The Lusaka High Court on Monday cleared Finance Minister Ng’andu Magande of corruption charges levelled against him by two losing candidates in last year’s parliamentary elections.

Magande was facing 62 charges of graft which Priscilla Kamanga of the chief opposition Patriotic Front (PF) party and Cosmos Moono of the United Party for National Development (UPND) brought before the court in Zambia’s most contentious and highly publicised parliamentary petition.

Economic analysts had feared a serious economic management backlash if Magande had lost the case.

He is credited with the fiscal discipline which has seen a turnaround in Zambia’s economic performance, with GDP growth averaging 5 percent in the last five years in Zambia, where mining is the economic lifeblood.

High Court Judge Marvin Mwanamwambwa threw out all 62 allegations that Magande and his election agents bribed voters to win the vote in an opposition stronghold. The court said he was duly elected as a legislator.

“I have found that there was no bribery and corruption as defined by the Electoral Act,” Mwanamwambwa said in his ruling.

He said the few irregularities which had been proven did not warrant the nullification of Magande’s election victory.

“In my view honourable Magande won the election because the opposition (candidates) split the vote among themselves. He did not win because of (allegations of) rampant corruption and bribery,” Mwanamwambwa said.

Magande said Zambia should put the elections behind it and focus on serious challenges.

“We can now forget about the elections and this will help me to focus on making sure we work hard to address the most pressing issues of poverty alleviation and finding improving the economic environment,” he told Reuters after the ruling.

President Levy Mwanawasa has directed Local Government and Housing Minister, Sylvia Masebo, to exempt the church, schools and clinics from paying rates in appreciation of the great contribution the church is making in augmenting government effortf of improving the economic welfare of the people.

President Mwanawasa has further directed, Ms Masebo to favourably consider the
church’s request for rate exemption for specific educational youths skills
institutions and other social institutions because the church was serving people on
behalf of government.

He said without the church’s valuable contribution, government alone would not have
achieved as much as it has done, citing health institutions run by the church among
them; St Francis and Mumbezhi in Solwezi, Chinyingi in Zambezi and Ntambu in
Mwinilunga which, he said are because they are located in places where government
health institutions were not easily accessible.

Mr Mwanawasa commended the church for its efforts in fighting and mitigating the
effects of HIV/AIDS through home based care and the orphans and vulnerable children
programmes that have provided love, care and support.
       
He said without such interventions many children would have dropped out of school,
hence urged the church and government to continue working together for the benefit
of people of Zambia.
       
President Mwanawasa said this in Solwezi today during the consecration and
installation of Reverend Fr. Alick Banda as new Bishop of Solwezi Diocese by
Archbishop Nicola Girasoli, the Apostolic Nuncio to Zambia and Malawi to  succeed
Bishop Noel Charles O’Regan who was transferred to Ndola Diocese in September 2004.
        
Meanwhile, President Mwanawasa said government was worried at the high levels of
illiteracy in North-Western Province and as such it did not hesitate to surrender St
Francis in Solwezi, St Kizito in Mwinilunga, Chiwezi in Kabompo and Chinyingi basic
schools in Zambezi to the church when it requested.
       
He also said while government has taken note of the position of the church in the
constitution making, it was committed to ensure that the people of Zambia are given
a people-driven constitution that will stand the test of time.

He said government’s role was to give advice and direction on the process and its
logistics which he said required proper planning and careful attention to deal in
order to avoid costly mistakes.
      
Mr Mwanawasa further, reiterated government’s commitment to have all districts in
the province connected to the national grid, saying currently government was looking
at the possibility of working together with missionaries at Kaleni so that
Mwinilunga district could benefit from the Zengamina hydro-power station
commissioned two weeks ago at Kaleni in Mwinilunga.
      
Speaking at the same occasion, Zambia Episcopal Conference Chairperson, Arch Bishop
Telesphore Mpundu commended President Mwanawasa for expressing government’s
commitment in Working with the church in building peace and unity in the country.
       
And Archbishop Nicola Girasoli urged newly installed Bishop of Solwezi Diocese,
Alick Banda to promote unity among the clergy and others through reconciliation and
dialogue.

Chief Government Spokesperson, Mike Mulongoti, is happy that  First Republican President, Kenneth Kaunda, has not reacted sharply to the story published in one of the daily tabloids that alleged that President Levy Mwanawasa issued disparaging remarks against him.

Mr Mulongoti said Dr Kaunda’s decision to remain mute over the issue despite the
running public comments on the matter clearly demonstrates that he is true
statesmanship.

He said this in Kitwe yesterday when he addressed journalists after touring the
Zambia News and Information Services Offices (ZANIS).

He said Government was grateful that the Dr Kaunda had not responded to the story as
a true Statesman.

The minister said there was need for some members of the opposition Political
Parties and other stakeholders to allow the former President to concentrate on his
HIV AIDS crusade and not cheap politics.

Mr Mulongoti also regretted that some people that where celebrating at the time Dr
Kaunda was incarcerated in Kabwe some years back were now talking of respecting him
and shedding crocodile tears over his problems.

He added that it was also disappointing to note that people, who were supposed to
accord President Mwanawasa a benefit of doubt when such matters arise, where in the
fore front to create tension between him and the former Head of State.

He challenged all those people that were condemning President Mwanawasa over the
issue to gather courage and withdraw their statements against him now that the truth
had come out.

President Mwanawasa has since expressed dismay with the reports in the media where
he is quoted as having attacked first Republican President saying the Article was
based on hear say.

He indicated that the report by the post was also unethical as the meeting quoted
was a closed door party executive meeting and the Post Journalist wrote the article
based on hear-say because no journalists attended the meeting.

President Levy Mwanawasa says he will not be deterred in his development vision by people bent to criticise developmental programmes being implemented by his administration.

The president said the development of north western in particular, would remain
priority on the national development agenda due to the value derived from the area
in developing the overall national economy.

Mr. Mwanawasa said in line with the development agenda, government has focused
resource allocation towards the improvement of the road network, as a measure of
facilitating the smooth implementation of developmental projects, in north western
province.

The president was speaking in a speech read for him by Transport and Communications
Minister Sara Saifwanda at the Ukupupa traditional ceremony of the Lamba people.

Mr. Mwanawasa disclosed that government has released K43.8 billion for the
rehabilitation of the 120 kilometre stretch of the Solwezi/Kipushi Road an
additional K31 billion for the Solwezi/Chingola Road.

He further indicated that US$180,000 has been disbursed towards the rehabilitation
of the Solwezi Mwinilunga Raods.

The president further disclosed that government has released K30 million for the
drilling of boleholes at Senior Chief Kalilele and Lwamakanda and an additional K200
million for the construction of the Lamba High school in Solwezi district.

Speaking at the same occassion, Ukupupa Organising Committee Chairperson, Kilinima
appealed to president Mwanawasa to consider giving Mushindamo a district status due
to its rapid economical growth.

And in passing a vote of thanks, Chief Mukumbi of the Kaonde people called on
government to put to an end casualisation of labour at Kansanshi and other mining
firms in the province.

Vice President, Rupiah Banda, is disappointed at the failure by some investors to assist communities in which they operate.

Mr. Banda regretted that despite making huge profits, most local and foreign
companies,  profits were not supplementing government efforts in assisting
vulnerable communities particularly in the area of education.

The vice president was speaking at Mushindike Basic School in Mwansabombwe today
when he received a donation from Celtel of 40 school desks worth K20 million.

The donation by Celtel  is part of the company’s ‘build the nation’ project launched
two years ago.

Mr. Banda urged other business houses to emulate Celtel and assist the vulnerable
communities around the country.

And Celtel Marketing Manager for Services, Kennedy Mambwe, said the company will
remain a partner to government in its quest to provide quality education for all
throughout the country.

Mr. Mambwe said universal education for all requires the effort of a stakeholders
not only to ensure access to education but also achieving a good learning
environment.

Celtel has so far spent over K400 million in assisting schools in various
communities around the country through the donation of books, desks and
infrastructure rehabilitation.