CHIEF Government spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha says Government has been vindicated by the revelation that Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata was part of a 1992 committee of eight ministers which concluded that the Barotse Agreement was stale and illegal.

Lieutenant-General Shikapwasha said in an interview on January 10 that the people of Zambia should now know that Mr Sata is not a reliable person.

Gen. Shikapwasha said when Mr Sata was in authority, he did not even want to consider the restoration of the agreement which he is now advocating.

He said Mr Sata should be honest enough to tell Zambians that he is just looking for votes.

Former PF secretary general Edward Mumbi said at a press briefing on Sunday that on October 22, 1992, the committee of ministers met a delegation led by the Ngambela and members of the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) to discuss the agreement.

“Mr Sata has been telling people that he can solve the problems of those calling for the restoration of the Barotse Agreement. We have always told Zambians that Mr Sata is not to be trusted. As Government, we have been vindicated because Mr Sata has continued telling falsehoods,” he said.

When contacted for comment, Mr Sata refused to say anything on the matter, insisting that he should have been contacted earlier.

Mr Mumbi said at the press briefing that Mr Sata’s committee arrived at the conclusion that the Kaunda government’s appointment of the Litunga as member of the Central Committee was among the events which affected the Barotseland Agreement.

Mr Mumbi said the committee observed that the Chiluba government had been in power barely 12 months and the agreement referred to was signed in 1964 and abrogated in 1969 through a constitutional amendment.

The committee of ministers noted that since 1964, a lot of events had taken place in Zambia.

It further observed that the 1969 referendum, which took away property rights and was fully supported by all Zambians including the people of Western Province, was one of the events which gave Dr Kaunda’s government authority to abrogate the 1964 agreement.

The committee also observed that the replacement of the 1964 constitution and the subsequent appointment of the Litunga tended to affect the status of the Barotseland Agreement of 1964.

Mr Mumbi said Mr Sata’s committee slowed down Government’s attention to the agreement and finally put it to rest with another letter dated August 18, 1993.

“It is Government’s position that we cannot negotiate this agreement on the following grounds: Our further inquiries show that no judicial process was commenced by the royal establishment or any other party aggrieved by the proposed amendments in reasonable time. It is our position that the demand is stale, as it has been overtaken by events and is no longer legal,” the letter reads in part.

Mr Mumbi, who displayed both letters, also challenged Mr Sata to explain to Zambians why he asked then President Chiluba to drop the recognition of the Litunga in 1996.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Government has warned people distributing leaflets inciting Lozis to rise against other tribes for refusing to support calls for secession that they will be cited for treason.

Police in Mongu have stepped up investigations to establish the authors of leaflets containing seditious material encouraging Lozis to rise against other tribes.

The situation in Mongu has escalated in the last few days, with one of the pro-secession groups threatening to expel all non-Lozi-speaking people from Western Province by January 14, for refusing to support their cause.

Inspector-General of Police Francis Kabonde has warned that those perpetrating violence in the province will be arrested and charged accordingly.

Western Province police commanding officer Peacewell Mweemba said the police have intensified investigations to identify the authors of the fliers which are being dropped in all the districts of Western Province.

The BRE has advised people in Western Province not to listen to people who want to cause disunity using the Barotseland Agreement.

Induna Ngambela Litiya said on ZNBC TV that calls to divide the country should not be entertained. He said the talks on the agreement are progressing well with Government.

He said in an interview on January 9 that the police have refused to give the groups a permit to hold their meeting in Limulunga.

A group calling itself Linyungandambo has also threatened the King of the Lozi, the Litunga.

The threats to expel non-Lozi-speaking people and attack the Limulunga palace, the royal home of the Litunga, are contained in leaflets the Linyungandambo has been circulating in Mongu.

But the Mbunda Traditional Association has vowed to defend its people and the Litunga from the insurgence advocated by the Linyungandambo.

On Friday, the BRE distanced itself from the group’s activities and condemned the people calling for Western Province to secede.

Linyungandambo is a group working with the Barotse Freedom Movement and the Movement for Restoration of Barotseland Agreement to agitate for the secession of Western Province.

“This serves to warn the following: Mbundas, Maluvales and other tribes that they should start preparing to leave Barotseland by January 14th 2011, when we shall secede from Zambia,” one of the fliers says.

Cheke Cha Mbunda Cultural and Writers Association spokesperson Maxwell Kalukango condemned the threats by the Linyungandambo to attack the Mbundas and other tribes.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

President Rupiah Banda has predicted that Zambia would one day grab the African Cup title. Addressing soccer fans who turned up to have a glimpse of the President and the visiting Chinese Premier, President Banda predicted that the Africa Cup was coming to Zambia in-light of the earmarked construction of the modern stadia in the country.

Mr Banda observed that Zambia merely participated in the continental tournaments but failed to deliver and grab the Cup because both the people and the Chipolopolo Boys including many other players were not motivated owing to poor infrastructures in the country.

“Africa Cup title will be crowned to our country, be rest assured, he said. The happy-looking Banda told the fans to support Government in its programs of developing football including other sports disciplines in the country.

The president was speaking today when he laid a foundation stone at the location where the state of art Lusaka Independence Stadium is to be constructed with the help of the Chinese government at a cost of US$94 million with a capacity to hold 50 000 people.

Officiating at the ground-breaking ceremony in Lusaka today which was also witnessed by visiting Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu President Banda said Government had initially desired to start constructing the Lusaka modern stadium using local resources but that it was unable due to inadequate funds.

ZANIS reports that the President noted that in the past, Zambia had difficulties to host international sporting tournaments because of poor infrastructure existing in the country but that once the project was completed, the country would equally be able to host international events like South Africa which hosted the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

He commended the Chinese Government for helping Zambia build three modern stadia in the country; in Ndola on the Copperbelt which is expected to be completed by June this year, the planned Lusaka stadium and the third in the tourist capital, Livingstone.

The President urged the Zambian people against vandalism of the infrastructure saying it was detrimental to national development and appealed for support to the Shanghai Construction Group, the contractor that had been assigned to build the Lusaka modern stadium. The construction works for the Lusaka stadium is expected to last 30 months.

Speaking earlier, visiting Chinese Premier Hui Liangyu disclosed that the construction of stadia in the country would make Zambia a shining example in Africa in terms of ‘modern and quality’ infrastructure works.

Mr. Banda reiterated that the assistance China had rendered to the Zambian Government had helped deepen bilateral co-operation as a symbol of friendship between the two countries.

He said China was proud to take part in Zambia’s socio-economic development which had continued to exist for the past 47 years of diplomatic ties.

At the same occasion, Zambia’s Sport, Youth and Child Development Minister Kenneth Chipungu said the construction of the stadia in Zambia once completed would mark a mile-stone in improving the sport especially football in the country.

Mr Chipungu said that the assistance Zambia was receiving from China had enabled Government to be committed in the area of sport and he echoed President Banda’s remarks that once the stadia was completed this would allow Zambia host continental games.

Vice President George Kunda, Zambia’s Ambassador to China Joyce Musenge, Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Li Qiangmin, some diplomats accredited to Zambia, Cabinet Ministers, their Deputies as well as Permanent Secretaries from various Government line Ministries including senior Government officials from China witnessed the ground breaking ceremony.

The Chinese Premier later proceeded to visit Johnken Estate Limited, a Chinese-owned farm in Chisamba, Central Province.

The visiting Premier is expected to depart Zambia tomorrow after completing his scheduled business.

ZANIS

Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata has been exposed as being part of a committee of cabinet ministers that recommended that the demand for the Barotseland Agreement of 1964 was stale and no longer legal.

According to PF former Secretary General Edward Mumbi, the expose’ indicates that Mr. Sata is one of the eight cabinet ministers that were not agreeable to the restoration of the Barotseland Agreement.

Mr. Mumbi said in 1992, former President Dr Frederick Chiluba appointed a committee of eight cabinet Ministers including Mr Sata to discuss the Barotseland Agreement in 1992 who brought a report disfavouring the Barotse Agreement.

Mr. Mumbi, however, said the committee to which Mr. Sata was a part of misdirected Dr. Chiluba by recommending that the Agreement has been overtaken by events and needed no attention.

The former PF Secretary General produced two letters to Journalists in Lusaka yesterday as proof that contain the committee’s position, stating grounds why government could not negotiate the Agreement.

Mr. Mumbi noted that Mr. Sata is therefore not the right person to talk about the Agreement because the PF leader was part and parcel of the committee that killed the Agreement.

He said the PF leader should instead apologize to the Litunga and the people of Western Province in general for misleading Dr. Chiluba over the document.

And Mr. Mumbi has challenged Mr. Sata not to hoodwink the people of Western Province because he threatened to de-recognize the Litunga when he was Health Minister in 1996.

Mr. Mumbi told Journalists at a media briefing in Lusaka yesterday that Mr. Sata wrote a letter to then President Frederick Chiluba to have the Litunga’s Chieftainship recognition dropped.

Mr. Sata could not immediately be reached for comment as his mobile phone was off by press time.

But PF Spokesperson Given Lubinda told ZNBC that he could only comment on matters that have occurred after the birth of the party and not before.

[ ZNBC ]

Editors note: This article was wrongly published twice.We  apologize for any inconvenience caused.

Copperbelt MMD Task Force Chairman Joe Malanji has since praised the students for exhibiting maturity by choosing to support the MMD.

Mr. Malanji said the defectors have made a wise decision to endorse the candidature of Mr Rupiah Banda for this year’s general elections.

He is further advising young people in colleges and universities to analyse all leaders before choosing the presidential candidate to support in the 2011 tripartite elections.

And Copperbelt Vice Provincial Chairman Frank Ng’ambi has challenged the defectors to be the genesis of real change on the Copperbelt.

Mr. Ng’ambi said the Copperbelt has lagged behind because of poor leadership exhibited by the opposition who are fond of opposing everything that government does.

Mr. Ng’ambi says the country has received massive development under the leadership of president Rupiah Banda and is heartened to learn that the students have decided to support the president and his government.

[ ZNBC ]

Zambia and China have this afternoon signed two agreements on economic and technical co-operation. The agreements will see Zambia benefit from Chinese grants and interest free loans.

Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane signed on behalf of Zambia, while Chong Quan who is the Vice Commerce Minister of China signed on behalf of his country.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by Vice President George Kunda and visiting Vice Prime Minister of China Hui Liang

The two countries also signed two Memorada of Understanding to strengthen their agriculture sectors.

Agriculture Minister Eustackio Kazonga signed for Zambia while China’s Vice Minister of Agriculture Niu Dun signed for his country.

The other MoU was signed by Zambia Development Agency Chief Executive Officer Andrew Chipwende and Chairman of the National group of China Liu Shenli.

And Vice President George Kunda has said that China provides opportunities to many areas which are critical to Zambia’s economic development.

Mr Kunda said Prime Minister Hui’s visit to Zambia will create further channels of co-operation and enhance bilateral relations.

And Mr Hui said Zambia and his country have continued to enjoy long standing mutual and cordial relations.

Meanwhile President Rupiah Banda and visiting Chinese vice Premier Hui Liangyu are this afternoon expected to officiate at the ground breaking ceremony for the construction of a multi-billion Kwacha Lusaka stadium.

The ultra modern sports facility, to be built next to the old stadium, will be the second the Chinese government will construct, after the Ndola Stadium which is expected to be completed later this year.

In the last five years, the Zambia national soccer team has been playing its home games at Konkola Stadium in Chililabombwe after the grand stand at Independence Stadium was demolished to pave way for a new structure.

The independence stadium has not been operational after it was declared unfit by the world football governing body FIFA.

ZNBC