Choma Mayor Geoffrey Makaya has urged civic leaders not to allow partisan politics to derail development programmes.

Closing a UNICEF workshop on Water and Sanitation for the southern province Artisan Association at Choma hotel yesterday, mayor Makaya said there is danger to involve politics in development programmes.

He said council should rise above partisan politics and work to attain development in their respective wards.

Mr Makaya said tension between development agents such as technocrats and councillors over whose is superior in spearheading development is unnecessary and counter-productive.

He said politics should not interfere with the work of other stakeholders in the development process of the wards.

Mayor Makaya urged members of the Artisan association not to use the knowledge gained from the workshop to exploit communities out of the hard earned resources.

He said the work of artisan calls for sacrifice in addressing water and sanitation problems in rural communities.

He urged the artisans to fully implement the village level operation and maintenance of water points so that communities can have access to safe and clean water.

And Southern Province WASHE (Water Sanitation and Health) monitoring officer Leonard Mukosha said though the job on artisans was not rewarding enough, they played a crucial role in the maintenance of hand pumps and latrine construction in rural areas.

Mr Mukosha urged the artisans to continue sacrificing in maintaining hand pumps for the benefit of their respective communities.

ZANIS/CM/ENDS/MM

The Anti voter Apathy AVAP has urged the Electoral Commission of Zambia ECZ chairperson Justice Florence Mumba to quickly start the process of Voter Registration before for the 2011 elections.

AVAP Executive Director Bonny Tembo said there was need for Justice Mumba to direct the ministry of finance and national planning to consider putting ECZ on next year’s budget to carry out the voter registration.

Mr Tembo noted that this will ensure that ECZ continues the Voter Registration exercise on time adding that this should also be a continuous process.

He told ZANIS in an interview, Sunday, that the Finance ministry also needs to have a political will that shall lead to ensure that ECZ continues funding the voter registration exercise is successful.

Mr Tembo has also called on ECZ to also implementation of a special voter which is stipulated in the Electoral Act of 200 section No 24 which provides the special vote for people with disabilities , journalist , police office and pregnant women can be allowed to vote any where because they are on duty in place different from were they registered as voters.

The AVAP Director further noted that about 3.9 million people in the current register were sidelined in the just ended presidential elections because the register is out dated.

Mr Tembo pointed out that this so because the electoral Act has been bleached he further urged Chairperson Justice Mumba to ensure that the Electoral Code of conduct should be amended.

He noted that without amending the code of conduct they can not provide for a free and fair election as the electoral Code of conduct always bleached hence the need to strengthen the Act.

ZANIS/AH/ENDS/MM

Government has urged traditional leaders in Northern Province to help change their subjects’ work culture to attain meaningful development.

Newly appointed Northern Province Minister Charlse shawa made the appeal in Kasama, Saturday, when he paid a courtesy call on senior Chief Mwamba of the Bemba speaking people at his palace.

The Minister who was flanked by Acting Permanent Secretary Gabriel Kaunda said the MMD government regarded chiefs as partners in development hence the need for the two parties to work together to transforming people’s negative attitude towards work.

He said the province was endowed with abundant natural resources which should be exploited in order to improve people’s living standards.

Mr Shawa observed that the province had good agricultural soils which could be used to produce enough food for the whole country and abundant tourism potential.

He said, Government was committed to transform the province into an economic zone.

The Minister also cautioned Civil servants not to look down on the local people just because they do not have degrees.

Mr Shawa was reacting to the senior chief’s complaint that some civil servants were partly to blame for the negative attitude toward works as they were fond of looking down on the local people.

Meanwhile, Senior Chief Mwamba has welcomed the appointment of Mr. Shawa as Provincial Minister for Northern Province.

The Senior Chief pledged to work together with the new Minister to enhance development.

The senior Chief however, appealed to President Rupiah Banda to consider appointing people who have worked in the province to the position of permanent secretary as they were familiar with problems affecting the local people.

Mr. Shawa was until his appointment Eastern Province Minister. He has taken over from Mpulungu Member of Parliament Lameck Chibombamilimo who has moved to the Ministry of Energy as deputy Minister.

ZANIS/HM/ENDS/MM

Today’s Scripture

“Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains” (Colossians 4:3, NLT).

Today’s Word from Joel and Victoria

Paul was writing these words while he was in chains in prison. He was arrested for preaching the gospel. Everything in his surroundings shouted “limitations,” but instead of looking at his surroundings, Paul kept his eyes on the limitless God. He kept looking for the open door of opportunity that God would have for him next.

No matter what “chains” you may feel like you are in today, remember, we serve a God who’s in the business of setting people free. Remember, He has equipped you with His power. He’s promised to walk with you all the days of your life. When doors look closed all around you, when your surroundings look limited, when you feel like you’re in chains, remember, God is still at work in your life.

Like Paul, keep your hopes up. Keep expecting. Keep believing. Pray for those opportunities to be opened to you. If you fall, get right back up and press forward with even greater determination to accomplish the dream that God has planted in your heart. The prayer of the righteous avails much, so keep praying because He promises to break the chains and open doors of opportunity in your life.

A Prayer for Today

Father in heaven, I choose to take my eyes off my surroundings and focus on You. I choose to focus on the passion and dream You’ve planted in my heart. I trust that You are working behind the scenes, opening doors of opportunity. In Jesus’ Name. Amen

Joel Osteen ministries

MMD Acting president and national chairman, Michael Mabenga, has warned senior party members of stiff sanctions if they continue issuing policy statements on party affairs to the media without clearance from the national secretary or acting president’s offices.

Mr Mabenga, who is acting party president, said in a statement issued in Lusaka yesterday that he was dismayed by the “complete breakdown of discipline” following the October 30 presidential election in which the MMD emerged victorious.

“I am directing that no statement on policy or administration of the party shall be entertained from any leader without clearance from the office of the national secretary or the acting president.

“This must be taken as a serious directive, a breach of which will attract stiff sanctions,” he said.

Mr Mabenga said some leaders from senior party organs had embarked on divisive campaigns by allegedly inciting party members to issue statements in the press that could create an impression that the MMD has no leadership or was deeply divided.

He said the party’s victory in last month’s election was a product of the collective efforts of the general membership and sympathisers.

Mr Mabenga said it was the sum total of every individual vote cast in favour of the MMD candidate, Rupiah Banda, that made him become fourth President of Zambia.

Mr Mabenga said the MMD campaign team that was managed by party election chairman, Mike Mulongoti, was cleared by the presidential candidate and appointed by national secretary, Katele Kalumba, under his authority as party acting president.

He said the recommended structures, which the campaign team utilised, did not create any vacuum in the party leadership or decision-making with respect to the campaign.

“I wish to note, however, that the press utterances that have been issued after MMD won the election have not pleased me and cannot be pleasing to any of our hardworking party members,” he said.

Mr Mabenga said the party leadership had not yet received a report from the campaign team for it to start making any statement on how the election strategy was conducted.

He said MMD senior members should recall that the late President Mwanawasa aborted a post-mortem of the 2006 elections to avoid divisions and accusations.

“As acting party president, I am awaiting a report from the campaign committee before the national executive committee meets. This report will show, in a judicious way, an account of how the team executed the campaign across the country,” he said.

Mr Mabenga said he had directed Dr Kalumba to table the campaign committee’s report after he had received and scrutinised it.

“I insist, however, that such an exercise cannot, with all objectivity, be conducted in the press,” Mr Mabenga said.
[Zambia Daily-Mail]