The Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) has charged that it will be a mockery for government to allow the county to hold the 2011 elections under the current constitution, considering the huge resources invested in the National Constitutional Conference (NCC).

FODEP president, Stanley Mhango said that electoral conflicts the country has witnessed in the past will never come to an end as long as the elections are held under the current constitution.

Mr. Mhango said the culture of violence and failure to accept election results the country has been witnessing will continue to haunt the good governance and democracy sector of this country as long as the current constitution remains in place.

He, however, FODEP welcomed the announcement by government to begin the process of enacting provisions in the NCC draft constitution that do require a referendum.

Mr. Mhango has also challenged government to give the nation a time frame for putting in place a new constitution.
[ QFM ]

Fourteen people have been arrested in connection with the looting and setting ablaze of the Police Post in Lusaka’s Garden Township, last week.

Two of the 14 suspects are women while 4 are ex -convicts.

Lusaka Province Commanding Officer GREENWELL NGUNI says the 14 suspects have been charged with riotous behaviour, arson and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Mr NGUNI said an undisclosed number of items which were looted from the police post have also been recovered.

Meanwhile, police have recovered an assortment of stolen items from Chibolya, Garden and Misisi Townships.

Police Public Relations Officer NDANDULA SIAMANA said the items which include 16 television sets, five DVD machines and music systems were recovered following an operation which police carried out in the three townships, 3 days ago.

Six suspects have also been arrested in connection with the thefts.
[ ZNBC ]

Government has announced the commencement of the process of enacting the new republican constitution.

Vice president George Kunda announced during a media briefing in Lusaka today that cabinet has decided to publish in the government gazette the constitution of Zambia bill, 2010 and the constitution of Zambia amendment bill, 2010 as required under article 79 of the constitutional of Zambia.

Mr Kunda said it is the requirement of article 79 2 A of the constitution that a bill for the alteration of the constitution or the constitution of Zambia Act should be published in the gazette for at least thirty days before the first reading of the bill in the national assembly.

The vice president, who is also justice minister, explained that the enactment process of the provisions of the NCC draft constitution which do not require a referendum has since begun.

He said the draft bills referred would be available at government printers starting next week Monday 22nd November 2010.

Mr. Kunda added that the draft bills will be presented before the national assembly for enactment after the expiry of the thirty day period.

And Mr. Kunda has however expressed doubt that the full constitution will be ready before the general elections.

He said the referendum cannot be guaranteed next year because government is constrained financially.

The vice president said currently the country is going through the national census, which has gobbled billions of Kwacha, which will also be a similar case with the general elections.
[ QFM ]

By LusakaTimes

The Non Governmental Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) says it is concerned at increasing cases of residents rising against the police service.
NGOCC executive director Engwase Mwale said today in a statement that there was need for the police command to fully introspect and find a lasting solution to the problem, saying in all cases where there was violence, the women and children suffered the most.[pullquote]If the police want to take the law in their own hands, what shall stop the residents from doing the same? Unless there is mutual trust between the residents and the police, we risk losing lives in such uncalled for uprisings of residents against the law enforcers[/pullquote]

“ In the number of incidences that have occurred in Ng’ombe, Misisi and Garden compounds, among others, there have been allegations that suspects had died in police custody. This is where the police command needs to institute investigations to find out what could have caused the deaths of the suspects.

Without finding the causes of the deaths and thereby putting in place measures to avoid any more loss of lives, such incidences will continue,” she said.

Ms. Mwale said the police service should at all times avoid beating suspects as it was a violation of human rights.

“If the police want to take the law in their own hands, what shall stop the residents from doing the same? Unless there is mutual trust between the residents and the police, we risk losing lives in such uncalled for uprisings of residents against the law enforcers,” she said.

Ms. Mwale also express concern at reports of sexual abuse on female suspects in police cells.

“NGOCC is also concerned with the increasing cases of sexual abuse of female suspects by the police as it is not only a violation of human rights but also exposes women to life threatening diseases. We therefore expect that the police command will get into action to redress the situation and seriously work on instilling citizens’ confidence in the police command,” said Ms Mwale.

Meanwhile police in Lusaka have arrested 14 people in connection with the damage to property caused during the riot by Garden compound residents who fought running battles with the police in protest against the death of a suspect who died in police custody.

Police spokesperson Ndandula Siamana told journalists today that 14 residents had so far been arrested in connection with the violence and that two more wanted suspects were still on the run.

Ms. Siamana said the arrested suspects would be charged with Arson.

She said one of the police officers who tried to control the angry residents was badly wounded in the process and that the residents would therefore also be charged with assault.

Management of Collum Coal Mine and all the 13 workers who were shot at have agreed that the two Chinese senior officers who fired at them should not be prosecuted.

And the mine management has agreed to compensate victims of the shooting between K20 and K45 million and has also increased the minimum basic monthly salary for its workers from the statutory required K286,000 to K450,000 following the Government’s directive to management to improve the working conditions at the mine.

According to the compensation agreement obtained by the Times of Zambia, management of Collum Coal Mine and the victims of the shooting had a meeting on November 10 which was also attended by the labour commissioner where the two parties settled the matter by agreeing compensation and that the two directors who opened fire should be exempted from prosecution.

“All the 13 injured agreed that Xiao Lishan and Wu Jinhua be exempt from prosecution.

“After verification, there are 13 people who were injured. Among these, one person was severely injured and he will be paid K45 million including five years school fees anywhere within Maamba area.

“Those who are partially injured are six and these will be given K35 million each while the other six who are not severely injured will be paid K20 million each. When Collum Coal mines industries Limited pays the compensation, the officers from Ministry of Labour and Social Security and relevant witnesses should be in attendance,” reads part of the agreement.

The move was part of the process aimed at improving the working conditions at the mine where 13 workers were recently injured when they were shot at during a protest to press management for improved conditions.

The two parties agreed that 50 percent of the total compensation to the injured would be paid today while the remaining half would be settled on December 1 this year.

Those to be compensated include Vincent Chenjela who would be paid K45 million while Simon Simweete, Wissborn Simutomba, Beston Munakazela, Boaz Siapwaya, Madinda Siamubotu and William Muntanga would each get K35 million.

The rest of the victims to be paid K20 million each were Japhet Siakalumbwe, Sianaini Ward, Brighton Siamfuno, Alfred Senuka, Vincent Wmanamusiya and Abin Siambeeba.

Southern province minister Elijah Muchima said Collum Coal mine management was heeding government’s directive to improve the working conditions at the mine.

Addressing the workers at the mine, Mr Muchima said government was happy that management of the mine was taking the necessary steps to improve the working conditions at the mine.

Mr Muchima said mine management had also introduced food and housing allowances and also transport allowance for workers who were staying more than three kilometers from the mine.

Mr Muchima directed management of the mine to employ a human resources manager and a Zambian interpreter to facilitate communications between the Chinese and their Zambian employees.

“Management of this mine has to be sincere and should do what they have written down as a roadmap to improving the working conditions and environment here, failure to which they will annoy us,” Mr Muchima said.

Collum Coal mines industries director Xu Jian Ling assured the Government that management would do everything possible within the Zambian law to improve the conditions at the mine.

Recently, 13 workers at the coal mine were shot at, a situation which drew condemnation from President Rupiah Banda and a cross-section of society.

President Banda, however, advised that it would be wrong for those condemning the shooting to single out a particular grouping as that might create phobia against them.

“I don’t like what happened there and the law is definitely taking its course,” he said.

[Times of Zambia ]

Ruling Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) sympathizer, Edward Mumbi has given change life Zambian CLZ Executive Director, Father Frank Bwalya a seven days ultimatum in which to apologize for what has been termed as libelous statements against him or risk legal action.

In a letter sent to Father Bwalya, by his legal advisors, AKM practitioners and signed by Mr. Keith Mukata, and made available to qfm Mr. Mumbi has demanded for an apology which must be inserted in the print and electronic media with payment of damages in the sum of k3.7billion kwacha.

Mr. Mumbi said failure to abide by the demands as laid down will result in serious legal action claiming that father Bwalya’s statement was false and uncalled-for.

Featuring on Monday Nite Live program on QFM, Father Bwalya stated that Edward is not Mr. Mumbi’s first name but Kangwa.

He later dared Mr. Mumbi to sue him and called on Zambians not to believe Mr. Mumbi because of his unknown identity.

Meanwhile, Mr. Mumbi has challenged all those willing to engage in political debates to be truthful about the statement they make.

He said that this is the only way Zambia would record some form of decency in its politics.
[ QFM ]