Southern Province Minister Daniel Munkombwe has said government was worried about some churches that were vindictive in pursuing certain individuals instead of promoting unity and forgiveness.

Speaking when a delegation of Livingstone based clergymen called on him at his office to welcome him in the province, Mr. Munkombwe said it was important for the church and government to work together towards national development.

He said the church played an important role in advocating for the establishment of the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) but wondered why it has been reluctant to sit on the NCC.

Mr. Munkombwe said the Church should always wish government success in its activities and programmes.

”We want this peace which has prevailed to continue. Therefore as a church, you should never harbour vindictiveness or hatred,” he said.

And Mr. Munkombwe said he would ensure that he worked to the satisfaction of the people of southern province without any political inclination.

And speaking earlier, Sworn of the Spirit Ministries Reverend, Carlos Siansima said the Church in Livingstone would support Mr. Munkombwe’s leadership.

Father Katete of the Anglican Church said the church criticise government when it deserved to be criticised.

Father Katete said the church should also pray for government, noting that Mr. Munkombwe was not only a minister for the MMD but for everyone.

Former president Frederick Chiluba has has been ordered to appear before the Task Force Investigations officers at 10:00 hours on Thursday, his aide said.

Chiluba received the summons at his residence in Lusaka today, a day after he returned from South Africa where he underwent treatment for a cardiac complication, Emmanuel Mwamba said.

“The call-out (summons) did not disclose the reasons. He is wanted on Thursday,” Mwamba said.

Chiluba, who is already facing several graft charges before a magistrate court, is accused of having stolen huge sums of public funds together with his close aides and officials during his 10-year rule.

The ex-leader has denied the charges, saying his arrest was politically motivated by President Levy Mwanawasa.

A Zambian magistrate court ruled last month that Chiluba, 65, should face a corruption trial in May.

Chiluba and two businessmen co-defendants are facing charges of theft of about 500,000 US dollars in state funds.

PF spokesperson, Given Lubinda, has urged the electorate to weigh the cost of holding by-elections against the propensity by some MPs to strangle democracy.

Mr Lubinda said in an interview yesterday that the electorate complaining about the cost of by-elections should ask themselves as to whether it was right for the MPs to go against intra-party democracy which ultimately resulted into strangling democracy at national level.

“These MP’s are stabbing, strangling democracy and people must start asking themselves what is the cost of by-election compared to democracy.

“Let the people do the equating. What is the opportunity cost of having politicians that you cannot shepherd,” Mr Lubinda said.

On the constant attacks between the MPs taking part in the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) and those against, he said after wide consultations, the PF had resolved that it would no longer reiterate.

He said this was resolved after realising that most of the issues brought out were in the affidavits filed in the courts of law.

“For now we shall reserve our comments until the courts have tried the matter,” Mr Lubinda said.

And PF on the Copperbelt has advised party members not to be shaken by the expulsions taking place in the party because it was a self-cleansing process.

Provincial treasurer, Mwenya Musenge, said party members should not worry about the expulsions because the self-cleansing process had just started in the party.

Mr Musenge, who is Nkana member of Parliament (MP), said the party would continue to uphold discipline in the party and ensure that members were obedient.

Meanwhile the Southern African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) has advised the Patriotic Front (PF) to work towards reducing internal wrangles.

SACCORD, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) involved in amicable resolution of disputes, said it was a concern for the public once parties were engaged in wrangles instead of providing checks and balances.

SACCORD executive director, Lee Habasonda, said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that it was sad that internal political party politics had failed to mature, and the wrangles were a manifestation of failure to manage internal democratic processes.

“It is disheartening that even frivolous differences within political parties result in expulsions, suspensions and rumour-mongering in the media when they can be resolved administratively,” he said.

Mr Habasonda said that this kind of public perception of political parties was seriously undermining their value to the consolidation and progression of democracy in the country.

He advised the PF to sit with its MPs and decide whether the action to expel or suspend MPs was in the interest of the party.

Government has commenced the revision of labour laws in the country.

Ministry of Labour and Social Security Permanent Secretary Ngosa Chisupa told ZANIS in an interview today that the ministry has already tabled the Industrial and labour relations amendment bill before parliament to pave way for its amendment.

He said the revision of labour laws is on course and the tabling of the Industrial and Labour relations amendment bill in parliament on 20th March is only the starting point in the process of revising all labour laws in the country.

Mr. Chisupa said the bill was revised in consultation with all stakeholders and expressed hope that it will address contentious industrial and labour matters once amended.

Mr. Chisupa added that his ministry is happy that most of the companies in the country are complying with the revised minimum wage for employees.

He said the current K490, 000 wage for the lowest paid and K1.1 million for the highest paid has been complied with as indicated by inspections by the ministry’s inspectors.

Mr. Chisupa was reacting to calls from the International Labour Organisation that government should revise and modernise the country’s labour laws.

The Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) has disclosed that the Zambia Air Force (ZAF) is next week expected to commence airlifting relief food to affected Zambezi and Chavuma districts once logistics are completed.

DMMU National Coordinator Dominiciano Mulenga, and Zambezi and Chavuma District Commissioners Mr. Absolom Luwaile and Mr. Frobisher Fulayi respectively have confirmed the development to ZANIS in Lusaka today.

Mr. Mulenga said the airlifting of food was supposed to have been conducted over the long weekend but that the process has to be subjected to a tender committee for approval.

He said the amount involved in the exercise was huge and beyond the Permanent Secretary’s powers to authorize the issuance of the money.

The DMMU National Coordinator said the Unit has already obtained a quotation from the ZAF whose amount needed to be approved by the tender committee.

He disclosed that the unit is hopeful of commencing the exercise this week once the amount has been approved.

He said at the moment the unit has about 200 metric tonnes of relief food in stock at Zambezi District Boma which was preposition last year for distribution as need arose in district .

About 3500 X 50 kg bags of maize are to be airlifted to affected areas in both Zambezi and Chavuma districts.

Yesterday, Zambezi West Mp Charles Kakoma implored government to airlift relief food which he said has been marooned at Zambezi boma.

The Mp said a lot of people in his constituency would need immediate relief food as they have lost most of their produce to floods.

And Zambezi District Commissioner Absalom Luwaile said about 1140 X 50 kg would be airlifted to about seven areas that have been identified in Zambezi West .

The affected areas are Kayenge , Nyatikai, Matongo, Milamboi , Chakuvu Mwange and Nyawanda.

Mr. Luwaile said the district, in collaboration with the DMMU, would however take relief food by road to other places and other consignment of relief food by water to Zambezi East constituency.

He explained that the areas to receive relief food in the exercise are those that did not benefit under the World Food Programme (WFP) exercise.

Mr. Luwaile, who did not give the figures of people affected by the floods, stated that Zambezi West constituency was the most effected in the district.

He disclosed that the water levels in both Zambezi and Chavuma rivers have continued to raise, adding that the plains of both rivers have been covered up.

He has since appealed for more medical kits to be supplied in health centres so as to prevent the possible out breaks of water borne diseases.

And Chavuma DC Frobisher Fulayi, said about 2500 x 50kg of maize would be airlifted to the west bank that has since been cut off.

Mr Fulayi said the district has established four centres that will feed surrounding areas that need assistance.

He however stated that the district has about eleven metric tonnes ready for distribution which was left behind by the Wood Food Programme (WFP).