The Southern Africa Centre for Constructive Resolution and Disputes( SACCORD) and Forum For Democratic Process( FODEP) has welcomed the collaboration  of  United Party for National Development UPND and Norwegian International Liberal Party.

SACCORD executive director Lee Habsonde said the collaboration of the two political parties is an important development that will help  UPND  learn  from the Rebel International Party on how to manage conflict within their political party.

He said  local political parties need to learn from these parties how to manage internal political affairs within themselves.

Speaking to ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today Mr.Habasonde added UPND will be a more strengthened party.

Mr. Habasonde however urged other political parties in the country to find such partners who can assist their party to enrich the democratic process in the parties.

FODEP president Stanley Muhango stressed the need for political parties to build capacity such as the  exchanging of  ideas, sharing  of  experiences with other international parties on issues of democratic governance.

Mr Muhango said that it was important for the local political parties to merge with well known international parties that will not bring danger to the country.

He challenged the political parties to strengthen their political parties as a way of knowing how best to run a party and form a good government.

Meanwhile UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma said the party signed a memorandum of understanding MOU with the Norwegian liberal party yesterday with a high power delegation led by their vice president who visited Zambia.

Mr. Kakoma noted that the UPND has entered into a working relationship with the Norwegian Liberal party to work on areas of capacity building between parties.

UPND is a member of the liberal interaction a group of all liberal parties in the world.

ZANIS/AH/MKM/ENDS

A Zimbabwean firm has expressed interest in investing Kasaba Bay with an initial investment capital of US$ 8 million.

The foreign company Matetsi Wild Life Enterprise has since engaged government into the possibility of investing in the Mpulungu based bay.

Company Director Charles Davy disclosed after the tour of the bay that his company was keen in investing in Zambia because of the country’s enabling investment climate and growing economy.

President Banda said such investment would go a long way in promoting the northern tourism circuit .

Mr. Banda said government will do everything possible to facilitate such meaningful investment.

He said government would work on infrastructure such as roads and airports in a bid to promote a good climate for investment.

Mr. Banda said tourism is key to the country’s economy particularly at a time when the country is trying to diversify its economy.

Meanwhile, speaking before departure for Lusaka, Mr. Banda said his administration would strive to ensure that all provinces got a fair share of development.

Mr. Banda, further, reiterated the support that Northern Province gave his candidature and the MMD party during the October 30 presidential elections.

The President said his administration would work to fulfill its election campaigns.

Mr. Banda was in Northern Province for a three day official visit during which he inspected the abandoned tourism infrastructure at Kasaba Bay in Mpulungu District.

President Banda also paid courtesy call on the paramount chief Chitimukulu in Mungwi district and also officially opened the Provincial Auditor General’s office

ZANIS/AM/MKM/ENDS

The Chipata Municipal council has suspended the slashing of maize on hill slopes until further notice .

The action follows the action by some Chipata residents who yesterday went amok and wanted to slash maize at President Rupiah Banda’s farm after Chipata Municipal Council slashed their maize fields.

Chipata mayor Sinoya Mwale said the council will not continue the program until it convenes a meeting with the affected residents.

Residents whose maize was slashed by the local authority yesterday went on rampage stoning a Hummer belonging to Chipata central Member of Parliament Lameck Mangani, a shop in Navutika and the house belonging to the mayor.

Quick action by Zambia Police who rushed to the area, prevented the irate residents that wanted to protest by slashing maize at the president’s farm.

A check by ZANIS found police officers manning the field around 16 hours yesterday.

Sources who chose to be anonymous said police had rushed to the farm when the residents threatened to slash the fields at the farm of the head of state.

Earlier, the affected residents stormed the office of the District Commissioner Nicholas Banda seeking for assistance to appeal to the local authority not to continue with the program of slashing their fields.

Mr Mwale has vowed to take action against the people that stoned his house in protest against the slashing of maize.

He told a local radio station during a phone in program today that he was aware that the move to stone his house was instigated by some members of the ruling MMD.

Chipata Municipal council took the move of slashing the fields due to concerns of the environmental degradation caused by rain water that runs from the hills which have been left bare due to farming activities.

Mr Mwale said the local authority has been sensitizing residents against cultivating on the hills since last October though the residents went ahead and cultivated.

ZANIS/PN/MKM/ENDS

President Rupiah Banda has returned to Lusaka from a three day official visit to the Northern Province.

Mr. Banda who came aboard a Zambia Air Force (ZAF) plane arrived at city airport at around 17:05 hours.

The President was accompanied by Community Development Minister Catherine Namugala, Home Affairs Minister Mike Mulongoti, Finance and National Planning Deputy Minister Chileshe Kapwepwe.

Others were Local Government and Housing Minister Benny Tetamashimba, Office of the Vice President Deputy Minister Gaston Sichilima, and Presidential Advisor for Political Affairs Akashambatwa Mbikusita Lewanika.

Mr. Banda was met on arrival by Vice President George Kunda, several cabinet ministers, service chiefs and senior MMD party officials. Below are pictures of his tour

The Zambia Direct Democracy Movement, ZDDM, has petitioned President, Rupiah Banda, not to consider extending the mandate of the Task Force on Corruption before investigations are done on its operations.

ZDDM National Coordinator, Edwin Sakala, said the Task force on Corruption should be investigated before it auctions property recovered from alleged plunderers.

In a letter dated January 2, 2009 addressed to President Banda and copied to ZANIS in Lusaka, Mr Sakala said the actions of the Task Force on Corruption should be thoroughly investigated to establish whether they were conducted in an objective manner.

Mr Sakala also suggested the establishment of a commission of inquiry to look into pending investigations of cases of alleged economic plunder being handled by the Task Force.

He said the Task Force on Corruption was formed outside the Constitutional provisions despite the presence of other security and investigation wings such as the Zambia Police Service and the Anti Corruption Commission, ACC.

He alleged that the crusade against corruption was vindictive and clouded with hatred.

Mr Sakala has since asked President Banda to consider disclosing to the nation the amount of money the Task Force on Corruption has used since its inception.

He said this would help the nation establish whether the institution has recovered more money than it has utilised in its operations.

ZANIS/CM/ENDS/SJK

The Mine suppliers and contractors Association of Zambia says nationalizing the mines is not the answer to the current problems in the sector.

Association president Fanuel Banda is of the view that mines can still operate buoyantly in private hands.

Mr. Banda said Zambia has learnt a number of lessons from nationalizing industries and can therefore not afford to gamble with mining conglomerates.

He observed that the benefits of having mines in the hands of the private sector are enormous.

Mr. Banda told ZNBC in the Copperbelt Province mining town of Kitwe that Government should instead address some of the grey areas affecting the mining sector.

He has advised Government to revisit the laws on the Investment Act which should dis-allow the externalization of money raised from the mining industry.

ZNBC

Authorities at Kariba border post in Siavonga District have intercepted and impounded a truck carrying twenty eight  by twenty five kilogram (28X 25 KG) bags of mealie – meal destined for sale in Zimbabwe.

The meal mealie is said  to have been  bought in Zambia .

Siavonga District Commissioner Emily Striedl told ZANIS in Siavonga today that the canter truck that was carrying G.M roller meal bags was impounded at the border yesterday.

Striedl disclosed that all the 28 bags of roller meal belonged to a Zimbabwean business individual who crossed into the neighboring border town of Siavonga to buy the commodity.

She said the confiscated bags have since been stored at Siavonga police station waiting to be disposed off by the courts of law.

The District Commissioner stated that the confiscation of the bags follows a resolution that was arrived at during a stakeholders meeting held on Monday.

She said the district has noted  the  recent increase in the number of Zimbabweans that were crossing into Zambia on a daily basis and were buying bags of mealie meal in bulk forcing a serious shortage of the commodity in the district.

She stated that during the meeting that was attended by border officials from Zambia Revenue Authority( ZRA), Immigration, police, mealie- meal dealers, local based milling outlets as well as marketeers observed that Siavonga Township has been hit with increasing cases of mealie meal smuggling.

Mrs. Striedl added that the district has recorded a sharp increase in the number of individuals from Zimbabwean that were buying the commodity which they later resell on the black market in their country.

She said the meeting resolved that authorities at Kariba border post border would only allow passage of not more than two bags of mealie- meal on each individual.

A snap survey at Kariba border post this morning found scores of Zimbabweans carrying a bag of either breakfast or roller meal bag bought from Micho and Siavonga main markets.

Meanwhile the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has sent about 500 bags of maize to Siavonga district for sale to people in the district.

District Commissioner Emily Striedl told ZANIS that the bags have been sent to the district , which  will  cushion the mealie-meal prices.

Striedl said the maize would be sold to members of the public at a price of K55, 000 per 50 kg bag.

ZANIS/LL/MKM/ENDS

President Rupiah Banda has advised controlling officers to take note of irregularities reported in the Auditor General’s report and ensure that measures are taken to bring the culprits to book.

Speaking when he officially opened the Auditor Generals’ building in Kasama today which was built at a cost of K2.6billion , Mr. Banda said those found wanting should be dealt with accordingly..

President Banda said there is need to make sure that corruption in government institutions is wiped out.

Mr Banda said the opening up of the Auditor Generals offices is an illustration of his administration’s resolve to promote good governance, accountability and transparency.

Mr Banda said on account of his commitment, government supports institutions such as the office of the Auditor General and other agencies in the government that promote accountability and transparency in the utilization of public resources.

He pointed out that a strengthened Audit function of government is important in that it assists in enhancing accountability for public resources.

Mr Banda said it is therefore imperative to have a strong , objective and technically competent office of the Auditor general.

He said government within the overall Public Expenditure Management and Financial Accountability Reforms (PENFAR), committed itself to enhancing the institutional capability of the office of the Auditor general.

Mr Banda said government’s political will to improve the governance of the country and the implementation of various reforms have necessitated the work of the office of the auditor general to be acknowledged by the international community.

And speaking earlier Auditor General Anna Chifungula commended government for providing an enabling environment which has enabled her office to effectively execute its duty of ensuring accountability prevails on the expenditure of public resources.

Mrs. Chifungula said the expanded logistical support to her office has improved its performance .

She however said her office face a number of challenges which include staff recruitment for provincial and district offices because the new recruits were reluctant to be posted to the new offices.

She added that the retention of highly qualified auditors is another challenge that her office is facing.

Finance and National Planning Deputy Minister Chileshe Kapwepwe said the construction of the Auditor General building is a measure of government’s commitment to the fight against corruption.

Ms Kapwepwe said government will offer all necessary support to institutions of good governance.

She said the Auditor General office will receive priority from the ministry of Finance as the office assist government to account for public resources .

Northern Province Minister Charles Shawa said the provincial administration was extremely happy that the AG has established itself in the province.

ZANIS/AM/MKM/ENDS