A clergyman says Acting President Rupiah Banda must be applauded for his decision not to sign legislation on the proposed pay rise for constitution office holders.

Bishop John Mambo told ZANIS in an interview that the move by the Acting President to take the bill back to parliament for reconsideration must be supported by all well-meaning Zambians.

Acting President Rupiah Banda has announced that he would not sign legislation on the proposed pay rise for constitution office holders and has since promised to take the bill back to parliament for reconsideration.

Officially launching the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) campaigns for the October 30th, 2008 presidential by-election at Lusaka’s Intercontinental hotel today, Mr. Banda said he had heard the concerns of many Zambian over the proposed increase of salaries for constitutional office holders.

Bishop Mambo, who is also Chikondi Foundation Founder and President, said the proposed pay rise was initially made in bad faith and was uncalled for as many Zambians were wallowing in abject poverty.

He said they are many needy areas that require urgent attention which make an upward adjustment of salaries and allowances for constitutional office bearers secondary.

Bishop Mambo cited doctors at the University Teaching Hospital, lecturers at the University of Zambia and lowly paid civil servants as some that need urgent attention.

He said the obtaining poverty levels did allow for a selected few individuals to get a larger part of the national cake to the disadvantage of the majority Zambians.

Bishop Mambo further pointed out that efforts to service the hiked salaries and allowances for conditional office holders that include the president and ministers would have put a strain on the national coffers.

He said resources which should have gone towards developmental efforts would have been diverted to meet the scaled up salaries and allowances for the constitutional office bearers.

Bishop Mambo said individuals should enter politics with a view of serving the nation not seeking to enrich themselves.

A few weeks ago, Members of Parliament debated a bill and approved it proposing that there be a 15 per cent pay rise on salaries and other allowances of constitution office holders.

Legislation on the proposed pay rise for constitution office holders that include the president and ministers further sought to introduce new allowances such as responsibility allowance.

ENDS/AM/MM/ZANIS

Mr. Banda has unveiled his leadership and governance curriculum vitae, saying he had been a Member of Parliament for a long time, a Minister of Foreign Affairs and also of Mines, an ambassador to the United States of America, and the United Nations among other diplomatic portfolios.

He added that he worked as a General Manager for the National Agriculture Marketing Board (NAMBOARD) during the first republic.

He further noted that he is a farmer and therefore understood the needs and problems of the agricultural sector in the country.

Mr. Banda said with such political, government and diplomatic experience, he was the right presidential candidate among others to be elected as Zambia’s fourth republican president.

The acting President has since asked Zambians to be judgmental and analytical in comparing him to other candidates contesting the forthcoming presidential by-election.

And Mr. Banda has thanked the ruling MMD and its members for their support and for electing him for the October 30th, 2008 presidential election.

He pledged to work with all other candidates who contested with him during the time the party was electing a presidential candidate.

The candidature in the MMD was contested by a number of people, which Mr. Banda said could have been a divisive factor if the party was not democratic and united.

Other people that contested the candidature for the president in the MMD were Minister of Finance, Ng’andu Magande, Home Affairs Minister, Ronnie Shikapwasha, former Vice Presidents Enoch Kavindele and Nevers Mumba and former Works and Supply Minister in the MMD government Ludwig Sondashi.

Mr. Magande, Mr. Kavindele, Lieutenant General Shikapwasha, and Dr. Sondashi were present at the launch of the campaigns and held hands with Mr. Banda to symbolize unity of purpose for the forthcoming elections.

The seat of republican president fell vacant following the death of the sitting President Levy Mwanawasa on August 19th this year.

Other political parties contesting the presidential by-election are opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) which has fielded its leader, Hakainde Hichilema and the Patriotic Front (PF) whose candidate is its president, Michael Sata.

If a man is lucky, there is no telling the possible extent of his good fortune. Throw him into the Zambezi River and he will swim out with a diamond in his hand.

The desire to be lucky is universal. We all hope to be favored by the whimsical goddess of Good Luck. Is there a way we can meet her and attract not only her favorable attention, but her generous favors?

This is what Kamwandi Nyakalenda wanted to know.

There was going to be a businessmans meeting at the Edingburgh Hotel in Kitwe. Kamwandi, just had to be there. Rumor had it a wise rich man, whom everyone called Uncle Alfred was going to be there. He was one of the tycoons of Kitwe. At such forums people were free to talk to Uncle Alfred like an equal.

As the sun rose to light up the Chingola skyline, Kamwandi boarded the minibus that would take him to Kitwe. Ironically today he felt lucky, there were only about 10  big trucks on the way and journey to Kitwe was much quicker. Traveling from Chingola to Kitwe was a nightmare, with all the trucks on the road.

“I hope the next president builds us a dual carriage way,” Kamwandi thought.

When he arrived at the Edingburgh Hotel the meeting had already started and Uncle Alfred seemed to be in  the middle of answering a political question.

“RB is not popular and seems to have skeletons from his past, he is associating with people Levy sacked for example VJ and Chitala and some obscure political parties. He is not charismatic and his only chance is a sympathetic vote for Levy but Levy is slowly going into history.

HH is young and vibrant but hasn’t got the mass support that his predecessor Mazoka commanded. He will get the “young” and intellectual vote but I doubt if the rural vote cares for intellect.

SATA – is an effective mobiliser and speaks boldly and  undiplomatic at times for the common man and is rightly or wrongly seen as a man of action. He is quite old and has had a heart problem recently so some may not wish for another state funeral too soon.He has not campaigned in the rural areas where he lost in 2006 and this could also be his undoing.

On the balance of probabilities, unfortunately Sata may be the winning horse.” Uncle Alfred concluded.

“What else shall we discuss this morning?” uncle Alfred asked the 50 businessmen gathered in the conference room of the hotel. Kamwandis heart was beating fast; this was his only chance to voice what had been heavy on his heart.
He cleared his throat and said “I have a subject I would like to hear discussed yet hesitate to say lest it seems ridiculous to you my fellow businessmen.”

“Mwaiche landa fye,” Big Jo shouted from the back of the room.

“Well this week I have been lucky. Among other things I found an envelope with K500 000. To continue to be lucky is my greatest desire. I suggest we debate how to attract good luck that we may discover ways it can be enticed to one.”

“Gentlemen an interesting topic has been offered,” Uncle Alfred commented, “one most worthy of our discussion. To some men, good luck is a chance happening, that like an accident may come upon one without purpose or reason. Others believe that the instigator of all good fortune is the gods, who are ever anxious to reward with generous gifts those who please them. Speak up, gentlemen, what do you say, should we seek to find if there is a way by which good luck may be enticed to visit each and every one of us? Does luck exist? What do you think?

Acting President, Rupiah Banda has refused to sign legislation on the proposed pay rise for constitution office holders and has since promised to take the bill back to parliament for reconsideration.

Officially launching the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) campaigns for the October 30th, 2008 presidential by-election at Lusaka’s Intercontinental hotel today, Mr. Banda said he had heard the concerns of many Zambian over the proposed increase of salaries for constitutional office holders.

Mr. Banda is MMD presidential candidate for the forthcoming presidential by-election.

He said although the country has scored positive economic gains in the last seven years, many Zambians were still wallowing in poverty, hence the need to reconsider certain proposals.

He said the cost of food stuffs in the country had risen in the recent past and therefore, it was only fair to reconsider issues concerning salary increments for certain officer holders.

“I have listened to the concerns of the Zambian people regarding salaries.
I have not yet signed legislation concerning salary pay rises for constitutional office holders and I ask my colleagues to look at it again,” he said.

Mr. Banda added that, “I will be sending it back to parliament”.

A few weeks ago, Members of Parliament debated a bill and approved it proposing that there be a 15 per cent pay rise on salaries and other allowances of constitution office holders.

He pledged that his government would work tirelessly to reduce the prices of people’s needs which fall in the category of basic commodities.

Among the commodities which he said should have their prices reduced are mealie meal, bread and petroleum products.

Mr. Banda, whose speech was punctuated by solidarity songs from the cadres, said Zambia needed policies that would make the country forge ahead in its economic gains.

“This is not the time for wild ideas, unclear promises and inexperienced people. Let us not return to the past of economic incompetence and corruption,” he said.

Then Acting President said this was a time of electing level headed and sober leaders whose governance experienced spanned over a long period of time.

Mr. Banda reiterated that he would continue with and build up on the social and economic policies of the late President Levy Mwanawasa.

He said he would improve on the needs of the health, education, agriculture, tourism and other sectors that were vital in boosting economic growth of the country, adding that investors would remain most welcome under his administration.

“We welcome all investors to Zambia as long as they obey all our laws of the land, protect our people and our environment,” he said.

He said in addition to what was already in existence, the MMD would soon unveil policies that would enhance good governance and economic prosperity of Zambia.

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) president, Michael Sata has ruled out the possibility of an electoral pact with the United Party for National Development (UPND), saying his party is strong enough to win the presidential election on its own.

Speaking on a live Radio Phoenix programme in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Sata said he could not support UPND leader, Hakainde Hichilema, for the Republican presidency because he had enough young people capable of taking over from him within the PF.

Mr Sata also accused the UPND of desperately trying to show that it had a lot of support by stealing pictures of PF supporters who attended one of his recent rallies and using them on UPND’s website to show that it was working with the PF.

“Our supporters out there should know that there is no pact between us and the UPND although the party is using pictures of our rallies to confuse the people that we are together,” Mr Sata said.

He said the people of Zambia set their priorities when they made him come second after late Levy Mwanawasa in the 2006 elections and he was confident that he would win the elections this time around.

He said his mission was to change the face of Zambia and reiterated his 2006 campaign promise that if elected, the people would start feeling the positive impact of the change of Government within 90 days.

He said the PF would bring development and Zambians abroad seeking greener pastures would return home.

Asked what would happen if he lost the election, Mr Sata said he would then get back to reorganise the party for 2011 elections because Zambians did not even anticipate that an election would be held this year.

“Losing the election would not be the end. When I just started PF, some people were saying I would not last because I was going to run broke but see where we are today,” Mr Sata said.

He also justified his recent change of heart regarding Chinese investment, saying he had decided to do so because the Chinese authorities were now working with authorities in Taiwan.

The PF leader said it was surprising that a lot of people had condemned him for aligning himself with the Taiwanese when the Government of China was also dealing with Taiwan.

He said he was grateful to the late Dr Mwanawasa for having sent him to South Africa for treatment and he was now very fit to run for the presidency.

Times of Zambia

The MMD in Kafue has described as acts of desperation, accusations by some opposition politicians that Acting President Rupiah Banda is still a UNIP member.

MMD District Vice-Treasurer, John Mwansa, regretted that some opposition politicians were basing their campaigns on character assassination at the expense of issues affecting the nation.

Mr Mwansa expressed confident that the ruling MMD would emerge victorious in the October 30 Presidential elections because it was basing its campaigns on issues.

Mr Mwansa said MMD candidate Rupiah Banda, is the only candidate, among those that have so far declared interest to contest the elections, with the vision of sustaining national economic growth.

He said the MMD was fully aware of the confidence that the people of Zambia have in the party as regards the need for continuity in the implementation of national economic programmes.

And opposition Forum for Democracy and Development, FDD, has challenged aspiring presidential candidates to desist from politics of insults and concentrate on how they would improve the people’s economic welfare once voted into power.

FDD Provincial Publicity Secretary Mr. James Musemuna regretted that aspiring candidates were not indicating measures they will employ to revamp operations at Kafuel Textiles of Zambia and Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia.

Government has assured the nation that no effort will be spared to ensure free and fair elections.

Justice Minister George Kunda says the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) is doing everything possible to ensure that polls are conducted in a free and fair manner to the satisfaction of all stakeholders.

Mr. Kunda says government has confident in the ECZ and assured the nation that the Commission was fully in charge of the electoral process.

He was speaking in Lusaka today shortly after he led Attorney General Mumba Malila and Director of Public Prosecution Chalwe Mchenga and other Ministry of Justice officers in laying wreaths on the tomb of the late President Mwanawasa at Embassy Park.

Mr. Kunda described the departed President as an icon who was exemplary in addressing judicial matters.

Mufulira Town Clerk Charles Mwandila has described the protest by traders against the implementation of the revised trade licensing fees for 2009 as politically motivated.

Mr. Mwandila said it was not clear why traders in the district have decided to protect against the local authority now, when the Statutory instrument was signed by Commerce Minister Felix Mutati in June this year.

The revised trade licensing fees are contained in a Statutory Instrument Act number 65 of 2008.

“Why should traders in Mufulira be the only ones to protest over the fees when the instrument was issued in June, why this time? He asked.

He said the motive behind the protest will be deemed political, because the Statutory Instrument came in effect at the time it was signed on behalf of Government.

Traders in Mufulira staged a protest against the council yesterday, for implementing the Statutory Instrument issued by the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry on revised trades licensing fees for 2009.

The license fees have been increased from K90,000 to K400,000 per year for new applicants and renewals.

Traders are complaining that the fees are too high, compared to their monthly income earnings and that the council did not consult them before effecting the adjustment.

“The fees were revised by Government after consultations so if they are too high, why should they protest against the council,” Mr. Mwandila asked.

He said the council informed the traders through notices that were issued last month, which indicated that the fees had been adjusted upwards.

He advised the aggrieved traders to direct their complaints to the Ministry of Commerce, not to the council.