Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, Mike Mulongoti, has advised media practitioners not to abuse the Freedom of Information Bill, once it becomes law.

Mr. Mulongoti urged journalists to responsibly apply the law and avoid using the legislation to frustrate people.

Mr. Mulongoti, who is also Chief Government spokesperson, was speaking on the occasion to mark World Press Freedom Day which fell today.

He said government cherishes freedom of the press and hence called for unity of purpose and enhanced consultation between the media and government on contentious issues of national development.

This year’s Press Freedom Day was commemorated under the them “Freedom of Information and Empowerment of the people.”

And Press Association of Zambia, PAZA, President Amos Chanda urged journalist to continue fighting for the timely enactment of the freedom of information bill.

Mr. Chanda said the bill should be enacted into law during the forthcoming legislative window of Parliament.

He, however, said PAZA is encouraged that government is moving in the direction of taking the bill to Parliament.

Journalists in Zambia today joined counterparts in other parts of the world to commemorate the Press Freedom Day.

In Lusaka the media practitioners gathered at the main Post Office and matched to the Freedom Statue where they were addressed by Mr. Mulongoti.

Zambezi East Member of Parliament, Sarah Sayifwanda, has urged the Zambezi District Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit, DMMU, officials in the district not to politicize the relief food distribution exercise.

Mrs. Sayifwanda says relief food should not be used for gaining political mileage because the aid is a government policy implemented for vulnerable communities across the nation.

She said District DMMU officials in Zambezi district are allegedly not fairly distributing the maize meant for flood victims and accused some of the officials of de-campaigning her.

Mrs. Sayifwanda was speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today.

She warned that she will not hesitate to expose ‘defiant’ DMMU officials accusing government of not paying necessary attention to flood victims in Zambezi East Constituency.

The MP said Mpidi, Lupwempu, Lukung’i, Nyakuleng’a, Chitokoloki in the East Bank were also hit by floods therefore the villagers are in dire need of relief food.

The visibly annoyed Mrs Sayifwanda said the DMMU officials in the district should involve the Office of the District Commissioner and all Appointed Food Distribution Agents to follow established distribution channel of relief food.

Mrs. Sayifwanda, who is also Agriculture and Cooperatives co-minister, bemoaned that government efforts were being frustrated by a few individuals who are bent on de-registering scored development success.

Meanwhile, DMMU National Co-ordinator, Dominiciano Mulenga, said in a separate interview in Lusaka today that stakeholders who are willing to donate to flood victims should do so through their respective area district commissioners.

He told ZANIS that people are free to support affected communities to help reduce government burden of addressing the effects of floods and other natural disasters.

The ruling Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) in Lusaka says it has embarked on a new strategy that would increase focus on improved performance ahead of the 2011 presidential polls.

MMD Lusaka District Chairman, Paul Chihande, said the ruling party is determined to become more organised to secure victory in the next general elections.

Mr Chihande declared that the party has become a ‘hot iron and a force to reckon with’ after the 2006 tripartite polls because the outcome of the elections enabled it to identify weaknesses and strengths.

Mr Chihande was speaking in Lusaka today in Chawama Compound when he introduced the MMD Acting Chawama Constituency Chairman Trymore Mwenda.

Mr Mwenda takes over from Kellys Siame, who is now serving a suspension from the MMD party for alleged gross indiscipline and insubordination contrary to party regulations.

MMD Lusaka District chairman disclosed that the ruling party is also reorganising all the party structures at ward, branch and constituency levels.

He said from Chawama, the party would go to Kanyama, Matero, Mandevu, Munali, Kabwata and Lusaka Central.

And Acting Chairman, Mr Mwenda, appealed to the opposition to work hand in hand with the MMD in an effort to improving the lives of the ordinary citizens.

Mr. Mwenda noted that development goes beyond partisan politics hence the need for the opposition and the ruling party to work together in the implementation of economic policies.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) on Friday released results of the presidential election held on March 29 which show that there was no outright winner.

Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) faction leader Morgan Tsvangirai garnered 47, 9 percent of total votes cast (1 195 562 votes), followed by the incumbent President Robert Mugabe of Zanu PF with 43, 2 percent or 1 079 730 votes.

Independent candidates Simba Makoni and Langton Towungana garnered 8, 3 percent or 207 470 votes and 0, 6 percent or 14 503 votes respectively.

There were 39 975 spoilt papers with the percentage poll standing at 42, 7 percent.

ZEC chief elections officer, Lovemore Sekeramayi told journalists at a press briefing that a presidential run off would be held since no candidate got an outright majority of 51 percent or more.

“Since no candidate has received a majority of the total number of valid votes cast, the provisions of Section 110 (3) of the Electoral Act do apply and a second election shall be held at a date to be advised by the Commission,” he said.

He said President Mugabe and Tsvangirai, being the top two candidates, were eligible to participate in the second election.

ZEC had on Thursday called the candidates or their chief election agents for verification and collation of figures.

President Mugabe, through his agent, Emmerson Mnangagwa and Makoni compared their figures with the Commission while the MDC T indicated that their figures did not tally with those of ZEC.

But on Friday, the MDC Tsvangirai representative Chris Mbanga said he had not been given a chance to verify the figures.

“We are not happy. I was denied an opportunity to verify the figures,” he said.

“They (ZEC) wanted to place the burden of proof on us but then it not for us, it’s for them to prove to us how they arrived at the figures,” he said, adding he would report the matter to his superiors.

The Lusaka High Court has subpoenad, Justice Minister George Kunda to appear before it.

This is in relation to a case where Second Republican President Frederick Chiluba and others are challenging the My 4, London High Court Judgement.

Mr Kunda is to appear before High Court Judge, Japhet Banda.

The writ of subpoena was filed in the Lusaka High Court on April 30, by Dr. Chiluba’s defence lawyers, Robert Simeza and John Sangwa.

The subpoenas follow President Mwanawasa’s refusal to allow Zambia Security Intelligence Services Director General, Regis Phiri to produce the financial charter of 1970 before the court.

On January 22, Dr. Chiluba and his co-accused had subpoenaed Mr. Phiri to produce the financial charter, but he declined on grounds that he could only do so with the permission of the president.

This prompted Mr. Simeza and Sangwa to write to President Mwanawasa requesting for permission for Mr. Phiri to produce the Financial Charter.

President Mwanawasa refused to allow Mr. Phiri to do so grounds that the document had been produced in the London case against Dr. Chiluba and others.

According to Dr. Mwanawasa’s letter filed in the Lusaka High Court, the President argued that Dr. Chiluba and others had an opportunity to cross examine Mr. Phiri on the document during the London court trial.

Dr. Mwanawasa further said the application to set aside the London judgment is irregular because a Zambian High Court can not set aside a foreign judgment which has not yet been registered.

The President said the application by the respondents was an abuse of the court process and an attempt at introducing a re-trial.

He further wrote that there were security considerations in the financial Charter and that the document can not be peddled anyhow.

President Levy Mwanawasa says government will not withdraw the Labour law and the industrial bill because adequate consultations were made before the bill was taken to parliament.

He said social partners have concluded consultations on the proposed labour law reforms and the industrial and labour relations amendments bill which has since been tabled in parliament.

Dr. Mwanawasa said the development is a great development towards ensuring that there is social justice in the manner employers interact with employers at places of work.

Dr. Mwanawasa stated that it was only the Labour movement mother body who was agitated by the by the bill stating that other region in the movement were happy.

The President advised people agitated to make submission to the parliamentary committee that will be assignment to look at the bill.

He said if the committee agrees with the submissions, that it will make appropriate recommendation but that if it does not agree, that the bill would be taken back to parliament for enactment.

The President said very soon the labour commission office would be checking on the accounts book of labour movement to see how the money’s are being utilised.

Dr. Mwanawasa said government has received reports of money being used to pay legal fees, build houses at the expense of poor workers.

The President made the remarks in response to Zambia Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) President Leonard Hikaumba who urged government to withdraw the bill so as to allow for further consultations.

He said some of the clauses included in the bill were not agreed on during the tripartite consultative meeting.

On demands for increased salaries, the president urged the union to make demands that are reasonable as they are able to obtain information which relates to government’s financial performance.

He said the labour movement should be mindful of where the money would come from as they make their demands.

The President however stated that he was happy with the economy achievement that the country has attained.

“We know our country was down on its knees, but its important that we work together so that the country fully develop,’ he said.

And President has warned mining companies that they will fail to acquire the needed profits if they deny the workers better working conditions.

He said even after the newly introduced mineral taxes that mining companies would still a lot from their investment.

He reiterated that Zambians taxes in the mining sectors were not high on average as compared to other mining countries.

Government this year introduced new taxes in the mining sector that include increase corporate tax, windfall taxes and the mineral royalty .

And Labour and social security minister Ronald Mukuma said government is working with other social partners to strengthen dialogue.

He said due to the harmony in the labour market, that all the wheels of productions are in motion.