MMD spokesperson Benny Tetamashimba has reacted angrily to accusations by Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata that the ruling party is using the police as its committee of vigilantes.

And Chief Government spokesperson, Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha says the MMD is a democratic party that would not bar anyone from challenging President Rupiah Banda at the party convention.

Commenting on a story in yesterday’s The Post newspaper, headlined `Police are now a vigilante committee of MMD – Sata’, Mr Tetamashimba said it was not true that the MMD was using the police as a vigilante committee.

“It is Sata himself who supports anarchy. We know that his bodyguards are the ones who are harassing member of Parliament Mrs Faustina Sinyangwe and those PF members who were beaten at a press briefing recently. One of his bodyguards George Zulu has been released from police custody in connection with the same beating of those other PF members,” he charged.

Mr Tetamashimba, who is also minister of Local Government and Housing, accused Mr Sata of lacking integrity as he (Sata) was allegedly protected by thugs as his bodyguards.

“What integrity does Mr Sata have when he can watch his party members being beaten by fellow cadres without stopping them? When those PF members were picked from a hotel where they held a press briefing, they were taken to the party secretariat where his bodyguards continued beating them, but Sata never protected them,” Mr Tetamashimba charged.

In Saturday’s issue of The Post Mr Sata was quoted as saying that the police were now a vigilante committee of the ruling MMD, which is being used to harass and intimidate journalists from The Post.

Mr Sata was commenting on the warn and caution statement recorded by the police from The Post news editor Chansa Kabwela on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Mr Tetamashimba has told United Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema, to stop commenting on the procurement of hearses.[quote]

He was reacting to Mr Hichilema’s accusations in The Post newspaper yesterday that he (Tetamashimba) was inconsistent on the issue of hearses.

“I want to tell Hakainde to shut up. He is an accountant and he should understand the auditor’s report. He is making noise. He should shut up. He has no integrity. He should not comment on the issue of hearses like that. I still appeal to the Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate the issue of hearses,” Mr Tetamashimba said.

He accused Mr Hichilema of benefiting from the process of privatisation at the expense of Zambians when he was he was engaged as a liquidator.

And Mr Tetamashimba has said that MMD member Willa Mung’omba should abide by the party’s national executive committee NEC decision that endorsed President Banda as the sole candidate at the convention.

“Mr Mung’omba should not behave like he is a member of the opposition. He must support the decision by NEC for endorsing President Rupiah Banda. The PF have never had a convention and nobody has complained about that. Mr Mung’omba lost elections in the party and he should not now act like he is in the opposition. He is an MMD member,” Mr Tetamashimba said.

On Saturday Mr Mung’omba advised the party, through The Post, to allow President Banda to be challenged at the convention.

And the Chief Government spokesperson, Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha says the MMD is a democratic party that would not bar anyone from challenging President Rupiah Banda at the party convention.

He said in an interview yesterday that the decision by the NEC was to endorse President Banda as a sole candidate but that anyone who feels he could challenge Mr Banda could do so at the convention.

He says he could not recall a day and time when the NEC or MMD barred people from challenging the President at the convention.

“It would be very wrong for someone to conclude or say that MMD is not democratic,” Gen. Shikapwasha said.

[ZNBC]

Republican President, Rupiah Banda, has with immediate effect appointed Mulobezi Member of Parliament, Michael Mabenga as Lands Deputy Minister.

Mr Banda said the appointment comes after the death of Chitambo MP, Nasim Hasir, who was deputy Minister of Lands.

“In exercise of the powers vested in me pursuant to the provision of article 47 (1) of the constitution of Zambia, I here by appoint you Deputy Minister of Lands with immediate effect,” President Banda said in a letter to Mr Mabenga.

President Banda said it was his hope that Mr Mabenga would execute his functions in an efficient and diligent manner.

This is contained in a media statement signed and made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today by Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations, Dickson Jere.

ZANIS

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10a, NAS)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

David was a man of excellence. The Bible tells us that David played his harp “skillfully.” He didn’t just play it, he played it with excellence. When he slung the stone that defeated Goliath, it wasn’t an accident. It wasn’t just a lucky break. David had practiced the slingshot year after year out in the shepherd’s fields. He was extremely talented with that slingshot. Some experts say he could hit a small bull’s eye more than 100 feet away!

In the same way, if we want to see God’s hand of promotion, we need to live excellently. In this day and age, if you’re not growing, then you’re at a disadvantage. If you’re at the same skill level this year as you were five years ago, then you are falling behind. It’s time to step it up a notch. Whatever you are doing, do it with all your might! Don’t get complacent. Keep growing; keep learning; keep improving. As you do your best to live excellently, God will bless the fruit of your labor. He’ll pour out His “super” on your natural and cause you to rise up higher into the life of victory He has in store for you!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father in heaven, I choose to live in excellence. I want to bring You glory in all that I do. Thank You for promoting me as I dedicate every area of my life to You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

workers who defied the directive but they will not be paid for the month of June in which they did not work.

Speaking in Ndola today President Banda said he has pardoned the health workers who did not report for work after government gave them an ultimatum to report for work on Monday last week or face dismissal.

He said paying them will make them repeat going on such illegal strikes.

Mr Banda said he has pardoned the health workers because he understands that they have families to look after.

The President urged the workers not to listen to politicians who encourage them to go on strike as it was not the best way of resolving their grievances.

He also condemned labour union leaders who encourage workers to go on strike because such actions will not help build the country.

President Banda noted that it was regrettable that many lives were lost during the strike by the health workers.

Health workers went on strike for the whole month of June demanding improved conditions of service.

They have since called off their strike following government’s assurance that it will attend to their demands.

ZANIS

Parliamentary chief whip, Vernon Mwaanga, says government should to concentrate on developing the country and spend less time politicking.

Mr Mwaanga says national building involves seriousness, hard work and a mythological way of planning in order to achieve programs on economic zones like those of China.

Mr Mwaanga was speaking in Lusaka today upon arrival from the People’s Republic of China where he led a delegation of 22 experts that went to learn China’s experience and achievements in economic and scientific development zones which have seen that country lead in most developmental areas in the world.

He said the delegation learnt a lot from China’s experience which involves a lot of concentration on income-generating and wealth creation by engaging all the citizens into progressive ventures.

He praised the Peoples Republic of China for improving the lives of many of its citizens through economic activities such as better schools, roads, telecommunications, networking, Information Technology (IT), infrastructural development and employment creation.

Mr Mwanga said during their stay in China, the delegates received a lot of lectures in the major towns where they visited, such as Shanghai, Chezeng and Chengin which are very advanced in the area of technology.

He said the delegates, who included most senior government officials,learnt that the Chinese did not talk about politics, but spent time talking about development. Among the delegates were members of parliament, the Director General of ZRA, town clerks from the Copperbelt and a representative from the Ministry of Finance among other delegates.

Mr Mwaanga pointed out that economic emancipation needs people who are focused on issues of development, adding that the Chinese people have increased and developed talents among the citizens, a situation which he said has led to improvement of their lives.

He said Chinese lessons are very important for the Zambian’s because that is the only way people’s lives would be uplifted.

Mr Mwaanga noted that recently, many people in China were living in abject poverty but have since been lifted from poverty to wealthy people.

He commended China for making steady progress, such as moving from 12 to 14 per cent above national progress growth.

Mr Mwanga emphasised that Chinese people have moved forward over the years because of their work culture, saying people can only improve if they change their mind set.

He further said the government should move to the middle-income level through development if the 2030 vision has to be attained.

ZANIS

Government has observed that the 44th edition of the Zambia International Trade Fair (ZITF) has come at a time of economic uncertainty.

Ministry of Commerce Trade and Industry Deputy Minister Richard Taima said Zambia’s economy was currently in an unstable condition mainly due to the global economic recession.

Mr. Taima said this yesterday when he officially opened the one day small scale business forum at the ZITF’s presidential pavilion.

“The 2009 Trade Fair has come at a time of uncertainty regarding our economy. We all know that the global economic growth slowed down from 3.7 per cent to 2.5 per cent in 2008,” he said.

He however said government had already taken steps to redress the situation.

He said already government had found a strategic partner at Luanshya Mine, adding that the move had brought relief in the country.

Mr. Taima further said government had embarked on other supportive measures such as the announced reduction in customs duty on heavy fuels mainly used in the mining sector from 30 per cent to 15 per cent.

He also said the deferring of value added tax (VAT) on copper concentrates as another measure being taken by government through the Ministry.

He explained that all the measures were being put in place to reduce the cost of business in the mining industry, so as to encourage existing mines to remain in business.

The ongoing ZITF is expected to be officially opened by Republican President Rupiah Banda and his Tanzanian counterpart Jakaya Kikwete on Sunday.

ZANIS