PRESIDENT Banda is today expected in Mufumbwe to beef up the campaign for MMD candidate Mulondwe Muzungu in the Mufumbwe parliamentary by-election set for April 29, 2010.

According to a programme released by Mufumbwe district commissioner Robert Muyutu yesterday, President Banda will be in Mufumbwe for four days.

Mr Muyutu said Mr Banda is expected to address two campaign rallies at Kashima and Wishimanga tomorrow, before addressing two other rallies at Mushima and Kaminzekenzeke on Tuesday.

The President will address his last rallies in Mufumbwe on Wednesday at Kinkonge and the boma before flying back to Lusaka on Wednesday.

President Banda will also visit Chief Sailunga’s palace in Mwinilunga to pass condolences on the death of the traditional leader last week.

[Zambia Daily mail]

The royal establishment at Chief Sailunga’s palace has summoned Patriotic Front president Michael Sata to publicly apologise to the people of the chiefdom for touching the chief’s head when he was in hospital.

Spokesperson for the establishment Yakoba Pasela, who was the senior advisor and younger brother of the late chief, said at the palace yesterday that Mr Sata has been written to, but that he had not responded.

Mr Pasela said traditionally, it was unacceptable to touch the chief’s head as Mr Sata had done when the traditional leader was admitted to the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka.

He said Mr Sata’s actions were wrong and disrespectful to traditional authority.

“If he fails to appear before the royal establishment, we will involve all chiefs in the district in this matter,” Mr Pasela, who was flanked by eight members of the royal establishment, said.

He said Mr Sata had apologised to him in Lusaka, but that the establishment is demanding a public apology since a picture of Mr Sata’s action was published in a local newspaper.

Meanwhile, Chief Sailunga, who died last Thursday, was buried at the royal grave at his palace yesterday.

Speaking after the burial, Local Government and Housing deputy minister Elijah Muchima said it is a sad that the people have lost a chief who was committed to development such as the Kabompo hydro-power project.

Mr Muchima appealed to the royal establishment to choose a mature, accountable and responsible person who can spur development in the area.

He said the successor should also be able to maintain harmony among the people.

Chief Sailunga was born Alphonso Pasela in 1932 in Mwinilunga.

He served in the then Zambia Police Force from 1951 to 1978 before being installed Chief Sailunga in June 1980.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“…I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead”
(Philippians 3:13, NLT)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Are you determined to forget the past? I know many people don’t fully understand what that means. They wonder, “How can I forget something that’s happened to me?” But one definition of the word forget is to disregard intentionally or to overlook. In other words, you have to choose to disregard your past so that it doesn’t keep you from moving forward. That means the good and the bad. Sometimes our past victories keep us from rising higher as much as past failures. If we don’t let go of the old, we’ll never be able to embrace the new.

It doesn’t matter what’s happened in your history, it’s time to forget what lies behind. Make the choice today to look forward. Trust that God has a better future in store for you. Trust that He’s working behind the scenes on your behalf. As you forget what lies behind and press forward, you will see the abundant life the Lord has in store for you!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father in heaven, I choose to forget the past today. I don’t want anything to hold me back from the good future You have prepared for me. I choose forgiveness and ask that You help me, by Your Spirit, to press forward in every area of my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Movement for Multi Party Democracy Kafulafuta Member of Parliament George Mpombo says the threats he is receiving from the party Leadership may deter him from challenging president Rupiah Banda at the party’s convention next year.

Mr Mpombo says threats on those eyeing the MMD presidency have continued to increase as the party draws closer to the convention.

He says the intimidation and threats coming from the MMD leadership have become clear and unbearable.

He however maintains that he is still a fully fledged member of the party contrary to statements by party chairman Michael Mabenga that he is no longer a member of MMD.

But MMD Elections Chairman Mike Mulongoti has dismissed assertions by Mr Mpombo that those that intend to challenge president Rupiah Banda at the convention are being intimidated.

He says no one is being intimidated and that those wishing to challenge Mr Banda are free to do so.

Mr Mulongoti has since challenged those who have intentions to challenge president Banda at the convention to make their intentions known.

He has maintained that MMD is and will always remain a democratic party to when it comes to electing its leaders.

QFM

Former Finance and National Planning Minister Ng’andu Magande has challenged President Rupiah Banda to explain to him what he means by the word ‘Puppet’.

Responding to President Banda’s recent remarks that he has become a puppet to the Post newspaper, Mr. Magande said he does not understand what the President meant by the term ‘puppet’.

He questioned the president to tell the nation if giving news items to the media makes someone a puppet. Mr Magande said the Post newspapers is just like any other media organization which is promoting ethical reporting and that he just gives the newspaper information relevant for public consumption.

[pullquote]He told Qfm in an interview that if giving out news items to the Post newspapers and other media organizations makes someone a puppet, then President Banda himself must consider himself a puppet to ZNBC.[/pullquote]

He told Qfm in an interview that if giving out news items to the Post newspapers and other media organizations makes someone a puppet, then President Banda himself must consider himself a puppet to ZNBC.

Mr Magande said that though does not understand the meaning of the term puppet in President Banda’s context, he has never been a puppet to anybody.

During his recent public address in Kitwe, President Rupiah Banda said PF leader Michael Sata, UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema, and Mr Magande had become puppets to the Post newspapers.

QFM

Ms Dambisa has a financial services background, having worked for both Goldman Sachs and the World Bank. She worked for the World Bank in the Europe and Central Asia and Africa Departments from 1993 to 1995.

Ms Dambisa worked for Goldman Sachs for eight years until November 2008 in the debt capital markets, hedge funds coverage and global macroeconomics teams. She has written and lectured on subjects around international economics and global development issues. She is currently serving as a non-executive director on the boards of SABMiller and Lundin Petroleum.

Marcus Agius, chairman of Barclays, said: “I am delighted that Dambisa is joining Barclays. Her background in financial services and as a global economist will bring valuable insight to the Barclays board.”

[www.tradingmarkets.com]

Unusual choice for Barclays’ board

The Zambian will be the only woman on the bank’s board when she joins on May 1.

Chairman Marcus Agius says ‘her background in financial services and as a global economist will bring valuable insight to the Barclays board.’

Moyo is a slightly unusual choice in that she has not held a traditional role within a major corporate firm, however the last female hired to work on the Barclays board was journalist Patience Wheatcroft.

Moyo worked for the World Bank from 1993 to 1995, before embarking on a PhD in Economics. She then worked at Goldman Sachs for eight years until November 2008. Since then she has been writing and lecturing. She is also a non-executive director at SABMiller and Lundin Petroleum.

[This is Money – part of the Daily Mail]