Police in Itezhi-Tezhi are investigating reports indicating that Patriotic Front Leader, Michael Sata, grabbed keys from a ZANIS driver on suspicion that his vehicle was carrying presidential ballot papers.

Police and the District Commissioner, Leonard Shampile have confirmed the development to ZNBC news in Livingstone.

Mr. Sata is said to grabbed the keys from the ZANIS driver after he addressed a public rally in Itezhi Tezhi.

Mr. Shampile said Mr. Sata who was in a company of a senior party member, Wynter Kabimba, almost caused an accident as he tried to intercept the ZANIS vehicle which was in front of his vehicle.

He said Mr. Sata also opened the boot of the vehicle but that to his disappointment there was nothing inside.

Mr. Shampile said he was disappointed with the behaviour of Mr. Sata.

He said the ZANIS crew could have lost their lives because of Mr. Sata’s irresponsible behaviour.

He said there is need for politicians to conduct their activities in a dignified manner.
[ZNBC]

UPND President, Hakainde Hichilema, says his party will emerge victorious despite the biased media coverage.

Mr. Hichilema says its unfortunate that some sections of the media have reduced themselves to be campaign managers for preferred candidates.

The UNPD leader said during a public rally in Sinazongwe that people in the country had suffered enough and needed change.

Mr. Hichilema said his party once elected will revamp coal mining in Sinazongwe.

He said the mining industry had the potential to elevate the suffering of the people in the district

Mr. Hichilema said his government will not allow foreign investors to get licenses without partnering with local businessmen and women.

[ZNBC]

The Ministry of Finance and National Planning says next year’s budget will be presented on the basis of the 5th National Development Plan.

Finance Minister Ng’andu Magande has dismissed fears that next year’s budget presentation will be delayed if there will be a change of government after the October 30 Presidential election.

Mr. Magande says civil servants will always be there to carry on with government policies in their respective ministries.

He was speaking during a ZNBC television special programme ahead of the October 30 Presidential election in the Zambian capital, Lusaka, Sunday.

Mr. Magande said the money system has been worked on to ensure the team work is undertaken in an accountable and transparent manner.

ZNBC

2 chronicles 7 : 14 ” Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways,I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.

As we draw close to the elections let Gods people pray, seek His face and turn from their wicked ways. Lets pray for peace during and after election time. Lets pray that the right leader wins. The leader through whom God will restore and bless Zambia.

Right now we are in the midst of a global financial crisis. The U.S. “subprime” crisis, which triggered some of the largest bank failures in U.S. history, has now spread in earnest to Europe and Asia. Bank failures around the world are likely to continue as housing markets collapse and credit markets run dry. There are signs that the crisis may get much worse.

Despite our leaders best intentions to take Zambia to the next level there is a global crisis that can not be ignored. We need a leader who will be able to see Zambia through the turbulent times ahead. Lets pray for a leader who will be selfless, not corrupt, a leader who will go down in the history books as someone who brought about change. Lets pray that God will heal and bless Zambia our motherland. God Bless you all as you prepare to vote.

Acting President Rupiah Banda has pledged to fulfill all the promises made by the late President Levy Mwanawasa once elected to the highest office of the land.

Mr Banda made the pledge in Lufwanyama at Saint Joseph’s ground and in Mpongwe at Baptist Church grounds on the Copperbelt today (Sunday).

He said he was ready to offer a selfless hardworking and people driven leadership once elected to the office of republican President.

ZANIS reports that Mr Banda said Zambians should check the track record of other contending candidates and see for themselves whether they could drive the nation on similar promises made by the late President.

He said the mandate given to the MMD in 2006 should be continued through electing him because there were many programmes and projects which should be carried out until 2011.

The acting President said people should not be cheated by some candidates who were promising things they could not fulfill once elected.

At the same campaign rally,United Liberal Party(ULP)President Sakwiba Sikota called on Zambians to vote for Mr Banda because it was only MMD which had the required numbers of members of Parliament to form Government.

He said there was no other candidate among the four with the needed number of MPs to form Government.

”And if Zambians get duped by voting any other candidate, the country will come to a standstill because laws will not be passed and the budget may not be approved,” he said.

In addition, Mr Sikota said he was speaking even for other opposition political leaders like Tilyenji of United National Independence Party (UNIP), Edith Nawakwi of Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD), Ken Ngondo of People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and other independent MPs from Parliament.

And veteran politician Vernon Mwaanga said Mr Banda was the only candidate who had the required attributes for a republican President among the four aspirants.

He said the late President had told him that he wanted a Vice President who could become President and Mr Banda was the right candidate.

Another veteran politician Cosmas Chibanda implored Zambians to cast their vote on Mr Banda on October 30 because he was a humble and selfless leader.

At the same rally, Sports Minister Gabriel Namulambe on behalf of the people of Mpongwe gave Mr Banda a donkey, sheep and two doves saying the donkey was symbolic of Jesus entering Jerusalem which should mean riding on a donkey as he entered State House after October 30.

On the other hand, Mr Namulambe said the sheep signified Mr Banda’s humility because he was a humble leader while the two doves meant that the acting President’s reliance on the Holy Spirit as he guides the nation.

Former Information Minister Vernon Mwaanga has said it is unacceptable and an abomination for the opposition Patriotic Front and the United Party for National Development (UPND )to be accusing him and the acting President Rupiah Banda of harbouring intentions to rig the October 30 elections,without providing evidence.

Mr Mwaanga challenged the PF and UPND leaders to provide evidence on the allegations to Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ),the Zambia Police, election observers among them the Southern African Development Community (SADC), European Union before Thursday’s poll so that the matter can be addressed.

He said election rigging was a serious offense and warned that PF should not trivialize the matter.

ZANIS reports that Mr Mwaanga said Zambia and other members of SADC in August 2002 in Mauritius passed a declaration which guides member countries on holding of elections.

He outlined one of the guidelines which demands political parties participating in the elections to concede in advance the outcome of the polls.

The former Minister was speaking at a campaign rally to drum up support for acting President Rupiah Banda at Luanshya’s Kafubu stadium in Roan constituency today.

He cautioned that in the Zambian scenario, people should not only accept elections only when they won but should also do so when vice versa.

Mr Mwaanga said there are four presidential candidates contesting the race and that only one of them would win the elections.

The former Minister said the upcoming presidential election was not about change but continuity of the mandate which the people of Zambia gave to the ruling party (MMD) in 2006.

And MMD Provincial Coordinator George Mpombo assured the acting president that the MMD’s perfomance in this election will be far much better than 2006.

Mr Mpombo who is also Defence Minister said the party has embarked on an aggressive campaign in which grassroots in the province would be reached.

He dispelled reports by the opposition PF that it was in charge of the province saying those who were making such statements just wanted to send wrong information in the minds of the people about the situation on the ground.

Mr Mpombo said the people of Zambia will on October 30 make a decision on who would rule the nation and not a clique of individuals who were bent on misleading the masses.

He said the massive gathering which turned up for this afternoon’s (Sunday)rally was a manifestation of the trust which people in the province have in Mr Banda’s leadership.

He said Mr Banda has good leadership and judgment which he noted were vital ingredients in a leader.

Mr Mpombo has since pledged to ensure that the MMD dismantles the opposition PF in the province.

At the same rally, Luanshya Member of Parliament Simon Kachimba said the constituents have realised that they made a wrong decision in voting for the opposition in 2006.

Outlining some of the developments in Luanshya, Mr Kachimba mentioned that the MMD had resuscitated Luanshya Copper Mine and opened Luanshya Hospital.

Veteran Politician Matiya Ngalande reminded the gathering that the PF leader had said he would never appoint people from North western Province in decision making portifolios.

Using the same fora to appeal to the North westerners, Mr Ngalande advised the people of North western province to vote for Mr Banda for continuity of development in the province.

Political campaigns for the acting president have continued on the Copperbelt Province ahead of Thursday’s presidential election.

ZANIS/ENDS/MK/CLM