Kasempa Member of Parliament, Kabinga Pande, has directed councillors in the district to sensitise their people against aiding foreigners to acquire Zambian National Registration Cards.

Mr Pande, who is also Foreign Affairs Minister, observed that foreigners obtain Zambian National Registration Cards through help from Zambians themselves.

Mr Pande noted that without help from local people, it would be very difficult, if not impossible, for a foreigner to obtain a Zambian National Registration Card.

He pointed out that the trend should stop, saying it is dangerous because the character and background of some of the foreigners who are aided into obtaining the cards is not known.

Mr Pande sounded the warning in Kasempa yesterday at an ordinary council meeting held in the council chambers.

“This is serious. It is important that you councillors go flat out in your wards and sensitise your people against helping foreigners obtain Zambian NRCs. It is dangerous to help someone you do not even know to obtain a Zambian card. What if he is a thief?” he said.

Mr Pande’s warning came after the Council Secretary told the meeting that the mobile registration exercise was expected to commence yesterday (June 1) up to August 29, 2009.

Meanwhile, Mr Pande cautioned council management against increasing salaries for council employees, saying the increase should be done only if the council has the capacity to sustain the increment.

“If the council is able to increase the salary for its workers, well let it do so but there should be a resolution not to get into arrears. It should be sustainable and further correspond with the output from the employees,” advised Mr Pande.

He noted that some employees in the council just report for work and end up warming themselves in the sun and loitering at the expense of working and only to demand salary increments.

The Kasempa MP advised councillors to monitor work done by council employees, saying councillors should show interest in what is happening in the local authoruty.

Earlier, Council Chairman, Taipi Kyendamali, told the meeting that the council’s move to increase salaries for its employees is aimed at motivating the workers.

Mr Kyendamali said the council has the capacity to pay the proposed increments to the workers.

Mr Pande is in Kasempa to monitor development projects and to received submissions of development nature from various sectors in the district.

ZANIS

The Mental Health Users Network of Zambia (MHUNZA) has called on government to formulate and enact new legislation that will promote and protect people with mental illness in the country.

MHUNZA president Sylvester Katontoka said the current legislations pertaining to the welfare of people with mental illness is demeaning and discriminates against people living with mental illness.

Mr. Katontoka told ZANIS in an interview that the country is currently using the Mental Health Act of 1951 which is demeaning as it labels persons with mental as idiots and criminals.

He said the Act does not take into account the social and health aspects of people with the illness and therefore needs to be revised.
He said government needs to put in place legislation that will bring social order and stop the discrimination of people with mental illness.

Mr. Katontoka said the country needs to take into account the recent development in human rights issues as regards to people living with the disease.
He said people with mental illness have been adversely affected by the old Act as mental patients find it hard to be accepted in the community.

Mr Katontoka further pointed out that there are little or no facilities for people with the disease adding that this has denied them opportunities in life. He has since called on all Zambians to support people living with mental illness because although it is very difficult to be cured, it can be managed and controlled.

Meanwhile, principal Mental Health Officer in the Ministry of Health, Pascal Kwapa said his ministry is concerned with the legislation for people with mental illness.

Mr. Kwapa said government has since taken a step forward by developing the Mental Health Policy to ensure that people with mental illness are provided with quality and equitable facilities.

ZANIS

Southern province Minister Daniel Munkombwe has said the K10 billion financial scandal in the ministry of health has dented the image of the civil service.

Mr Munkombwe has regretted that despite President Rupiah Banda having quickly acted upon the issue, some sections of society have not appreciated the action.

He said the civil service, like any other section of political society, is not immune to non credible characters, whose dealings are denting the public service.

Mr Munkombwe was speaking in Livingstone today when Public Service Commission Chairman, Austen Mweemba, paid a courtesy call on him at his office.

He said governments exist because of the civil service adding that unless they were men and women of integrity, the country would suffer.

Mr Munkombwe regretted that some senior civil servants are also involved in the scam.

And Mr Mweemba said no one has the capacity to know the ability of workers because the Public Service Commission only looked at qualifications when employing civil servants.

He said it was difficult for the PSC to tell whether people were joining the civil service to merely gain experience and leave or whether they looked at it as a fertile ground to make money.

Mr Mweemba has since advised civil servants that the public service is not a place to go and become a millionaire and has advised thoses with such intentions to go elsewhere where they can make money in an unlimited manner.

Meanwhile, Mr Munkombwe has appealed to striking workers in the province to resume work.

Mr Munkombwe said there was need for civil servants in the province to give union leaders more time to negotiate with government.

Civil servants in the province have downed tools demanding better and improved conditions.

Hospitals, clinics and schools have been largely paralysed following the strike action by health workers and teachers.

ZANIS

The ruling Movement for Multi Party Democracy (MMD) has denied media reports indicating that President Rupiah Banda’s Image Builders were accommodated at the controversy embroiled Best Home Lodge during previous presidential by-election campaigns.

MMD party Spokesperson Benny Tetamashimba in a statement to ZANIS in Lusaka today described the media reports as false as the image builders were accommodated at Binnie Lodge Inn in Ibex Hill, a facility owned by the late Bank of Zambia Governor Francis Nkhoma, contrary to some media reports suggesting that they were staying at Best Home Lodge.

Mr. Tetamashimba, who is also Local Government and Housing Minister, further said as MMD campaign manager and election agent for President Banda he does not remember the party holding any Press Conference at the now infamous lodge which is owned by a suspended Ministry of Health Officer Henry Kapoko who is allegedly involved in the K27 billion Ministry of Health scandal.

He said the MMD Campaign Centre was located on Bwinjifumu Road, South End and does not remember holding any Press Conference at Best Home Lodge which has since been restricted by the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC).

“We wish to deny the story and condemn it in the strongest terms possible,” the statement read in part.

Mr. Tetamashimba has since advised the opposition to keep quiet if they had nothing to offer the Zambian people as the MMD was now concentrating on making Rupiah Banda win with a resounding victory in the 2011 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.

Recent media reports had indicated that President Banda’s image builders had stayed at the infamous lodge during the previous presidential by-election.

ZANIS