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FORMER freedom fighter, Jackson Ngoma has said he exposed Patriotic Front (PF) Michael Sata’s alleged past where he was convicted for a criminal offence because the Roman Catholic Church was allegedly shielding and glorifying him as a living saint.
The former freedom fighter who also served as governor for Chipata, Petauke and Mambwe during the Kaunda regime was speaking on a live phone-in programme dubbed “Political hour” on Radio Breeze in Chipata yesterday.
Mr Ngoma said he decided to reveal that Mr Sata had served a jail term for an alleged criminal offence because the PF leader was being shielded and glorified as a saint by some sections of the media and the clergy.
Mr Ngoma said it was the manner in which the Church was portraying Mr Sata as a clean man that forced him to reveal what he knows about him.
“I decided to speak out now because Mr Sata is being glorified as a living saint, while some sections of the media also glorify him as a freedom fighter,” he said.
Mr Ngoma, who also claimed to be a staunch Catholic, said it was sad that Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu had allegedly decided to defend Mr Sata on his affair with his sister, Petronella, with whom he had sired two children.
When asked by a caller to state the criminal offence that Mr Sata committed, Mr Ngoma said it was only the PF leader who could answer that question.
He explained that he found Mr Sata serving a two-year jail sentence at Bwana Mkubwa for an offence which also led to his dismissal from the Northern Rhodesia Police Force where he served as a constable.
MMD National Secretary Katele Kalumba has submitted that the case of corruption against him has not been made in terms of the law and appealed to the magistrate court to acquit him.
Katele and his co-accused persons have also urged the court to set them free because the prosecution teams had failed to prove the cases beyond any reasonable doubt.
This is in the case in which Kalumba and six others are charged with corruption involving overpayments to Systems Innovation and Wilbain Incorporated.
Others charged are former Ministry of Finance and National Planning permanent secretary Stella Chibanda, former Ministry of Finance director of budget, Boniface Nonde, former secretary to the treasury Benjamin Mweene, former chief economist Bede Mphande and defunct Access Financial Services Limited directors, Aaron Chungu and Faustin Kabwe.
Kalumba, who made the submissions through his lawyer Vincent Malambo stated that the case against him in terms of the law had not been proved and urged the court to set him free and that payments that were made to the two companies did not suggest that he was the one who facilitated them.
And former Access Finance Services (AFS) directors, Chungu and Kabwe also submitted through their lawyers John Sangwa before High Court deputy registrar, Edward Musona, who is sitting as magistrate that there was nothing to indicate that the prosecution was done in the interest of justice, law and order.
The duo said the court ought to dismiss the charges against them and that it would be gross miscarriage of justice if they were not acquitted.
Mr Sangwa submitted that there was no evidence from the proceedings to suggest that Chungu and Kabwe erected cottage for Mweene or corruptly gave a farm to Chibanda.
And Chibanda, in her submissions, also indicated that it was not up to a prisoner or an accused person to establish his or her innocence but that it was for the prosecution to establish whether she was guilty or not.
Through her lawyer Nicholas Chanda, Chibanda argued that there was no proof beyond all reasonable doubt that she committed the offences, which the prosecutions team were alleging and prayed that she be set free.
And Mweene submitted that there was no evidence to suggest that he was aware that the erection of his cottage was intended to do a favour to Chungu and Kabwe and that he did not see how the erection of the house was connected to the alleged corrupt practices of signing of contracts and authorisation of payments into the Zamtrop account.
The Sinazongwe District Disaster Management andMitigation Unit (DDMMU) has called for a complete reconstruction of theMaamba-Batoka road to avoid the problems of collapsing bridges and culverts
during every rain season.
DDMMU members, who include government heads of departments and Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs), said during a meeting in Sinazongwethat the road has outlived its span since it was constructed 41 years ago.
They said it was normal for most culverts to become weak because they hadnot been replaced for a long time.
The members, who were giving a preliminary report on the floods in thedistrict, disclosed that all the roads in the district have become impassable.
Sinazongwe District Director of Works Mathews Mashapi said there were 14 points that have been damaged along the Sinazeze-Chiyabi Bottom road.
He said the Nang’ombe Bridge and the Sikalamba Bridge have been damaged and the culverts that were fixed last year by the Road Construction Company(RCC) have also been washed away.
Mr Mashapi said most engineers working on the culverts fail to put into account the volume of water that would be passing in the culverts hence the damage during the rain season.
He said the road going to chief Sinazongwe’s palace was still disused.
He said the Maamba-Siansowa road has become impassable, adding that two bridges along the same road have been damaged.
Mr. Mashapi said 25 culverts have been damaged along the Bottom road.
The DDMMU also disclosed that crop fields totally to more than 350 hectares have been washed away.
They have since appealed to government to send relief food to assist the affected families.
ZANIS
The Zambia Disability HIV/AIDS Human Rights Programme for the Blind (ZDHHPB) has strongly condemned the man of Namwala District who has ditched his twenty nine year old fiancée for giving birth to a limbless child.
Melody Miyoba of Sigwidi village in Chief Bright Nalubamba’s area was betrothed to Trust Michelo who has however changed his mind following the birth of his limbless son, Blessings two years ago fearing that people would laugh at him for having a disabled child.
ZDHHPB Programmes Director Elijah Ngwale told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that the decision by Mr. Michelo to ditch his fiancée and abandon his biological disabled child was inhuman.
Mr. Ngwale said ditching the fiancée and abandoning the disabled child would negatively affect the child’s future.
He said there was no need for Mr. Michelo to ditch the fiancée and abandon the disabled child as the child was innocent.
He said the disabled child was young adding that he needs all the support from his biological father who is still alive.
Mr. Ngwale said the child did not wish or choose to be born disabled adding that Mr. Michelo should consider rescinding his decision of abandoning his disabled child.
He said Michelo’s child can contribute significantly to the development of the country despite his condition adding that disability is no long inability.
Mr. Ngwale has since called on all Zambians to condemn Mr. Michelo for abandoning his disabled child.
Mr. Ngwale said what Mr. Michelo did was total discrimination not only on the part of his child but all disabled persons.
He said it is very unfortunate that some people in the country were still discriminating persons with disability.
Chieftainess Chaiwa of the Goba people in Kafue district has appealed to government to amend the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) Act on Animal/Human conflict.
The Chieftainess said in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today that crocodiles, elephants and hippos are indiscriminately killing people in her area because the ZAWA Act is silent on the cropping of animals.
She saids it is imperative that the Act is changed so that it becomes user-friendly to the people in the lower Zambezi and other affected communities across the country.
Chieftainess Chaiwa expressed fears that the human life will continue to be lost at the hands of the beasts if the situation is unchanged.
She further added that elephants were also damaging crops, resulting in food insecurity in her chiefdom.
Chieftainess Chaiwa appealed to government to resolve the animal/human conflict and safeguard the lives of the people in area.
Meanwhile, Chieftainess Chaiwa has implored government to speed up the construction works of the Chiawa Bridge in Kafue district.
She expressed happiness that Government through the Ministry of Works And Supply would was constructing the Bridge which is expected to be completed by June this year.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia says it has not yet decided on whether to have ballot papers for the 2011 elections printed in Zambia or South Africa.
ECZ Public Relations Manager Chris Akufuna says the commission is still assessing whether the State owned Government Printers is in a position to meet the security concerns that calls for printing of ballot papers.
In an interview with QFM today Mr Akufuna said that the commission is still waiting for the Government to address the security concerns at the Government Printers building that were raised during a consultative meeting of stakeholders before a decision can be made.
And Mr Akufuna says the commission is and will remain an autonomous body. He said the commission is not mandated to take decisions from anyone. He adds despite the ECZ drawing it’s funding from the treasury, it has always demonstrated its independence.
Earlier Works and Supply Minister Mike Mulongoti was quoted in the media saying that the 2011 election ballot papers will be printed in Zambia.
Meanwhile Mr Akufuna has dismissed assertions by some opposition political parties that ECZ is giving priority to the Milanzi parliamentary by-election because it is a stronghold of the ruling MMD.
He says the commission can only announce an election date of a by-election after being officially notified by the National Assembly through the Speaker.
Mr Akufuna explains that the vacancy for the Milanzi seat was communicated to the ECZ earlier and while the vacancy for the Mufumbwe seat was only communicated to the commission when the date for the Milanzi by-election had already been announced.
There have been calls for the ECZ to hold both the Milanzi and the Mufumbwe by-elections at the same date. The ECZ has set 29th April, 2010 as the date for the Milanzi parliamentary by-election.
A traditional leader in Mansa has threatened to chase manganese mining investors who are allegedly exploiting his subjects and not honouring their corporate social responsibilities in his chiefdom.
Chief Chisunka of the Ushi people in Mansa district of Luapula province
advised all the companies conducting mining activities in his area to work
with his subjects and ploughed back profits to the community.
The chief told ZANIS that the mining companies signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with the people in the area before commencing their
activities but they were now disregarding the agreement.
He noted that some companies are undermining his authority by going
against what was agreed upon in the MoU.
The Chief Chusunka Royal Establishment has let out over 1,000 square
kilometers of land to Tycoon, Amanita, Genesis and local small scale mining
firms for manganese mining and explorations.
Chief Chisunka revealed that some mining firms have also resorted to
conducting mining activities in the area without his consent.
The traditional ruler urged the companies to adhere to the MoU which
compelled them to ensure timely maintenance of infrastructure such as roads
and bridges.
He said road and bridge infrastructure in his area were however in a
deplorable state because of lack of maintenance by the mining firms that
use the facilities to transport the minerals.
He further said under the signed MoU, the companies agreed to contribute
to the improvement of education and health delivery by putting up classroom
blocks and health posts in the area.
The chief said apart from offering employment opportunities to his
subjects, the mining companies should ensure putting up supportive
activities for the people to benefit from the mineral deposits that are
being exploited.
Meanwhile, Chief Chisunka has challenged government to look for reputable
manganese mining firms to invest in his chiefdom.
He said his area has abundant manganese deposits which needed to be
exploited by focused investors
ZANIS
A veteran politician in Mansa has demanded thatformer Home Affairs Minister George Mpombo resigns from the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD)MMD for his continued attacks on President Rupiah Banda.
Paul Kalwa, one of the founders and former leader of MMD in Mansa, alleged that Mr. Mpombo lacked
morality,respect for the ruling party,and he should therefore, resign.
Mr. Kalwa told ZANIS in Mansa today that it was unacceptable for Mr.
Mpombo to continue uttering unfounded criticisms against President Banda.
He said it was regrettable that the former Home Affair Minister has
resolved to keep attacking President Banda when he willfully resigned from
his ministerial position.
“Mpombo resigned from his ministerial position. President Banda did not
sack him, he just accepted his resignation. So why has he continued to hate
RB and hail insults at the President,” he asked.
He charged that Mr. Mpombo was one of the founders of the United Party for
National Development (UPND) and was always seeking guidance from the UPND
which he said allegedly advised him to resign.
Mr. Kalwa alleged that Mr. Mpombo did not understand the constitution of
MMD hence his unfounded criticisms on the president.
He said if Mr. Mpombo had been the member of MMD from the beginning and
had studied the constitution, he would have been a disciplined member of
the party.
He said it would be better to replace Mpombo than the party to
tolerate his criticisms on the president and the entire party leadership.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kalwa has urged the opposition Patriotic Front (PF)
President Michael Sata to learn to appreciate.
Mr. Kalwa wondered why Mr. Sata failed to appreciate what the late
President Levy Mwanawasa did for him.
He said it was wrong for the PF leader to say that his evacuation to South
Africa when he suffered a heart problem was mere public relations gimmick.
He reminded Mr. Sata that he was evacuated to South Africa because he was
entitled to it.
He said Mr. Sata had served in government before as a cabinet minister and
was, therefore, entitled to such medical attention.
“Mr. Sata does not appreciate and so I am urging his followers to refrain
from his leadership or else they will be misled,” he said.
FDD President Edith Nawakwi campaigning for RB in 2008 elections
The Movement for Multi Party Democracy (MMD) Lusaka Province Women have called on women politicians in the country to practice politics of value and honesty instead of politics of insults, hate and disrespect.
MMD Lusaka Province Women Chairlady, Jane Mkalipi said this at a media briefing at the MMD provincial office in Lusaka yesterday. She was reacting to Forum For Democracy and Development (FDD) President Edith Nawakwi’s recent comments on President Banda’s Trip to China.
Ms. Mkalipi said the utterances by Ms. Nawakwi were as a result of lack of knowledge adding that she will not be allowed to destroy MMD the way she destroyed FDD. She said President Rupiah Banda has scored many successes and his last trip to China resulted in China reducing 50 percent of the total debts for the TAZARA rail line.
She said the President also managed to convince investors to invest in Zambia which will create more Jobs for people in various sectors of the economy. She added that the President also strengthened the bilateral relations between Zambia and China.
Ms. Mkalipi stressed that Ms. Nawakwi has neither capacity nor intelligence to run for republican presidency adding that her morals were questionable.
Meanwhile, Ms. Mkalipi has also reacted to Richard Kapita‘s utterances that only mad people can defect to MMD. She said that the United Party for National Development (UPND) is not a threat to the ruling MMD adding that the UPND has failed to perform as a party on its own.
Ms. Mkalipi has since asked Mr Kapita to be cautious in his utterances and urged him to concentrate on his party whose leader is allegedly about to be impeached by his own Members of Parliament (MPs).
Republican President Rupiah Banda has appointed Bob Samakai as Chief of State Protocol at State House.
This is contained in a media statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka yesterday by Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Dickson Jere.
Mr Samakai was until his appointment Chief of Protocol at the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs.
President Banda has also appointed Director of Human Resource and Administration at State House Mr Eliazer Kawila as the new Comptroller at State house.
Meanwhile, the President has also appointed State House Chief Analyst for Political Affairs Dr Francis Chigunta as acting Special Assistant to the President for Political Affairs for Administrative convenience.
Mr Jere disclosed that all appointments are with immediate effect.
Parliament yesterday heard that 89 homicide cases were recorded in Katete, Petauke and Chipata districts of the Eastern Province between June 2008 and December 2009.
Home Affairs Minister Lameck Mangani said of the 89 cases, 10 were reported in Katete, 20 in Petauke and 59 in Chipata district. He noted that Chipata district recorded a high number of homicide
cases because of the slightly higher population and economic activities there than in the other two districts.
He disclosed that 55 arrests were made of the 89 cases recorded in the three districts but could however not state how many convictions were secured.
Mr Mangani said of the 55 arrests, two were made in Katete, eight in Petauke and 42 in Chipata district. He further disclosed that there are 60 police officers for a population of 256, 000 in Katete district representing a ratio of one police officer to 4, 277 citizens.
He said in Petauke, there were 52 police officers serving a population of 344,358 citizens representing a ratio of one police officer to 6, 637 citizens while in Chipata there are 176 police officers for a population of
488, 917 representing a ratio of one police officer to 2, 788 citizens.
Mr Mangani was responding to a question from Kantanshi Member of Parliament Yamfwa Mukanga who wanted to know how many homicide cases took place from June 2008 to December 2009 in Katete, Petauke and Chipata districts of the Eastern Province.
Mr Mukanga also wanted to know how many arrests were made within the same period and what the police/citizen ratio was in the three areas.
Mr Mangani said government was aware that the citizen/police ratio was insufficient for the police service in the country to effectively carry out its mandate of protecting life and property, hence government’s goal to train about 27, 000 police officers by 2015.
He said currently 1500 police officers were undergoing training and would be graduating in a month’s time. Mr Mangani said the training program would continue to beef up the police service in the country.
United party for National Development (UPND)Chairman for Labour Miyanda Hamiyanda has refuted allegations leveledagainst the party that it is behind the wrangles which have rocked the
Mwanachingwala Chieftainship.
Mr Hamiyanda told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka that the problems
which have besieged the Mwanachingwala throne are an internal matter and
that the UPND has nothing to do with it.
He further warned National Initiative for Citizens awareness President,
Kelvin Sampa to stop making unwarranted outbursts which he cannot prove.
“Those are internal wrangles and I support the move which has been taken
by the Mwanachingwala Royal Family Establishment. Our party UPND has
nothing to do with those wrangles”, Mr Hamiyanda said.
The National Initiative for Citizens Awareness president Mr Sampa was
quoted yesterday in the media accusing the UPND of being behind the wrangles
which have rocked the Chief Mwanachingwala Royal Family, calling for the
chief to step down with immediate effect for alleged dragging the chiefdom
into disrepute and shame.
GOVERNMENT has established that the youths arrested in Kitwe on Monday when Roman Catholic Church priest Frank Bwalya appeared in court were allegedly hired by some politicians to cause confusion.
Home Affairs Minister Lameck Mangani said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that some of the youth confessed that they were hired to cause trouble at the court where Father Bwalya, who is Change Life Zambia chief executive, was to appear.
Mr Mangani said although the police warned and released the youth yesterday, after paying admission of guilt fees of K50,000, Government was concerned that some politicians were becoming desperate and abusing young people.
He warned the youth to take charge of their lives and avoid being used by some politicians who had personal interests to satisfy.
The minister said the Government wanted to see politics based on issues and decency instead of violence.
He warned perpetrators of violence to be careful, as the Government would deal with them sternly.
Meanwhile, the 24 protesters who were arrested for conduct likely to cause the breach of peace have been released.
The protesters, who included Patriotic Front Copperbelt provincial youth vice-chairperson and Bupe Ward Councillor Elias Kamanga, were released yesterday after paying admission of guilt fines.
Copperbelt police chief, Antoneil Mutentwa confirmed the release of all the 24 protesters, who were apprehended outside the Kitwe magistrate courts.
They were part of the mob that became unruly and forced police to fire teargas to disperse them.
This was during Fr Bwalya’s court appearance on charges of conduct likely to cause the breach of peace.
Mr Mutentwa said those arrested would not be charged with any other offence other than conduct likely to cause the breach of peace, after Magistrate Mercy Makubalo warned Father Bwalya to ensure that his sympathisers did not disrupt court proceedings again.
Mr Mutentwa had said on Monday that the police would wait to see if the 24 would be cited for contempt but that since the court had only issued a warning, they had been released with just one charge.
He refuted reports of damage to any vehicles or looting of any shops in the town centre during the confusion.
He said police had not received any such reports and added that those dispersed from the court ran through the town centre and did not damage any property, especially that there was heavy police presence.
And the Authentic Advocates for Justice and Democracy has called for the arrest of people championing the removal of the Government.
General secretary, Laiford Mwanza said in a statement yesterday that it was wrong for civil society organisations and Fr Bwalya to engage in the ‘red card’ campaign over what he termed as straightforward issues.
Mr Mwanza said all the methods the civil society organisations wanted to use in registering their grievances were wrong.
He said that switching of lights during the day signalled danger and that there was no danger in Zambia for anyone to switch on headlights during the day.
He also said the unnecessary honking and whistling was noise pollution and constituted a chargeable offence under the country’s laws.
He said the colour red signified serious consequences and those brandishing red cards were inciting people to revolt against a democratically elected Government.
The Zambia Direct Democracy Movement also said it would not allow sponsored non-governmental organisations, some churches and political parties to destroy the country due to irresponsible behaviour.
Executive director Edwin Sakala said in a statement in Lusaka yesterday that he was aware of a number of organisations that were being sponsored by foreign powers to divide Zambia.
“I challenge the so-called big parties to deny the fact that they are funded and given the agenda by foreign powers,” Mr Sakala said.
FORMER freedom fighter, Jackson Ngoma has insisted that he shared a prison cell with Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata when he was incarcerated at Bwana Mkubwa and Mukobeko maximum prisons in the 1960s.
Mr Ngoma maintained that it was him who shared a prison cell with Mr Sata and not his older brother as purported by the PF president.
Mr Sata recently featured on the ‘Political Hour’ programme on Radio Breeze FM in Chipata and denied ever sharing a prison cell with Mr Ngoma.
However, Mr Sata admitted sharing a prison cell with Mr Ngoma’s older brother who he identified as Paterson Ngoma.
He said he was incarcerated for his involvement in the struggle for political liberation and not for a criminal offence.
But in an interview in Chipata yesterday, Mr Ngoma insisted that it was him who had shared a cell with Mr Sata at Bwana Mkubwa Prison in Ndola and Mukobeko in Kabwe in the early 1960s.
He displayed a certificate of his release from Bwana Mkubwa Prison and admitted that he had a brother by the name of Paterson Ngoma, who died some years back.
He, however, insisted that it was him who was once imprisoned together with Mr Sata.
Mr Ngoma, who once served as Mambwe District governor during the UNIP regime, has also threatened to file a court injunction against Mr Sata the moment the PF leader files his nomination to contest next year’s presidential polls.
He said Mr Sata’s past record could not allow him to contest the Republican presidency.
“I have enough evidence to prove that I shared a prison cell with Mr Sata and that he was incarcerated for a criminal offence and not as a freedom fighter as purported by him on Radio Breeze,” he said.
He dared Mr Sata to sue him if it was not true that they had shared the same prison cell.
Mr Ngoma also challenged the Zambia Prison Service to check their records and tell the nation the offence Mr Sata committed when he was fired from the Zambia police force.
BANK of Zambia (BoZ) has now started issuing licensing to micro financial institutions (MFIs) to be accepting deposits from customers to push down interest rates.
The central bank believes that the measure would help the micro financing firms to have more liquidity of their own rather than depend on borrowing from commercial banks, which would enable them reduce interest rates.
BoZ Governor Caleb Fundanga said in an in interview in Lusaka that the central bank had put in place measures to address the exorbitant interest rates charged by MFIs in Zambia by authorising them to collect deposits.
He said MFIs would now be able to collect deposits at a lower rate of five per cent and then lend it at a considerable charge like what commercial banks are offering at 20 per cent.
“We are now licensing deposits taking in MFIs and this means that they will be able to collect deposits from the public and at the same time it will help reduce the interest rates,” he said.
MFIs would be able to do business at a much lower lending rate compared to the current situation where they were borrowing from commercial banks at 30 per cent.
Dr Fundanga said the MFIs were in turn lending at more than 80 per cent, which was too high.
“People have complained about commercial banks having very high interest rates at 26 per cent but some MFIs are charging more than 100 per cent interest on the loans and people are still borrowing. It is amazing and in fact it is a challenge,” Dr Fundanga said.
The central bank had created a window for them to take deposits so that they can access cheaper money.
“MFIs should not look to Government to subsidise their operations because Government as you know is also hard pressed with funding. We would not like to over burden Government but they can collect deposits from the public,” he said.
Dr Fundanga urged MFI institutions to lend to the production sectors to grow the economy.[quote]
“We can not grow our economy by just funding for consumption we need to lend to the production sector,” he said.
In a separate interview, Bankers Association of Zambia (BAZ) chairperson Saviour Chibiya urged MFIs to also access the global funds that were available for them.
Mr Chibiya said there were global funds set aside for the purpose of promoting MFIs for them to access cheaper funding rather than borrowing from commercial banks.
He noted that commercial banks had commercial motives so if they could access the global fund, they would be able to source affordable funds.
