Parliament has rejected the motion by Opposition Patriotic Front-PF Roan Member of Parliament Chishimba Kambwili to amend the Local government Act so as to increase the tenure of office of mayors and council chairpersons.

Mr Kambwili in his motion urged government to increase the tenure of office for the said officers from one year to two years and half saying this would enable them see the take off of projects.

He observed that this would also enhance their capacities saying one year is not enough for them to get orientation at the same time embark on economic development projects.

He pointed out that government spends a lot of money orienting Mayors and Council Chairperson but that before they could do any tangible work, their tenure comes to an end.

However, Local Government and Housing Deputy Minister Tetamashimba rejected the motion saying it was malicious because it is coming when government is reviewing the Local Government Commission in which such an issue will be addressed.

Mr. Tetamashimba further explained that the motion is ill intended as it is coming from the National Constitution Commission-NCC.

He pointed out that it was important for MPs to be in the NCC so that they understand what issues are being discussed saying bringing a motion such as this one was just a duplication of efforts of the NCC members.

Mr. Tetamashimba called upon all well meaning MPs in the house to reject the motion.

And both MMD Chadiza MP Allan Mbewe and Opposition PF Kabushi MP Lombani Msichili rejected the motion pointing out that it was coming from the back door and that extending the tenure of the said officers would be extending their inefficiencies.

ENDS/CBM/ZANIS

Government today told Parliament that over One billion kwacha was spent on the election campaign for Ambassador Inonge Mbikusita-Lewanika’s contest for the position of African Union Commission, Chairperson.

Deputy Minister in the Office of the Vice President, Friday Malwa, told parliament that the Campaign team comprised of Vice President Rupiah Banda who was the Chairperson Former Foreign Affairs Minister Mundia Sikatana, Information and Broadcasting Minister Mike Mulongoti, some permanent Secretaries and Directors.

Mr Malwa was responding to a question from opposition Patriotic Front Kantanshi Member of Parliament Yamfwa Mukanga who wanted to know how much money was spent on the said campaign and who were in the campaign team.

And responding to Mr Mukanga on what reasons were advanced by the campaign team for failure to win the election for the said position, Mr Malwa said the campaign team did not give any reasons.

He said it was unfortunate that Zambia lost this position to Jean Ping of Gabon but noted that in future the country will prepare adequately for such campaigns.

However, Acting Leader of government business in the house, George Mpombo alleged that some countries in the Southern African Development Community-SADC betrayed Zambia.

Mr Mpombo who is also Defence Minister said some countries in the SADC region who indicated that they would support the Zambian candidate were not sincere as they voted otherwise.

He, further, said there is a tendency for West African countries to join hands in support of each other which was not the case for the SADC countries.

Meanwhile, government today maintained that it will not give free fertilizer and seed to small scale farmers who were affected by the 2007/8 floods.

Agriculture Minister Sarah Saifwanda pointed out that her Ministry will next week give a Ministerial statement on the many demands and concerns over the high fertilizer price and the need to increase the number of farmers under the fertilizer Support Porgramme.

Respond to concerns from a number of Members of Parliament among them, Namwala United Party for National Development-UPND MP Robbie Chizhyuka, Pemba UPND MP David Matonga and MMD Lumezi MP Isaac Banda who wanted to know what measures government is putting to help small scale farmers produce food this season as opposed to receiving relief food, Ms. Saifwanda pointed out that though government is aware of the need to have enough food, it will not give free fertilizer to those affected by floods or any one unless those under the cooperative society who will receive inputs under the Fertilizer Support Programme.

ENDS/CBM/ZANIS/SJK

The Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) registered a surplus of K248.8 billion during the second quarter of this year representing a 11.6 percent rise against a target of K2, 153.1 billion.

ZRA Commissioner-General Chriticles Mwansa announced in Lusaka today at a press briefing that the Authority collected a total of K3, 179.9 billion in the same period representing a 24.5 percent of taxes.

Mr. Mwansa attributed the surplus recorded largely due to company taxes, pay as you earn, mineral royalties, excise duty, windfall tax and trade taxes.

He said ZRA is on course to register the targeted revenue as requested by government.

Meanwhile, the ZRA says it is concerned about the rampant smuggling of unfortified sugar in Eastern Province.

Mr. Mwansa said the Authority has since embarked on an anti-smuggling drive in the province.

He said the Authority has also installed a mobile radio communication network to enable staff communicate and operate effective.

Dear Friends,

My sister recently divorced her husband because he was HIV positive and she is HIV negative. Do you think this is a right move/decision to make? She has strong points though, she said she knows the wedding vows say “in sickness and in health”, but she strongly believes some sicknesses that are carelessly contracted should be paid for by the causer and not an innocent victim.
Sorry if my sister sounds so cruel, but she has so many children to look after on her own now.
Actually my brother in-law was very promiscuous. He never listened to my sister and all her married life was a misery.She never really enjoyed her married life to him. Even nannies to help with raising up kids were turned into wives in my sisters own house.
Biblically divorce is unacceptable , but did my sister do the right thing? By the way
my sister is a Christian.

Love Muzo (not real name)

United National Independence Party, UNIP, supporters in Northern Province have maintained that the entire UNIP executive led by party president, Tilyenji Kaunda, should resign and pave way for fresh elections in the party.

Speaking on behalf of UNIP members opposed to Mr. Kaunda’s leadership, veteran politician, Daniel Chanda, accused
the current UNIP leadership of illegally holding office following the alleged expiry of mandate in 2005.

Mr Chanda said UNIP followers in Northern province passed a vote of no-confidence in the Kaunda led executive hence the decision to challenge leadership’s continued stay in office.

He urged UNIP members countrywide to support General Malimba Masheke led faction calling itself the UNIP National Revival Forum because it seeks to protect the integrity of the former ruling party.

Mr Chanda, who is former UNIP Mungwi District Chairman, said it was wrong for the current UNIP executive to label the Revival Forum as illegal when in fact it is the one illegally holding on to party leadership.

He warned that UNIP in its current form has lost direction and was headed for doom if genuine members do not rise to the occasion and preserve the interests of the party from detractors.

Mr Chanda also wondered why the Kaunda led executive was opposing calls for fresh elections in order for the party to usher in new office bearers with the vision of taking UNIP forward.

Efforts to get a comment from UNIP acting secretary general Reverend Alfred Banda proved futile.

Currently, UNIP is embroiled in a leadership struggle involving the Tilyenji Kaunda led executive and the Gen. Malimba
Masheke faction, with supporters of each camp now resorting to violent acts to justify their agenda.

Ends/WS/ZANIS/SJK

Political parties and some non-govenmental organisations intending to strike over a move to increase ministers’ salaries must ensure the protests are peaceful.

Information Minister, Mike Mulongoti, said although members of the public have a right to demonstrate, they should ensure their action is peaceful.

He said Zambians should also question organisers, what the motive for the protests is for.

Mr. Mulongoti said the civil society and political parties should use the right channels to air their grievances against government.

He said in an interview with ZNBC news that use of dialogue and the courts, to resolve problems is a better option.

The Chief Government Spokesperson was reacting to calls by civil society to start countrywide demonstrations over the planned salary increments for ministers and other constitutional office holders.
[ZNBC]

The Supreme court has nullified the election of Samuel Chitonge as Patriotic Front Member of parliament for Mwansabombwe in Luapula Province, on the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The court said this is because the poll was not free and fair.

The supreme court judgement set aside a High court ruling in favour Mr. Chitonge.

Chief Justice Ernest Sakala sitting with supreme court justice, Denis Chirwa,Peter Chitengi and Christopher Mushabati said the trial judge had erred in law and fact when it ruled in favour of Chitonge.

The court observed that there were a lot of anomalies that characterised the poll in Mwansabombwe.

This was an appeal against the high court judgement of July 17 this year in an election petition in which Chitonge was declared duly elected.

In the apeeal the losing candidate, Maybin Mubanga said there were a number of malpractices during the election campaign.

Chief government spokesperson, Mike Mulongoti says there is no one acting as vice President in Zambia.

Mr. Mulongoti said the Vice President, Rupiah Banda carries his position and continues acting as head of state.

He said this is because President Levy Mwanawasa did not appoint anyone to act in the position.

Mr. Mulongoti said Mr. Banda was appointed by President Mwanawasa to act as head of state.

The chief government spokesperson told ZNBC news that minister of defence, George Mpombo is acting leader of government business in Parliament.

INDENI Petroleum Refinery has offloaded six million litres of diesel onto the market to lessen shortages in different parts of the country.

Indeni director-general, Michael Faulkner, said in Ndola yesterday that the company had since Saturday introduced measures to ensure Zambia had sufficient supplies of diesel.

“We have already offloaded two million litres out of which 1.5 million litres are being distributed to different parts of the country by oil marketing companies (OMCs) and have 500,000 litres. An additional four million litres will be released to the OMCs today,” he said.

In an interview shortly after Copperbelt Minister, Mwansa Mbulakulima called on him at the refinery plant, Mr Faulkner said the diesel shortages would no longer be justified.

Mr Mbulakulima said following the action taken by Indeni, he was hopeful that the shortages would be addressed.

The minister said there was no justification for some OMCs to continue hoarding the commodity for speculative reasons.

Meanwhile, the flow of diesel in Lusaka yesterday improved although some filling stations ran out of the commodity within hours of being supplied.

Meanwhile, the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) has appealed to the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) and Government to clearly state the fuel supply situation in Zambia and the expected future trends.

Executive director, Songowayo Zyambo said in a statement yesterday that the ZNFU desired a clear statement from the ERB and the Government on the status of fuel supply in the country.

Mr Zyambo said such information would help ZNFU members plan their activities meaningfully.

“The picture portrayed so far is that oil marketing companies are the ones responsible for the erratic supply of diesel.

“We want to know why the OMCs are behaving in this way and whether the ERB and Government are putting in measures to compel OMCs to supply fuel,” the statement reads in part.

Mr Zyambo said ZNFU was concerned about the fuel price increases and the current erratic supply because agricultural activities need a lot of fuel for ploughing, harvesting, spraying and other operations.

He said the wavering supply of fuel was creating much anxiety to the farmers.

However, the ERB explained that the current consignment of fuel that was bought at a higher price necessitated the hike.

ERB board chairperson, Sikota Wina said in a statement yesterday that the other factor that had contributed to the price increase was the exchange rate which represented a depreciation of 4.3 per cent.

Mr Wina said had the Government not reduced tax on fuel in June, the price upward adjustment could have been more severe, at 25 per cent than the current 13.

“Additionally, there was no price increase from October 2007 to March 2008 and a small increment in April 2008 due to the Government subsidy which amounted to K96 billion,” he said.

Dear sissy,

How are you and the family? I am well and love being here at Havard university. Who would have thought a boy from Kalingalinga would land at Havard! I miss my wife and kids though. As you you know I left Mary 7 months pregnant. Please check on her once in a while for me. She isn’t so impressed that I won’t be there when the baby is born and will only get to see the baby when he/she is 3 years old. Its a tough choice I had to make but I think my getting a pHD will eventually pay off.

Okey my little sissy take care and greeting to my brother-in -law and the kids.

Yours Max

Dear Max,

It was nice hearing from you and that you are fine. Indeed,we as a family are proud of your academic achievements. However, you should know that your in laws are very upset that you left Mary heavily pregnant with two other kids to look after. I did go to see her. I think you can tell she is depressed. She feels you value your education more than your family.

Max, I sometimes tend to side with her too. You have hardly spent time with your wife and kids the last 2 years. You just came back from the U.K where you were doing your masters. Your family still stay in a small, dilapidated rented flat in Rhodes Park. Max junior calls you uncle Max instead of Daddy because he’s only spent 1 full year with you, out of his 3 years of existence. Now you are talking of coming back to Zambia after 3 years! Your children will not know you. I hope you will at least be coming for holidays.

Anyway. I hope your pHD brings you much happiness. Sorry for being harsh.You know I love you but sometimes your little sissy has to tell it as it is.Your kids are paying a huge price for your pursuit of a better life. Take care.

love Beauty

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