Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, MikeMulongoti, says information is a key factor in national development.

Mr. Mulongoti says the provision of information to the citizenry would empower them
to make decisions that will enhance their health and economic status.

Speaking today during a Labour Day award giving ceremony for Ministry of Information
staff at Mass Media Complex, Mr. Mulongoti prodded journalists to be proactive and
reach the masses in all corners of the country.

“We as the ministry responsible for collecting and disseminating information must be
proactive and reach the masses in corners of the country,” he said.

Mr. Mulongoti said the media is central to any developmental efforts because no
meaningful development can take place in the absence of information.

He said the award ceremony provides workers with an opportunity to reflect on each
individual worker’s performance and to identify areas that need improvement so as to
adjust and deliver service more efficiently.

Mr. Mulongoti urged the Ministry of Information staff members to execute their
duties diligently in order for the ministry to achieve its intended goals.

He further encouraged the workers to take up studies that would improve their skills
and consequently enhance their performance.

The minister saluted the recipients of the awards and challenged others to improve
their performance so that they could be considered next year.

Several workers walked away with awards ranging from Refrigerators, DVDs and other
electrical appliances.

Meanwhile, Mr. Mulongoti challenged the public media in the country to work in line
with their mandate of highlighting and explaining government programmes to the
people.

Mr. Mulongoti, who is also Chief Government spokesperson, said the public media
should move away concentrating from reporting on scandals to developmental issues in
order to effectively contribute to national economic development.

President Levy Mwanawasa says he should be punished if he has also stolen from national resources.

Mr Mwanawasa said he does not see any reason why he should not be punished if he had
stolen.

Speaking when he commissioned the Livingstone International Airport Runway extension
and civil works in Livingstone today, Mr Mwanawasa said  when he follows up corruption cases, it does not mean that he is also guilty.

”US$46 million was lost in just one case tried in London. We have made that possible and when we do that it doesnt mean that we are also guilty. When anyone of us abuses facilities at his disposal , he will be punished,” he said.

Mr Mwanawasa reiterated that there would be no sacred cows in his government adding
that anyone who abuses his office will be punished.

”But it is being said that Levy you are facilitating this and we will do the same to you when you leave. You are welcome. If I have stolen I don’t see any reason why I should not be punished,” he said.

ZANIS reports from Livingstone that Mr Mwanawasa said he knew that the path he had
taken in pursuing corruption was a dangerous one but noted that someone had to start
the fight in order to save the country.

”I know that the path I have taken is a dangerous one both to me and my family. But
someone must start the fight, if we don’t, we are gone. They are saying that the MMD is full of thieves. I agree. Iam not saying we are clean. If we are found wanting, we should be punished,” he said.

Mr Mwanawasa said because his government had exercised integrity, the donor community had restored its confidence in government adding that the commissioning of
the extension and civil works done at Livingstone airport funded at a cost of US$14
million Euros  by the European Union was a testimony of the confidence the donor community had in the government.

He said the EU’s relationship was not as strong as it is now adding that things have, however, changed and that the EU had become a strong partner to Zambia because of the confidence it has in the new deal government.

Mr Mwanawasa said his administration has been able to disclose a number of malpractices in government which included the disclosure of the thefts of money.

”This demonstrates that we are transparent. Things were being stolen in the past that you did not know.  US$46 million was lost in just one case tried in London

Mr Mwanawasa also noted that advocating for the new Constitution would neither put
food on the table nor develop the country.

He said some sectors of society felt that there would be no food, employment ,
marriage and development if the Constitution is not enacted.

”Dear colleagues, the new constitution will not put food on the table. What will do
is that you should elect leaders of integrity who are ready to work for Zambia. You should elect leaders who will generate confidence from donors,” he said.

The president, who arrived this morning to officially commission the newly rehabilitated Livingstone International Airport was accompanied by Finance Minister Ng’andu Magande, Transport and Communications minister Sara Sayifwanda, Tourism Minister Kabinga Pande and other senior government officials.

ZANIS

Former President FTJ Chiluba, today lashed out at a London high court judge who found him guilty of stealing US $46 million , calling him a “racist”. He accused Zambian and British leaders of conspiring to “crucify” him.

At an emotional press conference, Chiluba protested his innocence.
Dressed in his trade mark tailor-made suit, Chiluba told reporters that he would not accept the judgment made by Judge Peter Smith last week, claiming it was predetermined by the British government.
“At best, this judgment is a mere political statement made by a man who represents a vicious and violent system with inherent prejudices and hatred against Africa,” Chiluba said at a news conference.
“The language he uses is racist, abusive, demeaning and clearly unbecoming of a high court judge,” he said.

“I find this judgement totally unacceptable and I therefore reject it.”

“Judge Smith’s obsession with my clothes is obscene. Is not the living and other expenses of the president borne by the state?” Chiluba asked.

He explained that part of the funds he allegedly stole was in fact from a private reserve of money made up of donations from various people and put in a secret service account for security reasons.

“More than nine million dollars came from private sources,” Chiluba said.

Chiluba gave no indication of whether he will appeal the ruling.
Chiluba said that Mwanawasa had “betrayed the national trust,” by pursuing legal action in a foreign court. Some criminal charges remain pending in Zambian courts.
The government said it was vindicated by the ruling. “Public service is about service, not about the aggrandizement of wealth,” Minister of Information and Broadcasting Mike Mulongoti told The Associated Press. “The judge has vindicated us. Forty-six million dollars, for a country like Zambia, is a lot of money. … The outcome has profound implications.”
If Chiluba does not pay, the government could then begin the process of seizing his assets, said Stephen Lungu, vice president of the Law Association of Zambia. The Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) has said the judgement handed would be enforced in Zambia.
“If he (Chiluba) fails to satisfy the judgment, he can be declared bankrupt,” LAZ vice president Stephen Lungu warned.

“Nothing will stop the enforcement of a foreign judgment because of the reciprocal agreements that exist between the two jurisdictions,” Lungu said.

Chiluba officially earned about 100,000 dollars during his time in power, yet he managed to pay the exclusive Basile clothes boutique in Switzerland 1.2 million dollars — all with money stolen from the Republic of Zambia, according to the British court.

Zambian prosecutors, who pursued the case in British courts because some of the money was laundered through British banks, are in the process of entering the judgment with the Zambian High Court, which is expected to accept and enforce it. Chiluba will then have 14 days to pay back the funds.

The ruling MMD in Eastern Province has disassociated itself from the recent one month altimatum issued to Laungeni Member of Parliament Angela Cifire.

Eastern Province Information and Publicity Secretary, Phillimon Mwale, said the people who issued the One-month altimatum to Ms. Cifire, during which to visit her constituency, were not party members.

Mr. Mwale said party officials from Luangeni confirmed that the people, who were
contemplating to pass a vote of no confidence in Ms.Cifire’s leadership were not MMD
members.

Mr. Mwale said Ms. Cifire, who is former Health Minister, was still enjoying support
from the party in her constituency.

He said former Chikando ward councilor in Luangeni, Richard Soko and a Mr. George
Sambo, an alleged Patriotic Front cadre, were trying to put the party in an awkward
position.

Mr. Mwale warned that party members, who would be found associating with the group,
would be punished severely.

He appealed to President Levy Mwanawasa to sympathise with Ms. Cifire and give her
another chance to serve as a Cabinet minister.

“As a province, we had two cabinet ministers and when one is removed, you can not be
happy,” Mr. Mwale said.

An alleged MMD group last week stormed the Post Newspaper offices in Chipata and
alleged that Ms. Cifire was dropped from cabinet because she did not visit her constituency.

said it would stop defending Ms. Cifire when electorate asked why she was not
visiting her constituency.

President Levy Mwanawasa has implored the Zambia Prison Services to produce more food in order for it to reduce dependence on the national treasury for its operations.

Mr. Mwanawasa wondered why the ZPS could fail to produce food for the inmates when
the institution has a lot of manpower and abunbant land.

He warned prison officers against rampant use of inmates to cultivate field for Prison staff instead of cultivating the prison farms stressing that basic things could be grown by the inmates themselves.

The president was speaking in Lusaka today when he officially flagged off 100 hectares of the Zambia-Egypt joint farming venture at Mwembeshi Prison farm.

He said the objective of the venture is equip inmates with modern agriculture skills in efforts of enhancing food production.

He said government has set aside funds in this years budget for the completion of the construction of Mwembeshi Prison as well as rehabilitation of infrastructure at selected prisons across the country.

He challenged Commissioner of Prisons, Jethrow Mumbuwa, to provide accurate data for
all the 53 prisons across the country before the president makes an official declaration on the status of the the Zambia Prisons Service.

Mr. Mwanawasa said government desires to explore horticulture, animal husbandry and
ranching to enhance productivity in the sector and that it is committed to strengthening existing bilateral relations with Egypt for the mutual benefit of people in the two countries.

The President earlier, commissioned an a Banana plantation at mwembeshi Prison farm
which was intiated by Mr. Mumbuwa.

And speaking earlier, Mr. Mumbuwa assured President Mwanawasa that at least 65,000 x 50 kilogram bags of maize would be harvested from the Zambia-Egypt joint farming
venture despite challenges of lack of modern equipment and skilled manpower.

Mr. Mumbuwa said the service intends to increase the hectarage from the current 100
to 200 in the next farming season and commended government fpr the continued support
in various areas such as transport to enable it fully execute its operations.

And Egyptian Ambassador to Zambia, Tamer Monsour, reteriated his government’s
commitment to strengthen the South-South bilateral relations emphasising that africa
is capable of standing on its own.

Mr. Monsour said the Zambi-Egypt joint farming venture is a true testimony of commitments by the two countries in promoting the performance of the agricultural
sector in Zambia.