Acting Republican President, Rupiah Banda has said only the MMD can uplift the Zambian people’s living standards.

Mr. Banda said the people of Zambia have many problems which can only be solved by the party in government.

He said the ruling party had seen that the only way to improve people’s living standards was to encourage them produce more food and that was why the number of beneficiaries of the Fertilizer Support Programme (FSP) has been increased from 125,000 to 200,000 countrywide.

Speaking at a campaign rally held at Masumba in Mambwe today, Mr. Banda said government had made a deliberate policy for Zambians to produce enough food so that they even sold the excess produce to earn money.

We want to encourage you to grow more maize and that is why we have pegged the price of a 50 kilogram bag at K 55,000-00,’’ he said.

And Mr. Banda said agricultural production can only be enhanced if there was a good road network.

He said government would work on the Chipata/Mambwe road which was in a deplorable condition so that farmers could transport their produce to markets.

Mr. Banda observed that the road would be worked on between now and 2011 so that the opposition did not denounce the MMD during the campaigns of the 2011 general elections.

He said funds to work on the road were ready, adding that, in Malambo valley alone, government had allocated K 1.7 billion to rebuild the Luambe/Mwanya road.

Mr. Banda said the Chichele road in the South Luangwa National Park was also receiving K 2 billion, adding that, government would continue to maintain the Luambe/Lundazi to Chama road at a cost of K 33 billion.

And the Acting President has instructed relevant institutions to reduce visa fees to attract tourists to National Parks.

Mr. Banda said government wanted to raise enough money through tourism and it can only do that if more foreign tourists entered the country.

He also called on people in Mambwe to take advantage of the tourists by engaging in agro-businesses to supply lodges with various agricultural products.

Meanwhile, Mr. Banda has challenged parents to ensure they worked hard through agriculture to take their children to school.

He said education of children could be expensive but ignorant was more expensive and parents should find money through agriculture to take their children to school.

Mr. Banda said children were a liability to parents and the nation as a whole if they were not taken to school.

He said government was committed to education so that children from competed with the rest of the world for jobs.

Mr. Banda said government was taking education a priority and it will build 88 new schools by 2011, saying, even colleges would be build so that children attended higher education.

And speaking earlier, United Liberal Party (ULP) President, Sakwiba Sikota, called on the people of Mambwe to vote wisely on October, 30.

Mr. Sikota said only MMD could save people from the problems they were facing.

The rally was also attended by opposition party Presidents, Edith Nawakwi from FDD and UNIP President Tilyenji Kaunda.

ENDS/SM/PK/ZANIS.

A freedom fighter in Mufumbwe District in Northwestern Province has challenged the opposition political parties who were claiming that they would increase salaries and create jobs within three years to show what method they would use.

Mr. James Katemisha said in Mufumbwe that political leaders should tell people the truth because increasing salaries for workers does not just come like dreams but through the treasury.

Mr. Katemisha questioned those who were promising people that many people would be in employment, where  the jobs are going to come from adding that even in London where there are many industries many professionals were still roaming the streets

Mr. Katemisha has since advised electorates to vote for MMD and Rupiah Banda a person who has proved capable to drive the nation to prosperity.

Mr. Katemisha a former UNIP member mentioned that some political parties have nothing to offer because they have not identified themselves with any meaningful program as most of them have already been lined up by the MMD.

He observed that some political leaders who have personal to holder parties have no developmental issues to talk about and as a result they have resorted to insults only.

Mr. Katemisha urged all political parties to work for prosperous Zambia in which the citizens would live in harmony and become more committed to work for the development of the country.

Mr. Katemisha explained that leaders must stop practicing politics of hatred or castigating one another but to move forward.

Mr. Katemisha said Political parties should unite and love one another although they could have different political inclinations but should agree where necessary and work together for the good of the country.

ENDS/CK/PK/ZANIS.

United Party for National Development (UPND) President, Hakainde Hichilema has reiterated his election campaign promise to hike civil servants salaries to a minimum of K 3. 5 million per month once elected President on October 30, this year.

Mr Hichilema made the reiteration when he addressed two separate meetings at Kabompo town and Manyinga in Kabompo district yesterday, he said he was saddened by the current low wages paid to civil servants; saying once elected his government would pay higher salaries.

Mr Hichilema also promised that his government would provide free education from grade one to university and that his government would give free fertilizer and seeds to small scale farmers for the first three years to enhance food production.

He went on to say that his government would construct a bridge on Kabompo river at Watopa to provide the shortest route for trade between Kabompo and Lusaka, adding they would also complete tarring Mutanda-Chavuma road in three years time by providing three contractors at the same time who will be based in Kabompo, Zambezi and Chavuma respectively.

He further said once elected his government would build a hydro-power station at Chikata falls near Kabompo and do away with thermo electricity in order to enhance economic activities in the area.

Last week, North-Western Provincial Minister, Kenneth Chipungu cautioned people in the province against listening to false promises made by opposition parties during the campaigns but concentrate on supporting government of the day which has opened mines and discovered oil and gas in the province.

Addressing a stakeholders meeting in the council chamber, Mr Chipungu told the people that the New deal administration was in a hurry to complete the tarring of the Kasempa turn off-Chavuma road which is expected to reach Kabompo by 2010 and also build a hydro power station at Chikata falls in Kabompo in order to facilitate the setting up of oil and gas industries in Kabompo, Zambezi and Chavuma districts that would improve the welfare of the people in the province.

ENDS/MK/PK/ZANIS.

Justice Minister George Kunda has said the new Deal government has prudently managed the national resources within a short period of time which has resulted  in tangible development taking  place in the country.

And Patriotic Front (PF) Nkana Member of Parliament (MP) Chola Musenge charged that the MMD had failed to provide better services to the people of Zambia hence the need for the people to vote the ruling party out of government this months end.

Mr. Kunda said the MMD government had a systematic approach to development through the  National Plans such as the Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP), the District plans such as the District Development Coordinating Committee (DDCC) in each district .

He said government has done a lot of work to improve people’s lives  through the  provision of  social services  such as the construction and rehabilitation of  schools,  improvement of communication system and the  improvement of health services delivery.

“In my constituency for example, the other week, I was handing over three schools which were worked on, three courts have been built and we have a new maternity wing being completed at the district hospital.

The government has provided new vehicles to the health department, bridges have been constructed, so it is not true that as a government we have failed,” he said.

Mr. Kunda said people of Zambia should allow the MMD to continue because its programs were on course adding that voting for Acting President Rupiah Banda would mean continuity  of the polices which the party was implementation.

Speaking during the Press Freedom Committee of the post Newsmakers Forum held in the council chamber in Serenje yesterday evening, Mr. Kunda who is also Muchinga constituency member of parliament said PF had nothing to offer the nation because of inconsistence  of  its leader .

“Mr. Sata left the schools the way they are now and this made our job difficult.  He left grass thatched schools, no bridges.  But now we have worked had and managed to have $1.2billion in reserve within a short period”, he said.

Mr. Kunda urged the opposition to be objective for them to see what the MMD had done adding that investment attraction was there and could be seen by the number of investors coming into the country.

But  PF Nkana Member of Parliament  said  Mr.  Sata was a trusted and tested leader who should be given the presidency this month end in order  to address the  problems people were facing in Zambia.

Mr. Musenge  said Sata’s leadership could be attested by looking at what he did when he was given responsibilities to run some ministries such as Local Government and Health Ministries.

Mr. Musenge said people of Serenje were suffering a lot as could be seen by lack of adequate social services in the area.

The Opposition MP charged that  the  police in the district had only one vehicle  for use in their operations..

He said the MMD had failed to collect new taxes from mining companies despite having stated that the money   would be  utlised to  improve the economy.

He said his party  once it comes into power will compel  all mining companies to pay the new taxes.

“It is unfortunate that some miners still want to pay low taxes even after the new taxation act is in place.  So when PF is voted into power next month all these mining companies will be made to start paying the new taxes”, he said.

Mr. Musenge said Mr. Sata will only be compelled to dissolve parliament if taken to extremes and hoped some members of parliament from MMD and other opposition political parties would resign to join the PF.

“If parliament is dissolved, chances of some MPs retaining their seats were very slim so we expect some, like Mr. Kunda to join,” he said.

And Mr. Musenge said the PF had a manifesto but the document could not be revealed to the people because it had not been adopted through  the convention.

He was answering a question from Mr. Rex Chikamba who wanted to know if PF had a written manifesto.

Inspector General of Police Ephraim Mateyo has resounded his earlier warning that the command will sternly deal with any acts or statements that are unlawful and borders on the breach of peace.

Mr. Mateyo said in line with the constitution, that the only means of assuming power is through the ballot as opposed to any unlawful means that may lead to apprehension among citizens.

He told ZANIS in a statement that the change of government lies in the ballot box where people should direct their energy or excitement to vote for leaders of their choice without resorting to unlawful means.

“ As we draw nearer to the presidential elections scheduled for this month, we have challenge to go to higher levels of political maturity by conducting ourselves in a peaceful and tranquil manner ,’ he stated

The Inspector General has appealed to all stakeholders in the elections to desist from making statements or acts that could result into the breach of the peace , which the country has enjoyed.

He said his office has enjoyed good working relationship with all stakeholders in the election management .

He said the relationship , which he hoped should go beyond the October 30 elections , can only be achieved with the support and co-operation of all stakeholders working with officers on the ground.

He has since extended an olive branch to all stakeholders who are aggrieved seeking redress to his office.

Mr. Mateyo said his desire is that the elections are conducted in a manner free from violence where peace and tranquility will still remain cornerstone for the economic and social development of the country.

ZANIS/MK/ENDS.

THE Heritage Party (HP) has said that the Village Concept is the only manifesto that offers to address issues of underdevelopment both in rural and urban areas of the country.

HP spokesperson Waziah Phiri said in an interview in Lusaka that currently, only the urban areas were being developed because the existing national leadership did not have a workable concept to improve rural areas.

Mr Phiri said that under the Village Concept, which the HP had been propagating for a long time, there would be equitable distribution of wealth between the urban and rural areas.

If such was the case, Mr Phiri said that both the urban and rural areas would be developed simultaneously.

Mr Phiri said that currently, what was happening was that only the urban areas were developed and dwellers from the rural areas were abandoning the places resulting into urban areas getting over populated.

“If the Village Concept was to be applied, all development would not only be centered in Lusaka but the entire country. Wealth should be equitably distributed and not as the case is,” Mr Phiri said.

He said that besides the Village Concept ensuring that the wealth of the nation was equitably distributed, it would also address the plight of women, the youth and other vulnerable citizens.

Mr Phiri said that currently, the vulnerable in society were marginalised and the HP was determined to reverse the trend.

He also cautioned the electorate against falling prey to promises by leaders of some opposition parties.

Mr Phiri said most leaders had in the past failed to fulfill their promises and therefore wondered how the electorate should this time around trust them.

“One such promise which had been made by some opposition party leaders is the recognition of the Barotse Royal Establishment.

“The problem we find with some politicians is that they make promises which they themselves know that they would not fulfill. The people should look at the track record of these leaders,” he said.

Among the presidential aspirants in the October 30 polls, Mr Phiri said that the HP candidate Godfrey Miyanda (above) was the only leader who could not fail to fulfill his promises.

He said that if Zambians were serious about seeing the country develop, they should vote for the HP candidate.

“If our country wants a leader that will not fail them then they should vote for us. We are the only ones with a track record for all to see,” Mr Phiri said.

Times of Zambia

The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has disclosed that it has met its targets with all logistics in place for the holding of the October 30th presidential polls.

ECZ Chairperson Justice Florence Mumba however said the ballot papers and other election materials are yet to be delivered to all the 72 districts throughout the country.

Speaking at a media briefing in Lusaka today, Ms. Mumba also said that the commission has been operating under pressure especially with accusations and suspicions from various stakeholders.

She however said that ECZ will continue to perform its duties within the provisions of the law despite the pressure from stakeholders.

Justice. Mumba said the commission also values the observations made by the stakeholders of the electoral process adding that ECZ remains open to address any concerns raised by the stakeholders.

And the ECZ Chairperson has also disclosed that the extra ballot papers will only be dispatched to polling stations in need of them with the consent of all the four participating political parties.

She said the decision follows consultations with the participating political parties that the extra 600 000 ballot papers will remain in the custody of the ECZ.

Justice Mumba has further said that the omitted registered voters in the 2006 voter’s register have been correctly captured in the voters register adding that all the participating political parties have been informed.

On the voting procedure during the October 30th polls Justice Mumba said all polling agents, monitors and observers will be able to observe the voting process and record the number of voters who will cast their votes.

She also explained that the announcement form for the election results for each polling station will be signed by the presiding officer and a polling agent from each of the four participating political parties.

Justice Mumba added that the polling agents and monitors will be obliged to sign the election results form and will each be given a copy for their records by the returning officer.

She also said that the results will be transmitted from the district centers in the presence of political party agents to the commission headquarters in Lusaka both electronically and by fax adding that the final election result will only be announced on receipt of all the results from the 150 constituencies in the country.

ZANIS/CM/MK/ENDS