Government has warned the clergy against using the church to gain entry into politics.

Community Development and Social Services Deputy Minister Elijah Muchima says the church should provide direction to the nation and not to oppose it.

Commenting on the composition of the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) delegates, Mr. Muchima noted that those who have refused to participate in the constitution making process are disobedient and should blame themselves.

Mr. Muchima said this in Rufunsa in Chongwe when he officiated at the 10th anniversary of Nyampande Orphanage and Community School that concided with the launch of Chikondi Foundation.

The Deputy Minister maintained that government will go ahead with the NCC but that it is rather dismayed that the church is not doing enough to help government in the constitutional making process.

Mr. Muchima advised the church to rally behind President Levy Mwanawasa as he continues to govern the nation with his good leadership, which has started bearing fruit economically.

Over 500 members NCC registered as participants while some quarters of society among them the Oasis Forum have vowed not to participate in the NCC.

The Patriotic Front has challenged Former President Frederick Chiluba to carefully read its statement about his connection to the Reformist group and respond accurately.

PF Spokesperson Given Lubinda told ZANIS in an interview today that Dr. Chiluba’s reaction to the PF’s statement at a PF press briefing in Lusaka on Wednesday was misplaced and holds no water.

Mr. Lubinda was reacting to Dr. Chiluba who through his spokesperson Anthony Mwamba warned the PF not to embark on a political war that might destroy the country’s largest opposition party.

Mr. Lubinda said the PF only wanted Dr. Chiluba to disassociate or associate himself with the group of PF MPs calling themselves the Reformist group that is alleged to be planning to replace Micheal Sata with Dr. Chiluba as PF President.

He added that members of the group have informed the PF that Dr. Chiluba has some links with them saying he should confirm or deny honestly.

On Wednesday, the PF held a Press Briefing and said it had received information that the Reformist Group was planning to oust party president Micheal Sata and replace him with Dr. Chiluba.

In his reaction, Dr. Chiluba said the statement was irresponsible and provocative and warned the PF not to embark on a political war that would promote internal wrangling and destroy the party.

Meanwhile, Patriotic Front aspiring candidate for the Mpika Central seat in the 2006 tripartite elections, Muswema Sampa, has challenged the suspension from the party slapped on him by the constituency chairman, Henry Chama.

Mr. Muswema has argued that the suspension imposed on him is personal and based on false allegation meant to tarnish his name to the mass organs of the party ranks,.

He complained that no hearing was given to him by the chairman for him to have passed that decision on him, saying it was injustice on his part has well as abuse of authority of office by the chairman.

Mr. Muswema also said that membership in PF has no identity but depends on someone’s heart or love for the party, hence visiting the people especially the electorates in order to continue building the party is not a crime.

He has since called the suspension as total fabrication of party issues only aimed at attracting the attention and sympathy of the party president Mr. Sata for what is going on in the constituency concerning the general outcry of people on development in the area.

Mr. Muswema said he is being suspended for allegedly causing confusion in Mpika Central Constituency by enticing the party members to pass a vote of no confidence against the current area member of parliament, Mwansa Kapeya.

Efforts to get a commend from the Provincial Chairman, Jim Sinyinza, failed as he could not pass a word on the same development through his mobile phone.

The opposition United National Independence Party (UNIP) has adopted Husty Moffat Mwachilele, a prominent Kanyama businessman to constest the forthcoming Kanyama parliamentary by election.

Mwachilele is a renown former Councilor for Kanyama for seven years from 1991 – 1998

The former ruling party has also fielded in two female candidates – Agness Mukuka and Margret Phiri – to contest the local government by-elections in Lusaka’s Lilayi and Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula wards respectively.

UNIP Deputy National Secretary General, Alfred Banda, confirmed this in a statement to ZANIS in Lusaka today.

Mukuka is UNIP Women Affairs Lusaka Provincial Secretary.

She is also a past Lusaka Branch Co-ordinator of the National Union for Commercial and Indusrtial Workers (NUCIW), former Trade Union leader and former TAP Zambia Limited employee and currently the Chairperson of St. Marys Chilanga Catholic Women’s Council.

Phiri is also a a prominent Kanyama business woman and a renowed UNIP official who has lived in Kanyama for the past 37 years.

Reverend Banda expressed confidence of scooping the Kanyama Parliamentary seat, saying the party is ready for the forthcoming parliamentary elections.

Reverend Banda is now appealing to the electorates to vote for UNIP as the party is its all-weather developmental partner.

And Rev. Banda has disclosed that UNIP will also field candidates in Moomba ward in Kabwe in Central Province, and also other Local government by-elections in Kawambwa and Nchelenge districts in Luapula Province.

Meanwhile, the Anti-Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) has advised political parties to adhere to the Electoral Code of Conduct (ECC) in the forthcoming Kanyama parliamentary by-election.

AVAP Executive Director Bonny Tembo says failure by political parties to adhere to the ECC would attract punishment by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ).

Mr. Tembo observed that political parties have a tendency of breaching the ECC such as the use of government vehicles coupled with rampant distribution of wrappers and misuse of public resources and campaigning on the actual voting day, saying this was against the code of conduct.

In separate a interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today, Mr. Tembo said his organisation has since embarked on a vigorous voter education campaign to sensitise the electorate on the voting process.

Mr. Tembo further cautioned political parties to desist from imposing candidates on the electorate.

The AVAP Chief said imposition of candidates in the by-election will cause voter apathy.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has set February 21, 2008 as the date of the Kanyama by-election.

The Kanyama parliamentary seat fell vacant following the death of PF MP Henry Mtonga.

United Party for National Development (UPND), United Liberal Progressive Party(ULP), Patriotic Front (PF), All People’s Congress Party (APC) and the ruling Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) are also fielding their candidates in the Kanyama by-election.

Chief Mwanachingwala of Mazabuka has uncovered a scam in which the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) is allegedly soliciting for donations for flood victims using the District Disaster Management Committee (DDMC).

The Chief told ZANIS in Mazabuka today that he is aware that the donations that were made by UPND President, Hakainde Hichilema to flood victims in Mazabuka were sourced from some named commercial farmers.

Chief Mwanachingwala said it is wrong for the opposition party to privately ask for aid using government structures without the knowledge of the local leadership.

He challenged Mazabuka Central Member of Parliament, Garry Nkombo, to account for the K10 million donation made by a Charles Cox, a commercial farmer in the area.

But Mr Nkombo dismissed the allegations as total lies.

Mr Nkombo told ZANIS in Mazabuka today that the donations made by Mr Hichilema did not come from the commercial farmers but from his (HAKAINDE) personal account.

He said the UPND president issued a cheque to PRAV Wholesalers who supplied mealie meal, cooking oil and other donations given to the flood victims in Magoye and Mazabuka constituencies before the controversial cheque was issued by Cox.

And Mr Nkombo says the K10 million donated by Mr Cox for flood victims will only be accessed once the cheque is cleared by the bank.

He explained that the supplier of the items earmarked for donations has indicated that he will only release the items once the cheque had been clearede by the bank.

Mr Nkombo also said there are no calls for suspicion because District Commissioner, Misheck Chiinda, is fully aware of the K10 million.

”I showed the District Commissioner the cheque last Sunday, so he should not be peddling lies about the donation. Why does he want to discredit my name when he is fully aware,” asked Mr Nkombo.

District commissioner, Misheck Chiinda however dismissed claims by Mr Nkombo saying he has never been informed about the donation from Mr Cox.

Mr Chiinda advised all organisations intending to assist flood victims to make their donations through the District Disaster Management Committee to which he is a chairman.

” I didn’t see the cheque. All I saw were the receipts he was flashing,” said Chiinda

Meanwhile, UPND has with immediate effect banned its members including Member of Parliament (MPs) from attacking the church mother bodies for refusing to participate to the National Constitutional Conference (NCC).

The ban by the opposition party’ s National Management Committee (NMC) follows media reports by Sinazongwe Member of Parliament (MP) Raphael Muyanda and his Mbabala counterpart, Emmanuel Hachipuka who issued anti-catholic church remarks.

Party Spokesperson, Charles Kakoma, said the remarks by the two MPs did not represent the party’s position regarding the church but maintained that the Church has always been an all whether friend in national development.

Mr. Kakoma said this in a press statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today.

He said the party distanced from the attacks, innuendos and outbursts by Mr. Muyanda and Mr. Hachipuka on the Catholic Church or any other religious organization.

He said it is wrong for any UPND member to antagonize the church or any other faith based organization and their leaders because of their stand on the constitution making process or other political matters.

He said freedom of speech did not legally include inciting religious hatred either inside or outside parliament.

He warned that the party would not hesitate to publicly disown any member who continued to go against the party position.

The party Spokesperson has since urged its members to respect the decision of all those that have opted to stay away from participating to the NCC and those who have gone to participate in the NCC.

“The UPND wishes to distance itself from the attacks, innuendos and outbursts by the two MPs; Mr. Muyanda and Mr. Hachipuka on the stand by Catholic Church or any other religious organization. It is wrong for any of our members to antagonize the church and their leaders because of their stand on the constitution making process or any other political issue” he said.

As UPND we won’t hesitate to publicly disown such a member or person who goes against the party’s position,” Mr. Kakoma said.

Speaker of the national Assembly Amusa Mwanamwambwa has directed Information Minister Mike Mulongoti to deliver a ministerial statement tomorrow on the failure by the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) to air live the Ghana 2008 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Speaker said the general public expects a great deal from the national broadcaster because of the K3,000 licence fees it was collecting from the people.

He said the country being a footballing nation would like to watch and see what was happening in Ghana.

The speaker was making a ruling following a point of order by Mfuwe Member of Parliament M Malama who wanted to know why Mr. Mulongoti, as minister of Information and Broadcasting has not made an official statement on the matter.

However, the Zambia National broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) board chairperson Augustine Seyuba said it will be irresponsible on its part to ask government for money to enable it air the 2008 Ghana MTN Africa cup of nations due to the on going flood situation in the country.

ZANIS sports reports that Seyuba said in a statement today that the corporation recognizes the challenge government has at the moment due to floods that have affected many people in the country, who have been left homeless.

Seyuba explained that ZNBC could not bring any more partners on board to raise the required K5 billion in three days.

He said the corporation has been planning to beam the tournament live.

He said the national broadcaster recognizes that most Zambians have a great passion for football adding that it is regrettable that the corporation will not broadcast the event.

The board Chairman said neighboring Malawi and Zimbabwe and Nigeria in West Africa are among countries that will not televise the matches saying this was an indicator on how unreasonable the vendor has been in their pricing for the tournament.

Chililabombwe Municipal Council Unionized employees have locked out the Mayor and Acting Town Clerk’s offices in protest over management’s refusal to sign a collective agreement that would have resulted in a five percent salary increment.

And Police in riot gear kept vigil of the council premises to prevent an eruption of violent protests by the incensed workers.

The workers who had gathered at the council works yard for the signing ceremony were incensed after management postponed the event despite having sent invitation letters and prepared the forms.

They later matched to the local authority’s main offices where they forced the Mayor Wilson Ponga and the Acting Town Clerk Baldwin Chinoya to leave the offices, which they later locked.

Zambia United Local Authority Worker’s Union (ZULAWU) Chililabombwe Branch Chairperson Henry Chabanya, who was at the scene of the proceedings, told ZANIS that the workers did not want the two senior staff due to their style of management.

Mr Chabanya said the council management had been postponing the signing of the collective agreement for the new conditions of service despite having taken one year to conclude negotiations.

The ZULAWU Branch Chairperson, who displayed the invitation letters for the signing ceremony and the collective agreement forms, said the workers felt cheated after having assembled to witness the signing ceremony which was postponed indefinitely.

He alleged that management had declined to sign the collective agreement after the 15 percent salary increments they had awarded themselves were quashed by the Local Government Association of Zambia (LGAZ) for not following the right procedure.

Mr Chabanya, who was flanked by other ZULAWU branch executive members, said the workers did not want the services of the Mayor and Acting Town Clerk because suspended Town Clerk Musonda Mumpa understood their grievances.

Efforts to get the Town Clerk and Public Relations Officer by Press time proved futile as they had all vacated their offices.

The Anti-Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) has advised political parties to adhere to the Electoral Code of Conduct (ECC) in the forthcoming Kanyama parliamentary by election.

AVAP Executive Director Bonny Tembo says failure by political parties to adhere to the ECC would attract punishment by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ).

Mr. Tembo observed that political parties have a tendency of breaching the ECC such as the use of Government vehicles coupled with rampant distribution of wrappers and misuse of public resources and campaigning on the actual voting day, saying this was against the code of conduct.

In an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today, Mr. Tembo said his organisation has since embarked on a vigorous voter education campaign to sensitise the electorate on the voting process.

And Mr. Tembo has cautioned political parties to desist from imposing candidates on the electorate.

The AVAP Chief said imposition of candidates in the by election in the by election will cause voter apathy.

Mr. Tembo explained that those imposed on the electorate were not likely to deliver on their promises.

He stressed the need for the Kanyama electorate to choose a credible candidate who would be able to effectively represent them at National Assembly.

Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has set February 21, 2008 as the date of the Kanyama by election. The seat fell vacant after the death of Patriotic Front MP Henry Mtonga.

United Party for National Development (UPND), United Liberal Progressive Party, Patriotic Front, Movement for Multi Party Democracy (MMD) and All People’s Congress Party are fielding candidates in the Kanyama by election.