Vice President, Rupiah Banda, is sure of the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy, MMD, victory in the forthcoming Milanzi by-election set for June 26.

The vice president told ZANIS in Chipata today that the party is ready for the by-election adding that it is so far the strongest party in the eastern province.

Mr Banda observed that the MMD has a strong foundation for its campaign, based on it having managed to secure the highest number of parliamentary seats in the 2006 tripartite elections.

“Im optimistic that we shall scoop the seat and I would ask the people here to do all they can so that we increase the number of seats in parliamentary seats from 16 to 17,” he said.

Mr. Banda has since advised the party leadership in the province to adequate prepare for the campaign and ensure that the MMD scoops the seat.

The Milanzi seat fell vacant after the death of UNIP MP, Chosani Njovu recently.

Meanwhile, Mr Banda has advised farmers in the province against selling their maize until government announces the floor price for the commodity, if they are to realize profits.

He advised them not to rush to selling the grain to briefcase buyers, who offer low prices but later resell the product at recommended price to government.

In another development, the vice president said people should not criticize newly appointed Zambia national team coach, Herve Leonard, but allow him to perform his duties.

Mr Banda said people should not complain about his wages because coaches all over the world are very expensive.

He stated that Zambians should not compare their wages to those of a coach because coaches are highly paid.

“We should not complain about him but welcome him with open arms, he might just be the team’s savior,” he said.

Two Zambian families have been caught up in the xenophobia of violence that has gripped South Africa and left 23 foreigners dead.

Chief government spokesperson Mike Mulongoti who is also information minister said one family had its home windows smashed and is now living in fear.

The minister said the other Zambian family is locked up in a flat too scared to come out.

The Minister told ZNBC news that Zambians living in South Africa who feel insecure should come back home.

He said there is economic and political security back home.

Mr. Mulongoti appealed to the South Africans to allow foreigners living in their country to wind up their business before they return home.

He said it is not necessary for Zambians to continue living in fear and should get in touch with the Zambian High Commissioner in South Africa to facilitate their return home.

Mr. Mulongoti was sad that while many African countries had assisted South Africa during the apartheid era, its citizens have became violent towards African foreigners living there.

The Minister explained that if the violence in that country is not checked it might impact negatively on that country’s economy.

Meanwhile, Southern Africa Development Community, SADC, Heads of Mission accredited to South Africa are concerned at the escalating xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals in that country.

The ambassadors and high commissioners told held a meeting to discuss the problem and resolved to ask the South African government to find a permanent solution to the crisis.

Zambia’s High Commiossionmer to South Africa, Leslie Mbula, who chaired the meeting, expressed solidarity with the victims and challenged the South African people to accommodate people from other countries in the region because of a common shared history, culture and destiny.

Mr Mbula has, however, thanked the South African government for the tireless efforts being made in assisting the victims of the violence.

This is according a press statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka and signed by Second Secretary for Press at the Zambian Embassy in South Africa, Philip Chirwa today.

Eleven Ambassadors and High Commissioners attended the meeting which took over three hours.

Present at the meeting were heads of mission from Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar, Malawi and Mozambique.

Others included ambassadors and high commissioners from Swaziland, Tanzania,Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Recently, foreign nationals visiting South Africa have been attacked by South African robbers.

“I would like to challenge the South African community to be accommodating towards their brothers and sisters in the SADC region with whom they share a common history, culture and destiny. I also would like to urge the government to find a permanent lasting solution to the crisis more so that it affected African brothers and sisters,” Mr. Mbula said.

The Zambia Revenue Authority has recorded a surplus of K423.0 billion in the collection of tax revenue for the period January to April 2008.ZRA Commissioner General Chriticles Mwansa says government expected ZRA to collect tax revenue amounting to K2, 842.7 billion representing 5.5 percent of Gross Domestic Product but ZRA collected K3, 265.7 billion representing 6.3 percent in tax collections.

Mr. Mwansa announced this at a ZRA first quarter press briefing in Lusaka today. Mr. Mwansa, who described the performance of ZRA in the first four months of the year as successful, attributed the huge surplus recorded to higher than programmed tax revenue collection under company tax, Pay As You Earn, withholding tax, excise duty and trade taxes.

He added that the success is also attributed to a conducive macroeconomic environment obtaining in the economy and the steps that ZRA has undertaken to re-engineer the way of doing business.

Mr. Mwansa also announced that ZRA has collected K29.7 billion as returns and payments for mineral royalties which were due on 14th May, 2008.

He said all major players in the mining sector complied with the legal provisions and paid mineral royalty at 3.0 percent.

He added that the bulk of revenues from the mining sector are expected to be paid in June 2008 when the first returns and payments for company income tax and other taxes are due.

Mr. Mwansa expressed hope that governments target of collecting $415 million from mineral royalties will be met by the end of this year.

He pointed out that following the launch of the taxpayer charter in February this year, ZRA has started to monitor and report the performance of the institution against set service standards.

He said in the first quarter of this year ZRA has attained an overall success score of over 60 percent in reduced tax registration periods, quicker issuance of tax clearance certificates and quicker refund processing of some taxes.

Mr. Mwansa also said following the restructuring of the Flexible Anti Smuggling Team and the creation of the Mobile Compliance Unit, ZRA in the review period successfully conducted risk based enforcement interventions to detect and curtail smuggling activities at borders and outside for the transactions that eluded control officers at borders.

He said the move resulted in 1, 120 seizures that yielded K12.2 billion in revenue.

Mr. Mwansa thanked all citizens who have provided information about illegal operations by some organisations and individuals saying all the information is investigated and further action is taken to prosecute accordingly when need arises.