Finance and National Planning Minister Ngandu Magande has assured that the current financial crisis sweeping global markets will not have a significant effect on Zambia’s economy.

And the Bank of Zambia has so far recorded and accumulated an initial US$1.3 billion in reserves.

This development indicates that Zambia ‘s economy will be able to withstand external pressures on the global financial instability in relation to her financial markets.

Mr Magande said Zambia’s current foreign policy stance was to promote its economy to the outside world by encouraging inward investments, trade and other economic opportunities from the international community.

He said it is therefore imperative that diplomatic staff in missions abroad postively promotes and portrays Zambia’s international image.

The Finance Minister made the assurance in London today (Thursday) when he briefed members of the diplomatic staff at the Zambian Embassy in Britain.

This is contained in a press statement signed for High Commissioner by Second Secretary for Press Rejoice Lukumba and released to ZANIS in Lusaka today.

He stressed that the exchange rate has fairly been with minor fluctuation on account of changes in the price of oil adding that these concerns surrounding the commodity (oil) are beyond government’s control.

On the home front, Mr. Magande said Government has put in place measures to contain food security by subsidising fertiliser inputs to support the small scale farmers.

Mr. Magande added that despite the demise of President Levy Mwanawasa, the current policies in place are entrenched and designated to be sustainable in long term.

“In the wake of current global crisis, it is imperative diplomatic staff in missions abroad promotes and portrays Zambia’s image internationally and positively by encouraging inward investments, trade and other economic opportunities from the international community.

”I challenge those in foreign missions to explain Government policy so that the international community knows what we as a country are doing,” said Mr. Magande.

ZANIS/ENDS/KC/CLM

The Patriotic Front has denied allegations that it has produced Electoral Commission of Zambia billboards carrying the party’s symbol.

PF spokesperson, GIVEN LUBINDA, says his party has never produced any such billboards.

Mr. LUBINDA says the party can not spend money producing Electoral Commission of Zambia billboards instead of making its own election materials.

He has called on the ECZ to investigate the matter and ensure that the culprits are reported to the police.

On Wednesday, the MMD complained to the Electoral Commission of Zambia over an ECZ election poster allegedly bearing a Patriotic Front symbol.

The MMD said the election poster should not be allowed because it displays the PF symbol.

MMD spokesperson, BENNY TETAMASHIMBA, said he had seen a lot of such posters in the North-Western Province where he was recently.

Mr. TETAMASHIMBA, is also the election agent for MMD presidential candidate, Rupiah Banda.

[ZNBC]

The ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) has called on Zambians to scrutinize the manifesto’s of the various political parties fielding candidates in the October 30 presidential poll.

MMD presidential candidate Rupiah Banda’s Campaign Manager Mike Mulongoti says party manifesto’s should be the basis for supporting any given presidential aspirant.

Mr. Mulongoti, who is also Information and Broadcasting Services minister, told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that  inferior and vague manifesto’s point to the quality of leadership of the respective political party leaders.

He urged the electorate to vote for Mr. Banda in the October 30 presidential election because his candidature is backed by a sound manifesto.

Mr. Mulongoti said MMD has a vision of how to propel national development for the benefit of the citizenry.

He said Mr. Banda is the best person to carry on the policies of government because he worked closely with the late President Levy Mwanawasa in efforts aimed at moving the nation forward.

Mr. Mulongoti said voting for the opposition would be a big mistake because such a move would disrupt developmental programmes currently underway.

He said it was evident that the ruling MMD’s economic policies were bearing fruit.

Zambia goes to the polls on October 30 and the presidential hopefuls include Rupiah Banda of the ruling MMD, Patriotic Front’s Michael Sata, Hakainde Hichilema  of the United Party for National Development and Godfrey Miyanda of the Heritage Party.

Representatives of the four presidential candidates have resolved the impasse surrounding the 600 thousand excess presidential ballot papers.

The political parties have resolved that the extra presidential ballot papers be transported to all the nine provinces of Zambia.

However, they have agreed that the ballot papers should not be taken to polling stations but be kept in safe places in districts.

Patriotic Front Vice President, Guy Scott, says in the event that extra ballots are needed at a particular polling station, those kept at the district level will be taken to the affected station.

He told Journalists after a meeting of stakeholders at the Electoral Commission of Zambia in Lusaka on

Wednesday that political parties have now understood why the extra ballots were printed.

He said his party is satisfied with the resolution reached by all political parties contesting the October 30, presidential election.

UPND president Hakainde Hichilema was represented by his secretary General, Tiens Kahenya and Kalomo Member of Parliament, Request Muntanga.

The Patriotic Front, leader, Michael Sat was representted by Dr Scott, PF Spokesperson, Given Lubinda and party Secretary General Edward Mumbi.

MMD Presidential Candidate, Rupiah Banda, was representated by his Election Agent, Ben Tetamashimba while Heritage Party President, Godffrey Miyanda was represented by his party Spokesperson, Wazziah Phiri.

[ZNBC]

Patriotic Front Presidential candidate Michael Sata has said that Luapula Province was endowed with enough water resource to generate sufficient hydropower to mitigate the power shortage that Zambia was faced with.

And Mr. Sata has lashed out at Bahati Constituency PF MP and seven other party MPs who were working with the MMD despite being voted for to represent the people on the PF ticket.

At a public rally in Mansa today ahead of the October 30 presidential election, Mr. Sata said once elected as President of Zambia his government would ensure that development was brought to Luapula.

He said the Province had enough water resources to have its own water utility company to provide improved water services and sanitation.

Luapula is the only Province without a water utility company in Zambia.

He said it was sad that many people including civil servants were using pit latrines and had no running water in their homes despite the abundant water resource in the Province.

The PF leader said there was no need for government to engage foreigners to develop the area saying Zambians were capable of developing the country on their own.

“we don’t need to run to China to come and develop our country. Zambians are the owners of the resources and they are the first investors,” Mr. Sata said.

Mr. Sata said the province also had great potential in major sectors such as tourism but had been made to lag behind.

He said the party had only one royal MP, Chipili constituency Davies Mwila out of nine PF MPs in Luapula saying that the other eight MPs had opted to support MMD in the Presidential Election.

“Business used to tick here in Luapula but it has died. It’s because you have been betrayed by people like (MP) Chimbaka and other members of parliament here, they want to fatten their pockets before they work for you the voters you need productive and honest leaders with ideas to take this area forward,” Mr. Sata said.

And Mr. Sata has said his government would do away with basic education saying it was a mockery and would emphasize secondary school education by constructing Secondary schools every 10 kilometres across the country.

Mr. Sata said he would also ensure that all community schools were upgraded to ensure that they produced the same standard of pupils.

He also said that he would ensure that each district had a Hospital and doctors to attend to the health problems of the people.

He said that teachers and other government officers’ welfare would be improved for them to be motivated to provide proficient services for the country to move forward.

And Mr. Sata has said that his government would decentralise fertiliser distribution from Lusaka to village level saying traditional leaders would be empowered to manage and administer the distribution of fertiliser to farmers in the village.

He said that the current system of distributing fertiliser from Lusaka was cumbersome noting that village headmen and chiefs knew committed farmers with potential to produce once they benefited from the support.

Mr. Sata also said that every village will have an extension officer to oversee agriculture activities.

He further said that his government would supply tractors and fertiliser to farmers and would be recovering the costs from the farmers’ harvests annually.

At the same rally, Mr. Sata said that the people saying that he would bring war once he was President were aimed at killing the people because the only war he had to fight was hunger and poverty that many Zambians were going through.

Mr. Sata said he was a proven and practical leader to make the best President for Zambia.

ZANIS/ENDS/CB/CLM

The opposition Patriotic Front (PF) has won by a landslide victory in a parliamentary by-election held in Nkachibiya constituency in Mpika yesterday.

The by-election was held to fill a vacant seat for the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kanchibiya constituency in Mpika following the death of the area’s representative earlier this year.

The results for the seat were considered important because it would serve as a litmus test for political parties contesting the presidential elections in two weeks time.

The ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) spokesperson Ben Tetamashimba, conceded defeat on Wednesday after its candidate who came second was left behind by an insurmountable lead by the PF candidate.

Despite heavy campaigning for the seat by the ruling party with senior party members, including the Acting President Rupiah Banda appealing with voters to select its candidate, the voters overwhelmingly voted for the PF candidate.

Political analysts said the result was an indication of the pattern of voting that will characterise the presidential election in Mpika.

Two other candidates who included an independent candidate with no political party affiliation who contested the by election came a distant third and fourth.

Analysts consider the Northern Province to be a crucial battle ground in the 30 October presidential election because of the ability of the province to swing the poll results, owing mainly to the large number of voters and non-tribal voting that characterises the votes from the province.

[AFP]