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ZAMBIA Police Service Inspector General of Police Stella Libongani has said that the police was ready to police the Livingstone by election as it has sent 420 officers to Livingstone.  She said the police were not consulted before the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) made the decision to postpone the Livingstone by election. She was speaking in an interview, she said that it was costly to police Livingstone and called on ECZ to consider shorten the period that it had given for the by election to be held. “As police we are firm on the ground as we have enough officers who could have policed the bye election,” she said. “We can’t fail to police the Livingstone by election,” she said  Ms Libongani said the police had spent about KR 1,000,000 to facilitate the presence of the police officers in the tourist capital. The inspector general of police urged ECZ to consider bring the election date even before 14th of March as the police are not consulted over this. ...

THE Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet Ambassador Peter Kasanda has expressed shock at the lack of development in Kazungula district despite the district existing for over 14 years. Speaking when he addressed heads of department in Kazungula district, Ambassador Kasanada said that the district is the nucleus of service as it was the beginning of service delivery. He was accompanied to Kazungula by Permanent Secretary for policy analysis and coordination division cabinet office Bernard Kampasa, Permanent Secretary of parliamentary business Dr Simon Miti, Southern Province Permanent Secretary Chileshe Mulenga. He said that this is what was meant by bottom up approach and that Kazungula district was not peculiar to that. Ambassador Kasanda said that the civil servants need to remember that the country was in political dispensation under a party that has made promises to the people. “The promises that the party made are in the patriotic front (PF) party manifesto, I encourage...

The Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet Ambassador Peter Kasanda said that Government was aware of the challenges that the civil servants are facing in implementing the programmes for the people. Speaking when he addressed heads of department in Livingstone district and toured, he said the Government would ensure that where it was not seeing any progress it moves in and ensure that things being to work. “The Government will ensure that where it does not see progress it works on it and that the reason why we are here to appreciate what are the challenges on the ground,” he said. Ambassador Kasanda said his team was on a mission to ensure that the Government programes are implemented on time. Ambassador Kasanada said the job of the civil servant was to implement government programmes.  “If the funding is given to them they would implement the Government programmes,” Ambassador Kasanda said. He said the issue of giving the funds to the ministries on time was being tabled...

THE police in Livingstone have released over 10 United Party for National Development (UPND) members that were arrested and screened to help the police with investigations in connection with various offences linked to the murder of Harrison Chanda a Patriotic Front (PF) official. Southern Province Commissioner of Police Charity Katanga confirmed to Sunday times in Livingstone yesterday that UPND director of strategy and mobilisation Request Muntanga had been released from custody for insufficient evidence that was linking him, who is also UPND MP for Kalomo to the murder.  She said that amongst those that had been released was UPND Livingstone district spokesperson Neto Halwabala and party chairperson for elections Ackson Sejani amongst others. Mrs Katanga said despite being re-arresting UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema’s special assistant William Banda on Friday, he has been released on police bond  awaiting court appear soon. She said that Mr Banda had other o...

By CHALI MULENGA A LIVINGSTONE resident from Malota Township Kenneth Kalomo, unknown age, has been sentenced to 18 days in prison for removing Patriot Front (PF) campaign posters in the city. This was after Mr Kalomo pleaded guilty to a charge of removing PF campaign posters in the city contrary to the laws of Zambia. Mr Kalomo appeared before Livingstone magistrate Chola Musonda yesterday. Facts before the court are that on the 5th of February Evans Mubanga was sticking posters in the compound and then saw the accused who was removing the posters. Mubanga then informed the police, who later arrested the accused. In mitigation, Kalombo said that he had two children, and he was an orphan and he was the sole bread winner for his siblings. Kalombo begged for forgiveness from the court and that he would never do it again as he had learnt his lesson. And in sentencing him, magistrate Musonda said that offence in question attracts a maximum sentence of two years but senten...

THE Patriotic Front (PF) Southern Provincial Political secretary Brian Hapunda has urged Livingstone residents to turn out in large numbers to vote for in the forth by –election. Mr Hapunda said that it is the responsibility of the        political parties that are contesting in this election to encourage their members to vote. “We need to engage the media to so that we carry out our messages,” he said. Mr Hapunda urged the people in Livingstone especially to remain calm as the party continues to mobilize. He said that the party will continue to engage with silent and media campaign. He said that the PF party is on the ground disseminating information on the need to vote. “If the people do not vote in the forth coming election, they should not blame anyone,” he said. Mr Hapunda said that PF is a democratic and that the party will accept the outcome of the elections. He also urged the opposition to accept the elections results that will be outcome. H...