Government says it has intensified preparations for the National Constitutional Conference, NCC.

Justice minister George Kunda says the process of  appointing members of the NCC
will start next week.

At a press briefing in Lusaka today, Mr Kunda said it is the intention of government
to convene the NCC as quickly as possible.

Mr Kunda said government through its Constitution Review Process Implementation
Committee is working on a sensitisation programme aimed at creating public awareness
on the Conference.

He said the idea is to ensure that members of the public including those in rural
areas are fully informed about the National Constitutional Conference.

Mr Kunda stressed that the position of government is that the NCC Act number 19 of
2007 as enacted by parliament will be implemented to the full as it is the only
lawful basis for the structure, composition and function of the conference.

The minister explained that only a few members from the CRC, mostly experts, will
take part in the NCC while the majority will come from various organisations and
interest groups.

Meanwhile, Justice Minister George Kunda says government does not accept arguments
being advanced by some interest groups that the composition of the NCC is unfair.

He said contrary to such assertions, the composition of the NCC is far much better
and fairer than that recommended by the Mung’omba Constituyional Review Commission.

Mr Kunda explained that stakeholders made submissions to the Parliamentary Committee
which dealt with the NCC and government graciously included in the NCC Act more than
90% of the suggestions which came from stakeholders.

He said for example, government removed the CRC recommendation which suggested that
the President should appoint 10 eminent persons because of insinuations that the
President enjoyed too much power.

Mr Kunda said it was therefore surprising that the same people who advocated for the
reduction of Presidential powers should  now be insisting on the unfettered
implementation of the CRC recommendations.

He said the ongoing contitution review process should be about improving the supreme
law of the land and not undermining President Levy Mwanawasa.

The minister said the idea of the new deal government is to improve the constitution
and that is why the document circulated commented to all stakeholdders for them to
make their input. 

He said the CRC Report had recommended the holding of elections in all the 72
districts to elect delegates to the confernce.

The Oasis Forum made representation to the Government it should not follow this
recommendation but instead include councillors who are infact politicians to be part
of the conference.

He said as a listening government,  one councillor from each district was included
in the NCC in line with the  suggestion by the OASIS Forum.

To government’s astonishment, the Oasis Forum has turned round demanding a full
implementation the CRC report.

“As it’s usually the case, the OASIS Forum has continued to raise new issues even
after the enactment of the NCC Bill with a view to sabotaging the process.” Justice
Kunda said.

He  urged members of the OASIS Forum to read the report and recommendations of the
CRC as they will discover that the NCC Act and its composition are better than that
recommended by the CRC.

Mr Kunda said government will not allow a situation where persons not interested in
having new constitution hold the public to ransom.

He said government will proceed to enforce the law as it is and not as some people
would like it to be.

Mr Kunda urged all organisations and interest groups mentioned in the NCC Act and
Zambians in general to prepare themselves for the conference.

The minister took a swipe at South African based law lecturer Professor Michelo
Hansungule for misleading Zambians on political issues he has little information
about.

Mr Kunda said he expected Professor Hansungule to guide the nation rather lower his
profile as a professor through unresearched presentations.

Professor Hansungule was one of the speakers at the civil society organised meeting
on the constitution making process at Lusaka’s Mulungushi International Conference
centre last week.

President Mwanawasa is expected in Mazabuka  on Tuesday this week to officially launch the sugarcane expansion project at Zambia Sugar plc.

This is according to a programme released to ZANIS in Mazabuka by District
Commissioner, Misheck Chiinda today.

According to the programme, Mr Mwanawasa will fly by chopper from Lusaka and conduct an aerial view of the Kafue river, Delta farm, Manyonyo, Chilala, Nanga and Magobbo settlements before landing at Nakambala football ground at 08:00 hours.

Zambia Sugar company plc, Managing Director, Paul de Robillard will accompany the
President during the aerial viewing of farms and areas where the sugarcane expansion
programme is being implemented.

The President will then proceed to Kaleya Small Holders by road where he is expected
to tour the Sugarcane Out-growers Scheme before unveiling the project.

Zambia Sugar company plc has invested K840 billion in the sugarcane expansion
project which has since gained momentum.

Production of sugar is projected to increase from the current, 260,000 metric tonnes
to 440,000 metric tonnes due to the additional 10,500 hectares of land under the
expansion programme.

Construction of irrigation canals will cover 30 Kilometres from the Kafue river
which is the source of water for irrigation for sugarcane.

So far the digging of the canals under the project has so far covered a distance of
3km while 8km of bush has also been cleared.

Zambia Sugar Corporate Affairs manager, Lovemore Sievu told ZANIS all is set for the
official launch of the sugarcane project by the republican President on Tuesday

Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president Leornard Hikaumba says safeguarding of personal interests is what has derailed the merger of ZCTU with the Federation of Free Trade Unions of Zambia (FFTUZ).

Mr Hikaumba said informal discussions were underway between the two unions and hoped that workers’interests would be prioritised as opposed to personal interests.

Mr Hikaumba who said this on Zambezi FM Radio in Livingstone yesterday monitored by ZANIS.

He warned that coming up with many unions would weaken the union’s voice adding that the  fragmentation of unions has led to leaders dealing with each other instead of
dealing with the plight of workers and described the whole move as unfortunate.

”We in the leadership are a problem with the merger. We have however exchanged
letters and have had informal discussions and with time, I hope we shall discard
personal interests and look at interests of workers and this is the only way we will
achieve something,” he said.

Mr Hikaumba called on all Zambians to come up with a smaller number of unions.

He said many uinons have made negotiations with Government to take much longer
because Government had to negotiate with seven different unions all representing
public service workers.

THE Lusaka Magistrate Court yesterday heard that former State House special assistant for press and public relations, Richard Sakala, allegedly influenced the sale of an Indeco Estates property to a private company.

This is in a case in which Sakala is charged with abuse of authority of office involving the sale of a Presidential Housing Initiative (PHI) house at a discounted fee to a non-eligible person.

He is alleged to have sold the house to a non-sitting tenant at a discounted price of K16 million while he was PHI chairperson.

Sakala is also charged with executing a valuable security by false pretences.

In the third count, Sakala is charged with a Mrs Nelly Mwila for forgery.

State witness George Chanda said in examination in chief that Sakala intervened in the sale of the Indeco Estates property when he was chairperson of the company’s board of directors.

He was led before senior resident magistrate Sharon Newa.

yesterday by Task Force on Corruption public prosecutor, Godfrey Kayuka.

Mr Chanda, 42, of 3292 Woodlands, Lusaka, who is former Indeco Estates chief executive officer, said Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company previously occupied the property in question, situated on Haile Selassie Avenue in Longacres area.

“After Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company vacated, we decided to dispose of the property. We approached the board of directors to inform them that we have decided to dispose of the property. Our request was not approved,” Mr Chanda said.

He said the board later asked management to find a tenant to rent the property.

“After sometime, we found a tenant in the name of Daniel’s Restaurant,” Mr Chanda said.

He said after sometime, Sakala informed him that the UN was interested in the property and that the Zambian Government was under obligation to surrender the property to the UN.

He said Sakala further told him that the UN would get the property without paying for it.

“As management, we were not happy because we needed money for the company. Instead of surrendering the property to the UN, we decided to dispose of the property immediately,” Mr Chanda said.

He said one of the conditions of sale was that would-be buyers should be Zambian.

“Under normal circumstances, when the property has a tenant, first offer should be given to such tenant who enjoys the right of first refusal,” Mr Chanda said.
He explained that Indeco had difficulties in offering the property to Daniel’s Restaurant because the owners were non-Zambians.

He said the company could not advertise the property for sale to the public “because we were fearing that people who were interested in getting it for free would know that we were selling it.”

It was at this point that Sakala offered to identify someone who could buy the property and later identified Joritas Enterprises Limited.

Mr Chanda said Joritas offered to buy the property at K140 million and that Indeco accepted the offer and engaged M Musaluke Advocates to prepare the contract of sale.

“After paying the purchase price in full, they (Joritas) advised us through their lawyer that the property should be transferred in the name Helen Mumba Waynes,” he said.

Mr Chanda said as chief executive officer and director, he prepared and executed an assignment for sale and a Mr Chewe, who was company secretary and finance manager, signed it.

He said Indeco started selling its properties following a Government directive.

Mr Chanda said once an offer for sale was made and paid in full, the property should be transferred in the name of a person who had purchased it.

He also said all the properties were valued by independent consultants.

Earlier, Cabinet Office permanent secretary for administration, Oliver Kalabo, testified on Sakala’s appointment into the public service.

Mr Kalabo, 45, of plot 1306, Lilayi, said Sakala was appointed as State House special assistant for press and public relations in January 1992.

He said Sakala was later appointed PHI chairperson after a cabinet decision.

The matter was adjourned to October 8, 2007 for continued trial.

And former Minister of Lands, Gladys Nyirongo appeared for mention in a corruption case involving alleged illegal allocation of land.

The matter was adjourned to September 24, 2007 for commencement of trial.

ZAMBIANS should be wary of people forcing them to boycott the sittings of National Constitutional Conference (NCC) because they initially misled others in refusing to submit to the Wila Mung’omba Constitution Review Commission (CRC).

Chief Government spokesperson, Mike Mulongoti said this yesterday in Lusaka after touring the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) radio and television studios.

“I want to appeal to the people of Zambia to be wary of people who live in the comfort zone and only appear when the debate on the constitution is crystallising. They appear as vultures when they were not there during the hunting.

“President Mwanawasa appointed the CRC and when he did that, people boycotted and withdrew their members.
Some of their members refused to be withdrawn and were in the process suspended,” Mr Mulongoti said.

He said the CRC, however, went on to produce a document and set the agenda for what was to be discussed.

Mr Mulongoti who, is Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, said those who withdrew from the CRC process were not focused and helpful.

“After an extension of two days for them to make submissions to the CRC, some of those who boycotted went to make submissions,” he said.

Mr Mulongoti said the majority of the people who submitted to the CRC did not want the constitution to be adopted using a Constituent Assembly (CA) but that it was the CRC, which suggested the mode.

He, however, said the contents of the draft constitution were more critical to the new national law than the mode of adoption.

“They can’t boycott now when they claim that they have evidence to make a good constitution. Why can’t they take that knowledge to enrich the constitution through the NCC?” Mr Mulongoti asked.

He said Government would remain consistent over the constitution review process.

Mr Mulongoti said the constitution making process was an endeavour for all citizens and not for few organisations.

“Don’t be intimidated or cheated that when they go to the NCC, they will represent you better,” Mr Mulongoti said.

He dispelled assertions that Government would go to the NCC to dictate the process.

The minister said Government’s representatives would go there as stakeholders like everyone else.

“Anyone who is saying that Government will have a bigger role is economising on the truth,” Mr Mulongoti said

He refuted claims that the NCC Act was dictatorial just because the President was given powers to dissolve the conference if there was no progress.

Mr Mulongoti said there was no way the conference could be allowed to go on indefinitely in an event that it did not complete its work within 12 months.

“Somebody has to stop it because there are cost implications to it and the President must have the mandate to determine this. Those who are dissuading you, tell them that you will represent yourself because it is a national endeavour.

It is not fair that after spending so much money you tell people to boycott. Take this as a challenge and an endeavour so that we can have a constitution that stands the test of time,” Mr Mulongoti said.

He said former CRC members cannot be represented on the NCC as suggested by some sections of society because those who served during the constitution review process belonged to groups.

Mr Mulongoti also said it was the CRC which came up with the draft constitution and report and that people wanted to discuss the contents independently.

He also said there was no need to reduce the powers of the President because they were needed to galvanise the activity of the country.

Earlier, Mr Mulongoti said it was the responsibility of the media to ensure that the public was aware of the implications and contents of the NCC.

He said ZNBC faced the challenge of quality service delivery.

Mr Mulongoti said he did not expect public media to criticise Government, as doing so would be subtracting to the integrity of leadership.

“If you begin criticising and pouring scorn on leadership, you will be subtracting to the integrity of leaders, the general public will begin to say that we are irrelevant,” Mr Mulongoti said.

He said, however, that personnel in the public media should not feel threatened because there were disciplinary codes to follow before disciplining anyone.

Mr Mulongoti was not happy that ZNBC was getting “choked” with debts.

“You cannot continue to defer it, you must come up with answers to dismantle it,” Mr Mulongoti said.

The MMD in Livingstone has scooped both the mayoral and deputy mayoral seat in the just ended elections.

And the outgoing mayor of Livingstone John Mukosho pulled out of the mayoral race at the last minute.

The Returning Officer who is also Livingstone Town Clerk, George
Kalenga this afternoon declared Livingstone’s  MMD’s Namatama ward
councillor, Grace Shafik as duly elected mayor of the city of Livingstone.

Of the 17 total votes cast, Mrs Shafik polled 13 against her rival MMD Lizuma ward
councillor Mary Mukwiza who got  four votes.

There were no spoiled votes.

Meanwhile, Simonga MMD ward councillor Joram Mwiinda accumulated 10 out of
the 17 total votes cast to win  the deputy mayoral seat against his closest rival UPND ward councillor for Kaziya, Aggrey Njekwa.

Speaking shortly after being declared winner, councillor Shafik promised the people of Livingstone change and unity.

Mrs. Shafik said water reticulation and road infrastructure will be top of the agenda during her term of office.

She described the elections as free and fair.

A Constitutional Lawyer, Prof. Michelo Hansungule, said the National Constitutional Conference Act is dictatorial.

Prof. Hansungule said this in a presentation on the constitution making process at a stakeholders consultative Conference organised by the OASIS Forum at Mulungushi International Conference Centre.

He said the Act has given too much power to the President.

Chief Government Spokesperson, Mike Mulongoti, said there is nothing wrong with the Act.

Mr. Mulongoti wondered why Prof. Hansungule and others chose to criticise the Act after its enactment.

He said every person had the opportunity to contribute towards the Act before Presidential assent.

Heritage Party President, Godfrey Miyanda and All Peoples Congress Party leader, Ken Ngondo were among prominent persons in attendance.

The Lusaka Magistrate Court, heard, Thursday that Fugitive former Zambia Intelligence Security Services Director General Xavier Chungu advised the government to deposit funds meant for servicing debt owed to two United States firms through the ZANACO bank London branch known as ZAMTROOP account.

Bank of Zambia Assistant Director of Banking, Fabian Hara said Mr. Chungu in a letter he authored in 1995 to then Finance minister Ronald Penza advised the that funds to service the debt owed to Wilburn incorporated and Systems Innovations be deposited in the ZAMTROP Account.

Mr. Hara was testifying in the case against Former Finance Minister, Katele Kalumba and six others.

Dr. Kalumba is jointly charged with former Ministry of Finance Permanent Secretary, Stella Chibanda and five others for charges of corruption and abuse of authority of office involving overpayment of about US$20 million.

The others include former Secretary to Treasury, Benjamin Mweene, former Chief Economist in the Ministry of Finance, Bede Mpande, former Director of Budget, Boniface Nonde and Access Financial Services Directors, Faustin Kabwe and Aaron Chungu.

They are accused of having, jointly or individually, facilitated, authorised and signed for the release of funds from ZAMTROP account to pay Systems Innovation and Wilbain Incorporation, an act that resulted into an overpayment of about US$20 million.

Mr. Hara also told Principle Resident Magistrate, Edward Musona that there was nothing irregular in the payments of debts to the Two United States Firms hence the reason the Bank of Zambia Governor and his deputy authorized the transactions.