The National Constitutional Conference -NCC- has suspended its sitting indefinitely.
NCC Chairman Chifumu Banda says the conference will only reconvene after next months Presidential Election to allow delegates to participate in campaigns.
He told ZNBC news in Lusaka, Tuesday, that after a lot of consultation, the NCC decided to suspend sittings until after the Presidential by-election.
Mr. Banda however, could not say when the NCC sittings will start but stated that the conference will wait for the dates of the next parliamentary sittings before making a new calender.He said this is because NCC does not meet while parliament is in session.
The NCC plenary was supposed to meet this month to consider recommendations made by the three committees which met in July.

ZNBC

A Zambia woman, who gave birth in Addis Ababa Ethiopia in July while on transit to Dubai on a business trip, has finally left that country for Zambia.

Barbara Mushota, 32 was seen off at Bole International Airport by officials from the Zambian embassy in Addis Ababa yesterday.

On July 18th, 2008, Ms. Mushota went into labour when she arrived at Bole International Airport and was rushed from the airport to the nearest hospital by Ethiopian airline officials. She gave birth to twins on the same day. One of the twins, a boy, died after birth but the girl survived and has been in an incubator in Addis Ababa’s Korean hospital for the past two months.

Ms. Mushota told Zambian embassy staff that saw her off at the airport that she was grateful for the assistance and support she received from the Zambian community the past two months.

Acting Head of mission at the Zambia Embassy in Addis Ababa Patrick Ngoma has however, advised women with advanced pregnancies to avoid traveling in order to avoid such incidents.

This is contained in a press statement issued to ZANIS by First Secretary for Press at the Zambian Embassy in Ethiopia, Dorcas Chileshe.

THE United Party for National Development (UPND)  launched its presidential campaign with a promise to reduce taxes by increasing the tax free income to K1.5 million.

UPND president, Hakainde Hichilema said  that he had accepted his party’s nomination as presidential candidate in order to continue what late president Levy Mwanawasa had left.

“I accept the nomination for that reason and not to put food on my table. We are in an economic and social war where Zambians should also be investors and not observers,” he said.

Mr Hichilema said when elected into office, UPND would continue with the anti-corruption fight while good governance would be a must if Zambia was to run in decency.

He said corruption would be fought in a professional manner and that there would not be any sacred cows.

He said the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) would be urged to expedite its conclusion.

Mr Hichilema said that when UPND comes into power it would avoid a bloated government for it to run in a more prudent and efficient manner while nominated members of Parliament would be drawn from eight provinces.

He said there was no need to look for political gymnastics but people should look at the future with a clear mind by voting for leaders that would improve lives of the people.

The opposition leader said there should not be promotion of ethnicity in politics because no one chose their ethnic being and that Zambia was one country.

He said his government would provide free education up to tertiary level and medical services would also be free because that was government’s responsibility.

He said politics was a business that required a business approach and to reduce the price of mealie-meal, the UPND government would provide agricultural in-puts as a way of subsidising the sector.

Late UPND leader Anderson Mazoka’s wife Mutinta, former Republican president Kaunda’s son Panji and several MPs, attended the launch.

Times of Zambia

The Zambian Airways debt to the National Airports Limited has increased from 1.6 million United States to 1.9 million United States dollars.

The debt is as a result of unpaid air passenger services and other services.

National Airports Corporation Limited Finance Director, Frederick Banda, told ZNBC news, Monday, that Zambian Airways has not communicated on how it intends to off set the debt.

Mr. Banda however, said his organisation has agreed with National Airports that the airline pays passenger service charges weekly to prevent the debt from swelling.

Zambian Airways makes fifty thousand dollars per day in passenger service charges.

As at September 4, Zambian Airways had defaulted payment by three months.

It also defaulted in other services such as ground handling services, aircraft landing and parking services by six months.
[ZNBC]

UPND president, Hakainde Hichilema, has pledged to govern Zambia prudently once elected president.

He says he will ensure that public resources are put to good use.

Mr. Hichilema also says there is need to sustain the social and economic gains, which the country has recorded over the last few years.

He was speaking in Lusaka, Monday, when he officially launched the UPND campaign for the Presidential election scheduled for October 30.

Mr. Hichilema also thanked the Zambia Defence Forces and Zambians in general for giving President Mwanawasa a befitting state funeral.

Many Lusaka residents turned up to listen to the UPND leader during the launch, held at the Mulungushi International Conference Center.

Zambia goes to the polls on October 30, in a presidential by-election, which is coming after the death of President Mwanawasa on August 19.

ZNBC

A new Zimbabwe is born after the Southern African country’s political parties on Monday officially adopted the country’s historic power-sharing agreement formalising the establishment of a government of national unity in that country.

The landmark agreement comes as a result of facilitation efforts by President Thabo Mbeki who was tasked by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to mediate talks between Zimbabwe’s three main political leaders.

The leaders received standing ovations as they entered the International Conference Centre at the Rainbow Towers Hotel to sign the agreement.

The ceremony was attended by hundreds of party members, diplomats and African Union (AU) and SADC representatives who cheered as the agreement was signed as optimism grows that the economic and political crisis in that country might finally be resolved.

Mr Robert Mugabe remains President of Zimbabwe; Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai is to become Prime Minister and MDC faction leader Arthur Mutambara will hold the post of Deputy Prime Minister under the terms of the agreement.

Regarding the country’s cabinet, Mr Tsvangirai’s MDC and another MDC faction will together have 16 seats, while President Mugabe’s Zanu-PF will hold the remaining 15, Mr Mbeki said.

The chief mediator told the delegates they had travelled a long road to reach such a stage.

Faced with mounting global pressure, runaway inflation and economic crisis, the leaders agreed that there was a need to work together towards an inclusive government, which is the closest the leaders could agree on in terms of a power-sharing accord.

The deal, which was announced last Friday, drew praise from all over Africa and beyond.

President Mbeki was thanked by the leaders on Monday for his patience and effort in seeking to resolve the crisis caused by the contentious presidential election earlier this year.

SADC Chairman for Organ of Politics, Defence, Security and Co-operation, King Mswati thanked him for his uniting efforts to strike the peace deal.

“Mbeki has worked tirelessly to make this day possible and it is for this reason that the parties must make this government of national unity work,” said King Mswati.

Negotiations started at the end of July, but stalled over the allocation of executive power between Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai. The two have been bitter rivals for a decade.

Mr Mugabe has been in power since independence from Britain in 1980.

The country and it’s people have been facing turmoil. In August, the country’s Central Statistical Office said inflation was at 11.2 million percent, the highest in the world.

A third of its 12 million citizens have fled and most of those who remain survive on barely mealie-meal porridge.
The economic crisis has destroyed Zimbabwe’s currency and made it difficult for Zimbabweans to buy basic commodities, electricity, fuel and medicines.

The business community has welcomed the signing of a political agreement between Zimbabwe’s ruling ZANU – PF and the Movement for Democratic Change(MDC).

Analysts said in an interview that the political impasse was to blame for the current economic woes hence cooperation between Zanu-PF and MDC was the answer to Zimbabwe’s turnaround programme.

Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce past President Mariah Hativagone said the political settlement would help attract investors into the country and boost business confidence in Zimbabwe.

She said the business sector would support the initiative shown by the politicians to ensure Zimbabwe came out of her problems that had pushed inflation to record levels.

” We are pleased and happy that the two major parties have reached an agreement,” she said.

“Everything will now begin to take shape. The signing will create a lot of stability in the economy and lure back investment in the country,” she added.

Federal Democratic Party (FEDEPA) president, Reverend Alfred Sayila has maintained that going for by elections is extravagant.

Rev Sayila described opposition political parties participating in the presidential by elections slated for October 30 as self-serving, insensitive and opportunistic.

Rev Sayila charged that there is no sense in accepting to spend about K 400 billion in a single voting exercise that will repeat itself in three years time.

He said this in a statement made available to ZANIS Monday morning.

He observed that the same opposition political leaders that showered the late president with praises during his sickness, death and burial are the ones in the forefront wanting to replace him.

“While we respect their constitutional right to take part in every important polls, this by election culminating from the untimely death of a serving president, they should have naturally refrained themselves from participating, at least on moral grounds,” he said.

Rev. Sayila expressed concern that such leaders will not only end up wasting their resources on electioneering but also will subject the country to an unnecessary cost amounting to billions of kwacha just to prove their existence.

He said opposition political leaders should have used the remaining time to prepare adequately for the 2011.

“Rally crowds cannot be the litmus test for ones popularity as fools, conmen, lunatics and dancers have been seen to attract huge audiences. People may still want MMD to conclude its programmes,” he said.

And Rev Sayila has appealed to all electorates to vote on merit and advised them not to vote leaders who have serious medical records and immoral leaders into office.

“All we want to tell the electorates is not to vote into office leaders who have serious medical records, terminally sick, habitual liars, unprincipled, uncouth, abusive, vengeful, marriage breakers, wavering, undiplomatic, aging and above all tribal,” Rev Sayila said.

Rev Sayila has vowed never to support any political party in the forth coming presidential by election and threatened to discredit power hungry leaders.

He has however commended opposition political parties that have withdrawn from the presidential by election race.

The National Democratic Focus (NDF) has declared to support Acting President Rupiah Banda during the October 30 Presidential by election.

NDF President Benjamin Mwila said  that Mr. Banda is the right choice for the country’s Presidency.

Mr. Mwila stated that he will not contest the elections saying his party’s primary focus is the provision of competent and ethical leadership capable of uniting the Zambian people.

He urged all his supporters and party members countrywide to campaign for Acting President Rupiah Banda in the forthcoming elections.

He said the NDF’s decision to rally behind Mr. Banda is consistent with the one they made in 2006 when the party supported the candidature of the late President Mwanawasa.

Mr. Mwila said his party expects the MMD administration under Mr. Banda to provide leadership with abundant patriotism and nationalism to defend the legitimate rights and interests of the Zambian people.

He added that Mr. Banda’s administration is expected to practically and consistently stress on the policy fundamentals for social and economic growth that benefits the Zambian people.

And Mr. Mwila has expressed sadness at the refusal by some opposition political parties to accept the MMD proposal to save money by not conducting the Presidential by election billed for October 30.

He added  the saved national resources would be used to subsidise agricultural inputs, provide drugs in hospitals, pay teachers, doctors, nurses and lecturers salaries and allowances.i

Foreign Affairs minister, Kabinga Pande has described the assertion by an unnamed opposition leader that the provision of vehicle loans to chiefs as bribery as unfortunate.

He said it was unfortunate that such assertions are coming from someone aspiring to be president of the country .

He said such statements are an insult to the intelligence of the traditional leaders and is calculated to demean  their stature.

Chief Bunda-bunda said traditional leaders appreciate the role government plays in promoting traditional ceremonies in the country.

The traditional leader noted that traditional ceremonies are important vehicle for fostering and enhanced  social and cultural development in the country.

Meanwhile Government has commended the people of Chongwe district for organizing the Chibwela Kumunshi tradition ceremony despite the harsh weather conditions that prevailed in the area resulting into poor agricultural yields.

Mr.Pande said he was glad that despite the heavy rainfall experienced during the last season’s poor harvest, that  the Soli people  were deterred from hosting their traditional ceremony.

He added that the hosting of the ceremony is a clear testimony that the people loved their cultural heritage and traditional values aimed at fostering unity in the chiefdom.

Mr. Pande urged Zambians to be proud of their culture and preserve traditional values as opposed to promote alien culture .

Mr. Pande  however  said government would  endeavour implementing social projects as a way of honouring late president Dr Mwanawasa’s legacy of improving the well being of its people.

The Minister  was speaking when he paid a courtesy call on  the chief  Mbunda Mbunda  at his palace yesterday.