FORMER president, Frederick Chiluba needs more medical tests and has extended his stay in South Africa.

This came to light yesterday before a Lusaka magistrate’s court adjourned the case involving Chiluba and two others, to January 13 next year.

High Court registrar, Jones Chinyama, sitting in the magistrate’s court, adjourned the case after Chiluba’s lawyers applied for an adjournment because their client needed to undergo further medical tests in South Africa, which might take long.

Defence lawyer, Robert Simeza informed the court that Chiluba required to do more tests and therefore it was inevitable that he extended his stay in South Africa for another week and the Government had approved his stay.

This is in the case in which Chiluba is charged with Access Financial Services Limited directors, Faustin Kabwe and Aaron Chungu of theft of public funds from the ZAMTROP intelligence account.

Chiluba and his co-accused were scheduled to continue with their defence this week.

Chungu and Kabwe were present in court.

Opposition Front Party member in Mufulira has advised government not to condone the request by the National Constitution Conference (NCC) to extend it mandate for 12 months.

Kantanshi constituency secretary Dunacan Mubanga told ZANIS that the NCC is mandated to conclude its deliberations by 2009 and asking for an extension is not justifiable but costly.

Mubanga said holding of the conference has been expensive for the country and this has affected the implementation of developmental programmes such as health sectors during its tenure.

He said the ministry of finance and national planning should not allocate money for the NCC extension at the expense of other national programmes such as health and education.

He advised government not to condone the request by NCC to sit beyond the acceptable period of time as doing so will hurt a lot of people who have sacrificed to have the new constitution.

The opposition official was reacting to the NCC’s request to government to have its mandate extended for 12 months which will mean that its mandate will end in 2010.

The initial mandate is due to end next year in September.

And a civic leader in Mufulira has appealed to the national constitution conference (NCC) committee on local governance to amend the local government act to enable councilors eligible for emoluments at the end of their term of office.

Kafue ward councilor Kenneth Mubanga said since councilors are elected office bearers like members of parliament (MP) and go through the same electoral process they should be considered for gratuity as a token of appreciation for their work.

He said this can only be done if the local government act is reviewed and amended by the democratic governance and local government committee of the NCC.

Councilor Mubanga said was speaking to ZANIS in an interview today.

The Civic leader suggested that the new constitution should also stipulate the conditions of service for councilors.

Councilor Mubanga asked MPs sitting on the local governance committee to support the suggestion by councilors which he said is aimed at ensuring that elected leaders are accorded appreciation for the service rendered to the public and the nation.

He said councilors become destitute after leaving the office despite working hard for the people and the only way to help them leave honorably after is by rewarding them in the same way as MPs.

He noted that councilors do more work in wards than MPs yet they their contribution is not recognized by government because of lack of conditions of service to cater for their retirement.

ZANIS/PS/PK/ENDS

The MMD in Kasama District has strongly condemned the opposition Patriotic Front for threatening violence in the District.

The ruling party made the condemnation following threats by some PF members that they would cause destruction to a local Radio Station if it continues to broadcast materials involving Kasama Central Member of Parliament Saviour Chishimba.

MMD Kasama Central Constituency Chairperson Nathan Ilunga said it is illegal for anybody, irrespective of their status in society, to take the law into their own hands.

Mr. Ilunga said if the PF members have any complaints against the operations Radio Mano, they should follow the right channel instead of threatening violence. He urged the police to deal firmly with the PF members who would be found wanting.

Recently, some PF cadres accused Radio Mano Community Station in Kasama of allegedly provoking the party by broadcasting interviews featuring the embattled MP.

The cadres claimed that the MP was allegedly fond of using abusive language while on Radio, thereby injuring the emotions of the listeners.

One of the senior PF officials even went the extent of warning the Radio station to stop quoting Dr. Chishimba as MP for Kasama Central, saying he usually gets offended when the MP is referred to as such.

Last week, PF officials and cadres alike, rejected the reconciliation of their party leader Michael Sata and Kasama Central MP Saviour Chishimba, saying the matter was purely personal and had nothing to do with them.

Among the senior party officials that rejected the reconciliation of the two leaders were Fedilis Kapoka, a PF Member of the Central Committee, Fredrick Chisanga, who is PF provincial chairperson and Kasama District party chairperson Evaristo Bwalya respectively.

Ends/WS/ZANIS/KSM

The Nigerian government has given Zambia $250,000 for mitigating the effects of floods that hit the country early this year.

Nigeria has also donated mealie meal, cooking oil and blankets to flood victims, worth more than K200 million.

That country’s minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bagudu Hirse, says his country is concerned with the frequent occurrence of floods in Zambia.

Speaking when he presented the donation to Vice President, George Kunda, in Lusaka Mr. Hirse observed that the floods have had devastating impact on infrastructure, crops and people.

He said natural disasters are a set back as scarce resources are directed at addressing effects of the

calamities.

And Mr. Kunda paid tribute to Nigeria for supporting Zambia in various fields.

Mr. KUNDA said it is gratifying that Nigeria is concerned with the challenges facing Zambia.

Meanwhile, hunger is looming in Makungwa Ward in Kasenengwa Constituency.

Makungwa Ward Chairperson, Luckson Zulu, said people in the area were now surviving on mangoes and are wondering what else they will be eating when mangoes become off season.

Mr. Zulu called on government to immediately send relief food to the area, adding that, during the previous farming season, most of the farmers did not do well because of the late delivery of farming inputs.

He further appealed to government to sink boreholes in the area. Mr. Zulu said out of 180 villages in Chief Madzimawe’s area, 115 did not have safe and clean drinking water as they lacked boreholes.

He said being a leader in the Ward, people were looking to him as a mouth piece to speak on their behalf to government about the problems they were facing.

Mr. Zulu said the Ward Councilor, Festus Miti, does not know the problems people in Makungwa Ward are facing because he lives far away in Mchini Compound in Chipata and did not often visit his Ward.

And the Office of the Vice President has dispatched a team of officers to assess the hunger situation in areas hit by floods during the last rainy season.

This will enable government ascertain the amount of relief food required for people in the affected areas.

Deputy Minister in the Office of the Vice President, Guston Sichilima, says the officials have also been tasked to assess the damage caused by the recent rains.

He told journalists in Lusaka that the officials left for their assignment over the weekend while others left on Monday morning.

Floods destroyed crops and infrastructure in a various parts of the country during the last rainy season.

Over the weekend, some members of parliament told ZNBC news that their areas are facing food shortages.

They appealed to government to send relief food to the affected constituencies to prevent loss of lives.

ENDS/SM/PK/ZANIS.

Opposition United National Independence Party (UNIP) Women’s League has pledged support to the National Constitutional Conference (NCC).

UNIP National Women Secretary, Beatrice Kayuni, says the NCC provides an opportunity for the country to fashion a constitution that will stand the test of time.

Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today, Mrs. Kayuni said the NCC Act number 19 of 2007 should be supported by all well meaning Zambians because it will particularly give chance for the Bill of Rights to be enshrined in the constitution.

She said such a piece of legislation needs to be enshrined in the republican constitution because it will guarantee the rights of vulnerable groups such as women and children.

Mrs. Kayuni said women and their rights advocates should seize the opportunity and fully participate in the formulation of the new constitution to champion the rights of vulnerable groups.

She pointed out that participation in the NCC was all inclusive as members of the public, who are not sitting on the conference, are still allowed to contribute as galleries have been provided for

Mrs. Kayuni has since called on all well-meaning Zambians to support the NCC.

ENDS/AM/KSH/ZANIS

President Rupiah Banda has called for unity and an end to the squabbles in the MMD.He said this when he graced the “Meet the President” fund raising dinner dance organised by the MMD’s treasury department at Lusaka’s Mulungushi International Conference Centre.

Mr Banda said during the MMD ‘Meet The President dinner’ at Mulungushi International Conference Centre on Saturday night that political infighting could only lead the party to self-destruction.
Mr Banda said he had noted with dismay the continued squabbles among senior party members in the Press and that the trend was worrying him.
“Please let’s stop it and work as united. Why is it that senior members rush to the Press to discuss party matters?” he asked.

He said the party went through a democratic process to elect a presidential candidate following the death of president Mwanawasa.
“Yes, we learnt lessons when our president died and the party had to choose a presidential candidate at short notice. But that is not a basis of the current infighting,” he said.
The President urged the members of the party to show that they were able to handle internal differences behind the scenes.

Mr Banda commended the friends of the party who rendered both financial and material support for the campaigns.
He urged contributors not to tire from helping the party and that The MMD party would again knock on their

doors for help during the next elections.

Mr Banda also urged Vice-President, George Kunda, Cabinet and deputy ministers to work with the friends of the party so that it was not just a one-sided relationship.

President Banda further commended the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) for having organised a free, fair and transparent election in October.
He said even the international election observers and monitors unanimously endorsed the election as having been held in a free, fair and transparent atmosphere.

“The time frame for organising the election was too short but the ECZ managed to weather the storm. I say to them, keep it up. You have made us proud,” he said.

Mr Mabenga said the fundraising venture was also an important event for MMD members to reflect on how the party performed during the presidential election.

Meanwhile, several business houses and individuals, including Mr Banda yesterday made various monetary pledges to the MMD.
Mr Banda handed in a cheque of K10 million, while Mr Kunda pledged K5 million. Jonque Mining Company and China Geo Company pledged K50 million each.
Lamise, Nisco, Handyman’s Paradise and two other companies teamed up and pledged K50 million.
Zanaco Bank pledged K25 million, Pine Roads General Contractors K20 million, Zamanita K10 million, Nyiombo Investments K10 million, Plant Agric Services, K10 million and Finance Bank K10 million.
Friends of Kafue constituency pledged K7.5 million, Communications and Transport Minister, Dora Siliya, K5 million, Zambia Revenue Authority workers (ZRA) K5 million, Lusaka Province Minister, Lameck Mangani K2 million and Information and Broadcasting Minister, Ronnie Shikapwasha K2 million.
Others were Zambezi Source Lodge K2 million, Mr Mabenga a cheque of K1 million and Zambia Association with Persons with disabilities K1 million.
Local Government Minister, Benny Tetamashimba donated K1 million cash, Agriculture Minister, Brain Chituwo, K1 million, Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika K1 million, Sports Minister, Kenneth Chipungu K1 million.
The Indonesian Counselor in Swaziland pledged US$2,000 while Zambians leaving in Swaziland plaged US$1,000.

Times of Zambia

Ever wondered why you are where you are today? Well a major contribution to your current status is your attitude.

Winston Churchill once said “The optimist sees opportunity in every danger; the pessimist sees danger in every opportunity.” Attitude is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than what people do or say. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill.

Some may say; “if I had a good job I would have a good attitude.” Isn’t it more truthful to say that if a person had a good attitude they would increase their chances of getting a good job?
Thomas Jefferson once said nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal while nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.

What is a good attitude?

It’s a way of thinking positively that says:

* I can control my life and achieve my goals.
* I am responsible for the choices I make.
* My past does not matter; I can change my future.

Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine.
You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you.

James Truslow Adams said Seek out that particular mental attribute which makes you feel most deeply and vitally alive, along with which comes the inner voice which says, “This is the real me,” and when you have found that attitude, follow it.

How to sell yourself to others

The best way to sell yourself to others is first to sell the others to yourself. Check yourself against this list of obstacles to a pleasing personality: interrupting others; sarcasm; vanity; being a poor listener; insincere flattery; finding fault; challenging others without good cause; giving unsolicited advice; complaining; attitude of superiority; envy of others’ success; poor posture and dress.

Learn to be assertive, not aggressive. Be nice to everyone. That doesn’t mean letting other people take advantage of you, but it does mean looking for ways to get what you want (win) without forcing the other person to lose.
It is possible to find win-win solutions to almost any situation (yes, there are exceptions, but they’re rare), but most of us need to learn how. We were raised on the idea of competition, where in order for me to win, you have to lose. In order for me to pass you have to fail.What we need to learn now is that we don’t have to play by win-lose rules — you can change the rules! People can only hear you when they are moving toward you, and they are not likely to when your words are pursuing them. Even the choice words lose their power when they are used to overpower. Attitudes are the real figures of speech.

Life is 10% what happens to me, and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you … we are in charge of our Attitudes.