Lubinda complains to police over $45m stories
By Bright Mukwasa
Fri 08 July 2011, 14:40 CAT
KABWATA PF member of parliament Given Lubinda yesterday lodged a complaint at Lusaka Central Police station over an email published by the Zambian Watchdog allegedly authored by him.
Lubinda, who was accompanied by his Lubansenshi constituency counterpart Lazarous Chota, initially went to Lusaka Police headquarters around 12:00 hours but was referred to Lusaka Central police by police director of operations Dr Solomon Jere, where his complaint was recorded for more than two hours.
Later in an interview, Lubinda said he expected the police to get to the bottom of the matter without delay.
“As you have seen in the email which is heavily published by the state media, the author of that email is trying to portray a picture that the PF is party of crooks. Because you see US $45 million is too huge an amount, it’s equivalent to about K2.5 trillion which is 10 per cent of our national budget,” Lubinda said.
“If that money was brought here into the financial system of Zambia, that would be equal to economic sabotage and it would have serious economic ramifications. I don’t think this is a matter that the police should waste time on.
If you remember the matter of The Post versus Emmanuel Mwamba, again involving the same blog, the Zambian Watchdog, judge Gregory Phiri in that matter compelled the police to investigate to find out who the authors of those articles were and I think that even in this particular matter the police should be able to find out who the author is so that the person should be brought to book. It’s not fair for anyone to be engaging in such serious criminal libel. So we shall wait to see what the police will do in this matter,” Lubinda, who is also PF chairman for local government, said the letter was malicious. He denied ever authoring it.
The Zambian Watchdog, an online publication this week published an email allegedly authored by Lubinda to PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba arguing over the US $45 million the party allegedly received from Taiwan and Afghanistan for campaigns, among other issues.
Lubinda has denied ever authoring the email and now wants the police to investigate the matter and establish the authenticity and author of the same mail.
And Lusaka Central Police deputy commanding officer Jackson Simfukwe angrily ordered journalists out of police premises that went to cover Lubinda as he lodged the complaint.
Simfukwe also ordered a police officer to escort and ensure that the reporters were out of the Lusaka central police vicinity across to Church Road.
Labels: GIVEN LUBINDA, LAZAROUS CHOTA
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Parliament votes for removal of abuse of office clause
By Ernest Chanda
Fri 15 Oct. 2010, 16:50 CAT
PARLIAMENT has passed the Anti Corruption bill that sought to remove the offence of abuse of office from the 1996 Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) Act. And Vice-President George Kunda attacked the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) for submitting against the removal of the offence.
After a heated debate on the Anti Corruption bill number 41 of 2010 which came up for second reading yesterday, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Mutale Nalumango asked for a vote and those in support of the bill won.
But those against the bill, mostly opposition members of parliament and two MMD members of parliament - Jonas Shakafuswa and George Mpombo - immediately stood up and called for a division.
Deputy Speaker Nalumango granted the division and called for an electronic voting on the motion. When results were shown on the screen, 54 voted in favour of the bill, 30 voted against while 3 abstained.
And after Deputy Speaker Nalumango officially announced the results, most MMD members celebrated their victory. The bill was then read for the second time and comes up for committee stage on November 3, 2010.
Earlier during debate, Mpombo defined himself as a hardcore springing MMD member who is even more loyal than lands deputy minister - who is also party's national chairman - Michael Mabenga.
Mpombo contended that removing section 37 of the ACC Act, which dealt with the abuse of office offence, would open floodgates to corruption.
"We the leaders of this country when we amass wealth, why don't we want people to question us about our wealth? The MMD has been in power since 1991 and they have lived with this law without raising any questions. So, who has challenged this law now?" asked Mpombo.
"I can tell you that this bill is pregnant with political consequences. Why should you remove an innocent law in an election year when you need the support of the civil society and the church? I can assure you that with the removal of this law, we are going to face very severe consequences. This is an exercise in futility, and let me tell you that next year I will come and make an amendment to repeal the law to bring back article 37 if this bill goes through today."
Kabwata PF member of parliament Given Lubinda wondered who gave Vice-President Kunda the monopoly of legal knowledge.
"I wonder if there is a constitutional provision which says that when you are appointed Minister of Justice or Vice-President, then you become the depository of all the legal knowledge in the country. We have very good lawyers who submitted to the committee. The Law Association of Zambia also submitted against the removal of this law. Why should the Vice-President think that he is wiser than the Law Association of Zambia to which he is a member?" questioned Lubinda.
Many opposition parliamentarians debated against the removal of the offence, except for 'rebel' PF Bangweulu parliamentarian Joseph Kasongo who charged that most of those who rejected the bill were sent by foreigners. Kasongo argued that he wanted laws that would allow Zambians to make wealth in their own country.
And Vice-President Kunda threw a scathing attack on LAZ for disagreeing with the government's position on the Anti Corruption bill.
Winding up debate on the bill, Vice-President Kunda said Transparency International Zambia's submission to the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs, Governance, Human Rights and Gender Matters were better than those of LAZ.
"The opinion of the Law Association of Zambia, it's unfortunate that the Law Association of Zambia opinion usually coincides with that in The Post newspaper. They constantly give the same opinion as the newspaper; even the submission given by Transparency International was better than that of the Law Association of Zambia," said Vice-President Kunda.
"It is very disgraceful that the Law Association of Zambia should make such submissions which are mostly political. So we should dismiss politically courted submissions of the Law Association of Zambia."
Meanwhile the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs, Governance, Human Rights and Gender Matters has recommended that the government reinstate section 37 of the current ACC Act.
Reading the report on the floor of the House, committee-acting chairperson who is also Lubanseshi PF parliamentarian, Lazarous Chota, urged the government to revise the bill.
“Your committee recommend that section 37 of the current Act be retained in its entirety and, if anything, be strengthened to cover acquisition of wealth by private operators, officials in non-governmental organisations and churches, among others; provided it is not inconsistent with the Constitution. Further your committee recommend that section 50 of the Anti Corruption Commission Act also be retained in its entirety,” submitted Chota.
Labels: ACC, CORRUPTION, GEORGE KUNDA, GEORGE MPOMBO, LAZAROUS CHOTA
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MMD MPs reject motion on streamlining health services
By Ernest Chanda
Fri 26 Mar. 2010, 09:30 CAT
MMD parliamentarians on Wednesday rejected a motion that sought to streamline the provision of health services in the country.
The motion moved by Lubanseshi PF member of parliament Lazarous Chota would have compelled the government to ensure that all districts in the country get quality health services.
Leading the assault on the motion, health deputy minister Dr Solomon Musonda said there was nothing new it would bring other than what the government was already doing.
“The motion is too wide and it's a non-starter because it's just talking about what the government is doing right now. There is no way you can talk about streamlining the provision of health services when we are already providing quality services. It seems to some honourable members, delivery of health care system is only about drugs. But there are many other issues involved in heath care other than drugs. I urge the honourable members to reject this motion because it is a non-starter,” debated Dr Musonda.
His view was supported by science and technology minister Dr Brian Chituwo who argued that there was nothing new the motion would bring.
But in supporting the motion, Kalomo UPND member of parliament Request Muntanga reminded Dr Musonda that it was not a fight between the MMD and the people.
“Streamlining does not mean that nothing is being done. It means something is being done, but that there is more that needs to be done. It was too early for the deputy minister to call for the withdrawal of this motion. This should not be a fight between the ruling party and the people,” Muntanga debated.
“There are certain health services that are not being provided to the people even in his own constituency, Chitambo. In fact, since the deputy minister is a qualified medical doctor, he should not have come here to debate. He should have gone out there to treat people. I would also like to find out from this government how much we are doing to ensure we continue giving free ARVs to the 250, 000 patients receiving that drug? I ask this question bearing in mind that next year donor money channeled towards this programme will have finished.”
Chilubi PF member of parliament Obbie Chisala argued that the problems being talked about in the health system were real.
“And it pains me to hear the deputy minister underplay these problems we are talking about. Issues raised in this motion are real; and most of them are caused by a lack of unqualified man power in most health centres,” said Chisala.
The motion was rejected after 71 members voted against it as opposed to the 39 in support.
Labels: HEALTHCARE, LAZAROUS CHOTA, MMD, SOLOMON MUSONDA
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