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Fr. Frank Bwalya
Change Life Zambia (CLZ) Executive Director, father Frank Bwalya has observed that political violence has began to increase in the country because political leaders have shown no will to deal with it.
Father Bwalya said the civil society organization in the country were worried of the rampant violence being exhibited during political campaigns.
He said only political leaders themselves have the key to stop the spread of the violence being perpetuated by cadres who obey every instruction they give them.
Father Bwalya said cadres should not be blamed because they could not do anything without the consent of their political leaders.
He appealed to political leaders from the both the opposition and the ruling party to take keen interest in conducting their political campaign without violence.
The CLZ Director noted that the operations of political parties in the country was worrying as regards to violence and they should to take a strong stance against it.
He said that political violence is affecting the lives of Zambians and if no action was taken by those in leadership position, it would paint a bad picture on the country’s developing democracy.
[ QFM ]
A post-match brawl between Entente Setif midfielders Khaled Lemmouchia and Francis Ambane overshadowed Zanaco’s exit from this year’s Caf Champions League.
Cameroonian midfielder Ambane who came on in the last 10 minutes of the match got into an altercation with his Algerian team mate in the midst of missing two chances on goal.
The two squared up after the final whistle before being briefly separated but their fight got ugly in the Nkoloma stadium car park leaving Lemmouchia with a bloodied face as the police shielded Ambane from the wrath of some of his teammates who turned against him on the team bus.
Ambane left in a separate car with Setif official and Algerian diplomatic staff under guard from the police.
Meanwhile, back on the field of play, the game was scoreless going to halftime before Zanaco took the lead in the 51st minute through Makundika Sakala who headed in an Allen Mukuka cross.
Setif leveled eight minutes later through striker Nabil Hemani who drilled in free kick.
Man of the match Lazhar Aissa made it 2-1 in the 76th before Kennedy Nkethani equalized in the 80th minute.
Zanaco bow out 3-2 on aggregate and have now been relegated to the Confederations Cup.
They will know their last 16 opponents when the draws for both the Champions League group stage and Confederations Cup pre-group matches are made on May 13 in Cairo.
SOME political parties have said they cannot support and champion the legalisation 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 in Lusaka yesterday 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.
MMD acting spokesperson Mike Mulongoti said the ruling party could not embrace or support the gay rights because the party was founded on Christian norms.
“Zambia is declared a Christian nation and anything that is unChristian and alien to our society is deemed to be an abomination,” Mr Mulongoti said.
Mr Mulongoti, who is Works and Supply minister said the MMD strongly condemned people championing gay rights.
He said supporting anything that was unChristian was outrageous and the MMD would not want to associate itself with such activities.
Mr Mulongoti said there was no political leader from the ruling party who had associated themselves with championing homosexuality.
UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma said his party could not support or talk about the gay rights because it had no room in the country.
Mr Kakoma said the fact that the gay rights were rejected at the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) was an indication that the UPND was not in support of homosexuality.
“The UPND was part of the NCC deliberations that rejected anything to deal with the homosexuality rights. We equally reject these rights,” he said.
PF spokesperson Given Lubinda said his party would not preoccupy itself with less pressing issues because it was currently more concerned with the welfare of the people.
Mr Lubinda said the PF had not even sat to discus the matter because the party wanted to concentrate on how best it would find solutions to pressing needs of serving the families in the country.
President talks to journalists during the press conference at State House.
PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda has said Government cannot constitute an independent enquiry to probe the violence that led to loss of life and property in Mufumbwe as demanded by a consortium of non-governmental organisations.
Speaking to journalists on arrival at the Lusaka International Airport from Tanzania yesterday, President Banda said it would be contradictory to set up an enquiry when the matter had already gone to court.
“We have gone to court. It’s better to leave the matter with the court. We do not need an enquiry we will be contradicting ourselves,” he said.
The Anti-Voter Apathy Project (AVAP), Southern African Centre for Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) and Caritas Zambia on Wednesday demanded that President Banda should immediately set up a commission of enquiry to probe the violence in Mufumbwe.
The NGOs said the enquiry should exclude the police because they were part of the violence.
On the just ended World Economic Forum, President Banda said the meeting discussed issues affecting Africa as a continent.
He said the meeting discussed how the continent could be brought together to speak with one voice.
President Banda said problems facing the continent could only be resolved through unity.
“I was so proud for Tanzania to host such a big, big conference, they did it so well,” he said.
He said he had learnt a lot by talking to other delegates and by listening to specialised speeches from people with a lot of experience in agriculture and education.
He explained that Education Minister Dora Siliya accompanied him to Tanzania because the conference had a lot to do with education.
President Banda was responding to Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata who questioned why Ms Siliya accompanied the head of State to Tanzania.
The president was welcomed at Lusaka International Airport by acting Vice-President and Defence Minister Kalombo Mwansa, senior Government and party officials.
Meanwhile, President Banda held consultative talks with Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and his Tanzanian counterpart Jakaya Kikwete on the security situation in the Great Lakes Region.
President Banda is the current chairperson of the Great Lakes Region.
Special assistant to the president for Press and public relations Dickson Jere said this to Zambian journalists in Dar-es Salaam shortly before Mr Banda left for Lusaka.
“In his capacity as the Great Lakes Region chairperson, President Banda held consultative talks on the security situation in the region,” Mr Jere said.
The president also held discussions with TAZAMA Pipelines regional manager Abraham Sawanyama and Tanzania Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) manager for special duties Pascal Mulenga.
THE Government has terminated the contract of prosecutor Mutembo Nchito with immediate effect, acting Chief Government spokesperson Mike Mulongoti has announced.
He said the decision has been necessitated by the dissolution of the Taskforce on Corruption.
Mr Mulongoti said the Taskforce on Corruption was disbanded in October last year and
Government saw no reason to maintain Mr Nchito and other officials who were engaged in their private capacity to prosecute corruption cases.
He said officers from the Zambia Police, Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) and other security wings who were attached to the Taskforce on Corruption had been redeployed to their respective institutions.
“As such, those who were from private practice have also been written to because the Government has decided to strengthen the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC),” Mr Mulongoti explained.
Mr Nchito declined to comment on the matter yesterday saying only “I am in the gym as you can hear from my breathing.”
Mr Mulongoti, however, explained that the Government commissioned an audit at the Taskforce on Corruption after it was disbanded and all officers were informed of further steps to be taken after the audit.
He said the continued stay of Mr Nchito at the Taskforce on Corruption depended on the needs of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
“So if the DPP feels he does not need any of these officials anymore, he informs them and that is what has happened,” Mr Mulongoti said.
He explained that Mr Nchito would continue with the cases that he was handling in court.
Asked whether the decision showed less commitment towards corruption fight, Mr Mulongoti said the resolve to fight graft was a national matter and as such it did not depend on individuals.
On October 29, last year, Vice-President George Kunda said the Government would consolidate operations of ACC after disbanding the Taskforce on Corruption, which had become expensive to finance.
Mr Kunda said Government also decided that the Taskforce on Corruption would become a special wing at ACC and all its cases would be taken over by the commission.
The Taskforce on Corruption was formed by late president Levy Mwanawasa to investigate graft during the administration of former president Frederick Chiluba, which ended in 2001 after he served two five-year terms.
The Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) has confirmed that it has intentions to enter into a pact with the United National Independence Party (UNIP) as the country heads towards the 2011 tripartite elections.
MMD National Secretary Katele Kalumba said the ruling party has always been a movement from which most political parties in the country originated from.
Dr. Kalumba said the MMD has never closed its doors to anyone who wants to join its ranks.
He said it is not strange that UNIP could find a common ground with the ruling party even though it was an adversary party during the early 1990s.
The MMD Chairperson said a pact between the UNIP and the MMD cannot be peculiar in any way stating ANC and National party did it at the time Zambia was fighting for independence.
Dr. Kalumba said it is not only UNIP which has shown interest in forming a political pact with the MMDbut also other parties he did name.
He said there are possibilities of discussions with what he called ‘Very Big Political Parties’ in the country which he refused to mention.
[ QFM ]
FLASHBACK: Mines Minister Maxwell Mwale hugs investors in the mining sector from China
A Government official has revealed the underlying reason behind Government’s decision to scrap off the windfall tax in the mining sector.
Deputy Minister in the ministry of Mines, Boniface Nkata says if Government had continued to charge windfall tax on excess profits in the mining sector amid the Global financial crisis the affairs of the country would have become ungovernable.
He said the pulling out of most foreign mining firms from the mines created a lot of job losses which created tension in the country which, he stressed, was almost going to lead to a vote of no confidence by the Zambians in the incumbent Government.
In an overheard conversation with fellow government official, Mr Nkhata explained that government had predicted a situation where people would have been up against government because of the loss of jobs and thereby advantaging the opposition over the ruling party.
He said that the opposition parties had also contributed to inciting people to rise against Government.
He said that Government feared a situation where an early election would be called because of failure by Government to Govern the Country through its strategic revenue earner the mines.
Mr Nkhata said that after the abolition of the windfall tax, Government has been able to restore jobs that were lost following the closure of most mines.
He added that the issue of windfall tax raises so much dust and disturbances in the Governance of the country and that Government would not consider re-introducing it.
European Union (EU) head of delegation to Zambia, Derek Fee
The European Union has called for the rethink of the Zambian political process.
EU Head of Delegation in Zambiasays politicians in Zambia should concentrate their minds on the issues which affect the daily lives of Zambian citizens.
Speaking during the commemoration of the European Union day in Lusaka this afternoon, Dr Fee says it would be naive to think that elections are not about personalities but that those personalities who present themselves as leaders of the people should do so by rational argument and not through defamation.
He points out that the recent elections in Mufumbwe and Milanzi have shown a side of the Zambia political process which is not conducive to the solution of the problems which beset the Zambian people.
And Dr Fee says the EU is very concerned at the conclusions of the National Constitutional Conference on issues such as the death penalty, women’s rights and the rights of the child.
He says the NCC was an opportunity for Zambia to consolidate its well deserved reputation at global level as a human rights champion by making constitutional changes which would have responded to the latest thinking on human rights.
Dr Fee adds that the Zambian society is evolving, and that denying the rights of women and children will not be consistent with Zambia’s economic ambitions.
He states that debate by the NCC on the issue of the death penalty was particularly strident and worrying.
And officiated at the same function, Mines and Minerals Development Minister Maxwell Mwale called on the European Union to take good note of the well intended position on the death penalty or any other issue that have a bearing on cordial relations and cooperation.
Government has warned Patriotic Front (PF) to rescind its decision to ferry over 200 cadres to Luapula province to attend the developmental conference slated for May 15-16 in Mansa which will be graced by former president Fredrick Chiluba.
Acting Chief Government Spokesperson Mike Mulongoti says Government will not allow Patriotic Front (PF) to ferry cadres to Luapula province because their aim is to create confusion at the conference that Dr Fredrick Chluba will hold.
Mr .Mulongoti urged PF to organize its own conference if it wanted to discuss developmental issues as opposed to creating commotion at the forthcoming conference that has been organized for a good cause.
Mr Mulongoti said the PF youths will have themselves to blame if they decide to go to Mansa.
He pointed out that it is such violent and ill motivated activities that are causing violence on the political scene in the country.
He wondered what the PF was up to by embarking on such a move stressing that Dr Chiluba is on a mission to garner support for the MMD and that if the PF wanted a forum to campaign for its leaders they should arrange for a separate one.
The conference in Mansa has been organized by the chiefs and some members of Parliament in Luapula Province to discuss development issues pertaining to the province.
[ QFM ]
FLASHBACK: Police escort PF and UPND youths during the youth day match past.
The Patriotic Front intends to ferry more than 200 youths from Lusaka and Copperbelt provinces to attend the developmental meeting in Mansa in Luapula province expected to be graced by second republican president Dr Fredrick Chiluba, from the 15th to the 16 of May 2010.
PF national secretary Erick Chanda has told QFM in Lusaka today that he believes that youths are partners in development and that PF youths have what he describes as excellent developmental ideas.
He says the PF youths will not sit back and watch former president Chiluba take his alleged dirty and corrupt ideas to the people of Luapula province.
[pullquote]He says the PF youths will not sit back and watch former president Chiluba take his alleged dirty and corrupt ideas to the people of Luapula province.[/pullquote]
Mr Chanda says the PF youths are prompted to take their developmental ideas to Luapula to ensure the people of that province are not denied access to good development.
He has since appealed to the police in Luapula not to provoke the PF youths but work professionally to with maximum diplomacy to ensure there is no violence in Mansa.
Asked whether the PF youths have been invited to the developmental meeting and why youths are being ferried from other provinces instead of using PF youths from Luapula ,Mr Chanda says being a meeting that will be discussing development in Luapula province,he sees no reason why they should be denied entry to the meeting.
The meeting will also be attended by Chiefs from the province and Members of Parliament.
FLASHBACK: Chiluba meeting Steven Manjata at Lusaka international airport.
SECOND Republican president Frederick Chiluba has said stakeholders in Luapula Province have a duty to discuss development issues affecting the province and confirmed that he will officiate at a meeting to be held on May 15 and 16.
And Luapula Royal Foundation chairperson Chief Chisunka has welcomed the convening of the meeting.
Speaking through his spokesperson Emmanuel Mwamba, Dr Chiluba said provincial stakeholders had a duty to discuss development issues affecting the province.
The former president dispelled assertions that it was a political meeting.
“The stakeholders of the meeting have every right and duty to convene a meeting especially that this is a development meeting,” he said.
It was important for members of Parliament (MP) and traditional leaders in the province to discuss development issues affecting the province.
“The MPs are responsible for the management of Constituency Development Funds and the traditional rulers are the custodians of land,” he said.
In an interview from Mansa yesterday Chief Chisunka also said the meeting would discuss development issues.
“The people who are coming to the meeting are our subjects so there is no way we can chase them. In fact, they are welcome,” he said.
The traditional ruler also refuted assertions that the meeting has been convened to launch President Rupiah Banda’s campaign in the province.
“Even the opposition are welcome to discuss with the traditional rulers,” he said.
And Mr Mwansa Mbulakulima who is Chembe MP and co-coordinator of the meeting said in an interview yesterday that preparations for the meeting were well on course.
Both Mbulakulima and his co-coordinator Kawambwa MP Elizabeth Chitika refuted reports that the meeting would be used to launch President Banda’s campaign in the province.
According to information obtained by the Times, the chiefs will start arriving in Mansa on Friday May 14.
THE Government is putting in place strategies to develop the waterways transportation to link many of the neighbouring countries, Communication and Transport Minister Geoffrey Lungwangwa has said.
Professor Lungwangwa said in Lusaka yesterday that Government would like to open up most of the lakes and rivers that are shared by other countries as a means of transportation across borders with such countries.
He said the waterways were cardinal for the promotion of trans-boundary transport systems to enhance cross border trade and cooperation.
The Government was in the process of procuring dredging machinery to re-enforce the manual efforts of clearing canals in an effort to promote water transport.
“We are facilitating international trade in the joint development and use trans-boundary infrastructure by engaging our neighbouring states,” he said.
Prof Lungwangwa said one of he major projects being considered was the Shire-Zambezi Waterways Development Programme, which links Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique.
“We want to work on the Zambezi-Shire with the governments of Malawi, Mozambique to make the Zambezi River navigable.
“We are also thinking of connecting waterway with Angola, but we have all these lakes and rivers that we want to work on so that they become navigable,” he said.
The Government was also engaging with neighbouring countries connected to Zambia through the different development corridors such as Nacala Development Corridor, the Beira Corridor, Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lumbumbashi Corridor, Mtwara Corridor and North South Corridor.
The Government feels that another corridor should be developed to link Zambia and Angola to facilitate for infrastructure development to open up Zambia to the ports of that country.
Prof Lungwangwa said Zambia would benefit immensely by linking information, communication and technology (ICT) infrastructure with the regional infrastructure.
That is why Zambia was actively participating in the development of the undersea sub-continental infrastructure development on the eastern coast under the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD).
WORKS and Supply Permanent Secretary Watson Ng’ambi has said the fuel levy, which is a more reliable source for road projects, should be increased to enable the Road Development Agency (RDA) carry out more works.
Speaking yesterday when he appeared before the parliamentary estimates committee, Mr Ng’ambi said his ministry through RDA, wanted the fuel levy increased because it was a more reliable source of finances as compared to donors and other sources.
He said to assure consistent finances for road works, the fuel levy should be increased because it was directly used on road projects.
“The fuel levy charge should be increased in order to boost funding to the road sector because it is a reliable and dedicated source of funding,” Mr Ng’ambi told the committee chaired by Bweengwa MP Highvie Hamududu (UPND).
Mr Ng’ambi said while the fuel levy would be increased, the excise duty should be reduced so that there was a less impact on the pump price.
Of all the funds the ministry received in the first quarter of the year much of it was from fuel levy.
Out of the K1.3 billion quarterly target collection, the ministry collected K1.06 billion and that some capital projects had been undertaken while some of them were still on-going.
Mr Ng’ambi also agreed with Chongwe Member of Parliament Sylvia Masebo (MMD) that all ministries should carry out construction works through the Ministry of Works and Supply to avoid shoddy works.
The decision by donor countries to suspend funding to the road sector had affected RDA programmes on roadworks.
He said the freezing of donor funding was unexpected and had come at a time when there was an increase in road projects and the earlier the difference was resolved, the better.
Responding to Mbabala MP Emmanuel Hachipuka (UPND) who wanted to know what the stand-off with donors was about, RDA director Erasmus Chilundika said most donors had said they would suspend funding until queries in the auditor general’s report were sorted out.
Mr Chilundika said measures had been put in place to rectify the anomalies because the agency valued the office of the auditor general.
THE Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) will review the Electoral Code of Conduct (ECC) before the 2011 general elections to strengthen adherence to the code by various stakeholders during polls.
ECZ public relations manager Cris Akufuna said the commission would review the ECC in consultation with political parties and civil society organisations.
“We shall get suggestions from both political parties and civil society organisations on what should be reviewed in the ECC. The approach will be similar to that we took in 2006,” he said.
He cited the Anti-Voter Apathy Project (AVAP), which had identified specific areas that need to be reviewed in the code of conduct.
Mr Akufuna said the commission would be taking necessary steps to find a possible solution to the increasing levels of political violence as witnessed in the Mufumbwe by elections.
On Monday, the ECZ protested the violence that was witnessed in the Mufumbwe by-elections.
Mr Akufuna, however, said it was important that all stakeholders complied with the provisions of the code that they pledged to uphold.
“The code provides for duties of all stakeholders.
“It is incumbent upon all these stakeholders to ensure that the code is complied with,” he said.
Currently, the commission has ensured that candidates and political parties signed a declaration form (ECC1) that they would comply with the provisions of the code.
Mr Akufuna said the code in section 1 (2) provides that the commission and police shall enforce the code of conduct and shall promote conditions conducive to the observance of the code.
He said matters that bordered on violence and criminality were supposed to be dealt with by the police and not the commission.
All complaints arising during elections and campaigns should be channeled to the conflict management committees.
Mr Akufuna could not comment on the complaint by the MMD that the UPND had connived with some election agents in Mufumbwe to under-count the results of the ruling party because it would be prejudicial.
Bishop Joshua Banda(L) and Bishop Joe Imakando (R)
NORTHMEAD Assemblies of God Bishop Joshua Banda has advised the donor community to channel their funds to development programmes rather than supporting practises such as homosexuality that are alien to the Zambian society.
And Bishop Joe Imakando of Bread of Life Church International said homosexuals and lesbians had no room in society because Zambia had been declared a Christian nation.
In an interview in Lusaka yesterday Bishop Banda said it was unacceptable for some donor agencies to be considering funding such acts, which were of little benefit to the majority of Zambians.
He condemned the decision by some donor countries such as the Swedish government coming out in the open and supporting such acts, which were against the traditional values of the country.
He questioned the motive behind the offering of support to lesbians and gays.
And Bishop Imakando in a separate interview said the issue of homosexuality had been discussed several times and it was clear Zambians were not in support of such practises.
He said the Church would continue to speak out on such matters to ensure that such acts were not given room in Zambia.
Recently, the Swedish government said it would support various groups of people fighting for their rights including lesbians, gays, bi-sexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTIs).
Swedish Ambassador to Zambia Marie Andersson de Frutos said it was important that rights of people under the universal human rights declaration were respected and that judging people based on their sexual orientation was not the best way to treat people.
