President Rupiah Banda arrived in Tripoli, Libya this morning to attend a special African Union (AU) summit that takes place today.

The Presidential challenger jet carrying the President touched down at 04:00 am at a military airport on the outskirts of Tripoli.

He was received by foreign Affairs Minister, Kabinga Pande, Zambia’s Ambassador to Libya, Mulondwe Muzungu and other Libyan and Zambian officials.

President Banda will be among several heads of state and government attending the summit called to look at conflicts on the African continent and climate change.

Tomorrow the President will join other African and world leaders at the 40th Anniversary of the Libyan revolution.

ZANIS

Bishop John Mambo has commended Home Affairs Minister Lameck Mangani for the move to stop political party cadres from going to attend court sessions in the country.

Speaking with ZANIS in an interview today, Bishop Mambo said Mr Mangani’s move is commendable.

The clergyman, who is also Chikondi Foundation President, said the new culture of fighting at courts is unacceptable in modern day Zambia.

He noted that political parties going to court with their cadres are only taking the country back to the chachacha (stone throwing) days during the country’s freedom struggle.

Bishop Mambo expressed sadness that such violent acts are happening when first President Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, second President Dr. Frederick Chiluba and the current President Rupiah Banda are still alive.

He added that the violent acts taking place in the country did not portray the nation’s declaration as a Christian nation.

“The violence in the country is making it become a lawless State. What happened on (last) Thursday does not portray the country as a Christian nation, “he said adding that Christians are loving individuals and have a way of addressing problems that come their way.

Bishop Mambo noted that if acts of violence continue in the country, it will discourage the much needed foreign investors to revive the economy.

He added that the fight against hooliganism should not be left to government but all Zambians particularly the church which he said should start teaching its congregants good morals.

He also called on government to come up with stiff laws against violence especially on people in the habit of fighting in public saying violence does not bring development to any country.

Government recently declared that political parties and their cadres should not attend court sessions following the disturbance of court proceedings involving Post News Editor Chansa Kabwela at the magistrate complex last Friday.

A number of MMD cadres violently clashed with their rival Patriotic Front (PF) colleagues severely injuring opposition PF cadres.
Acting MMD Spokesperson, Mike Mulongoti told local journalists at the weekend that the ruling party does not condone violence.

ZANIS

The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) in Mazabuka has arrested a Ministry of Education employee in connection with trafficking of undisclosed quantities of Cannabis.

Drug Enforcement Commission, Officer in charge, Patson Chiwala could not comment as he was attending a meeting in Lusaka but DEC Sources Commission confirmed the development to ZANIS in Mazabuka yesterday.

The sources said the suspect who is a secretary at Mazabuka Continuation education is currently detained at Mazabuka Police Station.

And Mazabuka District Education Board Secretary, Darius Kaluba who also confirmed the development described the arrest as sad and emberrassing.

He has urged teachers and other supporting staff in the district to desist from engaging in illict business such as selling cannabis if the teaching profession is to be respected.

Mazabuka District is notoriously known for commercialised cultivation and trafficking of cannabis.
Last month alone, 21 people were arrested and sent to jail for trafficking in cannabis.

Mazabuka District Commissioner, Tyson Hamaamba has since expressed worry at the alarming proportions of cannibis cultivation in some parts of the district.
ZANIS

A patient at Mansa General Hospital (MGH) has died after he hung himself in the ward using a shoestring.

And police have launched a manhunt to track down people who burnt down a house belonging to a local radio station reporter in Nchelenge.

Luapula Province Police Commanding Officer Auxencio Mbewe confirmed the two incidents to ZANIS.

In the suicide case Mr. Mbewe said the man named Martin Malama, 35 of Maselino village in Luwingu district died on the spot after he hung himself with a shoe string in the mental annex where he was admitted.
Mr. Mbewe said the deceased lynched himself on the grilled door in the ward.

The deceased and his wife had been at the hospital since last week where they had been nursing their child who was admitted for a suspected malaria case.

Mr. Mbewe said the deceased started behaving strangely and presented some suspected mental illness behaviour.
He said this prompted the medical staff at the hospital to sedate and confine him to the mental annex where he later committed suicide.

And police in Nchelenge have launched a man hunt in a case in which a local radio station, Radio Luapula, presenter’s house was burnt down.

Mr. Mbewe said some villages allegedly torched the house of Philip Kambiko of Kenani Village in protest against a radio program he had presented discouraging illegal fishing methods being used by fishermen in the area.

In his discussion with the panel Kambiko attributed the depleting fish stocks in Lake Mweru to non observance of the fish ban and illegal fishing methods allegedly being employed by the people in the area.

However, the story infuriated some villagers and fishermen who stormed his house around 23 hours and set it on fire while he and his family were asleep.

Kambiko and his family, comprising his wife and four children escaped unhurt but household goods worth millions of kwacha were burnt to ashes.

Police have since appealed to the residents to come forward and help with investigation into the arson case.
Meanwhile, government has condemned the act and described as barbaric.
Luapula Province Minister Boniface Kawimbe said it was sad that the people in the area were opposed to the role the radio station was playing in the development of the fishing industry in the district.

He said government would not condone the intimidation and threatening of lives of journalists as they were key to development.

Fish stocks in Luapula Province fisheries have drastically decreased because of non observance of the fish burn and illegal fishing methods being employed by fishermen.

Radio Luapula in conjunction with the ministry of Agriculture has embarked on a series of programs to discourage the bad fishing methods being practiced and educate the residents about the need to conserve the fisheries.

UPND CHOMA Member of Parliament George Chazangwe says he is impressed with the high levels of accountability by communities in the constituency in the utilization of constituency funds(CDF).

Speaking to ZANIS in Choma yesterday after concluding a tour of CDF funded projects, he said government funded allocated to various communities under the CDF had been properly accounted for and utilized.

He said all the beneficiary communities that utilized the funds for the intended purpose and expressed happiness at the level of commitment to development projects.

Mr Chazangwe said there is a lot of progress in infrastructure development particularly clinics and schools in rural areas.

He revealed that a health centre at Simakutu in Chief Singani’s area has reached roofing level and only require additional funds to be completed.

The MP said there had been no reports of abuse of public resources by committees entrusted with the implementation of the projects.

Among the wards visited by the MP to assess the impact of the CDF funded projects on the people include Stateland, Simamvwa, Siasikaboole, Namuswa and Simacheche.

Mr Chazangwe said various communities still need a lot of government assistance as they have embarked on self help projects to construct clinic and schools.

And Mr Chazangwe has commended the central government through the ministry of education for constructing a brand new school at Simwami in the remote and hilly area of chief Singani’s area.

Mr Chazangwe said government move to construct a 1 by 3 classroom block at Simwamwi is commendable.

He said children in the area which is remotely located had been using makeshift shelters as classrooms.

“I am happy to say that during my visit, I found the school completed. I am extremely happy,” he said. “I’m really thankful to government for taking development to remote areas of the district,” he said.

He said the new school would afford children a decent learning environment.

ZANIS