The Judiciary says it takes great exception to remarks by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC)- Director General, Nixon Banda, about Magistrates’ alleged incomptence in handling corruption cases.Registrar of the High Court, Mwamba Chanda, said Mr. Banda’s remarks on Magistrates were most unfortunate especially that they were made by a qualified lawyer.

THE Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is geared to rid the civil service of all forms of corruption and warned that within this year, a lot of prominent people who are suspected involvement in the cancerous vice will be prosecuted.

ACC vice-chairperson Christine Mulundika and Director General, Nixon Banda, warned that there would be no “sacred cow” in the anti-corruption drive and culprits should expect a tough time.

Ms Mulundika and Mr Banda said the fight against corruption was for all Zambians as the crime was worse than the HIV and AIDS pandemic.

Speaking in Kabwe when they introduced two new commissioners to Central Province heads of Government and civil society yesterday, the two said the commissioners had the capacity to clean up the civil service.

Introducing commissioners, Webby Kalikiti, a lecturer from the University of Zambia and Elizabeth Lupeta, a retired head-teacher, the two said the commission would not relent in its fight.

Mr Banda said the commission would pursue corruption cases regardless of who was involved and promised Zambians that before the end of this year a lot of “big fish will be netted.”

For sometime now, there had been allegations that the commission was selectively clamping down on corruption suspects, which he said was not true.

“This year, you will see quite a lot of big fish being netted in. There have been accusations that we have been selective in our fight but in the next few months you will see a lot of big fish being prosecuted,” Mr Banda said.

The commission was geared to wipe out corrupt practices among civil servants saying it had put in place several measures to achieve that and called on Zambians to join the fight for a better future.

One of the measures embarked on to combat the crime in the civil service was the introduction of the integrity committees in Government wings.

He said that on January 30, Secretary to the Cabinet, Dr Joshua Kanganja, would swear in the committee members from various provinces who had been trained.

The committee had already been set up in about eight Government departments and local authorities in Lusaka and Copperbelt Provinces.

Earlier, the delegation paid a courtesy call on Central Province Minister Sydney Chisanga and Permanent Secretary Denny Lumbama.

Speaking in Mr Chisanga’s office, Ms Mulundika said that for sometime now the fight against corruption seemed to have been left to President Mwanawasa and the commission alone.

She said ministers and other senior Government officials should be in the forefront in the drive saying it was high time the officials supported the crusade.

The commission would assume that all those who were quiet about the issue were not in support of the commission and they could be involved in some corrupt practice.

Corruption had an effect on the lives of all Zambians and therefore there was need for concerted efforts in fighting the scourge.

In Mr Lumbama’s office, Mr Banda and Ms Mulundika appealed to the provincial leadership to move the ACC offices away from the main Government offices to make it more independent and accessible to all.

Source: Times of Zambia

CHINESE President, Hu Jintao is expected in Zambia next month on a state visit. Chief Government spokesperson, Vernon Mwaanga, announced in a statement yesterday that the Chinese leader would arrive on February 3, accompanied by his wife, Liu Yongqing.

GOVERNMENT has directed water utility companies to amend their articles of association to incorporate new management concepts such as board composition and corporate governance.

Kitwe Town Clerk, Ali Simwinga, told a special full council meeting in Kitwe that he was in receipt of a circular from the Ministry of Local Government and Housing through which participating local authorities in the establishment of water utility companies had been directed to amend articles of association.

Mr Simwinga said government wanted amendments so that water utilities could maximise the existing organisational structures.

“The strategy of allowing councils to run water supply and sanitation services were to encourage groups of local authorities to establish commercial utilities.

This is why government started the implementation of the water policy, which promoted decentralisation, and commercialisation of water supply and sanitation services to promote efficiency and sustainability in service delivery,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Simwinga revealed that government had disbursed K120 million for pothole mending and marking of Kitwe urban roads.

Mr Simwinga thanked government for the money, which he said would go a long way in improving the road network.

“We have also received another K5 million under the Lands Development Fund from the Ministry of Lands.

The money will help the council to construct drainages and prepare layout plans.

THE five-day post election seminar for members of Parliament came to a close on Thursday.

The seminar, which was officially opened by Speaker of the National Assembly, Amusaa Mwanamwamba last Sunday was closed by his deputy, Mutale Nalumango.

During the official opening, Mr Mwanamwambwa urged MPs to uphold the principles of democracy if they were to positively contribute to good governance.

Mr Mwanamwambwa called on MPs to show commitment and belief in the principles of democracy and express them in an open and sincere manner.

He was satisfied with the content of the seminar, which he described as important to the life of MPs who sought to be effective in their parliamentary careers.

The seminar was attended by Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa, Baleka Mbete, Senior Advisor Parliamentary Reform Project Zambia, John Bosley and Registrar of Members’ Interest in the House of Commons, Alda Barry.

PRESIDENT Mwanawasa says he will only appoint people in the public service on merit and not because of their tribe.

And Mr Mwanawasa said there was a lot of misuse of public funds and warned erring officers that they would be punished accordingly.

He said this during a swearing-in ceremony at State House yesterday.

“All appointments I make, especially those where I directly superintend, will be done on merit and in good faith. I am not so backward or primitive like some people are, that I should engage in acts of tribalism.

“I do not believe in segregating somebody on tribal lines. All the appointments that I make are done on merit, so no one can say that Bembas are being marginalised,” Mr Mwanawasa said.

Mr Mwanawasa said this when he swore in former Minister of Youth, Sport and Child Development, George Chulumanda, as Zambia’s Ambassador to Mozambique and Mr James Mulungushi as Permanent Secretary for Planning and Economics in the Ministry of Finance and National Planning.

The President also swore in Mr Emmanuel Ngulube as Permanent Secretary for Budget Affairs in the Ministry of Finance.

Mr Mwanawasa explained that in exercising his duty of appointing people to various offices, he looked for experience from all over the country and that it was, therefore, in bad faith for anyone to insinuate that some tribes were marginalised.

ministers to submit monthly reports to the Ministry of Finance and National Planning detailing how funds released for projects were being used.

He also directed that the Ministry of Finance should inform members of Parliament when money is released for a specific project in their constituencies.

“Any public officer who pocketed such monies should be prosecuted or reported to my office so that I can retire them in the national interest.

For the time being, I will refrain from saying that my government is zero-tolerant to corruption, until all those culprits who thought they were more important than the people they were appointed to serve by stealing public funds are caged,” he said.

Mr Mwanawasa urged Mr Ngulube to ensure that every ngwee was accounted for.

He told Mr Mulungushi that he believed that he was the best person to manage the new division at the Ministry of Finance and wished him well in his new appointment.

On Mr Chulumanda, he said he worked well with him both in MMD and in government and that he was satisfied that he was capable of executing his duties well.

He said Zambia enjoyed good relations with Mozambique and urged Mr Chulumanda to represent the country well in all aspects of development.

ABOUT 17 Western Province members of Parliament (MPs) have supported the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) that Oblate Radio Liseli in Mongu should broadcast more local programmes and songs.
That, the MPs said, would help preserve the diverse Barotse cultural heritage.
The MPs said the BRE acted properly in responding to numerous complaints of the local population about the amount of time allocated to music in a particular language from outside the province.
This is according to a statement the17 MPs from the province released in Lusaka yesterday.
The parliamentarians said it was common knowledge that the essence of community radio stations including Liseli was cultural promotion, education, news dissemination and entertainment through, more importantly, local music.
They called on Zambians to condemn reporting which promoted one language at the expense of others.
And the acting Ngambela, Imbuwa Imwaka, said the BRE has no apology to make over its principal function of enhancing, protecting and preserving the Lozi tradition and culture.