Thursday, April 3, 2025
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BY warns Zambians against voting for Sata

PF Leader Michael Sata (left)

National Democratic Focus (NDF) leader Benjamin Mwila has said Zambians will live to regret if they vote for Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata in the 2011 general elections because he is allegedly undemocratic and inconsistent on national issues.

And Global Commodity Market Institute country director Mwango Chisha has said Mr Sata’s assertions that he will expel Zambia-based Chinese workers and low class investment is a dream because he will never be president of Zambia.

Commenting on assertions that the PF leader would expel Chinese workers and low investment, Mr Mwila said Mr Sata’s comments on the Chinese investment were a sign of an ignorant man on the global economy.

Mr Mwila said Zambians should blame themselves if they make a mistake of voting Mr Sata into power because he allegedly did not believe in democracy and kept changing position on important national policy matters.

Mr Mwila said Mr Sata did not understand democracy because he was not there when the MMD, which was based on democracy, was formed.

He said Mr Sata was an opportunist and populist leader,who joined the MMD one week before the convention which was why he did not understand and appreciate democracy.

Mr Mwila said he did not understand why the PF leader continued to attack the Chinese instead of explaining to the citizenry how he would contribute to the development of Zambia if elected into power.

Mr Mwila said countries were embracing each other for development but it was surprising that Mr Sata did not like Chinese investment when it was accepted globally.

He said, for instance South Africa, had developed because of embracing other nationals and wondered what was wrong with Zambia doing the same as it needed more development than the rainbow state.

Mr Chisha said Mr Sata was dreaming that he would change things because he would never be president of the country.

“The rate at which politics is moving, Mr Sata will never be president of Zambia because of a simple reason that he was not born a leader, and nothing can make him become a leader,” Mr Chisha said.

He questioned why the PF leader had so much hatred for the Chinese investors when they were globally accepted.

Mr Chisha said the Chinese may have some problem of human relationships due to factors like culture and language barriers but this should not be a weapon to demonise them.

He said there was need to look at the bigger picture of the investment than at individual Chinese who could have differed with a Zambian because of some misunderstanding.
[ Times of Zambia ]

MMD vows to crush pact in 2011—Kunda

Vice president George Kunda

Vice-President George Kunda has vowed that the MMD would crush the PF-UPND Pact in next year’s general elections because it was the only credible party with a national character to advance Zambia’s development agenda.

Addressing Serenje residents in Mailo and Chibale areas, Mr Kunda said the MMD has scored on various development issues to warrant it to remain in power next year.

“We shall defeat the PF-UPND pact in next year’s elections because our works are there to show; we are a party with national character and anchored at fostering national development. The opposition is just pre-occupied with insults which is of little benefit to the Zambian people,” Mr Kunda also Muchinga member of Parliament (MP) said.

The vice-president said that the pact was just fanning confusion in Zambia and that was why it had failed to announce its presidential candidate.
[pullquote]“We shall defeat the PF-UPND pact in next year’s elections because our works are there to show; we are a party with national character and anchored at fostering national development. The opposition is just pre-occupied with insults which is of little benefit to the Zambian people,” Mr Kunda also Muchinga member of Parliament (MP) said.[/pullquote]
“We are more organised, it is a well known fact that President Rupiah Banda is our candidate and we are ready for the so called pact to meet them head on in next year’s general elections. In fact the mass defections of their members to our party is testimony to the confusion in the pact,” Mr Kunda said.

He said while the opposition was pre-occupied with insulting President Banda and his leadership, the MMD was busy undertaking development projects countrywide for the well being of the Zambian people.

[ Times of Zambia ]

MMD’s failure to fight graft will cost Zambia – UPND

13
MMD cadres

The United Party for National Development (UPND) says the failure to tackle corruption by the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) government will cost the country, citing the suspension of funding to the Ministry of Health by the Global Fund.

Siavonga Member of Parliament, Douglas Siakalima says the freeze in funding to the health sector by the Global Fund is dangerous for the people of Zambia for which the MMD government will have to take the blame.
He said though the Global Fund has indicated its intentions to resume funding to the Ministry of Health in the next two months, the effects of the freeze on the health sector are devastating.

Mr Siakalima added that this acts as a reminder to the people of Zambia to vote out the MMD government in which corruption is endemic.

And Katombora Member of Parliament, Regina Musokotwane has observed that as long as government does not put its foot down and stamp out corruption in the country, the people’s suffering will never come to an end.
[UPND]

G8 ‘congenitally addicted’ to betrayal of Africa: former UN special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa

5

News that the G8 nations are “explicitly cutting back” on funding for HIV/AIDS comes as no surprise to Stephen Lewis.

Lewis, the former special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, told a Toronto news conference the G8 nations will be at least $7 billion short in their promised funding commitments to Africa. The figure comes from the G8 itself, taken from their Muskoka Accountability Report, an assessment of how the nations are doing on their big-ticket promises.

As host of the G8 and G20, Prime Minister Stephen Harper is using his position to promote child and maternal health. But the “fraudulence” of what Harper is promising is proven in that he has failed to do this in his own country, said Lewis, pointing to high infant mortality rates in First Nations communities.

“If you don’t attend to these issues in your own country you can hardly have serious credibility internationally,” Lewis said Tuesday from Ryerson University, where he was joined by several African and Canadian AIDS activists. “He grabbed maternal and child health because it sounded good.”

What world leaders are failing to grasp is that the health of mothers and babies in the developing world is inextricably tied to the fight against HIV/AIDS. If they don’t address that pandemic, nothing will ever get better, Lewis said.

However, Canada has been a consistent funder to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, which is largely supported by the G8. The Geneva-based organization handles $19.3 billion for more than 572 programs to fight the diseases in 144 countries.

As first reported in the Star, earlier this month in advance of the G8 in Huntsville, Global Fund executive director Dr. Michel Kazatchkine met with Harper to press his case for continued financial support. They need $17 billion over the next three years to continue programs to stop mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS and combat malaria.

While keeping a world view is important, said Denise Lambert of the Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network, the spread of HIV/AIDS in First Nations communities mirrors that of developing nations. She noted the latest data show 50 per cent of new cases of the human immunodeficiency virus are now in women.

“It is taking a terrible toll on aboriginal peoples,” said Lambert, who knows of many HIV positive women who discovered their status only when tested during pregnancy. “It is really critical we pay attention, not only to the big picture but what is happening in our own backyard.”

Harper is a “Stephen-come-lately” on the issue of maternal health, said Lewis. Holland, the United Kingdom and even the World Bank have worked in this area for several years. “I fear a fistful of promises that will not be delivered,” he said. “Between promise and delivery there lies an eternity.”

But what is ominous now is the sudden international downturn in funds and interest to fight a disease that has so far killed about 15 million Africans, he said.

All over the world, developed nations seem to be retreating from earlier promises. In the United States, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is being flat-lined for at least the next two years, Lewis said.

“That this should happen under President (Barack) Obama is inconceivable,” he said. “It only negates the pledge that the president (and Hillary Clinton) made during the (election) campaign.”

And in Uganda, Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique programs being run by Médecins sans frontières and others cannot enroll new patients unless someone dies, he added. “Again, the spectre of death will stalk the land,” he said.

There simply is no voice, no commitment anymore, Lewis said. Italy, Germany, Japan are all delinquent by failing to live up to financial commitments. “Where is the voice internationally on these issues?”

Celebrities such as Bono and Bob Geldof just aren’t enough to shoulder the burden, he said. “Celebrity status only does so much but governments make the policies.”

Siphiwe Hlophe, a grandmother from Swaziland living with HIV/AIDS, has been in Canada since May. She said now is the time to move from promises to deliverables. “We’ve been talking since the initiation of HIV/AIDS — two decades have since passed and the African countries are still struggling,” said Hlophe, one of the first Swaziland women to declare her HIV status publicly. Seventeen of her 24 brothers and sisters have died of AIDS-related causes.

“We come to the G8 and the G20. How many countries have delivered their promises?

[Toronto Star]

ZNBC to extend TV2 to Livingstone

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The Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) says plans are underway to extend TV2 to Livingstone by the end of this year.

ZNBC Public Relations Manager Miriam Mtonga said the TV2 transmitter has already been installed and negotiations have started between the Corporation and would be carriers of the signal the Zambia Telecommunications Company (Zamtel).

Ms. Mtonga said in statement to ZANIS in Lusaka today that ZNBC has also finally ordered Television (TV) equipment to improve TV reception in Ndola at a cost of 15, 000 Euros.

“Installation should start in about two months. This will bring to an end the poor reception being experienced in some parts of Ndola ,” she said.

Contrary to reports that ZNBC radio 1 had been sold, Ms. Mtonga said the Corporation is in the process of procuring the replacement parts for the shortwave transmitter which broke down earlier this year rendering no service to most parts of the country.

She said the tender process of procuring the replacement parts has been concluded and a contract has been signed with the supplier for the purchase of the parts at a cost of US$130, 000.

“Delivery of this will take about five months and during this time we regret that radio 1 and two will remain off air in the affected areas of the country,” Ms. Mtonga said.

And the ZNBC Public Relations Manager said ZNBC with the support of government, has embarked on a rural FM Project to install FM radio transmitters in some districts to supplement the short wave transmitters.

She said under phase 1, five districts have been earmarked namely Mpika, Mwinilunga, Kawambwa, Petauke and Kaoma at a cost of K600 million.

Ms. Mtonga has however assured viewers and listeners that ZNBC is committed to the delivery of quality service.

ZANIS

Voter Registration starts on a low key

12

The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) voter registration exercise has started in most parts of Zambia but on a low note with some towns like Kabwe
recording a poor turnout.

A check at some registration centers within town revealed that there had not been any people coming for registration.

By 12:00 hours today, only one person had registered at Broadway Basic School Registration centre.

A Registration officer at Zambezi source lodge registration center, Chela Chipwende, who was found putting up posters of notice, said many people do
not yet know that the exercise had started.

Chipwende’s sentiments were echoed by Samabona Gondwe, a registration officer at Neem Tree Basic school registration centre.

Registration officers with a police escort were dispatched to different registration centers this morning for the commencement of voter
registration.

The exercise which will go on for a period of ninety days is meant to capture new voters, remove deceased voters and allow for change of details.

ZANIS

Zambia Head For Botswana Friendly On Thursday

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The Football Association of Zambia (Faz) has confirmed Zambia will travel to Botswana this week to face The Zebras in an international friendly on June 27.

This is after earlier fears that the friendly was in doubt following speculation that the hosts’ Botswana might cancel the game due to logistical problems they were encountering in their two build-up matches against Lesotho and Zambia ahead of their planned departure for Tunisia on June 28.

Sources at Faz said today that the Botswana Football Association has confirmed they will host Zambia this Saturday in Gaborone after the Zebras return from Maseru on Thursday after playing Lesotho there in another friendly international on Wednesday.

Zambia will travel for the friendly on Thursday by road in what is expected to be Under-23 coach Lucky Msiska’s first match in full-charge of a senior team.

Msiska is expected to name his final 18 on Wednesday on their eve of departure for Gaborone.

His team has been in camp in Lusaka since Friday, June 18.

However, the team will be without any Zanaco players who have a league engagement at home this Saturday against Forest Rangers.

Msiska was by press time also expecting defender Emmanuel Mbola who was absent from Tuesdays training and who is the only high profile player in the team to face Botswana.

Botswana are using the friend against Zambia and Lesotho to prepare for their 2012 Orange Caf Africa Cup of Nations Group K qualifying match away to Tunisia on July 1.

Zesco United, TP Mazembe Draw

3

Zesco United were this afternoon held to a draw at home by 2009 Caf African club champions TP Mazembe in an international friendly match played at the Trade Fair Grounds in Ndola.

The match ended 1-1 with both goals in the international club friendly match coming in the opening 45 minutes of the game.

Zesco were first to score and went ahead in the 15th minute thanks to a penalty converted by striker Enock Sakala following a handball inside the area.

TP equalized seven minutes later through Paku Kabangu who also scored from the penalty spot.

This is after defender Nyambe Mulenga had handled the ball in the box.

The result was the DR Congo giants’ second successive draw on their week-long training camp in Zambia after also finishing 1-1 in their first game last Saturday against Power Dynamos at Arthur Davies stadium in Kitwe.

TP face Nchanga Rangers on Thursday at Nchanga stadium in Chingola.

NCC launches Draft Constitution

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FDD vice president Chifumu Banda
The National Constitutional Conference, NCC, has today launched the long awaited Draft Constitution.

Speaking during the launch at Mulungushi International Conference Centre this morning, NCC Chairperson, Chifumu Banda, said the launch has been done in accordance with Section 23 of the National Constitutional Conference Act, No. 19 of 2007, which states that the National Constitutional Conference should publish the Initial Report and the Draft Constitution adopted by the Conference and facilitate public debate and comments.[pullquote]Mr. Banda said the governance of the country will not improve by how much citizens quarrel among themselves.[/pullquote]

He says the public should spend much of their time to study the document instead of issuing unworthy criticisms of the NCC.

Mr. Banda launched the three documents which the NCC produced which include the Initial Report of the Conference, the Draft Constitution, and the Summary of the Resolutions of the Conference.

Mr. Banda has since appealed to the general public to take time to study the documents during the 40 days period starting today for the public to make their contributions, observations and other responses to the draft constitution.

He says the documents will be made available to the general public through the office of the District Commissioner in all the districts across the country, through the NCC Secretariat at Mulungushi International Conference Centre, as well as through the three websites which have been provided.

He named the Websites as the governance Secretariat under the Ministry of Justice on www.governance.gov.zm; the National Assembly website on www.parliament.gov.zm; and the National Constitution Conference website on www.ncczambia.org.

Meanwhile, Mr. Banda said the governance of the country will not improve by how much citizens quarrel among themselves.

He says the public should spend much of their time to study the document instead of issuing unworthy criticisms of the NCC.

PAZA tells State to stop threatening private media

10
Amos Chanda

The Press Association of Zambia (PAZA) has called on government to desist from issuing threatening statements to the independent media in the country.

Reacting to government threats to revoke the license of Sky FM radio station in Monze for allegedly reporting threats by Chief Mwanachingwala to burn the sugar cane plantations belonging to Zambia Sugar Company in Mazabuka, PAZA vice president Amos Chanda said such threats are an affront to media freedom in the country.

Mr. Chanda said the threats have an effect of intimidating journalists working for the independent media. He challenged government to tell the nation the offence the radio station committed that can cost it its operating license.

Mr Chanda said the government should stop questioning the radio station, but rather divert its questions to the Chief who threatened to burn the sugar cane plantations.

[QFM]

Mabenga has no right to stop Magande and I -Mpombo

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George Mpombo (kneeling)

Former Defence Minister George Mpombo says MMD Chairman Michael Mabenga has no right to stop either him or former Finance Minister Ng’andu Magande from contesting the MMD presidency.

In a telephone interview with QFM, Mr. Mpombo said it is not possible for Mr. Mabenga to be a hindrance to interested people who want to challenge President Rupiah Banda at the MMD convention.

Mr. Mpombo said Mr. Mabenga’s statement that both him and Mr. Magande are not eligible to stand for the MMD presidency because they are not in good standing with the party is not valid.

He accused Mr. Mabenga of taking the matter personal, doubting his utterances as to whether they have the endorsement of other party officials.

Meanwhile, Mr. Mpombo has vowed to fight his way in the party. He reiterated that he will go ahead and challenge President Banda at the convention because the party manifesto allows him to do so.

MMD National Chairman Michael Mabenga was recently quoted as saying that Mr. Mpombo and his Chilanga counterpart Ng’andu Magande are ineligible to contest the presidency at the national convention because of their poor relations with the party leadership.

Mr. Mabenga said the constitution only allowed members in good standing with the ruling party to contest any position.

He said Mr. Mpombo and Mr. Magande, who have also gone public about their intentions to run for the party presidency, were not enjoying any constitutional powers that could guarantee their candidature after de-campaigning their own party on many instances.

[QFM]

Mine accident leaves 22 miners seriously injured

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Chinese Collum Coal Mine miners
Chinese Collum Coal Mine miners

22 miners were seriously injured in an underground mine accident at the Chinese Coal Mine (CCM) in Sinazongwe in Southern Province on Sunday.

And an unsuspecting Chinese Officer escaped lynching by an angry mob as he was assisting the injured miners access medical attention at Maamba
Hospital.

Quick action from Maamba Hospital staff saved the mob from further lynching the Chinese national. The Hospital staff had a difficult task to contain the mob which earlier accused the mining company of failing to follow safety measures which has continued to cause accidents at the mine.

Both CCM spokesperson and Sinazongwe District Commissioner Oliver Pelete confirmed the development to ZANIS and said they would give a full detailed account of the incident that occured yesterday in the afternoon.

A check by ZANIS at Maamba Hospital found that all the 22 injured miners were admitted except one Chinese national who sustained a broken nose and
was rushed to Lusaka by management.

One of the injured miners Musho Simala, 26 ,disclosed from his hospital bed to ZANIS that the air bag that supplies Oxygen underground burst up
causing the air pressure in the tunnel where the unsuspecting miners were.

He said air pressure resulted in the miners collapsing and hitting themselves against the rocks and pillars underground. The CCM has been having several accidents resulting from poor safety measures, in 2009 the mine was closed after recording several deaths that included a Chinese national and for failing to follow safety measures.

ZANIS

Inadequate funds cited as reason for uncompleted roads

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A main road in Chitokoloki North-western Province

The Road Development Agency (RDA) says most of the works on the roads have not been completed because of inadequate resource allocation to the agency. RDA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Erasmus Chilundika said this when he appeared before the Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) today.
Mr. Chilundika told the committee that the agency faces problems with funding saying the allocation towards the construction of roads and bridges in the country required more money which he said has hindered the agency from completing the works on most roads.

He said even the National Roads Fund Agency (NRFA) most of the times failed to fund the construction of roads if the money required was huge. He said some roads and bridges that were not in the RDA work plan were worked on due to the public outcry and called for supplementary funding. He however said that the agency would ensure that roads that have remained uncompleted for sometime were worked on before the end of next year.

He disclosed that the Choma-Namwala road will be completed by the end of this year while the Kasama- Luwingu road would be worked on as well. During the same sitting, Works and Supply Permanent Secretary Watson Ng’ambi said his ministry is committed to ensuring that the agency worked on all the roads in the country where contractors abandoned work before finishing.

He said contractors who have failed to do quality work on the roads would be reported to the NCC to ensure that they are disciplined and that money paid to them would be recovered.

Earlier, Nkana Member of Parliament Mwenya Musenge who is the member of PAC said RDA only carried out road rehabilitation and construction where there was a by election leaving major roads such as the Kasama-Luwingu road which had remained uncompleted for over 10 years.

Mr. Musenge said the agency was not prudent in utilising public resources allocated to them saying it was untrue that the agency had no funds to work on the roads.

But PAC Chairperson Emmanuel Hachipuka urged Mr. Musenge and the committee to leave the by elections out of the deliberations. The chairperson also urged RDA to cooperate with the officers from the Auditor General whenever they visited them to verify reports and said they should ensure that all irregularities were corrected to avoid appearing several times before the PAC.

Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary said his offices will always be open to receive the officers from the Auditor General adding that they would ensure that measures were taken to correct the errors.

ZANIS

President Banda leaves for Namibia for State Visit

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The Presidential Challenger plane before President Banda left for Namibia at Lusaka international airport

President Rupiah Banda was last night expected to join football fans to watch a crunch group G World Cup match between South American giants Brazil and African heavyweights, Ivory Coast. Special assistant to the president for Press and public relations, Dickson Jere said this in a media release in Lusaka yesterday.

Mr Banda made a stopover in South Africa on his way to Namibia for a State visit, where he was invited by his Namibian counterpart, Hifikepunye Pohamba.

‘‘President Banda will leave for Namibia via South Africa where he will stop-over for meetings and later in the evening join His Excellency, Mr Jacob Zuma, President of the Republic of South Africa at a World Cup match between Ivory Coast and Brazil,’’ Mr Jere said after the president’s departure.

The president was accompanied to Namibia by First Lady, Thandiwe Banda, Foreign Affairs Minister, Kabinga Pande, parliamentary chief whip Vernon Mwaanga and other senior Government officials.

This is the first State visit President Banda is undertaking to Namibia since he became Zambia’s head of State in 2008.

ZANIS

The Weekend in Pictures

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1.

Lawlessness...A Lusaka youth hangs on to a fast moving mini bus along Cha Cha Cha road in Lusaka

2.

Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata addressing a rally in Chilanga township

3.

MMD vice treasurer Mwansa Mbulakulima gives chitenge materials to former Patriotic Front members who defected to the ruling party on the Copperbelt.

4.

A Patriotic Front member raises the party symbol during the party's public rally in Chilanga township.

5.

Free advert...The best way to advertise a car in Lusaka is to do it yourself

6.

Some youths gaze at the Michael Sata and Hakainde Hichilema poster during a rally in Chilanga

7.

Some traditional birth attendants pose for a photograph in Chongwe.

8.

Some Patriotic Front cadres listen to speeches during a rally in Chilanga township, but doing so over cigarettes and Tujilijili (an ilicit alcoholic brew)

9.

Some MMD youths marching along Cha Cha Cha road in Lusaka.

10.

Seventh Day Adventist youths from the Pathfinders age participate in a marching competition at Munali High School in Lusaka.

11.

Expansion works at Manda Hill Shopping centre

12.

Construction works focusing on expansion have continued to progress at Manda Hill shopping centre in Lusaka

13.

Anzac Arms bar, one of Lusaka's oldest drinking places still serving more drinks along Lumumba road

14.

A police officer on patrol just before President Banda left for Namibia aboard the Challenger plane at Lusaka international airport.

15.

The Presidential Challenger plane before President Banda left for Namibia at Lusaka international airport

16.

A Nchanga Rangers striker tumbles down after facing ZANACO's Numba Mumamba's resistance during a FAZ-KCM rescheduled match at Sunset Stadium in Lusaka.

16.

Sport In Action president addresses Under-12 football players before they left for Tanzania to participate in a regional soccer tournament

17.

Sport In Action president addresses Under-12 football players before they left for Tanzania to participate in a regional soccer tournament.

18.

Some soccer fans, perched on the turf watching the game between ZANACO and Nchanga Rangers at Sunset Stadium in Lusaka.

19.

Officials from Sport In Action with Under-12 football players before they left for Tanzania to participate in a regional soccer tournament.

20.

Officials from Sport In Action pose for a photograph with Under-12 football players before they left for Tanzania to participate in a regional soccer tournament

21.

Nchager's goalkeeper goes for the ball during a FAZ-KCM rescheduled match at Sunset Stadium in Lusaka.