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Sunday Mail Reporter
In a dramatic turn of events, Zimbabwe Development Party (ZDP) presidential candidate Mr Kisinot Mukwazhi yesterday pulled out of the election race, announcing that his party was now backing President Mugabe and Zanu-PF.
Addressing journalists at a Harare hotel last night, Mr Mukwazhi disclosed that he had decided against getting into a coalition with the MDC-T after noting that its leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai was a "wicked and weak man."
"It is clear that Mr Tsvangirai does not have what it takes to lead Zimbabwe. This was very apparent during the engagements we had with Mr Tsvangirai as he begged us to join his coalition. I have since realised that there is only one true leader who has a record of being a father, a leader, a man on of the people and this is President Mugabe," he said.
"The ZDP now rallies behind President Mugabe. The message will be sent to our people that they are now supposed to vote for President Mugabe. This country needs a leader who has its interests at heart and that man is not Mr Tsvangirai.
"Mr Tsvangirai is a man full of wickedness and this is shown by his lack of love for the people of Zimbabwe as he spends most of his time meeting the Europeans and not the people he wants to lead," said Mukwazhi.
The ZDP leader said the coalition negotiations with the MDC-T had "exposed the party."
"After being in talks with the MDC-T we began to note that it was a party that is not needed in Zimbabwean politics as they seem to have an agenda to reverse the gains of the liberation struggle.
"We stand strong as ZDP and urge all Zimbabweans to vote for President Mugabe this week since he is the only leader who has a history of having Zimbabweans at heart," he said.
He said his party will inform the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission about their decision to pull out of the elections today.
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28/07/2013 00:00:00
by Reuters
PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe on Sunday warned main rival Morgan Tsvangirai that he would be arrested if he claimed victory before official results were announced this week's election.
In his final campaign rally ahead of a presidential and parliamentary vote on Wednesday, Mugabe said his Zanu PF party was confident of victory, which would extend his three decades in power.
But he expressed concern that Tsvangirai, who is making a third run at the presidency, had threatened not to wait for official results from the electoral authorities.
Tsvangirai told his own Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) supporters at the weekend that although Zanu PF was trying to rig the elections, he expected an overwhelming victory and did not have to wait for the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).
On Sunday, Mugabe dismissed Tsvangirai's charges of Zanu PF vote rigging as unfounded complaints of a "political cry baby" staring at inevitable defeat, warning him to respect laws giving only the ZEC the power to announce results.
"I can tell you in advance that if you breach the law and become a law breaker, the police will arrest you," he said to cheers from thousands of supporters at a stadium in Harare.
In 2008, the election commission announced presidential election results after five weeks, which showed Tsvangirai had beaten Mugabe but not by enough votes to avoid a run-off.
His MDC said ZEC had cooked the figures to keep Mugabe in office, and Tsvangirai went on to occupy the prime minister's post in a power-sharing government.
Tsvangirai will address his last major rally on Monday.
Mugabe, 89, is seeking to extend his 33-year hold on power after leading the country to independence in 1980 and surviving his party's loss to the MDC.
Although both Mugabe and Tsvangirai have been predicting that they would win the July 31 contest by huge margins, political analysts say it could be a tight race in which Mugabe's control of the electoral machinery might prove the decisive element.
On Sunday, the veteran leader - who denies he has been receiving treatment for prostate cancer in Singapore over the last few years - said he deserved re-election to continue a black economic empowerment drive opposed by the MDC.
"Tsvangirai and his MDC are shameless Western puppets, created by the West, funded and controlled by the West, and I urge you to reject them once and for all in these elections," he said, repeating charges he makes often about his rivals but which the MDC strongly denies.
Mugabe jokingly said he would suffer heart failure if the capital Harare, an MDC stronghold in which Zanu PF won just one of the 29 parliamentary seats in the 2008 elections, backed Tsvangirai again at the polls.
This year's short election campaign period has been largely free of the violence that has marred previous polls.
But the MDC accuses Zanu PF of rigging the July 31 polls in its favour through a shambolic voters' register and a refusal to open up the media to all sides or to restrain security forces from active politics.
Mugabe was driven around Harare's main stadium on Sunday, waving at supporters from the back of a truck surrounded by heavily armed security men, some with automatic rifles.
Despite his age and fears that his health is failing, Mugabe has said Zanu PF would fight like a "wounded beast" to retain power after being forced into a compromise unity government after the contested 2008 election outcome.
That vote took place amid a severe economic crisis, with hyperinflation of more than 500 billion percent and food shortages, many of which were blamed on Mugabe's policies.
The crisis has eased under the power-sharing government, but the recovery is fragile and the MDC says Zimbabwe will not realize its full potential if Zanu PF retains power.
The security establishment has emerged as Mugabe's power base, with security chiefs publicly backing Mugabe in elections while suggesting they would not allow Tsvangirai to take power.
Actually, the people of Zimbabwe are 'Mugabe's power base', because they want their land back, and because they want their economy to be domestically owned, not owned by De Beers or Rio Tinto. - MrK
Labels: 2013 ELECTIONS (ZW), MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, ROBERT MUGABE
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By Misheck Wangwe in Kitwe
Sun 28 July 2013, 14:01 CAT
COPPERBELT University Vice-Chancellor professor Naison Ngoma says Dr Kenneth Kaunda deserves a Nobel Peace Prize for being a living beacon of peace and freedom in Africa.
Speaking at the 22nd Graduation Ceremony at CBU on Friday, Prof Ngoma said Zambians must begin talking proudly about the critical role Dr Kaunda played in the liberation of Africa and his noble works in conflict resolution and peace-building on the continent and other parts of the world.
Prof Ngoma said Dr Kaunda stood as a source of hope and unity for Zambia and Africa as a continent in economic and political struggles.
He said Dr Kaunda was in the category of noble men and women around the world that had been honored with the Nobel Peace Prize.
"His excellency Dr Kaunda could be said to have done a lot for Africa. His role in the search for peace, social and economic transformation in Southern Africa in particular and the world in general is so immense that his deep belief in non-violence approach to issues and to live to serve others with love has had lasting influence in the lives of many," Prof Ngoma said.
And CBU Chancellor Professor Muyunda Mwanalushi said the purpose of establishing universities in African countries was to provide high level manpower to the continent's economic, social and political institutions.
He said universities were expected to play a pioneering role through research, innovation, in addressing problems of poverty, low productivity, unemployment and social disorganisation which appear to have confounded the African continent.
"Universities should endeavour to attain national relevance and academic excellence in the environment where they operate. National relevance and academic excellence are important to the survival of a university. Universities in Zambia must recognise that they have a set of wider obligations to society," Prof Mwanalushi said.
Meanwhile, British High Commissioner to Zambia James Thornton who graced the graduation ceremony urged the new graduates to help fight corruption in the country by refusing to accept or give bribes as they take up new roles in society.
Thornton said the country needs a holistic approach towards fighting corruption if the country is to see development.
He said young men and women leaving universities must work hard for national prosperity.
Labels: KENNETH KAUNDA, NAISON NGOMA, NOBEL PRIZE
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By Allan Mulenga
Sun 28 July 2013, 14:00 CAT
PF's POOR performance in the by-elections is sign that some members have gone to sleep, says the party's Lusaka Province chairperson Geoffrey Chuumbwe.
And Chuumbwe yesterday threatened to dissolve the PF district executive committee if members fail to resolve internal wrangles. Addressing PF officials in Chilanga, Chuumbwe said it was painful as a ruling party to lose seats to the opposition.
"Maybe it doesn't pain you to see us lose elections and we are the ruling party. I was in MMD and the party started losing popularity after seven years. Now you guys, you are losing popularity under two years. Can't that come to your head and say what is the problem?" he said.
"The problem is that some people think that they have already reached after winning election in 2011. It seems everyone has gone to sleep not knowing that after winning 2011 election that is why the work should start."
Chuumbwe said the ruling party was supposed to constantly be on the defensive.
"In politics my dear brothers and sisters, it is tough and difficult when you are in the ruling party because you are defending. In opposition you are supposed to attack, and you can do anything and get away with it. But now we have to defend. Everything that we do as a party, people are watching us. We are the party in power, meaning that we are the people who are taking care of UPND, MMD and other political parties," he said.
And Chuumbwe said he would have no option but to dissolve the Chilanga PF district executive committee if the squabbles were not resolved.
"All these opposition parties are looking on us. Now if you are disorganised yourselves, then there will be chaos in the country. If you guys are united and working together, then the country will be united and work together. This government which is here today comes from us. We are the people who are supposed to be the light of government," he said.
"Tell me if in Chilanga today there is light, there is no light, you understand. Maybe you it doesn't pain you. It pains me a lot to see us losing a seat like Kafulafuta, for instance. It is really painful."
Chuumbwe urged PF members in Chilanga to be united and mobilise new members in the party.
"That is why you see that in Lusaka Province, when we have any by-election, even a ward election; we have had so many ward elections in Lusaka…we can boast that we have won everything because we don't play games. We can fight somewhere else, but when we are seriously doing party work, we are very serious," he said.
Chuumbwe advised district officials to put their differences aside and work for the party.
"I can assure you that we all have differences. We are not angels but we are human beings. Where you find people there are differences, but party work must be respected. Meaning that whether you like it or not, all of us here are working for the PF and President Michael Sata. If you are fighting amongst yourselves, you are anti-PF and anti-Michael Sata, that is all," said Chuumbwe.
Labels: BY-ELECTIONS, GEOFFREY CHUUMBWE, PF
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Dr. Nkiko Nsengimana
July 27,2013
In a US Department of State Daily Press Briefing issued in Washington, D.C. on 23 July 2013, Spokesperson Jen Psaki stated that "we believe there is a credible body of evidence that supports the key findings of the Human Rights Watch report, including support by senior Rwandan officials to the M23 and of Rwandan military personnel in the D.R.C. We call upon Rwanda to immediately end any support to the M23, withdraw military personnel from eastern D.R.C., and follow through on its commitments under the framework."
Responding to a journalist's question inquiring whether Rwanda's failure to stop its support to the rebels in the Eastern DRC is attributable to the fact that the US Government has to date only issued lame appeals to Rwanda instead of signaling preparedness to apply the leverage necessary to ensure Rwanda's compliance, the spokesperson responded: "We will take that all into consideration."
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry this week chaired a meeting of the U.N. Security Council aimed at strengthening efforts to achieve peace in Central Africa's Great Lakes region. Commenting on this high-level Security Council session, Acting U.S. United Nations Ambassador Rosemary DiCarlo said:
"The session will build on several events that have brought renewed energy to this effort…….Secretary-General Ban has accepted our invitation to brief, as has World Bank President [Jim] Kim. [U.N.]Special Envoy Mary Robinson and high-level representatives from the Democratic Republic of Congo.Uganda and the African Union have also been invited to brief the Council. Also a high-level representative of Rwanda has been invited to speak as a council member."
The people of the Great Lakes region had their eyes turned towards this U.N. Security Council session and expected candid discussions and unequivocal measures, including but not limited to the prosecution of Rwandan leadership at the International Criminal Court for organizing, arming, supporting, and directing insurgent groups responsible for past as well as on-going atrocities in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Rwandan Defense Forces have been fighting into the DRC directly and by proxy rebellions since 1996. The official pretext for the catastrophic suffering Rwanda's government has visited upon the people of Congo is the pursuit of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), whose units are scattered in various locations of the DRC. Millions of civilians have died as a result of Rwanda's never ending military invasions, interventions, occupations and plundering of precious minerals in the DRC.
In view of the undeniable fact that Rwanda's costly, 18 year campaign of waging war in the DRC has failed to destroy the armed rebel groups that are a pretext for its campaigns, it is timely that the international community consider new strategies for ensuring peace in Rwanda and the region.
Some African leaders have recognized and expressed grave concerns over the stalemate towards achieving peace in the Great Lakes region. On 17 June 2013, the extraordinary summit of the Heads of State and Governments of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) held in Maputo (Mozambique) urged Rwanda and Uganda to consider peace talks with the armed opposition groups that their governments are fighting as the path to lasting peace in the Great Lakes region. During the last African Union Summit, Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete advised Rwanda in particular to have peace talks with its opposition.
We encourage the UN Security Council, the US government, the European Union and other key partners of Rwandan President Paul Kagame to use the full leverage of their relationship with Rwanda to influence Rwanda to withdraw from the DRC territory, to stop support for armed groups fighting the government of the sister state and to instead adopt sound policies that promote domestic, regional and international peace. We call upon the international community to support direct talks between the government of Rwanda and its internal and external oppositions under international facilitation.
We reiterate that there can and will be no lasting solution to the acute problems that Rwanda and the Great Lakes region face as a direct result of crucial issues of governance in Rwanda that continue to be ignored. These issues include lack of political space and extreme violations of fundamental rights.
We particularly call to the attention of the international community the plight of political prisoners i.e. Madame Victoire Ingabire (Chairperson FDU-INKINGI), Bernard Ntaganda (Founding President PS Imberakuri), Deogratias Mushayidi (PDP Imanzi), Dr. Theoneste Niyitegeka (Presidential candidate in 2003), and Sylvain Sibomana (FDU-INKINGI interim Secretary General), whose incarceration reflects the regime's absolute intolerance for the Rwandan people's legitimate aspirations for democracy.
We urge the international community to address continuing impunity in Rwanda and to hold the Government of Rwanda accountable for past war crimes and crimes against humanity, as well as on-going disappearances and extra-judicial killings assassinations of political figures, journalists and human rights defenders.
There will be no end to impunity or prospect for peace and stability in Rwanda and the Great Lakes region until there are credible steps towards ensuring international prosecution of President Paul Kagame and warlords operating under his direction and control to commit atrocities on the DRC territory.
Dr. Nkiko Nsengimana is Coordinator of the Rwanda political party, FDU-Inkingi
Labels: RWANDA, WAR CRIMES
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28 Jul 2013 12:15 AFP
Zimbabwean police on Sunday arrested the election organiser of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's party after he reported dumped ballot papers.
"Around 6am (4am GMT) our deputy national chairman, Honourable Morgan Komichi, who is a deputy minister of transport, was picked up at his home by the police," Nelson Chamisa from the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) told a news conference in Harare.
Police spokesperson Charity Charamba confirmed the arrest just three days before key general elections, but did not elaborate immediately on the charge against Komichi.
"Yes, he has been arrested," she told Agence France-Presse.
Komichi this week handed an envelope with ballots marked for Tsvangirai to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).
The MDC said several such ballots had been dumped in a dustbin at the Harare International Conference Centre after security forces, who will be on duty in Wednesday's polls, voted early on July 14 and 15.
Chamisa accused the ZEC of a witch-hunt instead of dealing with the dumped ballot issue after the commission insisted Komichi be questioned over his source.
"There is no denial of the fact that indeed it's an authentic ballot paper and indeed that the ballot paper was found in the dustbin, but of course they want to know the whistle-blower," Chamisa said.
"We believe that ZEC and not Komichi have a lot of questions to answer," he added.
"If there is any investigation, the theatre of investigations is supposed to be ZEC."
Zimbabwe's elections on July 31 pit veteran President Robert Mugabe (89) against his rival Tsvangirai (61) to end their uneasy four-year coalition government. Voters will also elect a new Parliament.
Chamisa reiterated Tsvangirai's fears of a rigged vote.
"The development we have witnessed seriously demonstrates a dent on the credibility of this election. It demonstrates a perforation of the integrity of ZEC," he said.
The MDC, which won more votes in parliamentary elections in 2008 than Mugabe's Zanu-PF party, still hadn't received important election-related information, he added.
"The voters' roll has not been availed to us, we don't know who is printing the ballot papers. We don't know where those ballot papers are being printed," he said.
Violence erupted after the first round of the 2008 polls didn't deliver a conclusive winner.
Mugabe and Tsvangirai were forced to form a power-sharing government a year later. - AFP
Labels: MDC
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By Editor
Sat 27 July 2013, 14:00 CAT
IT may be wise for Rupiah Banda to leave the determination of the corruption charges he is facing to the courts of law.
We know that Rupiah has pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him but this doesn't end his prosecution. Evidence is being adduced by those who have accused him of corruption. And witnesses are being called to testify and be cross-examined by him.
The criminal proceedings against Rupiah are being conducted in public and even before the case closes and the court delivers its judgment, the Zambian people will be in a position to determine as to whether or not Rupiah is being falsely accused of corruption. Trying to otherwise clear his name through news media utterances and outbursts will not do.
The Zambian people are not fools. They are following the proceedings in the courts of law and these are being reported verbatim in this newspaper. No one will be able to tell lies about what happened or did not happen.
Rupiah is actually being unfair to himself by trying to clear himself of corruption through such utterances and outbursts. This is so because by such utterances and outbursts, Rupiah is inviting others to respond and prove that he is not as clean a man as he claims.
And it is not surprising that the same Rupiah, who is claiming to be innocent and to be subjected to false criminal accusations, is telling his son Henry not to come back to Zambia because he will be tortured. By who? And for what?
Henry ran away from this country as soon as his father lost elections, without anyone pursuing him. Why? Henry knew what he had done. And the evidence that we are hearing from the courts of law is a clear pointer to why Henry ran away from this country and has refused to come back to face the law.
But it is shocking that Rupiah, a former president and head of state of this Republic, can publicly encourage his son to be a fugitive, to permanently stay away from being prosecuted for fraud and corruption.
There's no doubt Henry has a few explanations to make concerning his own conduct and that of his father. It seems Rupiah and Henry are not comfortable with both. But still, how can Rupiah encourage his son to run away from Zambian law enforcement agencies? As a former president of this Republic, Rupiah is supposed to lead in showing respect for the law. Why should other Zambian citizens be subjected to the laws of this country and its law enforcement agencies when his own son is being told by himself not to? What would happen to this country if everyone who is suspected of having committed a crime is allowed and encouraged to flee?
Under his rule, Rupiah allowed other people to be prosecuted for corruption. George Mpombo is still in court under charges which were brought against him by the state when Rupiah was president. Mpombo didn't flee the country. Rupiah had accused us of all sorts of things. We didn't flee. Rajan Mathani was accused of criminal acts he never committed and came back from England where he was receiving medical treatment to face Rupiah's criminal charges.
It's clear that Rupiah has no problems with lawlessness. What matters to him is who is being pursued. If it is another Zambian, it doesn't matter; if it is himself or his son, it matters. It seems to Rupiah the concept of the rule of law and equality before the law has little meaning when it affects him or members of his family.
Rupiah says "I will never allow him to come here. They want him to come here so that they can torture him. I tell him you have done nothing wrong, just stay where you are…" So, Henry is a fugitive because his father wants him to be a fugitive and has not allowed him to come back.
What type of father is this? And why should Henry be tortured when no one else has been tortured? Torture is not allowed in this country and those who torture others are committing crimes for which they must be prosecuted. And why should Henry be tortured when no other son of Rupiah has been tortured? James lives here and no one has arrested or tortured him! The other sons of Rupiah come in and out of this country without any law enforcement officers pursuing them. They have no immunity but no one has arrested or tortured them. The question is, why Henry?
The truth is Rupiah knows very well the many wrong things he was doing with his son Henry. And because of this, Rupiah doesn't want Henry to come back here because if he is arrested and prosecuted, many things will come out not only about Henry himself but also about the corruption of his father, Rupiah. From what has been heard so far, it's clear that Rupiah was using his son to do wrong things. What type of father is this who can send his son to do wrong things? Even asking Henry to stay away from Zambia when Rupiah knows that law enforcement agencies in this country are looking for him is encouraging his son to do wrong things. When law enforcement agencies are looking for your son, as a law-abiding citizen, the most logical thing to do is to ask him to give himself up and have his day in court. Only a reckless and criminally-minded parent can ask his son to be a fugitive.
But if Rupiah can ask his son to run away from law enforcement agencies, what can stop Rupiah from one day deciding to be a fugitive himself? It's easy to understand why state authorities think Rupiah, if given a chance, can flee - he sees nothing wrong with one running away from being made to account by law-enforcement agencies.
Without calling for vengeance - because you can't build a united nation on the basis of vengeance - it is interesting to note how Rupiah is calling others to virtues that he himself has never been willing to practice. Before teaching others, before changing others, we ourselves must change. We must be honest, sincere and kind-hearted. We should encourage the same high standards of integrity that we ask of others.
It is important to remind Rupiah that like him and his sons, all other human beings want happiness and dislike suffering. If Rupiah took that into account, he and his sons wouldn't have done the things they did.
Labels: ANDREW BANDA, RUPIAH BANDA
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By Joseph Mwenda and Mwala Kalaluka
Sat 27 July 2013, 14:01 CAT
RUPIAH Banda says he has instructed his fugitive son Henry never to return to Zambia because the government will torture him.
Banda was visibly angry when he visited his son Andrew at Woodlands Police Station on Thursday after he was detained on allegations of defaming President Michael Sata.
When Banda arrived at the police station, he requested to see his son, but was told that Andrew had been locked up.
"Where is he? Tell them I want to see him… He is in cells already? But why? No! I don't remember doing this to anybody's child myself. This is very sad. What is going on in our country?" he wondered.
His supporters came to greet him after he arrived at the police station and he complained of a flu infection.
"Tili bwino kaya nao, chinfine tyala chaninyokola. (I am fine and how are you, the flu has hit me…) I have been in bed yesterday and today," he said.
Banda went on to defend his son's defamatory statement against President Sata and described his arrest as politically orchestrated.
"Even if he said, sonny, let's assume that he said something, so what? As a president, people must be free to talk about you. They can say anything they want. I am insulted every day but I do not respond. He himself insulted (chief) Jumbe recently. He also insulted me during campaigns and he gained popularity out of insulting me and it paid him. But today people are not allowed to talk about him, why?" he asked.
Banda also complained that his family was being harassed by the government and that he was falsely accused of stealing government money to buy oil.
"They say I stole money to buy oil, but all of a sudden the story changed."
Asked if he would advise Henry to come and answer to charges of diverting government oil proceeds into a private offshore account, Banda said he would never allow it.
"I will never allow him to come here. They want him to come here so that they can torture him. I tell him you have not done anything wrong, just stay where you are. I will remain here myself," he said.
Banda advised President Sata not to listen to ill advice from some senior government officials and police officers whom he said were eager to avenge their misfortunes.
"They are using the same police officers who want revenge. This is what they did to me, they used to tell me to fix some people but I never did that. Some of them I removed them from their positions," he said.
Banda wondered why the PF was targeting his children for their involvement in election campaigns when President Sata's son Mulenga participated too.
"The other day I met the President's son (Mulenga). I asked him, how do you feel seeing your friend being in all this? I used to see him with his father climb the podium to campaign and I said he is a good son trying to support his father. But what is wrong with my son helping me to campaign?" Banda wondered.
He thanked the Agence France Press (AFP) correspondent who was present to report Andrew's arrest.
"The world is seeing and God is seeing. The One Who created us is seeing what is happening in this country," he said.
After Andrew was released at around 19:00 hours, Banda, who had waited outside the station for about two hours thanked his lawyers Milner Katolo and Associates and other sympathisers who were present.
"Thank you very much. This is a political case, it's a difficult one but you have handled it very well. Where is Andrew? Please tell him to keep his mouth shut this time," said Banda before leaving.
And police have withdrawn a matter where Andrew, allegedly defamed President Sata on condition that he does not repeat the offence.
Police acting public relations officer Rae Hamoonga, Milner and Andrew himself confirmed the latest twist in the matter where he was locked up at Lusaka's Woodlands Police Station on Thursday after he appeared in his solicitation case before Lusaka chief resident magistrate Joshua Banda.
Hamoonga said depending on how Andrew, who allegedly defamed President Sata in public utterances he made in Chipata, conducts himself, the matter might not proceed.
"If he misbehaves himself the way we suspect he misbehaved himself, then he will be arrested for defamation of the President," he said. "If he behaves well, the case will end."
Hamoonga said a warn and caution statement that they recorded from Andrew could go either way.
Katolo said the withdrawal was announced to Andrew during an interaction with senior officers at service headquarters in Lusaka yesterday morning.
"He is home," said Katolo when asked where Andrew was. "The allegation has been withdrawn and the matter has been closed."
Katolo said the police officers advised Andrew to go and be a good citizen.
But Andrew said in an interview yesterday that he had always been a law-abiding citizen and that he had put behind what he underwent at the hands of the police on Thursday.
"I have always been a good citizen and I mean well for the country," he said. "This is an issue of protection of democracy in our country. Some of us are worried that democracy will be made irrelevant."
Andrew said he co-operated with the police but that the manner in which he was roughed up by the police officers at the Lusaka Magistrates' Court premises was excessive.
"I have my own lament about the manner in which those young officers handled the issue at the court. I think they were overzealous. I am a person who has always co-operated with the police," he said. "A number of them were excited for nothing. I wonder how they feel now. These are the things that embarrass the police."
Andrew thanked the police high command for the professional manner they handled the issue, but demanded that there should not be selective justice.
Labels: HENRY BANDA, RUPIAH BANDA
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By Allan Mulenga
Sat 27 July 2013, 14:00 CAT
THE Examinations Council of Zambia has disclosed that a total of 542 cases of examination irregularities were reported during last year's examinations.
Briefing the press in Lusaka on Thursday, ECZ director Michael Chilala explained that 463 cases of examination malpractices had so far been resolved, while 51 cases were pending.
Chilala explained that of the resolved cases of examination irregularities, 21 candidates had their results released arising from lack of adequate evidence.
"The grade seven cases involved six teachers of whom four were from Eastern Province, one from Southern Province and one from Northern Province. The other one case involved a member of the public from Southern Province. The cases at grade nine and 12 involved candidates and teachers mainly," he explained.
Chilala said further analysis revealed that 84 cases at grade nine and 85 cases at grade 12 examinations involved assistance of the candidates by fellow candidates and teachers.
"All confirmed cases of assistance involved GCE candidates, who also account for more than 70 per cent of all reported malpractice cases. It has been observed that cases of malpractices involving assistance have increased over the years. Instances of finding one script having more than one handwriting, two scripts having different handwritings but bearing one name or one handwriting in more than one script, are becoming common," he said.
"We have also noted that despite the nullification of results for candidates involved in such irregularities, those who assisted were never pursued in the past."
Chilala warned teachers against writing examinations on behalf of candidates.
"I wish to send a stern warning to teachers who have been writing examinations on behalf of other candidates, and or even assisting candidates in many ways to pass examinations that we shall continue catching up with them. Once found, we shall ensue that the system gets rid of them," he said.
Chilala announced that the council had revised conditions of service for the examinations setters and markers to boost their morale.
"We noted the low turnout of trained markers during marking, which was mainly attributed to poor conditions of service. Going forward, grade nine markers will get K 130 per day for days of marking, in place of K50 which they previously got as lunch allowance. The lunch allowance has therefore been included in the daily allowance. This gives the markers at grade nine level an additional K80 for other expenses during marking. Transport allowances will still be paid to all markers at grade nine level," he explained.
"All grade 12 markers who are in camp will get K130 per day for all days of marking. This will be in addition to the subsistence allowances they will get if they spend nights on the way to and from the marking centre, and the transport refunds."
Chilala also announced that the examination time tables had been revised.
"The grade seven examination will start on 14 and end on 18 October, 2013 while the grade 12 examination will start on 4th October and end on 8 November, 2013. Arising from the change, it is expected that the grades seven and nine results will be released in time for the grades eight and 10 pupils to open at the same time as other pupils in January 2014, while the Grade 12 examination results will be expected to be released before end of January 2014," said Chilala.
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By Allan Mulenga
Sat 27 July 2013, 14:00 CAT
THE MMD has suspended its youth wing leader Bowman Lusambo for gross misconduct. But Lusambo says he will not be intimidated by greedy and selfish senior party leaders.
According to a letter dated July 25, 2013 signed by the party's deputy national secretary Chembe Nyangu and copied to MMD president Nevers Mumba, Lusambo has been suspended for issuing disparaging media statements without clearance from the leadership. Nyangu further stated that Lusambo's unprecedented manoeuvres to destabilise the party could not be condoned.
"I have observed with dismay and shock that despite the one-on-one discussion with you in my office recently to counsel you against issuance of disparaging media statements against the party for which you showed remorse and promised never to release any further uncleared press statements the trend has continued," read the letter in part. "It is in view of the aforesaid that I have decided to invoke powers vested in me via Article 46 (1) (2) and (5) of the constitution of the party read together with disciplinary regulation No. 6 of 1993, the following charge is preferred against you."
Nyangu stated that Lusambo had no mandate to assume the role of the party's spokesperson to be able to issue press statements bordering on matters of policy.
"You issued a scathing attack on the party leadership which was published in The Post Newspaper edition No. 6122 of Tuesday July 23, 2013 that, Michael Kaingu, Dr Brian Chituwo, Kabinga Pande and Kapembwa Simbao are political serial killers. This statement to say the least was uncalled for particularly that it came from a junior member of the party," read the letter in part.
Nyangu directed Lusambo to submit an exculpatory statement within 10 days from the day the letter was issued.
But Lusambo said he would not be cowed into threats by senior party leaders.
"I have received the letter with deep shock because the suspension lacks merit and substance. The MMD Die-Hard youth wing was founded to provide effective checks and balances on MMD senior leaders. We shall not be threatened by anyone. We will not allow our party to be destroyed by greedy and selfish senior leaders. The suspension will not shake me in any way," said Lusambo in an interview yesterday.
Wrangles have rocked MMD with vice-presidents Michael Kaingu and Dr Brian Chituwo, national chairperson Kabinga Pande and national secretary Kapembwa Simbao summoning the party president Nevers Mumba to the secretariat over his leadership style.
The four senior members have asked Mumba to resign from his position.
But Mumba said he was aware of the ploy by senior party members to hound him out of the party.
But Lusambo described Kaingu, Dr Chituwo, Pande and Simbao as political "serial killers".
Labels: BOWMAN LUSAMBO, CORRUPTION, MMD
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26/07/2013 00:00:00
by Nkosana Dlamini
PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said Friday that he felt betrayed by his erstwhile backers in the West who seem to have given up on actively seeking to topple President Robert Mugabe and appear to be prepared to work with him should he win next week's elections.
"There has been a movement, l want to say and l want to take note of that," Tsvangirai told journalists at an MDC-T press briefing in Harare on Friday.
"For some years, there has been a movement towards democratic precondition. But people get tired of the Zimbabwean issue so what do they do? They resign and they say stability is better than democracy and any form of accommodation of normalising 'our relations with Zimbabwe by whatever means, we will do it'."
Tsvangirai, who was responding to a question from a British journalist, did not elaborate on how he felt he was being abandoned; neither did he mention the countries he feels have betrayed him.
Western frustration with Tsvangirai was first revealed by the whistle-blower website WikiLeaks when it published a 2011 diplomatic cable from the US embassy in Harare to Washington which described the MDC-T leader as "a weak leader who cannot be relied upon to lead a country like Zimbabwe".
Added to that, reports of widespread corruption among the MDC-T top leadership as well as in local authorities run by the party could not have helped the MDC-T leader's standing with the his Western backers.
And, if that were not bad enough, the sex scandals which emerged last year ahead of Tsvangirai's marriage to Elizabeth Macheka would certainly have deepened the West's sense of dismay with the man they once saw as the best hope for democracy in the country.
Although the European Union (EU) and countries such as Australia have stopped short of completely lifting sanctions imposed against Mugabe and his inner circle about a decade ago, most of the measures have been suspended while the Obama administration in the United States has, this year, dispatched top envoys such as Andrew Young to meet Mugabe in definite signs of a rapprochement.
Tsvangirai said the US and Europe were now willing to accept a Mugabe victory despite what he described as clear evidence the Zanu PF leader was engaged in election fraud.
"That's an opportunistic position because you cannot as a democrat legitimise the illegitimate and l want to say this; whether the whole world endorses the outcome and say Robert Mugabe has won, the people will know the truth and it is the world that would have turned a blind eye to the wishes of the people of this country," said the MDC-T leader.
"l want to tell you ultimately the wishes of the people will prevail. It may not matter how long it takes but l want to tell you at the end of the day it is the people who will definitely be the victors. Not some shenanigan, not some dictator somewhere and not the international community.
"We need the international community of course but the international community must do the right thing; must stay with the people, must continue to say the people of Zimbabwe need their voice to be heard. That is the more legitimate position."
Despite his reservations about the playing field and the role of the West, Tsvangirai was adamant he would romp to victory in the July 31 poll.
"Actually, I am very bullish about the outcome of this election. It will indicate to you how resilient the people of Zimbabwe are. Indeed it will surprise you that in spite of the violence, the shenanigans that are taking place," he said.
"Why would Zanu PF invest in rigging an election rather than invest in making sure that we have a credible outcome. This just goes to show that Zanu PF cannot win has never won an election, but they have found ways of retaining power against the people's wishes, that is not democracy. I actually feel emboldened by the fact that we have resisted this dictatorship for all these years using democratic means."
Tsvangirai insisted Mugabe had laid out an elaborate strategy to rig the watershed election and called on Zimbabweans to vote overwhelmingly against the 89-year-old leader.
He outlined several examples he said were being used by his rival to influence the outcome of the election, among them the "militarise" the electoral system, the intimidation of his followers by Zanu PF and the inflation of ballot paper printing.
Tsvangirai said the credibility of next week's election was at great risk and called this a "sad day".
Labels: MDC, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI
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This article was written by Our reporter on 27 July, at 05 : 05 AM
PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has clashed with African Union (AU) Commission chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma over the election environment in Zimbabwe.
On Friday Dlamini-Zuma told MDC-T leader there were no complaints raised by any political leader over alleged vote rigging by President Robert Mugabe's and his Zanu PF party.
Addressing journalists at a party press briefing Friday, Tsvangirai accused Dlamini-Zuma of bias towards Zanu-PF and 'lying to the world'.
In her remarks during an AU Observer Mission's preliminary findings media briefing at Harare's Rainbow Towers, Dlamini-Zuma said all the candidates she had met since arriving in Harare on Wednesday never mentioned any attempts to steal the election by Zanu-PF.
Dlamini-Zuma asked the Western reporter who had asked the question to confirm the source of the information they had about rigging allegations.
The journalist, unprepared for the question, said he had read of documents that were attributed to Zanu-PF which stated an elaborate vote rigging attempt as well as newspaper reports pointing to systematic rigging by President Mugabe.
"Can you give us a copy, not newspaper reports – the document you are talking about," Zuma insisted.
"I met the Prime Minister who is the leader of MDC and he said nothing like that, gave me no document. So if you have it, give it to me otherwise I don't work on newspaper reports or speculation," she said.
"I work on what I have heard and seen. And that's why I try and meet the leaders so that I can hear what you are saying from them and I didn't."
The AU chief went on: "I saw the leader of the MDC, the Prime Minister, I spoke to the Deputy Prime Minister Mutambara. l spoke to Professor Welshman Ncube. None of them mentioned any such document to me.
"None of them even used the word – and we (AU observers) were all here – of rigging.
"So they tell you maybe what they think you want to hear but they have not told us that so we cannot comment on it.
"If they had told us, I would tell you because I am here, I am transparent, I will say what I have been told, they have not told us that but if you have that document give it to us then we can deal with it because our view is that we don't deal with rumours. We don't deal with speculation.
"Somebody reports something, we try and verify and if its verified then we can talk about it because we won't know where we are if we start running with every rumour, every speculation.
"So I am sure if they have given it to you, you will hand it over to us and then we can have a discussion based on something concrete."
Zuma's remarks however drew fire from Tsvangirai who addressed his own press conference an hour later.
"(On Thursday) I met the chairperson of the African Union, Madam Nkosanazana Zuma. I understand she has made a comment to the media to the effect that all principals are happy with what's taking place and that no issues had been raised with her," the MDC-T leader said.
"I just want to correct that. I have no intention of correcting an impression that has been created that will cause an unnecessary conflict but I want to say that it's unfortunate that that statement has been made because the truth is that I raised with her a number of issues of concern to the MDC."
He insisted he had briefed Zuma's delegation about the "chaotic" voter registration process run by the Registrar General's office, the disenfranchisement of thousands of his potential supporters, the secrecy around the printing of ballot papers and the "deliberate" reduction of polling stations in his stronghold urban constituencies.
"For one to say none of the principals have raised these issues its not only unfortunate but it's downright misleading," he said.
Asked why Zuma would say something like that, Tsvangirai said: "You ask her. I met her. I did not meet her in a private room just the two of us so it becomes her word against mine. We met in a meeting.
"That's a Zanu PF narrative, so as to endorse an outcome which then supports the Zanu-PF outcome.
"We know her background, who doesn't know her background? It is a very unfortunate position to take to accuse me of lying when l had a full meeting in which she was there.
"A number of her own delegation were there, a number of my staffers were there and l pointed out these issues to her. Now the question is why would she want to distort a meeting in which everyone participated. It puts to question her integrity as an impartial observer of this process."
Labels: AU, MDC, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, NKOSAZANA DLAMINI-ZUMA
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25 Jul 2013 16:56 Sapa
COMMENT - This is a very interesting idea, but it can only work if there is absolute subsidiarity from the municipal level upwards, with the exception of individual human and civil rights. That is the only way to ensure democracy and local accountability of the government or state. And the elimination of elite ownership of the mines or land. - MrK
The Economic Freedom Fighters will advocate the integration of Africa by eliminating national borders, according to its founding manifesto. The "protest movement", led by Julius Malema, said the borders between African countries were "unnecessary", especially those between South Africa and Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland.
"The EFF will ... advocate for the ultimate integration of the African continent through the erosion and eventual elimination of unnecessary borders, which, in the case of South Africa will entail the Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland borders in a manner that involves and includes the participation and approval of those countries," it said in its manifesto.
"This will also be encouraged in other parts of the African continent."
This formed part of the EFF's policy on "progressive internationalism".
The EFF said it would also advocate for free trade across the continent.
On immigration, the movement committed itself to taking up the struggle of all immigrants, whether they were in South Africa legally or illegally. It said immigrants should be guaranteed basic rights when they were in the country.
'Access to health ... education'
"Certain basic rights cannot be denied to any human being who is in South Africa, whether they are in possession of certain documents or not.
"Basic rights that should be guaranteed include access to health, access to education for children, protection from super-exploitation by employers, and access to burial rights in South Africa."
The process of applying for citizenship should not be complicated.
The EFF is holding a conference in Soweto on Friday and Saturday to work out its policies and manifesto. – Sapa
Labels: BORDERS, ECONOMIC FREEDOM FIGHTERS, JULIUS MALEMA, PANAFRICANISM
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26 Jul 2013 00:00 Kwanele Sosibo
Julius Malema's new party, the Economic Freedom Fighters, is planning to have its official launch next month in Marikana. This will happen the day after the first anniversary of what many people see as one of the darkest days in recent South African history, when police shot 34 striking workers at the platinum mine
The ANC office in the informal settlement of Nkanini in Marikana is built with shimmering sheets of corrugated iron like most of the new shacks in the area, which is near Lonmin's Western Platinum operation.
What sets it apart from other buildings in Nkanini is an inscription, in ANC colours, celebrating the organisation's centenary and, although workers clad in the orange extended public works programme overalls keep the dry, patchy grass around it clean, its doors and windows stay shut.
I ask one of the workers – an ANC member – how things have changed for the party since August last year, when the Marikana massacre took place.
"It's not safe here in Nkanini," she says. "There has been a change. People don't want to see Zuma T-shirts. People say, 'He killed us; we don't want the ANC.' Before the strike, you could wear your ANC T-shirt in peace.
"But then I haven't heard what organisation they do want. I don't know if T-shirts are a gauge but people are wearing UDM [United Democratic Movement] T-shirts."
Inside a hair salon diagonally across the road from the office, a woman combs the hair of a customer. Colourful hair extensions hang from the walls and several mineworkers lounge on the couches, passing around quarts of beer.
In Wonderkop, several representatives of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) are making preparations for the party's August 17 launch in the area.
In Nkanini, workers are prepared to talk politics but only anonymously. "I no longer support the ANC because of what happened on August 16," says a rock driller dressed in a black golf shirt and shorts. "I work here at Lonmin; I was there on the mountain but I ran away."
Generally, workers are still noncommittal about who they will vote for in next year's election.
"It depends. I don't really see another option," says a Mpondo-speaking worker in a striped jersey and jeans. "We'll see when it's voting time. You must remember, everybody came to us: the United Democratic Movement, the Democratic Alliance, Inkatha Freedom Party. Even Julius Malema came to us in Pretoria [when the injured miners launched an application for state funding in the North Gauteng High Court last week]."
"We want to hear what Malema has to say to us as mineworkers," he says.
"After the strike, there were some things that he tried to do. Like the lawyers we have now [at the Marikana inquiry], it's because of him. When he came to the stadium [after the massacre], the police prevented him. And I'm sure he wasn't coming with bad news."
Asked whether he would vote for the EFF, another worker in the group says: "It could be. We'll have to hear what he says first. But my X is no longer with the ANC and I'm talking about mineworkers and their families in the Eastern Cape."
Although Lonmin might be the epicentre of discontent, similar sentiments were expressed by Impala workers as early as September last year. Charges of fraud and money laundering and the threat of sedition charges when Malema tried to speak to mineworkers created a perception that he was being persecuted.
In parts of North West's Bojanala district, especially in wards run by independent councillors, communities are already being canvassed to join the ranks of the EFF.
Israel Monaise, a "convener" for the EFF in Rustenburg, is holding court in a school courtyard in Lethabong, a remote community about 90km east of the city. The area is part of its ward 28, one of the city's three wards held by independents, which was won by former ANC Youth League chairperson Paki Molatlhegi.
"When we take over, we'll open a national bank," Monaise tells the mostly young crowd. "That's where our civil servants will get paid.
"When you apply for a loan, if Standard Bank says 15% interest, we'll say 12%. If they say 10, we'll say five. We'll be watching them, comrades."
A woman in the crowd, perhaps in her late 30s, corrects him: "We're not comrades, we're fighters."
"Yes, we're fighters," says a delighted Monaise.
Monaise, clad in jeans and a fleece top, appears to be in his late 20s. He displays an easy wit when he talks about the community's immediate problems (jobs, the need for title deeds, and faulty meter readings) before segueing into the EFF's broad take on nationalisation.
"Before the ANC was saying 'a better life for all', then they said 'together we can do more', but now, they are saying 'vuk'uzenzele' [do it yourself]," he says to scattered laughter.
He repeats it during a session of proselytising in one of the school's classrooms. Monaise is joined by Molatlhegi and the ward 33 councillor and a former youth league member, Michael Mofokeng, plus other former youth league members, such as the former regional executive committee member, Tshidi Masedi, and the former ward 27 youth league chairperson, Kaizer Moemi.
Mofokeng, who recently was being cautious about his political future and pleading for the ANC's secretary general Gwede Mantashe to visit the independent wards to resolve issues arising from candidacy disputes, is now emboldened.
"We're not hiding ourselves any more," he says. "We want to be exposed as soon as possible."
I ask Molatlhegi why Rustenburg's independents, with the exception of ward 25, have decided to support the EFF.
Clad in a red beret marked EFF, he adjusts his trenchcoat and says: "Well, it's the political ideology of economic freedom. It is what I preached as a chair of the youth league here.
"When you're an independent candidate, you're the people's choice, you're not the candidate of a political movement. As the people of ward 28, we needed a political home. And, because we agree with economic freedom, we've found ourselves a political home at last."
But a random survey of some residents at the meeting revealed that some were still scratching their heads about the EFF.
Molatlhegi says they have been "engaging" with comrades from different mines. "Even today, I was at Lonmin because we want to hold our national rally in Marikana. They are feeling so good about the EFF, they can't wait to get forms, berets and T-shirts."
But, although Malema's movement is gaining traction, there is unlikely to be an organic joining of hands between former youth league members and mineworkers, says Devan Pillay, a sociologist and political analyst at the University of the Witwatersrand.
"The EFF still has to prove itself as a political party before Amcu [the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union] throws its lot [in] with them.
"Some prominent individuals might align with the EFF as it has happened with [the union federation] Nactu in the past. But there are others. Wasp [Workers and Socialist Party] has aligned with miners, Holomisa's party is aligned with workers.
"All these parties want to manoeuvre and the UDM won't sit back with such an opportunity presenting itself because, for many workers, disgruntlement with the NUM [National Union of Mineworkers] has meant disgruntlement with the ANC."
The African People's Convention also has a presence among the workers. Its leader, Themba Godi, has dismissed the UDM leader Bantu Holomisa as having nothing to offer ideologically and "campaigning on ethnic grounds".
Pillay says: "Holomisa doesn't go as far as nationalisation but he does appeal in terms of service delivery, which can improve people's lives."
Whether nationalisation will capture the workers' imagination or not is an open question. "There are some workers with political education but nationalisation in the EFF's sense means the elites taking over. I'm not sure whether a public debate on that issue will appeal to them.
"The issue of land might be more appealing to workers," he says. "The EFF is not from the working class in that sense. They are drawn from the youth and they have no strong footing in the union movement.
"Wasp's articulation of nationalisation is more thought through. The EFF says the state must take over, which can be worse than private ownership."
Labels: ANC YOUTH LEAGUE, ECONOMIC FREEDOM FIGHTERS, JULIUS MALEMA
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23 Jul 2013 18:08 Sapa
The ANC has refuted claims that it is protecting Jacob Zuma's international adviser Lindiwe Zulu after an apparent reprimand from the presidency.
"The ANC has noted the coverage that suggests that the ANC through its secretary general [Gwede Mantashe] has defended the international relations adviser to president [Jacob] Zuma, comrade [Lindiwe] Zulu, against a statement released by the presidency," spokesperson Jackson Mthembu said on Tuesday.
"This is not true."
Zulu reportedly said on Friday that there were difficulties ahead of the July 31 elections in Zimbabwe, following problems with early voting.
Thousands of Zimbabwean security forces could reportedly not make their mark in early voting with polling stations opening late, and lacking indelible ink, stamps, voter rolls, ballot papers and boxes.
"If things didn't go right in the special vote, those things need to be looked into by the time of elections on July 31," Zulu was quoted as saying.
Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe reacted by calling Zulu "a stupid, idiotic street woman", Agence France-Presse reported.
Mantashe defended Zulu
On Sunday the presidency said the statements made by members of Zuma's team dealing with Zimbabwe were "unfortunate".
Some newspaper reports suggested that Mantashe defended Zulu on Monday. He told reporters in Johannesburg she had been given the responsibility to deal with media and diplomats on Zimbabwe.
Mthembu said on Tuesday that Mantashe's response to a question on the statement from the presidency, was that Zulu was tasked with communication and diplomacy by the facilitation team on Zimbabwe.
He said Mantashe's response on the matter was: "While the ANC would not venture into this matter, my own understanding, from reading the presidency statement, was that misgivings arose from communication that was not cleared with the president."
Mthembu said Mantashe further stated that the Zimbabwean situation was a sensitive matter and any communication on that country should be treated accordingly.
"The ANC wants to put it on record that we respect and support the intervention of the presidency regarding the South African facilitation team ... to facilitate the Zimbabwe process towards free and fair elections," Mthembu said. – Sapa
Labels: 2013 ELECTIONS (ZW), ANC, JACKSON MTHEMBU, JACOB ZUMA, LINDIWE ZULU
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By Editor
Fri 26 July 2013, 14:00 CAT
THE proposal being put forward by Transparency International Zambia president Lee Habasonda not to allow any candidate who has been found to be corrupt to contest any election deserves the support of all.
Voting in the election of public officials is the most visible and common form of participation in modern democracies, and also the most fundamental. The ability to conduct free and fair elections is at the core of what it means to call a society democratic. And elections provide a peaceful and fair method by which the citizens of a democracy can select their leaders and have a meaningful role in determining their own destiny. Therefore, fraud or corruption should not be allowed, in any form, anywhere near our elections because it hinders our ability to freely choose our representatives.
It is not really important which candidate or political party wins or prevails in an election. The important thing is that the winners should be the best of us, in the moral, civic, political and integrity sense, regardless of their political affiliations. The future of our country and our people will depend on the integrity of the personalities we elect to our representative bodies.
Those who seek to win elections by fraudulent or corrupt means can never be able to provide the honest leadership we seek. And as Habasonda aptly puts it, "the danger is a corrupt election breeds leaders that corrupt society consequently undermining the whole idea of development and the social wellbeing of our people."
We have leaders who have been found wanting by our courts of law and have had their election nullified for fraud or corruption allowed to recontest the same seats they had been made to vacate.
We have political parties that don't see electoral fraud or corruption as a serious legal or moral issue. And as such, they have no problems fielding candidates who have been found to be corrupt or fraudulent in their politics and election campaigns. Is it because such political parties are themselves corrupt? Or is it because corruption is not an issue that troubles them in any way?
For instance, the UPND adopted Misheck Mutelo, a former MMD candidate who was found to be corrupt or fraudulent in his election campaigns, to be their candidate in the recent Lukulu West parliamentary by-elections. And they are now said to be seeking the candidature of Dora Siliya and Maxwell Mwale for Petauke Central and Malambo respectively. Dora and Maxwell had their election results nullified for engaging in electoral fraud or corruption as parliamentary candidates of the MMD. UPND sees completely nothing wrong with their conduct. Why?
It is not surprising because UPND also lost a seat in Mulobezi for similar reasons - election frauds or corruption. This is also a political party that is defending the corruption of Rupiah Banda and his league which not very long ago they used to expose and denounce. It is therefore not surprising that such things, such evils don't bother them. Corruption doesn't seem to be an issue for them.
It is clear that if the issue of election fraud or corruption is left totally to the political parties to decide, it will continue to be the order of the day and will eventually end up totally undermining public confidence in our electoral processes. We will continue to have election results that do not truly reflect the wishes of the people but of those who are most able to corrupt the electorate.
It is therefore important that we turn to the law to stop the corrupt and fraudsters from be our representatives. We cannot continue to rely on politicians who consistently refuse to see aught that is lofty, and fix their eyes with solemn intentness only on that which is vile and debasing. There is filth in our electoral processes, and it must be scrapped.
There are grave evils in our electoral processes and there is urgent necessity for the sternest war upon them. There should be relentless attack upon evil, corrupt politicians who win elections fraudulently or through bribery and other abuses.
Every politician who betrays public trust by engaging in electoral malpractices deserves no immunity or sympathy. Such a politician, when known through court processes, deserves no second chance. They should be disqualified from contesting any elections in this country for a very long time. There should be a resolute effort to hound every such politician out of the public position they have disgraced and stop them from seeking another chance of occupying the same public offices they have betrayed. There should be no rest in the endless war against electoral corruption. But, of course, that war must be conducted with sanity as well as with resolution.
We as voters should also take responsibility and ensure that those who engage in election fraud or corruption do not get our support and votes because bribery and other electoral irregularities are a violation of our rights as voters. We should use our votes for the good of Zambia, as opposed to the good of a particular political party or individual by voting for candidates who have proved themselves accountable to God and to the electorate. We should also vote only for those candidates who have demonstrated courage in defending truth and justice for all and who are completely honest in fulfilling public and private responsibilities.
Free, fair and constructive elections will become a reality in our homeland when our politicians and ourselves as voters take our responsibilities seriously. Let us use our votes in every election to make sure that the right person is elected; let's vote according to our consciences, in accordance with the highest human values without allowing ourselves to be swayed by bribery, corruption or fraud.
And the starting point in all this is not to vote for candidates who have been found to be corrupt and fraudulent in their election campaigns. If we do this as voters, the politicians will know we mean business and we detest electoral fraud and corruption and they will think twice before fielding candidates who are known or have been found to be corrupt or to be fraudsters when it comes to elections.
The courts, so far, have generally done very well in trying to uphold high electoral standards by nullifying elections where the winning candidates have engaged in corruption, fraud and other malpractices. They have demonstrated the spirit to near zero tolerance for corruption. It is up to us as voters to now give meaning and purpose to these judgments from our courts of law by not supporting, in any way, those who have been found to be wanting when they seek to be elected in the by-elections caused by their own corruption.
Labels: LEE HABASONDA, TIZ
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By Mwala Kalaluka
Fri 26 July 2013, 14:00 CAT
RUPIAH Banda's son, Andrew, was yesterday detained at Lusaka's Woodlands Police Station in connection with allegations of defaming President Michael Sata in public utterances he made in Chipata recently. Andrew's lawyer Milner Katolo said yesterday that his client, with two others, allegedly defamed President Sata.
Andrew, who had just finished giving his defence in a matter where he is facing a charge of solicitation of two per cent payment for every current and future contract that was to be awarded to Italy's Fratelli Locci, was picked up within the Lusaka Magistrates' Court premises by a team of police officers.
Andrew was in the company of Katolo and some family members when the plain-clothed police officers asked him to accompany them to Woodlands Police Station, where they said there were some people waiting for him.
Andrew asked the police officers to allow him a few minutes to discuss with his sister and they responded in the affirmative.
"Surely, a gentleman like me can't run away," said Andrew as he walked towards his sister within the court parking lot.
But within a few minutes, the police officers followed him and asked him to get into a motor vehicle that was parked in the vicinity.
When he pleaded for more time, the police officers dragged him to the vehicle amid complaints from family members and sympathisers.
He was immediately whisked away to Woodlands Police Station, where he was told to remove his shoes, belt and other valuables before he was taken into the cells.
Asked what was happening, Andrew responded: "Kuti defamation of the President kwa Chipata they are saying I defamed the President in Chipata."
Katolo said Andrew had not been charged yet but that police officers from Chipata were on their way to Lusaka to pick him up and take him there to be formally charged.
He, however, described the manner in which his client was manhandled by the police as disgusting.
Andrew's sister said her brother had not been feeling well lately and had been sleeping the whole morning yesterday.
Labels: ANDREW BANDA, MILNER KATOLO, RUPIAH BANDA
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By Gift Chanda
Fri 26 July 2013, 14:00 CAT
ZAMBIA's export receipts from mining have dropped seven per cent to K2.646 billion in June, according the Central Statistical Office. The earnings dropped from K2.840 billion recorded in May, CSO director John Kalumbi told journalists yesterday.
"The fall in copper prices on the international market in June could have contributed to the drop in the country's metal export earnings," said Standard Bank emerging market strategist, Yvette Baab, said in a telephone interview from South Africa.
Baab said the prices on the international market in June dropped four per cent and this was not offset by further rise in volumes of copper being exported from Zambia.
Copper prices in June fell to US $7,000 per tonne from US $7,200 for May and April, and according to Baab, the drop led to the decline in the value in copper export earnings for Zambia.
Copper, which declined for the first time in five days on Tuesday after a preliminary reading of manufacturing in China fell below expectations, has dropped 13 per cent on a year-to-date basis and was trading at US $6,986 a metric tonne on the London Metal Exchange on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the CSO said the country's inflation had remained unchanged at 7.3 per cent year-on-year in July.
The Bank of Zambia has raised the benchmark interest rate for the past two months to curb prices after the government removed subsidies on fuel and mealie-meal.
Central Bank deputy governor for operations Dr Bwalya Ng'andu recently said inflation rate would continue easing to end the year at six per cent despite the removal of subsidies.
Labels: BWALYA NG'ANDU, JOHN KALUMBI, MINING, YVETTE BAAB
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By Masuzyo Chakwe
Fri 26 July 2013, 14:00 CAT
PRESIDENT Michael Sata has called for increased participation of traditional leaders in national development in order to accelerate poverty reduction and ultimately improve the living standards of their people.
Over 30 traditional leaders from across the country including Paramount Chief Mpezeni of the Ngoni people of Eastern Province presented a report on development and the welfare of chiefs to the Head of State yesterday morning.
During a closed-door meeting held at State House, the chiefs, who spoke through the chairperson of the House of Chiefs Senior chieftainess Nkomeshya Mukamambo II thanked the President for inviting them to State House to discuss developmental issues and for creating the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs.
Chieftainess Nkomeshya also expressed gratitude to the Head of State for increasing their allowances from the time the PF government came into power.
In response, President Sata advised the chiefs to take keen interest in issues of water, sanitation and public health as these issues affect the wellbeing of their subjects and chiefdoms.
He urged the chiefs to constantly tour villages under their chiefdoms in order for them to understand the challenges their subjects were facing.
President Sata emphasised the need for constant engagements to enable the government and the traditional leadership arrive at best ways of implementing various programmes and projects.
He also directed the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs to speed up the construction of chiefs palaces and effectively collaborate with other ministries in order to accelerate delivery of services.
Among the chiefs that attended the meeting include Senior Chieftainess Nkomeshya Lusaka Province, chief Ntambu North Western, chief Chipepo Lusaka Province, Senior Chief Chiwala Copperbelt, chieftainess Shimukunami Copperbelt, chief Lumpuma Copperbelt, Senior Chief Shakumbila Central, chief Liteta Central, chief Chitina Central, chief Madzimawe Eastern, chief Jumbe Eastern, chief Mbang'ombe Eastern Province, Senior Chief Mwewa Luapula and chief Mibenge Luapula.
Others are chief Mphuka Lusaka Province, chief Chibesakunda Muchinga, chief Kabinga Muchinga, chief Katyetye Muchinga, Senior Chieftainess Chungu Northern, chief Mumporokoso Northern, chief Chitimbwa Northern, chief Mpidi North Western, chieftainess Mwenda Southern, chief Macha Southern, chief Chikanta Southern, Litunga la-Mboela, chief Kandala and Mwene Kahare.
This is according to a statement by the President's special assistant for press and public relations George Chellah.
Labels: CHIEFS, GEORGE CHELLAH, MICHAEL SATA
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By Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Fri 26 July 2013, 14:00 CAT
THE Patents and Companies Registration Agency has recorded a steady increase in the number of local companies being registered in the agriculture sector. For the first six months of this year, PACRA registered more than 15,000 businesses, of which 5,170 were local companies, 10,006 business names and 17 foreign companies.
PACRA stated that the bulk of the registrations were in the general trading, construction, service provision and manufacturing sectors while tourism also showed a steady increase in the number of people formalising their businesses.
"The agency has also noted with interest the increase in the number of local companies being registered in the agriculture sector," according to the statement by PACRA public relations officer, Vaida Bunda.
"This increase could be attributed to the government's effort to prioritise and diversify the agriculture sector as well as incentives provided to micro, small and medium scale farmers across the country. PACRA will continue decentralising its services in a bid to reduce the cost of doing business in the country by taking its services closer to the people."
Meanwhile, PACRA has introduced email reminders for filing of annual returns and notifications on any changes made on all business records on the electronic database. The reminders for annual returns filing will be sent out twice to each client, the first one being 30 days before the end of financial year and the other, a day before the due date.
Labels: AGRICULTURE, PACRA, PATENTS, VAIDA BUNDA
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Economic growth forecast ... Tendai Biti speaks to reporters in Harare on Thursday
25/07/2013 00:00:00
by AFP
COMMENT - More of the same neoliberal, shock doctrine, pablum. The economy has been 'a nightmare' as growth prospects were 'slashed' from 5.0% to 3.4%, and 'we need more production', in other words, the Zimbabwean economy needs to be opened up for exploitation by giant foreign corporations, like Anglo-American De Beers, on whose behalf they want to nationalize the diamond mines, and call that 'growth'. They are a party of traitors. - MrK
WITH less than a week before elections, Finance Minister Tendai Biti slashed the country's growth forecast Thursday, citing the impact of political uncertainty surrounding the vote.
Biti said the first half of the year had been "a nightmare," as he revised 2013 growth down to 3.4 percent from an anticipated 5.0 percent.
"A decline in political situation is leading to a decline in economic situation," he said.
"We are living from hand to mouth. The fundamental challenge facing us is lack of production."
The drop is expected to be most acutely felt in the mining sector.
Growth in the sector was revised down from 17.1 percent to 5.3 percent.
Biti however reported that most of the funding for the July 31 presidential and legislative votes had been found.
The treasury has disbursed $96 million for the vote and $36 million was yet to be disbursed.
"We are ready for elections without help from anyone. We have done this without raping the economy."
The government had sought more funding from the UN, but the request was withdrawn amid a row over UN election monitors.
Zimbabweans go to the polls on July 31 to choose a successor to the shaky power-sharing government formed four years ago by President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
But Biti questioned whether the country could afford to fund a run-off election, if there is no clear winner in the first round of voting.
"This will put unbelievable pressure on this economy," he said.
Labels: GDP, TENDAI BITI
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25/07/2013 00:00:00
by SAPA
NO major instances of violence and intimidation have been reported ahead of next week's elections in Zimbabwe, South Africa's Deputy International Relations Minister Ebrahim Ebrahim said on Thursday.
South Africa welcomed the fact that the "overall atmosphere" in Zimbabwe was calm ahead of the 31 July polls, he told reporters in Pretoria.
Ebrahim referred to the recent Southern African Development Community Organ Troika on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation, which was held in Pretoria last weekend.
"On Zimbabwe, the summit was pleased to note that all the political parties have committed themselves to ensuring that the forthcoming elections are held in a peaceful environment," Ebrahim said.
"The summit encouraged the government, all political parties and leaders to continue with these commendable efforts which will help realise credible elections."
The summit praised the Zimbabwean government for the manner in which it received observer missions.
About 600 foreign election observers, mainly from African bodies, had been accredited to observe the polls, while 6 000 local observers would also be watching the vote.
"The success of the elections in Zimbabwe will contribute to an improvement in the regional political and security situation," Ebrahim said.
"This will create positive conditions for socio-economic development, contributing to an improvement in the quality of life for the people of Zimbabwe and the region."
Labels: 2013 ELECTIONS (ZW), SOUTH AFRICA
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25/07/2013 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter
PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe on Thursday hit out at controversial businessman Munyaradzi Kereke who has defied a party directive to withdraw his Bikita West candidacy and back former workmate and party choice, Elias Musakwa.
Addressing party loyalists at a star rally in Masvingo's Mucheke Stadium, Mugabe also described the country's private media as "stupid" claiming they were siding with his MDC rivals' clamour for key reforms before next week's elections.
The Zanu PF leader lashed out at the MDC parties for demanding a poll delay insisting he was enjoined by the country's laws to call for elections at the expiry of parliament, whatever the prevailing political circumstances.
He said: "'VaMugabe vakanganisa, vaMugabe vazoita proclaimation; ah, he is rushing us into an election, but we don't have a parliament! What do you say about that?
"Ndiyo MDC thinking iyoyo and their stupid papers. Zvipepa zvavo zvinovatsigira right or wrong tinenge tichingotsigira ukuku. Even the mistakes, the journalists support those errors. They support the errors, the blunders.
"That's your journalists. What is the conscience of journalists? The journalist must have a conscience, that sense of truth, that sense of honesty. It doesn't exist!"
Mugabe then turned to his own party politicians who have insisted on contesting in the July 31 polls despite losing party primaries.
"Nzvimbo nenzvimbo kwakaita vamwe vakaita nharo," he said.
"Mazita ose akauya kwatiri kuparty kuheadquarters evanhu vakanga vasarudzwa tichinzwa nhoroondo dzese nemasarudziro ose. Isu takanga tapawo marules acho ekuti vanosarudzwa ndovanenge vagara kumusangano kwemakore akati kuti.
"Zvino kana wanga usati wagara mumusangano kwemakore iwayo urimunhu wanga uchiitao basa rakati kuti waitosungirwa kucheneswa nesu kuheadquarters. Kana usinakucheneswa nesu hauzvimanikidzire pavanhu; hazvinei kuti unemari, hazvinei kuti ungaunganidze machief akadii, hazvinei, hazvinei futi kuti vanhu vakakuvotere, hatikutambire."
Mugabe insisted that no single card-carrying individual was greater than the party.
In an apparent vote buying gimmick, Kereke, in June this year, handed over 30 tonnes of maize to seven chiefs from Bikita district for distribution to war veterans and hunger-stricken villagers.
He went on to donate US$7,000 to the Bikita district war veterans' leadership to spruce up Bikita District Heroes Acre and also building a pre-cast wall around the district shrine which was in a state of disrepair owing to years of neglect.
Kereke, who runs the upmarket Rock Foundation Hospital in one of Harare's northern suburbs, also took with him, a group of doctors and nurses to his Bikita constituency to give free specialist medical treatment to villagers.
"We will never accept a person who is impudent, irresponsible, disobedient, non-compliant and will want to impose himself on others. Hatidii! Tinoda vanhu vanoterera murau. I obey the rules of the party and the rules of the country."
Mugabe, who is seeking a seventh term as president, told supporters he sanctioned the populist directive by local government minister Ignatius Chombo to cancel outstanding bills owed to local authorities countrywide claiming the debtswere due to the mismanagement of MDC-led councils.
He urged his followers to vote overwhelmingly for his party to restore the yesteryear Zanu PF "one-party-state" which he said operated better than the outgoing hybrid administration he formed 2008 with his rivals.
Labels: ELIAS MUSAKWA, MUNYARADZE KEREKE, ROBERT MUGABE
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26/07/2013 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter
A KENYAN journalist has been detained in Zimbabwe for entering the country to cover the July 31 polls without requisite accreditation.
Charles Omondi was detained at the Harare International Airport by immigration on Thursday on allegations that he did not have adequate accreditation papers as required by Zimbabwe Electoral Laws.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission is responsible for the accreditation of all journalists intending to cover the polls next Wednesday.
Human rights lawyers said on Thursday they were battling to secure Omondi's release who works for the Nairobi-based the Nation newspaper.
"We sent a lawyer, Wellington Pasipanodya from our media lawyers' network but he was denied to see him," said Jacqueline Chikakano, a legal officer with the Media Institute of Southern Africa Zimbabwe Chapter.
"He was told that he is not on Zimbabwe soil since he is yet to be legally allowed into the country. I called an immigration official they said there is nothing that can be done as he will be deported," she said.
There was no immediate comment from Immigration but sources said Omondi was likely to be deported later Friday.
Labels: CHARLES OMONDI, JOURNALISM, KENYA
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Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Sunday, 21 July 2013 00:00
Morris Mkwate recently in Maseru, Lesotho
"Oa bona! Batho ba morata moo Lesotho; ba moetsetsa lhiatse!" An animated Basotho intelligence operative beamed as he "panned" his index finger across Setsoto Stadium, pointing at thousands of his cheering countrymen who warmly acknowledged the presence of President Mugabe at King Letsie III's 50th birthday anniversary celebrations in Maseru, Lesotho, last Wednesday.
Gesturing while remaining slightly stern-faced, the operative had earlier intimated his deep admiration and affection for Cde Mugabe to this writer.
The conversation, which opened with banalities regarding our nationalities and professions, centred on the relations between Zimbabwe and Lesotho.
And as the conversation drifted towards the reasons for his and the rest of the Basotho's reverence for the President, he appeared intent on seeking proof to buttress his point. It was then that the master of ceremonies made his task lighter.
Cde Mugabe had just taken his seat in the top-most stands alongside his Namibian counterpart, President Hifikepunye Pohamba, King Mswati III of Swaziland and Botswana's President Seretse Khama Ian Khama.
The MC subsequently announced the presence of the leaders; one by one.
When the announcement of the Zimbabwean leader's name boomed across the stadium, Cde Mugabe promptly rose from his seat.
Sporting a dark suit, matching white shirt and warm smile, he waved to the packed 15 000-seater sports arena.
And voila! The proof the operative had been searching for came forth! The crowd gustily waved and cheered at President Mugabe, prompting the intelligence man to shout: "Oa bona! Batho ba morata moo Lesotho; ba moetsetsa lhiatse!" meaning, "You see! The people of Lesotho love him; they are cheering at him!"
The operative's gleeful sentiment just about summed up President Mugabe's visit to Lesotho last week. To many Basotho, the visit was akin to the home-coming of a victorious warrior; a hero who had stayed away from home for far too long.
They had watched him execute numerous successful forays, albeit from a distance. Now he had returned home to the loving embraces of his people. To the roving eye, it was easy to detect the aura of affection that accompanied Cde Mugabe's every step.
Those who saw him touch down at Moshoeshoe I International Airport on Tuesday evening gazed like one would at a spectacle.
Eyes darted from the red carpet spread on the tarmac to the handshakes the Zimbabwean leader extended to members of the official Lesotho welcoming party.
Even as he turned up at a state banquet hosted at Maseru Sun later that evening, the palpable sense of affection still lingered. The President spoke on behalf of Southern African leaders in an address that guests at the dinner will no doubt preserve in their memories.
He serenaded his listeners with great humour. He gave them points to ponder. He also left a lasting impression, an indelible imprint that will forever remain fresh in their minds. In one of his humorous moments, President Mugabe revealed how he had propelled King Letsie III from bachelorhood into marriage.
Always one quick to conjure humour, he told the gathering that the king's late mother became increasingly worried that her son was not showing interest in getting married. He said his marriage to First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe motivated the king to seek out a bride.
"How could I, at 72, get married and he remain unmarried? At that age? Really?" he said, drawing hearty laughter from guests.
"So, I inspired him," he added, as his address from that point on became punctuated with spurts of laughter and applause.
The President did not only fill the otherwise cold Lesotho evening with his warmth; he also revealed the secret behind the strong affinity between Harare and Maseru.
"As people of the region, we are bound together by a common history, similar cultures and strong economic linkages. The people of Zimbabwe remember with fond memories the assistance that the Kingdom of Lesotho rendered to them during the days of the liberation struggle despite the immense pressure exerted on your own country by the then apartheid rule in South Africa.
"I am equally aware that your country remained resolute to the cause for liberation in our region and some of those countries which got liberated with your assistance are represented here today. Your country educated a significant number of our citizens who went on to occupy key positions in Government on our attainment of independence and liberation.
"On our part, as Zimbabwe, I am delighted to note that we are training some Basotho, though in a small way.
"In 2010, our two countries agreed on a co-operation framework that has seen the training of Basotho students in surgery and medicine at the University of Zimbabwe. This is only a small good turn for what we received from your country."
More than 15 000 Basotho converged on Setsoto Stadium for the birthday celebrations which were broadcast live on national television and radio stations. Among those represented at the event were Basotho of various professions and backgrounds.
Several of those who interacted with the Zimbabwean delegation had stories to tell. They poured out their admiration for the President; they opined how the policies the country has implemented would boost the economy.
Even King Letsie spoke of Cde Mugabe's "genuine friendship and solidarity and his love for Lesotho and Basotho" in his main address.
Mr David Mabote, the managing director of Business Edge, a top business newspaper in Lesotho, said President Mugabe's empowerment policies resonate with many Basotho.
He said many of his fellow countrymen believe Cde Mugabe is among the true African icons, adding that the continent would be better developed if the rest of its leaders shared the President's vision.
"Basotho really love President Mugabe. They believe Robert Mugabe is one of the last leaders Africa has produced.
"For me, I do not think Africa will ever produce anyone like Robert Mugabe. I understand his background; how the country came about.
"He is principled and stands for what he believes in, in spite of whatever his detractors try to do. He is one of the leaders I respect in sub-Saharan Africa. If only the other leaders would co-operate on particular policies, then we would be at a higher level by now.
"The most important policy is on land. It is very good and has to be supported to boost economic performance."
Visions magazine editor Manyathela Kheleli recalled Cde Mugabe's contribution in resolving the political problems that beset Lesotho in the 1990s.
He said he respected the President for enunciating policies aimed at uplifting the lives of his people.
"He was deeply engaged together with South Africa. Zimbabwe and South Africa were among the countries that played a pivotal role in resolving those problems. The intervention showed the commitment of Sadc.
"At a personal level, I like him (Cde Mugabe) a lot for his principles and even his stance on gay rights. To have a leader who stands from the liberation struggle to now speaks volumes. He is still going strong.
"He speaks his mind; he also speaks like an African.
"He cherishes being African. For him, it has always been difficult to reverse the effects of apartheid and colonialism, but he tries his best. It makes him different from other leaders in Africa.
"He also makes policies that are pro his people. Your country has been under sanctions, but he has stood firm.
"He is a credible leader, just to cut the long story short."
Labels: LESOTHO, ROBERT MUGABE
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Koudijs MKorma — united Russian-Dutch enterprise, established in 2009 on the basis of two companies: De Heus corporation, one of the world market leaders of feed additives, which has a 100 year history, and МКоrmа, an exclusive supplier of De Heus production in Russia since 1994 year. Currently company provides with the total complex of service in agricultural animals feeding. It is one of the leaders in the field of manufacturing and selling of premixes, concentrates, prestarters and feed additives on Russian territory.
Special pride of the company – expert sales maintenance: feeding programs and enterprise microclimate optimization, performance of raw materials and finished products precise analysis on the territory of Russia and abroad.
The company builds its business with the assistance of agricultural sector senior staff experts: its members have great experience in the research and practice field, they also have diplomas of leading Higher Educational Institutions of Russia.
Koudijs MKorma owns two "De Heus" plants, situated in Lakinsk, Vladimir region. The production capacity of the premix plant enables to produce up to 120 000 tones of premixes annually. The total capacity of the prestarter production plant – 60,000 tones per year.
Our partners are the largest producers of agricultural products: Agroholding BEZRK Belgrankorm in Belgorod Oblast; LLC Kamsky Bekon and LLC Chelni Broiler in Tatarstan; Agricultural OJSC Belorechenskoye in Irkutsk Oblast; OJSC Permsky Svinokoplex in the Perm Territory; CJSC Mordovsky Bekon in Mordovia and many others.
Koudijs MKorma endows into the professional communities formation. The company is a many years member of RosPtitseSojus, National Union of pig breeders, Feeders Union; takes part in different exhibitions and conferences regularly.
At present Koudijs MKorma is a dynamic company, developing new markets. It has a great number of many years' partners and a high reputation that is really gained.

subset: commoncrawl


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This polished slice of a kidney stone looks like diamonds when polarized light (vibrating in only two-directions similar to polarizing sun glasses) is used to illuminate a kidney stone wafer only a 4 millionths of a meter (micrometers) in thickness. A new generation of microscopy allows the observation of layering in kidney stone crystal fans at a scale of only 10's to 100's of a billionth of a meter (nanometers), an astounding spatial resolution that until recently was inaccessible with visible transmitted light.
Prof. Bruce Fouke is working with a team of researchers to better understand kidney stone formation. The work is part of the collaborative Mayo Clinic and University of Illinois Alliance for Technology-Based Healthcare research project on kidney stone genesis with Dr. John Lieske, Dr. Amy Krambeck, Dr. Nick Chia and Jessica Saw. The project involves both advanced petrography of the stones and research into the role of microbes in their deposition- a unique combination of approaches honed by the Fouke group over years of studying carbonate deposition in hot springs!
Photograph by Mayandi Sivaguru and Bruce W. Fouke. Image was collected on a Zeiss Inverted Apotome Microscope housed in the Microsocopy Core Facility of the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.


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Instituteof Shipbuilding Technology, Goa (ISBT) was established by Society for Industrial & Technical Education of Goa (SITEG) (formerly know as Shipbuilding Industry Society of Goa (SIG)) in the year 1981. Perhaps ISBT is the only institute in India to be established and managed by a group of Industries. Requirement of highly specialized trained manpower by the Shipbuilding / Barge building, repair and allied industries forced the industries in this business to come together under the banner of "Shipbuilding Industry Society of Goa" and established the Institute. Main objective of SITEG is to provide industry with well trained technical manpower to suit their requirements, and conduct retraining programmes for existing workforce.


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Universal car holder, ideal to use your smartphone safely and with the possibility of a 360 degrees rotation.
Equipped with a special suction cup that guarantees maximum adherence on your windshield, dashboard or desk.
The innovation of this product is the magnetic part of the holder in contact with your device. In fact the packaging includes two little magnetic plates: one can be placed between any kind of cover and the smartphone, while the other can be applied directly on the back of your device.
Compatible with most of air vents, it is characterized by a ultra-compact design which allows free access of charging cables and audio.
– magnetic car holder with special suction cup
– adhesive round metal plate
– rectangular metal plate