the family and herself are happy with her appointment as MMD national trustee contrary to claims by the late president’s son Patrick that the family was not consulted.

Ms Mwanawasa said claims by Patrick that she was not aware of the appointment were not true and advised her nephew to avoid being used by people not happy that the Mwanawasa family was ready to work with President Rupiah Banda.

“The Mwanawasa family has always been ready to work with President Banda. We said this even at first prior to the October 2008 presidential by-election and I do not see the reason things can change now.

“This situation will not take us anywhere. I mean, Patrick has never been in touch with me to talk about this issue and if anything, Patrick is just a child and he is not the person we should be consulting over such issues,” she said.

Ms Mwanawasa said family members who included her uncles Green Chilabika and Philimon Mokola and her older sister Rona were all consulted and gave a ‘green light’ for her appointment to the NEC.

Reacting to claims published in yesterday’s Post edition that she and the family were not consulted, Ms Mwanawasa said she even had the opportunity of discussing the matter with her close friends who all advised her to accept the appointment.[quote]

She advised Patrick to go back to school and build his future than allowing himself to be used by the people that would not help him shape his destiny.

Ms Mwanawasa said her family was ready to work with President Banda’s administration and that was the reason she accepted the appointment.

“In fact, after my appointment, we even went to State House with my two uncles to meet and thank President Banda for recognising me as a person who can work with the party and this confirmed that we were actually consulted,” she said.

Rona Mwanawasa said separately in Chisamba that the family actually sat down and advised her sister to take up the position.

“We actually sat down as a family and advised Evelyn to accept the appointment. We are MMD and we see no reason we should abandon the party to join the opposition just because our brother has died,” she said.

She said that those trying to use Patrick should desist from doing so because they were just bent on destroying the young man.

“In fact, if Patrick says anything wrong in the whole thing, he should have contacted us than going to the newspaper. We have never been in touch with him and it is not true for him to say he had even contacted Evelyn over the appointment,” she said.

Patrick claimed in the Post Newspaper story that MMD wanted to use the Mwanawasa name only when it suited them and that the appointment of her aunt was not genuine and was just intended to benefit the MMD.

But Rona said Patrick was not a politician and had never been one and that those trying to use him were not helping him.

[Times of Zambia]

Striking nurses and other health workers at the University Teaching  Hospital, UTH, have given government a two-week ultimatum in which to address their demands.

The workers have vowed to continue with the strike until government pays them improved risk, night duty, Uniform, and housing allowances among other demands.

They accused government of neglecting their plight of working up to 78 hours per week when ministers are getting huge salaries and allowances.

The workers issued the ultimatum when Labour Minister Austin Liato addressed them at UTH this afternoon.

The irate health workers, who displayed placards denouncing the effort by Labour Minister to address them, said they will not succumb to any form of intimidation by government.[quote]

Zambia Congress of Trade Union, ZCTU, President, Leonard Hikaumba, who sympathised with the nurses advised government to desist from evacuating ministers to South Africa for medical treatment because the measure was compounding the problem in the health sector.

“We demand equal treatment in the distribution of health care facilities with those in south Africa because nurses at UTH are working under difficulty situations. We see senior government officials being flown outside for medical treatment when that money can be used to purchase the needed equipment, where is the fairness?”, Mr. Hikaumba wondered.

Mr. Hikaumba advised the nurses to remain united as ZCTU is working with the Zambia Union of Nurses Organisation, ZUNO, to pressurize government to improve conditions of service for public health workers.

He said the 15 per cent salary increment awarded to the nurses was done in good faith and dismissed claims that government bribed the labour leaders to settle for a ‘meagre’ 15 per cent salary increment.

He urged the health workers to go back to work because if they continued with the strike action, government would take advantage and weaken the solidarity in speaking with one strong voice through their reputable union, ZUNO.

But in response, Labour and Social Services Minister, Mr Liato urged the nurses to go back to work as their plight has been heard.

Mr. Liato, a former labour movement leader of the Energy and Allied Workers’ Union said negotiations for bargaining cannot be done in a short period of time but government acts when communicated to through labour union leaders.

He added that President, Rupiah Banda, has been in office for only nine months and pleaded that government be given enough time to address the concerns of the workers.

“Go back to work then the negotiation will go smoothly because government cannot start bargaining when workers are away. Government has heard from your side and so hear our side also. Allow the bargaining process to start because no-one is interested in trivialising this matter be it government or union leaders. As government we are addressing the strike with the urgency it deserves,” assured Mr. Liato.

ZANIS

The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has announced that it will soon kick-start the continuous voter registration exercise.

ECZ Public Relations Manager, Chris Akufuna told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that the commission was currently putting in place the necessary logistical requirements.

Mr. Akufuna said ECZ would strive to stick to the earlier announcement by its Chairperson Justice Florence Mumba to commence the exercise this month.

“The Electoral Commission of Zambia will endeavor stick to the earlier statement by Justice Florence Mumba that the continuous voter registration will start by June this year and members of the public will be informed once the exercise begins,” he said.

Mr. Akufuna said the ECZ is working tirelessly to ensure that the exercise commences promptly.

The ECZ Public Relations Manager said the commission is alive to the fact that it needs to act with a sense of urgency over the matter.

He said the exercise would ensure that all eligible voters are capture so that they may exercise their right to vote.

Pressure is amounting on the ECZ to commence the continuous voter registration exercise.

Government this year allocated K5 billion in the national budget to the ECZ for the continuous voter registration.

ZANIS

President Rupiah Banda is this Wednesday expected to hold a press conference at State House to address various issues affecting the nation.

This is according to a statement released to ZANIS by his Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations, Dickson Jere in Lusaka today.

Mr. Jere said the media briefing is expected to begin at 10:30 hours, adding that members of the diplomatic corps and accredited journalists should be seated by 10:00 hours.

He also stated that journalists, who wish to cover the press conference, should contact the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) for accreditation and clearance.

Since he came into office in November last year, President Banda has held only one press conference.

ZANIS

The China National Electric Equipment Corporation (CNEEC) has shown interest in developing the Kafue Lower Gorge Hydro Power Station at a cost of $1.5 billion.

Corporation President, Zhao Ruolin, says the Chinese power company will source for the money if the Zambian government agrees to contribute fifteen per cent of the total cost.

Znbc’s Luckson Nthani reports that Mr. Zhao made the pledge in Beijing on Monday.

This was when a delegation of Zambian parliamentarians and government officials visited the Headquarters of CNEEC which is solely-owned by the Chinese government.

He also said CNEEC is willing to help Zambia to develop alternative sources of energy from bio-mass, thermal, solar and wind.[quote]

At the same meeting, Chief parliamentary Whip, Vernon Mwaanga thanked the government of China for supporting Zambia’s efforts to meet its energy needs.

And Commerce Minister Felix Mutati has invited the President of CNEEC, Mr. Zhao to Zambia in July to attend a SADC pledging conference for the Kafue Lower Gorge Power Station Project.

Mr. Mutati said Zambia’s power deficit needs urgent attention.

CNEEC has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding with private investors in Zambia who are planning to develop a hydro-power station on the Kalungwishi River in the Luapula Province.

The Kalungwishi River Power Station is expected to cost $600 million.

[ZNBC]