The forth-coming September 28 elections provide the backdrop. In this regard headlines scream at you - Scores Defect to MMD - that refers to the ruling party the Movement for Multiparty Democracy - this is the party that ousted first president Kenneth Kaunda in 1991. The news headline claims people were defecting from United democratic alliance (UDA), the Reform Party of former republican vice president Nevers Mumba and Michael Sata's Patriotic Front.
In the same vein Godfrey Miyanda - the Heritage party president is said to be undaunted by the low poll rating. There have been four polls - three suggesting that Mwanawasa will win the elections and one opting for Sata. I agree with Miyanda on one thing - all the polls appeared biased in one way or the other.
Amid the politicking ordinary life continues in Zambia. You become aware of this through headlines such as Two survive in Livingstone Plane crash - referring to a chartered plane that crashed in Livingston September 12 - the pilot and his passenger survived. An articulated refrigilated truck carrying chickens to the democratic Republic of Congo crashed and the driver survived. No mention is made about what happened to the chickens in a country that is full of hungry and poverty stricken people.
And without a government - all ministers ceased to perform their duties with the dissolution of Parliament and the calling for elections - though vice president Lupando mwape continues to perform his work illegally say the Law Association of Zambia and everyone else.
But according to the Law as prescribed by Levy Mwanawasa State counsel - it is important to refer to his being State Counsel (similar to the Queens Counsel in the United Kingdom) - it is legal. In zambia since Mwanawasa became a lawyer president our law is interpreted according to his understanding of the law. That is what he calls a government of laws and not men.
And without government - the state still worries about out-of-school children, according to the Ministry of Community Development and social services which has now expressed its concern. The public workers are promised a housing loan scheme while a father impregnated his 18 year old daughter in Kabwe and police arrested him.
In Mazabuka the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) opened a depot - the FRA is an agency charged with buying Zambia's crops - mainly maize. Now Mazabuka is one of the district that used to be in the maize growing areas of Southern Province.
Other mundane stories include a rural school sending an SOS as it needs K920 million for teachers houses and an ablution block for girls; Mufumbwe chief and some Koreans agree on mining terms, a United States expert on TB says monitor the administration of TB drugs while the frederick Ebert siftung representative in Zambia Gerd Botterweck advises the media and politicians to work in harmony
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