British Business Secretary Vince Cable today reaffirmed the importance of inward investment in rebalancing the economy, as he published figures showing 94,598 jobs created or safeguarded in 2010/11.
Crucially, over two thirds of new jobs came from existing investors. This demonstrates that companies investing in the UK are staying, growing and succeeding, stimulating growth across the country.
In a year when inward investment is recovering from global uncertainty, the UK has recorded a strong performance, attracting investment from 54 countries.
British Prime Minister David Cameron said:
"In this competitive, globalised world it is our determination to do all that we can to secure more investment, more jobs and more trade. This will be critical to get our economy back on track, to build sustainable long-term growth and help rebalance the economy so that we are not over reliant on any one industry or on one corner of the country.
"That is why we have radically stepped up the importance of trade and investment throughout government, to make sure we fly the flag for Britain at every opportunity, and ensure that Britain is the first choice destination for overseas companies.
"And I can assure investors that you have got a government that is absolutely on your side, we are cutting corporation tax, we are cutting red tape and our plan for growth puts at its heart the commitment to remove barriers to help companies invest and business to thrive."
The UK remains Europe’s top destination for foreign direct investment (FDI), attracting 28 projects each week and generating nearly 2000 jobs each week. This supports the UK’s position as the destination of choice for businesses of every size.
UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), the department that supports businesses coming to the UK, has been significantly involved in building up the country’s competitiveness in terms of inward investment.
In 2010 / 11 UKTI helped to generate nearly 50,000 jobs - up 6% on the previous year. This equates to 136 every day and 959 every week. Separately UKTI helped to set up 849 new projects, which itself is up 12% on 2009 / 10 figures.
Speaking to over 100 CEOs of the UK’s leading investors at UKTI’s Business Summit, British Business Secretary Vince Cable said:
“The UK is rightly proud of what it achieves in exporting ideas and products overseas, but also in bringing new technologies and talent home.
“When a business locates in the UK it can have a positive impact on local jobs and on improving skills across the country. With more overseas companies choosing the UK to set up their headquarters than anywhere else, we are in a good position to capitalise on these opportunities.”
British Foreign Secretary William Hague said:
“Sustained inward investment is crucial in maintaining our economic health, and so we must ensure that the UK remains an attractive place to do business and that foreign investors are aware of what we have to offer.
“FCO and UKTI staff, at our embassies and high commissions overseas, actively champion the UK’s strengths and I hope to see continued investment in the UK as a result.”
Jobs have increased across a range of sectors, including financial services, environmental technologies, e-commerce and software and computer services. The biggest of these increases was 212% in financial services, where London remains the world’s foremost financial centre.
Factfile – 2010/11
• The UK received investments from 54 countries.
• The USA continues to be the largest source of investments, generating 36,424 jobs (a 15% increase from 2009/10)
• Investment from Germany into the UK is rising.
• Australia, the UK’s 7th largest investor this year, generated 4,344 jobs, up 458%.
• India regained its position of the 4th largest investor with project figures up by 5% to 97.
• Spain moved up the ranking to 8th, with projects up by 47% (to 56) and jobs generated up by 116% (to 3,542).
• The UK’s top investors from the Eurozone remain France and Germany, with Switzerland and Italy making significant increases. Swiss projects increased to 45 (up 50%) whilst Italy generated 2,940 jobs (up 210%).
• The UK recorded a 41% increase in Environmental Technologies projects, resulting in 111 projects with 4, 096 associated jobs (up from 1,803).
• Financial Services saw the largest increase in associated jobs, up from 5,450 to 17,004 (a 212% increase).
• In November 2010 the Prime Minister launched ‘Tech City’ in Shoreditch, London, to encourage high value technology investment in the UK. It is now home to over 250 rapidly-growing companies.
Business Quotes
Mr Akio Fukui, CEO of Mitsubishi Power Systems Europe (MPSE), said:
"Being in the UK helps MPSE get closer to our UK and European customers. The UK is committed to having an open and competitive economy, and as an inward investor we were and are made to feel welcome and valued. There continue to be examples that the UK is keen to maintain and enhance its competitive position as a location for FDI, such as; the commitment to reduce corporation tax, taxation on foreign branch offices, and the so called patent box. UK Trade and Investment and Scottish Development International have helped us to understand the local market, access available support, as well as assisting us get the opportunity to showcase our business to relevant areas of Government. "
Mark Elborne, President and CEO of GE UK said:
“The UK is an important region for GE – in fact, it is the next biggest territory for GE outside of the United States. Over the past 10 years we have invested over £14billion in acquisitions in the UK as a result of the high levels of technology expertise, sector knowledge and ground breaking innovation here. The depth of skills and manufacturing tradition in this country are extremely attractive to a company like GE, which explain why we have chosen to locate over a dozen global centres of excellence here - researching, designing, and manufacturing innovative solutions which help to solve some of the biggest environmental and healthcare challenges we face both at home and overseas.”
Graham Lay, Vice President at HP Enterprise Services, said:
"The UK is an important market for HP; home to our largest R&D facility outside the US and the global centre for research on cloud computing and security technologies. The UK is also where we develop and deploy many of HP's most innovative technology solutions for customers, providing British enterprises with the technology required to compete globally. Underpinning this is the need for the UK to have a deep pool of highly skilled people and a positive environment for enterprise and innovation.
HP welcomes the encouragement in the higher education paper for greater collaboration between universities and businesses - such as the partnership HP enjoys with the University of West of England to jointly create and deliver a course on Enterprise Computing. We look forward to the government's forthcoming strategy on research and innovation and are committed to supporting measures that drive deeper links between education and enterprise."
Gary Hendler, CEO and President Eisai Europe Ltd, said:
“The UK has traditionally been an attractive market for life sciences industry investment due to its strong science base, its unique single healthcare system and stable business environment. The UK now however faces challenges for global investment from developing (BRIC) markets and it is vitally important that the UK sustains an attractive business environment to continue to attract investment in a time of limited resources. The UK is making good progress in this direction with research and financial measures, however patient access to innovative new medicines must be ensured to continue to attract investment.
“In 2009 Eisai chose Hatfield in the UK to base its European Knowledge Centre, a £100 million investment in drug discovery, development, management and manufacturing. This investment has been rewarded by the launch of Eisai's first independent oncology product Halaven - first launched in the UK and then the rest of Europe; and the recent submission for marketing authorisation of perampanel, a new class of treatment, discovered and developed by Eisai in the UK, as a treatment for partial-onset seizures in patients with epilepsy.”
UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) is the government department that helps UK-based companies succeed in the global economy. We also help overseas companies bring their high quality investment to the UK’s economy – acknowledged as Europe’s best place from which to succeed in global business.
UKTI offers expertise and contacts through its extensive network of specialists in the UK, and in British embassies and other diplomatic offices around the world. We provide companies with the tools they require to be competitive on the world stage.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
“Seven billion actions” for a common future
Lusaka, 11 July 2011, Today marks World Population Day in an important year for the global population–onOctober 31, the world population will reach 7 billion. In the 24 years since the first World Population Day, two billion people have joined the global
community – a remarkable growth considering it took over 150 years for the global population to grow from 1 to 3 billion.
Projections by the United Nations forecast the world’s population to rise to 9.2 billion by 2050.
Here in Zambia, we have seen similar remarkable population growth. Owing in large part to improvements in health care, including access to facilities and essential
medicines, and commensurate declines in infant and under-5 mortality rates, the population has grown from 8 million in 1990 to over 13 million today.
Although the annual population growth rate has been slowly declining, it is still high at 2.8% - each year; the population in Zambia grows by 350,000 people.
With this in mind, World Population Day provides an opportunity to pause and reflect on the remarkable achievements realized in Zambia, by people working together in a spirit of harmony, cooperation, and mutual respect.
“World Population Day seeks to focus attention on the urgency and importance of population issues, particularly in the context of overall development plans and programmes, and the need to find solutions”, said Mr. Duah Owusu-Sarfo, the United Nation’s Population Fund (UNFPA) representative to Zambia.
“It is also a day when we are reminded of our shared responsibility – to each other and to the land that we share. Although this is a remarkable year for the world’s population, we should not lose focus on the importance of each and every person as individuals.”
Population growth is not in and of itself a bad thing – its effects on development, both positive and negative, should not be exaggerated. What it means is that, for the world as a whole as well as here in Zambia, it is a Duah Owusu-Sarfo, UNFPA Representative(C); Mainga Luwabelwa, Assistant Director of National Planning, Ministry of Finance and National Planning (L); and Mr. Richard Banda, Census Manager,
Central Statistics Office(R)challenge when more people are confronted with the challenges of poverty, disease, and limited freedom of choice.
With a growing population comes an increased demand for access to essential social services – to education, health care, safe water, and sanitation – as well as greater needs for job creation, transportation, agricultural land and infrastructure. A larger population, unless matched by investment in social services,
places greater stresses on our shared natural resources.
A larger community, globally as well as here in Zambia, also provides tremendous potential. Working together, we have unprecedented opportunities to share ideas, unleash human potential, and cooperate toward common outcomes, such as achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). There are more people, with more voices and more hands, to work together to address underlying social and economic
conditions of underdevelopment.
Youth are an important part of the global community – they constitute more than a quarter of the world’s population, with most living in developing countries. In Zambia, there are more youth than ever before-almost half the population is under the age of 15, due to significant improvements in post-natal care.
Owusu-Sarfo said, “We are therefore reminded on World Population Day of the importance of investing in young people. Each and every adolescent deserves to grow up healthy, free of hunger, with access to education, and with decent prospects for employment.”
Investments and improvements in health, especially sexual and reproductive health, as well as in Education (secondary and tertiary), will ensure that youth are
equipped to be a powerful force for Zambia’s future economic growth and prosperity.
With a growing population comes a reminder of the role of girls and women– and of the enormous risks and challenges that they continue to face around the world.
As the sisters, daughters, and mothers of Zambia, girls and women are a powerful transformative voice for the country. Addressing gender equality, including reducing gender based violence and improving opportunities for access to positions of decision-making and economic empowerment, will help ensure the fullest participation of all Zambians in breaking the cycle of poverty.
“If every girl today could stay in school, have the number of children she desires, and live free of gender based violence and discrimination, we would see an end to child marriage, improved health for children and families, and women taking their rightful place in society,” said Owusu-Sarfo. Here in Zambia, it is important
to remember that 591 out of 100,000 mothers die each year while giving birth.
Protecting and promoting reproductive health and rights is critical – concerted action on this will help ensure that Zambia reaches its MDG target for improving maternal health and gender equality thereby the rest of the targets by 2015.
Last June, the United Nations launched the Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health, a $40 billion partnership between a number of UN agencies and key international partners, to build on existing synergies and efforts to accelerate progress on many of the MDGs, including reducing child mortality and improving
maternal health – success in these areas will in turn be a driver for realizing progress on many of the other MDGs.
This year, the 2011 Population Day marks the launch of the UN campaign, “7 Billion Actions” (www.7BillionActions.org), which will highlight how, now more than ever, individuals have the ability and the power to be a force for monumental change.
This is according to a statement by Sirak Gebrehiwot.
community – a remarkable growth considering it took over 150 years for the global population to grow from 1 to 3 billion.
Projections by the United Nations forecast the world’s population to rise to 9.2 billion by 2050.
Here in Zambia, we have seen similar remarkable population growth. Owing in large part to improvements in health care, including access to facilities and essential
medicines, and commensurate declines in infant and under-5 mortality rates, the population has grown from 8 million in 1990 to over 13 million today.
Although the annual population growth rate has been slowly declining, it is still high at 2.8% - each year; the population in Zambia grows by 350,000 people.
With this in mind, World Population Day provides an opportunity to pause and reflect on the remarkable achievements realized in Zambia, by people working together in a spirit of harmony, cooperation, and mutual respect.
“World Population Day seeks to focus attention on the urgency and importance of population issues, particularly in the context of overall development plans and programmes, and the need to find solutions”, said Mr. Duah Owusu-Sarfo, the United Nation’s Population Fund (UNFPA) representative to Zambia.
“It is also a day when we are reminded of our shared responsibility – to each other and to the land that we share. Although this is a remarkable year for the world’s population, we should not lose focus on the importance of each and every person as individuals.”
Population growth is not in and of itself a bad thing – its effects on development, both positive and negative, should not be exaggerated. What it means is that, for the world as a whole as well as here in Zambia, it is a Duah Owusu-Sarfo, UNFPA Representative(C); Mainga Luwabelwa, Assistant Director of National Planning, Ministry of Finance and National Planning (L); and Mr. Richard Banda, Census Manager,
Central Statistics Office(R)challenge when more people are confronted with the challenges of poverty, disease, and limited freedom of choice.
With a growing population comes an increased demand for access to essential social services – to education, health care, safe water, and sanitation – as well as greater needs for job creation, transportation, agricultural land and infrastructure. A larger population, unless matched by investment in social services,
places greater stresses on our shared natural resources.
A larger community, globally as well as here in Zambia, also provides tremendous potential. Working together, we have unprecedented opportunities to share ideas, unleash human potential, and cooperate toward common outcomes, such as achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). There are more people, with more voices and more hands, to work together to address underlying social and economic
conditions of underdevelopment.
Youth are an important part of the global community – they constitute more than a quarter of the world’s population, with most living in developing countries. In Zambia, there are more youth than ever before-almost half the population is under the age of 15, due to significant improvements in post-natal care.
Owusu-Sarfo said, “We are therefore reminded on World Population Day of the importance of investing in young people. Each and every adolescent deserves to grow up healthy, free of hunger, with access to education, and with decent prospects for employment.”
Investments and improvements in health, especially sexual and reproductive health, as well as in Education (secondary and tertiary), will ensure that youth are
equipped to be a powerful force for Zambia’s future economic growth and prosperity.
With a growing population comes a reminder of the role of girls and women– and of the enormous risks and challenges that they continue to face around the world.
As the sisters, daughters, and mothers of Zambia, girls and women are a powerful transformative voice for the country. Addressing gender equality, including reducing gender based violence and improving opportunities for access to positions of decision-making and economic empowerment, will help ensure the fullest participation of all Zambians in breaking the cycle of poverty.
“If every girl today could stay in school, have the number of children she desires, and live free of gender based violence and discrimination, we would see an end to child marriage, improved health for children and families, and women taking their rightful place in society,” said Owusu-Sarfo. Here in Zambia, it is important
to remember that 591 out of 100,000 mothers die each year while giving birth.
Protecting and promoting reproductive health and rights is critical – concerted action on this will help ensure that Zambia reaches its MDG target for improving maternal health and gender equality thereby the rest of the targets by 2015.
Last June, the United Nations launched the Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health, a $40 billion partnership between a number of UN agencies and key international partners, to build on existing synergies and efforts to accelerate progress on many of the MDGs, including reducing child mortality and improving
maternal health – success in these areas will in turn be a driver for realizing progress on many of the other MDGs.
This year, the 2011 Population Day marks the launch of the UN campaign, “7 Billion Actions” (www.7BillionActions.org), which will highlight how, now more than ever, individuals have the ability and the power to be a force for monumental change.
This is according to a statement by Sirak Gebrehiwot.
"Smart Dora" responds to Masebo
I did not like the reference to me by Sylvia Masebo as I don't need alcohol to speak but I thought her own conscious will help her see her mistake in talking about people and not issues.
That is why I ignored it instead of me attacking her. Lets end these attacks on her and myself and engage in talk and activities that will add value to our lives.
I wish you all and your families God's favour and a good week.
This is according to a message posted on her face book page.
Recently, Chongwe MP, Sylvia Masebo said she has restrained herself from responding to MMD
spokesperson Dora Siliya because half the time she Dora) was drunk.
“Those of us who were brought up in the village are taught that there are certain things a well brought up woman cannot say and do… I will leave the rest to you to judge.
Smart Dora, she is smart to those who think she is.
”Masebo said she has heard a lot of trash from Dora about accusations of information leakages from the party but decided to make a difference by avoiding quarrels with her because it was cheap and unnecessary.
That is why I ignored it instead of me attacking her. Lets end these attacks on her and myself and engage in talk and activities that will add value to our lives.
I wish you all and your families God's favour and a good week.
This is according to a message posted on her face book page.
Recently, Chongwe MP, Sylvia Masebo said she has restrained herself from responding to MMD
spokesperson Dora Siliya because half the time she Dora) was drunk.
“Those of us who were brought up in the village are taught that there are certain things a well brought up woman cannot say and do… I will leave the rest to you to judge.
Smart Dora, she is smart to those who think she is.
”Masebo said she has heard a lot of trash from Dora about accusations of information leakages from the party but decided to make a difference by avoiding quarrels with her because it was cheap and unnecessary.
TWO MORE MMD BIG WIGS TO DEFECT
More defections from the MMD of high profiled members is looming. watch this space......
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
MUVI JOURNALISTS HARASSED AT PF GENERAL CONFERENCE
Supporters of the opposition Patriotic Front (PF) yesterday harassed a MUVI Television crew which was assigned to cover the party's general Conference in Kabwe.
Inutu Mwanza and Bruce Mwale were verbally harassed by convicted PF leader, Michael Sata's body guard, Judge Ngoma in the presence of Post newspapers journalist, George Chellah while covering the proceedings of the conference.
Ngoma, who was last year convicted on two counts of assault in the Lusaka Magistrate’s court further issued death threats to defenceless, Inutu Mwanza.
The Crew was accused of filming for freelance journalist, Chanda Chimba III's controversial programme "Stand Up for Zambia".
The duo confirmed the development in Lusaka, today.
And MUVI Television management described the action by the cadres as unfortunate.
Company Director for Human resource and Administration, Alfred Tembo has since demanded an apology from the opposition party with immediate effect.
A visibly annoyed, Mr. Tembo added that journalists should be allowed to operate in an environment which is free from political interference and intolerance.
But the Patriotic Front-PF-has undeservedly apologized to MUVI Television for the incident.
Secretary-General, Wynter Kabimba issued the apology in Lusaka, today.
PF refutes media allegation linking it to Taiwanese funding…..
..........PF refutes media allegation linking it to Taiwanese funding…..
The Patriotic Front-PF-has refuted media allegations linking it to Taiwanese government funding.
Party Secretary-General, Wynter Kabimba told MUVI Television staffer, Mabvuto Phiri in an interview at his residence this evening, that his party has never received funding from the taiwanese government.
He described the report, as a total fabrication and misrepresentation of facts.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Masebo cautions drunken Dora
Chongwe MP Sylvia Masebo says she has restrained herself from responding to MMD
spokesperson Dora Siliya because half the time she Dora) was drunk.
“Those of us who were brought up in the village are taught that there are certain things a well brought up woman cannot say and do… I will leave the rest to you to judge.
Smart Dora, she is smart to those who think she is.”Masebo said she has heard a lot of trash from Dora about accusations of information leakages from the party but decided to
make a difference by avoiding quarrels with her because it was cheap and unnecessary.
spokesperson Dora Siliya because half the time she Dora) was drunk.
“Those of us who were brought up in the village are taught that there are certain things a well brought up woman cannot say and do… I will leave the rest to you to judge.
Smart Dora, she is smart to those who think she is.”Masebo said she has heard a lot of trash from Dora about accusations of information leakages from the party but decided to
make a difference by avoiding quarrels with her because it was cheap and unnecessary.
MEDIA HARASSMENT: The KAPONYA PHILOSOPHY
Zambia’s achievement in the media industry may be rendered useless if we do not guide jealously the unprecedented achievements recorded so far. But with the happenings in Kabwe at the Patriotic Front-PF-general conference, where media practitioners from the public media have been barred, this calls for concern especially from the party that claims to be the government in waiting.
These are the signs of a vindictive prospective government. Full of grudges and dictorial tenancies. Expect the death of blogging and media freedom once they assume power. Once in power they will spend all their term of office witch-hunting and plundering.
To term certain media as hostile and not worth having around in a democratic dispensation like Zambia sends shivers down my spine, worse such a threat coming from a very senior person in the PF, Guy Scot is unthinkable more so that Dr. Scot through his father has a rich media background is the highest denial to progressive forces that stand for media and freedom of expression.
Maybe it is an aspect of when you are in Rome do as the Romans do for Dr. Scot, for the PF, this situation is not alien but one of their ways of suppressing the media, once again from my archive, I present you an article headlined”PF Cadres Besiege Post”, which appeared in the paper on the 30th of September, 2006, in which the cadres besieged the Post Newspapers Bwinjimfumu offices protesting the publication of a story in a previous edition which was headlined 'Levy headed for victory'.
With the PF in power, they would close down all private media institutions criticizing them.
You equally remember how Mr. Sata failed to simply substantiate his claims that the votes had been rigged in an interview with the BBC at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre-MICC- .
Being a television journalist, we should firstly commend the public broadcaster for having taken their crew to Kabwe in the face of adversity to strive to cover all opposition political parties equally ahead of the 2011 polls in shaming the devil, which has always claimed that the opposition is never covered in the news on the national television.
The assigning of the crew was done at the expense of the hard earned tax payers’ money, which the Patriotic Front-PF-should have simply said thank and well done. But like I’ve said this is a repeat of history, I hope you remember the Lusaka PF convention at garden motel!!!! Just an iceberg, of waste things to come…….in case
We’re aware that some local radio station propagating Mr. Sata’s agenda have had all their bills paid for in ensuring the –path of image building is sustained at the expense of highlighting what is exactly happening at the conference.
Zambian people deserve better, not this “yellow journalism” of benefits. Condemning the Patriotic Front-PF-by the Media Institute of Southern Africa-MISA-is itself not a solution but providing an avenue in which ensure”objectivity and ethics outshines political interest.” It is no wonder we are the second highest ranked regarding cases of media freedom violation in the region from Zimbabwe.
When Mumba Phiri called, us dogs(Journalist from Government media, we protested in solidity but with the Kabwe incident, we seem to be quite, this is double standards/selective representation, is this why I voted for you guys at the last General meeting, think twice about your actions.
This is the time for self-examination PF, hostility towards the Scribes from the public media is not a solution. This could be the reason why Zambians do not need a Kaponyas in state house. The KAPONYA-style of PHILOSOPHY.
So what is the LAZ president’s take on this? Recently, the mother body for lawyers LAZ urged ZNBC to stop flouting the law in the manner it is currently covering national affairs. We’ll wait for your guidance on the matter, the one offered so far is not satisfactory!!!!!
But before I go, my archive piece is pending below…….
PF Cadres Besiege Post
30 September 2006
Lusaka — ANGRY Patriotic Front (PF) cadres yesterday besieged the Post Newspapers Bwinjimfumu offices protesting the publication of a story in yesterday's edition which was headlined 'Levy headed for victory'.
But quick action by police who sealed the Post Newspapers' premises stopped the cadres from entering the building.
Bivan Saluseki, Nomusa Michelo And Kwenda Paipi
Lusaka
PATRIOTIC Front cadres clashed with police over the election results in which their leader Michael Sata slipped to third position in the Presidential race.
And Sata has accused the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) of suppressing election results.
The cadres blocked Great East Road and started throwing stones around midday. Some of the stone-throwing cadres were picked up and bundled into police anti riot vehicles.
During the ensuing confusion, some of the people fled into Arcades shopping mall away from the advancing police officers supervised by Lusaka Division Commanding Officer Wazakaza Nguni.
The cadres, waving placards, had earlier peacefully protested outside Mulungushi International Conference Centre (MICC) where the election results were being announced.
Some of the placards read: "Mr Sata is not Mazoka, be careful, we are ready to die. We are ready to fight Levy and Vernon."
News of Sata slipping to third position filtered through to the cadres around 10:30 hours, immediately causing angry protests.
Sata has scooped majority votes in Lusaka and the Copperbelt over his fellow presidential candidates.
Police had a tough time controlling the cadres who at one point blocked part of the Great East Road.
Some of the cadres came from the University of Zambia and were ferried in minibuses. A lady cadre took on a male police officer who was only armed with a shot button and wanted to slap him.
However, some police officers rescued their colleague and took him to the centre's entrance.
The cadres also sang anti-Mwanawasa songs.
Police spokesperson Bonny Kapeso said police were monitoring the situation. Some of the cadres shouted that they would continue with street protests because Sata's votes had been manipulated.
And during a briefing at PF secretariat at the same time the protests were taking place, Sata claimed that the ECZ was suppressing elections results to make President Mwanawasa win the election.
"They are jittery, they are panicking. We need verification because now we have received information from all over the country where for example in Kabushi there was 14,000 in my favour but they gave me only 7,000 and they gave the MP only 7,000," he claimed. "They are trying to suppress these results. All they want is to make Mwanawasa to say that he has won."
Sata said for as long as the election results had not yet been announced by the Chief Justice, they (PF) still had the right to have the results verified.
"We have a right to verify station by station in all constituencies," he said Sata said he would not be intimidated, saying he had heard reports that he would be arrested for allegedly alarming the nation.
"They are trying to use all sorts of intimidation, psychological warfare," Sata said. "I have a constitutional right to defend my vote. I have a constitutional right to defend what they are trying to deprive me."
Sata said Mwanawasa would not have the conscience to rule the country with a stolen vote.
"Will he have the conscience to run the country when he has stolen a vote?" he asked. Sata said he had written to the ECZ to verify the elections results and complain about the selective release of results.
And Sata said it would be a sad day in the history of Zambia if elections were rigged. Reacting to President Mwanawasa's lead in the presidential polls at a press briefing at his house on Saturday evening, Sata said Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) chairperson Justice Ireen Mambilima should accept to verify all the presidential results that have been counted so far or face the consequences of running a fraudulent election.
"We have established more than 400,000 votes have been suffocated and this is mostly on presidential, nobody can tell us what has happened. We as PF are demanding immediate verification before the election results are announced," Sata
demanded. "If Justice Mambilima does not accept to verify the results she will bear the consequences of running a fraudulent election."
Sata said he did not see any reason as to why the verification cannot be done in that a candidate has got a right to demand for the verification of results.
"A candidate has a right to demand for the verification of results before they are handed over to the Chief Justice," he stated.
These are the signs of a vindictive prospective government. Full of grudges and dictorial tenancies. Expect the death of blogging and media freedom once they assume power. Once in power they will spend all their term of office witch-hunting and plundering.
To term certain media as hostile and not worth having around in a democratic dispensation like Zambia sends shivers down my spine, worse such a threat coming from a very senior person in the PF, Guy Scot is unthinkable more so that Dr. Scot through his father has a rich media background is the highest denial to progressive forces that stand for media and freedom of expression.
Maybe it is an aspect of when you are in Rome do as the Romans do for Dr. Scot, for the PF, this situation is not alien but one of their ways of suppressing the media, once again from my archive, I present you an article headlined”PF Cadres Besiege Post”, which appeared in the paper on the 30th of September, 2006, in which the cadres besieged the Post Newspapers Bwinjimfumu offices protesting the publication of a story in a previous edition which was headlined 'Levy headed for victory'.
With the PF in power, they would close down all private media institutions criticizing them.
You equally remember how Mr. Sata failed to simply substantiate his claims that the votes had been rigged in an interview with the BBC at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre-MICC- .
Being a television journalist, we should firstly commend the public broadcaster for having taken their crew to Kabwe in the face of adversity to strive to cover all opposition political parties equally ahead of the 2011 polls in shaming the devil, which has always claimed that the opposition is never covered in the news on the national television.
The assigning of the crew was done at the expense of the hard earned tax payers’ money, which the Patriotic Front-PF-should have simply said thank and well done. But like I’ve said this is a repeat of history, I hope you remember the Lusaka PF convention at garden motel!!!! Just an iceberg, of waste things to come…….in case
We’re aware that some local radio station propagating Mr. Sata’s agenda have had all their bills paid for in ensuring the –path of image building is sustained at the expense of highlighting what is exactly happening at the conference.
Zambian people deserve better, not this “yellow journalism” of benefits. Condemning the Patriotic Front-PF-by the Media Institute of Southern Africa-MISA-is itself not a solution but providing an avenue in which ensure”objectivity and ethics outshines political interest.” It is no wonder we are the second highest ranked regarding cases of media freedom violation in the region from Zimbabwe.
When Mumba Phiri called, us dogs(Journalist from Government media, we protested in solidity but with the Kabwe incident, we seem to be quite, this is double standards/selective representation, is this why I voted for you guys at the last General meeting, think twice about your actions.
This is the time for self-examination PF, hostility towards the Scribes from the public media is not a solution. This could be the reason why Zambians do not need a Kaponyas in state house. The KAPONYA-style of PHILOSOPHY.
So what is the LAZ president’s take on this? Recently, the mother body for lawyers LAZ urged ZNBC to stop flouting the law in the manner it is currently covering national affairs. We’ll wait for your guidance on the matter, the one offered so far is not satisfactory!!!!!
But before I go, my archive piece is pending below…….
PF Cadres Besiege Post
30 September 2006
Lusaka — ANGRY Patriotic Front (PF) cadres yesterday besieged the Post Newspapers Bwinjimfumu offices protesting the publication of a story in yesterday's edition which was headlined 'Levy headed for victory'.
But quick action by police who sealed the Post Newspapers' premises stopped the cadres from entering the building.
Bivan Saluseki, Nomusa Michelo And Kwenda Paipi
Lusaka
PATRIOTIC Front cadres clashed with police over the election results in which their leader Michael Sata slipped to third position in the Presidential race.
And Sata has accused the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) of suppressing election results.
The cadres blocked Great East Road and started throwing stones around midday. Some of the stone-throwing cadres were picked up and bundled into police anti riot vehicles.
During the ensuing confusion, some of the people fled into Arcades shopping mall away from the advancing police officers supervised by Lusaka Division Commanding Officer Wazakaza Nguni.
The cadres, waving placards, had earlier peacefully protested outside Mulungushi International Conference Centre (MICC) where the election results were being announced.
Some of the placards read: "Mr Sata is not Mazoka, be careful, we are ready to die. We are ready to fight Levy and Vernon."
News of Sata slipping to third position filtered through to the cadres around 10:30 hours, immediately causing angry protests.
Sata has scooped majority votes in Lusaka and the Copperbelt over his fellow presidential candidates.
Police had a tough time controlling the cadres who at one point blocked part of the Great East Road.
Some of the cadres came from the University of Zambia and were ferried in minibuses. A lady cadre took on a male police officer who was only armed with a shot button and wanted to slap him.
However, some police officers rescued their colleague and took him to the centre's entrance.
The cadres also sang anti-Mwanawasa songs.
Police spokesperson Bonny Kapeso said police were monitoring the situation. Some of the cadres shouted that they would continue with street protests because Sata's votes had been manipulated.
And during a briefing at PF secretariat at the same time the protests were taking place, Sata claimed that the ECZ was suppressing elections results to make President Mwanawasa win the election.
"They are jittery, they are panicking. We need verification because now we have received information from all over the country where for example in Kabushi there was 14,000 in my favour but they gave me only 7,000 and they gave the MP only 7,000," he claimed. "They are trying to suppress these results. All they want is to make Mwanawasa to say that he has won."
Sata said for as long as the election results had not yet been announced by the Chief Justice, they (PF) still had the right to have the results verified.
"We have a right to verify station by station in all constituencies," he said Sata said he would not be intimidated, saying he had heard reports that he would be arrested for allegedly alarming the nation.
"They are trying to use all sorts of intimidation, psychological warfare," Sata said. "I have a constitutional right to defend my vote. I have a constitutional right to defend what they are trying to deprive me."
Sata said Mwanawasa would not have the conscience to rule the country with a stolen vote.
"Will he have the conscience to run the country when he has stolen a vote?" he asked. Sata said he had written to the ECZ to verify the elections results and complain about the selective release of results.
And Sata said it would be a sad day in the history of Zambia if elections were rigged. Reacting to President Mwanawasa's lead in the presidential polls at a press briefing at his house on Saturday evening, Sata said Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) chairperson Justice Ireen Mambilima should accept to verify all the presidential results that have been counted so far or face the consequences of running a fraudulent election.
"We have established more than 400,000 votes have been suffocated and this is mostly on presidential, nobody can tell us what has happened. We as PF are demanding immediate verification before the election results are announced," Sata
demanded. "If Justice Mambilima does not accept to verify the results she will bear the consequences of running a fraudulent election."
Sata said he did not see any reason as to why the verification cannot be done in that a candidate has got a right to demand for the verification of results.
"A candidate has a right to demand for the verification of results before they are handed over to the Chief Justice," he stated.
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