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]

Patriotic Front president, Michael Sata, has promised to cancel all motor vehicle loans chiefs obtained from the Government and convert them into grants if elected head of State.

Mr Sata said chiefs that had already paid some money towards the vehicles would be refunded by the Government should he win the October 30 elections.

Addressing a campaign rally in Mpulungu, Mr Sata said it was unacceptable for the Government to give loans to chiefs who did not even have a stable source of income.

Mr Sata said under the agriculture sector, he would ensure that chiefs were given more authority to administer the people and identify vulnerable individuals needing the Government’s support.

He said widows and the aged would get free agricultural inputs from the Government once identified by the chiefs.

He said all such measures would be effected within 90 days of ascending to the presidency because he knew where the money was in Government.

Mr Sata also promised to improve accommodation for police officers, saying some of them were living in deplorable conditions.

He said some police officers were living in metal containers and tents despite them playing a key role in the security and governance process of the country.

The PF leader also said Mpulungu Harbour would be opened up to all international destinations and be commercialised instead of running it in its current form.

He said fishermen would also be exempted from paying taxes but would be subjected to regulation to ensure that the fish population was not affected.

He said taxes would not apply to fishermen because Lake Tanganyika was natural water and not man-made.

Mr Sata said it was hard to believe that people in Mpulungu still had no running tap water when the river was just a few metres from their houses.

He also said the electrification of Mpulungu was long overdue and wondered why it had delayed when Tanzania had already done so.

He said the Government was taking too long to deliver development to the people and the PF would make sure a speedy process was conducted to free Zambians from poverty.

He said the October 30 elections were an opportunity for Zambians to bring in good leadership.

He said his past history could be traced in Mpulungu where he built a clinic several years ago. He said the clinic he built was still being used today and had not been rehabilitated or expanded from the time he left it.

Mr Sata said if voted into power, he would ensure that the clinic was turned into a hospital so that more people could be attended to.

Meanwhile, there was confusion in Mbala yesterday when police confronted Mr Sata and ordered him to leave the district because acting President, Rupiah Banda, was also scheduled to address a rally there.

The police officers confronted Mr Sata in his room at Lake Chila Lodge, about one kilometre from Mbala boma and said they had been informed that Mr Banda was scheduled to arrive in Mbala for a rally at the same site the PF leader wanted to hold his meeting.

Mr Sata, who is also on a campaign trail, refused to leave Mbala and said his notice for a PF rally was made earlier than the MMD.

After a protracted argument, Mr Sata and the police officers agreed that the PF rally should start at 10:00 hours instead of the initial 14:00 hours so that the MMD could also convene later in the afternoon.

Earlier, the police officers said they had been informed that the helicopter flying Mr Sata had not been cleared by relevant authorities to fly from Lusaka and requested to see the permit allowing the pilot, who is a foreigner, to fly in Zambian airspace.

It was later learnt that the pilot, though a foreigner, had obtained an 18-day permit to fly in Zambia and the helicopter got clearance from Lusaka to fly Mr Sata around.

Mr Sata later held his rally at 10:00 hours but at a different venue after mobilising people who were initially told that the meeting would take place at 14:00 hours.
Times of Zambia

UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) leader, Hakainde Hichilema, has said he will use his salary to assist vulnerable youths in society if elected as Republican president in the October 30 polls.

Mr Hichilema said that he was seeking the Republican presidency so that he could serve the people of Zambia.
He said this when he addressed a rally at Kaunda Square grounds in Isoka yesterday.

“When you vote for us in office, we will work for you. I will use my salary to contribute to the youth,” Mr Hichilema said.

The UPND leader also said he would cancel the Presidential Emoluments Bill as well as the Constitutional Office Holders’ Bill so that the money could be channeled to the agriculture sector.

The bills seek to increase salaries and gratuity for the president, vice-president, speaker, ministers and the deputy ministers and other constitutional officer holders.

Such money, Mr Hichilema said, would be used to buy fertiliser and other agricultural inputs, which would be later distributed free of charge to farmers.

“When you elect us on October 30, we will cancel that bill and relocate the money to the agriculture sector so that you can have fertiliser and other inputs,” Mr Hichilema said.

If the people of Isoka love themselves, he said they should vote for the UPND as it was the only party that could improve their welfare.

Mr Hichilema said the UPND had a realistic and workable manifesto, and urged the people of Isoka not to vote for another party.

Times of Zambia

Home Affairs Minister, Ronnie Shikapwasha, has warned of stern action against people intending to use violence in order to win the October 30th presidential elections.

Lieutenant General Shikapwasha said all defense forces were geared to arrest any perpetrators of political violence in the run up to October 30th presidential elections.

He reacting to some remarks made by the opposition Patriotic Front and the United Party for National Development (UPND) that the nation will be plunged into violence should the ruling MMD win the forthcoming presidential elections.

He was speaking today at a rally held at Malambanyama in Chibombo district in Central province to drum up support for the MMD presidential candidate, Rupiah Banda.

He said the police service, together with other security wings, were ready to arrest people and their political leaders that were intending to cause political problems in the country.

General Shikapwasha said people who were trying to use violence in the forth coming presidential bye-elections were cowards of losing the elections using the right channel.

Mr. Shikapwasha, who is also Keembe Member of Parliament, has since instructed all defence forces in the country to be on high alert and ensure that all people intending to use violence to win the October 30th presidential elections were arrested.

Meanwhile General Shikapwasha has urged the people of Central province not to rally behind political parties that were centering their campaigns on lies.

He said it was important that the people of Zambia understood that elections were being held because of the untimely death of President Levy Mwanawasa, whom the people of Zambia gave the mandate to govern the affairs of the nation until 2011.

He cautioned people against listening to untrue statements being made by some opposition political parties that they would improve the economy once ushered into office.

He said the Zambian economy was already performing well because of the good policies which were initiated by the late President Mwanawasa.

He described UPND President, Hakainde Hichilema as a person who had no experience to run the affairs of the country.

He said Mr. Hichilema was not the right person to rule the country because he has no political experience and other expertise to advance the national affairs.

And General Shikapwasha has warned the people of Zambia against voting for the opposition Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata.

General Shikapwasha said the people of Zambia risked spoiling their future if they voted for Mr. Sata whom he described as a dictator.

He said the PF leader was not the right person to rule the nation saying the nation should be ruled by a person who could uphold the norms and tenets of democracy.

He said the Patriotic Front candidate could never be a good president for Zambia because he was allegedly not accepted in his own party.

He called on Zambians to never be entertained by Mr Sata saying that the Patriotic Front leader was just a political entertainer who could never advance the nation to greater heights.

And Chibombo District MMD chairperson Lloyd Kayeka said his party was still strong and intact to win the forthcoming presidential elections.

He promised the MMD a landslide victory in Chibombo district.

ZANIS/TK/EML/KSH/ENDS

The Communications Authority of Zambia (CAZ) has warned that mobile service providers which would fail to improve on the quality of service to customers in the next three months may have their licenses revoked.

CAZ Acting Chief Executive Officer, Richard Mwanza, said revoking the licenses would be a drastic measure which the authority would not hesitate to take if mobile service providers failed to improve the quality of services offered to their customer.

Mr. Mwanza said this in an interview with ZANIS in Livingstone today.

He expressed disappointment with the quality of service offered by mobile service providers to their customers countrywide saying customers were being denied the right to get value for their money.

Mr. Mwanza bemoaned the increased number of calls being dropped without warning while customers were being charged even for unsuccessful calls.

He noted that customers were paying for each call that was made and subsequently dropped without any room for compensation.

He has since advised mobile service providers to increase their network uptake to enable them satisfy customer requirements.

Earlier, Mr. Mwanza officially opened a Human Resource and Performance Improvement workshop organized by CAZ and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) at Zambezi Sun hotel in Livingstone today.

He called for increased productivity, efficiency and investment in the telecommunications sector despite available resources being scarce.

He added that this was the only way the sector could contribute to the development process of the country.

He further observed that infrastructure alone was not sufficient for economic growth, adding that human and capital resources were also needed for greater benefits to be derived from the telecommunications sector.

Mr. Mwanza said the workshop provided a good platform for mobile service regulators and operators to formulate better ways of making productive use of people through analyzing and evaluating rather than guessing.

ZANIS/FM/KSH/ENDS

The verification of ballot papers for presidential elections delayed to take off in Lusaka on Tuesday morning as stakeholders demanded for the immediate withdrawal of extra ballots.

Representatives of various interest groups threatened to pull out of the exercise if the extra ballot papers were not withdrawn and destroyed.

The stakeholders demanded that the excess ballot papers should be destroyed in their presence.

Electoral Commission of Zambia -ECZ- Principal Electoral Officer, Wina Mwanamoonga, could not withstand pressure and called for help from the head office.

UPND National Trustee, Captain Walusiku Lyambela, argued that there is no basis in sending extra ballot papers to polling stations.

Patriotic Front Member of the Central committee, Samuel Mukupa, demanded that the extra ballots be burnt before the exercise could start.

The situation only normalised after ECZ Deputy Information Technology Director, Brown Kasaro, arrived at the ECZ warehouse at the Lusaka International Airport.

Mr. KASARO told the angry stakeholders that there was no need for tempers to flair because aspiring presidental candidates will meet the ECZ on Wednesday to resolve the issue.

The verification exercise only started around 12 hours after the confusion which lasted for over two hours.

The four presidential candidates are on Wednesday expected to meet with ECZ officials to resolve the impasse created by the printing of 600 thousand extra ballot papers.

ZNBC

Acting President, Rupiah Banda, has challenged his opposition counterparts in the October 30th elections who are indicating that they will not accept the outcome of results if they are not elected, to withdraw from the race immediately.

Mr. Banda said in a democracy presidential candidates should be willing to accept the outcome of the elections whether they loose or win.

He assured the opposition presidential candidates that he will offer them a big democratic fight in the forth coming polls.

Mr. Banda said he is confident of winning the elections democratically based on the fact that he has vigourously campaigned almost in all parts of the country.

He was speaking at the campaign rally held in Mansa on Friday.

Mr. Banda also challenged a named opposition political party leader to instill a face of discipline and good manners in the youth in the interest of promoting democracy in the country.

He said Zambia is a democratic nation where all parties are free to hold public gatherings without undue interference from political party opponents.

He advised the ruling MMD members to remain disciplined and never engage in any conduct likely to disrupt any gathering of political opponents.

Mr. Banda said in the spirit of democracy he has invited many foreign observers to come and observe this month’s presidential elections in order for them to prove that the MMD is a democratic party which is determined to lay a level playing field.

Earlier, opposition ULP leader, Sakwiba Sikota, feared that the country risked suffering a constitutional crisis if electorates elected the opposition in the forth coming elections.

Mr Sikota told Mansa residents that the opposition political parties which are fielding candidates in the elections have minority representatives in parliament and can therefore enact and puff the national constitution.

Mr. Sikota charged that development in Luapula and other parts of the country could suffer if the national budget could be rejected by majority MPs in parliament.

He cited a neighbouring country that could not approve a national budget for a period of ten months because the sitting president had no representation in parliament.

And former Vice President, Nevers Mumba, advised people of Luapula not to heed to the fake promises that some opposition presidential candidates were making in the hope of winning the support ahead of the elections.

Dr. Mumba appealed for the church’s support and embrace Mr. Banda as next president of Zambia.

And Zambia National Marketing Association ZANAMA chairman, Elvis Nkandu, advised Zambians not to vote for politicians who based their campaigns on insults and character assasination.

The Acting President wound up his campaign trail of Luapula Province with promise that he will not respond to insults from opponents, hence urged the electorates to vote wisely.

He was accompanied by ULP leader Sakwiba Sikota, Dr. Nevers Mumba, NDP leader Benny Mwila and MMD National Chairman Michael Mabenga and other party officials.

Mr. Banda returned to Lusaka immediately after addressing the rally.