President Rupiah Banda says people who are bent on criticizing most of his government’s developmental programmes, among them the plans to purchase mobile hospitals, might regret in future.

President Banda said people should not criticize well-meaning programmes which government undertakes because they are for the benefit of the Zambian people.

He said in Blantyre yesterday that mobile hospitals might not be appreciated in the urban areas but they would be very useful in rural areas where many people do not have access to medical services.

He warned Zambians against listening to his detractors who were speaking against government’s intention to acquire mobile hospitals at the cost of US$ 53 million from China.

Mr. Banda, who was in Malawi to attend the inauguration of President Bingu wa Mutharika, said it is unfortunate that some people were criticizing government for buying 100 hearses, which he said would be very useful to rural people.

He likened what his government was currently going through, to the experience of Dr. Mutharika and his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) during his first term of office, when parliament threatened not to approve the budget because they wanted to make it difficult for him to govern the country.

President Banda said some Malawians thought they were making President Mutharika unpopular but he proved them wrong, when he tremendously improved the economy of that country.[quote]

In the just ended elections in Malawi, Dr. Mutharika got a landslide victory, with most Malawians attributing this to his hard work and resolve to improve the welfare of all Malawians.

And President Banda said Zambia would learn a lot of lessons from the just ended presidential and parliamentary elections in Malawi, which saw Dr. Mutharika’s party winning by popular vote through out the country.

The economy of Malawi grew by an average of 7.5 per cent during Dr. Mutharika’s first four years in office and over 9.0 per cent last year.

Mr. Banda hailed the government of Malawi for electing a woman for the position of vice president and many other female candidates as members of parliamentary.

ZANIS

Government says it has approved K7.3 billion for the implementation of various development programmes in Central Province this year.

Vice President George Kunda said this today, when he addressed scores of Serenje residents at Kaunda Square. Mr. Kunda said the money will be used in the construction of schools, health centers,the rehabilitation of roads and many other development programmes.

He said this is in line with government’s commitment enshrined in the Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP)and the Vision 2030.

Mr. Kunda further said Serenje district will this year receive K1.8 billion Constituency Development Fund (CDF). He said the funds released are aimed at enhancing development in all the parts of Serenje district.

Meanwhile, Mr. Kunda has called on farmers in Central Province and Zambia as a whole to embark on crop diversification, with a view of enhancing food security in the nation.

He urged the Zambian farmers to go into crop diversification, which he described as key to helping the country to address the various challenges associated with the global economic downturn.

He said government is working out modalities aimed at reviewing the Fertilizer Support Programme (FSP, in order to make it more effective in responding to the various needs of the peasant farmers in the country.

Mr. Kunda further said, government is putting in place, remedial measures to revive the country’s agricultural sector, by opening up the Nansanga farming block.

Mr. Kunda, who is also Muchinga Member of Parliament, said, government opened up the Nansanga farming block with a view to enhancing food security and boosting the country’ employment creation.

The Vice President further said, government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, is working on a programme to expedite the construction of dams, roads and the electrification of the Nansanga Farming Block.

Mr. Kunda called on foreign investors to take advantage of the favourable agricultural environment and invest heavily in the sector.

The republican Vice President is in Central Province to inspect progress on development programmes.
ZANIS

THE Lusaka magistrates court says it will pass judgment in the case involving former President Chiluba and two others even without submissions from the former head of State.

Making the ruling yesterday, Ndola High Court Registrar Jones Chinyama, sitting as magistrate, said he will not consider any submissions made after the stipulated time as his orders were that the defence files its submissions by April 24, 2009, while the State is expected to respond by June 22, 2009.

This is in the case in which Chiluba, Access Finance Services executive director Aaron Chungu and Lusaka businessman Faustin Kabwe are charged with theft of public funds amounting to almost $500,000.

Mr Chinyama said he would proceed with judgment set for July 20, 2009, on the assumption that Chiluba decided not to file any written submissions.

“The court will proceed on assumption that A1 (Chiluba) decided not to submit. I can’t extend the date of judgment,” he said.

When the court asked Chiluba why his written submissions had not been filed, he said he was just learning of the development.

The accused persons who appeared for mention are being represented by John Sangwa and Robert Simeza, who were not before court.

In his application, Task Force on Corruption prosecutor Mutembo Nchito submitted that the State has not received submissions in respect of Chiluba and that even the submissions for the other two accused persons were only submitted three weeks after the stipulated date.

Mr Nchito argued when the trio appeared for mention that the State did not know why the defence team was not before court.[quote]

He told the court that it would be difficult for the State to file submissions without taking into account issues raised on Chiluba.

“In the interest of justice, unless the court directs otherwise, it will be difficult for us to file submissions without taking into account issues raised on behalf of A1 (Chiluba),” he said.

Mr Nchito submitted that the State has had problems getting the defence team to observe dates set by the court and that the defence did not inform the prosecution on the delay to file submissions.

And Chiluba’s spokesperson Emmanuel Mwamba said in an interview that the defendants’ lawyers have been instructed to make an urgent application seeking the court’s permission to file out of time.

He said the development was out of an administrative arrangement where Mr Sangwa specifically dealt with Chungu and Kabwe while Mr Simeza dealt with Chiluba.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

President Rupiah Banda says the re-election of Malawi’s President, Bingu wa Mutharika in the country’s just ended presidential elections was an indication that Malawians were satisfied with his performance in the previous term of office.

President Mutharika was sworn in to lead Malawi for the second and final five year term of office after being declared winner of the May 19, general election by the Malawi Electoral Commission chairperson, Justice Anastasia Msosa .

In the first four years of Dr. Mutharika’s governance, the economy of Malawi grew by an average of 7.5 per cent per annum while in 2008, the economy grew by over 9 per cent.

“It is a great thing for the people of Malawi. Before we used to analyse Malawi by provinces but this time you have shown us that you are satisfied with the work of a particular president in all the regions in Malawi,” Mr Banda told local journalists in Blantyre yesterday.

He noted that the fading away of regionalism in the way people voted in the past was commendable.

Mr. Banda pointed out that this development was encouraging, adding that Zambia would learn a lot of lessons in terms of political and economic development from the Malawian government.

He further urged the people of Malawi to be strong because this was Zambia wish.

President Mutharika garnered a total of 2,730,630 votes against his closest rival, John Tembo who had polled 1,270,057 votes. This was out of the 93.25 per cent of the confirmed information from 3,634 polling stations out of the 3,897 stations across the country.

There are currently nearly six million registered voters in Malawi, a country lying on an area of 118,480 square kilometres and a population of over 13 million people.

And President Mutharika pledged in his acceptance and inaugural speech that he would embrace all Malawians, including opposition political parties, in governance in order to guarantee and foster social, economic and political development of Malawi.

He said amid applauses from thousands of people who gathered at the ceremony that dialogue and reconciliation among all Malawians, and unity of common purpose was an important factor that would help develop the economy of the country further.

He outlined his government’s development agenda and strategies, among them prioritizing agriculture development, increasing energy generation, improving road network and transportation, education and health sectors.

Yesterday, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the European Union and the African Union election observation missions said in their preliminary findings of the elections that the election was free and fair and reflected the will of the people of Malawi.

The European Union (EU) Election Observation Mission and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) election observer missions have also declared the election as free and fair, adding that they were held under a tranquil and peaceful environment.

Head of COMESA Election Observer Mission, Otema Musuka, said at a press briefing here today that the mission did not witness any occurrence that could have compromised the integrity of the votes cast.

“Looking at the country as a whole and taking into consideration the foregoing, the mission has come to the conclusion that the 2009 presidential and parliamentary elections for the Republic of Malawi took place in an environment of peace and tranquility,” Mr. Musuka said.

Mr. Musuka noted that the election took place in a transparent environment that was secure enough to guarantee the freedom of the vote and respect the will of voters.

“The mission, therefore, considers that the votes cast and declared thus far as a true reflection of the will of the people of Malawi in the 2009 presidential and parliamentary election,” he added.

He congratulated the people of Malawi for the peaceful election and a huge turn out to cast the votes, which he said was an important ingredient to the development of democracy.

EU Election Mission Chief Observer, Luisa Morgantini, said the elections were held in a manner where fundamental freedoms and rights of assembly, expression and movement were respected.

“The people of Malawi turned out to cast their ballots in high numbers demonstrating an awareness and commitment to an election which represents a step forward the consolidation of democracy,” she said.

Government has been urged to restrict the number of second hand-vehicles entering the country as such vehicles cause harm to the health of people and the environment due to their emissions.

CFAO Managing Director Albert Campbell says such vehicles emit gases which are poisonous.

Mr. Campbell said this during the launch of film entitled “HOME” which shows how the environment is being polluted.

He also urged the Zambian Bureau of Standards to scrutiny the roadworthiness of the second hand vehicles coming into the country.

Mr. Campbell pointed out most of the second hand vehicles are not road worthy hence emit poisonous gas which are harmful to people and dangerous for the environment.

The film “HOME” with footage from over 50 countries and will be screened in Zambia on the 5th of June on World Environment Day.

The film will be screened on ZNBC TV and will be reproduced on DVD for free viewing to make people aware of the effects of emissions which involve green house gas emissions, from fossil fuels.