Opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) president, Hakainde Hichilema has said he would scrap off the proposed new salaries for the ministers and senior government officials.

“I will allocate the money meant for new salaries of ministers and others to civil servants, water improvement and other services,” he said.

Mr. Hichilema also said that he will not use his salary for himself if elected president of Zambia this month end.

Mr. Hichilema said the presidency was not there to make one rich but to provide service to the people of Zambia.

He said he already has a lot of money and therefore, there would be no need for him to draw a salary during the whole period he would serve as president of Zambia.

Mr. Hichilema said he would donate his salary to women and youth program for them to venture into various business activities.

Mr. Hichilema said to be a president was a serious business which required a strong and alert person, who would ensure there were better roads, clinics, schools and other necessities.

He has since urged Serenje residents to choose him as president in the October 30th, 2008 presidential election.

He said people should not elect people who have grown over retirement age.

Mr. Hichilema reiterated that his government will pay K3.5 million as a minimum salary for government workers.

He said starting from next school term, education will be free from grade one up to university level.

Mr. Hichilema alleged that the MMD did not have its own policy on agriculture and that what it was using now was a UPND policy.

He added that the ruling party had failed to achieve desired results in the agriculture sector because it was using a “borrowed” policy.

He said currently, there was widespread hunger in the country because people were failing to produce sufficient food due to alleged poor implementation of the “borrowed” agriculture policy.

The UPND leader said his first problem to tackle will be agriculture, adding that his government would for three years, provide free fertilizers to farmers so that they could produce more food.

Earlier, UPND provincial chairperson, Ferdinand Chipindi said time had come for the people of Zambia to change government.

Mr. Chipindi said the only person who could deliver goods and services to Zambians was Mr. Hichilema.

And provincial chairlady, Christine Lemba, urged women to rise and vote for Mr. Hichilema on October 30th this year.

Mrs. Lemba said women were the most vulnerable people in Zambia and hence the need for them to vote for Mr. Hichilema because he had their interest at heart.

ZANIS/KC/CMM/KSH/ENDS.

A combined team of the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), Zambia Police Service, Examinations Council of Zambia today went on a fact finding mission to establish the truth over allegations by the Anti- Rigging Zambia limited that they had impounded a truck in Kafue laden with ballot papers.

Speaking to Journalists at his office before the exercise, ECZ Director Daniel Kalale said that he had invited the Anti- Rigging Zambia to attend the press briefing to clarify this issue at hand to the nation.

But the Anti Rigging Zambia did not attend the meeting and instead directed the ECZ to go to Kafue police post to verify the matter for themselves.

The team went to Kafue Police Post and Zambia National Service (ZNS)in the same district to verify the matter where officers who were spoken to expressed ignorance over the matter.

At the Police post when asked whether such an incident had occurred, Chief Station Officer Moses Malumbe expressed ignorance over the matter.

At ZNS Lieutenant Colonel Geoffrey Kabwe equally said he had no idea about the matter and that it was shocking news.

“I don’t know anything, if you want you can go round and check for yourselves,” said Lt Colonel Kabwe.

When asked what ECZ would do having found no evidence regarding the issue, Mr. Kalale said he would consult the Attorney General on the action to take further.

Mr. Kalale warned people from issuing sensitive stories that were unfounded as these could breach the country’s peace.

Press reports indicate that Anti-Rigging Zambia claimed to have intercepted an Examination Council of Zambia truck in Kafue carrying both examination and ballot papers to their designated districts.

ZANIS/ENDS/NS/CLM

Acting President Rupiah Banda has announced that the price of fuel will further be reduced.

And Mr. Banda has maintained that the reduction in crude oil and fertiliser prices is not politicking but a service to benefit the Zambian people.

Speaking at a rally at Chimusanya Basic School in Chongwe today, Mr. Banda said the price of oil on the world market had reduced from US$180 to less than a US$100 per barrel hence the need for the ruling Government to be in tandem with such a trend.

He disclosed that Government has already purchased oil from the Middle east whose pump price would be reduced further once the stock arrives in the country.

The Acting President noted that fuel was an engine to national development adding that improving the lives of the Zambian people was on the MMD agenda.

Recently, the acting President announced a reduction in fuel prices by K2 000 and promised that the country should expect price slashes in essential commodities.

And at a Kasama rally a few days ago, Mr Banda announced a cut in the fertiliser for farmers under the Fertiliser Support Programme from K200,000 to K50, 000 for a 50 kilogramme bag.

He also said Government had decided to increase the number of beneficiaries from 120,000 to 200,000 representing an increase of 15 percent from 60 to 75 percent on fertiliser subsidies.

ZANIS/ENDS/KC/CLM

Acting President Rupiah Banda has warned Zambians against voting for the opposition as this would cost the country colossal sums of money.

Mr Banda also said if Zambians voted for the opposition in the October 30 presidential election, the country risked losing donor support.

Speaking at a rally at Chongwe’s Chimusanya Basic School today, the Acting President said voting for the opposition will cost Zambia K500 billion as the new president from this wing would automatically dissolve Parliament.

Mr Banda said the dissolution of Parlaiment if an opposition Government is voted into power would mean going for another general election that would cost the country K500 billion.

The Acting President said it is therefore imperative to vote for the ruling MMD to avoid a scenario where the country would be turned into a laughing stock by the global community.

He urged the Zambian electorate to vote for him because the late President Levy Mwanawasa entrusted him with running the affairs of the nation.

The Acting President requested the Zambian people to given him the mandate to rule the nation under the MMD for the remaining three years in order for the legacy of the late Dr Mwanawasa to continue.

‘’Give the mandate for the next three years, as you are aware l have been running the nation in my capacity as vice president and in certain instances l have acted as President each time the late Head of State was out of the country’’, said Mr Banda.

He challenged the Zambian people to vote for him as he already had experience in governing the country unlike opposition leaders who were novices.

Mr Banda reiterated that voting for the opposition leaders would plunge the nation into chaos as their dealings were questionable.

At the same rally, Chongwe MMD District Chairman Edward Mwaangwa assured Mr Banda of massive support on October 30.

Mr Mwaangwa said Rufunsa Constituency resolved to rally behind the Acting President just as they supported the late president.

He said Mr Banda should be supported as there was need for continuity.

Earlier, Area Member of Parliament Kenneth Chipungu attributed the loss of the Kanchibiya seat to the opposition PF due to the demise of the Dr Mwanawasa saying the MMD was still mourning their instrumental leader.

Mr Chipungu however told the rally that this time the opposition had no chance to win the October 30 presidential polls.

And Lusaka Province Minister Lameck Mangani reminded the Zambian people not to disown Mr Banda as the opposition leaders were only bent on insults.

Mr Mangani said MMD believed in mature politics as opposed to petty issues adding that Government was focused on service delivery.

Those present at the rally were Headmen Sheleng’I, Mwanduwa, Malisawa, Ndauzeni, Lutanti and Chimusanya of Chongwe district.

ZANIS/ENDS/ KC/CLM

The Patriotic Front PF, has challenged the ruling Movement for Multi Party (MMD)to disclose the source of the alleged K6 billion spent on campaign chitenge material .

PF spokesperson Given Lubinda alleged that his party had information that the MMD was using money from the national treasury for its campaign chitenge material bearing the face of Acting President Mr Rupiah Banda.
chitengi which will be distributed to across the country.

Mr Lubinda who was speaking during a press briefing in Lusaka today, claimed that the MMD were about to distribute the campaign material and challenged the party to disclose its source of the money.

The PF has urged the ruling MMD to stop distributing the chitengi materials and called on the acting president to ensure that the October 30 elections were free and fair.

At the same press briefing, the Unemployment Association of Zambia president Mpundu Mwanawela pledged to back Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata.

Mr Mwanawela said his association had made such a decision because they believed PF would address the poverty levels and the high unemployment in the country.

But when contacted for a comment on the matter, Chief Government Spokesperson Mike Mulongoti simply said the allegations were unfounded and described the PF as immoral and evil.

Mr Mulongoti who is also Campaign Manager for Acting President Rupiah Banda urged the PF to observe dignity in their campaigns and remain mute if they had no real issues to talk about.

ZANIS/ENDS/AH/CLM

The Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has advised the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to handle ballot papers for the forthcoming presidential by-election with maximum caution.

ZCTU Acting Secretary General Ian Mkandawire said in a statement to ZANIS in Kitwe today that the issue of ballot papers is sensitive and if not properly handled, could be a recipe for political instability in the country.

Mr Mkandawire said ZCTU is concerned at the lapses being reported in the media over the manner ECZ is handling the ballot papers.

He urged the commission to tighten security measures against potential areas of conflict such as election malpractices before the polls on October 30.

Mr Mkandawire said ECZ should inspire confidence in political parties and the nation by sealing loopholes in the preparation of the presidential by-election.

He said the nation do not want to see a situation where a winning presidential candidate is being dragged to court over allegations of malpractices once he is declared winner as such has a potential to divert the head of state from real developmental issues.

Meanwhile, the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions has urged the Electoral Commission of Zambia to check the reported excesses in the use of government resources during campaigns by the ruling party.

ZCTU Acting Secretary General Ian Mkandawire said his congress is saddened to see ambulances which are supposed to be providing a service to patients, being diverted to political campaign rallies.

“The ECZ should move in and provide guidance to all political parties on the code of conduct so that essential services, especially those that are meant to save lives are not disturbed by political activities,” he said.

ENDS/PK/PK/ZANIS

An incident during the verification exercise on Wednesday has sparked a row between the Electoral Commission of Zambia and the political parties.

Reports say a driver from Kalabo district council who is one of the officials performing supporting duties during the verification exercise allegedly attempted to illegally transport ballot papers from the warehouse.

Opposition parties have accused the ECZ of engaging in practices aimed to rig the forthcoming election.

On Thursday, the Patriotic Front stated that it no longer has confidence that the ECZ can conduct a free and fair presidential election.

Spokesperson, Given Lubinda, challenged the ECZ to submit a comprehensive report on the incident to the stakeholders for them to establish the truth.

Representatives of presidential candidates met on Thursday to address the matter but adjourned the meeting to a later date.

They agreed that the next meeting should be attended by senior officials of the ECZ, who must include the chairperson, Judge Florence Mumba, to ensure the matter is addressed conclusively.

However, the ECZ has appealed to political stakeholders not to be sensational over the reported incident during the verification exercise.

ECZ Deputy Director, Priscilla Isaacs, says the driver in question erroneously picked the ballot papers after he was told to load a printer and a fax in the vehicle he was driving.

ZNBC