Management at Zambia Sugar PLC in Mazabuka have rejected MMD Southern Province Campaign Coordinator, Michael Kaingu’s request for the company to help the party by directing the workforce to vote for the MMD during the forth coming Presidential by-election.

Company Managing Director, Paul-de- Robillard told Mr Kaingu during a brief meeting held in the company board room , Friday, that the company corporate policy does not permit the support of any political activity or grouping.

Mr Robillard said though the company enjoys support from government, it will remain ‘politically nuetral.’

And attempts by Company Co-orporate affairs manager, Lovemore Sievu to read out the act that prohibits the company to take part in politics where thwarted by Mr Kaingu who interjected and ordered Sievu to stop reading the act.

“Dont read those regulations to me, read them when I leave this place but my advice is protect your investment by supporting us,” the minister.

Mr Kaingu who is also Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources Minister cautioned Investors against voting for what he described as ‘a lunatic’ into State house.

He warned that voting for such a person would be disastrous because policies and manifestos might differ and one would consider nationalising the private companies such as Zambia Sugar.

“We are in trouble, we need to win these eleections to finish our mandate and that is why we have come to you. when you have a problem you run to your friends and that is what we have done to come to you,” Kaingu insisted.

He also bragged that in the event that there was change of government whether Opposition UPND or PF, he would join either parties and maintain his cabinet portifolio.

”As Politicians it is easier to change from One party to another but it is not possible for you as Zambia Sugar to change from cultivating Sugarcane to Mangoes,” said Kaingu.

Zambia Sugar PLC employs a total of 6,000 employees and 30,000 people on the estates.

Meanwhile, Mr Kaingu has described Patriotic Front (PF) presidential candidate, Micheal Sata, as ‘a comedian ‘ not fit to rule Zambia.

Mr Kaingu said Zambians will make a terrible mistake to vote for a leader like Mr Sata who he said has no vision for this country apart from creating confusion.

Mr Kaingu said the current administrative problems rocking the PF party clearly showed the disorganization in Mr Sata’s leadership style.

He said such a leader like Mr Sata cannot be entrusted with the task of presiding over the affairs of the nation.
ZANIS/HC/CM/ENDS/MM

Tourism minister Michael Kaingu has challenged the electorate in Southern Province to redeem themselves in the by-election by voting for the ruling MMD candidate Rupiah Banda in the forthcoming October 30 presidential.

Mr Kaingu said the electorate in the province have always been perceived that their voting pattern is on tribal lines as evidenced by the outcome of the 2006 polls.

He told ZANIS in Choma Friday that the province is the only one that failed to provide a cabinet minister because all the parliamentary seats were taken by the opposition.

Mr Kaingu said time has now come for the province to redeem itself from the perception that people in the region are tribalists.

Mr. Kaingu said ongoing reconstruction of the bottom road in the Gwembe valley and other important link roads in the Southern Province shows government’s commitment to uplifting the living standards of the people in the province.

Mr. Kaingu told ZANIS that government has invested huge resources in improving road infrastructure to help boost economic activities in the province.

He said for a long time,people of the Gwembe valley had appealed for the rehabilitation of the Bottom road saying there plea was answered by the late President Dr Mwanawasa’s administration.

The minister said works on the controversial Choma-Namwala road as well as the Monze-Neiko road are currently under way to help address the complaints of the people of Namwala over the bad state of the link roads.

He said the province has also been a beneficiary of massive investments in the tourism industry, which investments he said has opened up the area to economic development.

Mr Kaingu however caution people of southern province not to take the ongoing development projects for granted as their continuity depends on whom they vote for in the upcoming October 30 Presidential by election.

He said some of the presidential candidates, if voted into office, will negate the current economic gains of the MMD because they have no leadership qualities in them which can move the country forward.

Mr Kaingu said if the current peace that Zambians have taken for granted will be at great risk if they vote for a wrong presidential candidate.

He appealed to the people of southern province to vote for MMD candidate Rupiah Banda so that the province continues to register developmental gains.

ZANIS/CM/ENDS/MM

Acting President Rupiah Banda has Friday successfully filled in his nomination papers ahead of the forth-coming October 30 Presidential by-elections.

Mr. Banda, who arrived at Supreme Court at about 10:23 hours took oath before High Court Registrar Mwamba Chanda and later filled in his nominations before Chief Justice Ernest Sakala.

The Acting President , who was accompanied by senior government officials paid K20 million nomination fees before and was in jovial mood and declared his assets before Chief Justice Ernest Sakala.

His 200 MMD supporters were also screened by ECZ officers.

In his declaration of assets, Mr. Banda declared a farm and two other properties in Chipata, a House in Lusaka,an Isuzu Pick-up vehicle and a VX Toyota vehicle all valued at K2.935 billion.

He also declared his shares in the Chilanga Cement, Zambia Breweries, Investrust Bank, Standards Chartered Bank and Intermarket Bank all valued at K1.150 billion.

After finishing filling in his nomination papers at about 11:10 hours, he received thunderous support and ululations from thousands of supporters when he came out of the Supreme Court.

He assured his Presidential triumph in the forth-coming October 30 Presidential by-elections and further urged his supporters to campaign hard in an effort to scoop the elections with a landslide victory.

Mr. Banda said that there is need for the MMD party to campaign vigorously in order for the party to carry on the late President Levy Mwanawasa’s vision.

Among the cabinet Ministers who accompanied were Home Affairs Minister Ronnie Shikapwasha, Mines Minister and Minerals Development Dr Kalombo Mwansa, Justice Minister George Kunda, Presidential Affairs Minister Cecil Holmes.

Others were Community Development Minister Catherine Namugala, Gender and Women in Development Minister Patricia Mulasikwanda, Southern Province Minister Daniel Munkombwe, Works and Supply Minister Kapembwa Simbao and Former Vice President Enoch Kavindele.

ZANIS/TK/ENDS/MM

Zambia government, has called upon all broadcasters, both commercial and community, to desist from live phone-in broadcast programmes that involve members of public.

According a press release issued today by Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), Windhoek, Zambian permanent secretary in ministry of information and broadcasting wrote in a letter dated 12 September 2008 that, “It has been observed that some radio stations have political programmes which provide unbalanced and, in some cases, unfair coverage to political parties during election campaigns.”

Emmanuel N Nyirenda’s letter goes on to say, “These programmes can be used by some parties to employ insults and accusations which cannot be rebutted. Ideally phone-in programmes need to be handled with use of special technology to facilitate screening of calls, which I believe most of you don’t have.”

It notes that in order to avoid unnecessary complaints, conflict and misunderstandings, Mr Nyirenda wished to advise all broadcasters to desist from such programmes and only carry political programmes in accordance with Zambian electoral commission’s by-laws.

Letter further requested broadcasters to stick to their programming schedules as submitted to licensing authority.

This move has been dismissed by MISA-Zambia and other media freedom organisations as a violation of media and freedom of expression rights.

In a 22 September 2008 statement, MISA-Zambia chairperson Henry Kabwe said, “this move is a desperate attempt by government to muzzle media in run up to 30 October presidential by-election.”

In his statement, Mr Kabwe added, “during times of elections, media have a duty to provide equal access to all contending political parties so that they sell their manifestos to potential electorate. Radio stations also have duty to facilitate interaction between aspiring political parties and citizenry and live phone-in programmes are their lifeblood as long as this is done in line with electoral code of conduct.”

Mr Kabwe and MISA-Zambia have urged Nyirenda to rescind his decision to ban radio programmes.

In most rural areas out of reach of Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) signals, community radio stations are said to serve as important sources of information on electoral issues generally and aspiring candidates in particular.

Directive by Mr Nyirenda is undemocratic and violates media freedom and freedom of expression, stressed MISA-Zambia.

Media watchdog body has expressed concern over a trend by ministry of information to curtail media’s freedom to provide information to electorate through live phone-in political programmes.

This, according to MISA-Zambia is not first time this has happened. Group states that during run-up to 28 September 2006 general elections, police visited Q-FM in an attempt to stop them from providing live coverage of election events.

It further shows that in 2007, Radio Explorer in Petauke was threatened with licence revocation for featuring an opposition leader.

MISA-Zambia believes that regulation of broadcasting should not be aimed at “policing” but being responsive to needs and growth of sector.

Organisation reminded community and commercial radio stations to adhere to electoral code of conduct, which require that they shall provide fair and balanced reporting of campaigns, policies, meetings, rallies and press conferences of all registered political parties during period of campaigning.

“Ministry of information should not averse with, but rather embrace latest technologies in broadcasting. Radio and television stations throughout world are now able to cover and report on events live as listeners and viewers hear or see them,” organisation has said.

[Afro News]

Information Minister, Mike Mulongoti, says there is nothing wrong in offering financial assistance to small political parties.

Mr. Mulongoti who is also MMD Elections Chairman says small political parties have in the past approached government for financial help in running their affairs.

He told a media briefing that the MMD gave the New Revolution Party K15 million after it’s leader, Cosmo Mumba, requested for financial assistance.

According to Mr. Mulongoti Dr. Mumba had sought financial help to enable his party participate in the forthcoming Presidential election.

Mr. Mulongoti said it is sad that certain sections of the media want to politicise the assistance given to the NRP to help it file in nominations for the presidential elections.

He also said Dr. Mumba presented him with an K80 million budget to help him hold rallies around the country.

The Minister further said Dr. Mumba had been phoning him for a long time to help him secure an appointment with Acting President, Rupiah Banda, so that he could endorse his candidature.

An official of the New Revolution Party was quoted by the Post Newspapers recently as saying his party was paid K15 million to endorse Mr. Banda’s candidature.

But Mr. Mulongoti said this is not true as small parties have been assisted before.

[ZNBC]

A thunderous welcome awaits Acting President Rupiah Banda’s arrival in Kabompo on Sunday.

Kabompo District Commissioner Rabbeca Mukuka confirmed to ZANIS in kabompo that Mr.Banda would Sunday address a rally at Manyinga grounds near Senior Chief Sikufele’s palace at 09:00 hours.

A check by ZANIS Thursday morning scores of villagers at Maninga chanting slogans in solidarity of Mr Banda whom they said he was following in the footstep of the late president Dr. Levy Mwanawasa in developing North western province.

And All is set for this year’s Likumbi Lya Mize traditional ceremony of the Luvale people of Senior Chief Ndungu in Zambezi District, which will be graced by the Acting President Rupiah Banda.

Likumbi Lya Mize National Chairman James Njolomba, confirmed to ZANIS that all the preparations at the main arena have been completed and that every one was geared for the ceremony, where traditional dances such as Kachacha, Mwakolo and Chiyandawhich will be performed.

Mr. Njolomba further stated that, during the same occasion, the Likumbi Lya Mize cultural association would launch the Makishi masquerade, a UNESCO funded project in Makishi and Mukanda.

Mr. Njolombo pointed out that the Likumbi Lya Mize annual traditional ceremony is an occasion during which revelers are accorded a chance to see Senior Ndungu in the open.

Yesterday, business at the trading center came to a virtual stand still as the Makishi procession matched through the township, attracting many on-lookers.

The famous Lenganavo Likishi dancer stole the show when he performed a pole dance (acrobatic) on top of two poles placed in the middle of the Zambezi River, to the amazement of the onlookers.

The Makishi dance will go on from today up to Saturday.

ZANIS/MK/CMM/ENDS/MM.

Opposition Heritage Party President Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda has made a surprise entry
in the October 30 Presidential By- elections.

Disclosing the development to ZANIS Thursday evening, HP spokesperson Chris Akufuna said General Miyanda, who was second republican President Frederick Chiluba’s first Vice President, would put  in his nomination Friday with the Supreme Court Judge Justice Enerst Sakala at 14: 00 hours.

Mr Akufuna said the HP president would be expected to go through all the nomination procedure before the Supreme court.

The H.P president becomes the fourth presidential by-elections candidate who will file in his nominations with the first being Patriotic Front leader Micheal Sata and United Party for National Development Hakainde Hichilema.

The duo launched their nominations Monday and Wednesday, respectively.The ruling MMD candidate and Acting President Rupiah Banda is scheduled to launch in his nominations Friday.

The By-Elections follows incumbent President Levy Mwanawasa’s untimely death due to a stroke at Percy Millitary Hospital, Paris France on August 19, 2008.
ZANIS/MM/ENDS

Acting President Rupiah Banda today refuted claims by opposition National Revolution Party (NRP) former Secretary General James Lukuku that the party received K15 million from him to endorse his candidature.

Speaking to Journalists shortly after his visit to the ACC, Mr. Banda said it is not possible for anybody to buy leadership in Zambia.

Mr Banda paid a surprise visit at the offices of the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) in Lusaka.

Mr. Banda who is the MMD candidate for the 30th October Presidential by-election, praised the ACC for its tenacity in fighting corruption and assured the officers serving under the organization that their jobs would be safe under his leadership.

Speaking when he addressed management and staff of the Commission, Mr. Banda said Zambia should completely get rid of corruption in order to attract more investors.

He said investors would want to invest in a country where they know their investment is safe.

Earlier, ACC Chairperson, Justice Valentine Chileshe assured the Acting President that the commission will work harder to reduce corrupt practices in the country.

Justice Chileshe said so far Zambia had improved its ranking from 9th to 17th position on the radder of corruption in the world, adding that the Commission was determined to reduce the levels of corruption further.

ENDS/CBM/PK/ZANIS/LUSAKA