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A three member High Court Judge Panel has begun hearing an appeal case for former republican President Dr Fredrick Chiluba’s Wife Regina following her conviction last year by a magistrate court for receiving property believed to have been stolen.
Mrs Chiluba was convicted on 3rd March 2009 on four counts and acquitted on one charge and sentenced to three years six months simple imprisonment by Magistrate Charles Kafunda.
In the first count Mrs Chiluba on dates unknown but between 16th of December 2002 and 3rd September 2007 had failed to account for property on stand number NDO/14 worth 80,000 thousand US dollars.
In the second and third counts Mrs Chiluba is alleged to have failed to account for property stand number KIT/ 643 worth 48, 000 US dollars and KIT/645 worth 60,000 US dollars in Kitwe respectively.
The property was suspected to have been stolen or unlawfully acquired contrary to section 319 of subsection A of the penal code.
In her appeal lawyer Robert Simeza of Simeza and Sangwa Associates said that the magistrate court ought to have had in place evidence that Mrs Chiluba had possessed the property in question.
He also argued that the court did not act in proportionate with the appellant’s station in life before having suspected her of having acquired the property in question illegally.
The defence also argued that the Magistrate did not prove that Mrs Chiluba had failed to account for the property.
The judges hearing the appeal are Judge Evans Hamaundu,Catherine ,Makungu and Eddie Sikazwe.
President Fredrick Chiluba and close relatives were present in court.
George Mpombo
MMD Kafulafuta Member of Parliament (MP) George Mpombo says it is cheap political hallucination for party spokesperson, Dora Siliya who he describes as a newcomer to ask him to leave the party.
Mr Mpombo said if there is anyone who should leave the party it is Ms. Siliya, republican president, Rupiah Banda and all newcomers who have contributed to the destruction of the party.
Mpombo said the MMD has become too loose because it hosts a number of newcomers in its National Executive Committee who have destroyed the party’s constitution.
Mr Mpombo has since challenged Ms siliya to be the first to leave the party before she could begin to harness the audacity of telling founder members to leave.
He pointed out that Ms Siliya has no capacity to send anyone out of the party simply because they have some antagonistic views.
He added that he is a member of the ruling party owing to his right of association and no one will make him change his decision simply because they are not happy with his deeds.
Mr Mpombo was reacting to MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya’s challenge to him and his Chilanga Constituency counterpart, Ng’andu Magande to resign from the ruling party and avoid unjustified attacks against the Government.
[ QFM ]
THE MMD says it will not adopt Kafulafuta member of Parliament (MP) George Mpombo and his Chilanga counterpart Ng’andu Magande to stand on the party ticket in the 2011 general elections.
MMD national chairman Michael Mabenga said the two have been a disgrace to the party.
“Whatever the two MPs have been issuing in the media to discredit the MMD is uncalled for and senseless,” Mr Mabenga said.
He said in an interview yesterday that the MMD is in the process of finding ideal candidates to field in the Kafulafuta and Chilanga constituencies because the current MPs have their own agenda.
“We are looking for candidates who will replace Mr Mpombo and Mr Magande,” Mr Mabenga said.
He said the two do not deserve to stand on the MMD ticket because they are not loyal to the party.
“Because of their retrogressive remarks against the ruling party, they have lost popularity in their constituencies…people in their constituencies are fed up of them,” he said.
[pullquote]
“Mr Mabenga cannot stop me from standing in Chilanga Constituency…he cannot compete with me even if he was to stand in my constituency,” he said.[/pullquote]
And Mr Mabenga said the MMD leadership will soon deal with erring members of the party, including Mr Mpombo and Mr Magande.
“We are not scared of anyone. It is just that we are following the laid down procedures before disciplining erring members,” Mr Mabenga said.
He said the MMD is a party that believes in its constitution and that it cannot rush things.
“Very soon, all erring members will be dealt with,” Mr Mabenga said.
When contacted for comment, Mr Magande said Mr Mabenga is not the person who adopts members to stand on the party ticket.
“Mr Mabenga cannot stop me from standing in Chilanga Constituency…he cannot compete with me even if he was to stand in my constituency,” he said.
Meanwhile, Copperbelt MMD chairman Joseph Chilambwe has threatened to block Chilanga MMD member of Parliament Ng’andu Magande from attending the party’s next national executive committee (NEC) meeting.
“I will personally block Mr Magande from attending the next NEC meeting. We cannot allow him and Mr George Mpombo to continue attacking the MMD, the party that they represent in Parliament. We are tired of their insults,” Mr Chilambwe said.
He said in an interview in Luanshya yesterday that the MMD on the Copperbelt will demand that Mr Magande be suspended from the party for his continued outbursts.
[pullquote]“I will personally block Mr Magande from attending the next NEC meeting. We cannot allow him and Mr George Mpombo to continue attacking the MMD, the party that they represent in Parliament. We are tired of their insults,” Mr Chilambwe said.[/pullquote]
“We are wondering why Mr Magande should say Zambians will change Government in 2011 when he is part of the ruling party. If he is not careful, he will be forced out of the party…he is a member of NEC who should protect the party instead of insulting it,” he said.
Mr Chilambwe said there is need to discipline party members who disrespect the top leadership.
He said the MMD on the Copperbelt is united and warned that the party will take action against undisciplined members.
Former church of god overseer Bishop John Mambo has called on government to avoid being lenient on calls to legalize homosexuality in Zambia.
Bishop Mambo said that Zambia is a Christian nation stating that Christianity does not tolerate same sex relations.
He said that in the church there is no human rights because when one commits sin is sin.
Bishop Mambo said the calls to legalize homosexuality are not new and that government should not be seen to accept such taboo.
He told QFM that it is also not a Zambian culture to allow Zambians to engage in same sex relations.
The Bishop noted that if that is allowed, Zambia might be destroyed in its cultural beliefs.
He added that it was unfortunate that some people were championing gay activities but expressed confidence that no one would openly support homosexual activities.
Last month, some political parties have said they cannot support and champion the legalization of homosexuality in Zambia because the practice is unChristian and alien to the nation.
The MMD and United Party for National Development (UPND) said separately that Zambia was declared a Christian nation and the issue of homosexuality had no room in this society.
But the Patriotic Front (PF) said it had not dealt with the matter because it was concentrating on more important issues.
[ QFM ]
Luapula Member of Parliament (MP) Peter Machungwa has accused Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata of diverting public attention from the failure of his party’s pact with the United Party for National Development (UPND) by continuously cricising the sale of Zamtel.
Dr Machungwa said in an interview that Mr Sata should desist from gaining political mileage by using the part-privatisation of the telecommunications firm.
He said Mr Sata was attempting to deflect public attention from the failed PF-UPND Pact and was now spending his time attacking the Government over the sale of Zamtel.
He said it was wrong for Mr Sata to continue attacking President Rupiah Banda and the Government over the sale of Zamtel and Zanaco.
Government recently announced the sale of 75 per cent shareholding in Zamtel to Lap Green Networks of Libya.
[pullquote]“Government embarked on the privatisation process in order to save some of these parastatals like Zamtel and Zanaco from total collapse and ensuring that they remained viable.
“Their sale was inevitable looking at the circumstances and their performance. The two parastatals were not making profits, and so it is wrong for Mr Sata to come and make negative statements about the whole process and threaten that he would re-nationalise the companies if he came into office,” he said.[/pullquote]
Dr Machungwa said the PF leader should not pretend not to be aware of conditions that necessitated the sale of parastatal companies in the country.
He said the sale of Zamtel was important in ensuring that it remained viable and able to contribute to the well-being of the Zambian people through job creation.
He said the Government decided to sell the company in the best interest of the country to save Zamtel from collapsing.
Dr Machungwa cautioned opposition parties against constantly attacking investment
initiatives, saying such actions would scare away would-be investors.
“Government embarked on the privatisation process in order to save some of these parastatals like Zamtel and Zanaco from total collapse and ensuring that they remained viable.
“Their sale was inevitable looking at the circumstances and their performance. The two parastatals were not making profits, and so it is wrong for Mr Sata to come and make negative statements about the whole process and threaten that he would re-nationalise the companies if he came into office,” he said.
He urged Mr Sata to concentrate on the pact and avoid unreasonable attacks on Government policies.
Dr Machungwa also said the launch of the UPND-PF Pact last week did not bring anything different to the Zambian people and only exposed the fact that the two leaders had failed to agree on who should stand for the position of president in next year’s general elections.
Meanwhile, the Committee of Citizens has condemned former vice-president Enoch Kavindele and PF spokesperson Given Lubinda for their criticism of the part-privatisation of Zamtel.
In a statement in Lusaka yesterday, Committee of Citizens executive director Gregory Chifire said the privatisation of Zamtel was the most successful deal in the history of the privatisation process in Zambia.
“We are therefore surprised by the petty and childish attacks made by Mr Enoch Kavindele and Mr Given Lubinda against Ms Dora Siliya merely designed to embarrass and not to build the country and its progressive policies and programmes,” Mr Chifire said.
He said that in 2002, Mr Kavindele was vice-president when Konkola Copper Mines was sold for a ‘scandalous’ US$25 million, the money he said the mines was able to generate in a week.
With the rise of copper prices on the international market, the $25 million was made in few days.
MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya has challenged Kafulafuta Member of Parliament, George Mpombo and his Chilanga Constituency counterpart, Ng’andu Magande to resign from the ruling party and avoid unjustified attacks against the Government.
Ms Siliya also said former vice-president Enoch Kavindele is bitter after Government rejected his application for a mobile telecommunication licence.
She reminded Mr Kavindele that he was awarded a licence to operate North-Western Railway Systems without tender procedure and had not been cleared by any competent court of law.
Mr Kavindele accused Ms Siliya in a tabloid at the weekend of wrongdoing while she served as minister of Communications and Transport, an allegation for which she was cleared by a tribunal.
Mr Kavindele also alleged that Ms Siliya flew directly from Petauke to Johannesburg in South Africa but the minister said she had travel schedules about her flight connections.
Ms Siliya said Mr Kavindele’s licence to open North-Western Railway Systems was done outside the tender processes and had been fighting for the deal which he knew was irregular.
She explained that the Government withdrew Mr Kavindele’s licence due to non-performance in line with terms of his licence.
She said late president Levy Mwanawasa held a meeting with Mr Kavindele and Chief Mumena to explain the matter and wondered why he had continued fighting her in the Press.
Ms Siliya, who is minister of Education, said she was in Johannesburg for a Southern African Development Community (SADC) ministerial conference on education and never flew directly from Petauke in breach of the law.
She explained that she arrived from Petauke on June 6, 2010 and left for the conference the following day.
She said Mr Kavindele should avoid cheap politics as a man who occupied the second highest political office in the land.
She said Mr Kavindele was bitter over Government’s decision to reject Vodacom on whose platform he had applied to operate a fourth mobile phone service.
On Mr Magande and Mr Mpombo, Ms Siliya said the two would do well to leave the MMD because they had been campaigning that their own party should lose the elections next year.
She said there was lack of seriousness in the two politicians and was certain Zambians were getting fed up with them.
But Mr Kavindele said there was a tender by the Communications Authority for a fourth mobile telephone operator, which he won.
He, however, said the issue of North-Western Railway Systems was his idea and admitted that there was no tender on that account.
Meanwhile, MMD Deputy National Secretary Chembe Nyangu has said the ruling party is confident of scooping the forthcoming Chifubu and Luena parliamentary by-elections and advised all parties participating in the polls to desist from acts of violence.
And United Party for National Development (UPND) Copperbelt Province chairperson, Elisha Matambo has said the UPND-Patriotic Front (PF) Pact will not ferry any cadres from other constituencies to Chifubu during campaigns to avoid violence.
Mr Nyangu said in interview yesterday that the ruling party had found a winning formula, which would see it capture the Chifubu seat from the PF.
“We are doing our best as we prepare for the by-elections. As at now what I can say is that we are set to win the election because the MMD will field the best candidate capable of delivering the much-needed development to the people,” he said.
The Luena seat fell vacant after the resignation of Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Charles Milupi while in Chifubu area MP Benson Bwalya died.
Meanwhile, Mr Matambo said in Ndola yesterday that it was important that all parties fielding candidates in future by-elections did not import cadres from other areas because they were the main cause of violence.
“As UPND and other partners in the electoral pact, the Patriotic Front, we have pledged to see to it that the forthcoming by-elections are held in a peaceful atmosphere,” he said.
[Times of Zambia ]
City of Lusaka have parted ways with coach Alfred Lupiya following a poor run of results.
According to club sources at Woodlands stadium, the decision to part ways with Lupiya was decided on Friday.
Lupiya has been replaced by his assistant Chris “Gazza” Tembo who has also been given the freedom to pick his assistant coach.
Meanwhile, Lupiya has only managed one win from his 10 games since taking charge of his first game on April 10 when City drew 0-0 with Nchanga Rangers at Woodlands.
Lupiya leaves City with one win, four draws and as many defeats with the team second from bottom of the Faz Super Division table with 10 points from 13 games played.
Lupiya was at Green Buffaloes last season after taking over from George Lwandamina in August 2009 before leaving at the end of last years campaign.
President Rupiah Banda
The Patriotic Front (PF) has described President Rupiah Banda’s alleged refusal to take action on Healthy Deputy Minister Dr Solomon Musonda as weakness.
PF National Youth Secretary General Eric Chanda said President Banda is not only a failure but also a weak Head of State.
Mr. Chanda said as Head of State, people expected him to take an appropriate action against Dr. Musonda.
He pointed out that it was unfortunate that the President has been promoting violence and anarchy in the country.
He called on Zambians to bear with government’s harsh response to issues affecting people’s security, adding that soon a caring government would be ushered into office.
President Banda was quoted in one of the daily newspapers that he felt sorry for health deputy minister Dr. Solomon Musonda, who recently shot and wounded a PF cadre Jackson Musaka.
The President declined to discipline Dr Musonda, saying there could be a reason why he shot Musaka.
[ QFM ]
Keeping the Sabbath holy is often mistaken to be the preserve of Seventh-Day Adventists. But this changed over the past five years after members of The Lord’s Church encountered the Lord Jesus Christ. This turnabout came, more so, when the pastor of this Korean Presbyterian church published a book.
The divine revelation in Pastor Yong-Doo Kim’s book is meant to bring a fresh view about the Sabbath. Its intended effect is to jolt Christians out of their self-deception and self-righteousness.
Pastor Kim writes, “We need to adjust our concept of Sundays. There are numerous saints who think that spending money on Sunday is justified if it is for the sake of the gospel.” He adds, “They do not properly teach or proclaim Sundays holy.”
According to the revelation, Sunday is serious business. There must be no working, no shopping, no buying, no selling, no cash transactions, no entertainment, no watching TV, no eating out and no recreation whatsoever. Perhaps no sex.
Sadly, it appears most Christians in Zambia have not got wind of this. They are still working, buying, selling and doing as they please on Sundays. Apparently, they are getting more and more exhortations for prospering and less and less for being holy. Correspondingly, some have become workaholics who care less about holiness.
In Pastor Kim’s book, Jesus says, “People confuse, misuse and abuse the commandment of Sunday for the sake of the gospel…Do not spend money on Sunday!” Evidently, He requires no money spent – not even for the gospels sake, save for tithes and offerings – because if allowed to do so everyone will have a reason for spending on Sunday. He would rather a Sunday guest speaker be offered food at the church itself or at the home of a church member other than at a restaurant.
However, some Christians may disbelieve and ignore these revelations. But they do so at their own peril because multitudes of Christians are already in hell for simply keeping the Sabbath unholy.
Most people think because Jesus died for man’s sins, going to heaven is, therefore, automatic. In their reasoning they point to bible verses like Ephesians 2:8,9 which say, “For by grace you have been saved through faith … it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” They also refer to justification and all sorts of bible references to justify themselves. And for a good measure, they quote, “Therefore, if the Son shall set you free, you shall be free indeed.”
Undeniably, these bible truths suggest express passage to the third heaven. However, when we open the bible at Philippians 2:12, it is written, “… work out your own salvation with trembling and fear…” Clearly it does not say, “Everything goes.” It says, “Keep yourself pure” or else you will be in hot soup, weeping and gnashing your teeth on the frying pan.
As members of The Lord’s Church found out, there are many dead Christians who have already taken up permanent residence in hell. Some of the Christians they saw in hell are their own relatives, pastors and people known to them. They are not there alone. They are in the company of demons who continually torment them until the end of time.
When Jesus appeared to Pastor Kim, his family and a few church members, He wanted the pastor to write about the realities of heaven and hell to warn mankind. Before long, the brethren became frequent visitors of both heaven and hell – not just sightseers but partakers of heaven’s pleasures along with the pain, fear and torment of hell.
It is not easy to veer around from things we are wrong about, especially things we believe in. But Christians are meant to know the truth. And when in doubt, all they need is to pray to remove the veil about a matter. As always, when proved wrong they should come to their senses and quickly repent with tears and trembling.
It is not enough for Adventists alone to refrain from work, buying and selling on Saturday, their Sabbath day. Even then, these masters of the Sabbath may be wrong because when God chooses a day, then it is no other.
The Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) says it collects over USD 18,000 per day from its clearing of motor vehicles
exercise at Mwami boarder in Chipata district.
Mwami RTSA station manger Peter Mwanza disclosed to ZANIS that his department collects between USD 18,000 and USD 20,000 ( about K 90 million and K 100 million) daily from clearing imported motor vehicles at the border.
He said this when Transport and communication Minister Geoffrey Lungwangwa visited Mwami borader to familiarize with operations at the
border.
He noted that a good number of motorists prefer to use Mwami boarder when they import their vehicles as there is less congestion at the border
compared to the situation at Nakonde and Chirundu border posts.
Mr Mwanza said congestion at Nakonde and Chirundu border posts caused by increased business activities has forced motorists to use the alternative
route at Mwami boarder through Malawi.
And Mwami Boarder Immigration officer-In-Charge Whyte Visuwa has said that Mwami boarder has become one of the busiest ones in the country to
increased cross border economic activities in Malawi and Zambia.
Mr Visuwa noted that 200 trucks cross the border points from both countries each day.
He observed that this has seen the growth of business activities at the boarder saying it can be attributed to the brotherly relationship between
the two countries.
Meanwhile, Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA), Mwami station officer in Charge Brenda Mawere has bemoaned lack of transport to carryout operations at the boarder point.
Ms Mawere noted that ZRA has not been able to meet its revenue target because most goods are smuggled into the country through unauthorized
entry points.
She said it has been difficult to follow illegal traders due to lack of transport because their points of entry are distances away from the
established border point.
Professor Lungwangwa also inspected construction works at Chipat/Mchinji railway project this morning.
Bank of Zambia of Zambia governor Caleb fundanga and his deputy Denny Kalyalya during the centrals bank's quarterly briefing in Lusaka.
Bank of Zambia (BoZ) Governor Caleb Fundanga has challenged banks in the country to give mortgages to the people on long term basis as a way of cushioning the inadequate housing units in the country.
Dr. Fundanga says financial institutions are better placed if only they play a significant role in providing mortgages to the people.
He noted that home ownership is vital in one’s wellbeing saying this can be achieved through the provision of soft loans from the commercial banks.
The BoZ Chief said this during the official launch of re-furbished Zambia National Building Society (ZNBS) Kitwe branch.
This was in a speech read for him by Copperbelt BoZ Regional Director Moses Mulomba.
He said a lot of houses were being funded from people’s personal savings which described as not an efficient and effective way of financing housing
projects.
Dr. Fundanga said ZNBS management should take this situation as an opportunity to fully utilize housing mortgages provision thereby answering
to its liquidity problems.
He stated that ZNBS has a mandate to develop and interact with its customers through the provision of mortgages and making them available to
the people.
And ZNBS Board Chairperson Mwando Mondoloka said ZNBS was in the 1990s not spared from the post liberalization of the economy where it lost tax
incentives which resulted in serious revenue loss.
Mr. Mondoloka said the institution has since managed to scale up its operations in the last two years following a successful implementation of
the strategic plan that has seen the bank expand.
He however, pointed out that the bank has mapped out a strategic plan to improve its liquidity and reputation in a bid to attract and service its
clientele base.
A traditional leader has expressed concern over the direction of Zambian politics.
Chief Mumena of the Northwestern Province has described as unfortunate the current culture of politics being exhibited by politicians in the country.
Chief Mumena observed that the current crop of politics have shifted away from improving the lives of people to personal attacks.
He said politicians need to go back to the drawing board and realize their aim and objectives to provide and deliver services to the electorates.
He further stressed that politicians must take note of the fact that their in Job is to serve the people they lead.
He said there is need for politicians to realize that the nation does not belong to them alone but to all Zambians.
[ QFM ]
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed”
(James 5:16, NIV)
TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria
All throughout Scripture, we see that God’s system operates on the principle of sowing and reaping. If you sow blessing and mercy into the lives of others, that’s what you’ll reap in your life in return. The same thing happens when you pray for one another. There’s a spiritual dynamic at play when you get your mind off yourself and onto others. You’re sowing a seed so that God can do something in your own life.
Is there someone in your life you can pray for? Maybe it’s a friend or a family member in need. They don’t have to be present, you can pray for them as you go about your day or even driving in your car on the way to work. Remember, when you pray for others, God will make sure someone is praying for you. It’s that connection of faith that opens the door for God to move mightily on your behalf.
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Heavenly Father, thank You for another day to be used by You. I choose to pray for the people in my life as You have commanded. Direct my thoughts and prayers today so that I can be a blessing to others and honor You in everything I do. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
A foreign woman smuggler has given birth to a dead baby at District Headquarters Hospital under police custody. A magistrate has instructed the police station concerned to make necessary arrangements for burial of the child in Christian cemetery according to wish of the mother.
Tembo Agness, of Zambia, was apprehended by Anti Narcotics Force, carrying drugs in November 2009. At that time, she was pregnant. Later she was sent to Adiala Jail by the court of law.
On Friday afternoon, she was rushed to DHQ Hospital from jail due to labouring pangs. She was shifted to Gynecology Department where she gave birth to a dead baby.
When jail administration came to know about the delivery, they submitted an application before a sessions judge, who deputed Special Duty Magistrate Syed Nazarat Ali to probe the reasons for the death of the child. Ali went to hospital on Saturday and inquired about the matter from the mother as well as doctors. He submitted his report to the sessions judge that according to gynecologist, the death of the child took place before birth.
Mother Agness wished that her baby be buried according to Christian traditions. Upon this the special magistrate ordered city police station to make necessary arrangements for burial of the child in a graveyard of Christians.
