Serowe — PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda has said Botswana and Zambia have common problems in the provision of health service.

He said yesterday that both countries were geographically large and had scattered populations, making it difficult for the governments to provide adequate health care to all the people.

Mr Banda was speaking when he commissioned the upgraded Serowe Health Institute of Sciences, which is a training facility for nurses and midwives.

The president praised the government of Botswana for placing emphasis on training facilities for health workers.

He said health services had a direct impact on development as an unhealthy population could not be productive.

Mr Banda later laid a wreath on the grave of Botswana's first president, Seretse Khama.

He was in Botswana at the invitation of Lieutenant-General Khama to officiate at the opening of Serowe Health Institute of Sciences.

Meanwhile, President Banda has said he would ensure Zambia has a transparent electoral system as the country goes to the polls next year.

He said this when he addressed the Zambian community resident in Botswana during his two-day State visit.

Mr Banda denounced the culture of violence that was emerging in Zambian politics, saying his counterparts in the opposition were not addressing the issue.

On arrival in Lusaka last evening, President Banda described as nonsense assertions that the Government neglected the late Mpulungu member of Parliament (MP) Lameck Chibombamilimo who died in India on Monday.

He said it was not possible for him to neglect Mr Chibombamilimo as alleged by some media organisations.

Mr Banda told journalists at Lusaka International Airport that people insinuating that his Government did not act in the interest of the former deputy minister of Energy were wrong because his administration did the best it could.

He said it was unfortunate efforts put together to save Mr Chibombamilimo's life failed.

Mr Banda said the Government did not delay to evacuate the late MP as alleged by some political leaders.

Mr Chibombamilimo's death was confirmed by MMD acting national secretary Chembe Nyangu on Monday.

The Government evacuated Mr Chibombamilimo to India last month following kidney complications.

And the president assured Zambians that all his trips abroad were beneficial to the Zambian economy.

He said he would not engage in trips that were meaningless to the Zambian people and that his trip to Botswana was in response to the invitation by his Botswana counterpart, Gen Khama.