VICE- President George Kunda has said part of the 10-month extension of the National Constitutional Conference (NCC)’s sitting period approved by President Rupiah Banda in April has already been covered.

Mr Kunda said this in reaction to an NCC delegate who wanted to know why NCC chairperson Chifumu Banda had said the extension was for 10 months while the president said it was for four months.

He said President Banda was merely interpreting the statutory instrument that was issued for the extension.

The vice-president said the NCC chairperson had explained that the NCC had already covered part of the period and the president was just interpreting the statutory instrument because there were other issues that came into play.

The NCC chairperson said that when Parliament started sitting from September 17, time for the NCC would not be assumed to be sitting.

He said time only ticked for the NCC when it was sitting adding that the same statutory instrument was only published in August.

When some members asked about the remaining days, Mr Banda said the NCC secretariat would handle the issue and explain to the members what the position was.

And most NCC delegates agreed that the number of Members of Parliament (MPs) should be increased to improve representation because some constituencies were too big.

The Willa Mung’omba draft Constitution under Article 159 proposed the number of elected MPs to be increased to 200 but Health Minister Kapembwa Simbao suggested that it should be increased to 300 so that each constituency could be divided into two.

Chongwe MP Sylvia Masebo said the increase to 200 seats was enough and Bweengwa MP Highvie Hamududu agreed saying some constituencies were too big resulting in MPs failing to cover all the areas.

Rev Fauston Sakala said the increment should not exceed 200.
Earlier the delegates adopted Article 158, which said Parliament should have power to summon and dissolve itself and that it should also have power to impeach the president.

But the vice president asked why the conference pick only the role of impeaching the president as opposed to other functions of Parliament.

He said that the article should be deleted to which Professor Patrick Mvunga agreed but after a heated debate the article was adopted.

And the article that sought Parliament to declare and ratify war was postponed so that it could be discussed together with the report from the executive committee.

[Times of Zambia]

Patriotic Front President, Michael Sata, says his party will soon start holding provincial elections to choose delegates to the party’s general conference.

Mr. Sata says the PF will also hold ward and constituency elections countrywide to choose leaders for various party organs.

Mr. Sata also disclosed that Luapula province will be the first province to conduct provincial elections scheduled for next month.

He however did not disclose when the party will hold it’s general conference

And PF Spokesperson Given Lubinda has said that Kasama is a PF-UPND pact stronghold and they will certainly carry the day in the by election slated for October 15.

Mr Lubinda said in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today that the pact was very strong in Kasama and had majority following.

The Kasama Central seat fell vacant after the resignation of Savior Chishimba about two months ago.

Meanwhile Mr Lubinda has said that the PF-UPND pact will this Sunday select a candidate for next month’s Kasama Central by elections.

He expressed confidence that the candidate to be picked would lead the PF-UPND to victory.

Mr Lubinda also noted that the PF-UPND pact would ensure that no election malpractices take place in the Kasama Central by-elections.

He said to the effect, the PF-UPND pact would put as many of its anti-rigging officers to monitor the by-elections.

He said some of the PF-UPND anti rigging officers have since started training on how best to monitor next month’s elections adding that he was confident that the pact anti-rigging officers would do a commendable job.

ZANIS

President Rupiah Banda has directed the Ministry of Education to come up with legislation that will enforce adherence to required standards of the education sector.

President Banda also urged Zambians home and abroad to consider investing in the country using their gained professional skills if Zambia is to become a middle income nation by the year 2030.

President Banda issued the directive in Lusaka when he officiated at the first ever graduation ceremony of 201 students at the Zambia Open University (ZOU).

President Banda says such legislation framework enforced by the MoE should strive to see higher learning institutions become excellent.

Mr Banda says the piece of legislation would provide a platform for Zambians to be proud of as they excel in education.

During the same function, President Banda installed Professor Francis Yamba as the First Chancellor for the ZOU.

ZOU becomes the First private and indigenous university in the country. It has a total enrollment of 5064 students.

Mr Banda congratulated Prof. Yamba on his immense contribution towards uplifting the education standards in the country.

He said government welcomes initiatives coming from people adding that government stands ready to come in when citizens have shown willingness to contribute to their country.

Mr Banda expressed optimism that Zambian universities and colleges would now be able to produce large numbers of grandaunts provided the education policy directions are instituted by university and college authorities.

And speaking earlier, ZOU Vice Chancellor Professor Dickson Mwansa said the institution is faced with financial problems such as students failing to pay their education fees in full among other problems.

Prof. Mwansa further said the infrastructure was a problem as the institution is renting a building.

He appealed to government to assist scout for land for the construction of a new university.

First republican president Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, Senior Chief Mumena and Lusaka Province Minister Charles Shawa were some the people who witnessed the 2009 ZOU 1st graduation ceremony.

ZANIS

FORMER first lady Maureen Mwanawasa has complained against Radio Phoenix for airing an interview in which she launched a scathing attack on the Times of Zambia.

Mrs Mwanawasa on Tuesday morning called the radio station to refute a story in the Times of Zambia in which she revealed her ambitions to stand for the presidency in 2016 after President Rupiah Banda had completed his second term.

However, before the telephone interview, which was recorded live, was even aired, she had a change of mind and phoned the station in an apparent attempt to block the broadcast.

Mrs Mwanawasa was allegedly angry that her attack on the Times of Zambia was aired live and when she attempted and failed to speak with the reporter who conducted the interview, she accused the radio station of playing with people’s emotions.

Radio Phoenix news editor Julius Sakala who confirmed the development to the Times of Zambia said Mrs Mwanawasa again called the radio station yesterday morning and demanded to speak with the reporter who handled her interview but failed.[quote]

He said when the station was asked to withdraw the interview, it was decided that the broadcast proceeds because she voluntarily phoned the station to give the story.

Mr Sakala said he was disappointed that Mrs Mwanawasa whose general standing in society was considered high could start harassing journalists and give an impression they were out to get her when in fact not.

In her Times of Zambia interview, she stated that she would support the candidature of Mr Banda in the 2011 polls because she respected MMD party etiquette and the rule of collective responsibility.

The former first lady however vehemently denied she ever made a statement about her willingness to join main-stream politics while in contradiction she stated she had a passion to lead Zambia.

Times of Zambia has however maintained that Mrs Mwanawasa did utter the words, which were published.

[Times of Zambia]

President Rupiah Banda today lead thousands of mourners from all parts of the country in North Western Province for the burial of late Minister of Local Government and Housing Benny Tetamashimba at their family grave yard at Mutanda in Solwezi district.

Addressing the mourners, President Banda who was gripped with grief and sorrow said as Minister of Local Government and Housing, the late Tetamashimba went round the country to ensure that the local government was organized to meet the challenges of delivering good services to the people.

Mr. Banda described the late Tetamashimba as a fearless warrior who did not hesitate to take on many political challenges.

He said Mr. Tetamashimba was reliable honest person who was quick to admit where he was wrong and firm where he believed he was right.

The President said he admired late Tetamashimba for his courage to speak out on many issues without fear or favor and championed the cause of the entire province and the nation as a whole.

He said Mr. Tetamashimba was a man whom many people had difficulties in understanding as many people considered him as controversial while others found him difficult to predict.

Mr. Banda told the mourners that the late Tetamashimba approached him to stand as Republican President after the death of the third Republican President Levy Mwanawasa and did so with conviction and commitment to the campaign that followed and MMD emerged victorious.[quote]

The President told the people of Solwezi Central that they had lost a great champion of their interest and concerns and urged them to carry on with the programs their leaders had started.

And speaking at the same burial site, family spokesperson Nathan Mulonga paid tribute to government for giving the late minister a befitting burial and taking care of him during his sickness.

Mr. Mulonga said as a family they have lost a gallant leader of the family and nation adding that Tetamashimba was honest, unique, sincere who unified them.

Meanwhile, there was drama at the burial site when an insane person from Copperbelt dashed inside and sat in front of United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema and demanded some money.

Security officers has a tough time removing him as he held to a pole of the tent and he was only removed after Copperbelt Permanent Secretary Villey Lombanya talked to him and give him a K30, 000.

The funeral was also attended by second Republican President Fredrick Chiluba and his wife Regina, UPND President Hakainde Hichilema, Government Ministers and several senior Government officials.

ZANIS