The Zambia Development Conference, ZADECO, says it is concerned with the impassed surrounding the enactment of the new Constitution.

ZADECO chairman, Langtone Sichone, the party is next month converge at a conference
and would among other pertinent issues, come up with a resolution on how it would help push for the enactment of the constitu

Mr. Sichone said the party has set May 26 for the conference schedled to take place at Lusaka’s Masiyes Motel.

Mr. Sichone  was speaking in an in an interview with the Zambia News and Information
Services in Lusaka today.

He revealed that ZADECO would submit the resolution to the Zambia Centre Inter-party
Dialogue.

He accused government of dragging its feet regarding the enactment of the Constitution.

Meanwhile, Mr. Sichone said the party is undergoing re-structuring and re-organizing exercise meant to help identify credible leaders at it prepares for opportunities of contributing foe the development of the nation.

ZANIS

The opposition Patriotic Front, PF, on the Copperbelt Province wants government to increase funding to the Mines Safety Department, MSD, under the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development.

The challenge is from PF Chairman for Mines, Yamfwa Mukanga.

Mr. Mukanga, who is also Kantanshi Member of Parliament, MP, said the MSD must also
look at prospects of recruiting qualified Mining Inspectors if occupational accidents were to be avoided.

Mr. Mukanga said this in an interview with the Zambia News and Information Services,
ZANIS, in Mufulira.

Mr. Mukanga’s comment comes in the awake of increased cases of mine accidents that
have rocked the Copperbelt Province with the latest incident being the Chambeshi Metals accident were four workers were burnt in a blast.

In support of the Chambeshi metal, which was earlier last week closed for two days after the fatality, the parliamentarian said the closure should serve as a lesson to mine owners who were complacent in effecting safety measures and standards.

He noted that qualified  mining experts can only be attracted to the MSD if better perks and conditions of services were provided.

He said government should seriously address the aspect of salaries and wages for MSD
personnel.

Mr. Mukanga MSD should also consider opening up offices at district levels for the easier monitoring of mining firms.

ZANIS

President Levy Mwanawasa says Zambia is committed to maintaining brotherly relations with Tanzania.

President Mwanawasa is hopeful that the existing cordial bilateral ties would be strengthened for the benefit of the people of the two countries.

Mr. Mwanawasa said this in his message of congratulation to his Tanzanian counterpart Jakaya Kikwete on the occasion to mark that country’s national day.

This is contained in a statement released to ZANIS by Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations, John Musukuma today.

“I take this opportunity to renew Zambia’s commitment to the maintenance of the
brotherly relations that our two countries continue to enjoy,” read part of the statement..

Mr. Mwanawasa also sent messages of congratulation to Togolese President Faure
Gnassingbe and Seirra Leone’s Ahmed Tejan Kabbah the two countries’ 47th AND 46th
national days that fell on April 27.

In the massage to Mr. Gnassigbe, Mr. Mwanawasa indicated Zambia’s appreciation of
the warm relations with that country and wished the people continued peace and unity.

“And I wish to re-affirm my desire to deepen further these relations for the mutual benefit of our two people,” the statement read in part.

He also wished Sierra Leone leader Mr. Kabbah and the people of that country continued peace and prosperity.

Attorney-General, Mumba Malila, has charged that many law students at the legal institute were resorting to examination leakages because of rampant violation of professional ethics by several practitioners.
Mr Malila said yesterday that it was shameful that even some learners of the legal profession at the Zambia Institute of Advanced Legal Education (ZIALE) would deem it convenient to cheat their way into the profession by helping themselves to leaked examination papers.
“As a leader of the bar in Zambia and chairman of the Council of Legal Education, I was devastated to learn of the leakages of examination question papers at ZIALE and this shows that the reputation of our profession is under threat,” he said.
He was speaking at the opening of the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) seminar at Zambezi Sun Hotel in Livingstone yesterday.
Mr Malila said it was such cheats who, upon admission to the bar, became a menace to the profession, adding that such professionals threw out of the window every rule of ethics.
The Attorney-General said many legal practitioners were violating ethics of the legal profession in Zambia, giving it a bad name and creating a recipe for other vices to new entrants.
The entire legal profession has consequently earned itself a bad name and it was in considerable disrepute because of the slow, tardy, corrupt justice and declining standards of adjudication and legal service.
“Noble as our past may be, the current reputation of lawyers is not what it should be. We can no longer ignore the persisting and pervasive criticism of the conduct and performance of the lawyers,” Mr Malila said.
He said there was need for concerted efforts to change the image of the profession and ensure the legal system restored its good name and delivered an improved quality of service to the people.
It was, therefore, necessary for the LAZ to reinforce the application of rules of practice and strengthen the sanction for delinquents and violators.
“We must purge ZIALE of those examination cheats. We must take those young lawyers who, for lack of chambers, practice from their brief cases and unsuitable premises in workshops back into chambers where their formative years as practitioners should be effectively monitored and supervised,” he said.
The quality of performance of the legal sector would be an important determinant of the prospects for consolidated economic growth and democracy in Zambia.
“The efficient legal system affords more effective protection of human rights, freedoms and liberties of the citizens and available evidence from studies shows that well functioning legal systems promote business growth, rising incomes and democracy,” Mr Malila said.
He said lawyers ought to understand the complex rules of engagement in line with international bodies to enable them to exploit international rules than be exploited by them.
Mr Malila said it was also necessary for LAZ to provide a formal framework for continuous professional development so that members were kept abreast with global development and issues that could open up opportunities for specialisation.

Northern Province Minister, Lameck Chibombamilimo, has cautioned politicians against intimidating public service workers in their execution of duties.
Mr. Chibombamilimo, who is also Mpulungu MMD Member of Parliament said public
service workers should be left to perform their duties freely in the interest of enhancing public service delivery.
He was speaking when he officially flagged off the disbursement of Constituency
Development Funds, CDF, at a function held at the civic centre today.
Mr. Chibombamilimo said he was aware of a group of people, who were allegedly
intimidating workers especially District Commissioner, Willie Simfukwe, and his
family.
He warned that govcernment would not hesitate to seek the intervention of the law
enforcement agencies in the alleged intimidations of workers by politicians.
Mr. Chibombamilimo also warned political parties allegedly intimidating councilors
that government would not allow parties to fume confusions in councils and would
ensure that politicians who compromise national security are dealt with by law.
He commended Mpulungu district Council and Mpulungu Harbour Management for the role in the successful disbursement of the CDF and cautioned residents to avoid any
attempts that might jeopardize the successful implementation of infrastructure
development in the district.
Over 900 Iron Sheets and one hundred bags of cement were distributed to several schools earmarked for rehabilitation in the district.
And speaking at the some occasion, District Education Board Secretary, Beytus Nshenda, said the district was short of about 100 teachers.

ZANIS

President Mwanawasa says he is disappointed with the poor performance of the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC).

“I am not satisfied with the Anti Corruption Commission’s operations.You will need to find ways of improving its operations.You should sit down with senior managers and discuss why its performance has been so poor,” Mr Mwanawasa said yesterday at State House.

Mr Mwanawasa said this when he swore-in ACC chairperson, Valentine Chileshe and commissioner Akashambatwa Mbikusita Lewanika.

The President said he would be reluctant to lobby funds for the ACC if it did not improve its performance.

Mr Mwanawasa said the ACC had performed below his expectation compared to the Drug Enforcement Commission.

“A lot of cases taken to court by ACC take too long to be disposed of and this has greatly contributed to congestion in prisons.

When I was a practising lawyer, I never saw cases that dragged on in court for more than five years like it is currently,” he said.

Mr Mwanawasa was also disappointed that there were many adjournments of court cases, which were delaying justice.

The President asked the Chief Justice, Ernest Sakala, to find time and sit with senior judiciary staff to find ways of addressing the problem of cases, which were always being adjourned.

“Sometimes judges allow adjournments on flimsy grounds, resulting in congestion of prisons.

Very soon, I shall be signing a statutory instrument through which I have committed the death penalty to life imprisonment,” Mr Mwanawasa said.

The President said once the statutory instrument was signed, some of the inmates serving death sentences would face life imprisonment while others would be released.

Mr Mwanawasa said crucial witnesses would have died if cases were always delayed before coming up in court.

He also said witnesses’ memories would have been blurred and all it required to get an acquittal was a clever lawyer.

“They will be asked very nasty questions and witnesses will be scratching their heads or sometimes you (witnesses) will say it is a slip of the tongue.

The tongue is safely anchored there in the mouth,” Mr Mwanawasa said.

He said if the cases took too long to be disposed of, witnesses would find it unfashionable to give evidence against suspects who would be heroes by then.

Mr Mwanawasa also said the crowding of inmates in the country’s prisons was inhuman and needed urgent attention to address the situation.

 Daily- Mail