The Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) says it will intensify operations until December to reduce the number of accidents and fatalities on the roads.

RTSA Chief Executive Officer Gladwell Banda says road accidents have increased from 24 percent last year in the first half to 35 percent this year during the same period.

Mr. Banda attributed the increase of accidents to human error and disregard to traffic rules compounded by limitations by Law enforcement agencies to scale up enforcement due to the limitations of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr Banda called for a collective approach by all road safety stakeholders and the public to report all traffic violation to the RTSA national Call Center for action.

The Judiciary has announced that the Constitutional Court (Amendment) rules, SI No. 29 of 2021 came into force on 12th April 2021.

Among the notable changes brought about by the amendments include a presidential election petition which must be filed together with an affidavit verifying the facts relied upon, skeleton arguments, a list of authorities and copies of the authorities cited in the written arguments.

Other changes are that the Petitioner must effect personal service of the petition on the Respondent within twenty-four hours of filing the petition and must also file an affidavit of service to prove service of the petition.

Furthermore, the Respondent must then file an answer to the petition together with skeleton arguments, a list of authorities and copies of the authorities cited within four days of being served with the petition and must serve the answer on the Petitioner within twenty-four hours of filing including an affidavit of service showing proof of service.

Additionally, the Petitioner must file a reply to the answer within 24 hours of being served with the answer.

According to a statement issued to the media by Judiciary of Zambia Public Relations Officer, Kalumba Slavin, the Court must summon the parties to a scheduling conference after the filing of the answer in order to issue directions for the expeditious hearing and determination of the petition within the prescribed 14 days.

“Interlocutory applications should be made before the commencement of the hearing of the petition and the applications will be heard on the basis of written submissions not exceeding ten pages,” said Mrs Slavin.

She added that the Registrar must notify the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) of the filing of a presidential election petition where ECZ is not a party to the petition.

“This is important because ECZ, as the custodian of election materials, may be required to avail to the Court relevant elections materials in the course of the proceedings,” she stated.

Mrs Slavin further noted that the determination of the petition by the Court will be based on affidavit evidence as well as oral and written submissions.

“The Court is empowered to give a summary of its decision at the close of the hearing of the petition and to reserve its reasoned decision to a later date within sixty days from the last date of the hearing,”

She added. “The Court Registry’s official hours of business run from 08:00 hours to 15:00 with effect from the day of filing of a presidential election petition to the last date of the hearing of the petition in order to give parties sufficient time to file documents relating to the petition,”

Members of the public have since been encouraged to familiarise themselves with the Constitutional Court (Amendment) Rules, 2021 which are currently being published in the daily newspapers.

President Edgar Lungu has urged market managements and associations to start sensitising traders and members of the general public accessing markets to uphold COVID-19 health guidelines to prevent the further spread of the virus in the country.

President Lungu advised market management to ensure that anyone entering markets is masked-up.

President Lungu said this in Kapiri Mposhi district when he distributed face masks and other COVID-19 preventive materials and sensitised traders at Tambalale market on the need to observe COVID-19 health measures.

President Lungu noted that the COVID-19 pandemic was getting more severe considering the rate of infection and number of lives being lost from it in the country.

“Government is concerned that COVID-19 is getting more and more lethal so for us to fight this virus we need to work together with the Ministry of Health and the council to ensure that everyone entering the markets are encouraged to wear face masks and are upholding COVID-19 preventive measures,” President Lungu said.

President Lungu further urged market authorities to make ready COVID-19 preventive materials such as face masks, sanitisers and washing buckets to traders.

The Head of State said government through the Ministry of Health and Local Authorities has intensified the implementation of COVID-19 health measures and provision of vaccines against the viral disease in order to safeguard lives of the people.

And Tambalele Market Chairperson, Lyson Milala thanked President Lungu for distributing face masks and taking time to sensitise traders on COVID-19.

Mr Milala further commended government for constructing a modern market in Kapiri Mposhi district.

Mr Milala noted that through the construction of Tambalale market government has provided a conducive trading environment for traders in the district.

“We thank our President for giving us this market because we used to trade on the floor,” Mr Milala said.

Mr Milala assured President Lungu of marketeers’ support in the 2021 general elections because he has delivered to their expectations in the district.

Meanwhile, Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) National Coordinator, Chanda Kabwe disclosed that DMMU has secured funding to empower marketeers across the ten provinces in the country to start manufacturing reusable face masks for distribution to members of the public.

Mr Chanda said DMMU has allocated K 5 Million to marketeers in each Province to empower them by venturing into production of reusable face masks.

Mr Kabwe has since called on Provincial Permanent Secretaries and Provincial Market Associations’ Coordinators to identify marketeers who have sewing machines to be empowered with funds to start manufacturing face masks.

“The President is very clear that the people in the informal sector are very key to national development so human capital is number one on government’s development agenda so we want to make sure that everyone is not left behind and this is not the first time we are empowering marketeers themselves,” Mr Kabwe said.

President Edgar Lungu was in Kapiri Mposhi today for a day’s working visit.

The President who was given a thunderous welcome by Kapiri Mposhi residents arrived at exactly 10:20 hours aboard the Presidential Chopper which landed at Kapiri Mposhi Secondary School grounds.

The Head of State toured Tambalele market and inspected the newly constructed Kapiri Mposhi Bus station before proceeding to Matililyo clinic where he checked on the clinics preparedness to handle COVID-19 cases.

President Lungu was received by Central Province Permanent Secretary, Bernard Chomba, Central Province PF Campaign Chairperson Jayson Mulando and Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) National Coordinator, Chanda Kabwe, District Commissioner, Smart Mwila and other senior Governemnt and PF Party officials.

“The deployment of an election observation mission to Zambia for the fifth time, reflects the EU’s long-standing commitment to supporting the country’s democratization and reconciliation process,” said Maria Arena, Chief Observer and Member of the European Parliament from Belgium during a press conference yesterday, launching the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM).

The EU deployed the mission upon an invitation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Zambia to observe the 12 August general elections.

Eleven election analysts based in Lusaka and 32 long-term observers deployed across the country will be joined by locally recruited short-term observers closer to election day. On 12 August the EU EOM will comprise around 70 observers from EU member states and Norway.

“The 2021 general elections are taking place in a challenging environment both from a political and health perspective. The right to life and the right to vote are tightly knit together during this pandemic”, said Chief Observer, Maria Arena.

The EU EOM will assess compliance of the general elections with national legislation as well as with regional commitments and international standards.

The mission will issue a Preliminary Statement of its initial findings shortly after election day. A more comprehensive Final Report, including recommendations for future electoral processes, will be presented at a later stage, after the conclusion of the entire electoral process.

During her first visit to Zambia, Chief Observer, Maria Arena, met with the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, political parties, civil society and media organizations.

“The European Union Election Observation Mission stands ready to offer an impartial and independent assessment of the electoral process for consideration by the Zambian authorities, political parties and civil society. A level playing field, and trust in the process are requisite for holding peaceful elections”, the Chief Observer stated during a press conference in Lusaka.

The Anti-Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) Executive Director Richwell Mulwani has commended the United Party for National Development (UPND) and the Patriotic Front (PF) for signing the peace agreement document that will ensure peace is maintained before and after the August 12 general elections.

Mr Mulwani said the signing of the peace agreement between the two political parties gives confidence to the people who will endavour to maintain peace during and after the elections.

Mr Mulwani told ZANIS that the peace accord will go down in the history of the country’s political achievement as a pledged to maintain peace

“This is in line with what political parties affirmed and pledged to maintain and promote peace during and after the August 12, general elections at Mulungushi International conference Centre in Lusaka,” he noted.

He noted that the two political parties have demonstrated their capacity and their ability to negotiate and then dialogue to come up with strategies that can promote peace in the country.

“We want to see at provincial level all the provincial campaign managers also sign the peace accord including the district level, constituency level and at ward level, to ensure young people do not engage in acts of violence,” he noted .

He suggested the peace agreement should be signed even at ward level so as to instill confidence in the electorate.

Mr Mulwani also appealed to traditional leaders not to take sides with any political party as such will incite violence.

And Democracy and Motherland Defender Coalition (DMDC) Andrew Ntewewe said the coalition has welcomed the peace.

Mr Ntewewe hoped that the agreement will end the political violence that exist between the PF and UPND.

Mr Ntewewe who is also Young African leaders initiatives (YALI ) President said the peace agreement is a noble intervention to ensure that Zambia continues and remains a peaceful country.

“We want to be very clear that Zambia is a beacon of hope on the African Continent and it is also a peaceful nation and has been since 1964,” he noted.

Mr Ntewewe further hoped that political parties will commit themselves to the peace accord and ensure that it is fully implemented.