TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“…those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness”
(Proverbs 14:22, NIV)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Do you wake up every morning expecting favor and blessing on everything you do? Do you plan for what is good? When we plan for what is good, the scripture tells us that we find love. The scripture also tells us that God is love. So, when you plan for what is good, you will find God in the midst of your plans.

I encourage you today; don’t let the negative voices of the world or other people in your life get you focused in the wrong direction. It doesn’t matter what is happening around you, God’s plan is always for your good. Remember, you and God are a majority.

Do you need more of God in your life? Do you need more love, peace, and faithfulness? Plan for what is good, and you will find God. You’ll find His peace and joy and move forward into the life of victory He has in store for you!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

“Father in heaven, thank You for the good plan You have for my life. I choose Your plan and ask that You direct my mind and thoughts according to Your purposes. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”

The Centre for Election and Governance (CEG ) Trustee Gershom Musonda says MMD Parliamentary Chief Whip Vernon Mwaanga’s observation on diplomats should be taken seriously.

Mr. Musonda observed that the behavior exhibited some diplomats is uncalled for and are against the principals of international diplomacy.

He said this in a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka yesterday.

Mr. Musonda said it is wrong for the diplomats to continue attacking government in the media instead of using the normal established channels of government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that compels them to dialogue with government over pressing issues when aggrieved.

He advised the envoys to unnecessarily stop criticizing and attacking government when government is working on various developmental issues among them strengthening bilateral relations.[quote]

Mr. Musonda cited that Zambians envoys accredited to other countries adhere and follow the laid down regulations and wondered why it was completely the opposite for those accredited to Zambia

Mr. Musonda said he expects diplomats help the country in attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and its vision of becoming a middle income country by 2030.

He said has further advised the diplomats to use the forums with government aimed at enhancing the country’s good governance record.

Mr. Musonda said gave an example of a former Zambian Ambassador to Libya Dr. Mbita Chitala who was recalled and reprimanded by late President for attacking some African Heads of States.

Yesterday, MMD Chief Whip Vernon Mwaanga advised diplomats to stop attacking government in public in the media.

ZANIS

MMD chief whip Vernon Mwaanga has urged foreign missions in Zambia to desist from attacking the Zambian Government because that was against demands of international diplomacy.

Mr Mwaanga said in Parliament yesterday when he contributed to a debate on President Rupiah Banda’s address during the opening of the fourth session of the National Assembly that there had been tutorials given to the Government by some diplomats serving in Zambia.

He said it was not right for diplomats to give tutorials to the Government and even attack decisions made by Parliament.
“Even in poverty our sovereignty as a country still stands,” he said.

He said foreign missions should follow established channels to render advice than doing it through the media.

He urged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to follow up the matter because it had channels through which foreign missions were supposed to communicate to the Government.

Mr Mwaanga who said he was a trained diplomat said diplomacy was supposed to be conducted through established channels.

And the International Federation of Christian Churches (IFCC) president Simon Chihana urged diplomats accredited to Zambia to desist from commenting on internal matters of the country.

Commenting on the incessant statements by some cooperating partners on the acquittal of second Republican president Fredrick Chiluba, Bishop Chihana said Zambia was a sovereign State and implored the diplomats to stop meddling in internal matters.

In an interview in Lusaka yesterday, he said if Zambia’s representatives in foreign countries commented on internal matters of the nations where they serve, he was certainthose would be deported within the shortest possible time.

As such, he said, ambassadors accredited to Zambia should respect the country’s sovereignty.

“Zambia is a sovereign State and we would appreciate if foreign ambassadors accredited to this country stopped commenting on internal matters. Let internal matters be left to Zambians and let them realise that strangers cannot speak on the country’s internal matters unless they are invited to do so,” Bishop Chihana said.

He said though the cooperating partners were assisting Zambia , that should not be a guarantee to comment on internal matters.

“They should not use their aid as a weapon to condemn our court rulings because if they respected the ruling that was made in London, why not respect the ruling in Zambia after all both were done by competent judges,” Bishop Chihana said.

He said that ambassadors accredited to Zambia should play a role of reconciling the various political players in the nation as opposed to promoting divisions among citizens.

Recently some diplomats commented and expressed shock at the acquittal of Dr Chiluba by a magistrate’s court.

[Times of Zambia]

FORMER vice-president, Enoch Kavindele has lost a bid to run a fourth cellular mobile phone company in Zambia after the Supreme Court over-turned the earlier judgment and ruled in favour of Communications Authority of Zambia (CAZ).

Supreme Court judge Marvin Mwanamwambwa in delivering a 90 paged judgment yesterday allowed all the four grounds of appeal advanced by CAZ in its appeal following the earlier judgment passed in the Lusaka High Court against it.

Lusaka High Court judge Phillip Musonda had ruled that Vodacom Zambia Limited was lawfully granted a mobile licence and still holds the fourth national cellular mobile license for Zambia.

In the first ground, CAZ contended that the learned trial judge erred in law and facts when he held that the remedy of an injunction was available in this case and that respondents’ businesses reputation would diminish, as it had none that could have diminished.

CAZ argued that this court had in many cases held that an injunction was not appropriate when damages would be an adequate remedy.

Mr Kavindele’s lawyers from Malambo and Company argued that the High Court was on firm ground when it held that the injunction granted to the defendant was available as it restrained the appellants from opening bids on February 28,2008 to award the fourth cellular mobile phone license to other companies until the matter was disposed off.

And Mr Justice Mwanamwambwa in allowing this ground, said the lower court’s analysis of the principles governing the granting of an injunction was correct but on the facts of this case, the Supreme Court did not agree with its conclusions or application of the principles to the facts.

He said the plaintiff was a newly incorporated company and had not yet started business operations in telecommunication and not yet acquired business reputation or credit rating, which could diminish and discharged an earlier injunction, granted to Mr Kavindele.

In ground two, CAZ argued in its appeal that the lower court erred in law and facts when he held that the appellant was the cause of the delay in finalising and conclusions of the licensing process.

CAZ contended that as far as it was concerned, the court processes instituted by third parties against the defendants constituted the delay.

“On the evidence before the judge we must say that this was an erroneous finding of fact, it was not supported by any evidence. It is clear that Vodacom Zambia Limited was the cause of the delay in the finalisation of the licence.

“In our view, the learned trial judge’s findings under challenge were made upon a misapprehension of the facts, we therefore allow ground two,” he said.

On the third ground, Mr Justice Mwanamwambwa contended that the withdrawal of Vodacom International Limited was a frustrating event, which released the defendants from further performance.

He said it was clear from the evidence from the lower court as well as in this court that when Vodacom International withdrew from the licensing process, its technical know how, experiences and financial capacity went away with its withdrawal.

On that ground, CAZ had argued that the trial judge erred in law and facts in granting the decree for specific performance of the fourth national cellular mobile license for the respondents when Vodacom International had withdrew from the licensing.

And for the last appeal, CAZ indicated that Mr Justice Musonda erred in law and facts when he held that the respondents had been treated oppressively, unfairly and contrary to the spirit of the Economic Empowerment Act, and that they did not perform according to the legitimate expectations that had risen in the respondents.

Mr Justice Mwanamwambwa said that the court acknowledge the existence of the doctrine of legitimate expectation.
And after judgment, Mr Kavindele refused to comment and walked away.

The Foundation for Democratic Process says it hopes the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) will attend to the formal complaint that the ruling (MMD) would lodge against PF-UPND pact candidate Geoffrey Mwamba over his “tribal” remarks.

FODEP President Stanley Mhango says the MMD has the right to lodge a complaint against Mr. Mwamba adding that this is within their rights as aparty.

Mr. Mhango told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today, that no one should condemn the move by the MMD to lodge a complaint against the PF-UPND Kasama by-elections candidate Geoffrey Mwamba.

Recently, MMD deputy National Secretary Jeff Kaande said the MMD would lodge a formal complaint to the ECZ over tribal remarks by PF-UPND pact candidate in the Kasama by-elections.

Geoffrey Mwamba popularly known as GBM is alleged to have said Kasama Central was for Bembas adding that MMD candidate in the Kasama by-elections Burton Mugala is a “foreigner” who belongs to Muyombe.

ZANIS

Information and Broadcasting Services minister Ronnie Shikapwasha says the cost serving measures which government has introduced made Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) senior photographer Emma Nakapizye to return from New York.

He said the situation has caused cabinet to reduce the number of journalists covering international presidential assignments to three or less.

This is contained in a press statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today by information and broadcasting minister Lt Gen Ronnie Shikapwasha.

Lt. General Shikapwasha said media reports that Ms Nakapizye was barred from covering the president at the United Nations (UN) Assembly in New York by State House Special Assistant to the President and Public Relations Dickson Jere were false.

The minister said as far as his ministry is concerned, Ms Nakapizye had completed her assignment in New York adding that there was no provision for her to proceed to Cuba, hence her return.

Meanwhile the minister has called on ZANIS management not to consider transferring Ms Nakapizye to any province or district as she is the head of the photographic unit at the institution adding that her position does not exist in any other part of the nation.

Ms Nakapizye is believed to have been barred from covering president Rupiah Banda in New York by Mr. Dickson Jere.

ZANIS