MMD national secretary Katele Kalumba has appealed to members to avoid factional meetings that are likely to be misconstrued as campaigns for the party presidency.

In an interview in Lusaka yesterday, Dr Kalumba advised them to heed President Mwanawasa’s directive to stop the debate on his succession for the sake of unity in the party.

“There is a good reason why the President directed as he did, there is discipline in the party and all members must obey the leadership. I do not wish this meeting (by Western Province politicians) to give rise to panic and finger pointing,” Dr Kalumba said.

Some prominent people from the Western Province are alleged to have met on March 4, 2007 to identify a leader to succeed President Mwanawasa.

Dr Kalumba said he had spoken to senior members of the party who were reported to have attended the meeting, among them MMD national chairman, Michael Mabenga, who assured him that this was not a matter that should alarm members.

“The national chairman assured me that he would not be party to any attempt to create regional factions and that he did not subscribe to the objectives of the meeting,” Dr Kalumba said.

He said although it was understandable that people in different regions would be sitting in caucuses to consider their political options, President Mwanawasa directed that the debate over his successor should be halted.

“My appeal to our members is that they should avoid associating themselves with meetings likely to be misconstrued as being campaigns for the party presidency,” Dr Kalumba said.

He said as members, the people of Western Province would have an opportunity at the right time to consider their political options like any other province.

An Academician has urged African countries to critically analyze budgets for by-election which he said are a drain of resources for national development.

Professor Carlson Anyangwe stated that resources that are channeled to holding of
by- elections could go a long in developing the country.

He pointed out the K3 billion spend on the recent Kapoche by- election was a huge
amount which, if invested in the constituency, can go a long way fostering development in the area.

Prof. Anyangwe stated that few people enter politics out of conviction and ideology,
hence the increase in the number of politicians jumping from one political party to
other.

Speaking when he featured on ZNBC’s Media Institute for Southern Africa (MISA) Good Governance programme today, Prof Anyangwe implored governments on the continent to work in harmony with the civil society.

He said governments on the continent would not have achieved development to the
level they have without the partnership of the civil society.

“There is no cause for government to be fearful of the civil societies, they are now
playing the role which the political parties and ordinary citizens are supposed to
be taking,” he said.

Government has called on opposition members of parliament opposing its roadmap on the constitution making process to resign for failing to keep the oath they took to defend on the constitution.

Minister of Youth, Sport and Child Development, Gabriel Namulambe, made the call in
Mufulira yesterday when he addressed Faith Based Organisations  (FBOs).

The minister told Christians to rally behind the government suggested roadmap and
reject the short cut that the opposition political parties and civil society are
demanding.

Mr. Namulambe said the country is not  in a governance crisis for people to suggest
unsubstantiated roadmap.

He urged the congregants to ignore calls by the opposition and civil society for a
Constituent Assembly, saying they are just a small fraction of Zambians intending to
enrich themselves at the expense of development.

The minister told the people that it was not Biblical to be in conflict with
government and demonize leaders as this will entail they are rebelling against God.

The minister, who earlier asked pastors to lay hands on him so that he could be able
to provide good leadership entrusted on him by the President, reminded the
Christians to submit to government as expected  of them by the word of God.

He said government will not bend on its position over the constitution making
process, adding that if  it means asking God to change the constitution, it will be
done.

And speaking earlier prophet Haggai Kalaba said leaders who are in government have a
responsibility given to them by God to  provide for the needy and not to give
excuses.

He said God has ordained government to bring sanity and people are to respect the
word of God in totality.

The minister also toured various projects that the FBOs in the district are runing
that include promotion of traditions, sporting activities and support and care to
vulnerable children.

Mr. Namulambe commended the FBOs for their initiatives and encouraged them to
replicate the activities to other towns who are waiting upon government to provide.
ZANIS

Disbanded Lenshina followers have hailed President Mwanawasa’s government for accepting them back into the country as free citizens.

The followers who went in ‘exile’ in 1964 to Democratic Republic of Congo, by then Zaire, sent their gratitude message to the President through the Minister of Youth, Sport and Child Development, Gabriel Namulambe, who visited them in Mufulira yesterday.

Lenshina sect, originally from Chinsali district, is now working with other Faith
Based Organizations in the district under the name Lenshina Support Group.

Chairperson of the group, Lewis Chanda, said the sect is willing to work with the
government of President Mwanawasa to improve their living standards.

Mr. Chanda lamented that Mama Lenshina’s members can not sustain their living
because they have no basic education as they were forced out of the country by the
first republican government.

He said they have suffered enough as a result of their faith that government by then
did not recognize.

They appealed to government to assist them settle and empower them with survival
skills as citizens of the land.

The regrouped support group is staying in seven different locations in the district.

Mr. Namulambe however encouraged the members to work so that government can only
supplement their efforts.

Lenshina sect was disbanded by UNIP government in 1964 for unlawfull religious acts.
Mama Lenshina was their spiritual leader from Chinsali district.

The sect came back into the country during the second republican government of
former President Chiluba.

ZANIS

Some retired head teachers who were still managing high schools in Mufulira have been blamed for the recent riots by pupils that rocked the district.

The district administration has since resolved to relieve the concerned head
teachers of their duties with immediate effect.

District Commissioner, Dyford Muulwa, revealed this to the Minister of Sport, Youth
and Child Development, Gabriel Namulambe during a briefing on the situation
obtaining in the district.

Mr. Muulwa said the resolution was made at a meeting held with all high school
management, the district education staff and the office of town clerk.

The meeting was called to establish the root cause of riots by pupils in high schools.

The DC said the riotous behaviour was engineered by some teachers who are not happy
with the conduct of retired head teachers who have continued managing the
institutions against government regulations.

The other reasons established are that pupils do not know why schools have not
bought buses and also poor condition of sanitary facilities despite paying fees
towards the projects.

Mr. Namulambe wondered why some teachers resorted to using pupils to air out their
grievances yet the issues at hand can be sorted out by the district
administratively.

He told the DC to identify the teachers involved and charge them with damaging
public property.

He further recommended that some teachers should not be recommended for promotion
but be transferred else where.

Kantanshi, Butondo and Chankwa High schools pupil last week rioted, causing damage
to their school buildings.

Meanwhile police in the district have confirmed that the 38 pupils who were arrested
on Thursday for riotous behaviour have been released on bond.

District police second in command Chinyama Kalobwani said the pupils were released
yesterday on bond because the alleged ring leader was not among the arrested.

A comment from police spokesperson Bonny Kapeso on the matter failed by press time.

ZANIS

President Levy Mwanawasa has sworn in two ambassadors designates to Angola and Ethiopia and warned them against grumbling when they are recalled form the foreign mission.

Those sworn in were Marina Nsingo, who is former Minister of Works and Supply, as Ambassador Designate to Angola, Patrick Sinyinza as Ambassador Designate to Ethiopia and the African Union (AU) and Gibby Nawa as Commissioner of Prisons.

Ambassador Sinyinza was until today, Director for Political Affairs at Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while Mr. Nawa was one of the senior officials in the Prisons Service.

Mr. Mwanawasa told the two ambassadors to truly represent Zambia in the foreign missions. He told Mrs. Nsingo to promote trade and bilateral understanding between Zambia and Angola, a country he said was just recovering from the devastation of a long civil war.

The President said Angola was one of lucrative markets where Zambia could sell her agriculture produce at an attractive price.

He further urged Mrs. Nsingo to liaise with the Ministry of Transport and Communications on possibilities of opening a railway line between the two countries, noting that this would be a cheaper mode of transport as compared to air transport.

Mr. Mwanawasa directed Mr. Sinyinza to use his stay at the AU to advise Zambia on the best ways to resolve African conflicts and to come up with a one continental government.

 “There are many challenges that face us as Africa, there are still wars and conflicts dotted around the continent, convey to Zambia what advice can help us resolve those problems,” he said.

He said it was important that Zambia learnt of the possibility of having a one African government in the midst of squabbles on where the President should come from.

“Convince your colleagues on the options that will be useful for Africa,” the President advised. Meanwhile, the president reminded ambassadors that their appointments to serve in the foreign mission were not permanent.

“I want to be understood from the beginning that you are not going there until you death. When I recall you, do not hate me and the government,” he said.

Mr. Mwanawasa said some former ambassadors have shown traits of hostility when they were recalled from the foreign missions.

He said their appointments were contractual and based on performance during their service. And speaking in an interview with ZANIS, Mrs. Nsingo said she was humbled with her new job. “I am very pleased.

This is a position of honour and trust. I am delighted and I will do my best,” she said.