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The government has charged that the United Party for National Development (UPND) vice-president Richard Kapita is ignorant of the activities at Lilayi Police Training College, hence his baseless allegation that cadres are being trained there.
Home Affairs Minister Lameck Mangani said it was wrong for Mr Kapita to mislead the nation by accusing the MMD of training cadres to cause confusion during the forthcoming by-elections in Mufumbwe and Milanzi constituencies.
In an interview yesterday, Mr Mangani said it was not true that the MMD was using the college to train cadres and appealed to politicians to avoid misleading the public.
Mr Mangani said politicians should avoid raising unnecessary alarm on important institutions like police colleges and called on them to stop involving police in politics.
“I think Mr Kapita is ignorant because how can he say that cadres are being trained at Lilayi? This just shows how desperate he is, he lacks information on what goes on at Lilayi,” he said.
Meanwhile, the UPND/Patriotic Front Pact has dismissed reports that the opposition is plotting violence during the forthcoming elections but instead accused the ruling party of being behind the act.
UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma said the pact was aware that the people planning to cause confusion belonged to the ruling party and wondered why the MMD was accusing the opposition parties.
He said the pact had information about several people some of whom were already in Mufumbwe with a view of causing confusion.
And PF secretary-general Wynter Kabimba said it was saddening that the MMD was allegedly witchhunting as it had failed to provide details on the people planning to cause confusion.
Recently, MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya disclosed that the ruling party had uncovered a scam in which some opposition parties taking part in the Milanzi and Mufumbwe by-elections were recruiting cadres from Lusaka and Copperbelt to cause confusion.
Patriotic Front Secretary General Wynter Kabimba (l) and Upnd Spokesperson Charles Kakoma at the press briefing in Lusaka
Patriotic Front (PF) Secretary General Winter Kabimba has challenged government to commence investigations over how he acquired his house when he served as Lusaka Town Clerk.
Responding to Home Affairs Minister Lameck Mangani ‘s threats to have him investigated on how he purchased a big house at K500, 000 on Independence Avenue during his tenure as Town Clerk, Kabimba said he has got relevant records under his ministry, he should prove his cases against him if he is man enough.
Mr. Kabimba said he has no time to worst on the cheap political tactics being exhibited by government through the Home Affairs Minister to blackmail him because he is not guilty.
He noted that government attempts to blackmail PF leader Micheal Sata and FDD leader Edith Nawakwi by threatening with nonexistent cases is what they are trying to do with him.
Mr.Kabimba explained that the conditions under which he purchased the said house in 1998 were strict for any illegal activities to be employed.
He said he would remain a law abiding citizen adding that as long as Mr Mangani does not perform his duties of which he gets paid using tax payers’ money he will not stop castigating him.
Mr. Kabimba urged Mangani to devote his energies on improving the lives of police officers under his Ministry who were wallowing in abject poverty instead of spending time fabricating cases.
QFM
THE Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has assured the electorate it will deliver credible elections in the coming Milanzi and Mufumbwe parliamentary by elections.
Speaking in Lusaka yesterday, ECZ public relations manager Cris Akufuna said the commission would conduct a briefing for candidates that had already filed in the names in readiness for the elections.
Mr Akufuna said a briefing for monitors would also be conducted to enlighten them on their role and that copies relating to codes of conduct would be distributed to remind and correct them about their duties.
“Cadres and police officers who go beyond their duties do not mean the commission has failed to perform, the codes of conduct will alert them on the do’s and don’ts so that we have peaceful by-elections,” Mr Akufuna said.
Mr Akufuna said the commission would also conduct a briefing for conflict management committee and that voter educators would be on the ground to sensitise voters on the dangers of conflicts during elections.
He said some observers during election come with hidden agenda to blemish the good image of the commission and that it was not easy to deal with them because they added credibility to their work.
“Observers are like our witnesses, we cannot do away with them.
Mr Akufuna said accusations of the commission being partisan were mere perceptions and that the commission had performed its duties effectively and independently despite criticism from stakeholders like some political parties.
“As a commission, we involve political parties during our discussions, they are aware of the mandate of the commission which was stated by the Zambian law to propose names of candidates, appointment of members of the commission by the president. I am very sure that criticism comes as a result of those laws,” he said.
And Mr Akufuna said the continuous voters registration (CVR) exercise would start in June this year, and that the commission had met with members of Parliament including other stakeholders like the media and civil society to brief them on the exercise.
The commission would sensitise voters on the CVR a month before and that the communication techniques would be through radio stations in all districts, music, drama, and that voters education facilitators would conduct door to door campaign.
CHINA Nonferrous Metal Mining Group Company (CNMC) president Luo Tao has said his company wants to work with the Zambian people to bring sustainable development to the country.
Mr Luo said when he paid a courtesy call on the Copperbelt Minister Mwansa Mbulakulima that his company wanted to work along side the Zambian people in contribute to the economic development of the country.
He said his management at the CNMC Luanshya Copper Mine(LCM), Chambishi mine, Chambishi smelter and Chambishi leaching plant adhered to the Zambian labour laws and the other laws that governed the country.
Mr Luo said his firm was committed to having a good relationship with the Zambian workers and that was why the top management at LCM consisted of two Zambians while 60 per cent of the departmental heads at the mine were Zambians.
“We have employed alot of Zambians at LCM and two managers are Zambians, while 60 per cent of those managing the different departments are also Zambians,” he said.
Mr Luo said his company had so far spent USD 42million on modernising the equipment at LCM and would continue doing so until the equipment is modernised.
He said the former owners of LCM did not invest a lot in modernising the equipment at the mine saying that CNMC was a good investor that ensured that its investments had modern equipment.
Mr Luo also said President Rupiah Banda’s visit to China on the invitation of the Chinese President Hu Jintao was successful.
He said President Banda signed some treaties, while he was there and that the President called for Chinese investors.
Mr Luo said President Hu then instructed those that had invested in Zambia to expand their investment and CNMC, therefore, approved a further USD 500 million in its subsidiaries in Zambia.
CNMC LCM would receive US$300 million, while Chambeshi mine, smelter and leaching plant would receive US$200 million this year.
Mr Luo said he was impressed with President Banda’s leadership and that of Mr Mbulakulima.
He said President Banda was committed to bringing investment to Zambia that would improve the economy.
Mr Luo said Mr Mbulakulima was also working hard to upgrade the Copperbelt which has resulted in the development that he had observed over his seven visitations.
It was because of this, he said, that CNMC felt supported by the Government and triggered the company to invest further in the Copperbelt.
Mr Luo said the company had recorded progress in the Baluba mine development and that he was happy with the work that was so far done in all its subsidiaries.
And Mr Mbulakulima said the Chinese group had expressed resilience and endurance and was, therefore, Zambia’s partner in development.
He said he was happy that CNMC was willing to invest USD 500 million this year in its Copperbelt subsidiaries.
Mr Mbulakulima said he was also happy that the company observed the Zambian laws as that was how it should be.
He said Zambia had world class economic policies that more Chinese investors should take advantage of and invest in Zambia.
The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has seized property belonging to GBM Trucking Limited in Lusaka to recover more than K2 billion owed to the agency by the company.
The seizure of the building in the capital city comes in the wake of the company’s failure to settle about K522 million with interest, which the company had borrowed from the Government’s crop marketing agency in 1998.
GBM Trucking and GBM Milling had in 1998 deposited title deeds for the building as collateral for a K522 million loan from the FRA but failed to settle the debt when it was due.
A Times reporter who toured the premises, which are also used as Patriotic Front (PF) secretariat in Vila Elizabetha, found the gates locked with security officers manning the building.
FRA legal counsel, Chola Kafwabulula said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that the company had failed to settle the K522 million with interest, which made the agency seek legal redress.
Mr Kafwabulula said the agency then took the company to the High Court where GMB Milling lost before appealing to the Supreme Court where the lower court’s ruling was upheld.
“This is purely a commercial transaction without any political inclination to it. This is as a result of the failure by the company to settle the loan even after losing in the courts and we now want to recover our money,” he said.
Mr Kafwabulula said the money would be recovered with interest and now amounts to more than K2 billion.
He said the agency would start evaluating the property before advertising the sale of the building.
“If we find that there is any change after evaluation, then they will get it but soon you will see the adverts in the Press on the sale of the seized property,” he said.
Efforts to get GBM proprietor, Geoffrey Mwamba failed by Press time as his mobile was switched off.
And PF spokesperson, Given Lubinda said he could not comment on the matter as he had not been to the seized building.
The Zambia Under-17 team leaves for Uganda on April 7 to face their hosts in a Rwanda 2011 Orange CAF Under-17 Cup preliminary round, first leg qualifier.
Aggrey Chiyangi is expected to leave the country at midday on a Kenya Airways flight to Kampala via Nairobi.
The match will be played on Friday afternoon at Nakivubo stadium.
Winner of the two-legged match will face Ghana in the first round qualifying stage in September.
Goalkeepers: John Banda (Libala Basic), Davie Banda (Amakumbi).
Defenders: Musesha Phiri (Damiano Academy), Alex Sichone (K-Stars), Chishimba Changala (Livingstone Pirates), Kachola Banda(Lutanda Academy), Peter Mulenga, White Kaande (Both Lusaka Youth Academy).
Midfielders: Salulani Phiri (Winford Academy), Bruce Musakanya (Livingstone Pirates), Simon Nkoma (K-Stars), Patrick Sakala (Lutanda), Masauso Tembo (Nchanga Rangers), Kennedy Mwambazi (Telesport).
Strikers: Moses Phiri (Young Zanaco), Martin Chakulya (K-Stars), Constantinos Ioanndu (Tuks Academy, South Africa) and Emmanuel Phiri (Nchanga Rangers).
Former Zambia national soccer team coach Herve Renard talks to reporters
The BBC online reports that Frenchman Herve Renard has ended his stay as the coach of Zambia. The 41-year-old ended his contract with the Chipolopolo on Tuesday with two months remaining on the deal.
The Frenchman quit despite leading the team into their first Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final in 14 years.
“Renard handed in his letter of intent to be excused as he stated his desire to pursue other professional interests elsewhere,” Zambia FA (FAZ) spokesman Eric Mwanza said in a statement.
“FAZ and Renard therefore amicably agreed on the way forward.
“In view of this development, FAZ’s consultations and efforts to have him extend his contract have since been suspended.
“Physical trainer Patrice Beaumelle will also not be staying in the job.”
Herve had been linked with several national teams in Africa since leading the Chipolopolo to the last eight of the Cup of Nations in Angola in January.
The Frenchman joined the Chipopolo in 2008 after serving as an assistant to the then Ghana coach Claude Leroy.
He guided the Zambians to an third place finish in the maiden African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Ivory Coast last year.
Herve coached in France, Vietnam, China and England, before teaming up with Le Roy in Ghana.
A police officer looks over Matero residents who are queuing up to obtain national registration cards.
Lusaka residents trying to acquire Green National Registration cards under the third phase of mobile registration exercise have expressed their frustrations over the slow pace at which the exercise is moving.
The mobile issuance of NRCs under the third phase started on the 1st April 2010 covering Lusaka, Luapula and Copperbelt provinces.
A check by QFM News both at Matero Hall and the Boma found long queues of people trying to acquire the NRC’s.
Some revealed that they have been forced to spending more than one night at the centers in order to obtain to obtain their NRCs.
Those spoken to, mostly secondary school going pupils, said that the exercise has forced them to abscond classes for more than a day.
Others wondered why the Government did not opt to open mobile registration centers at almost every school to deal the congestion and enable as many people as possible to acquire the NRCs.
Some parents who escorted their children also complained of having the details such as the age of their children rejected fearing that some of their children may end up without NRCs.
The Lusaka residents have since called on Government to assign more people to the mobile issuance exercise of NRCs and create more centers to decongest the existing centre.
People struggling to cross the flooded Sikalamba stream in Sinazongwe district to go either to Choma or Lusaka
By Patrick Hatontola
As 2011 dawns, the MMD government must realize that it marks the new era when people’s wish for a forward government will transcend over any manner of political manipulation, Lumpenism and hooliganism. These vices have characterized the political landscape for the past 20 years but 2011 will be the last nail on the coffin. It is a year when the weaker will speak louder to the powerful.
Below are 20 reasons why electorates will not give the MMD another mandate in preference to the UPND-PF PACT.
(A) Urban Development
1. MMD’s failure to maintain infrastructure left by UNIP. This includes institutions of learning such as: UNZA; dilapidation of Health Care centers like UTH and turning tarred roads turned into gravel roads in across the country.
2. MMD’s failure to run Health care centers. These centers cannot dispense basic medication such as panado thereby causing avoidable deaths
3. MMD’s failure to maintain affordable transport by abandoning the railway transport left by UNIP hence increasing the cost of production.
4. MMD’s failure to plan for the city by building new infrastructure and system in major towns thereby causing unnecessary traffic jams. Rather, MMD has promoted mushrooming of shanty compounds like MISISI where no reticulated piped water and electricity are provided.
5. MMD’s failure to timely handle disaster management cases such as floods in Lusaka and collapsed bridges in Southern Province shows that it lacks priorities.
6. MMD’s failure to create employment. Rather, Job loss has been on a raise in MMD’s reign.
7. MMD’s paralyzing of citizens by closing local companies such as Mansa batteries on the copper belt, Eagle cycles in Eastern Province, Mwinilunga Pineaples in Northern Province
8. MMD’s grievous Taxing policy burdens majority Zambians in favor of few foreigners. MMD has failed to create other sources of revenue opposed to strangling citizens with exorbitant Taxes. Rather, they abolished the windfall TAX to the detriment of the country.
(B) Rural Development
1. MMD under RB’s administration has reduced the Fertilizer support Program from 2 hectors to 1 Acre per farmer thereby disempowering farmers.
2. MMD’s late delivery of farm inputs across the country has further crippled the agriculture sector.
3. MMD has killed agriculture viability by abolishing NAMBOARDS through which farmers sold their produce easily.
4. MMD destroyed the agro system by abolishing the agriculture extension services. Consequently, livestock is diminishing in places like Southern and Western Provinces. The collapse of farming in central province was also a direct result of closing the Tobacco Board of Zambia
5. MMD’s failure to fulfill the ever promised rural electrification. ZESCO is now on auto pilot.
6. MMD’s failure to tar major feeder roads has eroded any possibilities of creating an enabling environment for rural development
(C) Generally-Cross functional Developments
1. MMD has disrespected citizens by rejecting their recommendations such as 50+1 through the biased NCC.
2. MMD’s failure to provide free education up to university level left by UNIP is retrogressive.
3. MMD’s sale of ZAMTEL against the wish of the people has compromised the country’s security
4. MMD’s failure to preserve women’s dignity. MMD shows no remorse on the tragedy of women giving birth on streets. Refer to Chance Kabwela’s case. The Health Minister must confirm if the incinerator is now operational at Chipata Clinic.Worst still MMD youth who want to gang rape Nawakwi have not been suspended from MMD.
5. MMD has refused to fight corruption. They seem to have embraced real suspects. Refer to the dillydallying of the registration of the London Judgment against Chiluba; The IG of police not suspended to pave way for investigations; the ruling party being headed by Katele –a man defending himself against serious corruption charges in court? The Auditor General’s revelations are not acted upon to mention a few.
6. MMD’s attempt to abolish freedom of the media through the failed media regulation attempts
In view of the above short comings one can easily establish a case of gross incompetence; gross inefficiency and gross negligence from MMD to warrant a vote of no confidence in next years polls. The UPND-PF PACT therefore stands a better alternative.
The United Party for National Development (UPND) has dared the Zambia Police to arrest the PF/UPND Pact leaders Michael Sate and Hakainde Hichilema.
Responding to MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya’s call on the police to visit the two pact leaders on allegations of accusing President Rupiah Banda of planning to eliminate them,UPND Secretary General Winstone Chibwe saidc that the police could go ahead and arrest the two leaders.
He said there was nothing wrong for what the two pact leaders said by stating that president Banda has intentions to eliminate them as his political opponents.
Mr Chibwe accused the MMD of desperate and capable of doing anything that would keep them in power.
He said the UPND/PF pact is not scared of the calls by Ms Siliya to arrest the two pact leaders because such threats are expected in the political arena.
Mr. Chibwe reiterated that UPND was ready to defend itself from any form of provocation in the forth coming Mufumbwe and Milanzi Parliamentary by elections.
QFM
MMD Kafulafuta Member of Parliament George Mpombo has reiterated his intentions to challenge President Rupiah Banda at the party convention.
Mr. Mpombo has said that his supporters are on the ground and indications are that he will put up a good fight at the convention. He said his suspension by the party will not intimidate him in his quest to challenge President Banda. He added that he will go ahead with his intentions despite the suspension announced recently.
Meanwhile, Mr. Mpombo has dismissed claims by National Revolution Party (NRP) president Cosmo Mumba that he has shown interest in standing in the 2011 polls on the NRP ticket. Recently, Dr Mumba hinted that Mr Mpombo had agreed to stand as NRP president in next year’s general elections.
But in an interview with Muvi TV news yesterday, Mr Mpombo described NRP as a briefcase party which he would not associate himself with. Mr Mpombo denied ever talking to Dr Mumba in the recent past.
Patriotic Front Secretary General Wynter Kabimba (l)
Homes Affairs Minister Lameck Mangani has charged that Wynter Kabimba is the most inept secretary-general the Patriotic Front (PF) has ever had.
Mr Mangani has also revealed that he has impeccable information that Mr Kabimba was only hanging on in the party because PF president Michael Sata was keeping a damning dossier on his dealings while he was Lusaka town clerk fearing that it may be exposed if he dared cut links with him.
In apparent reference to sentiments attributed to Mr Kabimba in the Press which described Mr Mangani as acting like a rottweiler which was on the loose, Mr Mangani said the PF secretary-general was himself behaving like a dog going by the petty comments he had been issuing in the Press of late.
The minister said Mr Kabimba should also tell Zambians the truth about a house he allegedly purchased at a scandalously reduced price when he was town clerk.
He added that Mr Kabimba instead of generating frivolous law suits on inconsequential matters which did not have a bearing on his party, should be organising the PF now that it was apparent Mr Sata and Dr Guy Scott were tired, going by the loss of steam in their programmes.
“His party is not thriving because he lacks stamina and on the issues of loyalty, he is behaving like a bigger dog because he knows that Mr Sata has a dossier on him and he knows he will be finished if this information is released in public domain. He is hanging on to the PF for personal reasons. Tell me, who is the dog in this regard,” he said.
Mr Mangani said the art of organising a party could not be likened to experience in superintending over garbage collection exercises, but required a lot of tact, wit and patience, vital ingredients that lacked in Mr Kabimba.
[Times of Zambia]
MMD Copperbelt provincial chairperson Joseph Chilambwe has advised Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata not to mislead the youth with promises on employment which he may not fulfill.
He said the opposition leader was so desperate to become Republican president that he was making promises that he could not fulfill.
Mr Chilambwe was speaking yesterday in Kabala area in Chimwemwe Constituency during a meeting with residents who complained of being neglected by the opposition area member of Parliament.
The residents complained of the poor state of roads, the non-functional boat which was damaged by a hippo and the clinic which was only operating during day time because of security reasons.
Mr Chilambwe said he was hopeful that the people had learnt a lesson from voting for an opposition MP who had not fulfilled his campaign promises.
“I get surprised that the people, especially you the youth, get excited when the PF leader says he will create employment and put more money in your pockets.
“You the youth should support the MMD Government because it has a manifesto and policies to improve people’s lives. We have a lot of policies that aim at empowering the youth,” he said.
And MMD Copperbelt task force member Joe Malanji promised the people that a boat worth K72 million would be purchased to replace the damaged boat in the next two weeks.
Mr Malanji, who also donated 1,000 Chitenge materials and K1.5 million to the people in the area, advised them not to fall prey to the promises of opposition politicians.
He advised the youth to desist from involving themselves in violent activities and pursue dialogue with Government on various issues affecting them.
Mr Malanji said the Government was ready to dialogue with anybody and was disappointed that some clergymen were in the forefront of agitating for violence in the country.
NATIONAL Milling Corporation (NMC) has set up a rice processing plant in Mongu in an effort to increase its intake of local rice and save foreign exchange on the imported commodity which has become expensive, managing director Peter Cottan has said.
The plant would polish the rice to be supplied by local farmers in Mongu and other districts in Western Province.
Mr Cottan said in Lusaka that the company which had been importing rice in the past, would now concentrate on the local market as a way of empowering local farmers too, running away from the high costs of importing the commodity.
He said rice prices on the international market had tripled in the last three years, while production levels had reduced drastically due to climatic change.
“National Milling’s rice procurement three years ago was 10,000 tonnes per year but has now reduced to 4,000 tonnes per year because importation of rice has now become expensive,” he said.
Mr Cottan said, through the introduction of the local procurement initiative, the company had partnered with the Government to provide a ready market for the local farmers and also to create employment for Zambians.
“We hope that this will encourage the farmers to move from small-scale rice farming to specialised commercial farming,” he said.
For the firm to meet the demand on the local market, National Milling requires to be procuring a total of 10,000 tonnes every year.
“As National Milling, we decided to encourage our local rice farmers by coming up with this initiative of procuring rice locally, even though they are still far from meeting the demands of the market,” he said.
The company plans to extend the rice procurement facility to Chama district in Eastern Province, which also has viable farmers with potential to produce more rice but are limited by lack of market for their produce.
Mr Cottan said NMC was providing employment in many parts of Zambia, as many Zambians were being engaged through its 60 sales outlets.
The NMC chief said the company has plans to expand the network of sales outlets and would soon be opening two more in Mumbwa and Chirundu.
