ZIMBABWEAN President Robert Mugabe stormed out of the recent Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit after an explosive clash with Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa during a closed session, it has emerged.

Mugabe’s confrontation with Mwanawasa and his subsequent indignant departure from the meeting raised fears that the already divided regional bloc could be further weakened by further infighting and divisions.

The SADC is riddled with geo-political and personal rivalries among leaders which threaten to make it difficult to deal with internal conflicts and rein in rogue states. Mugabe’s fracas with Mwanawasa was reminiscent of his row with former South African president Nelson Mandela during a SADC meeting in Angola in 1997.

Diplomatic sources who attended the summit revealed this week that Mugabe walked out of the meeting after a row with Mwanawasa over Zimbabwe’s political and economic crisis.

The sources said Mugabe went off in a huff after the unprecedented confrontation. Mwanawasa was chairing the meeting, which ended on a sour note.

The wrangle was caused by an attempt by Mwanawasa to table Zimbabwe for discussion, a move which enraged Mugabe.

Mugabe arrived home early looking glum after hurriedly leaving the summit. Upon his return, he said the meeting went well but made it clear his regime would continue with its own programmes, regardless of what the SADC leaders were saying.

The SADC said it was preparing an economic recovery package for Zimbabwe, but Mugabe’s spokesman, George Charamba, said in his anonymous column in the government-controlled daily Herald that Zimbabwe did not need help from the region because “no aid cent will come from SADC countries”, reflecting Mugabe’s attitude after the summit.

This was contrary to President Thabo Mbeki’s claims that there were no divisions over Zimbabwe at the summit and that the SADC was committed to helping Zimbabwe out of its crisis. He had described reports of division as “fictional” and said SADC leaders were not at odds over Zimbabwe.

But information gleaned from senior SADC diplomats indicates there were not just divisions, but a fierce clash between Mugabe and Mwanawasa that left the regional leaders shocked. They say the trouble started after Mbeki del-ivered his report on talks between the Zimbabwean ruling party Zanu (PF) and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

Mbeki had earlier given the report to Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, the chairman of the SADC organ on politics, defence and security. Mbeki briefed the summit on Zimbabwe in his capacity as an SADC -appointed mediator .

Mbeki said in his briefing there was progress in the talks, although parties needed to intensify negotiations.

“After Mbeki delivered his report to the summit, Mwanawasa, as the chair of the meeting, said there was an urgent need to discuss Zimbabwe because the situation there had become ‘unacceptable’. Kikwete said there was no need to discuss it because talks were in progress and Mbeki concurred,” a senior diplomat said. “Kikwete then suggested Mugabe should be asked what he thought about Mwanawasa’s proposal. When Mugabe was given the platform to speak he launched an angry tirade, attacking Mwanawasa left, right and centre before walking out in protest.”

The diplomat said Mugabe angrily asked: “Who are you, Mwanawasa? Who are you? Who do you think you are?”

“Mugabe also said he was aware of Mwanawasa’s recent meetings with western intelligence agencies on Zimbabwe. He said he would ‘not allow Mwanawasa to sell out Zimbabwe as he has done to Zambia’,” the diplomat said.

“During the process Mwana-wasa was shaken and he kept on saying: ‘Mr President I didn’t mean to say that; you misunderstood me. No, Mr President, that was not my intention’ .”

Sources said Mugabe, after blasting Mwanawasa, walked out and did not return.

Efforts by colleagues — including Kikwete and Mbeki — to persuade him to return to the meeting failed.

BusinessDay 

Mazabuka member of parliament, Garry Nkombo, says the K840 Billion sugarcane investment programme at Zambia Sugar Company plc in Mazabuka, has not benefited local businessmen.

Mr. Nkombo said in Mazabuka during a stakeholders meeting chaired by District Commissioner, Misheck Chiinda, that the company has failed to honour the agreement it made with the local business persons.

He said what is happening now is totally different from what was agreed upon with the company.

Mr. Nkombo said the company assured local contractors and business persons that priority would be given to them before seeking services elswhere.

Mazabuka District Business Association member, George Daka, said his association is disappointed with the company.

Mr. Daka said the association has received a raw deal over the contracts despite assurances from management.

Muchinga Member of Parliament in Serenje, George Kunda, has said the Parliamentary Cosntituency offices were important for communication between members of parliament and the electorate.

Speaking after visiting Muchinga cosntituency office at Chibale, Mr. Kunda who, is
also Justice Minister, said he was happy that people were reporting  issues
pertainig to the developent of the constituency to the professional assistant.

He urged the members of the public to cotinue using the office to communciate to him
matters of development so that they were in touch with him as Member of Parliament
for the area.

”This is good because sometimes these people don’t see me and yet they have issues
of development to report.  Even when I am not around they bring reprots to the
professional assistant here. I am happy that this is going on,” he said.

He commended National Assembly for coming up with constituency offices, saying it
was a good initiative, which should be supproted by all.

And professional assistant (PA) Chibuye Chisanga, said many people from nearby
places flocked to the office to report various issues of development to him.

Mr Chisanga said it was just unfortunate that those from far away places in the
cosntituency, failed due to distance.

Meanwhile, Muchinga cosntituency member of parliament, Goerge Kunda has called upon
people in his constituency to ensure that they got involved in monitoring
development projects in the area.

Mr. Kunda said it was sad that when government released funds for development
projects, the communities appeared to have nothing to do with its implementation.

He was speaking after Muchinga cosntituency professional assistant, Chibuye
Chisanga, reproted that constituency development fund (CDF) released between 1988
and 2001 for cosntruction of Kantamba-bridge were not accounted for.

The Anti-Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) has commended government for increasing the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) from K60 million to K200 million per constituency.

AVAP Executive Director Bonnie Tembo says the move will enable Members of Parliament
and stakeholders in development to initiate meaningful developmental projects in the
respective constituencies.

Mr Tembo however told ZANIS that the Ministry of Local Government and Housing should
advertise the guidelines for accessing and utilising the funds.

He said this is because many people in the various constituencies have no
information regarding the CDF.

Mr. Tembo proposed the formation of committees to spearhead the utilisation of the
funds.

” However in the spirit of transparency and making sure that the funds are used for
eligible developmental projects, the CDF committees should de-politicised,” said Mr
Tembo

He pointed out that this is because in the past the CDF committees comprised of
party cadres belonging to the Area Member of Parliament.

Mr. Tembo said CDF committees should be balanced with a number of stakeholder
organisations sitting on such committees.

He further called upon the electorate in all the constituencies to monitor the
disbursement of the funds.

Mr Tembo also called on MPs to visit their constituencies to explain the CDF in
terms of accessing, utilising and accountability.

He said MPs should take a lead in ensuring that the electorate identify viable
projects.

Government has joined scores of people that have condemned the behaviour of a police officer, who assaulted two nurses after his child died at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka over the weekend.

Chief Government Spokesperson, Mike Mulongoti said the behaviour of sub-inspector Peter Mwale was uncalled for even under such circumstances.

Mr. Mwale is alleged to have assaulted two nurses at UTH, whom he accused of
negligence resulting into the death of his child.

Mr. Mulongoti, who is also Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, said
in a statement to ZANIS today that as an officer charged with a duty to enforce the
law and keep order, Mr. Mwale should have exercised restraint even after losing his
child.

He said government would not condone the behaviour displayed by Mr. Mwale, noting
that nurses were overwhelmed with work hence the seemingly slackening behaviour
towards attending to patients.

“While it is appreciated and understandable that a person who loses a close relation
may lose composure, Government will not allow anyone to take the law into their own
hands or disrupt services at any public institution due to failure to exercise
self-control,” he said.

Mr. Mulongoti said Mr. Mwale should have exercised some level of restraint as a law
enforcement officer and should not have allowed himself to be overtaken by personal
emotions.

The minister said even nurses themselves did not enjoy seeing people dying and
therefore they try their best to preserve lives even when they were working under
very difficult conditions.

He also explained that following a serious brain drain in the health sector in
Zambia, medical personnel were overstretched and stressed as they attended to many
patients.

He added that members of the public should understand the way nurses operate.

“I would also like to appeal to all individuals and organisations that have made
comments on the same, including those aggrieved by the act to exercise forgiveness
so that the healing process can start,” he said.

Mr. Mulongoti explained that government delayed in making its stance on the matter
known for fear of prejudicing investigations that were going on

FORMER President, Frederick Chiluba’s wife, Regina, was yesterday re-arrested and later released on a K300 million police bond.

This is barely two weeks after the State withdrew nine charges against her in the Ndola Magistrate Court.

Mrs Chiluba has now been charged with six counts out of the nine charges she initially faced.

She will appear in court on September 7, 2007, in Lusaka.

Mrs Chiluba is facing five counts which involve failure to account for properties believed to have been stolen or unlawfully obtained, contrary to section 319 (a) CAP 87 of the Laws of Zambia.

The other count is of allegedly receiving property knowing or having reason to believe that the same had been stolen, contrary to section 318 sub-section one CAP 87 of the Laws of Zambia.

Mrs Chiluba was released on police bond at 14:15 hours with two sureties who are Kasama member of Parliament, Saviour Chishimba, and Dr Chiluba’s spokesperson, Emmanuel Mwamba.

Officers from the Task Force on Corruption went to Dr Chiluba’s residence in Kabulonga to fetch his wife after she declined to report to their offices.

According to Mr Mwamba, the officers went to Dr Chiluba’s residence at 11:30 hours with a search warrant, to look for Mrs Chiluba.

The officers were allowed in and informed that Mrs Chiluba would only go to the station upon the arrival of her lawyer, Robert Simeza.

“After the lawyer arrived, we all drove to Woodlands Police Station,” he said.

Mrs Chiluba who was accompanied by her husband and several relatives, was arrested and taken to the police cells at Woodlands Police Station, where she was detained for about 10 minutes.

Dr Chiluba went into the cells with his wife.

Mrs Chiluba was released after the bond was signed by the officer in charge.

The six counts Mrs Chiluba has been charged with include allegations related to properties in Kitwe and Ndola, K417 million held in her Standard Chartered Bank account in Ndola, and two motor vehicles, an Isuzu and a Toyota Rav 4.