Vice President George Kunda says the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy) MMD is confident of retaining the Solwezi central constituency parliamentary seat in today’s by-election.

Mr Kunda said the MMD has done its best and accomplished its mission of convincing the electorates in Solwezi central constituency to vote for Albert Chifita as he is the only credible candidate who has a heart to save them.

The Vice President was speaking during his rally at Kimiteto basic school to drum up support for MMD candidate Albert Chifita in tomorrow’s Solwezi central by election in Solwezi yesterday.

Mr Kunda advised all political parties to adhere to the rules of finishing their campaigns today at 18 hours and ensure that the elections are held in a free and fair environment.

He therefore thanked all MMD political party officials for making the campaigns for the Solwezi central constituency parliamentary by-election a success and urged them to continue with the same spirit t of strengthening the party.

And Mr.Chifita appealed to the electorates to vote for him because he was the only credible candidate they have lived with when he was District Commissioner who knows their problems.

He pleaded to the electorates to forgive him today if he had wronged anyone during his execution of duty when he was District Commissioner.

The Solwezi Central seat was left vacant after the death of area MP Ben Tetamashimba, who was also Local Government minister.

Mr. Watson Lumba is standing on the UPND/Pf pact ticket, FDA has Muhammad Kalela and Thomas Kafula is standing on an independent ticket.

ZANIS

Home Affairs Minster Lameck Mangani has called for strengthened laws to deal with pornography and piracy in the country.

Mr. Mangani said there is need for punitive action against perpetrators of such acts as they have negative consequence to both the people and the government.

He said the Zambia Police Service has established the Intellectual Property Unity (IPU) to deal with these problems and has so far recorded lot of successes.

Mr. Mangani said this in parliament today in response to question from Chilubi Member of Parliament Obius Chisala Davis Mwila who wanted to know why government has not taken measures to control pornography and piracy in Lusaka, Ndola, and Kitwe.

He has however said the fighting pornography has remained a challenge due to its secrecy.

He said the IPU is working with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and has arrested a number of people piracy and for been found in possession of obscene material.

He said the simple sentence and fine for people found in possession of this is not adequate and people have taken advantage of this to continue dealing in these illegal activities.

Mr. Mangani said government is losing a lot of money through adding that it needs to be addressed so that it can also protect the musicians.

He further said government is meanwhile destroying all the materials that are confiscated in the operation so that they don not lands in bad hands.

ZANIS

Vice President George Kunda says the corrupt honeymoon is over as government is committed to the fight graft with full vigour.

Mr Kunda said honeymoon is over for corruption perpetrators as government will not relent in the fight until it is completely stamped out.

The Vice president was speaking at a rally to drum up support for MMD candidate Albert Chifita for tomorrow’s Solwezi Central by election, at Kandundu School in Solwezi this afternoon.

Mr Kunda said the country has continued to enjoy tremendous support from the donor community because of government’s commitment to the fight against corruption adding that recently the World Bank rated Zambia as one of the most improved country.

The Vice President said the opposition is jealous and bitter about the way government is fighting corruption and are therefore criticizing it.

Mr Kunda said corruption perception indexes are not scientifically ascertained but are rather based on people’s perception of government and service delivery adding that assertions are not a basis for measuring corruption in the country.

Meanwhile, the Vice president has urged the media to be professional and not listen to lies coming from politicians.

Mr Kunda said the media is a partner in development and is so far doing well although there are a few trouble makers.

He condemned journalists who are unprofessional as they are damaging the image of the profession.

Speaking earlier MMD deputy National secretary Jeff Kaande said it is wrong for opposition leaders to say the MMD government is doing nothing about fighting corruption.

Mr Kaande said the UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema is the most corrupt as he has failed to declare money due to government when he privatized companies.

Four candidates are contesting this Thursday’s Solwezi Central seat which was left vacant after the death of area MP Ben Tetamashimba.

MMD has Albert Chifita, Watson Lumba is standing on the UPND/Pf pact ticket, FDA has Muhammad Kalela and Thomas Kafula is standing on an independent ticket.

ZANIS

Government says the gutted Zambia National Building Society (ZNBS) building will be developed into a modern building once a partner is found.

Finance and National Planning, Minster Stumbeko Musokotwane, said government has instructed ZNBS to find a partner to construct and develop the building into modern shopping complex, offices, and car park.

Dr. Musokotwane said this in response to a question from Mazabuka Member of Parliament (MP) Garry Nkombo who wanted to know what plans government had for the building which was gutted by fire in 1997.

The minister said government has no funds to rehabilitate the building and has thus instructed ZNBS management to look for a partner who will help rejuvenate the building into modern one.

He was responding to Chipili MP, Davis Mwila question who wanted to know the total number of ZNBS assets as of December last year, and on whether the parastatal has plans to open branches countrywide.

Meanwhile, Finance Deputy Minister, Chileshe Kapwepwe said the Zambia National Building Society’s assets were worthy K171.3 billion as of December last year.

Ms. Kapwepwe said ZNBS will not open more branches around the country as it does not have money to carryout the exercise.

She further disclosed that the society has started renovating its buildings countrywide while rehabilitation works in some places have already been completed.

ZANIS

Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) spokesperson MacDonald Chipenzi says the Solwezi Central by-election, slated for November 19, will be marred by serious electoral malpractices.

Mr. Chipenzi attributed his prediction to the on going violence, food distribution and vote buying that has characterized the campaigns in the constituency ahead of the elections.

He said in an interview with ZANIS, today, that there cannot be any level playing field when political parties vying for the Solwezi Central seat were all engaged in serious electoral malpractices like violence and vote buying.

He said the Solwezi Central by-election will not be free nor fair as all parties contesting in the by-election have abrogated the electoral code of conduct through their involvement in violence and other electoral misconduct ahead of the by-election.

Mr Chipenzi said that there will be need to strengthen the electoral code of conduct before the 2011 presidential and parliamentary elections in order to punish political parties found wanting for abrogating the electoral code of conduct.

He said this would save the country from going through expensive appeals, saying the current indication would be that the losers in the Solwezi Central by-election would not want to concede defeat because of the alleged electoral malpractices.

The spokesperson noted that the Solwezi Central by-election should make politicians to start appreciating each other and desist from politics of character assassination.

He said the Solwezi Central by-election should offer a perfect example for political parties to go back to the drawing board and learn to promote peace, dialogue and co-existence before the nation goes to the polls in 2011.

Mr Chipenzi further urged eligible electorates in Solwezi Central constituency to turn up in their numbers and vote for their preferred candidate who could serve them better.

ZANIS

Vice President George Kunda has urged the electorate in

Solwezi central constituency to turn out in large numbers on Thursday and exercise their right to vote.

Mr Kunda has directed Solwezi Municipal Council to use the K6.5 billion paid by Kansanshi mine as land rates for improving service delivery in the district.

Mr Kunda said the council should work out a plan of how they are going to use the money for the benefit of the people in the district.

The Vice President was speaking when he addressed a rally at Mushitala Basic School to drum up support for MMD candidate Albert Chifita in Solwezi last evening.

Speaking at the same rally Education Minister Dora Siliya said K42 million from the Constituency development fund has been allocated to for the electrification of Mushitala basic school.

Ms Siliya said government is committed to ensuring that all children including girls get good education by constructing more classroom blocks.

She said government also realizes that education is a centre of all development adding that it is committed to ensure that all children including girls get good education by constructing more classroom blocks.

Ms Siliya urged the people of Solwezi to vote for the MMD candidate Albert Chifita in the November 19th by election.

Solwezi Central seat fell vacant following the death of area Member of Parliament Ben Tetamashimba and November 19th has been set as poll day.

UPND/PF pact has filled in Watson Lumba, Muhammad Kalela is standing on the FDA ticket while Thomas Kafula is standing as independent.

ZANIS

Kent Kamasumba, a 20-year-old from Zambia, is delighted to have been admitted to Seoul National University’s Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development in October, only seven months after he left his home to come to Korea. Kamasumba is the first student from Jirisan High School, a small country school of 53 pupils in Sancheong, South Gyeongsang Province, to enter Korea’s most prestigious university.[quote]

Jirisan High School admits bright students in poor and developing countries through recommendations from Korean missionaries and associations there. If these students perform well in their studies, the school pays for their tuition and living expenses throughout university up to doctoral studies on one condition — they must return to and work for their countries after completing their studies.

Kamasumba lost his father at a young age and had to rely on his relatives because his mother remarried and could not afford to look after him. “Often I had just one meal a day,” he recalls. In February this year, he graduated from a high school in Lusaka, the Zambian capital. A Korean missionary who had noticed Kamasumba’s qualities recommended him to Jirisan High School.

Park Hae-sung, the school’s principal, says, “We select students based on two criteria only — whether they have a strong desire to study, and whether they’re really from a poor family. We have produced 40 graduates, and all of them went to university.”

Kamasumba took classes in English for three foreign students and studied Korean in the school’s library after class. Living in a dormitory and participating in volunteer work after school, Kamasumba befriended his Korean classmates with ease. “Once I graduate from university, I’m going to go back to Zambia and contribute to my country’s economic development,” he says. “My dream is to become president of Zambia.”

What he fears most for the time being is Korea’s cold winter. The first snow on Mt. Jiri will be the first snow he has ever seen.

[The Chosun IIbo]