.

The NGOs have vowed to continue to agitate for the appeal process against the acquittal of Dr Chiluba.
“We remain resolved to use all legal means possible to send our message across,” the statement reads.

The Zambia Police Service invited the consortium of 18 civil society organisations for a meeting on Tuesday to discuss public security concerns.

The Police Command said honking is illegal according to section 153, sub-section 1, 2 and 5 as well as section 223, sub-section 1 and 2 of the Road Traffic Act.

The NGOs have agreed with the Zambia Police Command that the former implements the law on public order in a fair and impartial manner.

And Police Service spokesperson Bonny Kapeso said the Zambia Police Service is grateful that the civil society organisations are receptive and has agreed to dialogue in the interest of peace.

He said the meeting with the NGOs resolved that police will support any lawful option that the civil society organisations will take, as long as it does not border on breaking the law.

Mr Kapeso also said police will allow the NGOs to hold peaceful demonstrations as long as notice is given and that this will also depend on the security situation.

“If anyone dares honking on Friday, we are going to arrest them and take them to court because we have done our part to reason with the civil society organisations,” he said.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

THE MMD has challenged former Finance minister N’gandu Magande and others insisting on the national convention to fund the meeting as the party has failed to raise the required amount of money.

Acting spokesperson Mike Mulongoti said the party was disappointed that those calling for the convention had not shown any willingness to give financial contribution despite championing the calls.

Mr Mulongoti said in an interview yesterday that the MMD national executive committee (NEC) was not against holding the convention but had no money to host the event.

“We have challenged those championing the holding of the convention to come up with resources but none of those who are making such calls including Mr Magande has shown interest in contributing financially,” he said.[quote]

He said a wrong impression had been created that the NEC did not want to hold the national convention because it did not want the president of the party and other members to be challenged.

He challenged those who have been speaking the loudest to fund the convention if they wanted it to be held.

Mr Mulongoti said those calling for the convention and claiming to have the interests of the party at heart should be willing to fund the meeting.

Recently, President Rupiah Banda said the MMD should be left to debate whether the convention should be deferred until after 2011 elections because that was part of the internal democracy.

Mr Banda said he had not feared to be challenged by any person contrary to insinuations by some people.

He said most of the opposition parties had never held a single convention but nobody was talking about them.

The NEC has since endorsed President Banda as the sole party candidate for the 2011 general elections and members from the provinces did not see any need to go for a convention.

And former Defence minister George Mpombo has said he would not stop demanding that the MMD holds the convention and there is no need to ask individual parties members to fund the national convention because the MMD had the means to do so.

Mr Mpombo said in an interview the argument that the funds were not available could not hold saying in the last presidential elections, the MMD was able to source funds from well-wishers at home and abroad.

He said he would continue agitating for a convention because that was the only way the MMD would prove to be democratic.

Mr Mpombo also denied insinuations that he was one of the prominent citizens working with some diplomats with a view of bringing down the Government.

[Times of Zambia]

Former Patriotic Front Secretary General Edward Mumbi says he was forced to resign from the opposition because of the dishonest manner in which the PF leader Michael Sata was managing the affairs of the party.

Speaking at a campaign rally at Musenga Township in Kasama to drum up support for the MMD candidate yesterday, Mr Mumbi said when they formed the PF they had agreed that the party would stand for the truth and fairness.

He however said he was disappointed to note that the party started drifting from its tenets because of the bad leadership of Mr Sata.

Mr Mumbi said he was ready to face Mr Sata on Radio Mano so that the two could explain to the public the reasons that led to his resignation from the PF.

He said PF received a lot of financial support for mobilization during the last Presidential By elections which has not been accounted for by Mr Sata.

Mr Mumbi revealed that the PF in Northern Province was supposed to receive over K700m during the 2008 elections but these funds never reached the province resulting in some of the party’s polling agents not being paid.

He charged that Mr Sata’s style of leadership has led to a lot of people to resign from the party.

Mr Mumbi has since appealed to PF members to examine their conscious and see why they should continue being in a party whose leader is dishonest and practiced politics of insults.

ZANIS

GOVERNMENT has accused former Minister of Defence George Mpombo of being one of those allegedly holding secret meetings with some diplomats with a view to bringing down Government.

Government spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha said in an interview yesterday that the State is aware that Mr Mpombo is being used to destabilise Government.

“As Government, we are fully equipped with information regarding Mr Mpombo as being one of our former senior Government officials holding dark corner meetings so that people can rise against the MMD government,” Lieutenant-General Shikapwasha said.

Gen Shikapwasha, who is Minister of Information and Broadcasting, said Mr Mpombo has no interest of the nation at heart, but is out to promote his own agenda.[quote]

He advised Mr Mpombo to stop issuing comments on issues of diplomacy because he understands little or nothing about the subject.

“Mr Mpombo has never worked in a foreign mission for him to issue statements that Government must be careful with donors,” Gen Shikapwasha said.

He said Government is only safeguarding the interest of all citizens, and not to be in conflict with donors.

Gen Shikapwasha said Government is going to abide by the Geneva Convention by resolving contentious issues with diplomats accredited to Zambia amicably.

He said Government appreciates the role donors play in the economic development of the country.

“For many years now, Zambia has continued to enjoy a cordial relationship with the donor community, and it is our intention to continue with such relationships.

“It is dangerous for anyone to comment on issues which one has no knowledge of like Mr Mpombo is doing,” Gen Shikapwasha said.

Last Friday, Minister of Home Affairs Lameck Mangani said Government had uncovered a scam in which some diplomats have been holding secret meetings with some former Government officials with a view to bringing down Government.

Gen Shikapwasha said on Sunday that Government is making consultations through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ascertain if the actions of some diplomats accredited to Zambia have the blessings of their respective countries.

He said the diplomats may be recalled after consultations are concluded.

Gen Shikapwasha was reacting to a Copperbelt-based organisation’s call on Government to report some diplomats to their countries for possible disciplinary action if they continue holding alleged dark corner meetings with some former senior Government officials aimed at discrediting President Banda’s administration.

“Government wants to know if what the diplomats are doing has the blessings of their respective countries. As soon as the consultations are concluded, Zambians will see some of the diplomats going back to their countries. The consultations are a continuous process,” Lt-Gen Shikapwasha said.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

WESTERN Province MMD chairperson, Simasiku Namakando has said he does not recognise the decision by MMD national secretary Katele Kalumba to dissolve the provincial committee.

But Dr Kalumba said yesterday that his decision was final and he would not respond to Mr Namakando.

Mr Namakando said in an interview yesterday that he was still Western Province chairperson and that his entire committee was intact.

He alleged that Dr Kalumba as national secretary had no powers to dissolve a committee except recommending to the National Executive Committee (NEC) if the provincial committee breached the party constitution.

The MMD had laws that should be followed when dissolving a committee and Dr Kalumba did not follow the party constitution because he had no powers to dissolve a provincial committee.

He wondered why his committee was dissolved because it only demanded for a convention while other provincial committees had said it should be postponed and had not been dissolved.

On Monday, Dr Kalumba said he had dissolved the Western Province executive committee and the Serenje Central Constituency committee in order to streamline discipline, organisation and mobilisation interests of the party.

Meanwhile, MMD youths in Livingstone have reaffirmed their support if the NEC’s decision to have the party national convention postponed to allow President Banda contest the 2011 general elections.

The youths have, therefore, dismissed assertions by district youth publicity secretary, Paul Sensele which were in support of the national convention as reported in The Post yesterday.

Livingstone MMD youth chairperson, Fennix Liandisha said in a statement yesterday that Mr Sensele’s remarks were personal and did not reflect the views of the youth leadership of the party in the district.

“The statement made by Mr Sensele is his own and has no blessings from the youth wing,” Mr Liandisha said.

The youth wing was in full support of the NEC’s decision to postpone the national convention and rallied behind Southern province party leadership under chairperson Solomon Muzyamba.

“We are in full support of the endorsement of our Republican president as our sole candidate for 2011 tripartite elections,” he said.

Mr Sensele was yesterday quoted in The Post as saying the MMD youths in Livingstone did not support the endorsement of Mr Banda as the sole candidate for 2011 and insisted that a convention should be held where a presidential candidate should be picked for the MMD ahead of the 2011 polls.

[Times of Zambia]

Police in Kasama have arrested a former Jubilee Zambia-Kasama Chapter Facilitator, Joseph Kachiliko, for allegedly pulling down MMD campaign posters ahead of Kasama Central by-election set for October 15, 2009.

And three people, suspected to be Patriotic Front cadres, have also been apprehended for masquerading as teachers when they featured on a live programme on Radio Mano yesterday to discuss the World Teachers’ Day.

Police sources revealed the developments to Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in Kasama this morning.

The police said Mr Kachilliko was picked up on Sunday after he was found removing MMD campaign posters from an unfinished building belonging to the Catholic Church in the town centre.

They explained that Mr Kachiliko used a ladder from his home to remove campaign posters while leaving those for PF intact.

The police sources said the suspect was detained at Kasama Central police station before being released on police bond yesterday.

Mr Kachiliko, who has been charged with pulling down campaign posters contrary to the Electoral code of conduct, is expected to appear in court soon.

And the three suspected PF cadres have been detained at Kasama Central police station for impersonation.

The trio, who claimed to be teachers, denounced the government during a live sponsored programme on Radio Mano where they talked about the commemoration of the World Teachers’ Day which fell yesterday.

However, some alert teachers reported the matter to the police and the suspects were later apprehended at the community radio station.

Meanwhile, police in Kasama have launched investigations in the mater to establish the people who sponsored the suspects to impersonate as teachers.

In a related development, the Kasama District Conflict Management Committee has asked the Patriotic Front (PF) to release the foodstuffs that they had confiscated from the MMD on suspicion that food was being distributed to would-be voters in Kasama Central Constituency.

This was after the PF officials failed to produce the exhibits during a District Conflict Management Committee meeting held yesterday to discuss a complaint by MMD that the PF cadres had stolen foodstuffs from the ruling party’s campaign sites.

The Conflict Management Committee has since given the PF up to Wednesday this week to produce the confiscated items or risked the matter being taken up by the police for further action.

ZANIS

Health Minister Kapembwa Simbao says government is committed to improving the health of the people in the country.

Mr. Simbao says this can be achieved through partnerships not only with the private sector but community organizations as well.

This was in a speech read by Dr. Victor Mukonka Director of Technical Services at MOH on behalf of the Minister when the European Union (EU) donated 100 bicycle ambulances and 300 community health information cards worth K430 million to Ministry of Health in Lusaka today.

The minister is always appreciative of the support the EU continues to render to his ministry is through various programmes such as sensitizing individuals and communities to create demand for information on malaria prevention and treatment.

Mr. Simbao said government has put in place a number of activities in order to address the disease burden faced by the communities.

He also expressed happiness that the 2008 health management information system shows a 30 percent national decline in malarial incidence.

The donation is aimed at assisting the vulnerable in accessing quality health services

And speaking at the same function the European Union says it will continue funding the ministry of health and has appealed to donors who have pulled out to rescind their decision.

However, Head of E.U delegation, Derek Fee, says Zambia needs to improve its fraud departments to ensure donor funds are not abused.

He has also appealed to donors who are withholding funds to instead institute measures to safeguard their financial support.

Dr. Fee says the EU anti-fraud Office and the Global fund have offered technical assistance to the investigative organs of the government to prevent abuse of public funds.

He however says he respects the decision by some countries to withhold aid because the action is aimed at protecting funds provided by their tax payers.

ZANIS