The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has started printing ballot papers for the Kanyama constituency by-election to be held on the February 21, 2008.

ECZ Public Relations Manager, Chris Akufuna said some officers from ECZ left yesterday for South Africa to commence the printing of the ballot papers.

Mr. Akufuna said the commission hopes that the printing of the papers will be finished by the end of this week.

He told the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in an interview that the ECZ is ready to conduct the elections.

Mr. Akufuna said so far the commission has not received any reports of malpractices by political parties participating in the by-election.

“Some officers from ECZ left yesterday for South Africa to commence the printing of the ballot papers. Once samples of the ballot papers are made, the will be sent to political parties participating for observation and the final printing is hopefully expected to finish by the end of this week,” Mr. Akufuna said.

Meanwhile, ECZ will by the end of this week make the position known as to whether they are able to conduct the Kanyama by-elections.

Mr. Akufuna said ECZ is still accessing the flood situation in Kanyama constituency adding that its position will be communicated to the public by the end of this week.

ECZ chairperson, Justice Ireen Mambilima had two weeks ago toured Kanyama compound to access the flood situation.

Justice Mambilima announced the possibility of ECZ postponing the by-elections because most polling stations were inaccessible due to flooding.

The Kanyama constituency seat fell vacant after the death of PF Member of Parliament Henry Mtonga in December last year.

An Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) has expressed fear that the country may not achieve the vision 2030 if government does not tackle the issue of misapplication and misappropriation of public funds.

Luena MP Charles Milupi observed that development and the attainment of the goal can only be realized if funds budgeted for specific programmes are fully ultilised for the intended purposes.

Mr. Milupi who is also Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairperson expressed sadness at the continued misapplication of public funds in government departments.

Mr. Milupi said government has a challenge of ensuring that it matches its expenditure with revenue measures if development is to take place.

Mr. Milupi who commended the Auditor General’s (AG) office for the work it is doing in highlight irregularities in the utilization of public funds said serious action should be taken against officers that are not doing a service to the country.

He told ZANIS in an interview that the report was an indication that the executive was not taking action on erring officers so as to help in reversing the trend.

“It is disappointing that yet again we are seeing the same issues that were reflected in the 2005 and 2006 AG’s reports,’ he stated.

He said the bodies empowered to undertaken oversight functions need to be given powers to also propose sanctions to be taken.

And Mr. Milupi says the National Constitution Conference (NCC) also needs to consider increasing the powers of oversight bodies.

Auditor General, Anna Chifungula has in her 2006 financial year revealed misapplication of about K65 billion by various government departments.

The report reveals glaring misapplication of K42. 8 billion and over K22 billion uncounted expenditures.

The report further indicated unconstitutional expenditure amounting to over K8 billion in various government Ministries and departments.

The ministries involved include Defence, Foreign Affairs, Home Affairs, Office of the President and the Vice President’s office

Other departments are Commission of Investigations, Zambia Police and Prisons Services.

Mrs. Chifungula said the excess expenditure of K8, 642, 049,204 is unconstitutional and would require approval by parliament as provided for under Article 117 of the republican constitution.

The Auditor Generals (AG) report has revealed that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has not been submitting its annual reports since 2002.

The report indicated that as at November 2007, the Commission had not prepared the financial statement for the year ending December 31, 2006 for submission to the Republican President.

Auditor General, Anna Chifungula stated that the act is contrary to the provisions of the ECZ act no 24 of 1996 which requires the Commission to prepare annual reports for submission to the President not later than 90 days after the end of the financial year.

She further said the commission did not maintain a register of accountable documents which was contrary to the financial regulations no 103.

Mrs. Chifungula also revealed that election materials amounting to over K925 million meant for the 2006 tripartite elections were not ulitlised and are still in the warehouses of the ECZ.

The AG said election materials meant for the tripartite elections accounting to over K1 billion were not accounted for.

She said there was no evidence that the commission carried out a needs assessment prior to the procurement of various election materials for the tripartite elections in September 2006.

The materials are Canvas bags amounting to K503 million, Lanterns over K325 million, Cameras over K263 million, PA systems K403 million and mega phones amounting to K348 million.

Mrs. Chifungula however stated that as of May 2007 that materials including 49 lanterns, 576 lantern batteries and 19 canvas bags were stolen from the warehouses although the matter had not been reported to the police.

According to the report, ECZ was in 2005 and 2006 given K146 , 144, 217, 840 and K235 , 040 , 704 , 538 for various operations, in additional over K1 billion was realised from the sale of maps, registers and nominations pertaining to presidential , parliamentary and local government elections.

According to the report , the Commission had paid a local company US$77,904 equivalent to K252, 954 000 for the supply of various HP computer consumables out of which K87, 941, 648 has not been delivered.

The report says as of July 2007 only materials costing K165, 012, 352 had been delivered, contrary to the contract agreement that the materials should be delivered by August 2006.

During the same period, the Commission spent about K256 million on fares and allowances for officers’ trips abroad without obtaining authority from Cabinet Office for the officer’s trips.

The Report stated that the act is contrary to the Cabinet Office Circular no 12 of 1998.

The report also stated that the Commission has a lot of accounting irregularities on funds disbursed to the councils for the training of assistant registration officers and other operations.

The operations included ZANIS inspections of Voters Roll, Briefing and temporal shelter budget, Conflict Management, training of assistant publican officers, Voter education and return of materials from districts.

About K183 million issued to various officers in 11 councils had not been retired as of October 2007 and that K705 million was not accounted for as there were no documents to support expenditure.

Over 3,000 Workers at Zambia’s leading Coffee producing company, Mubuyu farms in Mazabuka have called on President Mwanawasa to intervene before the process of liquidating the farm is completed. The loan has grown from US $ 5, 000 in 1999 to US $17 million today. Human Resource Manager, Paul Chabala told ZANIS in Mazabuka that the company has not failed to liquidate the debt of $ 17 million it obtained from Barclays bank in 1999.

Mr Chabala said the problems have been caused by the drought that impacted negatively on Coffee production from 2001 upto 2005.

Mr Chabala explained that workers are now looking up to President Mwanawasa to rescue the farm as all the avenues to reason with the bank management on the need to reschedule the loan have been exhausted.

He said the company allegedly failed to service the loan which stood at $ 5,000 in 1999 and has accrued to $ 17 Million over the years.

Mr Chabala said the drought that affected Mazabuka in 2001 upto 2005 is not something to hide because all the people who use the Mazabuka -Kafue highway saw its effects on Coffee.

He said Banks should exercise leniency on customers other than imposing prohibitive conditions that result in liquidating big companies.

Mr Chabala complained that putting of the farm on receivership has serious economic consequences on Mazabuka and the nation as a whole.

Meanwhile, Mr Chabala has called on the Immigration department to investigate why two foreign nations sent to work at Mubuyu farms do not have proper documents allowing them to do so.

Meanwhile, President Levy Mwanawasa is tomorrow expected in Antananarivo, Madagascar for a three day state visit.

Dr. Mwanawasa who will be accompanied by First Lady Maureen Mwanawasa and Foreign Affairs minister Kabinga Pande is expected to arrive at D’ Ivato International airport in Antananarivo at 15: 30 local time

Deputy Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services David Phiri has challenged journalists to be accurate when reporting.

Mr Phiri urged reporters to work hard and ensure that they report responsibly by making sure that information in their stories is factual.

The minister further urged journalists to ensure that information collected is verified before writing stories to avoid misleading the nation

Mr.Phiri was speaking in Monze today when he toured Sky F.M radio station.

He called on all community and commercial radio stations in the country to inform people on various developmental issues taking place within their areas of operation.

Mr.Phiri said there was need for people to know about any developments taking place and opportunities that government had been creating for them.

He said that it was a mandate to monitor and regulate community and commercial radio stations that were directly under the ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services.

The minister added that government would ensure that the freedom of information bill goes back to parliament.

He said that government was prepared to take the bill back to parliament as consultations had been carried out widely.

Mr.Phiri said that the bill was dragging because of consultations that were going on at both national and international levels.

He said that the freedom of information bill was not about journalists but citizens and accessing information.

He added that information should never be used at the detriment of developmental programs and important issues of national interest.

The minister was accompanied by Monze District Commissioner and some heads of government departments during the tour of Sky F.M radio station in monze.

President Levy Mwanawasa has arrived back from London where he went for a routine medical check up after attending the just ended African Union Summit in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa.

The Plane carrying President Mwanasawsa who was accompanied by his wife Maureen touched down at the Lusaka International Airport at about 6.50 hours this morning.

The President was received by Vice President Rupiah Banda, MMD Party National Secretary Dr. Katele Kalumba, Lusaka Province Minister Lameck Mangani and Service Chiefs.

Others who were at hand to receive the President include cabinet ministers, deputy ministers, senior government officials and party cadres.

Before his departure for London, President Mwanawasa was among the heads of states that attended the 10th Session of the African Union (AU) Heads of States and Government Assembly in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa.

This years’ AU Summit, focused on among other issues the Kenya crisis which has resulted in the loss of a thousand lives and the need to unite the continent.

While attending the summit, the President had talks with the Indian delegation to whom he appealed for humanitarian assistance towards the mitigation of flood effects.

He also met World Bank president Robert Zoellick, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Director General Jacques Diouf and his South Africa and Zimbabwe Counterparts President Thabo Mbeki and Robert Mugabe Respectively.

Former Republican President Fredrick Chiluba’s son Castro has announced his entry into the political arena.

Castro Chiluba is now deputy national secretary of the New Revolution Party (NRP) led by Dr. Cosmo Mumba.

Castro was introduced as deputy national secretary of the NRP during a press briefing by the NRP in Lusaka today.

Castro, who accepted his new appointment, pledged to serve the nation and address the many issues affecting youths in the country.

Castro has since apologized to Zambians for the wrong things he did while his father was in power.

He said he is a changed man and power would not corrupt him adding that people do change and should be forgiven and given chance to contribute to national development.

And NRP party president Dr. Cosmo Mumba said Castro has repented and is a Born Again Christian.

Dr. Mumba said Zambians should forgive and forget the misdeeds of Castro and give him chance to contribute positively to Zambia’s growing democracy.

He said the past image of Castro should be done away with as Castro has truly changed for the better.

Castro had previously used the status of his father, Dr. Chiluba, to misbehave and mistreat people.

The state has entered a nolle prosequi in a case in which a farm manager ,Mark Anthony Ralph Winwood, of Kampemba in Mpongwe district is alleged to have defamed the president .

State prosecutor, Mutakela Mulongwe, told Luanshya resident magistrate, John Mbuzi, that the state had decided to enter a nolle prosequi after studying the matter.

Winwood , 50, of Mpongwe was alleged to have defamed the president, contrary to Section 69 of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.

The particulars of the offence are that on 2nd December 2007 in Mpongwe district, with intent to bring the Republican President of Zambia into hatred, redicule and contempt of word of mouth, Winwood did say defamatory words “ Zambia is a cheap government, you stay as long as you have got money, corrupt president.” .

The accused was being represented by Matibini and company , while the Copperbelt Divisional prosecutions officer ,Mukateka Mulongwe, was representing the state.

Magistrate Mbuzi discharged Winwood following the state’s submission.