Top news items in major Zambian media outlets

The following are news highlights in Zambia's major media outlets on Wednesday.

-- Zambia has clinched a five-year deal for the supply of cheap oil from Saudi Arabia.

Minister of Energy and Water Development Dora Siliya said the 20 million U.S. dollars supply of cheap-priced fuel deal will reduce pressure on the treasury and help reduce the fuel pump price.

The five-year concessional financing deal with Saudi Fund for Development will see Saudi Arai supplying petrol to Zambia 7.10 dollars per barrel while diesel will be pegged at 7.10 dollars per barrel. (Zambia Daily Mail)

-- Only five out of the 46 registered political parties have successfully paid the presidential nomination fees ahead of Zambia's general election this year.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) set May 17 as deadline for all political parties to deposit at least half of the presidential nomination fees or be excluded from the election. The nomination fee has been pegged at 75,000 Zambian kwacha.

Cris Akufuna, the electoral body's public relations manager said any of the presidential aspiring candidates who fail to deposit half of the fees as demanded would be disqualified. (Daily Nation)

-- The Tourism Council of Zambia (TCZ) said the country has started recording some cancellations and reduced foreign tourist arrivals due to political violence.

Alex Munthali, the chairperson of the tourism body, said political violence experienced ahead of the August 11 general election has sent shivers, resulting in cancelation in reduced international tourist arrivals.

He has since called on political players not to tolerate violence as this would affect the country's economic development.

Recently, the United States and Britain warned their citizens to be careful of political violence if they intend to visit Zambia. (The Post)

-- Zambia's electoral body has asked the police to investigate how a private tabloid got voters' cards and national identification cards it displayed purported to belong to foreigners.

On Monday, the Post published details of foreigners who have been mobilized by the ruling party to register as voters in the August 11 polls.

The paper claimed it carried out investigations over a period of six months in which senior ruling party officials facilitated the registration of thousands of Malawians, Mozambicans, Angolans, and Tanzanians to take part in the elections as part of a ploy to help the ruling party retain power.

But Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) public relations manager Cris Akufuna said the police should get interested in knowing how the tabloid managed to get people's cards by launching investigations.

The electoral body has also questioned the authenticity of the cards that the tabloid displayed on its front page, saying the cards were "cooked up". (Zambia Daily Mail) Endit