PATRIOTIC Front (PF) Members of Parliament attending the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) will not support plans to impeach President Rupiah Banda because he has not violated the Constitution, spokesperson, Peter Machungwa has said.

Dr Machungwa said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that there was no Article in the Republican Constitution that the president had violated and the 18 PF MPs attending the NCC, therefore, found the calls to move the impeachment motion to be misguided.

“You only impeach the president if he has abrogated the Constitution and nobody has given any evidence showing that the president has violated the Constitution. In short, this thing is a non-starter,” Dr Machungwa said.

He said Article 37 of the Constitution stipulates the conditions under which an impeachment motion could be instituted against a president if the office holder had violated the Constitution.

He said an impeachment motion should be instituted through a notice given to the Speaker in writing and signed by at least one-third of Parliament, representing 53 MPs and that is not achievable under the current composition of the House.

The MMD has 81 MPs, PF 40, and UPND 22, while the United Liberal Party has three and UNIP one member.

Dr Machungwa said after its introduction and exhaustive debate, the impeachment motion could only be passed with the support of two-thirds of Parliament, representing 106 MPs.

In the event that such a motion was passed, a tribunal would then be appointed by the Chief Justice.

But even after its findings, the actual impeachment would need the support of three-quarters of the MPs.

Dr Machungwa, who is Luapula MP, said even other PF MPs not in his camp were against the motion to impeach President Banda because of the realisation that he had not violated the Constitution.

“Even assuming that there was no split in the PF, I know that some members will still not support the motion because they know that it is a non-starter,” Dr Machungwa said.

He said that MPs and opposition leaders pressing for the impeachment motion should produce evidence that President Banda has violated the Constitution, which he swore to uphold.

[Times of Zambia]

PRESIDENT Banda says Zambia will benefit from King Mswati’s vast experience and connections to international investors.

Mr Banda said in Solwezi that King Mswati III of Swaziland has been on the throne for a long time and would use his connections to lure international investors to invest in Zambia’s tourism and agriculture sectors.

Speaking after a conducted tour of Kansanshi Mine yesterday, President Banda said King Mswati would use his clout to convince big investors who have developed the tourism and sugar industry in his Kingdom to come to Zambia.

“Swaziland is more advanced in the tourism and sugar industry and we are hoping that we can use his clout to attract major investors in the country,” President Banda said.

“His Majesty has been on the throne for a long time and he has a lot of connections with major investors in the world. I am very sure that we will benefit from this as well,” President Banda said.

Mr Banda said King Mswati’s visit was stimulating and was sure that Zambia would benefit from it.
King Mswati said the main purpose of his visit was to look at investment opportunities in the country.

“We are here to look at investment opportunities and we are happy that the people of this province have been very generous to offer me land which we can come and look at. His Excellency (Mr Banda) supports that idea,” he said.

King Mswati said he will go back to Swaziland to decide on what kind of investment he will put up in the province.
He said there was need to encourage trade between the two countries.

The King said he hoped his investment in Zambia would spur further investment in both countries by the private sector.

King Mswati said he was impressed with the mining activities and the safety measures Kansanshi Mine has put in place.

“I am impressed to see the mine and the level of safety measures that management is concerned with the safety of the people,” King Mswati said.

He said mining at Kansanshi will improve the standards of living of the local people and the economy of the country.

He said he was also happy that the Kansanshi Mine management was taking care of disabled people in the community.

King Mswati said, however, that there was a lot that the mine could still do to improve the community.
The King said he was happy that the mine was not only employing men, but women too.

“We only assumed that these kinds of machines can only be run by men but the company has proved that anything is possible whether it’s a man or a woman,” he said.

King Mswati and President Banda’s entourage was shown a huge dump truck driven by a woman offloading copper ore at the crusher.

The two leaders also had a closed door meeting with the mine management.

Minister of Finance and National Planning, Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane, Minister of Local Government and Housing Benny Tetamashimba and Presidential Affairs Minister Ronald Mukuma accompanied the two leaders.

Swaziland Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation minister Lutfo Dlamini and Prince Ncanawa of Swaziland were also in the entourage.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“…And as they went, they were cured and made clean”
(Luke 17:14, AMP)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

One time in the Scripture, there were ten lepers who saw Jesus coming through the city. They hollered out, “Jesus! Have mercy on us and make us whole!” Jesus could have healed them right then, but instead, He asked them to do something to express their faith. He said, “Go show yourself to the Priest, and you will be made whole.”

It’s interesting that those lepers were not supposed to be around other people. They had to live in colonies by themselves because they were very contagious and considered unclean. I’m sure they debated among themselves, “Do you really think we should go? I don’t look any better. My skin is not clear. It’s just going to be a waste of my time.” But they dared to put action behind their faith. They decided, “Jesus said if we go, we will be well. Let’s go. Let’s take a step of faith.” The Scripture says, “As they went, they were made whole.”

Friend, what is God telling you to do in your heart today? Take a step of faith. Put action behind what you are believing for. God is faithful. As you step out and show that your faith is in Him, it will open the door for His miracle-working power to flow in every area of your life!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

“Heavenly Father, I choose to trust in You. I choose to be obedient to You. Even when it doesn’t make sense to my natural mind, I am going to continue to walk by faith. I love You and bless You today. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”

Joel Osteen ministries

ROAN member of Parliament, Chishimba Kambwili was yesterday ordered to leave the National Assembly Chambers by Deputy Speaker, Mutale Nalumango.

This was after Mr Kambwili passed a running comment when Minister of Energy and Water Development Kenneth Konga was responding to a question from Kankoyo MP Percy Chanda (PF) who wanted to know the programme that government has put in place to minimise load shedding as well as ensure that Zambians benefit from electricity.

But before Mr Konga could respond, Mr Kambwili ordered the minister to keep quiet and sit down.
This prompted Mrs Nalumango to order Mr Kambwili to leave the house, saying she can not tolerate unparliamentary behaviour.

She also cautioned MPs against using unprintable language because it can provoke fights in the house.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

INSPECTOR General of Police Francis Kabonde has cautioned politicians to stop dragging the name of the Zambia Police Service in the mud.

Mr Kabonde said yesterday that statements made to incite police officers are unfortunate because healthy political debates can only be held in an environment where there is no lawlessness, which may be fertile ground for chaos and instability.

“I want to reiterate that people must leave us out of politics so that we concentrate on our core functions of maintaining law and order, which is our bedrock,” Mr Kabonde said.

He said this in a statement read for him by Zambia Police Service spokesperson Bonnie Kapeso at a press briefing yesterday.

Mr Kabonde was reacting to a story that appeared in yesterday’s edition of the Post newspaper that police officers have not yet been paid their June salaries.

The newspaper was quoting Patriotic Front president Michael Sata.

“There is no iota of truth in this statement because all officers have received their emoluments accordingly,” Mr Kabonde said.

He said as Inspector General of Police, he is saddened by the allegations attributed to people who were once in the Police service and even understand that divulging information to unauthorised persons about operations of the service constitutes an offence.[quote]

“We expect former senior officers to take a lead in advising serving officers on the importance of observing such rules as members of an organised system. Operations and administration of the police are purely an internal matter,” he said.

Mr Kabonde also refuted allegations that there is violence in the Chitambo by-election campaigns since police reinforcement has already been sent there.

He said what Minister of Home Affairs Mr Lameck Mangani said a few days ago still stands that all cases of violence will be treated with the seriousness they deserve.

“For now I am glad to confirm that there is political maturity and responsibility in the manner political parties are conducting their day to day campaigns,” he said.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

The ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), the Patriotic Front (PF), the Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) and the United National Independence Party (UNIP) candidates have been validly nominated following the lodging in of nominations for the parliamentary by-election in Chitambo Constituency.

Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) Public Relations Manager, Cris Akufuna confirmed this to ZANIS in Lusaka today.

Solomon Musonda will stand on the MMD ticket and Chanda Mutale will contest for the seat on the PF ticket.

FDD would be represented by Evans Chola, while UNIP is fielding Timothy Kapolo.

Mr. Akufuna also announced valid candidates for some ward by-elections which include Zambezi ward in Kabwe where MMD, UNIP and PF candidates have successfully filed in their candidature.

The Zambezi ward race is between Julius Musongo of the MMD, PF’s Donald Mulunda and Christopher Lutanda of UNIP.

ZANIS

A retired judge says the attacks on individual judges by government officials are undermining the integrity of the judicial system in the country.

Judge Noah Kabamba said the continued attacks might bring about disrespect for the law, which will result into anarchy in the country.

He told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that legal practitioners should show respect to decisions made by the judges, adding that they should not be making unnecessary comments which were influenced by their personal feelings.

Judge Kabamba added that government officials should also stop to publicly challenge decisions of the court.

On the other hand, Judge Kabamba advised the government officials to desist from praising individual judges following certain judgments.

He has since appealed to the people in government to take the lead in restoring the faith of the Zambian people in the judicial system.

ZANIS