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Zanaco today have made their feelings very clearly known about what they think about the Kalusha Bwalya co-opted executive committee.
The defending league champions on Thursday showed in their very own peculiar way what their views were on the co-opted executive committee which has stirred controversy with most Faz affiliates stating that it is constitutionally invalid.
Zanaco today snubbed Faz delegation leader Elijah “Shenko” Chileshe who is one of three new executive committee members co-opted into the executive committee after four former members quit a fortnight ago.
Chileshe who owns Division 1 club Mining Rangers is the official delegation leader for Zanaco’s final Caf Confederation Cup Group B match away to Haras El Hodoud of Egypt this weekend.
A club is obliged to host and foot the delegation leaders’ bill but Zanaco have declined to do so, ultimately a strong no vote show in Faz’s current disposition.
“It is very funny that Faz for the first time paid for a delegation leader,” said a Zanaco insider. “I hear he (Shenko) is now traveling to Egypt as an observer from Faz.”
Zanaco meanwhile left, with “Shenko” on the Ethiopian Airlines flight on Thursday afternoon.
Zanaco’s demonstration on Thursday comes after four other Super Division sides namely Green Buffaloes, Red Arrows, Choma Eagles and Nkwazi openly stated on Tuesday that they believed the co-opted executive was illegal.
The MMD in Ndola has with immediate effect suspended its Vice Secretary for Publicity and Information Alex Mubanga for threatening to beat up Former Vice President Enock Kavindele at the fourth coming national convention.
The suspension has been announced by Ndola District Executive Chairman Cephas Katongo thursday.
Mr Kayongo says the MMD is a responsible party which should not condone irresponsible statements from its members like the one attributed to Mr Mubanga in Thursday’s issue of the Post Newspaper.
Mr Katongo said the MMD has no crack squad and people should ignore such utterances which he said are misplaced.
He said the ruling party will continue to protect everyone in Zambia and will not habour any militia.
Mr Katongo said Mr Kavindele is free to attend the national convention and contest any position of his choice.
He however said no one will vote for him because the district has already resolved to support President Rupiah Banda.
And Mr Mubanga has accepted his suspension saying he is a loyal member of the party and will respect any action taken against him by any organ of the party.
President Rupiah Banda says the coming into the country of Brazilian Mining giant Vale, will create several jobs and economic opportunities for Zambians.
And President Banda has urged the labour movement to embrace the new investments in the mining sector, as it will create more opportunities for people in Zambia.
President Banda said he is happy with the developments and investments in the mining sector, which he said should be supported by all Zambians.
He was speaking Thursday morning, at the ground breaking ceremony of the Konkola North Mine in Chililabombwe.
Mr Banda said he is opptimistic that Zambia will soon become a middle income country judging by the amount of investments especially in the mining sector.
He said the investment is Chililabombwe will help uplift the living standards of people in the area.
And Chief Executive Officer for Konkola North Mine David Armstrong said the firm will produce in excess of 2.5 million tonnes of copper annually when the company starts full scale copper production in 2013.
And Vale CEO Roger Anglli said his firm will invest over 1 billion US Dollars into the mining operation in the next five years.
He said the money will be spent on infrastructure development and construction of the Konkola North copper Mine.
He said his firm is also interested in contributing to other sectors of the economy other than mining, such as bio Fuel.
Konkola North Copper Project, is a joint venture by Vale Mining Company of Brazil and Rainbow Minerals of South Africa.
Konkola North Mine has been dormant for over 50 years.
Many opposition political parties, civil society organizations and particular one daily newspaper detest William Banda, the MMD’s Chairman for Lusaka Province. They accuse him of having a UNIP mentality of caderism and violence. William has been in politics for many years. He was a UNIP stalwart who was under very controversial circumstances stripped of Zambian citizenship by the Chiluba regime. The Supreme Court of Zambia affirmed his deportation to Malawi by Home Affairs Minister Chitalu Sampa. He was only to be brought back to Zambia by President Levy Mwanawasa who quickly recognised William’s political skills and used him extensively in the 2006 election campaigns.[pullquote]As such, only a person who understands grassroots thinking and politics can be a match to Sata. When explaining economic performance he simply says, “Our Coca-Cola in Zambia is more expensive than elsewhere in the region.” The motto for his party is simply, “more money in your pockets .
[/pullquote]
Politically speaking William is a great political asset for the MMD. As much as many of our people would like to see a new kind of politics take center stage in Zambia today, the reality on the ground is that the current politics is indeed centered on the old political ideology of UNIP. In fact, UNIP politicians are still calling the shots: from the MMD’s RB Banda to the PF’s Michael Sata. It still remains to be studied how the MMD became the new UNIP and indeed why the old UNIP political ideology is still prevalent in Zambian politics today—twenty years after the end of UNIP rule. UNIP ideology is seen in the MMD’s “wamuyaya” mentality during Chiluba’s third term bid and is also evident in the PF’s fixation on Sata, the undoubted life president of PF. Further, Sata’s power to hire and fire his Central Committee and the fact that his party has never had a convention since the party’s formation in 2001 shows clear UNIPist propensities.
The MMD’s current greatest challenge for the 2011 election is Michael Sata. Sata is, undoubtedly, a man of the common man. His political mobilization skills are derived from the compounds and from the ordinary people. He speaks a language that they can understand, and he does not hesitate to use old and overused UNIPist strategy of intimidation and sometimes violence to carry his message through. He does not use academic language to explain economics and for him good investment is one which does not “give our market stalls to the Chinese.”” All these are simplistic terms that easily resonate with many of our people. As such, only a person who understands grassroots thinking and politics can be a match to Sata. When explaining economic performance he simply says, “Our Coca-Cola in Zambia is more expensive than elsewhere in the region.” The motto for his party is simply, “more money in your pockets . Unfortunately, RB Banda’s political history lacks a touch with the grassroots. RB Banda is a university educated elitist who spent a good number of years in the Kaunda government as a diplomat. As such, when it comes to grassroots mobilization, which the MMD desperately needs to win confortable votes in Lusaka, they had to look elsewhere to supply that.
The MMD had to look to William Banda, a controversial cadre who nevertheless can match Michael Sata’s grassroots mobilization skills. Of course the PF complain about William because they know what he brings to the political table. The PF knows that as a grassroots mobilizer, William has the potential to dent their popularity in Lusaka. This is William, an old man with grey hair, but nevertheless has the time and energy to meet cadres under mango trees and face them in Mandevu and Chawama. This is William who projects a figure of an ordinary man, a common person who nevertheless commands respect from a myriad of cadres. The MMD did not need a reasonable person to mobilize Lusaka. All they needed was a figure like William who would go to the people, mobilize them for the hour and speak a language that they can understand. The MMD does not need William to help them become a majority in Lusaka; all they need him to do is to turn a few votes against the PF. And those few votes would be very significant when the final tally is prepared in 2011.
The fact that some violent tendencies are seen in William Banda’s politics should be a concern. But equally concerning is the general violent nature that our politics seem to be taking. Be it the UPND violence in Mufumbwe and Mapatizya, or indeed the MMD’s violence in Chawama, violence should be detested. But William’s strengths of grassroots political mobilization far outweigh any of his weaknesses. The message is at least clear, if the PF have Sata, the MMD have their William Banda who is willing to do what Sata does very well in Lusaka. And if the MMD indeed wanted to have a man of the people to mobilize Lusaka for them, they had no better choice than the old William Banda.
The PF leader Michaeal Sata and UPND Leader Hakainde Hichilema
President Rupiah Banda says people countrywide have lost confidence in the PF/UPND pact.
Mr Banda said the MMD must,therefore, do everything possible to win all the by-elections as people countrywide had lost confidence in the Patriotic Front (PF) and the United Party for National Development (UPND) pact.
He has since called on the MMD in the country to go flat out and campaign for their candidates in the fourth coming parliamentary and ward by-elections.
ZANIS Ndola reports that Mr Banda said this on arrival at Ndola International airport ahead of his three day tour of developmental projects in the province.
And MMD Copperbelt Chairperson Joseph Chilambwe informed the head of state that the MMD was rapidly regaining its popularity in the province.
Mr Chilambwe said the people of Copperbelt Province were convinced that the PF/UPND pact had nothing good to offer the country hence their differences on who would be their presidential candidate.
and President Rupiah Banda is tomorrow expected to officially commission the construction of the Konkola North Copper Project.
The President, who is on a three-day working visit to Copperbelt Province, would officiate at the groundbreaking ceremony of the US$380 million Konkola North Copper Project, which is owned as a joint-venture by Vale Mining Company of Brazil and Rainbow Minerals of South Africa.
Once completed, Konkola North Copper Mine is projected to produce 45,000 tonnes of Copper Concentrate per year.
The new mine is expected to create about 1,500 jobs on the Copperbelt Province.
The President will later tour the Ndola Stadium, which is under construction and visit the Multi-Facility Economic Zone (MFEZ) trade zone site in Ndola.
On Friday, President Banda will visit Ndola Rural in Mpongwe where he will inspect progress on the construction of a High School and later tour the newly tarred Mpongwe-Luansobe Road.
The President and his delegation will return to Lusaka after completing his scheduled visit to the Copperbelt Province.
Zambia’s participation at the nineteenth Commonwealth Games has finally come to a disappointing end after bowler Hilda Luipa failed to qualify to the semi-finals.
This followed two losses at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
This is according to a statement released to ZNBC by First Secretary for Press at the Zambian High Commission in India, Bwalya Nondo.
Luipa was the only Zambian left in the Games after the rest of the 21-member contingent fell out in preliminary rounds in all sporting disciplines.
Luipa lost her first game 2-0 to Australia’s Kelsey Cottrell in an early morning contest.
The Zambian bowler was down 10-0 after four ends and although she recovered to pick four points in the last five ends, the Australian picked just as many to win the set 14-4.
[ ZNBC ]
President Banda has called on the ruling MMD to take every election seriously.
Mr Banda said it is important for the MMD to work towards winning every election that comes along in order for it to continue providing leadership in the country.
He was speaking at Ndola International Aiport Wednesday morning when he arrived for a 3 day working visit to the Copperbelt Province.
Mr Banda also commended the MMD in the Province for being united, a factor which he said has led to the party gaining ground in the province.
Mr Banda further said he would not relax and leave the country in the hands of people who will not continue with the good policies that have been lined up.
And Coperbelt Minister Mwansa Mbulakulima paid tribute to President Banda for his commitment to deliver development to Zambians.
Mr Mbulakulima said the good policies put in place by President Banda have transformed Zambia’s economy for the better.
He assured the President that the province would continue rallying behind him as the country gears for the 2011 general elections.
[ ZNBC ]
Chile's President Sebastian Pinera embraces Florencio Antonio Avalos Silva, the first miner to be rescued(Yahoo news)
Sixteen of the 33 men trapped underground the Chilean mine since August 5th have now been rescued. Shortly after 11:00 p.m. eastern time, the first of the trapped Chilean miners miners was pulled out from underground.
The 33 men became marooned when the main access tunnel collapsed at the gold and copper San Jose mine near the northern town of Copiapo.
They were trapped 2,300ft below the surface for the last 69 days. They had managed to make their way to a shelter said to be the size of a small flat and that is equipped with water tanks, ventilation shafts and two wooden benches.[pullquote]Chile President Sebastian Pinera said the faith of the trapped miners has “moved mountains” and made the “miracle” of their rescue possible.[/pullquote]
The sun began rising today as one by one, miners are trading their underground chamber for the arms of their families.
It’s an emotional breakthrough that has captured Chile and the world. Florencio Avalos was the first to be freed. He hugged his tearful 7-year-old son and his wife.
The second miner to emerge couldn’t contain his excitement. He jokingly handed out souvenirs; rocks, of course, to rescuers. He also led cheers and embraced just about everyone he could get his hands on.
63-year-old Mario Gomez is the oldest of the trapped miners and was the 9th miner to be rescued.He dropped to his knees and thanked God when he got out of the rescue capsule.
Chile President Sebastian Pinera said the faith of the trapped miners has “moved mountains” and made the “miracle” of their rescue possible.
Each miner to reach the surface in the specially-designed rescue capsule brought new hope to those waiting.
Officials say it may take 36 hours to rescue all the miners, who range in age from 19 to 63.
Not everybody is as fit as the first few to be winched to freedom. Some of the miners are suffering from hypertension, diabetes and respiratory infections.
All the men will receive medical treatment after spending more than two months 2,000 feet down.Nobody has ever been trapped for that long underground and lived to tell about it.
Psychologists are concerned that the miners may struggle to return to a normal life once their celebrity status fades.
Chilean authorities have offered the men at least six months of psychiatric follow up evaluations.
The rescue efforts started early Wednesday morning and will continue throughout the day.The trapped miners put on green coveralls made of moisture-resisting material and personalized with names.
They will climb into a claustrophobic capsule only a little wider than the span of their shoulders. They will be instructed on the communications equipment and the oxygen supply inside the rescue tube. And they will put on special goggles to protect their eyes from lights up above as their eyes have become accustomed to the vampiric darkness of the caved-in mine.
Then the order to hoist will ring out and each man will begin their journey.
The first miners to come to the surface were deemed the most fit, but also possessed the most technical know-how so that they could advise the rescue teams.
The next five are the physically weakest, a term perhaps not appropriate for anyone who has survived more than two months in the bowels of the earth. But one of the miners has diabetes; another has black lung.
The last to come out will be Luis Alberto Iribarren, 54. Like the captain of a sinking ship, the shift supervisor volunteered to stay behind until all his men were safe.
Like the ten already rescued, all of the men are expected to undergo about two hours of health checks at a field hospital set up at the mine. They will then be flown by helicopter to a hospital in the town of Copiapo approximately a 15-minute flight.
Miners who are healthy enough will be granted quick family reunions before being shuttled to the hospital.
“It’s extremely exciting for us. … It’s a very emotional moment for us,” said Jeff Hart, one of the lead drillers who assisted with the rescue efforts. “We worked real long and hard on that, and to actually see the capsule come through the first time through the hole that we drilled was just unbelievable.”
President Rupiah Banda
Former Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president Fackson Shamenda has charged that republican President Rupiah Banda’s attacks on the donor community has cost the country its traditional donor support towards the national budget.
Mr Shamenda said the over 50 percent budget support cut by the donor community in the 2011 national budget is as a result of the arrogance on the part of the currnet leadership.
Mr Shamenda also pointet out that increased corruption in the country is the other reason for the continued reduction in donor support towards the country’s budget.
And the former ZCTU president said government should have used the JCTR basic needs basket as a threshold in arriving at the tax exemption threshold.
He said the K1 million exemption threshold announced in the 2011 budget is not satisfactory and clearly falls short of what was anticipated.
Mr Shamenda saidthe cost of living in the country is way too high for the government to settle for the K1 million tax exemption threshold.
[ QFM ]
National Constitutional Conference chairperson Chifumu Banda (L) and spokesperson Mwangala Zaloumis, during the launch of the draft constitution in LUsaka.
Professor of the Human rights law, at the University of Pretoria, Michelo Hansugule has charged that government’s failure to commit to constitution making in the 2011 budget is testimony that the document will not be ready for the 2011 tripartite elections.
Professor Hansungule said it is finally evident that government has no intention of persuing the constitution making process next year.
He said what the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) government has done is to make a public announcement that elections are more important that finalizing the constitution which should be a good democratic premise for development.
The Professor noted that the overall reformation of the constitution will never be done before the 2011 elections and the omission of its commitment in the 2011 national budget only shows that government is giving up on the matter.
Meanwhile Professor Hansungule has observed that the revised electoral code of conduct which empowers the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) is a positive stride.
He said what is reassuring about the new code of conduct is that even without the new constitution in place, it can be enforced in totality.
[QFM ]
Why is Dario Bonetti still absent from his new home base of Zambia?
The Italian did not travel with the team back to Zambia on Tuesday afternoon from Libya where they lost 1-0 on Sunday in their Africa Cup Group C qualifier.
It was the second time that Bonetti has failed to travel back to Zambia after a foreign assignment.
Last month, he travel with the team to Yemen for a friendly on September 11 before returning to his Italian base and has not been back since.
Faz vice president Bonnie Mwamelo told local press on Monday that Bonetti was still sorting out personal issues back in Italy together with his three Italian assistants.
Mwamelo said Bonetti will be back “in time” to prepare Zambia for their Cosafa Cup outing in Angola that kicks off on November 14 and runs until the 25th.
Zambia however is mostly likely to be one of the seeded sides and so they might be exempt from the preliminary stage matches for a week and join the fray around the 20th for the quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, Bonetti will also not attend the FIFA/CAF Symposium for African national team coaches in Cairo that starts on Wednesday until Friday that will be graced by Spain’s World Cup winning coach Vincente del Bosque and Egypt trainer Hassan Shehata.
Instead Lucky Msiska ,who has so far struck a lonely figure as Bonetti’s “number two”, has traveled to Cairo to attend the symposium together with Faz technical director Honor Janza.
Enumerators recruited to take part in this year’s census of population and housing in Solwezi district have also protested over the K 1.5 million allowance.
Speaking on behalf of enumerators Aaron Mungoshi told ZANIS today that the K1.5 million allowance to be paid to them is not adequate and needs to be increased to K5million.
Mr Mungoshi said the enumerators have agreed not to sign the affidavit forms until government addresses their plight.
Addressing the protesting enumerators, Solwezi District Commissioner (DC)Frobisher Fulayi assured them that his office would resolve their concerns over allowances by tomorrow.
Mr Fulayi said the concerns raised would be looked into and a resolution will be found as soon as possible.
The DC dispelled claims that enumerators in other districts were getting more money than those in Solwezi District saying there were no disparities in allowances adding that the amount is uniform across the country.
Hundreds of Ndola-based Census of Population and Housing enumerators recently staged a protest outside the regional offices of the Central Statistical Office (CSO) demanding that their training allowances be increased after hearing that their counterparts in Lusaka were being paid K900,000 while they were paid K500,000 as training allowances.
Ndola DC , Joshua Mutisa and District police chief, Bonnie Kapeso held a meeting with the representatives of the enumerators after police convinced the protesters to disperse and give an opportunity to their representatives, CSO and the office of the DC to resolve the impasse.
Similarly , their counterparts in boycotted their training at Kitwe’s Vocational Training College recently demanding that they be paid the promised K 1.5 million allowances.
The Enumerators who were found standing outside the college are demanding that they also be refunded their transport allowances.
The enumerators have accused government of planning to under pay them after the whole census exercise.
The two hundred and twenty seven enumerators have vowed to go back to Lufwanyama were they came from if government does not honor what it promised.
Measles has broken out in Solwezi district in the North-western province.
District Commissioner Frobisher Fulayi who confirmed the development in an interview with ZANIS, today, however said no deaths have so far been recorded.
Patients suffering from the disease are being admitted at Solwezi General Hospital.
Mr Fulayi said 40 measles patients are admitted at the hospital while 28 others are admitted at Solwezi Urban clinic.
He said most of the patients are children aged below five years.
The DC said his Office is mobilizing tents from Meheba refugee camp and Kamitonte to accommodate more patients as measures to contain the out-break intensifies.
Mr Fulayi appealed for calm among the Solwezi residents but was quickly to point out that people in communities should take precautions measures or rush to the nearest clinic for treatment.
The Catholic Church is disturbed by the continued trend of attacks and threats of violence against its leadership, Zambia episcopal conference spokesperson Father Paul Samasumo has charged.
Father Samasumo said he condemns acts of intimidation on the leadership of the Catholic Church.
He has reiterated that the whole Catholic Church stands with its leadership in working for a more democratic Zambia.
He said attacks on the Archbishop of Lusaka, Telesphore-George Mpundu, the Bishop of Mongu,Paul Duffy (OMI), and now against the Executive Director of Caritas Zambia,Samuel Mulafulafu are unfounded.
Father Samasumo said Caritas Zambia is not an NGO but an integral component of the structure of the Catholic Church, mandated to promote the social teaching of the Catholic Church.
He added that Caritas Zambia also works to empower Zambians in issues of justice, peace, development,and governance concerns.
He recalled that in March 2009, the Catholic Bishops of Zambia directed Caritas Zambia to animate volunteers throughout Zambia to prepare them to monitor the electoral process of 2011.
The Father said this is one way the Church has done to encourage ordinary Christians’ participation in governance matters and to promote the attainment of genuine democracy in Zambia.
And ZEC has condemned the recent violence that took place in Chilanga during the nominations for the parliamentary by-election.
He said after the experience of the Mufumbwe by-election violence, it was expected that the Zambia Police Service and other security wings would put in place proactive measures in policing election activities.
Football Association of Zambia president Kalusha Bwalya
Four Super Division clubs led by Green Buffaloes have broken the silence from top-flight teams by declaring that Kalusha Bwalya’s co-opted executive committee is illegal.
Faz has been embroiled in a constitutional impasse since the resignation of four executive committee members a fortnight ago when Pivoty Simwanza, Violet Bwalya, Henshel Chitembeya and Faz vice president Emmanuel Munaile quit over the way the way affairs were being run at Football House.
The Super Division teams joining Buffaloes in breaking the silence over the legality of Kalusha’s co-opted executive committee in the Super Division are all from the defence and security wing namely Nkwazi, Choma Eagles and Red Arrows.
The group of four calling itself the consultative group of defence and security teams is headed by Buffaloes chairman Colonel James Mazimba who said the clubs believed in constitutional order at Faz and have demanded an emergency meeting.
“As defence and security teams who are in support of upholding the FAZ constitution, we recognise difficulties that FAZ is likely to face in carrying out their mandate as a result of the said resignations which inter alia limits their ability to form a quorum by virtue of article 27.3 (iii),” Col Mazimba said in a statement released on Tuesday.
“Do hereby resolve and call upon the FAZ president (Kalusha Bwalya) to convene an emergency meeting to settle the current impasse and chart a way forward in accordance with article 26.2 (iv) of the constitution of FAZ and remain focused with eyes on the ball.”
Mazimba said the consultative group of defence and security clubs met on Monday on Monday in Lusaka where the four clubs resolved that Kalusha’s co-opted executive was operating without a legal mandate.
“At a meeting of chairpersons of Green Buffaloes Football Club, Red Arrows Football Club, Nkwazi Football Club and Choma Eagles Football Club held on Monday 11 October 2010 in Lusaka, it was resolved that the existing FAZ executive was operating without a legal mandate. Arising from the resignations of the three committee members and the vice president, the current executive does not form a quorum to transact any business.”
