Malone Zaza, a Zambian based in South Africa has apologized unreservedly to President Levy Mwanawasa for alarming the nation that Dr. Mwanawasa who is currently admitted in Percy Military Hospital in Paris France had died.

Zaza , a 26 year third years information system student at the University of South Africa (UNISA) has also apologized to the president’s family, relatives , to the Zambian people and the international community for the pain and anguish he caused them over his statement.

Foreign Affairs Minister Kabinga Pande told ZANIS in a press statement this evening that ZAZA has appealed to the president and all Zambians to forgive him, saying he did not mean to cause any harm.

“ I wish to apologise unreservedly to the President , his family , the people of Zambia and the international community at large for the pain and anguish caused to them by my irresponsible statement.

I have learnt a bitter lesson from this experience. Please forgive me. I am sorry,’ he added.

Zaza who admitted having told Radio 702 said he was a law abiding citizen who loved president Mwanawasa and has since wished him a quick recovery.

He blamed the radio station for spreading the news without first verifying it .

He stated that if the radio station has called the high commission to verify , it would have realised that the tip he had given them was just a rumour.

He said his information to the radio station was intended to be a tip which he expected the station to follow up and verify before putting the news on air.

ZAZA made the disclosure yesterday evening during an interview with the Zambian high commission held at the new Café in Randburg, Johannesburg.

Mr. Pande said ZAZA has denied having introduced himself to Talk Radio 702 as head of protocol at the Zambia High Commissioner in Pretoria.

“I couldn’t have done such a thing. I was merely giving them a tip as a Zambian citizen who had received information that our president is died,” he said.

He said because of the previous day’s rumors he has heard that President Mwanawasa had died , Zaza upon receiving an SMS from a Zambian decided to phone the radio station to inform them about the message.

“ I introduced myself as Malone ZAZA , a Zambian citizen. At no point did I introduce myself as head of protocol at the Zambia High Commission in Pretoria. I don’t know where they got that from, he added.

Having being in a meeting the whole day of Thursday, Zaza disclosed that he later on received a call from his parents in Zambia telling him that there was an item on the international news wire quoting him of having said President Mwasawasa had died.

He explained that it was after that call that he realized that SMS he had earlier received about the president’s death was not true.

Last week, the Zambian Student is reported to have told the radio station that President Mwanawasa had died, the news which was later broadcasted by the BBC, Sky news and other International Media organisations

ZANIS/MK/ENDS

Government has warned of withdrawing grants to local authorities in Luapula Province that are failing to submit their receipts and payments to the Ministry of Local Government and Housing.

Luapula Province Local Government Officer Alfred Nyambose said that some councils risked having their grants withdrawn for not submitting receipts and payments and minutes of their meetings.

Mr. Nyambose said that under section 34 of the Local Government Act it was a serious offence for councils to withhold minutes of council committee meetings and receipts and payments.

The province local government officer said this during the Luapula Province Development Coordinating Committee Meeting over the weekend.

He said that councils needed to submit the minutes of the meetings within one month because the Ministry of Local Government and Housing had a mandate to scruitinize the resolutions from the Finance and General purposes and other council meetings in line with the Local Government Act.

“I’m afraid some councils risk punishment for flouting the Local Government Act for not submitting their receipts and payments and non availability minutes of the councils needed to the ministry,” Mr. Nyambose said.

It is a legal requirement for Local Authorities to submit the minutes to the Ministry for review and timely advice.

He said that submission of receipts and payments on time was critical to the approval of the councils budgets by the minister of local government and housing.

The province Local Government Officer said his office had written several reminders to the councils on the need for them to submit the minutes but to no avail.

Meanwhile only 13 out of 39 chiefs in Luapula Province have received their vehicles.

Luapula Province Local Government Officer Alfred Nyambose said that some chiefs had turned down Luxury four-wheel drive vehicles in preference to high trucks.

Mr. Nyam bose said that some chiefs have requested to be given high trucks other than the executive vehicles they were recently bought for by government.

Recently government bought 150 vehicles for chiefs across the country to enable their mobility and easy monitoring of development in their chiefdoms.
ZANIS/DS/CK/MK/END

Some prominent members of the opposition United National Independence Party (UNIP) in Northern Province have welcomed the formation of a revive UNIP forum.

Former UNIP Mungwi District Chairperson Thomas Mwananshiku said in a walk in interview with ZANIS in Kasama today that the majority of UNIP members fully supports the formation of the revive UNIP forum as it will save the party from extinction.

Mr. Mwananshiku said the move by the Malimba Masheke group was long over due as the party under the Tilyenji Kaunda leadership was heading no where.

He also charged that UNIP members were in total agreement that the Tilyenji leadership was running the party unconstitutionally as their mandate ended in 2005 when their term of office expired.

Mr. Mwananshiku who is also a freedom fighter further said his party needed to put in office a new leadership as the current one has failed lamentably to manage the affairs of the party.

Recently, three former faction of UNIP merged to come up with the revive UNIP forum which is being headed by former Prime Minister in the Kaunda Government General Malimba Masheke.

The forum’s main objective is to hold the national congress within a shortest possible time at which it intend to oust the Tilyenji Kaunda leadership.

UNIP is the oldest party in Zambia .

ZANIS/HM/MK/ENDS.

Researchers have confirmed divorce has lasting damage
on children.

A recent study in Britain found that children whose parents
divorced are more likely to perform badly academically.

Th children, according to the study, are also more likely to
suffer from depression.

In short, divorce harms a child’s well being.

“Divorce has repercussions that reverberate through
childhood and into adulthood.

” Children from disrupted families tend to do less well in school
and subsequent careers than their peers,” researchers say.

They explained that children are also more likely to experience the
break-up of their own partnerships.

The researchers tracked around 17,000 people born in
Britain during one week in 1958 over the course of their lives
to arrive at this conclusion.

At their 50th birthday anniversaries, the researchers compared their
lives with other sample groups born in earlier and later years.

From the sanmples, the study has confirmed that children born in 1958 were much
less likely to experience parental divorce than children today.

Family break-up was subject greater social stigma, something that was sometimes
thought to contribute to the problems experienced by the children of
divorced parents.

ZANIS/PTI/ENDS/MM

Vice President Rupiah Banda says he is coping well with national duties despite the absence of President Mwanawasa who is currently hospitalized in a military hospital in France.

Mr. Banda told journalists in an interview in Lusaka today that cabinet ministers and other government officials have been very supportive adding work has been moving on smoothly.

He said Dr Mwanawasa is stable and has continued to respond positively to treatment adding that the nation will be kept informed on the President’s condition.

Mr. Banda has called on all Zambians to continue praying for the quick recovery of President Levy Mwanawasa.

President Mwanawasa was admitted to Sharm-el-sherik international hospital in the resort city of sharm-el-sheik in Egypt after he suffered a stroke on June, 29th, 2008, where he had gone to attend an African Union (AU) heads of state summit.

He was later evacuated to Percy military hospital on 1st July, 2008, where he is currently admitted.

Meanwhile, Vice President Rupiah Banda says Zambia has continued to benefit immensely from Saudi Arabia.

Mr. Banda said Saudi Arabia which is one of the leading oil producing nations (OPEC) has continued to use its oil wealth to the betterment of mankind to which Zambia draws finances to fund many projects.

The Vice President said this in Lusaka today when he received tents and assorted food staffs from the Saudi Arabian Royal Embassy and government at the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) offices.

The Royal Embassy Saudi Arabia donated 400 tones of assorted food stuffs that included rice, flour, macaroni salt and beans, among others, and 2,000 tents while the Saudi Arabia government donated 12,762 cartons of assorted foodstuffs and 2,000 tents.

Mr. Banda noted that the kingdom of Saudi Arabia has consistently assisted the underprivileged in Africa and Zambia is not an exception.

He observed that the donations represent the strong bondage of friendship that exists between Zambia and Saudi Arabia.

“Early this year, the royal kingdom of Saudi Arabia donated a large consignment of dates to the victims of floods that wrecked havoc in Zambia. Relations between the two countries have a long history and we recognize and respect Saudi Arabia as home of Islam, one of the world’s two largest religious,” Mr. Banda.

Speaking earlier, a representative of the ministry of finance of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Saad Abdulaziz Alsineadi said his government is a pioneer in extending relief assistance to all Arab, Islamic and other friendly countries like Zambia when faced with natural disasters and calamities.

Mr. Alsineadi was optimistic that the donation will mitigate and cushion the effects of the floods and the rising cost of food in the region.

And Charge’d’ Affaires at the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Naseh Al-Nefaie said the kingdom of Saudi Arabia appreciates the efforts being taken by DMMU in alleviating the sufferings of the flood victims.

Mr. Al-Nefaie said his government decided to make the donation after learning that thousands of Zambians were left homeless and infrastructure damaged.

ZANIS/YK/AM/ENDS.

President Levy Mwanawasa’s breathing has improved following a successful operation carried out on him yesterday afternoon.

Vice President, Rupiah Banda, said in a statement posted on the State House website today that Dr. Mwanawasa was now recovering satisfactorily.

“Following the minor operation yesterday afternoon, (Moday 7 July, 2008), His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Dr. Levy P. Mwanawasa, SC, is recovering satisfactorily,” he said.

Mr. Banda said doctors attending to Dr. Mwanawasa have since adjusted the treatment taking into account the minor operation on him at the Percy Military Hospital where he is admitted and being treated for hypertension.

“His breathing is much better and Dr. Mwanawasa had a restful night at the Percy Military Hospital, Paris, France,” he said.

Yesterday morning, Dr. Mwanawasa underwent a medical review from which it was discovered that he needed a minor operation to improve his breathing.

The operation was carried out on the President in the afternoon yesterday.

Mr. Banda said Dr. Mwanawasa’s condition has continued to be stable.

On June 29th this year, Dr. Mwanawasa suffered a stroke while in Egypt where he had gone to attend an 11th extra ordinary African Union (AU) heads of state and government summit.

He was admitted to Sharma El Sheikh Hospital in Egypt before being evacuated on July 1st, to France for specialist medical treatment at Percy Military Hospital.

Hundreds of Christians from various religious groups, political parties, civil society organisations, several non-governmental organisations, private and public companies have been wishing Dr. Mwanawasa a speedy recovery through prayers and oral and written messages.

ZANIS/ENDS/KSH

Defence Minister George Mpombo says cabinet is stable and united despite president Mwanwasa’s illness.

Mr. Mpombo said Cabinet has continued with its usual meetings under the chairmanship of Vice president, Rupiah Banda.

He assured the nation that Cabinet will not fail in its responsibilities.

Mr. Mpombo was speaking in Lusaka today, during a prayer held for president Mwanawasa by the Kanyama Union Babtist Congregation.

He commended the Union Babtist and other churches that have held prayers for the president.

Meanwhile, Mpombo said government is overwelmed by the extraodinary Love and Care Zambians have shown to president Mwanawasa during his time of sickness.

He said government does not know how to express gratitude for such a gesture.

The Defence Minister said Zambia needs Dr. Mwanawasa for him to continue with his good economic policies.

At the same function Information Minister, Mike Mulongoti urged zambians to continue to pray for President MWANAWASA .

He also described president Mwanawasa’s reconciliation with Patriotic Front (PF) leader, Michael Sata as a miracle .

Kanyama Union Baptist Church Chairman, Ryan Chitoba said his church received the sickness of Dr. Mwanawasa with sadness.

And veteran politician Mama Kankassa has urged Zambians to continue uupholding unity in the nation.

Mama Kakasa said unity is key to social political and economic development.

She was speaking in an interview with ZNBC news in Lusaka.

The Veteran als said as the country celebrates the Heroes and Unity day, politicians should remember to work together to forster national development.

And Petauke United Church of Zambia Minister in charge, Rev. Felix Mulenga called for reconciliation among Zambians that may have differed, as the country celebrates the Heroes and Unity day

He hailed the reconciliation between president Mwanwasa and Patriotic Front Leader, Michael Sata.
[ZNBC]