SOME members of Parliament have welcomed President Banda’s announcement that there is nothing wrong in paying mid-term gratuity to them.

The MPs said the move taken by the President over the payment of gratuity is in line with the provisions of the constitution.

Patriotic Front Matero MP Faustina Sinyangwe said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that MPs are entitled to gratuity.

She said members of the public should desist from politicising the gratuity for MPs as legislators fall almost in the same category as classified daily employees.

Mrs Sinyangwe said MPs are entitled to gratuity like any other civil servant on contract.

“People should understand that MPs are not the only people who are entitled to gratuity because there are many other civil servants who are on contract and at the end of their service, they are given gratuity.

“So let them not rush to engage in unnecessary talk over the gratuity because if it means scrapping it off, even other civil servants on contract should forego their gratuity,” Mrs Sinyangwe said.

Luena MP Charles Milupi (independent) said MPs are elected to Parliament not for the sole purpose of getting gratuity but to serve their various constituencies.

Mr Milupi, however, said it is unfair for members of the public to call for the deferment of mid-term gratuity for MPs when there are many other civil servants who are entitled to the same conditions of service.

He said some individuals calling for the suspension of the payment of gratuity have been MPs before but never suggested the suspension of the allowance during their tenure.

“The problem is that some people think MP’s are only interested in gratuity. We carry out various duties in our various constituencies and it’s only right that we are given our entitlement.

“If some sections of society insist on condemning the gratuity of MPs, then there should be a reform of the payment structure of all civil servants so that the playing ground is levelled,” Mr Milupi said.

He wondered which sectors of the economy would receive the MPs’ gratuity if it was not paid to law makers.[quote]

“It is not practical for people to suggest that we need to direct the money to other needy sectors of the economy because there is no clear road map for those plans,” Mr Milupi said.

He said opposition political party leaders who are against the payment of gratuity should instruct their MPs not to accept the money once released.

Solwezi Central MP Benny Tetamashimba (MMD) said the decision taken by President Banda should be commended by all well meaning Zambians because Government would have found it difficult to pay MPs the gratuity in full at the end of their term.

“We are grateful to the President for allowing the payment of the gratuity because had he not allowed it, he would have gone against the law.

“One thing people should understand is that if the mid-term gratuity is not paid, where do they think Government would have sourced K140 billion to pay the MPs the gratuity in full?” he asked.

Mr Tetamashimba said it is not right for PF leader Michael Sata to ask his MPs to forego the gratuity because they have financial obligations to fulfil.

“Most members of parliament have borrowed monies and they used the mid-term gratuity as security at commercial Banks.

“I’m actually surprised that Mr Sata is asking his members to forego the gratuity when they have borrowed monies from parliament for use in their campaigns. They need to pay back to enable National Assembly to direct the resources to other needy areas,” Mr Tetamashimba said.

President Banda has said there is nothing wrong in paying the mid-term gratuity to MPs.

Mr Banda said the mid term gratuity was a condition of service or entitlement that was provided for in the law for public servants.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

GOVERNMENT has challenged United Party for National Development (UPND) president, Hakainde Hichilema to acquire the 75 per cent equity partner shares in Zamtel if he thinks the 25 per cent shares which will be reserved for Zambians after privatisation are not enough.

Cabinet Committee member on Zamtel, Kenneth Konga said it is wrong for Mr Hichilema to criticise Government for allocating 75 per cent of the telecommunication company’s shares to an equity partner before finding out the reason.

Mr Konga was part of the five-member cabinet committee constituted by President Banda to find a lasting solution to the financial and technical problems of Zamtel.

He said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that a number of factors were taken into consideration before arriving at the decision.
Mr Konga who is Minister of Energy and Water Development said Zamtel has a huge debt and requires a capital injection of not less than US$200 million to survive.

He said there is no Zambian with such kind of money to invest in the company.

“If Mr Hichilema has a lot of money, let him buy those shares because, after all, we have not yet found an equity partner for Zamtel and so he is very much welcome to invest US$200 million in the company.

“As a committee, we took a number of factors into consideration before allocating the 75 per cent shares to an equity partner because we believe no Zambian has that kind of capital to invest in the company,” Mr Konga said.
He said Government decided on offloading the remaining 25 per cent shares on the Zambian market because some Zambians can afford to buy some shares.

Mr Konga said opposition political parties and Zambians in general should desist from developing a tendency of always criticising Government on its decisions even when they are taken in good faith.

He was reacting to Mr Hichilema’s sentiments that the 25 per cent shares in Zamtel to be sold to Zambians are insignificant and that the UPND would have preferred that more shares are sold to the public.

Mr Hichilema accused President Banda of trying to benefit from the privatisation of Zamtel.

He said although he is not against making Zamtel viable, he wanted transparency in the manner in which RP Capital Partners of Caymen Islands was engaged to undertake an evaluation of the company’s assets.

Mr Hichilema said it is unfortunate that former Minister of Communications and Transport, Dora Siliya, was allowed to engage RP Capital Partners without announcing the tender.

“We want to see a better Zamtel but the manner in which it is being done is to serve a few individuals where there was no tender. There are better ways of making Zamtel flourish and that 25 per cent that will be sold to Zambians is nothing,” he said.

Mr Hichilema said the UPND is speaking for the majority Zambians who are suffering and advised the unions to consider the interests of the workers most of whom are underpaid

But the National Union of Communication Workers (NUCW) is confident that Zamtel will be viable after the 75 per cent shares in the company are sold to an equity partner.

NUCW president Patrick Kaonga advised people claiming corruption in the privatisation of Zamtel to report to law enforcement agencies.
Mr Kaonga said this in an interview from Samfya yesterday.

“Our interest is to save the company from collapse. If there are issues of corruption, there are law enforcement agencies to deal with them,” Mr Kaonga said.

He said NUCW is confident that Zamtel will be viable after it is privatised. Mr Kaonga said his union’s interest is to ensure that jobs are saved.
He warned that the company will go into liquidation if nothing is done about it because it is failing to operate viably. Mr Kaonga said Zamtel’s problems started a long time ago and that nothing was done about it.

“At the time the telecommunications sector was liberalised, Zamtel was not ready to take that route. Mass employment was part of Government’s agenda before liberalisation and now we need to restructure the company to make it viable,” Mr Kaonga said.

And the National Energy Sector and Allied Workers Union (NESAWU) has challenged Mr Hichilema to prove allegations that President Banda wants to personally benefit from the privatisation of Zamtel.

NESAWU general secretary Yotam Mtayachalo made the challenge in an interview in Ndola yesterday. “It is not fair for Mr Hichilema to accuse President Banda of wanting to benefit from the sale of Zamtel shares. As a modern politician, he should learn not to be personal and to politicise issues.

“If we continue throwing mud at each other, we are eroding donor confidence. It is not fair to accuse President Banda of wanting to benefit from the sale of 75 per cent shares in Zamtel,” Mr Mtayachalo said.

Meanwhile, Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairperson Charles Milupi has urged Government to ensure Zambians benefit from the sale of 75 per cent Zamtel shares.

Mr Milupi said government should ensure that the privatisation of Zamtel is done according to the laid down tendering procedures.
He said in an interview yesterday that the country should get the value in monetary terms out of the sale of 75 per cent shares of Zamtel to an equity partner.

“All Zambians must benefit from the sale of the company because we do not want to experience the same thing that happened after the sale of ZCCM. Most Zambians did not benefit from the sale of that company,” he said.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

a ‘think-tank’ discussion with other Heads of States and Government officials attending the Smart Partnership Movement Dialogue currently underway in the Ugandan capital, Kampala.

The dialogue that lasted several hours was held behind closed doors at the prestigious Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort situated on the shores of Lake Victoria.

President Banda who is accompanied by first lady Thandiwe Banda, Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane and other Senior Government officials proceeded into a discussion forum with other Heads of State soon after arrival in Uganda.

This year’s conference is being held under the theme ‘Towards smarter globe-The Smart Partnership Way for realizing socio-economic transformation through regional integration

Other heads of state and government participating at the dialogue include the host President Yoweri Museveni,President Yahya AJJ Jammeh of Gambia,President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, King Mswati III of Swaziland. Others are Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib.

The First Lady, Thandiwe Banda also joined other first ladies on the sidelines of the conference and participated in a dialogue dubbed “Transformation-The vital role of First Ladies and Spouses.”

Former First lady Maureen Mwanawasa is also in attendance.

President Banda is was later expected to handover the Chairmanship of the Smart Partnership Movement.

He also delivered a key note speech during a cocktail party, detailing Zambia’s accomplishments for the movement during its tenure as chair.

ZANIS

Local Government and Housing Minister Benny Tetamashimba says people should give credit to President Rupiah Banda for fighting corruption openly.
Speaking when he paid a courtesy on Mwinilunga District Commissioner, Mr Tetamashimba said President Banda has not hidden any corrupt activities in the Ministry of Health.

He stressed that President Banda has shown willingness to fighting corruption by exposing corrupt practices in the ministry of health.

“People should give credit to president Banda for not hiding corruption in the ministry of health” said Mr Tetamashimba.

Mr Tetamashimba said the president will continue fighting corruption openly till the vice is curbed in government ministries.

He complained that there is a lot of corruption in ministries as seen by many junior officers who have built big houses in some of the compounds in Lusaka.

“Junior office are building big houses in most of the compounds in Lusaka, there is too much corruption in ministries” he noted.

And Mr Tetamashimba has urged councillors to implore members of parliament to support the local government bill which was presented in parliament last week by local government minister.[quote]

He said once the bill goes through it will allow the ministry of local government to put council workers in management on government pay role.

Mr Tetamashimba said such a move will assist in the council to serve money to pay workers who are not in management.

He thanked council workers for continuing to work despite not getting paid for two years

Meanwhile Mwinilunga district commissioner Webster Samakase has praised government for send farming inputs on time.He disclosed to the local government minister that the district has received 1,160 by 50kg Compound D fertilizer and 10,329 by 50kg of urea.He also briefed the minister that the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has commenced purchase of maize from the farmers.

ZANIS

President Rupiah Banda says he will not condone any form of violence from political parties during the on going campaigns for the Chitamba Parliamentary by- elections.

Mr. Banda said he will not tolerate any violence from parties participating in the by-election regardless of their political affiliations.

President Banda said police will take action against any one found wanting during the campaigns.

He said he wants peaceful elections to prevail in the by-election scheduled for August 13.

The Chitambo parliamentary by-election has been marred with violence, which some Non- Government Organizations (NGOs) such the Forum for Democratic Process (FODEP) has since condemned.

The President was speaking to Journalists at Lusaka International Airport upon arrival from Mwansabombwe were he went to grace this years Mutomboko Ceremony of the Lunda speaking people.

The President was accompanied by First lady Thandiwe, Communications Minister Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa, Community, Development and Social Services Minister Michael Kaingu , Chief Whip Vernon Mwanga , Sports Deputy Minister Angela Cifire and Chief Mukuni among others .

He was received by Vice President George Kunda, Senior Cabinet officials and Service Chiefs.

President Banda who said was happy to official at this year’s ceremony disclosed that government is to establish a culture center in Luapula province.

President Banda said that government’s intention to establish a culture center is in view of his administration’s intention to promote culture in the country.

Mr Banda said it is his government’s realization of culture’s importance in uniting and developing the nation.

The President said government was determined to ensure development in the rural areas of Zambia through cultural assistance, among others.

The Republican President was speaking during the 2009 Mutomboko Ceremony of the Lunda speaking people of Luapula province in Mwansabombwe, yesterday.

And Luapula Province Minister Boniface Kawimbwe told ZANIS in an exclusive interview that government was determined to promote cultural ceremonies in the province.

Dr Kawimbe said it was Mr Banda’s administration’s intention to support all the seven culture ceremonies in the province with the intention to boost the vast Tourism potential in the area.

He said the Mutomboko ceremony, among others, plays a leading role in uniting the nation saying all Zambians and the private sector in particular should take keen interest in supporting the ceremonies in kind.

The ceremony started with the Senior Chief going through the traditional rituals of throwing food stuffs into the river in respect of the ancestors.

This is in view of the first Mwata who crossed in to the Luapula river into then Northern Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia, after he was sent by his father King Mwatiyamva.
ZANIS

Dr. Kalumba said the party could not have strong leadership at the highest level if those at grass root were insulting their superiors.

He said party members must be proud of their leaders because they are the ones who elected them into office.

Dr. Kalumba was reacting to reports by the party’s Eastern Province Executive that some members especially the youth from Chipata Central Constituency were disrespectful to leaders.

Addressing members during the launch of the party’s card renewal held at the Council chamber in Chipata yesterday, he said members should follow the constitution of the party in order to live in harmony.

‘’ To keep the party going, we need two groups to work together. Those who were elected must be able to work with those who elected them,’’ Dr. Kalumba said.

Dr. Kalumba warned members who were fond of using the name of his office to undermine the elected leadership that he will not defend them should they face disciplinary action by their immediate supervisors.

He urged the provincial chairperson to be humble as he led the party in the region and be firm when disciplining erring members.

Earlier, Eastern Province MMD Chairperson, Kennedy Zulu, complained that the youth from Chipata Central constituency were not giving the Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) members respect.[quote]

Mr. Zulu said if the trend continued that it was going to weaken the party in the region thereby giving advantage to the opposition to penetrate.

And Dr. Kalumba has reiterated his support for president Banda as the sole candidate for the party presidency at the national convention.

He said Mr. Banda was the only person who the party had in mind to lead it through to the 2011 general elections.

Dr. Kalumba noted that some of the people who were vying for the party presidency were not even members of the party because their names were not appearing in the party’s data base.

‘’ Some of them are not even our members because when you ask them about the branches they come from, they can not explain. They just get party cards from the streets which as a party we do not recognize,’’ he said.

He said those that were genuine party members needed to register from branches in constituencies.

‘’ Those that want to contest must ensure they have branches where they come from. We need unity in the party in order to overcome the so called pact of the UPND and PF,’’ Dr. Kalumba said.

He said the infighting of members was making them loose energy to fight the opposition, saying, the enemy was not any member from the party but the opposition.

Meanwhile, during the same meeting, some senior members of opposition parties resigned to join the ruling MMD.

Some of those that have joined the MMD are former UNIP Deputy National Women’s secretary, Hlupekile Nyondo, former FDD Provincial Youth Chairperson, Osward Mphande and Former Chadiza Central Member of Parliament, Phillip Zulu.

ZANIS

T.D. Jakes (a well-known preacher) was returning to Texas after a speaking engagement. When his plane arrived, there was a limousine there to transport him to his home in Dallas . As he prepared to get into the limo, he stopped and spoke to the driver. “You know” he said, “I am almost 50 years old and I have never driven a limousine. Would you mind if I drove it for a while?”

The driver said, “No problem. Have it.”

T.D. gets into the driver ‘ s seat and they head off down the highway. A short distance away sat a rookie State Trooper operating his first speed trap. The long black limo went by him doing 70 in a 55 mph zone. The trooper pulled out and easily caught the limo and got out of his patrol car to begin the procedure. The young trooper walked up to the driver ‘ s door and when the glass was rolled down he was surprised to see who was driving. He immediately excused himself and went back to his car and called his supervisor. He told the supervisor, “I know we are supposed to enforce the law but I also know that important people are sometimes given certain courtesies. I need to know what I should do because I have stopped a very important person.” “The supervisor asked, “Is it the governor?” The young trooper
said, “No, he’s more important than that.”
The supervisor said,”Oh, so it’s the president.” The young trooper said,”No, he’s even more important than that.”

The supervisor finally asked, “Well then, who is it?”

The young trooper said, I think it’s Jesus because he’s got T. D.Jakes for a chauffeur!!! !!

Battalion of the Zambia Army with the Freedom of City status and presented them with an honors certificate .

Lusaka City Council Mayor Robert Chikwelete said the council recognizes the commitment and sacrifices that the second battalion has made in ensuring the protection of property and the citizens of Zambia.[quote]

The mayor further commended Army officers for their commitment to duties not only within the country but also through assistance they have rendered to other countries engulfed in wars world over.

Mr. Chikwelete was speaking when he conferred the Second Battalion of Zambia Army with the freedom of the city status at a ceremony held at the Civic centre in Lusaka yesterday.

He said although the battalion has continued to face challenges in its operations, that the it has executed its duties professionally.

Mr. Chikwelete thanked the Men and Women and the commanding officer of the second battalion for working diligently for the nation.

The freedom of the city ceremony dates back to September 10, 1960 when the city of Lusaka conferred the Northern Rhodesia regiment the freedom of entry into the city of Lusaka on all ceremonial occasions.

The city of Lusaka continued with the tradition after independence when the Northern regiment was changed to the Second Battalion of the Zambia regiment.

ZANIS