Zambia opposition parties are accusing the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) of vote buying ahead of this month’s presidential election. The opposition parties say government’s sudden release of funds yesterday (Thursday) estimated at several billion Kwacha for development activities in communities across the country is a calculated attempt to influence the election. But the government dismissed the accusations saying community development cannot wait. A Mr Mulonga told reporter Peter Clottey from the capital, Lusaka that the timing of the development funds is generating controversy.

“That is true because the opposition parties were yesterday saying the government is trying to hoodwink voters into voting for the ruling party candidate Rupiah Banda. Yesterday, the government announced the release of Constituency Development Funds amounting to billions of Kwacha. But the opposition parties and other stakeholders have rejected the move saying why should the government release this money now instead of before or after the election. They are saying the fact that the government is releasing the funds during this campaign period it is trying to work on the minds of the voters,” Mulonga noted.

He said some observers see the government’s action as a political ploy to garner votes for the ruling party in this month’s presidential election.

“They think that the move intends to make the ruling party’s presidential candidate look as if he is the working man trying to solve the country’s problems. And that Rupiah Banda (the ruling party’s presidential candidate) is the only man who can bring development to Zambia. So, the voters should go out in their numbers and vote for him,” he said.

Mulonga said the controversy surrounding the community development fund could influence the election.

“That is an open ended question, which can go either way because some people believe that the government is going to deliver if they vote for Rupiah Banda. They are arguing that development cannot wait just because there is an imminent election and that the government has got to do its work. But I also agree with those who say that the move can attract voters to swing to the ruling party,” Mulonga pointed out.

He said there seems to be a keen interest in this month’s presidential election.

“People have been following this subject from the time the president died, Dr. Patrick Levy Mwanawasa because we are talking about 400 billion Kwacha ($106 000,000,000) for the election, which is quite a lot of money coming from the treasury of Zambia. So, we had a briefing yesterday from the electoral commissioner of Zambia, Justice Florence Mumba who told reporters that the government has provided the electoral commission with a substantial amount for the elections. And the cooperating partners through the United Nations Development program have also contributed money towards the election,” he said.

Mulonga said Zambians are expressing confidence then election would not be hindered because of help coming from the international community.

“So, Zambians are quite clear that the election would proceed and all the financial hiccups that were expected have been handled. So, now people are more optimistic and are just watching the candidates and deciding who is going to sell their manifesto and who is going to be the best leader for Zambia,” Mulonga pointed out.

He said the electoral commission is being proactive to pluck loopholes to prevent vote rigging in the election.

“Those are some of the issues, but the electoral commission has been emphasizing that the electoral system of Zambia cannot accommodate rigging because it is quite secure. They have actually asked all the players to send monitors who would monitor the results of the election in various constituencies for their various parties in this month’s presidential election,” he said.

VOA

The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has disclosed that it has received a substantial amount of money from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) through the Ministry of Finance for holding of this month’s presidential by election.

ECZ Chairperson, Judge Florence Mumba, confirmed to Journalists here (Durban) shortly before departure for Lusaka on Wednesday that millions of dollars had been given but she could not immediately give the exact figures.

ZANIS reports from Durban that Judge Mumba, who led the Zambian delegation to monitor the printing of ballot papers for presidential by election, parliamentary and local government by elections slated for October 30, said the Zambian government had sponsored two thirds of the total election budget.

Asked on whether what has been received so far to hold the elections was adequate, Judge Mumba expressed satisfaction and said part of the money had since been used towards voter education.

‘’UNDP, through the Ministry of Finance, has given us millions of dollars at short notice. This would be adequate to hold the elections and part of the money has been used for voter education’’, She said.

The budget for the presidential, some parliamentary and local government by elections is estimated at over K200 billion.

And Judge Mumba has reiterated that there is no cause to worry because, having gone through the printing process of the ballot papers at South Africa’s Universal Printing Company (Uniprint), there is no room for intended mischief.

In addition, she said the ECZ had to undertake this important exercise going through the process, proof reading the ballot papers and was satisfied that the ballot papers here wer safe and the job is perfect.

Judge Mumba said the stakeholders had also an opportunity to tour two other printing divisions under Universal Printing Company (Uniprint) in Durban which also prints Zambian examination papers for grades seven, nine and 12.

With this, the ECZ Chairperson said she felt confident that the printing of ballot papers would be done properly and efficiently.

On allegations of extra ballot papers being printed, she assured that the work being undertaken by Universal Printing Company (Uniprint) has been proved by the stakeholders who are still here to witness the process up to packaging stage, hence this would not arise.

Printing of presidential ballot papers was expected to be completed by yesterday (Wednesday) while work on the electoral materials for two by elections in Ndola Central and Mwansabombwe and local government polls for 13 wards across the country was scheduled to start on the same day (Wednesday).

Over 4 million presidential ballot papers are expected to be printed together with electoral materials for Kanchibiya which has since been done, Ndola Central and Mwansabombwe and some local government polls at an estimated cost of over US$400 000.

And Senior Public Relations Officer Sylvia Bwalya said the 18. 3 tonnes consignment of presidential ballot papers is expected to leave Durban on Saturday to Johannesburgh where it will be dispatched aboard two South African Airways planes at 11:00 hours on Sunday and would arrive in Zambia at 13:00 hours

ZANIS/ENDS/CLM/EB

Acting President Rupia Banda has pledged to address the problem of poverty in  Luapula by focusing at exploring the vast mineral and water resources potential for the benefit of the people in the province.

Mr. Banda said Luapula Province has a lot of potential which could contribute not only to improve welfare of the people of the area but the national economy as a whole.

Mr. Banda was speaking on arrival at Mansa airport where he addressed hundreds of residents who gathered to welcome him.

Mr. Banda said once elected President he will address the existing poverty on the area as a challenge in order to achieve positive results.

He said his generation of leaders are determined to take over from where President Mwanawasa left and ensure that all developmental programmes initiated are completed.

He said he is a proud man to have the opportunity to officially launch the levy Mwanawasa Bridge across the Luapula River.

I am proud that I have the opportunity to open the bridge across the Luapula River which is the brain child of late President Mwanawasa.

Mr. Banda said the late Dr. Mwanawasa will be greatly missed by the people of Luapula Province for the initiative to embark on the bridge construction project across the river.

Earlier Luapula Province Minister Chrispine Musosha said the people of Luapula Province  are happy with the MMD government for the various developmental projects embarked on in the area.

He sited the palm- oil out grower scheme and the construction of the Levy Mwanawasa Bridge as among key projects whose objective are to enhance economic projects and help create wealth among the people.

Mr. Musosha is confident that the levy Mwanawasa Bridge, which will be officially opened this Saturday will improve trade not only between the province and the Copperbelt but the rest of the country and the Eastern Southern African region.

The Provincial Minister said the Province which has vast tourism potential has also been given various opportunity to show case its rich tourism both for local and foreign investors.

He further indicated that people in Luapula Province are happy with the path taken by government in the constitution making process.

He said people are confident that the durable National Constitution will be achieved through the National Constitution Commission (NCC).

Mr. Banda  is in the province to check on developmental projects and officiate at the Kwanga ceremony and launch of the Chembe Bridge.

He is also expected to hold a number of campaign meetings in the province.

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) leader, Michael Sata has pledged to shift the concentration of Zambia’s foreign policy from developed nations to fellow developing countries if elected Republic president.

Mr Sata said in Lusaka yesterday that Zambia could learn much more from fellow developing countries than from the developed ones, hence his intended policy shift.

The opposition leader said this when Brazilian Ambassador to Zambia, Josal Luiz Pellegrino called on him at his office.

“In the last 44 years we have paid so much attention to developed nations. We have paid lip-service to our fellow developing countries like Brazil, India and others.

“Our government, therefore, will change that and we will pay more attention to our fellow developing countries because we will learn much more from them than from the developed countries,” said Mr Sata who was with party vice-president, Guy Scott.

He said one of the major lessons Zambia could learn from Brazil, for instance, was how the South American country, with similar conditions as Zambia’s, managed to change from the export of raw materials to the export of finished products.

Mr Sata said Brazilian leaders realised that their country could only be developed by Brazilians themselves and not any outsiders.

“You used to export raw materials but you said why can’t we export finished products. It means you have appreciated God’s gift,” he said.

He said Zambia had the same climatic conditions as some of the countries, which were leading producers of commodities like rice and wheat but there had been too much concentration on maize farming.

The PF leader also said his administration would make the civil service truly independent from political interference.

He said there was need to come up with a situation where the civil service could run the Government even without the executive.

Mr Sata said corruption was another drawback to national development and hampered development of the precious stone sector despite Zambia being a major producer.

He said Zambia was the major producer of emeralds but efforts to earn income from this area and invest in national development were being frustrated by corruption leading to the Government losing out in revenue.

During the same occasion, Mr Pellegrino announced that the Brazilian foreign affairs minister would be visiting Zambia on October 19 and extended an invitation to Mr Sata to meet him to which he accepted.

The ambassador said Brazil wanted to strengthen the relations between the countries and expressed gratitude that late president Levy Mwanawasa had opened a mission there.

He said during the visit, the foreign affairs minister was expected to meet acting President, Rupiah Banda, former president, Kenneth Kaunda and opposition leaders.

Among some areas of co-operation, Mr Pellegrino said, would be the economy and cited the aviation and motor vehicle industries in which he said Brazil was thriving.

He said Brazil could establish plants for the manufacturing of aeroplanes and motor vehicles, especially buses.

Times of Zambia