The Ugandan community in Zambia is happy with the warm relations existing between Zambia and Uganda.

Speaking during celebrations to mark the 45th, Independence Anniversary at the
Barclays Sports Complex yesterday, newly elected Chairman for the Ugandan Community
in Zambia, Fred Kagimu, said Zambia has been an all weather friend of Uganda.

“I would like on behalf of the Ugandans in Zambia, to commend the Zambian Government
and its people for the warm and cordial relations that have existed between the two
countries from pre-independence days”, Mr. Kagimu said.

“For most Ugandans living in Zambia, this has become like a second home to us, as we
have over the years studied, and in some cases even intermarried with the Zambians”,
he noted.

And speaking at the same occasion Managing Director of Madison Insurance, Rhoydie
Chisanga said Zambia appreciates common areas of cooperation that have existed
between the two countries since time immemorial.

Mr. Chisanga said Zambia stands ready to learn from success achieved by Uganda in
developing that country’s agriculture sector.

“Uganda has a rich and vibrant agricultural industry especially for cotton and
coffee, which is largely exported to both the European and Asian markets”, Mr.
Chisanga said.

And in a vote of thanks, a Legal Expert at the Common Market for Eastern and
Southern Africa, COMESA, Secretariat Stephen Karangizi said Zambia and Uganda have
many similarities and as such the need for stronger relations.

“Both Countries are land locked, are facing similar challenges, both were colonized
by the British, and the Universities of both countries has had students from Zambia
and Uganda study and emerge in various disciplines, this goes to show the strong
bond between the two countries”, he observed.

The Celebrations to mark the Uganda’s 45th independence anniversary whose theme was
dubbed “Living in Harmony Outside Uganda”,  attracted the attendance of Zambians,
Ugandans and many other nationalities.

Ugandan, which gained her independence on 9th October, 1962, had gone through
political instability in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s that led to a mass exodus
of its people, some of whom have lived and settled in Zambia.

The ruling Movement for Multi-party Democracy, MMD, has nominated former PF MP, Charles Chimumbwa, as its candidate for the forthcoming Nchanga parliamentary by- election.

MMD Chairperson for Information and Publicity, Benny Tetamashimba, announced the nomination at a press briefing in Lusaka today.

Mr Tetamashimba said Mr. Chimumbwa has been nominated candidate based on the
qualities of integrity he has, adding that he is also well known by the people of
Nchanga constituency.

Mr. Tetamashimba, however, acknowleged that the race for the MMD candidature for the
Nchanga by-election was tightly contested as most of the applicants were highly
wualified leaders.

He said the MMD has no doubt that Mr Chimumbwa is the right person to stand on the
party ticket in the forthcoming by-election being contested by among others the
opposition United Party for National Development, UPND, PF and All People’s
Congress, APC.

He appealed to the people of  Nchanga to vote for a candidate who is going to
adequately represent them in the on-going constitution making process.

He also appealed to the unsuccessful applicants for the MMD Nchanga candidature, to
support Mr. Chimumbwa and help him put up a strong campaign ahead of the polls.

The Nchanga seat fell vacant following the resignation of Mr Chimumbwa from the PF
to join the MMD.

And Mr Tetamashimba has defended the MMD National ExecutiveCommittee, NEC, decision
to nominate Mr. Chimumbwa as candidate for the by-election.

He said the decision is not in contradition with the party Constitutional provision
that provides that a selected candidate for an election must have served the party
for three years.

Mr Tetamashimba explained that Mr Chimbumbwa is not contesting for a party position
but rather a parliamentary position which is decided upon by the electorates.

He said the decision of NEC would have only been irregular if Mr Chimumbwa was
nominated to contest a party postion, which decided upon by party members .

Meanwhile, Mr Tetamashimba said the position of  MMD  Deputy National Secretary will
be filled soon.

He said the position is important to the party as it is a full time job.

He, however, indicated that the selection of an individual for the  position of  MMD
Vice President  will be done at a later stage.

Mr Tetamashimba has since assured party members that the NEC was doing everything
possible to fill theexisting vacancies in the party.

The Zambia Disability HIV/AIDS Human Rights Programme has urged disabled organisations and persons with disabilities to develop keen interest and participate in the National Constititution Conference (NCC).

Programmes Director Elijah Ngwale says the participation of disabled organisations
and persons with disabilities in the NCC will give them a wonderful opportunity to
represent themselves on the NNC fora.

Mr Ngwale told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that the participation of
persons with disabilities in the NCC would also play a paramount role of ensuring
that human rights to do with disabilities are not violeted in the country.

He urged politicians, the church and other stakeholders not to shunn the much
awaited and needed NCC Act but to ensure that they participate so that the alleged
numerous frauds in the NCC can be addressed.

Mr Ngwale, who also demanded the inclussion of the people with disabilities in the
NCC said there is need to expeditiously put in place a new constitution that will
answer the people’s aspiration.

The ruling Movement for Multi Party Democracy (MMD) in Southern province has called for the arrest of Politicians and non governmental organisations disregarding the NCC as Law.

Provincial chairman, Daniel Munkombwe told ZANIS in Mazabuka today that Police
should not wait for the President to direct them to effect arrests because they are
aware that the NCC has become Law.

Mr Munkombwe said the MMD in the province fully supports President call’s for the
arrest of people undermining the NCC which has since become law.

He also disclosed that the MMD has information that some NGOs were allegedly been
sponsored by foreigners to cause anarchy in the country by rejecting the NCC through
demonstrations.

Mr Munkombwe warned that the MMD will make it difficult for such organisations to
operate in the province.

Meanwhile, Mr Munkombwe says the bestowing of a honorary doctorate to President
Mwanawasa by a United states university has brought excitement in the MMD.

Mr Munkombwe said Dr Mwanawasa deserves such an award because of his outstanding
performance when he served as lawyer.

He said Dr Mwanawasa has distinguished himself as a strong leader in Africa and the
World over following his fight against corruption, revamping the economy.

THE International Fellowship of Christian Churches (IFFC) has challenged the three Church mother bodies that have said they will boycott the National Constitution Conference to give satisfactory reasons why they are shunning the conference.

IFFC president, Simon Chihana, said the NCC had taken into consideration all the concerns raised by the various stakeholders and wondered why the Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC), Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) and the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) had continued shunning the conference.

Bishop Chihana said at the Pastors’ Forum, which was attended by close to, 250 clergymen from various denominations under the auspices of IFFC and other religious bodies the three bodies were merely a fraction of Christian organisations, which should not derail the entire process.

“I had for example invited Bishop Mususu so that we could hear from him why they are not participating. But he said through his secretary that he would not make it,” Bishop Chihana said.

He said it was wrong for the Church mother bodies to shun the NCC as religious persons were well versed on issues of justice and equality which constitutions the world over sought to address.

Since independence, he said, Zambia had not enacted a people-driven Constitution and this was the only opportunity, which should not be spoiled as a result of selfish motives by the Church mother bodies and other interest groups.

Christians should not boycott the NCC as they had the wisdom through the Bible to ensure that a Constitution enacted did not divert from the biblical norms.

He said politicians relied on the wisdom from the clergy and it would, therefore, be wrong for Christians to shun the conference. In biblical times, he said the best constitutions were those that had an input from men and women of God.

At the same forum, constitutional lawyer, John Sangwa described the NCC as a golden opportunity for Zambians to participate in enacting the Constitution.

He, therefore, said it was important that the various stakeholders participated in the process, as shunning would not be in the best interest of the Zambian people.

Unlike in the previous Constitution review processes, none of the governments reached the stage of putting in place a conference at which citizens had been accorded an opportunity to contribute.

During the previous Constitution review processes, Mr Sangwa said that past presidents only appointed a few individuals to recommend what should be contained in the Constitution but this time, close to 500 people would be included.

Home Affairs Minister, Ronnie Shikapwasha said in the NCC, the Government would ensure that the draft Constitution, John Mwanakatwe and Patrick Mvunga reports and their relevant documents were provided for Lieutenant General Shikapwasha said it was not too late for the Oasis Forum and others shunning the conference to rescind their decisions and come on board.

And Zambia Institute of Chartered Accountants (ZICA) said time had come for accountants to participate in the Constitution making process.

ZICA president, Chintu Mulendema, said during the consultative workshop that accountants had always remained behind in governance issues and yet they contributed to the running of the economy.

He said owing to accountants taking back seats in governance, they had all the time not been included in key positions apart from that of Auditor General.

Mr Mulendema said ZICA decided to hold the workshop so as to enable the accounting profession realise the importance of participating in the governance issues.