MMD Youths on the Copperbelt have commended government halting corruption cases against Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Katanga province Governor Moses Katumbi as a good move that would build strong Diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Provincial Youth Chairman Nicholas Nzunda told ZANIS in kitwe today that the youths were grateful with the stance taken by government to clear Mr Katumbi as it will help build good relationship between Congo DR and the Zambian government for the benefit of its citizens.

He said the decision taken to clear Mr Katumbi of graft charges will help resolve alot of problems that affected businessmen who used the pedicle road to do business.

He challenged Dr Rodger Chongwe to stop accusing government for making peace with Mr. Katumbi.

Mr Nzunda said Mr Chongwe should stop bickering but should instead put national interest first before personalizing matters that involve neighbouring countries.

Mr Nzunda said Mr Katumbi was a very senior person and influential leader in Congo and that Mr. Chongwe should therefore desist from making political mileage over the issue that affected many people.

He appealed to Mr Chongwe to concentrate on his law firm and direct his energy and assist the suspects in remand prisons who have not been tried for a long time.

About 338 registered members of the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) have been successfully sworn in before Chief Justice Ernest Sakala at Mulungushi International Conference Centre (MICC) in Lusaka today.

The 338 members are part of the approximately 500 members expected to participate in the constitution making process.

NCC Secretary, Russell Mulele announced this in a statement made available to the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in Lusaka today.

Mr Mulele advised members who have not registered yet, to do so quickly adding that the secretariat will remain open up to Monday December 17th, 2007.

He noted that the last swearing in ceremony is scheduled to take place on Tuesday December 18th in readiness for the first sitting on Wednesday December 19th, 20007 at MICC.

Mr Mulele indicated that the secretariat would remain open on Friday and Monday from 09:00 hours to 17:00 hours while on Saturday it will be open from 09:00 to 13:00 hours.

Meanwhile, About 27 opposition Patriotic Front Members of Parliament have said their decision to participate in
the National Constitution Conference (NCC) is to strengthen debates and contribute to the outcome of the new constitution.

Luapula MP, Peter Machungwa, who spoke on behalf of other members, said the NCC was an important conference that would lead to the final constitution, hence the need for the party MPs to use it to contribute to the supreme law of the land.

Over 20 PF MPs today took oath before Chief Justice Ernest Sakala at Mulungushi International Conference Centre to participate in the NCC, which starts sitting in Lusaka next week, defying party president, Michael Sata’s directive for them to boycott the conference.

Yesterday Mr. Sata issued a warning that those who have accepted to participate in the NCC would be disciplined by the party if they did not rescind their decision or resign from the party.

This prompted the PF MPs to hold a brief meeting after they were sworn in as NCC members today

Dr. Machungwa said the participation of PF MPs in the NCC would allow them to represent their electorates in the constituencies since not everyone could be appointed to the conference.

“We would like to put it on record that the MMD refused to include amendments to the NCC act so that it is all inclusive, for this reason, we have decided to go and join other people in the NCC to bring about change to the constitution,” he explained.

He explained that boycotting the NCC sittings would only give an opportunity to some people to manipulate the contents of the next constitution.

On disciplinary threats from Mr. Sata, Dr. Machungwa hoped the party leadership would realise the importance of the MPs’ contribution to the NCC and what they have done before towards the constitution making process.

He however said the problem that would arise from their decision would be resolved as an internal matter within the PF.

Dr. Machungwa said it was strange to learn that the PF counsellors that decided to participate in the NCC would be disciplined despite them being nominated by their councils.

Meanwhile, Chief Government Spokesperson Mike Mulongoti has said MPs that have decided to participate in the NCC should not be intimidated by their parties but that they should do so for the interest of their electorates.

Mr. Mulongoti, who is also Minister of Information and Broadcasting, said today that the NCC members have a duty to come up with a national constitution that should stand a test of time.

Earlier, PF Ndola Central MP, Mark Mushili withdrew his participation to the NCC citing personal reasons.

Mr. Mushili has since returned the money he got for his upkeep during the registration and brief sittings in Lusaka.

23 members of parliament from the opposition Patriotic Front have defied a directive from the party leadership to boycott the National Constitutional Conference (NCC). The Members of parliament have registered to be part of the NCC.The PF MP’s turned up at parliament building Wednesday morning to register their names to take part in the constitution making process.

Government has defended its decision to discontinue and close all corruption cases against Democratic Republic of Congo-DRC Katanga Province Governor Moses Katumbi due to diplomatic ties that exist between Zambia and that country.

Chief Government Spokesperson Mike Mulongoti said the move was purely for economic interests and peace between the two countries, saying the choice was for Zambia to either paralyse its economy by having conflicts with the DRC or to resolve all standing matters amicably

Mr. Mulongoti who was speaking in an interview with Journalists in Lusaka today explained that Mr. Katumbi ceased to be an ordinary citizen when he won the elections as Governor saying it was not good to pursue one of the country’s neighbour’s Government figure.

Mr. Mulongoti who is also Minister of Information said Government weighed the situation, of either maintaining friendliness with DRC or to be at loggerheads.

Government’s move to discontinue Katumbi’s case has triggered public outcry with some sections of society contending that this will dent its corruption crusade.

And Mr. Mulongoti has said it is good to see that the citizens of Zambia have decided to forge ahead with the constitution making process by participating in the National Constitution Conference-NCC.

Mr. Mulongoti said delegates to sit on NCC will articulate what they feel is right for the country and to carry the mandate of the people they represent.

He pointed out that it is not good for some people to say they were going there to fight someone saying they should simply admit that they were wrong in the first place to snub the NCC.

Delegates to the NCC yesterday commenced registration at Mulungushi International Conference.

Government has invited various stakeholders to take part in the NCC sittings although some organisations have rejected the offer.
The NCC sittings will commence next week on 19 December

Panic gripped on lookers and passengers at the Lusaka International airport when a South African airways passenger plane hit into a stationary truck upon arrival from Johannesburg.

A ZANIS crew that rushed to scene around 15:00 hours found airport officials and fire service personnel and South African Airways officials inspecting the Boeing 737-700 registration number ZS-SJD.

Uncompromising Airport and Zambia Police Officers could not however allow the crew access to the accident site as management had instructed them not to allow the press.

According to an eye witness who refused to be identified, the plane was about to park at the apron before passengers could disembark when its left wing that was dented, hit into the stationary utility truck registration number KYZ 207.

And both National Airports Corporation Limited (NACL) Public Relations Officer Godfrey Chipolyonga and NACL airport manager identified as a Mr. Mwansa refused to comment and referred all queries to South African airways officials.

Efforts to get a comment from South African Airways officials also proved futile as they categorically refused to comment on the matter.

The lady official who was found at the airlines office told the crew that the airline does not give information to the press on such matters and referred the news crew back to the airport officials.

No casualties were recorded and both airport and airline officials further refused to state the number of passengers on board citing security reasons.

This has been the airline policy since the September 11th attack in the United States when two planes were hijacked by suspected Al-Quaeda terrorists hit into the twin towers at the world trade centre in New York.

Opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) has condemned the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) for refusing to amend National Constitution Conference (NCC) but instead go ahead increasing the composition in the conference.

And the UPND has said the MMD should have amended the NCC Act to address concerns raised by other stakeholders in the constitution making process.

UPND President Hakainde Hichilema said at a press briefing in Lusaka today that his party would fight tooth and nail for what he termed a people driven constitution.

Mr. Hichilema said the UPND National Management Committee (NMC) decided on two days ago that his party should not relent in its quest for a people driven constitution in the NCC, the national referendum and parliament.

He said despite the failures in the past attempts to compel the ruling party to include all the stakeholders’ concerns in the NCC, the party would devise new methods of advocating for the constitution that would address concerns of Zambians.

He told journalists that the UPND engaged into consultative meetings with the seventh Day Adventist Church, Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) Zaambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC), Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) and other stakeholders I an attempt to resolve the differences in the constitutional making process.

Mr. Hichilema at the NCC, the UPND would fight for a president elected by 50 + 1 majority of the valid votes, enshrining of the election date in the constitution and independence of the Electoral Commission of Zambia which should have representation from political parties, churches and NGOs.

“The Chief Justice should not be the Returning Officer for the presidential elections, but the chairperson of the independent Electoral Commission, there should be a mixed proportional representation system of elections to parliament,” he said.

He further said the party was against a piecemeal amendment to the constitution, saying “The whole document should be subjected to a referendum after the NCC has agreed to its contents”.

He also said the party would advocate that members of parliament who defected from a party should be barred from contesting for the position until after that term of office expires.

The other things the party would fight for was the entrenchment of the economic and social rights in the constitution especially the right to education, health, employment, clean water supply and decent housing.

Mr. Hichilema said the bill of rights should be amended to improve people’s rights especially of children and women.

He stressed that the Freedom of Information Bill should be clearly stated in the constitution to guarantee the freedom of the press.

“There should be funding of political parties from public resources on criteria to be agreed in order to strengthen democracy and avoid abuse of public funds by the ruling party,” he said.

The UPND leader said at parliament level, his party would endeavour to fight for what it has always advocated for.

The ruling party need at this stage to gunner two thirds majority for which it it short by 29 Members of Parliament.

He said his 22 MPs would not vote with the MMD in parliament and warned that whichever UPND MP would side with the MMD would be disciplined.

Currently, parliament comprises 73 MPs for MMD, Patriotic Front 41, UPND 22, the United Liberal Party (ULP) three and United National Independence Party (UNIP) has two.

The Forum for Democracy and Development has two MPs, the National Democratic Focus has one. There are three independent MPs in parliament.