Government says President Rupiah Banda is not under any obligation to Patriotic Front leader Micheal Sata to release the letter he referred to when he addressed MMD cadres that marched to State House concerning former Minister Ng’andu Magande and Zambian Airways.

Chief Government Spokesman, Luitenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha, said in a statement obtained by ZANIS this evening, that President Banda is not also going to work on threats or ultimatums because the truth will come out after investigations into Zambian Airways have been concluded.

” When the President talked about a letter written by former Finance Minister in which he was proposing to have Zambian Airways bailed out by the Government, he had carefully studied the whole issue and had information other than was just contained in the letter,” said Lt. General Shikapwasha.

Lt. General Shikapwasha is also Information and Broadcasting Minister said President Banda is aware of the circumstances surrounding the Zambian Airways saga.

He explains Mr Banda had followed up the whole issue and was just pushed to the extent of talking about the letter by those purpoting that he was deliberately resisting to help the embattled airline or that he just wanted to demonise the former minister (Mr Magande).

He said that some people had even gone as far as suggesting that the President and his government was plotting to arrest those connected with the Zambian Airways indebtedness.

” It is, therefore, unacceptable for the Patriotic Front leader or any other person to start issuing ultimatums or threats because that is not the way the President operates,” said the government spokesman.

He has challenged Mr Sata to release the letter,since he says he has the letter and has already shown it to the Post newspaper, as long as he is satisfied that there will be no security or legal implications.

Lt General Shikapwasha urged the PF leader to realize that Mr Magande is not a PF member for his issues to be dealt with by the opposition party.

He suggested that the PF leader should leave the issue to the President and the Movement for Multiparty Democracy to handle.

” Moreover, Mr Sata should not mislead people about the oath of secrecy because he is fully aware of what it involves,” said the chief spokesman.

He explains that when Vice President George Kunda made reference to the oath of secrecy, he was merely stating what is contained in the law, which Mr Sata knows very well.

He said If Mr Sata as former Minister knows how far he can go with the oath of secrecy even now that he is out of office, why should he portray the Vice President as intimidating former ministers.

The law is clear that all who have sworn the oath cannot divulge government confidential information even after leaving office, he said.
ZANIS/MM/ENDS/MM

Forum For Leadership Search chairperson Edwin Lifwekelo says Parliamentarians who fail to deliver on their electoral promises should quit.

Mr Lifwekelo said in a statement obtained by ZANIS, today, that non performing Parliamentarians should step down rather than continue to masquerade as leaders .

He said it is silly for any MP to allege that the electorate are conniving with the MMD whenever they demand for responsibility and accountability from them.

” We shall not shy away from recognizing government responsibility to provide services for its citizens ,however, MPs as representatives of the people are the focal point persons for distribution of these services and it becomes silly for an MP to become defensive and fail to recognize,” he said in the statement.

He maintained that the electorate have constitutional and democratic right to task their representative if they do not deliver on their electoral promises.

Mr Lifwekelo states in the statement that while his organisation recognises the enormous responsibility that MPs have, basic community projects such as grading of the roads and providing good drainage could be under taken using Constituent Development Funds (CDF).

” As an NGO and an individual I have a responsibility to partner with the government of the day without misunderstood and that does not suggest any conspiracy to undermine any MP”.

He condemned the recent media briefing by Kabwata constituency MP  Given Lubinda ‘s suggesting that representative of the people are useless and irrelevant to the economic dispensations.

He advised Mr Lubinda to rise above partisan politics at the expense of national development.

Mr Lubinda is reported in the media to have stated Parliamentarians are law makers not to source funds for development activities in constituencies they represent.

This was after concerns were raised by sections of the electorate in Kabwata Constituency Mr Lubinda represents.

ZANIS/IS/ENDS/MM

Chief Mwanachingwala of Mazabuka has advised President Rupiah Banda to avoid being temperamental.

Chief Mwanachingwala urged Mr Banda not to be temperamental because doing so would make him lose focus on taking development to the people.

The Chief has also urged the Opposition to offer constructive criticism to government if Zambians were to benefit from government developmental programmes.

” Some MMD and Opposition officials were issuing statements to provoke the President and I can only advise him not to lose temper because the statements are meant to make him to answer back and lose concentration on national development,” said Chief Mwanachingwala.

The Chief told ZANIS in Mazabuka today.

He said it is sad to note that instead of engaging government in finding solutions to the financial global crunch, the opposition had failed to provide answers to the problems confronting the nation.

He urged President Banda to be careful with some opposition party leaders and MMD’s officials whom he said only want to see his down fall.

Chief Mwanachingwala said President Banda has offered to improve the economy hence the need for Zambians to support his leadership.

Meanwhile, Chief Mwanachingwala has commended Patriotic Leader, Michael Sata for withdrawing the Presidential Petition in the Lusaka high court.

The Chief said the withdraw will help the country move forward.
ZANIS/HC/ENDS/MM

A 38 year old husband of Water Affairs Compound in Lundazi district died in his house after his wife caught red handed committing adultery.

Eastern Province, Police Commanding Officer, Mary Chikwanda confirmed the incident to ZANIS in Lundazi and has since identified the deceased as Jumbani Banda.

Ms Chikwanda disclosed that Jumbani Banda decided to take his life by hanging after his wife found him
committing adultery with an unknown woman.

She after the couple had quarreled the previous night and the wife decided to leave the house,

The late Banda’s body is Lundazi Hospital mortuary pending a postmortem.

ZANIS/RL/EML/ENDS/MM

MMD youths in Ndola have given MMD NEC Members Elias Mpondela and Sebastian Kopulande a 24-hour ultimatum in which to resign or face their wrath.

Led by MMD Ndola District Youth Chairman Patrick Nyasulu, the youths said they are seriously disappointed with the remarks made by the two NEC members during a Radio Phoenix, live radio programme “Let the people talk” yesterday.

Mr Nyasulu, who was accompanied by Cornelius Chitukwa, Gehane Ntaimo and Alex Mabanga all members of the district executive committee,said two senior leaders have been associated with the MMD for a long time and that it is immoral for the two to speak as they spoke.

He said the youths in Ndola are calling for their immediate resignation from the party because they have out lived their usefulness.

He further charged that the youths were also aware that the two NEC members are working in collaboration with a few bad eggs in the NEC who want to bring down the party and President Rupiah Banda.

The youths have vowed that if the two do not resign they will be forced to take the law into their own hands and have the two sorted out.

Mr Nyasulu said the cleaning exercise of the MMD party is underway and in top gear and advised that all disgruntled members should leave the party before they face the wrath of the youths, who he said are geared to defend the name of the party and its President who is also republican head of state.

ZANIS/PC/ENDS/M