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

The British Government has been given a seven-day ultimatum by a consortium of political parties known as the Forum for Political Parties (FPP) on its alleged involvement in Zambia’s internal affairs.

FPP Spokesperson Charles Kafumba flanked by Zambia Direct Democracy Movement (ZDDM) National Coordinator Edwin Sakala, Party for Unity Democracy Development (PUDD) Secretary General Dennis Sichinde presenting the petition at the British High Commission in Lusaka today.

FPP sympathisers displayed a placard denouncing the British government with a message; “No British interference. Former colonialists respect our sovereignty,”

A Security Manager at the British High Commission, Tim Parkinson received the petition on behalf of the British government but refused to answer questions from both the FPP and Journalists insisting “No comment”.

Soon after presenting the petition, Mr. Kafumba expressed disappointment and accused the British government of having sponsored the civil society and some Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to gang-up and incite anarchy in the country.
Mr. Kafumba, who is also National Democratic Party (NDP) Secretary General, challenged the British government to disclose and inform the nation how much it has spent so far on funding the task force on corruption.

He said the case of former republican president Fredrick Chiluba is closed and appealed to the British government not to control Zambia any more because Zambians are capable of running their own affairs.

ZDDM National Co-ordinator Edwin Sakala charged that civil society and NGOs Chief Executive Officers are on foreign payroll receiving money from the British government to continue honking and causing anarchy in the country.

Mr. Sakala expressed disappointment that the British government has ignored the Geneva Convention which compels foreign nations to utilise diplomatic channels of communications and instead funded Zambian civil society organisations.

He advised the British government to stop funding the Task Force because the funds are from tax-payers’ in that country and could be channeled to key sectors of the economy.

He alleged that the FPP is aware that an individual prosecutor is getting 10 million British Pounds every sitting and another K100, 000 million salary per month for a Taskforce Chairperson.

He said the Zambian Anti-Corruption Commission is capable of handling and disposing off court cases.

He lashed out at the British government High Commission Tom Carter should be ashamed of himself because of his clandestine and continued utterances in the media advising him to respect the sovereignty of Zambia as a State.

And heavily armed security officers have sealed the British Embassy in Lusaka. Zambia Police Officers are keeping vigil at the British Embassy and the petitioners were not allowed inside and they presented their petition at the gate.

Meanwhile, the Citizens Committee (CC) has expressed disappointment that some civil societies are being used by Western countries to rise against the Zambian government instead of rising to the occasion to defend their country.

In an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today, CC Executive Directive Gregory Chifire suggested that government should depot diplomats who neglect to respect the sovereignty of the country.

Mr Chifire alleged that his organization is aware of some civil society and Non-governmental organizations that are receiving monies from Western countries to cause anarchy in the country.

Mr. Chifire said it is unfortunate that some diplomats accredited to Zambia have ganged up with some civil society organizations and NGOs in the country to de-stabilize the internal affairs and governance of the nation.
ZANIS

The Movement for Multy-Party Democracy (MMD) Western Province Treasurer, Michael Kaingu has said the party in the province did not consult him or other senior members before deciding to call for a convention.

Mr. Kaingu has meanwhile said that he is still in support for calls from people in other provinces including NEC for the MMD to postpone its convention.

Mr Kaingu, said it is irrelevant for the province to oppose calls to defer the party’s national convention.

Mr. Kaingu said this is because more than six provinces have already endorsed calls for the postponement of the convention, making the decision by the executive in Western province pointless

Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today, Mr. Kaingu said he and other senior members of the party were not consulted as alleged by the MMD provincial youth Chairman over the need to hold a convention.

He said he was not even part of the team which met in the province last week to discuss the issue of the convention.

He charged that if consulted he would have provided good guidance to the other members on how to handle the issue of holding the convention.[quote]

Mr. Kaingu said the MMD does not have enough money to spend on the convention and challenged all those calling for it to start raising money to hold it.

He further charged that the MMD in the province risks becoming irrelevant for not supporting other provinces who are calling for the postponement of the convention until after the 2011 general elections.

Mr. Kaingu said the party’s constitution mandates that decisions made by more than seven provinces should be accepted as law adding that about seven have since agreed not to hold convention.

He said he also wanted to stand as NEC member during the convention but he has decided to follow what the majority have resolved.

Mr. Kaingu has advised his youth chairman to desist from attacking him and other senior members of the party.

ZANIS