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By ZamChro Correspondent

The Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) has said the judgment involving Lusaka lawyer Rodger Chongwe’s claim for compensation should have first been registered in the Zambian courts before payment is considered.

LAZ president Steven Lungu said yesterday that the judgment should have first been registered in Zambia for it to have legal efficacy especially that no Zambian Government official represented the country when Dr Chongwe took the matter to United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) following the 1997 Kabwe shooting incident.

He said since Dr Chongwe did not exhaust all the local channels before taking the matter to the UNHRC, it was prudent that the matter was registered for it to have legal efficacy.

“One of the conditions for one to take the matter that far is to first exhaust all local channels but in this case, nothing like that was done,” Mr Lungu said.

He said the amount awarded to Dr Chongwe as compensation was too much as compared to what the Zambian courts award as compensation.

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By ZamChro Correspondent

Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata yesterday urged President Rupiah Banda not to use lies to clear himself on the US $5.9 million awarded to Lusaka lawyer Dr Rodger Chongwe as compensation for the injuries he suffered during the 1997 police shooting in Kabwe.

Reacting to State House special assistant for press and public relations Dickson Jere’s statement on Monday that President Banda blocked the payment of US $6.7 million to Dr Chongwe because the amount was too excessive and was going to set a bad precedent, Sata advised President Banda to desist from lying.

“The problem is when comrade Rupiah Banda became President of Zambia, he thought Zambians were foolish and had a very short memory,” Sata said.

“That’s why whenever he brings a lie, he wants to use another lie to cover up for the earlier lie, thinking that Zambians will forget the first lie. Let him not lie just to clear himself on this matter.”

“Nobody has said Chongwe has been paid the money. What has been exposed is that they were in the process of making the payment. Let them just be honest. You look at what home affairs minister Lameck Mangani said the first day government responded to The Post’s story,” Sata said.

“Mangani told the nation that his boss, Rupiah, was merely seeking the Attorney General’s opinion and guidance on the matter. But now Jere is telling us that Rupiah instructed Mumba Malila to stop the payment. How can Rupiah seek guidance or opinion from the same person he is instructing to halt the payment?” Sata asked.

“And can they tell us when did Rupiah seek Malila’s guidance or opinion as claimed by Mangani since we have been told that he issued instructions to stop the payment on November 30, 2009?”

“I would like to ask one simple question; who is the chief government spokesperson? Is it Mangani or Shikapwasha? Or probably Mangani only rushes to respond to matters concerning Eastern Province because when we spoke about Rupiah’s tribalism of appointing a number of people from Eastern Province in his Cabinet, it was Mangani who rushed to answer,” Sata said.

“And when the issue of Rodger Chongwe who is also from Eastern Province arose, it was Mangani who again rushed to respond.

“So in what capacity does Mangani comment on these issues? Maybe Shikapwasha is only restricted to matters about Zambia and Mangani speaks about issues concerning tribalism and nepotism.”

“If Malila agreed with them he could not have been fired. Malila didn’t agree with them that’s why they fired him. George Kunda is scared of being dismissed that is why he is blowing the trumpet about Chongwe,” he said.

“Why are they rushing on Chongwe yet they have failed to register the London judgment where we were fully represented by George Kunda himself. Why haven’t they registered that?” Sata asked. “The London judgment is in favour of Zambia and we want to recover about US $55 million. Chongwe’s findings and the claim are just for him as an individual and not Zambia.”

Recently after the revelations on Dr Chongwe’s US $5.9 million compensation, Mangani denied that President Banda authorised the payment. He said Dr Chongwe’s issue required legal opinion, hence the move by President Banda to write the Attorney General Mumba Malila seeking his opinion and guidance.

But contrary to Mangani’s denial, Dr Chongwe justified his compensation claim, saying he was happy that the government was going to implement the decision and that President Banda played a part in the matter.
On Monday, Dickson Jere stated that President Banda did meet Dr Chongwe in the company of the Solicitor-General at the request of Dr Chongwe.

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By ZamChro Correspondent

Former finance minister Ng’andu Magande has said, in a reaction to Information minister Ronnie Shikapwasha’s assertions that no one in MMD was scared of Magande because he is not as popular as he claims, that Shikapwasha could not be a good barometer to measure other people’s popularity as he just got his own vote during the NEC elections for the MMD presidential candidate in 2008.

“He is a NEC member as well, but you know the last election we had even within NEC members, Mr. Shikapwasha got one vote. So I can only say that he doesn’t know how to judge popularity even of himself because that was why he stood. He thought he was popular and he goes to get his own vote.”

“So somebody who has such a poor judgment of even himself cannot obviously be a good barometer for comparing other people’s popularity,” Magande said.

 “Because if he is a very good judge, he wouldn’t have stood to just get one vote. So those who have no proper judgment of what is happening in the country should not spend their time talking around.”

Magande said he had a proven track record in the public service.

During the national executive committee NEC elections to choose a presidential candidate for the ruling MMD, Magande got over 11 votes while Shikapwasha acquired one vote, from himself.

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By ZamChro Correspondent

The Patriotic Front (PF) secretary general Wynter Kabimba yesterday warned that PF will challenge President Rupiah Banda’s directive to local government minister Eustarckio Kazonga to issue title deeds to Kitwe’s Chisokone market to the Zambia National Marketeers Association (ZANAMA).

Kabimba, who is also chairman for PF local government and environment, stated that President Banda’s directive contravened the provisions of the Markets and Bus Station Act no. 7 of 2007.

“We as Patriotic Front view the President’s directive which is intended to please ZANAMA, which does not encompass all marketeers in the country as an act of patronage to woo the association’s executive to campaign for the MMD. It is, therefore, not a directive in the interest of the valuable marketers,” Kabimba stated.

He added that no piece of land used as a market could be alienated without the resolution of the council, which owns such property.

“Consequently, the Patriotic Front will challenge through the courts of law any illegal alienation of council property under the said presidential directive if you attempt to execute the same,” Kabimba warned.

He advised President Banda to appoint ZANAMA president Elvis Nkandu in the MMD since he personally expressed admiration for him as the Julius Malema of the MMD, instead of using the markets, which were the property of all citizens irrespective of their political affiliation to pay him for his partisan stance towards the MMD.

President Banda on Friday at the ZANAMA 10th anniversary celebrations, issued instructions to Kazonga that ZANAMA be given the title deeds to Chisokone market after a passionate plea from ZANAMA chairman general Elvis Nkandu to be handed the trading place.

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By ZamChro Correspondent

A Lusaka resident has sued former President Kenneth Kaunda over parentage.

Lwimba Kaunda has taken Dr Kaunda to court for Zambia’s first head of State’s failure to recognise him as his son.

Lwimba, of Chazanga township, Lusaka, is also suing Dr Kaunda for reconciliation.

The matter, which was scheduled to be heard yesterday in the Lusaka Boma local court, was adjourned to a later date.

The adjournment follows a letter written by Dr Kaunda in which he has asked to be excused as he is out of the country.

According to the summons, Dr Kaunda, of State Lodge, Lusaka, was commanded in the name of the President to appear before the court yesterday.

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By ZamChro Correspondent

Luanshya Copper Mine (LCM) yesterday commenced trial copper mining after undertaking rock blasting at Baluba, company deputy chief executive officer Gao Xiang has said.

Speaking in an interview, Mr Goa said commencement of the trial copper production marked the beginning of copper mining activities at the mine.

“As the mine’s managers we are happy that all the preparations for the commencement of production and the blasting which started today (Tuesday) is going on smoothly as scheduled,” Mr Gao said.

Mr Goa said LCM was expected to start producing 1,000 tonnes of copper per month approximately 11,000 tonnes per year before increasing to 2,000 tonnes per month.

He said the company was aiming at increasing the production levels to 5,000 tonnes per month totalling 60, 000 tonnes per annum after 2011.

The number of employees at the mine is also expected to increase from the current 2,250 once the mine increases production.

LCM was closed early this year and placed on care and maintenance after global commodity prices fell on the international market.

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By ZamChro Correspondent

The Development Bank of Zambia (DBZ) managing director, Abraham Mwenda, has revealed that negotiations have reached an advanced stage and the deal would be finalised soon in which the bank is negotiating for a US$5 million credit line with the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa that will enable the bank provide funding to Zambian firms.

Dr Mwenda stated that the US$ 5 million credit line would target mainly the Zambian firms which were in the business of exporting agriculture and manufactured products.

Speaking in Lusaka, he said lack of finance was undermining the bank’s effort of providing funding to various firms. But the bank was commited to ensure that firms wishing to access funding were funded.

Dr Mwenda said the bank had in the recent years signed various credit lines, which have enabled it to increase its loan providing funding in various sectors of the economy.

 “DBZ wants to add value to the economy by providing funding to various business ventures,” he said.

 He bemoaned the low capitalisation and institutional capacity of micro-finance institutions in Zambia saying this undermined the availability of finance.

 Dr Mwenda noted that the available credit was not affordable. Most financial institutions were not willing to provide long term finance.

 “The country is also characterised by unequal access to economic opportunities, for instance some SMEs are unable to access funding,” he said.

 There was need for more players in the financial sector to come on board to transform the sector and further create competition.

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By ZamChro Correspondent

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved US$81.2 million for Zambia’s poverty reduction programmes under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) arrangement.

The immediate release of the funds will bring the total disbursements to US$262.5 million this year. This follows the executive board’s completion of the third review of the country’s economic performance under the PRGF arrangement.

This is contained in a statement issued in Lusaka by first secretary for press at the Zambian embassy in Washington DC, Ben Kangwa.

IMF deputy managing director and acting chairman of the executive board, Murilo Portugal, commended the Zambian government for the country’s solid economic performance under the PRGF-supported programme.

“Their prudent macroeconomic management was demonstrated by the Zambian economy’s resilience to the global economic crisis,” Mr Portugal said.

He said Zambia’s 2010 budget is well-balanced and that authorities are aiming at creating fiscal space for poverty reducing expenditure and infrastructure investment to sustain robust and diversified growth. Mr Portugal said there is need for further reforms to enhance efficiency in Government spending.

He said the floating exchange rate regime and reserve money-based monetary programme have served the country well and that Government’s plan to transition an inflation targeting framework should be premised on the establishment of necessary preconditions.

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By ZamChro Correspondent

Opposition Heritage Party president Godfrey Miyanda has advised Zambians to reject politicians who are preaching tribalism.

Brigadier-General Miyanda said there is a growing trend by some politicians to use their tribes as weapons to gain cheap political mileage.
General Miyanda said this in Lusaka when he featured on Radio Phoenix programme ‘Let the People Talk’.

He said it is unfortunate that some leaders are using primitive notions such as tribalism to gain political favour from the electorates.

“I am not against any tribe because it is God himself who created them but it is sad that politicians are abusing tribes to achieve their agenda.

“In our days, we never bothered which region our leaders were coming from because we were living as one people. But it seems this scenario has changed now. People are using tribalism to gain advantage,” General Miyanda said.

He said Zambians must not allow themselves to be used by politicians by engaging in tribalism.
General Miyanda said some citizens were encouraging leaders to continue practising tribalism by entertaining what they preached.

“Do you know that we can bring to an end tribalism and insults by politicians by simply saying no?

“The problem we have is that some people enjoy hearing insults and in fact they vote for people who preach that as well as on tribal lines. This is unfortunate and must come to an end,” he said.

Gen Miyanda said politicians must create a platform of decency in the political arena. He said leaders should justly criticise Government as opposed to using lies and tribalism to gain favour and sympathy from the public domain.

“As citizens, we must insist that our leaders talk to us about real issues that can contribute to the economic development of this country, nothing more or less,” he said.

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By ZamChro Correspondent

President Rupiah Banda has said he will deal firmly with ministers working with the opposition to cause confusion in the country at the time he is trying to ensure stability in the nation. President Banda said he would not hesitate to discipline officials trying to cause confusion in the country.

He said during the celebrations to mark Zambia National Marketeers Association (ZANAMA)’s 10th anniversary that he was only human and if pushed beyond limits, he would have no option but to sack ministers promoting anarchy in the nation.

Mr Banda said the country’s economy was growing and currently, there was more than US$1.8 billion in the reserves at the central bank for the first time.

The president denied assertions that he had directed the payment of $5.9 million to Lusaka lawyer, Rodger Chongwe as compensation for the 1997 Kabwe shooting in which he and first Republican president, Kenneth Kaunda were injured.

He said he was a well-balanced person who would not undertake such an unconstitutional step. The president said he was not an easy person to cheat and this was why many people did not like him.

“I am a well-balanced person who cannot take such a step,” President Banda said.

He urged peace-loving Zambians to ignore those preaching hatred and concentrate on building the country with concerted efforts.

The president said it was sad some people tended to rise against the Government whenever there was a problem in the country such as the recent fuel shortage.

“Most people rose against us and wanted to incite more people to rise against us, saying we have failed, but imagine what would have happened if we had started fighting over the fuel shortage, which is even over,” he said.

Mr Banda said instead of feeling sorry for the Government, some people were pleased with the problems the country went through during the time of the global crisis as they thought it would result in the MMD Government failing.

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