Senior government officials survives car robbery but sustains injuries

By Nalumino Nalumino

 

Crime appears to be on the rise in the recent past in Kabwe, the provincial capital of Central Province situated about 138 kilometers north of Zambia..

 

This development calls for the security wings to combine their efforts and investigate the criminal elements involved with destabilizing peace and traumatizing the lives of innocent peoples’ lives.

 

The latest incident of the Provincial Permanent Secretary Denny Lumbama who was attacked on Sunday October 19^th, 2008 by six armed robbers who attempted to steal his motor vehicle should make every Kabwe resident and Zambians insecure .

 

The senior government official who had gone to visit his grandmother at Railways Township around 18:00 hours was attacked at the gate of his official residence when he returned home.

 

The local police chief Brenda Muntemba Sichilembe confirmed the development saying Mr. Lumbama was badly injured, as he was beaten by the robbers and was only saved when an alert female motorist put her head lumps on full beam when she realized that a person was being attacked.

 

The thieves had a backup vehicle that they were using and when they drove off, it was difficult to know exactly the direction of their escape rout. However, the permanent secretary’s car was abandoned after the criminal on the run had problems with the immobilizer.

 

Just a month ago, a prominent businessman popularly known as TITA, was abducted together with his wife and over K100 million stolen before they were abandoned. The couple which is highly dedicated to their business suffered at the hands of criminals who may have even harmed their lives but it was not over unless God permitted it.

 

There are several other crimes taking place in this town which never knew crime. The challenge is: will the residents allow this situation to continue or they will collaborate first among themselves and secondly the security wings in putting a stop to this no sense.

 

  Ends

Political stakeholders resolve suspicious extra 600,000 ballot paper saga

By Nalumino Nalumino 

With only ten days remaining before presidential elections in Zambia, accusations and counter accusations are hitting the headlines about who indents to rig elections and who is lying about the electoral process.

 

Today the countrys’ electoral body, Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), stakeholders and the representatives of the four political parties contesting the October 30^th presidential elections have resolved that the 600,000 extra ballot papers should not be taken to the polling stations in all the Districts .

Patriotic Front (PF) Secretary General Edward Mumbi said the ECZ did not consult the stakeholders for the printing of extra ballot papers hence the they resolved to meet and resolve the how the issue should be handled.

He said this after a length meeting with representatives of the four political parties to resolve the issue of the extract ballot papers with the ECZ Chairperson Justice Florence Mumba at ECZ in Lusaka.

Opposition insecure

Mr Mumbi noted that the  stakeholders are  insecure with procurement  of extra ballot papers  hence they have resorted to not  move the extra ballot papers from Lusaka to the Districts.

He further noted that the four political parties have resorted that extra ballot papers be kept at ECZ and that when need arises that’s the only time the can send a required number of ballot papers the affected polling station.

Mr Mumbi noted that the ECZ has charted a Zambia Air Force plane that will be on standby to load the ballot papers to the affected polling station if such un event occurs during the  further coming elections and to ensure that the elections be handled in a free and fair manner.

Ruling party happy

Meanwhile, the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) Chairperson for Media, Chibeza Mufuni said he was impressed with the manner in which the issue was resolved among all the parties present and ECZ has come forward to ensure that the elections are free.

And United Party for National Development (UPND) Secretary General, Tiens Kahenya noted his party had lot of confidence with the ECZ. He said that was why they requested for a meeting with the commission following the incident that happen at the Lusaka International Airport were the representatives of political and elections monitors were when a driver packed the ballot box in a car.

Mr Kahenya noted the political parties and ECZ have also resolved that this should be legalized and made as a statutory instrument in future as there was no law in place for printing extra ballot papers.

However, the Heritage Party (HP) National Management Committee member Pastor Michael Kanguya noted that his party fore so that the extra printed ballot boxes was gong to bring problems.

 

Zambia Elections

On October 30th, Zambians will be heading to the polls to elect Late President Mwanawasa’s successor. Having watched the third and final debate of the US Presidential candidates and considering the level at which they have subjected to public scrutiny, I have no doubt to state that whoever emerges victorious in this election will be a true reflection of what the American people want.

 

The developments in the US presidential race are totally the opposite of what is obtaining in Zambia.

It is sad to see isolated interviews of our presidential candidates when there can be debates of the four candidates running for the highest office in the land.

 

In a few days to come, I will be making a proposal to the Zambian people through this site on what should be done with future presidential races.

 

I believe no one should go to State House in Zambia through the back door without a thorough scrutiny of the voters.