Vice president Rupiah Banda has urged Zambians to continue praying for the recovery of President Mwanawasa, who is currently hospitalised in Paris, France.

Mr Banda said this on arrival at the Ndola international airport this morning where he is scheduled to officially open the Ndola International Trade Fair this afternoon.

The vice president urged Zambians to be optimistic that God will heal the President and that they continue to pray for the safe return of the first family back home.

“I am urging all of you in families, churches, organisations and the nation at large to continue praying for the recovery of our president and for the first family to return home safely,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Vice President has disclosed that this year’s Zambia International Trade Fair is different from the previous ones as it will have a number of agreements signed between Zambia and other countries.

He disclosed that contracts worth K2 billion will be signed this afternoon at the Trade Fair and that all show goers will witness the signing so that they can appreciate the developmental projects government under the able leadership of President Mwanawasa had embarked on.

And in his welcome remarks, Copperbelt Provincial Minister Mwansa Mbulakulima said the province had been holding prayers for the speedy recovery of president Mwanawasa.

The Vice President is this afternoon expected to officially open the 2008 Zambia International Trade Fair.

The Zambian government has requested for an explanation from the government of the Republic of South Africa on the statement attributed to President Thabo Mbeki that President Mwanawasa had passed away.

Foreign Affairs minister Kabinga Pande confirmed this in a statement to ZANIS in Lusaka this evening.

President Mbeki is reported to have asked people to observe a minute of silence when was speaking at the National Memorial Tribute for victims of violence against foreign nationals and South Africans held at Tshwane City Hall in South Africa yesterday.

And on President Levy Mwanawasa’s latest update, Vice President, Rupiah Banda said that President Mwanawasa has continued to receive treatment for hypertension at the Percy Military Hospital in Paris, France. He said Dr. Mwanawasa remains in a stable condition.

This is according to a statement posted on the Statehouse Web site.

Mr. Banda said Dr. Mwanawasa had the usual review by specialist doctors today Friday.

He said Dr. Mwanawasa’s next review is due on Monday.

The Vice President said the First Lady, Maureen Mwanawasa and family members continue to be at the President’s bed side.

And Chief Government Spokesperson, Mike Mulongoti has urged people wishing to travel to Paris – France to visit the President not to do so.

Mr. Mulongoti said this is because Dr. Mwanawasa is admitted to Percy Military Hospital which is highly restricted to visitors.

He said this is why people are being advised against undertaking such a visit.

Mr. Mulongoti was speaking this afternoon with ZNBC news.

ZANIS/MK/BK/ENDS

President Robert Mugabe has warned countries that wanted to court war with Zimbabwe saying the country was ready for such a challenge. ‘We do not want war with any of our neighbours, ‘he said. ‘But if there are some who are itching for a fight, let them try it. They will taste the salt of the fight,’ he said.

He stressed Zimbabwe has and will never be aggressive with anyone adding the country was instead ready to support other countries that were under attack as in the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that saw Zimbabwean soldiers go and help the country defend itself against invaders.

New Ziana reports that President Mugabe was speaking when he addressed thousands of Zanu-PF supporters who thronged the Harare International Airport to welcome him on his arrivals from the just ended African Union Summit in Egypt.

President Mugabe has also set new conditions for engaging in talks with the Opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) .

The conditions are that the opposition and its western allies accept the outcome of the June 27 presidential run-off, which the ruling party won and the removal of illegal sanctions slapped on Zimbabwe..

President Mugabe said the issue of the land was also a key factor to the talks as the reforms were not reversible.

He said it was only the people of Zimbabwe who cast their vote last Friday and not Britain or America that had the power to tell him how to run the country.

‘I am the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe,’ Mugabe said,
If we agree on that and accept the June 27 vote then we can enter into dialogue and move forward together to rebuild our beloved country,’ President Mugabe.

‘This is a reality that everyone has to accept first before anyone can begin a dialogue with us. We are open to dialogue,’ he added.

Mugabe’s comments comes after Britain and America urged the international community to recognise the March 29 elections and not the June 27 run-off results, which Zanu-PF won.

‘We stand by our people, and we listen to our people,’ President Mugabe said.

He said the June 27 will never and never be rejected by anyone adding that it is only Zimbabweans and not Britain or America who can decide who shall lead Zimbabwe.

‘If it calls on us to defend our country again,’ he said, ‘we are prepared to suffer and to die for it again,’ he said.

He said the votes had total meaning on who should rule Zimbabwe and also a rejection of western influence.

President Mugabe said the western world can go ahead and tighten its sanctions on the country but Zimbabwe had vast resources to feed its people.

He said the government was also committed to assisting its people to address the socio-economic challenges facing the country.

Meanwhile, President Mugabe has urged British Prime Minister Godwin Brown to withdraw from Zimbabwe all British companies as the country could do without them.

‘Please Mr Brown withdraw all your companies from Zimbabwe,’ President Mugabe said.

‘The sooner you do that the better,’ he added.

He said the government had since identified such companies for a takeover, since they were working with western forces to destabilise the country and force its people to turn against the government.

The companies, President Mugabe said, were increasing prices without justification, threatening the peace that is prevailing in the country.
‘We have identified these companies. We shall be sitting down with them and reading the riot act,’ he said.

In the meantime, President Mugabe said the government would continue with people’s shop programme to ensure its citizen had access to cheap and affordable food.

More buses would also be given to the people to address transport woes while assistance to small to medium enterprises would continue.

‘We are now working at ensuring that we deliver all the promises we made during our campaigns,’ he said.

President Mugabe also paid tribute to Zimbabweans for voting peacefully during the just ended run-off.

He said areas such as Harare had come back home after discovering that the MDC had nothing much to offer.

‘We also thank South Africa President Thabo Mbeki for the role he has played towards the development of Zimbabwe,’ Mugabe said.

He said Mbeki’s role had brought a number of positive developments to Zimbabwe such as the talks between Zanu-PF and MDC.

President Mugabe said those who were calling for Mbeki to be replaced as the negotiating leader in the country were misguided as the South Africa leader had done much for Zimbabwe.

President Mugabe also briefed supporters on what transpired at the AU Summit, saying the meeting was successfully held.

Senior government officials, the diplomatic community and services chiefs welcomed Mugabe on his arrival.

The first lady Grace Mugabe and Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa were among the delegates that accompanied the President to the Summit.

New Ziana/ZANIS/MK/ENDS

The Public Service Management Division (PSMD) has observed that most government ministries did not adhere to operation guidelines in their various strategic plan documents.

Public Service Management Division Director for Organisation Design and Systems, Japherson Phiri, said the division was entrusted to re-organise government ministries.

Mr. Phiri said the division was however finding it difficult to monitor the government activities because most of the ministries were not adhering to their strategic plans.

“As a division, we are entrusted with the responsibility of re-organising government ministries but this task has proved to be difficult because the ministries do not adhere to their strategic plans due to lack of funding and we also do not have a monitoring exercise in place,” he said.

He explained that most ministries attributed the failure to adhere to strategic plans to erratic funding from the Ministry of Finance and National Planning.

Mr. Phiri further said lack of a monitoring exercise by the Public Service Management Division has contributed to the lack of monitoring the ministries.

He however said the division had plans to engage consultancy services, adding that it has since started to put in place a permanent monitoring service.
ZANIS/PC/KSH/ENDS

President Mwanawasa is scheduled to under-go medical examinations at Percy Military hospital in Paris, France.

Chief Government Spokesperson, Mike Mulongoti said the team of medical experts will later inform the government of their findings.

Mr. Mulongoti who is also Information Minister urged persons wishing to visit the President in Paris not to so.

He said visiting President Mwanawasa is not necessary under the current circumstances.

Mr. Mulongoti also said the Military Hospital is a highly restricted place where such visitors would not be allowed passage.

And South African President THABO MBEKI has apologised for having erroneously called for a moment of silence in honour of President Mwanawasa who was falsely reported to have died.

Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Leslie Mbula said President Mbeki phoned him last night to express his remorse.

The President is being treated for hypertension following a stroke he suffered while in EGYPT.

[ZNBC]

Government says President Levy Mwanawasa’s condition remained stable in Percy Military Hospital in Paris, France where he is admitted.

Updating the Nation on the president’s condition on National television this evening, Chief Government’s spokesperson Mike Mulongoti said government was confident with the medical attention the president is receiving in France, all will be well.

Mr. Mulongoti has since urged Zambians to ignore earlier reports on BBC, and other international media organisations that President Mwanawasa had died.

Mr. Mulongoti who is also information and Broadcasting Services Minister, appealed to Zambians to regard as false any information outside what government is saying.

He urged the country to continue praying for the quick recovery of the president.

ZANIS/CM/MK/ENDS