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This is not a bribe sir...President Banda receives a bank note to give as gratification for a traditional singer in Mazabuka.
by Madame Bwalya
It was utterly disturbing to read about Darius Mukuka from Ndola who has been sentenced to 18months imprisonment because he verbally insulted President Rupiah Banda. This shows just how intolerant of opposing views the Zambian government is.It also shows how that ordinary Zambian citizens are supposed to ‘bootlick’ if they expect to have a decent existence in the Zambian system. Most people are frustrated with the way things are running especially when we remember how things once were.One must not insult their elders but when one does imprisonment is not the solution.If that was the case half the Zambian population should be in jail.Should we all now start shouting ‘defamation’ every time we are insulted?
I believe the imprisonment of Mr.Darius Mukuka an infringement on his freedom of speech and is human rights abuse.Are we surely a democracy and somebody please tell me, where do these magistrate judges get such absurd judgments from?
The Law in Zambia is very inconsistent and prejudice.Not too long ago a man from some village in Luapula was jailed for 2 years for stealing a goat.That is the same sentence Samuel Musonda, former Zambia National Commercial Bank (ZNCB) managing director got for stealing or misappropriating K10 billion.
Just this week someone was arrested for dishing out blank pieces of paper. Meanwhile Edith Nawakwi was threatened with gang rape and the Police said there was nothing wrong with that! Hello!
[pullquote]Just this week someone was arrested for dishing out blank pieces of paper. Meanwhile Edith Nawakwi was threatened with gang rape and the Police said there was nothing wrong with that! Hello![/pullquote]
Zambia in my opinion is not moving forward. This intolerance by government and MMD must stop.After all 60% of Zambians did not vote for them.The majority of Zambians are sick and tired of MMD.We are sick and tired of the poor service delivery in the land.We are sick and tired of leaders who insult each other day in day out, then jail some guy for saying what 60% of us think anyway.We are sick and tired of corruption and neoptism. We are sick and tired of bootlickers.
We want leaders who shall welcome criticism and learn from it.We want an opposition that is strong united and seeks policies that would benefit the ordinary Zambia.A great man is known by the way the treats the small guy.
Its my hope that Mr Mukuka shall be released and allowed to contribute to the development of Zambia and raise his 4 children.
Citizens Forum executive director Simon Kabanda talking about the arrest and detention of controversial catholic priest Frank Bwalya
WHEN Father Frank Bwalya convened a conference at Buchi Hall in Kitwe dubbed “Save Zambia Campaign’’ and made radical resolutions to embark on a nation-wide campaign against President Rupiah Banda’s Government and the MMD, he expected immediate protestations from the MMD. When there was no threat, he could not believe his luck.
The resolutions appear to be an open demand for a regime change. It is for this reason that the now expanded 11 consortia of civil society organisations (CSOs) are demanding for a security meeting with Minister of Home Affairs, Lameck Mangani. They hope that they would be allowed to conduct a revolution with the blessing of the law and with the blessing of the Government that their campaign intends to topple!
Many might not see this campaign for what it is but Father Bwalya’s own resolutions provide a window to their intentions. And the apparent presence of the Catholic Church through its NGOs does raise eyebrows.
The resolutions call for the removal of President Rupiah Banda and the MMD from office for three chief reasons they allege;
1) Tolerance for Corruption and President Rupiah Banda’s “Political marriage” with former President Frederick Chiluba
2) Failure to enact a good Constitution and the need to abolish the National Constitution Conference (NCC)
3) To remove the culture of bad laws such as the NGO Bill
The action by the CSOs is unprecedented as they are treading on dangerous grounds that are pioneering regime change through methods of civil disobedience.
The Orange Revolution in Georgia seems to be the template they are using where lawyers and members of NGOs embarked on a nation-wide campaign against authorities and eventually forced a government out of office and the early elections that ensued allowed their candidate to take over.
Desperation
The forces aligned against the MMD are desperate for change of Government. They have created an environment of limited faith in the electoral process and they have perceived that individuals competing against President Rupiah Banda provide no discernible hope. In 2006, there appeared to have been the greatest opportunity to beat the MMD at the elections.
Many contend that Michael Sata beat Mwanawasa at the elections but Sata sold the presidency to forces that he had antagonised; the British (with his Mugabe invitation), the Chinese (with threats of chasing them) and the business and corporate world (for his brash and anti-business tendencies).
Although the PF/UPND Pact appears strong to take over power from the MMD, the campaigners hope that numerous activities should be embarked upon that strongly unite and rally citizens against the MMD so that this is made possible. The 2008 elections provided another window of change. But the MMD candidate Rupiah Banda was a man of superior qualities to their leader. He was affable, educated and promoted unity, reconciliation and peace.
The Zambians, business and the donor communities loved and preferred Rupiah Banda to Michael Sata. It is for this reason that the campaigns against Mr Banda have since targeted the strong qualities that made him win the 2008 elections. A sustained campaign has been spearheaded that consistently depicts him as corrupt, intolerant and a tourist to render him weak and unelectable at the next polls.
Why the Red Card revolution
The 2001 Green Ribbon Campaign (GRC) against former president Frederick Chiluba was legal and successful for the simple reason that it sought to protect the Constitution against possible selfish amendments. This campaign instead, seeks to remove a legitimate and elected government from office using civil disobedience. The methods might appear peaceful and harmless but history shows that they are very effective tools. The collective power of the people cannot be underestimated and is superior to any Constitution and the Law.
While the Green Ribbon Campaign sought to uphold the Constitution, this campaign aims to break it and breed an escalating crisis upon the nation where Banda’s Government will be forced to call for an early election (while facing a Red Card) or weaken him so much that his image and that of the MMD will be synonymous with a red card at the 2011 election.
So who do they want to replace the MMD with? Who do they want to replace Banda with? Zambia is a democracy. It has a scheduled election in 2011, why would CSOs embark on activities that are designed to undermine elections? Why would CSOs start proceedings that might promote the break-down of the law if they are promoting good governance in the country?
The NCC has provided the greatest danger for them. They claim that the NCC has undermined and reversed the democratic process of Zambia. The NCC might bar their candidate through the degree clause. The NCC has further weakened the pact with their dismissal of the clause for the running mate. The NCC has also closed an opportunity for the Christian declaration (which the Catholic and their NGOs oppose) to be expunged from the Constitution. The NCC has refused to adopt gay rights and gay marriages. In their view, the NCC has also diluted fundamental rights of NGOs and other societies. But should this be the cause for such a campaign that clearly borders on treason?
Is the NCC and Constitution-making process so closed that it does not provide an opportunity for dialogue, for amendments, or for debate?
Yet the NCC has avenues for public debate beyond its members. The NCC also has stages such as the referendum and Parliament, legal and legitimate bodies to handle outstanding issues.
Demonstrations, protests and public rallies
The campaign is designed to be ‘’peaceful’’ and legal. It will purport to be constitutional and follow the law while galvanising citizens against the MMD. The leaders will be quick to disown flare up events. The campaign is now moving into phase two. This phase will consist of public protests, demonstrations and rallies. The leaders are even bracing themselves for arrests. They intend to hold rallies, demonstrations and protests even without the cooperation of the police.
The civil society groupings have now grown from four to eight. This now said to include Change Life Zambia, Civil Society Trade Network, Citizens Forum, Caritas Zambia, Anti Voter Apathy, and Zambia Council for Social Development, Transparency International, and Southern African Centre for Constructive Resolutions, Forum for Democratic Process, and National Youth Association in the Fight Against Corruption.
The CSOs have notified the police that they intend to hold a public rally on March 27 at Mutambe Grounds in Mandevu to publicise their intended goals. The CSO feel that an opportunity has arisen that will help them re-establish themselves and force a formidable movement of Zambians against the MMD.
Conclusion
This campaign is outside the realms of democratic activities. They appear to be aimed at collapsing a legitimate and elected government using civil disobedience. The action by the CSOs brings the question of what the role of NGOs in a Democracy is in sharp focus.
The CSOs in Zambia seem to be groping in the dark and in their firm belief that they ought to promote good governance but are instead breaking the highest law in the land. Anyone, who threatens the peace, order and security of this country, should be stopped.
You cannot break the Constitution using the Constitution! You cannot embark on a programme whose sole purpose is to remove a legitimate and elected government and justify such an action because you are using peaceful means!
Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi and other proponents of civil disobedience and peaceful methods proposed such campaigns against dictatorships, illegitimate, tyrannical and illegal governments that subjugated citizens and provided no forums such as elections for citizens to express and participate in civic and national affairs.
Why should this group proceed with such activities against the Government recently elected and is due for scrutiny in the 2011 Elections?
Why don’t they take their wisdom to opposition political parties who are mandated by law to contest for elections? Or better still why don’t they form their own their political party?
THE Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has expressed shock that all the ministries have unretired imprest amounting to K445 billion.
PAC chairperson, Emmanuel Hachipuka observed yesterday when Works and Supply Permanent Secretary Bizwayo Nkunika appeared before his committee that no ministries had come out clean on retiring imprest.
He said public servants had resorted to getting public money through imprest because they knew that they would not be queried.
Mr Hachipuka said controlling officers should take audits seriously because in other countries, they could be suspended for having anomalies in their accounts.
He said controlling officers in Zambia were not using their power to discipline their subordinates who did not retire imprest. He said it was frustrating for the committee to handle the same anomalies every year when controlling officers could correct the situation.
And Mr Hachipuka directed Lieutenant Colonel Nkunika to furnish the office of the auditor general with receipts on K1.4 billion worth of fuel.
This was after some members of the committee wondered how K1.4 billion worth of fuel receipts could go missing when the ministry had a transport officer who was supposed to be keeping the documents.
Col Nkunika said the receipts for the fuel were missing when auditors went to his ministry but they had since been found and would be shown to the office of the auditor general.
He said the ministry was forced to divert K12 billion meant for the rehabilitation of Independence Stadium to Chirundu One-Stop Border Post to avoid further costs on the border posts.
Col Nkunika said the money meant for the rehabilitation of the presidential guest house in Ndola was used to buy furniture for State House.
He said the ministry faced problems in collecting money from people who bought personal-to-holder motor vehicles because some of them opted to pay from their terminal benefits.
Col Nkunika said two former permanent secretaries owed Government huge amounts of money and after reminders, only former Sports minister, George Chulumanda paid K8 million towards the car he got.
And office of the vice-president Permanent Secretary, Davies Sampa said his office would adhere to all the directives from the auditor general after it was discovered that it had no record for the purchase of K40 million worth of fuel.
Kabompo District Commissioner Gerald Muluka
has called quick completion of a borehole at Kabompo district hospital to
help reduce high water bills the health institution is facing.
Mr. Muluka said that the water bills of over K7 million per month the
health institution was incurring was hindering purchase of other important
medical requirements for patients.
He made the appeal when he toured Kabompo district hospital on his
familiarization tour of the health institution yesterday.
He said the water bills of over K 7 million per month the health
institution was incurring was hindering purchase of other important medical
requirements for patients.
Mr Muluka was responding to Kabompo District Director of Health, Dr
Stephen Shajanika who told him that the department of water affairs has
abandoned drilling of the 50 metre deep borehole several months ago.
Dr Shajanika said the project was to cost K150 million as a joint
venture with the health management which had contributed K12 million
towards the project.
He said it would be cost serving if the borehole was completed soon
because the North-Western Water Supply and sewerage Company was charging
them over K7 million per month on water bills.
A THIRTY-seven-year-old man, in a bizarre incident at Ndola Central Hospital on Wednesday, vomited two condoms containing liquids suspected to be illicit drugs.
Hospital public relations officer, Sheona Chalimbana said in an interview that Danny Chilumbi, of house number 4432 Chifubu Township in Ndola, vomited two condoms with liquids suspected to be drugs.
Mr Chilumbi went to the hospital complaining of diarrhoea, but when he was given some medicine, he vomited two condoms containing suspicious liquids.
The condoms were both tied with black strings at the top.
“After he was treated, he vomited out two condoms containing liquid substances that we suspect could be drugs, and so we have handed over those condoms to the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC),” Ms Chalimbana said.
She said Mr Chilumbi was restless and could not communicate anything as he was in an unstable condition.
He was still vomiting other substances by press time yesterday.
Ms Chalimbana said some DEC officers were guarding Mr Chilumbi’s bed at the hospital.
DEC public relations manager, John Nyawali said in an interview that the commission officers in Ndola had sent the two condoms to the drugs and food laboratory in Lusaka for analysis.
The liquid was taken to the laboratory to determine whether the contents were drugs or not.
He said until the results were obtained, Mr Chilumbi was not free to go home so that he could assist with investigations.
Times of Zambia
We have come to do our best in the first leg against Zanaco, ASEC Mimosa coach Maxime Gouamené said today.
The 1998 CAF Champions League winners arrived in Lusaka at 14:35 on Thursday on board an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Abidjan via Addis Ababa.
Zanaco and AESC face-off on Saturday at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka in a CAF Champions League first round, first leg match.
“We have come here to play to the best of our abilities,” Gouamené said. “The match will be played over two legs so, we have come to take our chances and do our best.”
Gouamené said he had followed Zanaco’s exploits in this year’s competition and expected them to be a formidable side.
“Zanaco is a good team as they showed against the Uganda team,” Gouamane said.
Zanaco beat URA of Uganda 4-0 in the return leg played at Nkoloma to overturn a 1-0 loss in the first leg to advance from the preliminary stage of the CAF Champions League 4-1 on aggregate.
ASEC on the other hand enjoyed a preliminary stage bye.
Winner over both legs will face either Entente Satif of Algeria or Union Douala of Cameroon in the second round in late April over two legs for a place in the group stage.
The British government has commited 5.7 million pounds towards the implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Policy in Zambia.
The money which will be used over the next five years will go towards the National Anti Corruption implementation plan which was launched today.
The Plan seeks to provide a framework within which sectors in the country can work together in the fight against corruption.
British High Commisioner to Zambia CAROLYN DAVIDSON said the money is meant to increase capacity of the Anti-Corruption Commision and support for Anti-corruption initiatives in the country.
Ms DAVIDSON said the money will also help improve the capacity of the civil society and parliamentarians to engage in the fight against corruption.
And deputy Secretary to cabinet ROBERT MATAKA announced that a national steering commitee has been constituted to spearhead the implementation of the policy.
Mr MATAKA said the commitee comprising public institutions, private sector, the civil society and the media will be chaired by cabinet office.
And Anti Corruption Commision chairperson VALENTINE CHILESHE called on all Zambians to combine their efforts in the fight against corruption.
At the same function the DFID ‘Against Corruption Together’ project was also launched.
President RUPIAH BANDA has challenged local agro manufacturing companies to support value addition in the agriculture sector.
Mr BANDA says this is one way to stimulate economic growth, reduce poverty and create employment opportunities.
He said this in Lusaka today when he commissioned the Fresh Pikt food canning plant.
The President urged Fresh Pikt to invest in refrigeration facilities near farming areas to ensure that fruits such as mangoes and guavas do not go to waste.
Mr BANDA also urged the financial sector to provide capital to the agro processing companies.
He said that Fresh Pikt is an example of a company that can increase employment opportunities for Zambians.
Fresh Pikt will employ about 500 people and produce over twenty different types of fruit and vegetable products.
And Fresh Pikt chairman CHANCE KABAGHE said the company has excess production capacity and is able to export to neighbouring countries such as Zimbabwe, South Africa and Congo.
He said plans are under way to start exporting to Europe.
Luapula Province MMD secretary Davis Chitwaka has differed with the party’s provincial chairman Crispin Mushosha over his claims that MMD in the province is embroiled in a leadership struggle.
Mr Musosha was quoted in the Post Newspaper of March 17, 2010 that there is leadership struggle in the province, between those from the northern part of the province, who include MMD national Secretary Katele
Kalumba, and those from the southern part of the province.
The Provincial MMD secretary was also quoted complaining that nomads, who are non-Ushi people of Mansa, were trying to take up leadership by contesting parliamentary seats and receiving government appointments in the province, especially in Mansa District.
Mr Chitwaka said in a statement obtained by ZANIS today that the MMD in Luapula is intact and that the rest of the MMD provincial leadership is not aware of the leadership struggle Mr Mushosha is talking about.
He added that it is unfortunate that Mr Mushosha was also taking a tribal
position over the issue of the Ushi and non-Ushi people taking up government and political positions in Mansa.
He said MMD will not condone such tribal remarks and will therefore condemn them in the strongest possible terms. He said MMD is built on the one Zambia one nation motto and that it will not be dragged into promoting tribalism.
Mr. Chitwaka further described the statement by Mr. Musosha as retrogressive to national development. He said there are many people coming from different provinces and different tribal backgrounds who are working in the provinces which are not of their origin.
He said people from Luapula Province were also taking up positions in other provinces, like Mwansa Mbulakulima who is Copperbelt minister.
Mr. Chitwaka has also advised Mr. Musosha to avoid using the press when he had problems in his constituency. He paid tribute to Provincial Permanent Secretary Jazzman Chikwakwa and Minister Dr Boniface Kawimbe, who do not hail from Luapula.
He said Mr Chikwakwa and Dr Kawimbe are doing a commendable job for the people of Luapula despite not being from the province.
He advised Mr. Musosha to settle his concerns on certain sensitive issues through party structures in the province rather than rushing to the press.
“Hon. Mushosha should have found a better way of dealing with the issues he raised rather than taking them to the press,” he said.
Meanwhile, Provincial Youth Chairman David Chanda has advised Hon. Musosha to desist from issuing tribal remarks bent on dividing the province.
Mr Chanda said the appointments made by the President Rupiah Banda should be respected explaining that the President has powers to appoint anyone qualified for the job regardless of his tribal origin.
Mr. Chanda described Dr. Katele Kalumba as a visionary leader who follows President Rupiah Banda’s aspirations of uniting the nation by embracing everyone.
ZANIS
President Rupiah Banda says he is happy with the current crop of civil servants working in the public service. President Banda says an effective civil service requires hard working workforce that are committed to duty.
Mr. Banda said this when he sworn in Bobby Samakayi as Chief of State protocol at State House, State House Comptroller Eliazer Kawila and Medson Lisati as permanent Secretary at Public management Development Division at cabinet Office.
President Banda congratulated the three civil servants for their dedication and commitment to duty since is assumed presidency and wished them that they will take the civil service to greater heights.
“I have worked with all of you even when I was republican vice President and I’m pleased to promote you. Congratulations on your new appointments and I have no doubt that you will continue to be humble, royal and committed to duty,” The President said.
On March 16, President Banda promoted Ambassador Samakayi , Mr. Kawila and Mr. Lisati where he congratulated them for accepting their new portfolios.
Mr. Banda also appointed State House Chief Analyst for Political Affairs Francis Chigunta as his Acting Special Assistant for Political Affairs for administrative convenience.
Ambassador Samakayi was Chief of protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Mr. Kawila was Director Human Resource and Administration while Mr. Lisati was Zambia’s Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria.
State House Minister Ronald Mukuma, Lusaka province Minister Charles Shawa, Chief Government Spokesperson and Information and Broadcasting services Minister Ronnie Shikapwasha and senior government officials witnessed the swearing-in ceremony.
NDOLA businessperson Terence Findlay yesterday told a magistrate’s court that he reluctantly lent K10 million to former Defence minister George Mpombo.
He told chief resident magistrate Kelvin Limbani that on December 11 last year, Mpombo asked him for K10 million.
Mr Findlay, of number 5 Mulombwa Close in Northrise, Ndola, said after allegedly dodging Mpombo for a while, he finally instructed the cashier at Colwyn Limited, Clementina Mubanga to give him K10 million in his presence.
He said he gave Mpombo the money on condition that Mpombo left a post-dated cheque in the same amount for December 18.
It was alleged that on December 18, with intent to defraud, Mpombo, of number 5 Katonde farm, issued cheque number 000014 to Colwyn Limited for K10 million on an insufficiently funded account drawn on Standard Chartered Bank account number 0100120696200.
On December 17, Mr Findlay said Mpombo phoned and asked him not to take the cheque because he would take the money to him in cash on Saturday.
Mr Findlay said he refused and advised Mpombo to deposit the money in his account so that the bank could honour the cheque.
He said he was eventually informed that the cheque had bounced and that he instructed his workers to take the matter to the police.
The matter was taken to the police on January 5 this year after which somebody called that Mpombo had delivered K10 million which he refused as the matter was at that time before the police.
Colywn marketing and sales manager Sydney Makwaza eventually got the K10 million from the police station.
THE Ndola magistrate court yesterday sentenced a 35-year-old man to 18 months in prison with hard labour for defaming President Rupiah Banda.
Ndola Chief Resident Magistrate Kelvin Limbani jailed Darius Mukuka, a driver of Chifubu Township in Ndola, for uttering defamatory words against the president.
This is a matter in which Mukuka was charged with defamation of the president.
Facts of the case are that Mukuka, on March 22 last year, with intent to bring the name of the president in ridicule, said: “Uyu….finshi alelanda, alebepa abantu nafilwa ukuteka icalo.” (Bemba for ‘what is this fool saying, he has failed to govern the country and should not be lying to the people.’)
Mukuka uttered these words at Chifubu Recreation Club. He pleaded not guilty to the offence.
Mr Limbani said from the evidence adduced in court, it was not in dispute that Mukuka was at Chifubu Recreation Club on the said evening.
It was similarly not in dispute that Mukuka got into an argument with some people while at the club as the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) main news was being broadcast after the name of the president was mentioned.
Mr Limbani said from the evidence given by the State witnesses, Mukuka had uttered words that brought the name of the president into disrepute.
He said Mukuka got into an argument with some people in the bar because of the same words he had uttered, which made them unhappy that he had insulted the president.
Mr Limbani said Mukuka’s evidence and that of his single witness that he argued with other people because he did not want to watch the ZNBC main news as they could watch it from their homes, and that he only argued with the bar maid, was an afterthought.
“Citizens have a duty to defend and uphold the office of the president and not to defame the office regardless of what the differences are,” he said.
He said Mukuka deserved punishment as a deterrent to him and others, and in order to prevent disorder and anarchy in the country.
Mr Limbani, however, said he would exercise leniency because the convict was a first offender, and sentenced him to 18 months in prison with hard labour.
In mitigation, Mukuka said he was married with four children, and that the first child was in grade nine while the last was in grade two.
He said he was also taking care of his parents and was in employment.
At that point, when Lusaka-based lawyer Bonaventure Mutale, who was in court for other matters, noticed that Mukuka was struggling with his mitigation, he asked Mr Limbani if, as a friend of the court, he could offer some direction to the convict.
Mr Mutale said Mukuka was remorseful and urged the court to consider the circumstances under which he committed the offence.
He said Mukuka was consuming alcohol at the time and therefore had no criminal intent to defame the president.
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
