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Some Members of the United Party for National Development (UPND) and Patriotic Front (PF) in Namwala District have advised UPND area MP Major Robbie Chizyuka to resign instead of destabilizing the UPND/PF pact.
During a brief meeting whose resolutions were made available to ZANIS today, the 18 cadres said it was wrong for Major Chizyuka to start issuing statements that are bordered on instilling mistrust among members from both parties in the country.
The cadres said it would do Major Chizyuka good to just keep quiet if he does not want to exculpate himself than issue statement that are injurious to the pact.
The cadres added that Major Chizyuka has disappointed not only the party officials but the ordinary members of UPND in Namwala Constituency going by his behavior in parliament which led to his suspension and now stands suspended in the party.
They also said the MP’s assertions during his press briefing yesterday that the UPND/PF pact was headed for doom was his only wishful thinking as the members of both parties were in full support of the pact and more united in Districts such as Namwala.
Among the cadres who signed the press statement included, UPND Constituency Chairman Mr Simon Hamweene, District PF Chairman Mr Humphrey Mayonda, UPND District vice chairman Mr Clifford Musanje, District PF Chairlady Ms Veronica Imbuwa, UPND District treasurer Ms Ruth Moonga.
Others include UPND District secretary Mr Bedson Nkolola, PF District secretary Mr jimmy Chaandwe, and several other UPND and PF youths.
VICE-President George Kunda has said that the MMD will from now onwards treat local government by-elections with the same seriousness as the parliamentary polls.
Mr Kunda, who is also trustee in the ruling party’s national executive committee (NEC), said the MMD would be paying more attention to the polls at ward level as a way of identifying the party with the grassroots and test the strength of the United Party for National Development (UPND) and Patriotic Front (PF) Pact.
“From now onwards, we will pay the same attention to all by-elections, whether parliamentary or local government elections. We want to identify ourselves with the grassroots. We can’t be ministers or vice-presidents without you (the grassroots).We are also testing the strength of the Pact (UPND/PF Pact),” he said.
Mr Kunda, who made the remarks on Tuesday evening when he addressed MMD supporters who welcomed him at the Livingstone International Airport, said the party would continue to interact with people at the grassroots level to make it stronger.
The vice-president is in Livingstone to campaign for MMD candidate Mary Kaimba in today’s Kasiya Ward by-election.
Mr Kunda said the MMD had proved that it was stronger than the UPND/PF Pact during the Chitambo Parliamentary by-election in Serenje where it emerged victorious.
He said the MMD would equally scoop today’s Kasama Central Parliamentary by-election.
“In Kasama we are going to give them a good run for their money (the UPND/PF Pact). This so-called pact is very fragile. It can easily break,” he said.
He said the MMD was confident of retaining the Kasiya Ward seat, which became vacant after the former councillor Mary Mukwiza was appointed Kazungula District Commissioner.
He said Kasiya would remain the strong hold for the MMD and called on the members to remain united.
Speaking earlier, Southern Province Minister Daniel Munkombwe said the aim of the vice-president’s visit was to remind the people in the area about the values of unity.
Mr Munkombwe said the MMD was the only party that guaranteed unity in Zambia.
He said pacts or alliances had been experimented in many countries and had proved that they were not viable.
“Whatever alliance aimed at removing people from office does not work. The MMD will continue to exist. The pact has been resisting and it is just a pact of officials,” he said.
Mr Munkombwe said there might be some small differences within the party in the Southern Province but that did not mean that the party was not intact.
The shortage of petrol in Kabwe district has continued with several motorists queuing for the commodity..
A check yesterday found only one filling station, Kobil, pumping petrol while the rest did not have the commodity.
A worker at Kobil, Linah Nkhoma said the station had received only 6, 000 liters of petrol early yesterday morning.
She said the station would sell only 4,000 to ordinary motorists while the 2, 000 would be reserved for account holders.
The rest of the filling stations that include Petrotech, two Total filling stations and BP filling stations including Caltex did not have petrol and were only selling diesel.
At Caltex a fuel attendant told ZANIS that the station was expecting 7,000 liters of petrol anytime adding that the amount would still not be enough for the day.
Starting yesterday, the petrol shortage in Kabwe became serious with all filling stations only selling diesel.
United Nations (UN) Country Coordinator Macleod Nyirongo says the global financial meltdown has negatively affected Zambia’s chances of meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) targets by 2015.
Mr. Nyirongo said the global financial crisis has seriously affected the country’s economic growth and has resulted in massive job losses.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lusaka today, Mr. Nyirongo said the financial crunch has not only had a negative effect on Zambia’s quest to attain the MDGs but on other African countries as well.
Mr. Nyirongo said the attainment of the MDGs has also been affected by the low global economic growth of the economy which he said has not grown as expected.
He said there was a lot that needed to be done to change the rate at which Zambia and Africa in general were moving in order to enhance the prospect of meeting the MDGs by 2015.
Mr. Nyirongo attributed the low pace towards attaining the MDGs to government policies, the external environment and the internal capacities.
The UN Country Coordinator said meeting the MDGs was not just a question of having resources but allocating these resources to key sectors of development such as health, education and infrastructure development as opposed to investing in minor sectors.
He however hoped that with the introduction of proper policies and intervention, the country could turn around and improve on its chances of meeting the MDGs.
And speaking earlier, UN MDGs Advocate Marsha Moyo said citizens’ participation in the quest to meet the MDGs by 2015 was critical as their involvement would help brighten the country’s prospect of attaining the goals.
Ms Moyo said although resources were available, there was need for dedication, proper allocation of resources and desire for the country to meet the MDGs.
Government has expressed optimism that business linkages would boost Zambia’s economic growth and wealth creation in the near future.
Ministry of Commerce Permanent Secretary, Buleti Nsemukila says Zambia’s economic growth and wealth creation lays partly in linking industrial growth and development to international trade hence the call for a Business Linkages Strategy.
In a speech read on his behalf by Commerce Director of Industry Siazonga Siakalenge, Dr. Nsemukila noted that business linkages unlocks the potential within the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) such as employment creation, National Domestic Product growth and export generation.
ZANIS reports that Dr Nsemukila said this at the official opening of a two-day Business Linkages Strategy Development workshop at Siavonga’s Lake Kariba Inn today.
The workshop has attracted directors from government, private sector and business associations.
He observed that the participation of business associations and private companies played a big role in nurturing and supporting MSMEs to grow hence the need for business linkages.
“My ministry is very confident that the United Nations Programme fittingly titled , ‘Broad Based Wealth And Job Creation’, borrowed from the theme of the Fifth National Development Plan is one of the interventions that is facilitating start up, growth and expansion of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises,’’ he said.
Speaking earlier, International Labour Organisation (ILO) Country Representative, Gerry Finnegan said the United Nations was encouraged by the zeal the Zambian government and the private sector has exhibited towards knowledge and information sharing in a multi directional way.
In a speech read for him by ILO Senior Technical Advisor Jealous Chirove, Mr. Finnegan hoped that the workshop will agree on key elements of national business linkages development strategy that will chart the way forward by drawing experiences from other countries.
Mr. Finnegan, who is also representative for Malawi and Mozambique, acknowledged the contributions made by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for supporting business linkages in Zambia and growing sustainable business model respectively.
Earlier, Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) Director for Micro and Small Enterprises Division Windu Matoka explained that the objective of the workshop was to create common understanding about the Business Linkages Strategy.
Mr. Matoka called for political and financial support towards ZDA, if the Business Linkages Strategy was to be a success.
At the same workshop, UNCTAD Representative on Division for Investment and Enterprise, Fiorina Mugione, observed that business linkages were not only viable in highly industrialised countries, but has also worked in low income countries such as Uganda.
The workshop, co-sponsored by ILO and UNCTAD on broad based wealth and job creation (BBW &JC) and moderated by Zambian economist Chibamba Kanyama, is being held against the backdrop of an earlier workshop held at Lusaka.
Its focus is to forge a Business Linkages Development Strategy that will draw lessons from Brazil and Uganda, who are also participating.
The strategies developed from the workshop are aimed at supporting ZDA to effectively broker business linkages for MSMEs thereby, contributing to economic growth and employment generation.
Government has reiterated its commitment to improving the welfare of nurses and other medical personnel in the country.
Labour Deputy Minister Simon Kachimba said nurses were faced with a lot of challenges when carrying out their duties and therefore, there was need for them to have stress management activities.
Mr. Kachimba said this today when he officially opened the Zambia Union of Nurses Organization (ZUNO) Wellness Centre in Lusaka’s Mtendere area.
He said the Wellness Centre will provide among other services, stress management and voluntary counseling and testing.
He commended ZUNO and other stakeholders for coming up with the initiative of stress management.
And speaking earlier, ZUNO president, Thom Yung’ana said the centre was built with the assistance of the Norwegian Aid for Development (NORAD) which provided K383 million.
Mr. Yung’ana has since appealed to government through Ministry of Health to allocate drugs and laboratory equipment to the center.
The Zambia prison service will this Friday release 59 inmates on parole from the central region following the National Parole Board’s recommendation and the subsequent approval by the Commissioner of Prisons.
This is contained in a press statement released to ZANIS by Prisons Director of International Relations and Corporate Affairs, Daniel Chiwela.
The release of the 59 inmates will take place at Mukobeko maximum prison.
Mr. Chiwela said the parole was a conditional, gradual and timely release of prisoners from the prison by a discretionary order of the parole authority.
He further said when inmates are released on parole, they receive support and are under supervision by prison’s extension officers.
Mr. Chiwela said that as a result of parole, re-offending and getting back to jail by inmates released on parole, would be reduced, thereby contributing to public safety.
He explained that conditional release entailed that an inmate was given sometime in the community as a parolee to serve the remainder of the sentence under conditions that made the inmate a licensee to serve part of the sentence outside prison in the community so that they could fend for themselves eventually after their sentence expired.
Commerce Trade and Industry Deputy Minister says climate change has frustrated Zambia’s efforts to improve standards of living for her people.
Richard Taima said effects of climate change have negatively impacted on many sectors of the economy and has resulted in the reduced agricultural productivity and food production.
He said these effects have greatly affected the efforts government has put in place to improve the standards of living for Zambians, saying more resources are being put to mitigate climate change.
Mr. Taima said this at the commemoration of the World standards day under the theme “tackling climate change through standards” in Lusaka today.
He said climate change has also caused unprecedented rainfall patterns, floods and droughts, which have negative impact on the country’s food security.
He has since called on the Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS) to take advantage of the international standards bodies to find solutions to the effects of climate change.
Mr. Taima said as a member of the international standards bodies, ZABS should implement the various guidelines and codes of practices which protect the environment, while maximizing on productivity, safety and quality.
He has bemoaned ZABS’ failure to efficiently utilize its equipment to help reduce the many problems of climate change.
Mr. Taima said ZABS has one of the best equipments in the world but these were not adequately utilized.
He has since stated that government was commitment to assisting ZABS with capacity building so that it can develop good standards for the country.
And ZABS Acting Director, Frederick Hamutunda said climate change has already started affecting the Zambia despite contribution less greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere.
Mr. Hamutunda said climate change has previously caused floods, rise in temperatures and reduced food production.
He has since called on the government to put stringent measures that will mitigate effects of climate change.
Mr. Hamutunda has however remained hopeful that the adoption of the international standards bodies will help mitigate the effects of climate change.
He has also called on other stakeholders to have a common goal in fighting the effects of climate change in the country.
Denison Mines Zambia Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Chief Sinadambwe of Siavonga district for the relocation of 107 households from a uranium mining site.
The MOU will create terms and conditions for the relocation negotiation process of some households in the Muntanga and Dibbwii community.
The relocation of the families follows Denison Zambia Limited’s (DMZL) plans to start mining uranium deposits in the area.
The mining activities will be concentrated in the two villages of Muntanga and Dibbwii in Chief Sinadambwe of Siavonga district, approximately 40 kilometres from Siavonga township.
The signing of the MoU between Chief Sinadambwe and DMZL General Manager, Andrew Goode took place yesterday in the office of Siavonga District Commissioner, Emily Striedl.
“This MoU sets out the basic procedures for the relocation negotiation process between the parties and describes how DMZL will through the Relocation Committee, negotiate with the traditional leadership, government stakeholders and affected villages at every stage of the relocation process,” stated the six paged document.
The MoU further stated that a relocation committee, which is the steering committee for all issues relating to relocation of the affected communities and comprises of representatives from DZL, affected village headmen, youths, women, and government officials among others, shall be a forum for communication, negotiation and agreement of all matters relating to relocation.
The document further outlines that once the relocation process has been concluded and a site approved by both parties, the mine will facilitate the undertaking of a valuation exercise to properly value the immovable assets and agricultural fields that fall within the mine area in order to come up with a compensation package.
The MoU added that the compensation package for all households who will have signed and executed the provisions of the relocation agreement will be considered and determined.
“The package will describe what kind of compensation each affected household can be expected to be entitled to as a result of the impending relocation. Standard compensation criteria will be developed and will guide the allocation of individual compensation based on the information from the valuation of immovable assets and fields,” it stated.
The compensation package for the affected villages will include among other things, improved houses designed by an architect, a school, clinic, market, and sports facilities.
The design of the new village will also incorporate the potential for future electrification projects in conjunction with the Rural Electrification Authority.
The Zambia Chamber of Small and Medium Business Associations (ZCSMBA) has asked government to fully establish the Small Medium Enterprise fund under the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA).
ZCSMBA Chairperson Maxwell Sichula said there was need for government to ensure that the SME funding under the ZDA act was fully operational to make the sector grow.
Mr. Sichula told ZANIS in Lusaka today that currently, the SMEs were faced with a lot of challenges in trying to expand their businesses hence the need for government to make the funding accessible.
He explained that if the fund is made available, many SMEs will be given a chance to grow, therefore contributing positively towards national development.
Mr. Sichula noted that currently, the growth of the SME sector poses a challenge to the country’s economy as many of them have failed to meaningfully participate in the economic expansion programmes of the country.
He stressed that this was why government should support initiatives aimed at promoting small business.
Meanwhile, Mr. Sichula has expressed happiness with government‘s decision to table a warehouse protection bill before parliament.
He pointed out that if passed, the bill will go a long way in improving the present storage operation systems in the country therefore benefiting a lot of his members.
He has since called on Members of Parliament to support the bill when it is tabled in the house.
During his 2010 national budget address to parliament, Finance and National Planning Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane announced that a warehouse bill will soon be taken to parliament.
Vice President, George Kunda, has called for unity and hard work in the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) if the ruling party is to win all the by-elections in the country.
However, Mr. Kunda says the MMD is ready to scoop the Kasiya ward seat in Livingstone Central Constituency.
Mr. Kunda said this at Livingstone International Airport when he arrived from Itezhi-Tezhi district where he had earlier gone for a campaign rally in a local government by-election to be held in Lubanda ward tomorrow.
He said the MMD leadership will now pay as much attention to local government elections as it does to parliamentary elections.
Mr. Kunda said the party had decided to pay attention the lower organ elections in order to identify the top leadership of the party with all its membership at the grassroots level.
He explained that this is in a bid to make the party much stronger and to foster unity within the MMD.
“We cannot be what we are without you, our members. That is why from now onwards, we will be coming to Southern Province very frequently to familiarize and work with our people who voted us into these positions,” he said.
The Vice President added that the move to visit the MMD grassroots membership was also meant to examine the strength of the recently formed PF-UPND pact against the ruling party at all levels.
“We want to test the strength of the so called pact. They lost the parliamentary by-election in Chitambo constituency and we are going to give them a good run for their money in Thursday’s Kasama by-election in Northern Province,” he said.
Mr. Kunda said the MMD has so far discovered that the opposition Patriotic Front (PF) and United Party for National Development (PF-UPND) pact was fragile and can easily break.
He was happy that the MMD was stronger and united in the Southern Province despite few internal misunderstandings.
He said Kasiya ward belonged to the MMD and therefore, the ruling party was going to retain it at all cost as Livingstone was the stronghold of the MMD in the province.
The Kasiya ward seat fell vacant following the appointment of the incumbent councillor, Mary Mukwiza’s (MMD), to the post of District Commissioner for Kazungula district.
Speaking earlier, Southern Province Minister, Daniel Munkombwe, said at the airport that the visit of Mr. Kunda to the province was meant to remind Zambians about the value of unity in the MMD.
Mr. Munkombwe said Zambians should not be worried about political alliances because pacts have always been there and failed because they lack political programmes.
“The PF/UPND political pact is an alliance of officials who are already tearing themselves apart,” he charged.
The vice president is accompanied by Agriculture Minister, Brian Chituwo, Labour Minister, Austin Liato and their Science and Technology counterparty, Gabriel Namulambe.
Energy Deputy Minister, Gladys Lundwe and her Local Government counterpart, Lwipa Puma, and other party and government officials are also on the vice president’s entourage.
Mr. Kunda is today expected to address a series of rallies in Kasiya constituency, where he is expected to explain government’s developmental programmes in Southern Province before returning to Lusaka.
A suspect, who was in custody at Chirundu Police station, has committed suicide by hanging himself with a bed sheet which he was covering himself with.
Lusaka division police commanding officer, Greenwell Ng’uni confirmed the death of a 22 year old man to ZANIS in Siavonga today.
Mr. N’guni said 22 year old Webby Shumba hung himself and died at Chirundu police station cells in the early hours of yesterday morning.
He said the deceased, who was employed as a stores officer at Mtendere Mission hospital in Chirundu, was facing charges of theft by public servant.
“This man used to work for the hospital as a stores officer and it is alleged that during his coursed of duty he allegedly stole cartons of milk which were stored in the warehouse that was meant for patients,” he stated
Meanwhile, Mr. Ng’uni disclosed that the construction of cells at Siavonga Police station will be completed before the end of this year.
He said the police command was working hard in order to ensure that the construction of cells at the police station would be completed soon.
Currently, Siavonga police station only has a single room being used as a holding cell for adult and juvenile male suspects while female suspects are either remanded at the police station’s reception or simply made to hover around the station premises after being arrested.
THE Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) executive committee has decided to maintain coach Herve Renard despite the poor results.
An emergency executive meeting was held at Football House yesterday to discuss the future of Renard following three losses in a row. Zambia lost 1-0 and 2-0 to Group C leaders Algeria and Saturday tumbled 1-0 to Egypt.
Insiders said after deliberations, it was agreed that Renard should be given more chance despite the team failing to qualify for the 2010 World Cup.
The team is also in a dicey position with regards to qualifying for the 2010 Angola Africa Cup, having accumulated only four points from a possible 15.
They must avoid a heavy defeat at the hands of Rwanda in the last game on November 14. Algeria have 13 points, three more than Egypt, going into the last round.
However, there were misgivings over the decision to keep Renard as some executive committee members wanted Renard sidelined.
“As far as I’m concerned, nothing has been decided. We could not vote…people had fears,” the source said after the meeting.
FAZ president Kalusha Bwalya, his deputy Emmanuel Munaile, treasurer Boniface Mwamelo, committee members Violet Bwalya, Pivoty Simwanza, Henschel Chitembeya, Keegan Chipango, Marcha Chilemena and general secretary George Kasengele attended the meeting.
Only Lenny Nkhuwa was absent.
“We discussed the future of Renard with the national team and programmes for the Cosafa and Cecafa tournaments,” the source added.
The Zambia national team will play in the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa) Senior Challenge Cup starting in Zimbabwe on October 17 and the Chipolopolo have an invitation for the East African tournament scheduled for Kenya next month.
The association is expected to have a press briefing today to give details of resolutions.
There has been so much talking about “continuing with the Mwanawasa legacy” by Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) leaders recently—a legacy whose content they have not been able to explain to the Zambian people.
If the so-called “legacy” includes the introduction of free education up to Grade 7, it does not match the legacy of the United National Independence Party (UNIP), which provided free education from Grade 1 through university from independence until the mid-1980s.
If the “legacy” includes the provision of “free” healthcare to rural dwellers, it does not match UNIP’s free healthcare for all Zambians from independence until the mid-1980s. If it is about the fight against corruption, the scourge had never been pervasive until the MMD assumed power.
There is, however, still a great opportunity for President Rupiah Banda to leave his own legacy rather than continue to sing about someone else’s questionable legacy. Let me suggest some of the potential initiatives which President Banda can pursue if he is interested in leaving a legacy after his term of office:
1) Creation of a smaller Cabinet with fewer Ministers, and abolition of the positions of Deputy Minister and District Commissioner, among other sinecures.
2) Operationalization of the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) in order for the broadcasting industry to be regulated by an independent body.
3) Enactment of the Freedom of Information (FoI) Bill and make it possible for journalists to access information that is vital to both the media and members of the public.
4) Creation of an autonomous “Bureau of Statistics and Archives” and place the Zambia Daily Mail under its auspices. The Bureau should replace the Central Statistics Office (CSO) so that it can freely and independently collect, process, maintain, and publish essential data and information about our beloved country, and should incorporate the National Archives of Zambia.
5) Establishment of an Electoral Complaints Authority of Zambia (ECAZ), which should assume the functions of the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) stipulated in Clauses 6 through 8 of Article 112 of the Draft Constitution prepared by the Mung’omba Constitutional Review Commission (CRC). These functions could be designated as a separate Article and amended accordingly.
There is a need for a separate governmental watchdog designed to monitor the activities of officers of the ECZ, and the conduct of elections in the country. This will hopefully lessen the vulnerability of the ECZ and the electoral process to the influences, manipulation and/or machinations of unscrupulous politicians and political parties.
6) Conversion of the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU), which is currently vested in the Office of the Vice-President, into an autonomous “National Emergency Management Agency” (NEMA). The agency needs to be made autonomous in order for it to perform its duties without any political meddling or manipulation by government officials to achieve partisan objectives, and should incorporate the functions of the Public Welfare Assistance Scheme currently administered through the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services, which includes the Social Cash Transfer Scheme. NEMA should be accountable to the Parliamentary Committee on Health, Community Development and Social Welfare.
I make these suggestions knowing very well that some of the MMD leaders are likely to interpret the gesture as an insult to the President and his administration.
PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda has told MMD members agitating for the holding of the national convention to resign from the party and join political parties they think will hold conventions soon.
Mr Banda urged those trying to cause confusion in the party to resign than pretend to be MMD members when they were being used by the party’s enemies.
President Banda said he believed in democracy and that the MMD’s national executive committee (NEC) had, in fact, not yet met to discuss the convention.
Mr Banda was speaking when he addressed a mammoth rally to drum up support for MMD candidate Burton Mugala at Kasama’s President’s Park yesterday.
He said the MMD would do everything necessary to ensure transparency and there was no need for people to incite members to rise against the party over the issue of the convention.
“Those who want the convention and are pressing that it should be held at all costs should resign and join political parties that will hold conventions soon, if any. After all, we are two years away from the 2011 elections and the NEC has not yet met to discuss the matter.
“Do not pretend to be members of the MMD but at the same time you are being used by our enemies to rise against us because when the hour comes to discipline you, those inciting you will not be there for you. In fact, you do not know that they are the same people coming to tell me about you,” Mr Banda said.
At the same rally, Lusaka Province PF chairperson Evaristo Mulenga defected to join the ruling MMD, citing party leader Michael Sata’s dictatorial tendencies as the reason.
He said he did not regret the decision because, as a leader, he had decided not to work with a party which had completely lost the tenets of democracy.
The president welcomed Mr Mulenga, together with the 63 other PF defectors, to the MMD and advised party leaders to ensure they made the new members feel welcome in the party.
He urged the people of Kasama Central to vote for Mr Mugala and avoid voting for PF candidate Geoffrey Mwamba who was allegedly full of lies.
The president also expressed disappointment at the four youths that were arrested after allegedly being paid to go and denounce Government on Radio Mano on Teachers’ Day while masquerading as teachers.
He said he had information that two of them were actually businesspersons while one was a student from Chalimbana. He named them as Peggy Nyirenda, 32, a businesswoman, Chris Mutale, 32, businessman and John Mulenga a student.
Mr Banda wondered why Mr Sata and the UPND president Hakainde Hichilema continued hiding behind each other, instead of coming out in the open and tell the nation who would be the pact’s Presidential candidate for 2011.[quote]
Mr Banda said Mr Sata was blindly riding on Mr Hichilema’s back not knowing the UPND leader was also desperate to become president despite having lost twice.
He said the PF leader was panicking, especially that his party was broke and could not afford to sponsor a candidate. This was the reason why he adopted Mr Mwamba so he could sponsor himself.
The president said Mr Sata and Mr Mwamba knew they had lost support and resorted to issuing tribal sentiments, which had also backfired on them.
The president said suspended UPND Namwala Member of Parliament Robby Chizyuka’s move to denounce the pact in Lusaka yesterday was a major indication that the friendship between the two parties was going nowhere.
He said Mr Sata and Mr Hichilema had secretly printed respective Chitenge materials for their 2011 Presidential campaigns.
Mr Banda also said his Government had embarked on 14 major projects in Kasama Central and that K329.3 billion had been allocated to the area.
