RUPIAH VOTES

PF CORRESPONDENT??

Post Newspaper reporter Patson Chilemba is sandwiched between Patrotic Front leader Michael Sata and general secretary Edward Mumbi during the PF's last rally in Lusaka on Wednesday.

SANDWICHED.

SANDWICHED

I HAVE BEEN UP-COUNTRY

I spend the last two weeks up-country on campaign trails. I have problems most of the times uploading stories and pictures to this website using my mobile internet because of technical reasons whose details I have sorted so far.
I am quite overwhelmed by the amount of work on my hands. I have great pictures and my biggest problem right now is how to select which ones to post because believe you me, all of them are great.
But I promise to do all that I can to get the story before the end of the of this polling day eve.
I am back in Lusaka and the atmosphere has been gripped by what I would call 'elections mania'.
I would like to salute all the followers to this website, who sent the comments, e-mails and other communication methods.
I was not able to respond to all of your request, but here, to make it up to you all.

Best regards
Richie.

PRADO THAT ALMOST PROVIDED LEGS TO BALLOT PAPERS

The Toyota Prado pcik-up that was found with ballot papers stuck inside the hanger.

MONITORS PICKETING WAREHOUSE

Elections agents picketing the disused for Zambia Airways hanger for presidential ballot papers that may have been hidden there.

PRESIDENTIAL BALLOTS GREW LEGS

John Zaza is mobbed and being interrogated by elections agents at the former Zambia Airways hanger.








ELECTIONS agents assigned to monitor presidential elections in Zambia on Wednesday intercepted a government-registered van, which was trying to illegally ferry presidential ballot papers to a remote district.
The agents were from all the four political parties contesting the October 30 polls. The parties are ruling MMD, which is fielding acting president Rupiah Banda, Patriotic Front (PF), fielding Michael Sata.
Others in the presidential race, which follows the death of President Mwanawasa on August 19, are United Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema and his counterpart from the Heritage Party Godfrey Miyanda.
The Toyota Prado registration number GRZ 841-CA was intercepted on Wednesday afternoon after an anonymous person tipped the observers.
The undisclosed number of ballots was stacked in drawers of office furniture.
This caused confusion at a disused hanger within the Lusaka international airport where the verification of the ballot papers was being done.
Opposition UPND secretary general Tiens Kahenya said this was a ploy to rig the elections.
And driver of the vehicle John Zaza said he was heading to Kalabo district of western Zambia.
Zaza said he was not aware of the ballot papers in the vehicle because he was only assigned to ferry a printer and office table to Kalabo.
But Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) Deputy Director Priscilla Isaacs also expressed ignorance over the ballots.
Ms Isaacs did not give a comprehensive response apart from saying that said it was wrong to put ballot papers in a government vehicle.
She called for calm over the matter because the ECZ was going to investigate the matter.

BREAKING NEWS-Van ladden with presidential papers intercepted

I received a report last evening alleging that a van ladden with ballot papers destined for Kalabo in western province was intercepted at Lusaka international airport.
Muvi television, which broadcasts to Lusaka and sourrounding areas also showed clips of irate elections agents who discovered the ballots.
Some agents hinted they were tipped that some ballots were about to be transported to Kalabo.
The driver was questioned by elections agents but he expressed ignorance about the presence of the ballot papers.
I am told there was confusion at the disused former Zambia Airways hanger where the elections agents demanded an explanation from electoral commission of Zambia deputy Priscilla Isaacs.
I have gone to work on my pictures.
Watch this space because I have also gone to gather the truth about the ballots allegations.

CONFUSION STEAL LIMELIGHT AT PRESIDENTIAL BALLOT VERIFICATION

Members of different political parties and other stakeholders clash during the voter verification exercise in Lusaka.



TEMPERS flared during the presidential ballots verification exercise in Lusaka when elections agents from political parties demanded that the extra 600, 000 ballots papers be identified and destroyed before the programme could start.
The elections agents started shouting on top of their voices inside a disused hanger at Lusaka international airport where the ballots are being stored.
At some point, the elections agents differed in opinion among themselves and started opposing each other.
Confusion reigned as each individual wanted to be heard. This caused a near punch-up but alert police officers intervened and brought the opposing factions under control.
This is the second that the 600, 000 extra ballots have raised dust after the initial saga when the elections agents refused Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) explanations on why the ballots were transported to Zambia in batches.
The verification exercise was planned to start at 09:00 hours but it was delayed for over three hours because of the demands.
Initially, the opposition Heritage Party elections agents who did not arrive at the venue on time initiated the delay.
But after all the agents gathered to get guidelines on the verification, some individuals burst out their concerns on the extra ballots, turning the entire scene in mayhem.
The elections agents refused to get explanations from ECZ principal elections officer Wina Mwanamonga who had referred all queries to deputy director, Brown Kasaro. Mr Kasaro, who rushed to the airport from the ECZ offices was at pains to make an assurance that the matter regarding the 600, 000 extra ballots would be extensively discussed between the leaders of the participating political parties during a meeting the following day.
“The matter on the extra ballots is an agenda item for tomorrow’s meeting,” Mr Kasaro said.
Earlier, Mwanamonga had a tough explaining to the elections agents who boycotted the verification programme and demanded that the queries on excess ballot papers be addressed before the exercise could start.
One of the major voices during the boycott was United Party for National Development (UPND) national trustee, Walusiku Nyambe who said the controversial ballot papers identified before any accompanying documents could be dispatched to the districts.
“There had never been a national election where the turnout had been 100 percent and therefore, there is no need to have 600,000 extra ballot papers,” she said.
And Patriotic Front (PF) member of central committee (MCC) Samuel Mukupa demanded that the extra ballot papers be separated from the others and destroyed in the presence of elections agents.
And Anti Rigging Zambia (ARZ) executive director, Kaluba Simuyemba who was among the stakeholders said his organisation was trailing all the ballot papers to ensure that there was no foul play.

NO MORE TROUBLE!!

Lusaka international airport police chaplain Mr Chibuye counseling MMD electoral agent after confusion ensued before the start of the presidential ballot verification exercise in Lusaka yesterday.

FISHED OUT

Police officers taking MMD elections agent Joseph Banda out of the arena where confusion ensued before the presidential ballot verification exercise.

ELECTIONS OFFICER MAKES A CLARIFICATION

Elections officer Mwanangombe Wina making a clarification on the extra ballot papers.

CONFUSION CHARACTERISES ARRIVAL OF PRESIDENTIAL BALLOT PAPERS

Electoral Commission of Zambia chairperson Florence Mumba (far left) in a confrontation with UPND election agent Tiens Kahenya (far right)on why the Presidential ballot papers will come to Zambia in two batches. Yhis was at Lusaka international airport where the ECZ has set up a ballots centre in one of the unused hangers.



Confusion yesterday characterised the arrival of Presidential ballot papers at Lusaka international airport. Althoug a near punch-up was not eminent, the scene remained tense because tempers flared and the individuals involved used strong language to put their points across. They also continued to point daring fingers at each other. Police armed with firearms kept vigil as the drama unfolded.
Agents from opposition political parties and other obervers refused to get an explanation from the electoral commission of Zambia (ECZ) on why the ballots were allowed to come in bacthes from South Africa. They suspected that this was a ploy to rig the elections.
ECZ chairperson Justice Florence Mumba and her officials engaged in an exchange of words when the opposing side insisted for an explanation.
One of the opponents was UPND's Tiens Kahenya who was visibly annoyed at the ECZ's decision to allow Universal Printing Group to bring the ballots in two batches.
"Mr Kahenya sit down! Justice Mumba ordered defiant Kahenya who asked to Judge to show some respect.
According to the ECZ, the ballots could not come all at once because of weight restrictions on the cargo plane.
But the elections agents from the political parties questioned why a second plane was not sourced to accommodate the remaining papers.
This was the bone of contention and most elections agents went away unsatisfied although the ECZ made a re-assirance that the remaining papers would arrive in Zambia on Monday OCtober 13 at 13:00 hours on the same flight.
Some elections agents also asked the ECZ to clarify the printing of extra ballot papers insisting that the effort was unnecessary because they did no expect 100 percent voter turn out and that some voters had died.

POLICE OFFICER SECURES BALLOTS

An unidentified police officer inspects the ballot pallets for ballot papers.

JUSTICE FLORENCE MUMBA INSPECTS BALLOTS

Electoral Commission of Zambia chairperson Justice Florence Mumba inspects pallets of ballot papers.

TIENS KAHENYA LAMBASTS PRINTING OFFICIAL

UPND elections agent Tines Kahenya lambasts an unidentified official from Universal Printing Group of South Africa who was trying to make an explanation on the ballot papers.

PICTURE MANIA

Representatives from different stakeholders using their mobile phone to takes pictures of Presidential ballot papers being offloaded from the South African Airways Cargo plane.

PRESIDENTIAL BALLOTS ARRIVE

Airport employees offloading pallets containing the Presidential ballot papers.

GRACE MUGABE CONSOLES MAUREEN MWANAWASA

Zimbabwe First Lady Grace Mugabe sobbing with Mrs Maureen Mwanawasa when she visited Mrs Mwanawasa at NKwazi House, the official residence for Zambia's President in Lusaka on Friday.
Mrs Mugabe came to mourn the late Mwanawasa because she could not make it during the late President funeral last month.

GRACE MUGABE CONSOLES MAUREEN MWANAWASA

FLOODS SUBMERGE KULOMA TOWER BUS STATION AGAIN

The drainage system at Lusaka Kulima Tower bus station remains poor with the onset of the rainy season. Lusaka residents and motorists have to wade through pools of water within the station.
Here, a woman negotiates her way within the bus station after the first rains that hit some parts of Lusaka on Firday afternoon.
For many critics, this is a good signal that the floods are going to devastate the city of Lusaka, just like to previous season when some families wre forced to leave their houses because the structures were submerged in water.

KULIMA TOWER FLOODS

POLICE HARRASS THE PICTUREMONGER

Last year, I took a picture like this at this same venue and around the same time.
Just that last year, it was my colleague Abel Mambwe who was attacked and abused by overzealous policemen.
This Time history was repeating itself and unfortunately, I was the victim.
A police officer manhandling me during the Global Boxing Union championship fight between Zambia's Esther Phiri and America's Hondi Hernandez.
These cops wanted to move me from a corner where I was taking pictures. They said was obstructing 'important people'. When I looked over my shoulder to look at the 'important people', I realised it was a bunch of intioxicated thugs.
I refused to move from that position, about 10 cops decended on me and did their thing.
The police have no right whatsoever to dictate to me which position at such events was best for me to get the shots I want.
They have not right to dictate what content or angles I want to my stories or pictures.
Theirs is a role that has to do with maintaining peace and order.
I refused to move because that was my best position. I was invited and allowed there by the event organisers and not those police officers.
The officers dragged me out of the arena but the intervention of Lusaka central police officer-in-charge Yobe Luhana saved me from further torment because intructed those senseless and unprofessional officers to stop the assault.
This is a pure abuse of the media and those officers need punishment and do not deserve to be in the service because they are the bad eggs that are tarnishing the image of the police and Zambia as a country.
I still insist that those police should never oppress media freedom. In any case, they should be protestors of this unavoidable right. The police must not join forces with human rights abusers like that.
Its has become fashionable for such police officers to abuse journalists in Zambia and go without punishment. This abuse is actually going into perpetuity.
Inspector General of police Ephraim Mateyo has spoken at many platforms against such action by the police to attack innocent and defenceless journalists.
I have a good working relationship with the police because they are present in many areas where I go to work and I can not avoid that.
The policemen who abused me should look at their role with level-headedness. Their services are needed in our Townships where levels of crime are alarming.

I have to work and co-orperate with the police because they are an important partner especially in my kind of work.
My challenge is for Mr Mateyo to show deeds and not words. Let Mr Mateyo show that he means his words, because his officers have continued to attack journalists and irgnoring his orders.

THE PICTUREMONGER BEING DRAGGED BY THE POLICE

RADIO PHOENIX TO STIR BACK TO LIFE JUST NOW

Today I got some reliable information that radio Phoenix will stir back to life very soon. Sometime on Tueday, or before or after.
I am told that a major part of the radio station was reserved, except for a cable that connects the station to other gadgets that are crucial to the transmission process.
It was the upper part of the station that gutted and it is 'not' critical to the station. So Mr Hickey can be on air we he sorts out the mess up there.
I wish him all the best!

RADIO PHOENIX HAS BEEN GUTTED

A RAGING fire yesterday swept through the 13th floor of Zimco building, which houses part of popular Lusaka private FM station, Radio Phoenix.
The floor accommodated Radio Phoenix’s recording and accounts departments where the inferno destroyed broadcasting equipment including radio transmitters valued in millions of Kwacha.
Radio Phoenix has since been silenced and some of its operations are on the knees.
According to eyewitnesses, the fire started around 14:30 hours (12:30 GMT) and is believed to have been sparked by an electrical error.
But the fire department took its usual delays to arrive at the scene and by the time they got to Cairo road’s Zimco house, the fire had almost died out. The firemen looked clumsy when they got to Zimco house.
By 16:00 hours, the Lusaka City Council fire department was strengthened by their counterparts from the Zambia Air Force (ZAF) and this helped manage the inferno.
Proprietor Errol Hickey watched in disbelief as the fire continued to consume the firm. For Mr Hickey, this was not history repeating itself because Radio Phoenix was once gutted when it was located at Society House.
Mr Hickey could neither tell the extent of the damage nor could he tell the exact value of the loss, but said it was colossal.
Some of the items that were lost include recording studio equipment, cameras, computers and other apparatus.
It was impossible for the firemen to draw water from the inside hydrants because maintenance was for these facilities has not been done in a long time.
This forced the firemen to fetch water from elsewhere but the traffic jams in the Capital city worked well in blocking a good speed.
But as the fire continued with the damage at the top of Zimco house, business came to a standstill along the southern end of Cairo road where scores of curious on-lookers thronged the direction of Zimco House to catch a glimpse of the ‘drama’.
All the firms that operate at Zimco house were forced to halt operations and others were evacuated. These include Indo-Zambia bank and Ethiopian Airlines.
But most of the activity was authored by street boys who chanted party slogans and shouted “we want change”.
These political party supporters believed that the gutting of Radio Phoenix was a political gymnastic, which was sponsored by some political agents that want to block their leaders from speaking out on Radio Phoenix’s popular talk show ‘Let the People talk’.
Officers from the Lusaka central police were called to keep vigil at the scene as the youths continued to chant slogans.

FIRE ON THE TOWER OF POWER

FIRE ON PHOENIX FM

FIRE, FIRE!!!

ERROL HICKEY-RADIO PHOENIX PROPRIETOR

Radio Phoenix owner Errol Hickey watches in dismay, his property burning to ashes.

POLITICISING THE SCENE

A group of people chanting Patrotic Front slogans cause commotion at the entrance of Zimco House. Most of them were young people who seemed to have nothing to do and found entertainment in making noise at the scene.

ZIMCO HOUSE FROM CAIRO

Some on-lookers watching the fire on top of Zimco House where Radio Phoenix is located.

MORE 2006 ELECTIONS AFTERMATH PICTURES IN CHAISA

Pictures By RICHARD MULONGA

These are pictures from Chaisa Township.
Here, a police officer at the door step of a suspected rioter who was spotted sneaking into his house after escaping the police dragnet.

DRAGGED OUT

Policemen drag a suspected rioter from his house. His mother pleads with the police that his son is innocent.
The police, the suspected rioter and his mother trip on a stone and it was a fast and short way down to the ground.

GRAGGED OUT

Police officers dragging a suspected rioter out of his house.

FALLING DOWN

Two policemen trip on a stone and fall down after dragging a suspected rioter out of his house.

ON THE GROUND

Two policemen on the ground with a suspected rioter and his mother (far right).

POLICEMEN TUMBLE WITH SUSPECTED RIOTER

Two policemen pulling themselves together after fall down with the suspected rioter.

FINALLY APPREHENDED

The suspected rioter is finally apprehended and being dragged to the police station.

POLICE ARREST RIOTER

STONE THROWERS

Rioters throwing stones at the police n Chaisa township.

2006 ELECTIONS AFTERMATH

Pictures By RICHARD MULONGA


THESE are images from the 2006 elections aftermath in Zambia.
I got the pictures from a shanty township called Ngombe (cattle). It is located east of Lusaka and about 15 minutes drive from the central trading district.
There were protests in Lusaka and the Copperbelt after supporters of losing opposition political parties took to the streets after believing that votes were stolen from their candidates.
In Lusaka, there were protests in Ngombe, Mandevu, Matero and Misisi township were irate residents engaged in violent protests. They attacked my innoncent people. They even had the audacity to smash a Zambia Red Cross Society motor vehicle, which was taking aid services to those who were injured during the violence.
Scores of protestors were beaten, injured and arrested by forceful police officers who moved in with full force to quench the riots.
I was there in most of the townships with the police and the scenes were not good at all.
Innocent women, children and old people suffered. I hope we reflect on the effect of electoral violence seriously as we approach October 30 and even as we go beyond that date. I know that there will be bruises, but let us go above that and accept whatever comes out of October 30.
It is critical that we remain calm and continue with our contributions to the development process of Zambia.
I am saying this, not because I am a coward, but I am worried about the effects of our violent actions everytime we fight. Injuring innocent people. Women and children who do not know about the politics. Who do not know about the government. Who do not know about, violence, war and crime.
WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS THAT WE MUST REALISE AS ZAMBIANS THAT WHAT WE SHOULD BE BRING OUT BEFORE OCTOBER 30, ON OCTOBER 30 THIS YEAR AND BEYOND IS ONE LOVE, ONE HEART AND ONE DESTINY.

2006 ELECTIONS

2006 ELECTIONS AFTERMATH