Mulongoti says journalists must be regarded with due respect because they play a vital role of informing the people of what is transpiring in the country.

The former information minister says it is unfair for party cadres to continue being violent to journalists who are merely doing their work as was witnessed when Patriotic Front cadres pounced on MMD officials at Lusaka’s City Market on Tuesday.

The People’s Party president has since called on the Ministry of Home Affairs to pay attention to the continued harassment of journalists by political cadres when they are on duty.

Source: Qfm

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SACCORD information officer Obby Chibuluma said it was strange that the police was dragging its feet despite the perpetrators of the violence being known.

On Tuesday PF youths led by their youth leaders Kennedy Kamba beat MMD members that were waiting for their president Nevers Mumba to take a bus ride into Kanyama Constituency for a tour.

PF youths youths descended on them and abducted MMD Die Hard youth wing leader Bowman Lusambo who they coerced into issuing an aopology under the watch of machete wielding PF cadres.

“We would like to appeal to the Zambia Police to show a little bit more professionalism in dealing with straightforward cases. The violence that instigated by PF youth is in public domain,” Chibuluma said.

“It appears the PF youths’ propensity for violence is becoming a mainstay in the political arena. We have not forgotten what happened in Livingstone and Mufumbwe.”

The post Police Reluctance to Arrest PF ‘Thugs’ Worries SACCORD appeared first on Zambia Reports.

And NAREP has also called for the arrested of the PF cadres that were involved.

HRC spokesperson Samuel Kasanka said Zambia enjoy fundamental freedoms that need to be safeguarded and allow citizens to enjoy them. He said it is important to allow the free expression of ideas even if others do not like them.

He said Zambia is a democratic country and that no one should be intimidated through undue inference from anyone.

He appealed to PF leaders to discipline their members and urged police to ensure culprits are brought to book.

And National secretary Rev Jervan Kamanga said demanded the full measure of the law to restore order in the country.

Kamanga said the assault on Lusambo should be condemned and that the action of PF cadres was an unacceptable reminder of the notorious vigilante of the UNIP era.

He urged the PF to investigate the matter and ensure that the perpetrators of the violence on the opposition are dealt with.

“We cannot have a country where such levels of political intolerance are accepted by government officials. It is sad especially that other items were stolen while beating Mr Lusambo.

“There is need to restore order to the current political environment. Dr Mumba and Mr Lusambpo or any person have all the freedom to go to any place of their choice and we cannot allow the situation to prevail,” said Kamanga.

The post Human Rights Body Condemns Lusambo Attacks appeared first on Zambia Reports.

And the National AIDS Council (NAC) has said HIV prevalence is higher on the educated people than the non educated ones.

Speaking at the Brothers for Life fundraising breakfast, Mwamba, who had confessed to beating his wife as a sign to show love, said gender based violence is the major barrier to winning the fight against HIV.

He also said the use of condoms is dependent on someone’s decision to do so.

Mwamba said the victims of gender based violence are denied services such as the access to antiretroviral therapy because of gender based violence.

He said gender based violence also contribute to prevalence of the disease for women who are forced to have sex against their will.

NAC board chairman Bishop Joshua Banda has said according to the recent findings, the educated are more prone to HIV infection than the non educated people.

Bishop Banda also said Zambia is one of the leading countries in cases of gender based violence in the region.

The post ‘Born Again’ GBM Preaches Against GBV appeared first on Zambia Reports.

Storella had hit headlines yesterday in PF aligned publications including the lead praise singer The Post Newspapers for his support of the removal of subsidies.

Mwale said the same individuals that poured scorn the US diplomat each time he spoke about human rights had found a champion on subsidies in Storella.

He said the double standards being applied were a clear sign of hypocrisy.

“It’s double standards, now that Mark Storella and other diplomats support the removal of subsidies they are darlings, heroes name it, but when they give guidance on governance matters such as human rights, rule of law, democracy etc..they are said to be interfering in our internal matters, Chewas have a saying for it “palowa mbewa ati tisalowepo, polowa njoka ati bwelani muthandize,” Mwale said

The United States government has been very critical of President Michael Sata’s government’s human rights record.

The post PF Double Standards on Storella Surprises Mwale appeared first on Zambia Reports.

Lusaka Province Police Commissioner Joyce Kasosa said the matter will be investigated once Lusambo retained a medical report.

Lusambo with his colleague Scorpion Kadobi were manhandled by machete wielding PF cadres as they were waiting for party president Nevers Mumba who was due to take a bus ride from City Market Bus Station on his way to tour Kanyama Constituency.

PF cadres that caught wind of the tour descended on Lusambo who they abducted for an hour and forced him to apologize for airing his views as PF Lusaka Province youth Chairperson Kennedy Kamba allegedly pointed a gun at him.

The post Police Claim Docket Against PF Cadres Opened appeared first on Zambia Reports.

UPND Deputy Secretary General Kuchunga Simusamba said the party had met all the ingredients for a peaceful gathering and had duly complied with the law by notifying the police.

He said the Republican President Michael Sata had directed his ministers to go in the communities to explain the government’s removal of subsidies and no one was interfering with their gatherings.

“We will not take the police’s advice not to proceed with our planned meeting we will defy it and go ahead with our rally,” Simusamba said.

“We responded to the police’s letter and remember we have never been allowed to hold a public rally since the PF took over power except during by-elections. The rally is on and will be addressed by party president Hakainde Hichilema and leaders of the civil society organizations.”

The UPND had written to the police to notify them of the intention to hold a public rally on May 25 but to press for reversal of the removal of fuel and maize subsidies the police denied them citing security reasons.

President Michael Sata’s government has been becoming notorious for denying Zambians the right of assembly.

Since assuming power the right to assembly seems to have been suspended.

The post Chawama Rally Goes Ahead – UPND appeared first on Zambia Reports.

Scott, who has been camped at every by-election with his traditional votes for development message, is expected to tour what the government media termed as ‘developmental projects’ in Luangwa District.

However, wherever Scott has been the message has been the building of clinics including the 13 promised to the now forgotten voters of Mufumbwe who are still waiting upon that promise.

Five parties have expressed interest in contesting the Feira election that has lined up NAREP, UPND, UNIP, MMD and PF.

Meanwhile, The Foundation for Democratic Process has appealed to political parties participating in the Feira by-election not to turn the area into a battle ground.

Political parties are today filing their nominations in the Feira Constituency by-election that is scheduled for June 25.

“We would like to appeal to the political parties that will be participating in the Feira Constituency by-election to conduct their campaigns in a peaceful manner. The media should also be responsible enough not to incite the public,” said Fodep executive director MacDonald Chipenzi.

The Feira seat fell vacant following the defection of then MMD MP Patrick Ngoma from the former ruling party to join PF.

The post Veep Scott in Feira for Nominations appeared first on Zambia Reports.

Zambia National Union of Teachers Secretary General Newman Bubala said the decision to retain the allowances, which were withdrawn as part of President Sata’s sweeping economic changes that has resulted in scrapping off of subsidies across sectors, was arrived at after the four teacher unions met with government.

The four unions are ZNUT, Basic Education Teachers Union of Zambia, Secondary Schools Teachers Union and Professional Teachers Union of Zambia (PTUZ).

Bubala said government had committed to clear out all outstanding allowances by next month end.

Government had announced the withdrawal of rural hardship and double class allowances for teachers until it had concluded investigations into the alleged abuse of the facility.

However, the teachers responded by threatening to go on strike in protest prompting government to u-turn fearing a further deterioration of relations in yet another sector given the tension being fanned by the removal of subsidies on mealie meal and fuel.

The post Sata Succumbs to Teacher’s Threats appeared first on Zambia Reports.

The Chipata Central seat was nullified recently and a record number of PF members had shown willingness to contest the seat under the ruling party ticket.

Over the past year, Zambia has held more than 12 forced by-elections – a historically unprecedented number – due to both court challenges as well as defections by opposition members to the ruling party in exchange for deputy minister positions. Aside from a few isolated victories for the opposition, the PF has been successful in taking over the majority of these seats in by-elections, leading to fierce competition within the party to win a spot on the ticket.

In an interview from Chipata, PF Eastern Province Chairperson Mike Tembo said he was overwhelmed by the large number of people who want to contest the parliamentary seat.

“This will be very interesting. So far, we have received applications from eight people who want adoption for the Chipata Central Constituency parliamentary by-election on the Patriotic Front (PF) ticket,” he said.

Tembo said that he had information from the grassroots that the number of PF cadres interested in contesting the seat would to increase because some individuals had not yet declared their intentions.

So far, Tembo said the PF members that had lodged in their applications for adoption were the petitioner Lameck Mangani, businessman of Asian origin Hanif Adams, former provincial education officer Pilila Jere and Teleka Chirwa Others are local transporter Moses Mawere, Rose Samboko, Peter Nyirenda and for Kasenengwa member of Parliament Timothy Nyirenda.

“The number of people who have shown interest to contest the seat on the PF ticket is very big. We are going to have a problem in selecting a candidate because we have seen some people talking to people in Lusaka, while there is a system of structures that has to be followed. The decision for a candidate has to start with interviews from the district, the constituency and to the province. We shall see what happens,” he said.

Tembo said that the high number of people who had shown interest in contesting the seat was an indication that the PF was growing in popularity in eastern province.

He said the PF used to struggle to get candidates for its ticket in eastern province when it was in the opposition. Tembo said the people who had applied for adoption must not be frustrated if they would not be adopted because the party was only looking for one candidate.

“All the people who have applied must know that only one person would be picked and would have to respect the party’s decision. This is what happens during games like this and we ask those who will not be adopted to remain loyal to the party,” he said. The Electoral Commission of Zambia has set July 25, 2013 as the date for the Chipata Central parliamentary by-electoin together with Mkushi, Solwezi East and Kafulafuta on the Copperbelt.

Apart from the Chipata Central seat which went vacant because of the High Court action, the other constituencies had their MMD Members of Parliament resign to join the ruling PF, a trend that had emerged and caused a string by-elections.

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