Two civil society organizations have maintained that chiefs should not be actively involved in politics for the sake of national unity.

The Southern African Centre for Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) and the Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) says chiefs preside over a huge population of people in the country hence the need for them to remain neutral politically.

Reacting to Senior Chief Mukuni of the Toka-Leya people of Southern Province’s call for the National Constitution Conference (NCC) to create a mechanism that would allow at least 10 chiefs to be appointed to parliament without undergoing an election, SACCORD Information Officer Michelo Mwango said the idea was not welcome.

Ms Mwango told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that chiefs ought to remain in the advisory role to politicians and desist from having political ambitions.

She said chiefs’ participation in politics would compromise their stand on many issues taking place in the country.

She said chiefs should maintain their status quo and desist from engaging in politics and ensure they remain outside the political bracket.

Ms Mwango said there are various other avenues chiefs can use in order to effectively participate in national development without becoming parliamentarians.

And FODEP Information Officer MacDonald Chipenzi told ZANIS in an interview that chiefs should not engage in politics because they preside over a huge number of people in the country.

Mr Chipenzi said there are various platforms available for chiefs to articulate and air their views on issues in the country other than actively engaging themselves in politics.

He said chiefs have a duty to remain neutral in political matters and that the appointment of chiefs to parliament would mean that they become partisan as they may at times be asked to take a vote on some controversial matter.

He urged the chiefs to use the existing structures available to effectively represent the people instead of insisting on been political.

Mr Chipenzi said the code of ethics categorically state that chiefs should be non partisan and remain neutral so that they do not influence their people’s choice of a leader.

The FODEP Information Officer further warned that chiefs risk losing their respect and dignity by getting into politics as the politics currently prevailing in the nation were those of insults.

ZANIS

GOVERNMENT has challenged civil society organisations, which yesterday resolved to honk against the acquittal of former president Fredrick Chiluba every Friday, to come out in the open and form a political party.

Chief Government Spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha said the civil society organisations, which also demanded the resignation of Vice-President George Kunda and Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Chalwe Mchenga had lost direction.

And Dr Chiluba said the objectives of the organisations were to use his name in an attempt to bring down a legitimate government.

Yesterday 17 civil society organisations urged citizens to honk and wear black clothes every Friday to express their displeasure over the Government’s position not to appeal against the acquittal of Dr Chiluba.

Speaking during a Press briefing in Lusaka yesterday, spokesperson for the 17 civil society organisations and Caritas Zambia executive director Sam Mulafulafu said the organisations were further calling for the resignation of Mr Kunda and Mr Mchenga claiming they had failed the nation.

But Lieutenant General Shikapwasha said the civil society should instead form a political party so that they could squarely be met in the political arena.

He said by honking and holding campaigns, they were in a way agitating for anarchy in the nation and that the Government would not allow such.

“It is sad that even respected NGOs have lost direction and have joined in this dirty campaign over Dr Chiluba . The best they should do is form a political party so that we can meet in a political arena,” Gen Shikapwasha said.

He said if the civil society grouping had an issue against Dr Chiluba, they should seek legal redress than resorting to demonstrations and anarchy.

Gen Shikapwasha however warned that the Government would not sit idle and watch the civil society disturb the country’s peace.

In an interview, Dr Chiluba’s spokesperson Emmanuel Mwamba, said the Government should be wary of the NGOs, which were using Dr Chiluba’s name to fight President Banda’s Government.

Dr Chiluba said as far as he was concerned, the acquittal meant that he was cleared of all criminal cases and that his immunity would be automatically restored.

“We are aware that this plot by the NGOs is a disguise of a plot against President Banda’s Government and are just using Dr Chiluba’s case to achieve their hidden agenda,” Mr Mwamba said.

Mr Mwamba said following the acquittal, the immunity was automatically restored and those with issues against the former president should seek parliamentary intervention to lift Dr Chiluba’s immunity.

Currently, he said, there was no criminal case against Dr Chiluba as the case in London was a civil matter.

“It’s saddening that the NGOs which are supposed to be protecting human rights are in the forefront abusing the laws,” Mr Mwamba said.

Among the civil society groups were the Transparency International Zambia (TIZ), Non Governmental Organisations Coordinating Council (NGOCC), Women for Change (WfC), Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP), Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR), Young Leaders Integrity Alliance (YLIA), Zambia Council for Social Development (ZCSD), Citizens Forum (CF), Zambia Civic Education Association (ZCEA), and Anti-Voter Apathy Project (AVAP).

“We call upon all Zambians who love this country and are worried about corruption to wear black and honk or whistle every Friday at 17:00 hours for 10 minutes. We call upon all ministers and senior Government officials who hate corruption to join in this campaign,” Mr Mulafulafu said.

[Times of Zambia]

The United Nations says Zambia has recorded an increase in the number of people accessing Antiretroviral treatment from 53 percent in 2007 to 67 percent in 2008.

The UN further says the country has also recorded an increase in the number of people going for Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) from 1 percent in 2007 to 23 percent last year.

The UN goes on to say that the rate of Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission has increased from 39 percent in 2007 to 53 percent last year.

This is according to a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today by the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF),and the joint UN programmes on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

The UN said more than four million people in low and medium income countries were receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) by December last year, representing 36 percent increase.

The UN said the sub Saharan Africa has recorded progress in the number of people accessing the ARVs due to the drop in the prices of the drugs in recent years.

Meanwhile, the UN has said five million more people living with HIV still don’t have access to treatment and care, despite the increase in the number of VCT centres.

The UN further urged governments and cooperating partners to strengthen their efforts for all the infected in the world to access treatment.
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The UN said the rate of women and children accessing ARVs last year improved, with approximately 45 percent of HIV/AIDS positive pregnant women receiving the drugs.

The UN further said 21 percent of pregnant women in low and middle income countries had HIV test last year, as compared to 15 percent in 2007.

The UN additionally said more children are now benefiting from pediatric antiretroviral therapy programmes, adding that the number of under 15 children receiving ART also rose from 198,000 in 2007 to 275,000 in 2008.

The release said AIDS has continued to be the leading cause of mortality among women of reproductive age.

The release added that the majority of people living with HIV/AIDS are still unaware of their status due to fear of discrimination, adding that this has resulted in higher risks of HIV infection.

ZANIS

The Centre for Election and Governance (CEG) has charged that former defence Minster, George Mpombo has resorted to outbursts and use of bad language against the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) because he is trying to run way from collective responsibility which he is part of.

CEG Trustee Gershom Musonda said in a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today that Mr Mpombo’s attacks on the MMD amounts to failed politics of appeasement and an attempt to run way from responsibilities.

He said Mr Mpombo who was third in command from the President did nothing to improve the country’s democratic governance record despite him having such a huge influence on cabinet policies and decisions.

Mr Musonda said as the then defence Minister Mr. Mpombo contributed to most of government’s decisions made during his time.

He alleged that he also failed to improve the welfare of men in uniform adding that he left them with no accommodation and other basic allowances.

Mr. Musonda wondered how Mr. Mpombo now expects to have a change of scene in life and help society address local problems after retiring from a public position.

He urged him to step down and pave way for the young generation to get into government and the country to move forward and attain its vision of being a middle income nation by 2030.

Mr Musonda has meanwhile disagreed with the assumption that President Banda should fit into the legacy of the late President Levy Mwanawasa saying every person is unique and different from others.

He said it is therefore important for President Banda to be given support and be left to be independent with his leadership style.
ZANIS

Chief government spokesperson, Ronnie Shikapwasha, has accused some media institutions of trying to disturb relations between the government and diplomats accredited to Zambia.

Lieutenant general Shikapwasha says investigations have revealed that its not true that some diplomats have stated that they are not happy with the Zambian government, as reported by some media houses.

He says government had a meeting recently with the diplomats accredited to Zambia during which those mentioned as having issued media statements attacking government denied having done so.

General Shikapwasha who is also Information Minister, was speaking in an interview with ZNBC news in Lusaka on Tuesday.

He however appealed to diplomats in Zambia to adhere to rules.

Meanwhile, General Shikapwasha has  said government will not extend the six month period for media bodies to come up with self regulation mechanism.

He said once the six month period elapses, government will introduce a media bill in parliament.

General Shikapwasha said the six months period was agreed upon by media bodies themselves.

He denied that government gave the six months period as an ultimatum.

And the Media bodies have maintained that they will not subscribe to the deadline given to them by government to come up with self regulation guidelines.

MISA Zambia says media bodies are still consulting widely over the matter.[quote]

MISA Chairperson, Henry Kabwe, says progress has so far been made in the on going consultations.

Mr. Kabwe says giving the media a deadline to formulate self regulation guidelines is against democratic principles.

And Press Association of Zambia -Vice Chairman, Amos Chanda, says the media will not work under threat.

He says already serious efforts are underway to find a way of putting in place self regulation guidelines.

Last Friday Parliamentary Chief Whip, Vernon Mwaanga, advised the media to adhere to the six months deadline given to them in which to come up with a set of regulations to guide the profession.

Mr. Mwaanga said if the media did not come up with self regulation mechanisms, parliament will support a bill which will be brought by government to regulate the press.

[ ZNBC]