The UPND says government should compel Albidon Nickel Mine in Mazabuka to compensate people who were displaced from their areas by mine.

UPND president, Hakainde Hichilema, says the mine which has now suspended operations has failed to fulfil its contractual obligations to the community.

Mr. Hichilema says Albidon Mine has not fully implemented several community projects including building new houses for the local people after demolishing their old ones.

He was speaking in Mazabuka when he visited communities in Magoto area who were relocated from their settlement by Albidon Nickel Mine.

And Mazabuka Member of Parliament, Garry Nkombo, said the mine has abandoned the community, a situation which he described as unfortunate.

Albidon Nickel mine in Mazabuka has suspended operations indefinitely citing various difficulties.

/ZNBC/NEWS

THE Supreme Court has allowed an interim injunction to stop the Patriotic Front (PF) from expelling its ‘rebel’ members of Parliament (MPs) until the determination of the main case.

The PF MPs and councillors who are attending the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) had appealed against the High Court’s dismissal of their application for an interim injunction to restrain the PF from expelling them.

Supreme Court Judge Dennis Chirwa sitting with Judges Sandson Silomba and Marvin Mwanamwambwa delivered the judgment in the absence of PF lawyers and officials yesterday.

Judge Chirwa said that when the matter came up in the High Court, the Attorney General joined the case as an intervener in national interest.

He said it was common knowledge that the PF initially did not want to be part of the NCC but after consultations it participated in passing the NCC Act although it later changed its mind and asked its members not to participate.

He said the party decided to expel its MPs who took the matter to the High Court and the Attorney General joined as an intervener.

He said the Supreme Court had considered the High Court’s judgment and submissions from both parties and felt that the matter went beyond what was before the court because the Attorney General brought out serious legal issues.

Mr Justice Chirwa said the court regretted talking about details of the main action but it had no alternative because the issue was on obedience of the law and that the involvement of the Attorney General took the case out of the ordinary consideration of an injunction.

The judge said that the NCC was a constitutional matter that was for Zambians who were living and those to be born.

“The Attorney General’s reasons to join the matter was very important and valid and it is his duty to ensure that laws are obeyed. In fact he should have taken up the matter,” he said.

He said the trial judge misdirected himself and glossed over the issue of public interest because the NCC Act spelt out the membership to the NCC and that all MPs were members of the conference.

He said the argument that it was not mandatory for MPs to be part of the NCC could not stand because MPs were clearly spelt out as members and were bound to obey the law.

He said it was a legal duty to obey the law and the appellants were identifiable as NCC members.

“We dismiss the argument that they have no mandatory duty to go to the NCC. In fact they participated in all the stages of coming up with the NCC,” he said.

He said the trial judge misdirected himself when he said that the consideration of public interest could not be considered at an interim injunction stage because that would mean continuation of breach of the law.

Mr Justice Chirwa said the trial judge misdirected himself when he said that the appellants and the Attorney General had failed to show irreparable injury that they would suffer.

Judge Chirwa said it was a question of obeying the law and there was neither the need to consider injury nor the need to consider balance of convenience when it came to obeying the law.

He said the nature of the case was that the learned trial judge should have allowed the interim injunction to remain until the main action was tried because it involved the obedience or non-obedience of the law.

“We therefore allow this appeal. The interim injunction stands until final determination of the main matter,” he said.

[Times of Zambia]

Government has directed the Kaputa district administration to remove inscriptions on the entrance to the district bearing a Patriotic Front campaign message.

Works and Supply Minister, Mike Mulongoti, says the campaign message which reads “welcome to Sata’s area” must be removed.

Mr. Mulongoti said the inscriptions can divide people and create an impression that there are two governments in the country.

The Minister said the campaign period is over and the district administration should have ensured that such inscriptions where removed.

Mr. Mulongoti was speaking in Kaputa on Tuesday when he called on District Commissioner, Mwamba Njalamimba.

The Minister was in the area to inspect road projects.

/ZNBC/NEWS

ZRA Commissioner General, Chriticles Mwansa, says the revenue is higher by K8, 194 billion Kwacha compared to 2007 revenue collection.

Mr. Mwansa says the taxes were mainly collected from the Mines, individuals and business houses.

He also said 2009 will be a challenging year for revenue collection due to the global recession.

ZRA expressed gratitude over the support and encouragement it has been receiving from tax payers last year.

Mr. Mwansa said the taxpayers’ cooperation has helped ZRA restore a sense of national pride and sovereignty.

Mr. Mwansa said growth of tax revenue from K 1, 434.2 billion to K9, 628.0 billion in 2008 would not have been possible without taxpayers’ cooperation. He says the growth in revenue collections could not have been possible without the support from taxpayers.

Mr. Mwansa was speaking at a press briefing to mark the launch of the Taxpayer Appreciation Day (TAD ) in Lusaka today.

He said the TAD day has been chosen to coincide with the ZRA 15th anniversary which will allow its partners to celebrate the achievements and development it has contributed to the nation.

The theme for this year’s Taxpayers Appreciation day is under the theme: Develop Zambia,pay our taxes.

He said Taxpayer Appreciation Day is a new initiative aimed at recognizing and strengthening partnership with taxpayers who have dutifully discharged their Tax obligations.

ZANIS/AC/ENDS/MM.