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Mbesuma fails to join the team again

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Striker Collins Mbesuma is set to miss Zambia’s international friendly game against Tunisia in Rades this afternoon.

This follows the second time in less than 24 hours that the striker from Bursaspor in Turkey has failed to join Zambia when he failed to secure a transit visa for France from Ankara late last week.

Mbesuma, who was expected to join the team by 21:00 Tunisian time on Saturday evening is said to have delayed his arrival in the Zambia camp to late Sunday afternoon just hours before the teams kick-off of their match against Tunisia.

Last week, he failed to join Zambia’s Christmas training camp in Spain because the Spanish embassy in Ankara had closed for festive holidays.

Meanwhile Zambia was by press time in action against Tunisia in a 17:00 hrs Zambian time kick-off.

MMD members fanning anarchy warned

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Lusaka MMD provincial chairman Geoffrey Chumbwe has warned party officials and members fueling disunity and confusion among party structures in Lusaka province that they risk being suspended if they do not stop the practice.

Mr Chumbwe has also appealed to party officials in the province to respect and support elected members of parliament and councillors so that unity prevails.

He says there is need to co-exist so that the party delivers on its mandate and promises it made during elections.

Mr Chumbwe made the warning today when he officially opened a District End of Year Meeting for the MMD in Kafue held at Highway Park Lodge which was also attended by Kafue area MP Bradford Machila who is Lands Minister.

He said the party in the province is not ready to entertain officials who undermine the party leadership and just want to fuel confusion.

Mr Chumbwe told party members attending the meeting drawn from both Chilanga and Kafue constituencies, that his office is much aware that the party in Kafue district is still facing a number of problems, among them divisions where some cadres are supporting the current MP and others support their preferred candidate who was not adopted in the 2006 tripartite elections.

Mr Chumbwe wondered why members should form camps instead of concentrating on development in their constituencies and wards.

He said the party as it prepares for the 2011 elections, will flush out individuals who might be a risk to the elections.

Mr Chumbwe who was accompanied by provincial party officials and Lusaka district party officials, appealed to members to remain united and not allow personal differences to interfere in the internal matters of the party.

Mr Chumbwe said party members should also learn to respect elected MPs and councillors .
officials because they are the ones who have made it possible for them to be elected in power.

Mr Chumbwe commended both party members in Kafue and Chilanga constituencies for campaigning hard that ensured that the MMD scooped both parliamentary and local government seats in the 2006 election.

He said as the party prepares for elections it was important members reconcile and work as one.

Mr Chumbwe also admitted that the provincial leadership was partly to blame for the problems district structures are facing as it has not done enough to work with them.

He assured the delegates that the provincial leadership will strengthen the party in all the constituencies of Lusaka province so that the MMD wins election in 2011.

Speaking earlier, MMD Kafue District Chairman Goodson Sansakuwa said unity is still lacking in the party structures starting from national executive committee (NEC) to branches which might cost the party if nothing is done about it.

He said most elected MPS and those in NEC do not have regard for political structures in districts and are never respected.

Mr Sansakuwa said this has demoralized party members in districts who feel neglected and worthless.

He said as a party, it is important to start appreciating and valuing lower organs as these are the ones who campaign and do most of the work for the MMD to run government.

Mr Sansakuwa said as a party in the district, it supports republican President, Dr Levy Mwanawasa’s leadership.

He said the party is also happy with the president’s stance on banning campaigns for theparty presidency as these will just fuel confusion and divisions in the party.

The district chairman also appealed to the party to supply the district with bicycles and chitenge materials as a way of motivating members.

Mwanawasa Fires Joseph Malyata

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President Mwanawasa has removed from office Southern province minister Joseph Mulyata.

Dr Mwanawasa said in his letter to Mr Mulyata that he has no option but to remove him from office following his arrest by the Anti Corruption Commission and subsequent appearance in court on December 17th, 2007.

“I am informed that you have finally been arrested and must have appeared in court for plea on 17th December, 2007. Under the circumstances, and assuming that the Anti Corruption Commission are now serious, I regret that I have no option but remove you as Provincial Minister pending the outcome of those criminal proceedings,” President Mwanawasa said in his letter to Mr Mulyata.

This is contained in a press statement to ZANIS in Lusaka today issued by the President’s Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations John Musukuma.

Former Southern province minister Joseph Mulyata has confirmed his dismissal from office by President Mwanawasa.

Mr Mulyata has since thanked President Mwanawasa for the privilege accorded him to serve in government.

He confirmed having receoved a fax message indicating his dismissal from his position as Southern province minister.

Mr Mulyata says his conscience is clear because he did not order the release of an overloaded bus belonging to prominent Lusaka businessman Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba, popularly known as GBM, at a check point in Livingstone some time last year.

The former provincial minister who is making arrangements to vacate the ministerial house in the tourist capital, said he has since written to President Mwanawasa to thank him for affording him an opportunity to serve in government.

Mr Mulyata is alleged to have abused the authority of his office when he ordered the Road Development Agency, RDA, to release Mr Mwamba’s overloaded bus last year which matter is now in court.

Meanwhile, President Levy Mwanawasa has handed over 18 vehicles to the ministry of health in Eastern province.

Presenting the Landcruiser station wagon vehicles at a mammoth rally at Chiutika basic school in Mambwe district in Eastern province this afternoon, Dr Mwanawasa also disclosed that government will soon buy ambulances for each constituency in the country.

Dr Mwanawasa said wants to make health facilities accessible and as close to the people as possible.

The President appealed to health authorities in Eastern province to ensure that the vehicles are used for the intended purpose.

And President Mwanawasa said government has blacklisted Tomorrow Investment, a Zambian owned construction company from undertaking any government project because of a trail of shoddy performance.

Dr Mwanawasa said the government has disappointed government on various projects through poor workmanship and failure to complete projects within the stipulated timeframes.

At the same rally, health minister Brain Chituwo said government has made tremendous progress in making Zambia a measles free zone.

Dr Chituwo also revealed that Mambwe district performed the best among all the 72 districts in the country in the national malaria control programme.

The health minister said the district scored 85 per cent in the distribution of insecticide treated mosquito nets with an average of three nets per household.

Kanyama parliamentary by-election set for February 21

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The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has set February 21, 2008, as the date for the Kanyama Parliamentary by- election which fell vacant following the death of Patriotic Front (PF) member of parliament Henry Mtonga .

The ECZ has also set the same date for local government by- elections in 12 wards in seven provinces which have fallen vacant due to deaths, resignations and appointments of incumbent councillors.

ECZ Public Relations Manager Chris Akufuna said in a statement to ZANIS in Lusaka today that aspiring candidates should lodge completed and attested statutory declaration and nomination papers by 31st January between 09:00 and 15:00 hours.

Mr. Akufuna said aspiring candidates in the by-elections should lodge completed and attested statutory declaration and nomination papers subscribed before a Magistrate, Local Court Justice, head of primary school, head of secondary school, principal of college, Commissioer of Oaths, Election Officer or Returning Officer.

He said the polls will take place on Thursday, February 21 from 06:00 hours to 18:00 hours.

Aspiring candidates in both the Kanyama constituency by-election and the local government by-elections should carry along with them for the nine supporters who must be registered voters in the affected constituency and wards.

The supporters must have in their possession their green National Registration Cards, NRCs and Voters Cards.

Aspiring candidates for the parliamentary by-election will be required to pay K500,000 non refundable nomination fee while those for candidates in district councils will be required to pay K50,000.

Those in municipal councils will pay K75,000 and those in city councils will pay K100,000 non refundable nomination fees.

The affected ward around the country are Moomba in Kabwe, Central province, Chinondo in Masaiti on the Copperbelt and Mandia in Kazungula district of Southern province.

Others are Lufubu, Mbereshi, Munkombwe, Chisenga and Shabo in Luapula province.

Lilayi and Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula in Lusaka province are also earmarked for by-elections including Kalengwa and Luampa in North-Western and wester provinces respectively.

He has since advised Non Government Organization (NGO) wishing to monitor /observe the elections to apply for accreditation from ECZ.

And various political parties have confirmed their participation in the Kanyama parliamentary by-election slated for February 21st.

Ruling MMD chairman for elections Mike Mulongoti said the party will invite applications from interested people to contest the by-election following the announcement of the date.

Mr Mulongoti ruled out the automatic fielding of the previous candidate saying the party is democratic and would want people to apply for the seat.

PF Spokerperson Given Lubinda said the party would re-contest the seat though it was not in a hurry to start discussing the matter.

United Liberal Party (ULP) President Sakwiba Sikota disclosed that his party will discuss the matter during the National Executive Committee meeting to be held next week.

United Party for National Development (UPND) spokesperson Charles Kakoma said the party was in the process of identifying a possible candidate to field in the by-election.

Mr. Kakoma who is also Zambezi East Mp said the party has left the door open for any person who would want to contest the seat.

South African national nabbed for sodomy

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A South African contractor has been nabbed by Luanshya police for allegedly sadomising a 25 year old Zambian worker.

Copperbelt police commanding officer Antoneil Mutetwa named the suspect as Frederick Mulder Winad, a camp manager with Batman, a firm contracted to work at Muliashi open pit mine in Luanshya.

Mr. Mutentwa said Winad, aged 57, of house number 57, Ngwee avenue, was arrested on Wednesday, after he was alleged to have sadomised Emmanuel Simukonda, aged 25, of house number 408, Mikomfwa township, who was working as a driver.

He said the incident happened at Lowden Lodge on November 27, 2007 and it was reported to the police on December 27, 2007 after Simukonda who was working as a driver was fired from employment.

‘’The man is in custody, we have revoked his police bond and his passport has been confiscated after we received information that he wanted to run away,’’ said Mr. Mutentwa.

Some police sources said the victim was first given food laced with some drugs with a view of seducing him before he could be abused.

And Legal Aid, a Non Governmental Organisation for God shepherds community trust coordinator Musonda Muyembe, whose organisation had also been investigating the matter, described the situation as very unfortunate .

“The young man was allegedly sodomised when he went to ask for a job, and he was promised to be given a job only after being sodomised,” he said.

mR. Muyembe said such investors should not be allowed in the country, adding that Zambia is a Christian nation hence such practices should not be tolerated in the country.

‘’Such practices should not be allowed in our country. This man should be prosecuted,’’ he demanded.

Friday Zambia National Team 2008 Africa Cup Update

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After all the ranting from Faz president Teddy Mulonga this morning on a popular radio show hinting that Zambia defender Elijah Tana might or should be dropped, it will not come to pass.

Meanwhile, Collins Mbesuma did what he does best with the national team…miss an opportunity to join the team.

Today again, Mbesuma failed to join the team in France due to another visa hitch.

Last week, he failed to join Zambia’s training camp in Spain because the Spain embassy in Ankara had closed for Christmas.

It seems it was the same problem again this time.

And team manger Solly Pandor revealed from Paris this afternoon where Zambia made a brief stop over en route to Tunisia that Mbesuma was expected to link up with the rest of his team mates tonight in Tunis.

And back to the protracted Tana saga, Faz confirmed this afternoon that the player from El Merriekh in Sudan will join Zambia in Tunisia on Tuesday January 8.

Tana will be on the same flight together with two other late call-ups.

The two are defender Davies Nkausu from South Africa division 1 league club Pretoria University FC and Green Buffaloes goalkeeper Mike Poto.

The trio will join Zambia in Tunis on the eve of the team’s departure for Morocco where they face the Atlas Lions in their final friendly match on January 12 in Fez in a 21:30 kickoff.

They will also miss Zambia’s friendly match against Tunisia this Sunday and a training game next Tuesday against a yet to be announced local club.

Zambia will face Tunisia in Rades in a 17:00 Zambian time kickoff.

And Zambia left Spain this morning where they had set-up a week-long Christmas training camp in Andalusia.

Chambeshi workers strike in day 2

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The 500 striking workers at Chambishi Copper Smelter say they will not resume work until their demands are met.

The workers are demanding better salaries and other entitlements which include mealie meal, transport and holiday allowances.

A ZNBC news team that visited the smelter, found workers outside the plant, chanting slogans.

The striking workers also blocked the road leading to the main gate of the plant.

They also barred officials from the Kitwe labour office from entering the plant accusing them of receiving bribes from the management at the plant.

Police in full riot gear have been deployed.

[ZNBC]

Cut off Sinazongwe opens up to the rest of the Zambia

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Sinazongwe District which was cut off from the rest of the country following the floods has opened up.

Sinazongwe District Commissioner (DC) Laiven Apuleni confirmed the development to ZANIS that construction of the collapsed culvert at Muziyo along the Maamba/Batooka road was completed on Thursday.

Mr. Apuleni said the Road Construction Company (RCC) working on the Bottom Road from Sinazeze to Chaboboma in Gwembe was contracted to repair the washed away culverts.

He said RCC was currently working on the collapsed culvert at Mweezya.

The DC thanked Sinazongwe people for their patience and understanding during the floods that affected them.

“It has been a difficult time for the people of Sinazongwe and as government we are grateful to people for their understanding and we have also managed to address the problem within the shortest possible time,” Mr Apuleni said.

Mr. Apuleni said the repaired culverts would help to address the problems of transport movements that resulted into high prices on essential food stuffs owing to the low supply.

He also thanked the RCC for diverting their manpower to attend to an emergency that affected the district.

The DC disclosed that Malima and Chiyabi people were still cut off because of the floods that washed away several culverts along the Bottom road from Sinazeze to Chiyabi.

Mr. Apuleni said the health workers were unable to Transport drugs to Chiyabi clinic because of the impassable road.

Nangombe Ward Councilor Fisher Zimana said people in his area have run out of mealie Meal, cooking oil and other essential commodities.

Mr. Zimana who is also Sinazongwe District Council Vice Chairperson noted that the bridge along Nangombe stream which is the biggest in the area was washed away and the people in his area were unable to access basic food stuff.

“Please let government come to our aid people will die of hunger and we have completely run out of mealie-meal and cooking oil here,” Mr Zimana said.

However, Mr. Apuleni disclosed that a team of officers from the office of the Vice President under the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) would visit the district to assess the damage.
[ZANIS]

Chinese hospital urged to employ Zambian doctors

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Government has appealed to management at the Chinese owned Sinozam Friendship Hospital in Kitwe to consider employing Zambian Doctors to promote private Public partnership and enhance service delivery at the institution.

ZANIS Kitwe Reports that Copperbelt Minister Mwansa Mbulakulima said there was need for management at the hospital to employ local Zambian Doctors to promote the spirit of Private Public Partnership.

He said this will also help integrate the delivery of health care to the local community by the four Chinese Doctors currently working at the hospital with their Zambian Counterparts.

Mr Mbulakulima who was accompanied by the Copperbelt Permanent Secretary Jenipher Musonda said this in Kitwe today when he toured Sinozam Friendship Hospital and the Kitwe Central Hospital Eye department.

He said despite the hospital having latest modern medical equipment the facilities were under utilised due to lack of local medical personnel working at the institution.

He added that the hospital has no Zambian Doctors, a situation, he said, has made most of the residents to shun the institution.

The hospital has a workforce of 84 members of staff, 34 of whom were nurses, support staff, one Indian Doctor and three Chinese Doctors.

He said there was also need for Government medical Hospitals to access the medical facilities at Sinozam to ensure that they were utilised fully.

And Sinozam Friendship Hospital Chief Medical Officer Dr Qia Sheng said the Hospital will spend over US$350,000 on the rehabilitation of infrastructure at the Hospital.

Dr Sheng said management at the institution has decided to give a new face to the hospital by replacing the ceiling and the floors and also procure new equipment to enhance service delivery.

He also disclosed that the Hospital would consider employing a qualified Zambian Doctor as directed by Government.

Others who accompanied the minister include Kitwe DC MacDonald Mtine, Provincial Health Director Dr Chandwe Ngambi and Kitwe Central Hospital Director Dr John Mwewa.

Mufulira water contamination victims in stable condition

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Several people who were admitted after consuming contaminated water yesterday in Mufuira are said to be in a stable condition.

Mufulira District Commissioner Dyford Muulwa confirmed to ZANIS that four out of five people who were admitted at Malcolm Watson hospital were discharged today.

Malcolm hospital has only one person still admitted while at Ronald Ross hospital the number of admissions has gone up from 10 to 15.

Mr. Muulwa said the other five people were admitted last night and the condition of all the people at the hospital is stable.

About 582 people yesterday were attended to at various health institutions in Mufulira after drinking contaminated water from Mopani Copper Mine Mufulira’s underground water.

The people complained of severe abdominal pains, general body pains, vomiting and other ailments.

And Mopani Copper Mine (MCM) says the spillage of the Pennant Liquor Solution (PLS) in the leaching section at Mufulira Mine caused the contamination of domestic underground water.

MCM has also said it has regretted the spillage of the acid solution in to the underground water supply system that supplies domestic water to residents in the former mine township areas.

MCM acting Chief executive officer Emmanuel Mutati said the amount of acid that leaked in to the domestic water supply that was consumed by most people was negligible to cause intoxication to human life.

PLS in an acidic solution that is used in the leaching process at the plant.

Mr. Mutati regretted that the spillage of the PLS in the main domestic water system was avoidable had precautionary measures been taken by the monitors within the operation section immediately when the pump failed.

The pump at 520 meter level that pumps the acidic solution into industrial water from the underground failed on Monday this week resulting in the solution to accumulate in the storage chambers and subsequently contaminated domestic water.

Mr. Mutati was briefing a team that was constituted by Copperbelt Minister Mwansa Mbulakulima to establish what led to the contamination of water in Mufulira.

The team comprised of the District Commissioner, Dyford Muulwa, Town Clerk, Charles Mwandila, Mulenga Water and Sewerage Company, Environmental Council of Zambia, and the Mine Safety department.

Mulonga water and Sewerage Company managing director Manuel Mutale said his company has been flushing out contaminated water from the pipes since yesterday after the pumps were shut down and will resume supply as soon as the acidity levels in the water stabilizes.

Residents in Butondo, Kankoyo, Kantanshi and part of Fairview in the town centre have had no water supply since yesterday.
Mr. Mutati said Mopani will install a back up pump at 520 meter level as a as a medium term solution to avoid future spillages.

The mine also intends to put an alarm system at 430 meter level, which will enable the monitors raise alarm when acidic levels are above normal.

Probe housig allowance payments

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The Civil Servants and Allied Workers Union of Zambia, CSAWUZ, in Mazabuka has called on the government to institute a taskforce to probe the abuse of funds released for payment of housing allowance by the district health office in the district.

CSAWUZ Mazabuka district vice chairperson Violet Phiri made the call in a statement to ZANIS in Mazabuka today.

Ms Phiri said unless a taskforce is appointed to clear suspicions of alleged financial abuse, the current strike by health personnel in the district will continue.

Ms Phiri said most health workers eligible for house allowance were being forced to sign for the money which they were not given.

She claimed that the district health office was instead paying landlords in a suspicious manner.

Ms Phiri said the current abnormal deductions were meant to confuse the workers because none of them is aware of the amount owed to the government.

And Ms Phiri has called on the government to explain why todate clinical officers, nurses and other para-medical officers were still staying in a compound declared unfit for human habitation by the ministry of works.

Acting district director of health, Mr Ellias Hamatanga refused to comment on the allegations by union leaders.

FAO/Italy disburse USD 1million for cassava project

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The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Italian government have given Zambia 1,081,000 United States dollars for the cassava commercialization project.

National Cassava Commercialization project Coordinator Alick Daka disclosed this in Samfya when he begun a seven day stakeholder sensitization tour of the integrated production and processing of cassava in the area.

Mr Daka said the two year project will be carried out in Samfya, Mansa and Serenje districts.

He said FAO has contributed USD 331,000 while the Italian government has provided USD 750,000 towards the cassava commercialization project.

He said the USD331,000 given by FAO will be spent on increasing the quality of cassava production and value added activities in Samfya, Serenje and Mansa districts.

Mr Daka said on the other hand the USD750,000 from the Italian government will be used to develop market linkages for the crop for local and foreign consumers.

He said in improving the quality of cassava production, technical support will be directed at developing cost effective multiplication and distribution of improved cassava varieties.

“USD 10,000 , about K36 million will be invested in the expansion of two hectares of cassava cuttings nurseries at Mansa Agriculture Research Institute for multiplication of improved cassava varieties,” Mr Daka said.

He said to enhance processing of the cassava, small scale processing technologies will be developed, while new products that will allow blending with cassava will also be enhanced.

He disclosed that Tiger Feeds had already developed a stock feed that is blended with cassava and will be buying 1000 tonnes every month from the farmers in the project area.

Mr. Daka added that said a cassava processing plant is being installed in Mansa to be producing Vitamin ‘A’ fortified cassava meal that will be supplied to refugee camps under a United Nations Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) offer.

CELTEL apologises

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CELTEL Zambia has apologized to its subscribers for the network interruption that resulted into clients failing to make calls on New Years Eve.

CETEL Acting Public Relations Manager Patricia Litiya said the network jam was caused by a micro link failure in Mbabala in Choma and equipment failure on one of its switches in Lusaka on Monday, 31st December, 2007.

She told ZANIS in a statement today that the equipment failure started around 19:00 hours and was rectified at 11:00hrs on January 1, 2008.

She explained that company engineers could not access the affected site due to heavy rains hence the delay in rectifying the problem.

Ms. Litiya said the micro link failure affected the entire Southern province and Western Province.

In Lusaka, She said Celtel experienced equipment failure on one of its switches and this resulted in bad network performance in Lusaka, Central and Eastern provinces.

This occurred on Monday, 31st December 2007 and was rectified at 16:00 hrs the following day.

She said Celtel Zambia did everything possible to ensure the network was restored on time.

“In this regard, capacity was adequate to cater for the expected traffic during the festive season and generally calls and SMS were sustained until yesterday when we experienced equipment failure ,” she said.

NCC to resume sittings next week

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The National Constitutional Conference (NCC) sittings will resume on Tuesday, January 8, 2008 at Mulungushi International Conference Centre.

NCC spokesperson Mwangala Zaloumis, who announced this in a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today, said members coming from outside Lusaka should arrive on Monday, January 7, 2008 in readiness for the Conference the following day.

Ms. Zaloumis said all the necessary documents will be ready for collection on Monday, January7, 2008 from 14:30 hours to 17:00 hours at Mulungushi International Conference Centre.

The NCC sittings adjourned on Friday, December 21, 2007.

Copperbelt MMD PEC advises Findley to take leave

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The MMD Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) on the Copperbelt has advised party Provincial Chairman, Terence Findley to step aside as PEC Chairman due to allegations of rape that have been labbled against him.

According to a letter dated December 29, 2007, which was signed and made available to ZANIS by the Provincial Secretary, Mr Tryson Simukoko, the PEC decided to communicate to Mr Findley and put on record the resolutions of a meeting that was held in Kalulushi on September 22, 2007 advising him to step aside.

“We write to communicate and put on record though belatedly the PEC meeting resolution of 22/09/07 in Kalulushi advising you to step aside as PEC chairman due to the serious allegations of the rape case leveled against you,” the letter read in part.

The letter, which has been copied to party President Dr Levy Mwanawasa, the national secretariat in Lusaka and the Provincial Permanent Secretary (PS) Mrs Jennifer Musonda, explained that the decision by the PEC was significantly to avoid and forestall any real and perceived embarrassment and loss of credibility to the party and its leadership including Mr Findley if he was seen at public gatherings.

The PEC has further advised Mr Findley to take ‘leave’ of his duties until his alleged rape case is cleared in the courts of law.

The PEC has since advised the Provincial PS to direct all correspondence to the party’s provincial Vice Chairman.

Mr Findley is currently facing charges of rape, assault, causing bodily harm and distribution of obscene material in the Ndola Magistrate Courts.

According to evidence that has been given in the Ndola Magistrate Court, Mr Findley is said to have had, on unknown dates but between June 2, 2007 and June 12, 2007, carnal knowledge of a named juvenile of 16 years old who is a grade ten pupil at one of the leading Secondary Schools in Ndola.

He is further alleged on the said dates to have burnt the juvenile on the buttock with a cigarette lighter and also availed her with a disc containing pornographic material.

The case comes up for continued hearing on January 25, 2008.

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