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The National Revolution Party (NRP) has appealed to Government to construct a clinic and a school in Linda Compound in Lusaka.
NRP Secretary General (SG) Kelly Walubita Jr. bemoaned that there is no health post and a basic school in the area.
Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka yesterday Mr Walubita Jr. said this compels residents to go to Chawama and Mount Makulu to seek medical health care services while only a community school existed in Linda Compound.
He urged government through the Ministries of Health and Education to consider constructing a health post and a basic school in the area to cushion the rising number of maternal deaths among mothers and children as well as reducing illiteracy levels in the area.
He said education would not improve in the area without primary education, a vital component for building one’s foundation.
“As a party, we are appealing to the Government to construct a health post and school in Linda Compound,’’ Mr Walubita said.
And Mr Walubita thanked Government for clinching a U$$53 million loan from the Chinese Government for mobile clinics.
Mr Walubita Jr. further challenged the opposition to work with the government of the day as opposed to merely politicking at the expense of impoverished Zambians.
Inventor of the SF2000 Ludwig Sondashi
The Treatment Advocacy and Literacy Campaign (TALC) is happy that the Sondashi formula SF2000 has been proved useful to contain medicinal value for the fight against the HIV/AIDS.
The Sondashi Formula has since been earmarked for phase one of the clinical trials after scientist tasked to examine the potency of the formula to treat HIV/AIDS discovered particles that are useful in the HIV fight.
TALC National Coordinator Felix Mwanza expressed delight at the development saying the country stands to benefit immensely if the cure for HIV/AIDS is discovered by a Zambian.
Mr Mwanza has however cautioned the nation against jumping to conclusions before a re-examination and certification of the safety of the formula was done.
He told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that previous formulas had proved disastrous and maimed volunteers of clinical trials.
Mr Mwanza appealed to government to ensure that the rights of people that will volunteer in the trial are respected and that their interests are taken into consideration.
“As TALC, we welcome the discovery because we believe that is good development. However, our main interest is to ensure that the rights of people involved in the trials are respected as the trials go on”, he said.
He hoped that the volunteers would be taken care of if they developed side effects and that the government will take full responsibility of the outcome of the trials.
[ ZANIS]
Patrotic Front Vice president Guy Scott
The United Party for National Development (UPND) is infuriated that its loss in last Thursday’s Luena parliamentary by-election is being celebrated by its alliance partner, the Patriotic Front (PF).
Consequently, the UPND has attacked the PF wondering how the electoral defeat of one pact member can be received so gleefully by another partner.
UPND youths also plan to petition their party to explain the nature of the PF/UPND pact because they were being insulted everyday.
UPND national chairman Joe Kalusa said it is sad that leaders of the PF are rejoicing over the outcome of the Luena by-elections when they are partners who should instead be consoling each other.
Mr Kalusa, who was with the UPND vice spokesperson Cornelius Mwitwa, said in an interview yesterday that the PF’s joy over the Luena loss is demeaning, provocative and intended to undermine the UPND.
“The attacks are with malice aimed at frustrating our party and eventually breaking the pact that the Zambian people have welcomed with both hands,” he said.
Mr Kalusa said the youths are wondering what kind of partnership UPND has engaged with PF if malicious celebrations can be the order of the day.
“It is really unacceptable how the PF vice-president Guy Scott can celebrate UPND loss in Luena,” he said in reference to an article in The Post newspaper yesterday where Dr Scott wrote that the theory that UPND was going to sweep Western Province was “well and truly punctured”.
Mr Kalusa said the utterances by PF are a clear indication that it is not interested in the pact.
He said the UPND youths plan to petition their party to explain the nature of the PF/UPND pact because they were being insulted everyday.
Mr Kalusa called on PF president Michael Sata to advise his party vice-president Dr Scott against rejoicing over the UPND loss in Luena to save the pact.
And Mr Kalusa accused the PF leadership of campaigning against the UPND.
“The PF leadership is on a vicious campaign to undermine UPND,” he said.
When contacted for a comment PF spokesperson Given Lubinda said he will comment on the matter today.
Dr Scott also wrote that a tiff between PF and UPND over who should contest this was what led to the current cracks in the PF-UPND pact.
“UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema was very clear that he was taking a territorial approach to expanding his party’s support base in Zambia and demanded to be in effect allocated all of Western Province as his hunting ground,” he said.
Dr Scott said this might have been reasonable in the days of Anderson Mazoka’s leadership when most of the Western seats were captured by UPND in the 2001 general elections, but currently, based on the results of the 2006 election, the party holds only one of the 17 constituencies in Western Province.
Dr Scott said eventually, UPND was given Luena to contest on the grounds that PF would be busy in Ndola and on the basis of the PF being given the next seat to come up for the contestation in the West.
“UPND must be ruing the day it ‘won’ the argument about who should contest Luena.
The constituency fell vacant when Charles Milupi formed his new party ADD and thus abandoned his independent status and automatically vacated his seat in Parliament.
“As a Lozi induna, he quite possibly had chunks of the Barotse Royal Establishment – particularly at the level of the village headmen organising for him; he also appears to have chunks of money at his command.
He won with 50 percent of the vote; MMD trailed him with 30 percent and UPND came with a mere 20 percent, despite the presence of Hakainde himself and a strong campaign team,” he said.
Dr Scott said the theory that UPND was going to sweep up Western Province was well and truly punctured! Consequentially also destroyed, or at least damaged, was the wishful scenario drawn up in some minds of the UPND quickly closing the gap between its popular support and that of PF – with the logical consequence that ‘HH’ would then have a legitimate claim to be the pact presidential candidate in 2011.
In 2008 presidential elections which is the last comprehensive ‘opinion poll’ held in the country, PF scored roughly twice as many constituencies. The erosion of the PF support in the Copperbelt and the rebirth of UPND in the West were indispensable parts of the catch-up scenario – and neither happened.
The conclusion is that the popularity rating of PF countrywide by any measure, is still approximately twice that of UPND. That the two parties together can still wipe out MMD by marshalling 60 percent of the vote against it remains a matter of simple arithmetic (20+40=60).
But the subplot of UPND expanding and or PF shrinking so that parity is achieved between the two parties – with the implied leadership contest -seems very remote as of the last week’s elections results, Dr Scott wrote.
Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Peter Daka has called on China to consider transferring appropriate technologies in agro processing, aquaculture, irrigation and other areas that would help Zambia maximise its potential in the agriculture sector.
Mr Daka has also called for private investment in supporting the production of various crops such as pineapple, mango, cashew nuts and groundnuts.
The minister said technology transfer in other areas such as monitoring of environmental quality, animal vaccines, infrastructure development, equipment and research would benefit agriculture in the country.
Speaking during the official opening of the China-Africa Agriculture Forum in Beijing yesterday, Mr Daka, who is Zambia’s delegation leader said there was need for the transfer of technologies in some strategic sectors.
The delegation included Finance and National Planning Minister, Situmbeko Musokotwane and Zambia’s Ambassador to China, Joyce Musenge.
Also in attendance was the chairperson of the House of Chiefs, Chief Madzimawe and several other chiefs representing different parts of the country.
Mr Daka said the Zambia-China partnership had proved to be that of a win-win scenario resulting in mutual benefits for all parties.
According to a statement released by the Zambian embassy in China, Mr Daka thanked China for continuing to help African countries in the field of agriculture and welcomed the ongoing agricultural cooperation.
He praised the Chinese government for prioritising agricultural cooperation with Africa as the sector was at the core of human survival, which centred on the production of food and consequently contributed to sustainable economic growth.
Mr Daka urged the forum organisers and delegates not to be dissuaded in their efforts but to concentrate on the mutual benefit to the people arising from the cooperation.
The Forum was officially opened by the Minister (International Department) of the Chinese Communist Party, Wang Jiarui who in his welcome remarks stressed the need for increased Sino-Africa cooperation in agriculture.
Mr Wang said agriculture was the basis for any national economy and that in that regard, China and Africa had a responsibility to provide food to their people.
The meeting was organised by the international Department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture.
It attracted more than 200 dignitaries and included the vice-presidents of Zimbabwe and Kenya as well as ministers responsible for agriculture and economy from Sudan, Ethiopia, Namibia, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Angola.
The body of the late Mpulungu MMD Member of Parliament (MP) Lameck Chibombamilimo arrived yesterday at Lusaka International Airport aboard an Ethiopian Airways at 14:55 hours.
Mr Chibombamilimo, who is also former Energy Deputy Minister, died in the early hours of Tuesday owing to a kidney failure.
The late Chibombamilimo was evacuated recently by government to India at Apollo Hospital in New Delhi for specialist treatment where he died.
The body of the late Mpulungu MMD MP was received by Foreign Affairs Minister Kabinga Mpande, Minister of Health Kapembwa Simbao and Lusaka Province Minister Charles Shawa.
Others who were at hand to receive the body are Tourism Minister Catherine Namugala, MMD National Chairman Michael Mabenga, Deputy Minister in the Office of the Vice President Guston Sichilima, Patriotic Front President (PF)Micheal Sata and other MMD and leaders from opposition political parties.
And in receiving the body, MMD Lusaka Central Constituency Chairperson, Chilekwa Munkonge said the party will try to avoid differences with the opposition PF as this was a time of mourning.
Mr Munkonge noted that funerals were supposed to bring people together regardless of their political affiliation hence the need for everyone to behave as a mourner and not cadre.
He hoped that the bad behavior of the PF cadres exhibited at the airport would not be extended to the funeral house or to Northern Province if the body would be transported and buried there.
And Mandevu PF Member of Parliament Jean Kapata said her party is saddened by the death of Mr Chibombamilimo.
Ms Kapata said the death of the late MP was not only a great loss to MMD but also to the country as a whole
She noted that the PF would have loved to see the late Chibombamilimo finish his term of office because he was hard working person.
She has since appealed to the family and mourners to mourn peacefully and encouraged the widow to remain strong during this trying moment
[ ZANIS]
It is amazing what an electronic scoreboard can do for a stadiums reputation.
Faz announced today that Arthur Davies stadium in Kitwe might host Zambia’s opening 2012 Africa Cup Group C qualifying game against the Comoros Islands on September 4.
Power Dynamos sponsors Copperbelt Energy two weeks ago commissioned the first electronic scoreboard at the clubs Arthur Davies home ground, a first for a team in the Super Division and on the Copperbelt.
The venue, together with Nchanga stadium in Chingola, had previously alternated with Independence stadium to host international matches just 10 years ago.
However five years ago, Arthur Davies and Nchanga were later overlooked for both junior and senior matches with Konkola stadium in Chililabombwe hosting the latter’s matches while Nkoloma in Lusaka hosted the formers games.
Previous excuses of capacity and Fifa safety guidelines seem not to have played a factor for Arthur Davies this time around thanks to a gleaming new electronic scoreboard at the venue that Power officials say can sit 15000.
Meanwhile, the venue which last hosted a Zambia game on December 14 2005 when they beat DR Congo 4-1 in a friendly under then coach Patrick Phiri, has always been a sentimental favorite for player’s.
Players speak intimately of the in-your-face atmosphere generated from the steep stands in the close confines of Arthur Davies and also a tight pitch that suits the teams passing game.
Barclays Bank Zambia PLC has officially commissioned the K3.2 billion students hostel accommodation at the University of Zambia (UNZA) Ridgway campus.
The new hostel block with a capacity of 60 bed spaces is aimed at addressing the current accommodation problems being faced at the institution.
Speaking during the commissioning in Lusaka today, Education Minister Dora Siliya reiterated Government’s commitment towards providing quality education and increasing access at all levels.
ZANIS reports that Ms. Siliya however, said this could only be achieved if there were concerted efforts from both the Government and other stakeholders in improving infrastructure development.
She explained that Government has taken it upon itself to ensure that access to education at all levels was improved and has since embarked on infrastructure development throughout the country.
She cited the construction of new Secondary Schools in all the provinces and also the provision of funds to public universities under the infrastructure development budget line as some of the initiatives that are targeted at improving the education sector.
The Minister further thanked Barclays Bank Zambia for supporting the education sector in its social corporate responsibility programmes.
Ms Siliya added that the donation of K3.2 billion towards the construction of student’s hostel and a further K33 million for rehabilitation of the old hostels is a true and practical expression of social corporate responsibility that other institutions must emulate.
And Barclays Bank Zambia PLC Chairperson Jacob Sikazwe reaffirmed his company’s continued support to the Education sector in the country.
Mr. Sikazwe said the Bank through its social responsibility would continue to provide sustainable programmes that meet the interest of customers and communities where it operates from.
He also disclosed that the company has set up a scholarship fund to support the education of economically disadvantaged students both at UNZA and the Copperbelt University noting that so far, 30 scholarships have been offered.
Earlier, Chairperson of the UNZA Council Tukiya Kankasa Mabula said infrastructure played an important role in the university’s ability to offer and deliver quality education programmes and to conduct research.
Dr. Mabula noted that the infrastructure requirement at the university had in the past years stagnated due to financial constraints which resulted in shortages in student’s accommodation.
She added that student population at the institution had also increased to 13,000 in 2010 from 3,000 in the 1970s adding that the university was only able to accommodate 3,191 students leaving more than 7,000 unaccommodated.
She thanked Government and other partners like Barclays Bank for responding positively to the challenges of infrastructure development for the education sector.
Chief Government Spokesperson, Ronnie Shikapwasha has accused Patriotic Front (PF) President Michael Sata of trying to gain political mileage out of the death of Mpulungu Member of Parliament Lameck Chibombamilimo. Lieutenant General Shikapwasha said while the nation was mourning the death of the MP, Mr. Sata was busy without remorse engaging in cheap and selfless political rhetoric over his death.
Mr. Sata was today quoted in the Post newspaper as saying President Banda’s wish to eliminate Lameck Chibombamilimo has been fulfilled. Lt. Gen. Shikapwasha described as un-Zambian, unethical and unacceptable Mr. Sata’s conduct.
Lt. Gen. Shikapwasha said this in a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today. He has since advised Mr. Sata to leave politics out the death of the former MP so that the nation could mourn his death in peace.
“It is shocking that while the nation is engulfed in grief and sorrow over the passing on of one of its nationals, Mr. Sata without remorse chooses to engage in cheap and selfish political rhetoric. This is un-Zambia, unethical and unacceptable,” Lt. Gen Shikapwasha said.
Lt. Gen. Shikapwasha who is also Information and Broadcasting Services Minister said President Banda as a father of the nation cared for all Zambians including Mr. Sata. He emphasized that it was out of this care that he sanctioned the evacuation of Mr. Chimbombamilimo for specialist treatment to India.
He added that Mr. Sata also benefited from the government intervention when he was flown for specialist treatment in South Africa in 2007. “Lest he has forgotten, Mr. Sata himself is a beneficiary of government intervention when he was flown to South Africa for specialist treatment a few years ago no one politicized his evacuation as he is doing” Lt. Gen Shikapwasha said.
Meanwhile, Body of the late Mpulungu MMD Member of Parliament (MP) Lameck Chibombamilimo arrived today at Lusaka International Airport aboard an Ethiopian Airways at 14:55 hours. Mr. Chibombamilimo, who is also former Energy Deputy Minister, died in the early hours of yesterday due to a kidney failure.
The late Chibombamilimo was evacuated recently by government to India at Apollo Hospital in New Delhi for specialist treatment where he died. The body of the late Mpulungu MMD MP was received by Foreign Affairs Minister Kabinga Mpande, Minister of Health Kapembwa Simbao and Lusaka Province Minister Charles Shawa.
Others who were at hand to receive the body are Tourism Minister Catherine Namugala, MMD National Chairman Michael Mabenga, Deputy Minister in the Office of the Vice President Guston Sichilima, Patriotic Front President Micheal Sata and other MMD and leaders from opposition political parties.
And in receiving the body, MMD Lusaka Central Constituency Chairperson, Chilekwa Munkonge said the party will try to avoid differences with the opposition Patriotic Front as this was a time of mourning. Mr. Munkonge noted that funerals were supposed to bring people together regardless of their political affiliation hence the need for everyone to behave as a mourner and not cadre.
He hoped that the bad behavior the PF cadres exhibited at the airport would not be extended to the funeral house or to Northern Province if the body would be transported and buried there.
And Mandevu PF Member of Parliament Jean Kapata said her party is saddened by the death of Mr. Chibombamilimo. Ms Kapata said the death of the late MP was not only a great loss not only to the MMD but the country as a whole. She noted that the PF would have loved to see the late Chibombamilimo finish his term of office because he was hard working person.
She has since appealed to the family and mourners to mourn peacefully and encouraged the widow to remain strong during this trying moment.
City of Lusaka may have just booked their one-way ticket to demotion with the sudden firing of Chris “Gaza” Tembo on Tuesday.
Mr Fix-it Gaza whose exploits during his turbulent reign at Nakambala Leopards for two seasons in the Super Division are well documented, has been replaced by Fewdays Musonda who his week also made dramatic exit at division one south club Lusaka City Council (LCC) by announcing his resignation via a phone call to his bosses at Civic Centre.
Hiring a third coach in 20 games tells you a lot of how the system at City works as they stay riveted at the bottom of the table in 16th place.
Gaza’s dismissal comes in the wake of a 2-0 away defeat to league leaders Nchanga Rangers on Saturday that saw City drop from 15th 16th on the table.
That defeat came on the back two successive wins for City; the first a 3-2 away win over fellow strugglers Lusaka Dynamos and the second a 1-0 convincing though gusty win over Red Arrows at Woodlands stadium that seemed to signal that Gaza’s team was turning the corner.
Under Gaza, City have won three of their four games the first also against Arrows in his first short two-match reign in April before he was demoted to be Alfred Lupiya’s assistant who was fired at the mid-season break after winning just one match from nine with four draws and as many defeats.
According to an insider, signs that Gaza’s days were numbered at Woodlands manifested prior to City’s trip to Chingola on Saturday when he was allegedly handed an alternative team list they believed will do better against leaders Rangers with 15 players traveling to the Copperbelt.
However, the opposite happened and City lost leaving Gaza as a scapegoat for the loss leading to is subsequent firing.
His replacement Fewdays is a brave man to have jumped from an almost financially secure job at LCC to cash-strapped City.
Moreover, while Fewdays is credited with steering Nkana to promotion last year before his unceremonious dismissal in Kitwe, his record at LCC has not been that glamorous.
LCC are perched in 11th place on 29 points from 23 games and 16 points behind leaders Nakambala Leopards.
On Saturday, Fewdays and City come face-to-face at Woodlands with Nkana under an inspired Linos Makwaza .
Nkana are enjoying good spell with two successive wins from three games in charge for Makwaza .
Fewsdays should pray he wins because victory for Makwaza at Woodlands will be a victory for the virtues of patience.
Labour and Social Security Deputy Minister Simon Kachimba
Government has disclosed that it will soon enact a law that will give Zambian nationals a chance to hold high positions in companies owned by foreign investors.
Labour Deputy Minister Simon Kachimba says Zambia has highly qualified nationals who have the capability to effectively run most of the big companies in the country hence the need to for them to be given a chance to hold key positions in these companies.
Mr Kachimba said though investors can bring in a few expatiates in key positions like finance, the majority of top portfolios should be held by local people, adding that Government will ensure that this happens in its bid to empower local people.
The Deputy Minister was speaking in Lusaka today when he addressed the Zambianisation committee that has been tasked to implement measures aimed at curtailing the recruitment of cheap expatriate labour.
Mr Kachimba said Government is committed to providing decent employment for its people and will do everything possible to ensure that it safeguards employment for its nationals.
He stressed that Government is also committed to preparing Zambian nationals so that they take over jobs from expatriates as a way of empowering them.
Mr Kachimba however said for this to happen it is vital to come up with a succession plan aimed at identifying and developing internal personnel with the potential to fill key or critical organisational positions.
He urged the Zambianisation committee to follow up each company’s succession plan so that the country has fully backed nationals who will run companies effectively once they take over.
Press Association of Zambia vice president Amos Chanda (left).
The Media Liaison Committee has maintained that it will go ahead with self regulation for the media in the country despite government’s resistance.
MLC spokesperson Amos Chanda said despite government taking a different stance on the matter, the committee has resolved that it will push for self media regulation in the country.
Mr Chanda says the committee has received immense support from different stakeholders, adding that this is an indication that self regulation is the way to go.
Mr Chanda told a media briefing in Lusaka this morning that the document on self regulation, the Fringilla Consensus,is the most comprehensive self regulatory mechanism in the history of the country as it was agreed by representatives from all media houses in the country.
And Mr Chanda has announced that the launch of the Zambia Media Council has been set for Thursday, 26th August 2010 following the approval of the registration formalities and scrutiny of the names of founding members that have lodged the application on behalf of the council.
He says the process of nominating members of the National Governing Council (NGC) of ZAMEC is ongoing and that once the list is complete,a meeting will be convened to approve the nominees.
The Zambia National Education Coalition (ZANEC) has applauded Government for directing all teachers to stop conducting tuitions with pupils in their homes.
ZANEC Executive Director Miriam Chinyama said the directive was long overdue adding that there has been an increase in sexual abuse among girls.
Ms Chinyama explained to ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that Government should ensure that teachers were monitored so that the directive by Ms Siliya was adhered to countrywide.
She added that if not properly monitored, some teachers would ignore the directive and continue conducting tuitions with pupils in their homes.
Ms Chinyama said ZANEC did not want to see the situation continue even after the Government’s directive.
Education Minister Dora Siliya has since directed all teachers to stop conducting tuitions with pupils in their homes saying the practice had resulted in increased sexual abuse among girls.
The Ministry of Education has recorded 16 cases of sexual abuse perpetrated by some male teachers countrywide from January this year to date, resulting in unwanted pregnancies.
Farmers off-loading their maize at a Food Reserve Agency depot in Kabwe.
NORTHERN Province expects more than K128 billion in revenue from the sale of maize to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) and the millers this year.
In the previous season, the province was able to generate K72 billion from the sale of maize to the agency and this year’s would represent over 75 per cent increase.
Provincial agriculture officer Conrad Muzela said in an interview that the FRA would procure 32 per cent of the maize from the farmers thereby contributing to economic growth of the province.
Northern Province produced 309,078 tonnes of maize for the 2009/2010 farming season.
“In terms of maize, we are feeding the nation and food basket is slowly shifting from Southern Province to Northern Province,” Mr Muzela said.
[pullquote]“In terms of maize, we are feeding the nation and food basket is slowly shifting from Southern Province to Northern Province,” Mr Muzela said.[/pullquote]
He said the K128 billion would be generated from FRA alone and there were also private buyers who were likely to push up the figure to more K100 billion.
He said the province was becoming self- sustainable because of the diversified crops that the farmers were producing thereby stimulating growth in the various sectors.
“We are now cultivating crops like sorghum, millet, sweet potatoes and groundnuts among others,” Mr Muzela said.
He also said Zambia was slowly being consumed by hybrid seeds hence the need for farmers to preserve the local seed.
“We are now encouraging farmers to utilise local seeds and repackage them for the next farming season as this will help maintain the local breed,” Mr Muzela said
NATIONAL Constitutional Conference (NCC) chairperson Chifumu Banda says the conference is determined to make its contribution towards ensuring that Government delivers a new Constitution before the 2011 general elections.
And Mr Banda has told NCC members who no longer believe in the process to stay away from it.
Mr Banda was speaking in his opening remarks at the eighth session of the NCC plenary.
He said the NCC secretariat received and compiled memoranda from the public, which will facilitate debate and adoption of the final report and Constitution Bill in readiness for submission to the Minister of Justice.
Mr Banda said the final stages in the constitution-making process have had to be revised to exclude certain activities such as the collection of views from all the 72 districts because of inadequate funding.
He said because of lack of funds, the current session of the NCC will be held for only four days. “This time around, we do not have the luxury of time and financial resources in the face of the 31st August, 2010 deadline, when the National Constitutional Conference will stand dissolved,” Mr Banda said.
The remaining tasks of the NCC involves the incorporation of the views and comments of the public into the final report and draft Bill in readiness for handing them over to the Minister of Justice by the end of this month.
The NCC will be dissolved and the terms of offices of members will expire on August 31, 2010, in accordance with the NCC Amendment Act number 5 of 2010.
Another task which needs to be undertaken by the NCC in this session is to determine how the provisions of the draft Constitution will be enacted.
Mr Banda said it is important to note that the input of the public is crucial for the final conclusion of the constitution-making process, and the consequent realisation of a people’s Constitution.
“It is gratifying to note that an overwhelming number of members of the public, including those stakeholders who had boycotted the NCC, submitted their comments to the secretariat on the initial report and draft Constitution,” he said.
Mr Banda urged members to ensure that no submission is neglected even if one individual submits it on an isolated subject.
He said the NCC executive and secretariat have since engaged Dr Mutumba Bull and Dr Sichalwe Kasanda to edit the final report of the NCC, while Justice Matthews Ngulube and Dr Mpazi Sinjela, who have a legal background, have been engaged to identify inconsistencies in the draft Constitution.
“It must be noted that these experts have been instructed not to alter any decision of the Conference as they undertake their work,” Mr Banda said.
And Mr Banda advised members who no longer believe in the NCC process to stay away from the proceedings.
This was after commissioners Ngenda Sipalo and Dante Saunders openly alleged that the process was going nowhere.
Mr Sipalo alleged that the process was being driven by the MMD. He accused Vice-President George Kunda and Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services Ronnie Shikapwasha of being spokespersons of the NCC.
But Mr Banda stated that although the NCC only had one spokesperson, Mrs Mwangala Zaloumis, every Zambian has the right to comment on the process.
“I will allow those who believe in this process to continue, but those of us who have stopped believing in it should stay away,” Mr Banda said.
And Mr Banda said no NCC member will be paid gratuity.
