The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has not formally received any complaints of alleged violence and other electoral malpractices in Chitambo Constituency.

ECZ Public Relations Manager Chris Akufuna said in Lusaka today that no political party has lodged a formal complaint of alleged violence and other electoral malpractices in Chitambo.

Mr. Akufuna said the ECZ expects political parties to formally register complaints of electoral malpractices to the ECZ for the commission’s conflict management committee to deal with them.

He said the ECZ has a conflict management committee in Chitambo which the political parties could have used to formally bring their concerns to the attention of the commission.

Mr. Akufuna disclosed that last week the commission met with the various political parties participating in the Chitambo by election during which they were told the procedure on how to formally register their concerns with the commission.

He said political parties and their candidate agreed to abide to by the electoral code of conduct.

“We had a briefing with political parties on 14th July and they were told what the commission expects of them during the campaign. And these political parties and their candidates signed to abide by the Electoral Code of Conduct. We therefore expect them to respect the Code of conducts and abide by its provision. They should follow procedure and report any violation to the conflict management committee in the district,” he said.

He has since advised political parties to respect the electoral code of conduct.

Recently there has been accusations and counter accusations of electoral violence and other electoral malpractices in Chitambo.

The Chitambo parliamentary seat fell vacant following the death of Area Member of Parliament Nasim Hamir on May 1 this year. Four candidates are vying for the seat in the by-election scheduled for August 13, 2009.

These include Dr Solomon Musonda of the MMD, Evans Chola of FDD, Chanda Mutale under the PF/UPND pact and Timothy Kapolo of UNIP.

ZANIS

Patriotic Front (PF) and United Party for National Development (UPND) cadres have allegedly joined their MMD counterparts in collecting levies at City Market Bus Station.

Lusaka City Council Assistant Public Relations Manager Habeenzu Mulunda confirmed the development in Lusaka today.

Mr. Mulunda said PF and UPND cadres have taken over the collection of levies on the northern gate while MMD cadres have been collecting levies on the southern gate.

He appealed to leaders of the three political parties to intervene in the matter as the council was loosing out on the much-needed revenue.

Mr. Mulunda lamented that the move by cadres was illegal and against the court injunction obtained by the council to stop cadres from collecting levies.

He said the council has lost colossal sums of money which could have been used by the council for service delivery

Last Week the Lusaka High Court granted a mandatory injunction to the Lusaka City Council (LCC) restraining individuals masquerading as MMD cadres from collecting bus station levies at Lusaka City market.

Delivering the ruling, High Court judge Nebert Mutuna also directed the defendants to leave the city market bus station and be restrained from interfering with the council’s conduct of affairs until further notice.

According to a statement of claim, the defendants on July 9, without the consent of the LCC trespassed the city market bus station by entering the premises and started collecting monies and levying bus operators, premises owned by LCC.

This current move is a clear violation of the High Court ruling by the cadres from the three major political parties in the country.

PRESIDENT Banda says he is not worried about plans by the Patriotic Front (PF) and United Party for National Development (UPND) to impeach him.

Mr Banda, who was speaking to journalists at City Airport upon arrival from Eastern Province yesterday, said the two political parties can go ahead with their plans to impeach him.[quote]

“Let them go ahead. Do I look like someone who is scared of their plans? The Zambian laws allow that,” he said.

The President said the political parties involved have a democratic right to go ahead with their plans in Parliament.

Mr Banda arrived at 17:30 hours and was accompanied by his wife Thandiwe.

He was received by Minister of Foreign Affairs Kabinga Pande, Lusaka Province Minister Charles Shawa, and Secretary to the Cabinet Joshua Kanganja, other senior Government and MMD party officials and cadres.

MMD Lusaka Province chairperson Cleophas Chimembe has warned the PF and UPND to stop inciting the people of Zambia to rise against President Banda.

He said the PF went to court to challenge last year’s Presidential by-election but withdrew.

Mr Chimembe said the fight should have ended there after the court case was stopped.

He said it is sad that the opposition have resorted to desperate ways of diverting people’s attention from real issues affecting their lives.

“I would like to tell the nation that this evil scheme will fail, but only succeed in dividing the nation and scaring away potential investors,” Mr Chimembe said.

He reminded Zambians that President Banda was democratically elected and deserves respect and support from well meaning Zambians.

“Politics of comedies should be discarded. There is a lot of comedy in the ranks of some opposition political parties, at the expense of the politics of development. While we appreciate the freedom of expression, we should be aware that there is no absolute freedom, it is relative,” Mr Chimembe said.

He said President Banda and his government are working to ensure that they tackle the challenges the country is facing.

Mr Chimembe said impeachment calls are desperate attempts aimed at dislodging President Banda at all costs.

“This is a recipe for confusion in the country because President Banda has not failed the nation in his nine months rule.

“Zambia’s young democracy and unity of purpose is at stake and risks to be derailed if the disgruntled behaviour is going to be used as a yardstick to settle old scores,” he said.

Mr Chimembe said Zambia will only benefit if all citizens come together in unity.

Christopher Zimba, Lusaka-based youth said it would be immoral and insensitive for some opposition leaders to go ahead with plans to impeach Mr Banda when there are a lot of sectors in the country that need attention.

He called on Mr Sata to have a critical look at article 67 of the Zambian constitution to learn more about what it stipulates regarding impeachment.

“The article states that two thirds or 53 MPs need to pass a vote of no confidence in the President for him to be removed,’’ Mr Zimba said.

Mr Zimba said Mr Sata should inspire youths and citizens by talking about issues that are development-oriented.

He appealed to UPND president Hakainde Hichilema to dissociate himself from the PF-UPND pact to retain his integrity.

“I urge Mr Hichilema to analyse the pact critically. I believe Mr Hichilema is a man of integrity and he is able to analyse issues,’’ Mr Zimba said.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Lukashya Member of Parliament, Alfridah Mwamba, has called for the
urgent arrest of a police officer who allegedly defiled a 14 year-old girl of Chief Nkolemfumu’s area in Kasama district.

Speaking in an interview, Ms. Mwamba said the police should not protect the named officer from prosecution but should arrest him and let him answer the charges of defilement.

She was reacting to reports that the police officer disappeared after he allegedly defiled a teenage girl in Nkolemfumu village recently.

Ms. Mwamba advised the police command to be proactive and ensure that the suspect was brought to book.She charged that members of the public would want to see justice prevail in the matter, adding that anything to the contrary would not be accepted.She said it was unfortunate that some police officers, who were supposed to protect the public from criminality, were in the forefront of sexually abusing young girls.

Ms. Mwamba, who is a Lawyer by profession, has since pledged to follow up the case at Kasama police station and ensure that the law takes it course against the named police officer.She further expressed displeasure that it has been one week now after the matter was reported to police but no headways have been made towards apprehending the suspect, who is still on the run.

Recently, a named police officer allegedly defiled a 14 year-old girl in chief Nkolemfumu’s area.Northern Province police commanding officer Charles Lungu confirmed the incident and said a manhunt for the suspect has since been launched.

He further appealed to members of the public with information regarding the whereabouts of the police officer to report to the nearest police station so that the suspect could be apprehended and charged for defilement.

ZANIS

President Rupiah Banda is still consulting stakeholders over paying Members of Parliament their mid term gratuity.

Chief Government spokesperson, Ronnie Shikapwasha, says this is to ensure there is a consensus on the matter.

He says the President wants to ensure that all stakeholders in government and political parties are consulted before a decision is made.

He says although some political leaders have asked their MPs not to get the mid term gratuity, government will also have to take into consideration that some MPs have got loans and other financial obligations.

General Shikapwasha was speaking after he toured the Zambia Daily Mail offices in Lusaka.

Some political stakeholders have asked government to defer the payment of mid term gratuity in view of the global financial melt down.

[ZNBC]

violence in Chitambo constituency by-election campaigns in Serenje district.

Lusaka Mayor, Robert Chikwelete, has said he is disappointed that the MMD has implicated him in the violence in which two supporters of the ruling party at Chalilo in Chitambo constituency were on Sunday beaten up by suspected PF carders.

Meanwhile Central Province Police Commanding Officer, Simon Mpande, has warned that anyone who will cause lawlessness in Chitambo constituency by-election will face the law.

The MMD complained bitterly on Sunday after two of their supporters were beaten by PF cadres.

In an interview at Chalilo yesterday, PF constituency youth Chairperson, Katobaula Mpundu, said the PF was provoked by the victims who were beaten.

He explained that Morris Mwansa and Lloyd Kabanga who were beaten up strayed into the PF camp in a drunken state and started making noise demanding to be given nshima.

“We were not there when it all started but what we were told is that the two MMD cadres were drunk and provoked those that remained at the camp. How can they come drunk and start making noise at our camp. It is unfortunate because we have been peaceful all along,” he said.

Mr Mwansa and Mr Kabango were admitted to Serenje district hospital for observation on Sunday and medical officer, Dr Jackson Kasela, discharged them yesterday after attending to them.

Mr Chikwelete said it was unfortunate that the MMD allegedly implicated him in the violence.

“It is shameful for the MMD to start talking about cadres. I was not even anywhere near when the incident happened and I am one person who cannot support such,” he said.

He said he would not be involved in politics as he was above politics by virtue of the mayoral position he holds and charged that the MMD were allegedly behaving like that because they knew they were losing the election.

Mr Chikwelete said he did not even travel to Serenje to campaign but his trip was purely on family affairs to see his parents and other relatives at the village at Chalilo, adding that be travelled with his two nephews and one young brother who were not even cadres.

The Lusaka mayor charged that his life was in danger and that whatever would happen to him the MMD would be accountable.

Mr Chikwelete also said police should not work under instructions but should investigate matters and act professionally.

The Police Commanding Officer, Mr Mpande, yesterday described the situation in Chitambo as calm, saying police were watching vigilantly and would not tolerate any lawlessness.

Mr Mpande, who just returned from Chalilo, however said anyone who will cause violence will face the law.

Chief Chitambo, whose palace is within Chalilo area, condemned the violence and called for peaceful campaigns by all participating political parties.

Chitambo parliamentary seat fell vacant after the death of Nasim Hamir on May 1 this year and has four candidates vying for it in the by-elections scheduled for next month on 13th.

These include Dr Solomon Musonda for MMD, Evans Chola for FDD, Chanda Mutale for PF and Timothy Kapolo for UNIP.

KING Mswati of Swaziland has urged Zambians to continue supporting President Banda because he has a heart for the people.

He was addressing some Mfuwe residents who went to bid farewell to him at Mfuwe International Airport yesterday.[quote]

King Mswati said President Banda has a heart for Zambians because he always talks about the desire to improve their living standards.

“President Banda is committed to all of you. All he talks about is you, the people of Zambia. Continue supporting him because he can only achieve his desires to better your lives with your support,” he said.

King Mswati said he was happy with his visit to Zambia and enjoyed game viewing with members of his family and the Zambian first family.

He said he is happy with the developments he has seen in the National park because caution has been taken to ensure that the natural heritage is preserved.

“Nature is a gift from God and so even the young people must grow up preserving it, especially that people come from afar to come and see the wonderful wildlife that you have in this country,” he said.

On the piece of land he was given by the chiefs in North Western Province, King Mswati said he will be sending a delegation from Swaziland to come and see what sort of development can be put up.

He said the delegation will also look at economic activities the two countries can embark on.

The King thanked President Banda and the people of Zambia for the hospitality that he received during his stay in the country.

He said he looks forward to reciprocating the gesture when President Banda visits that country.

Meanwhile , President Banda has thanked the people of Eastern Province for the good reception that he and King Mswati received.

He also thanked the MMD in the province for its continued support to his leadership.

Mr Banda said the MMD is a strong party as it can be found in all corners of the country.

He said MMD must show that it is a strong party and that it is an organisation for all Zambians regardless of origin.

“I also want to thank all the chiefs that came over to Chichele to meet us, and we all enjoyed watching the dancers both from here and Swaziland,” Mr Banda said.

He assured the people that their farming inputs will be distributed in good time so that they can grow enough food to feed the country , as well as for export to neighbouring countries.

Earlier, Eastern Province Minister Isaac Banda assured the President of continued support to his leadership by the people of the province.

He said the province is honoured to have received King Mswati as their guest.

King Mswati’s plane took off at 12:00 hours while President Banda’s plane took off at 12:30 hours.
The President flew to Chipata on a private visit and is expected in Lusaka late this afternoon.

[Zambia Daily Mail]