HH INDECISION A HUGE IMPENDIMENT – KALABA

By Chambwa Moonga

WHEN are you moving to Nkwazi, Harry Kalaba has asked President Hakainde Hichilema.

Nkwazi is the official residence of the President of Zambia at State House.

Meanwhile, Kalaba says the inertia by President Hichilema to appoint key government officials is appalling.

Kalaba, the opposition Democratic Party (DP) president, also says President Hichilema’s campaign against corruption will yield nothing, because he has kept many key people from the previous regime in sensitive government offices.

Hichilema, who assumed the Republican presidency on August 24, turns 60 days in office today.

Hitherto, the President has constituted a 25-member Cabinet, one permanent secretary (John Msimuko) at the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment, his aides at State House and Dr Oliver Mubita Kalabo (State House permanent secretary) – now acting deputy Secretary to Cabinet.

“We had given the UPND 90 days to settle down but we keep [on] seeing a lot of issues that are not going right. I was hoping [that] in the 90 days, President Hakainde Hichilema will move to State House,” Kalaba said on a Capital FM radio programme, hosted by Frank Mutubila on Thursday. “[But] I’m made to understand [that] he is still [at] Community House (President Hichilema’s private residence in New Kasama, Lusaka). That is an abrogation of the trust of the people of Zambia, and the President must check himself. He might be made to answer for this going forward.”

Kalaba, a former foreign affairs minister, explained that: “what has happened now is that the budget for his military regime has now become heavier.”

“You have now people coming from…Because there are two presidential satellite points – State House and State Lodge. [But] he has created a third one, which is Community House. Where a President stays, that’s a place that is…” he noted.

He indicated that former US president Donald Trump wanted to do what: “the President is doing.”

“He (Trump) said he had a better house than the White House. [But] the Americans told him [that] ‘we have given you this house. This is who we are as Americans. You wanted to be the President and so can you please represent us by being in our house,’” Kalaba said. “It’s the same with President Hakainde Hichilema. When you are President, you cease to be…Some of the decisions you make, are not personal. And even for the police, this route lining around New Kasama; people have to be stopped going for work, 30, 40 minutes. People have to wait for the President to pass. Traffic [jam] has to become exacerbated.”

He stressed that President Hichilema ought to move into State House.

“I know from my past experience that when a president is moving into a new place, everything is changed to give the new President a new lease of life,” he said. “So, President Hakainde Hichilema must consider moving into State House and give space to the police who have been lining up.”

Kalaba noted that while he did not know how the UPND was run, “from what I’m seeing, there is very limited consultation that is going on in that house.”

“Well, it is sad! On President Hichilema, something is not just right. Either the communication skills are very weak or it’s the ‘I know it all’ attitude. Why has he taken almost three months to finish to appoint Cabinet?” Kalaba asked. “Three months and government is still not complete! He was in opposition for 15 years. The President should have quickly moved in the formation of his own government. He has taken time! And if you can take time on a matter like appointing his government [senior officials]…Dr [Frederick] Chiluba was elected on the 21st of October 1991. On November 3, if my memory serves me right, he was forming government.”

Reminded that maybe President Hichilema was being “methodical” in his appointments, so as to bring in the government people from all provinces, Kalaba said: “I don’t agree with that.”

“You know, this is where we begin thinking that even the issue of tribal politics is just at the back of our mind. If you are good, I don’t care which tribe you are coming from. I don’t care about the issue of ‘oh! You are not coming from Luapula or if I appoint this one because he comes from Luapula…’” he explained. “For as long as you can deliver and you meet the criteria, get the job.”

Kalaba underscored that if somebody from where he hails from or the other region does not meet the criteria, there is no need to stop making appointments because government work suffers.

“I don’t buy into that (tribal balancing into government positions). He (President Hichilema) has taken time! We can’t be waiting for three months just to have a permanent secretary in a ministry,” Kalaba said. “A permanent secretary is a sub-warrant holder. He is the one who is supposed to be holding funds on behalf of government. We were told before that ‘no, I have not appointed permanent secretaries because I’m still trying to have auditors [to] go in there (permanent secretaries’ offices)…’”

Kalaba continued, saying: “[but] my experience as a civil servant for 10 years tells me that whether it’s an internal or external auditor, they can still operate even when the person (permanent secretary) is not there.”

“You are talking about the fight against corruption, forget about it. Just forget about it! I don’t think there is anything that is going to come out of this fight against corruption. Why do I say so? I say so because you kept everybody where they should be,” he emphasised. “You go in your house [and] you find somebody stealing from you and then you tell them ku bedroom wifumako (don’t leave the bedroom), nalaisa pakutila nje mukwita bakapokola bese bakusange ati wacingila mung’anda mumyandi (I’ve gone to call police officers so that they can know that you broke into my house). Will you find that guy waiting for you? You’ll move things around!”

He noted that some permanent secretaries, who had close links to the PF regime, were still in their offices today.

“These are grave issues. So, you are talking about the fight against corruption and yet your approach is cosmetic. I wish you well,” Kalaba said.

He further indicated that most PF officials and supporters are being combative today because: “you have kept them in offices for all this time.”

“They are combative because they are still living as they were living before. They are combative because you have taken three solid months to appoint a single permanent secretary,” Kalaba noted, adding that it is not everything that former president Edgar Lungu did that was bad. “He was tough on the [application of] the public order Act. He was strangling us – we could not breath. We could not talk. On that one, he was a disaster. But when it came to the issues of trying to show that some development was coming up, though the price was exaggerated, it was there.”

He added that for Lungu, when it came to making decisions – “even wrong decisions that he was making, most of them, president Lungu at least made decisions.”

“Wrong or right, he made decisions. He didn’t take three months. When he was elected in 2015, he was sworn-in around 13:00 hours and at 16:00 hours, I received a messenger from Cabinet Office with a letter of appointment as foreign affairs minister,” Kalaba recalled. “Yes, he didn’t appoint everybody. It took him two weeks. But he had appointed six ministers and about 10 permanent secretaries 24 hours after being sworn-in. A week later, when we came back from the African Union, he completed the appointments. So, at least he showed you…But here we have a problem! If you can’t see that we are having a problem of decision-making…And indecision at the presidency is a huge impediment.”

Asked on whether or not he would not seek audience with President Hichilema to tell him that he is veering off the right path, Kalaba said he would do so in the next one month from now.

“We’ll be writing to the President over our concerns, in view of the promises that he had made. I have the privilege of talking to President Hakainde Hichilema…I have discussed with him before, and I liked his attitude when I talked to him,” Kalaba said. “The issue here is when are you moving to State House? You have to move to Nkwazi. Nkwazi is a house built out of pride by the people of Zambia. It is a house built out of copper. There are only two houses [in Zambia] that are built out of copper. It is Nkwazi and the house of the Speaker of the National Assembly, because she is presiding over members of parliament who have been elected across the country. So, they (President and Speaker) have been given the pride of our country – copper. That’s who we are; we are a copper people.”

On the question of ‘is President Hichilema making the presidency simplistic, Kalaba said he could be very unfair to say that.

“Credit to him; President Hakainde Hichilema has tried to raise the bar from where it was. He has tried! The decorum of the presidency is getting back to where it should lie,” Kalaba noted.

“Congratulations, Sir, that you have lifted the bar of the presidency. But when are you going to Nkwazi?”

On intra-party concerns about his leadership style, Kalaba reiterated that the entire DP membership is solidly behind him.

Isaac Mwanza writes…

*Does the Constitution now need amendment?*

By Isaac Mwanza

*Introduction*

Every time Zambia has a change of an administration, the priority target for the new administration is to amend the Constitution for the benefit of those who govern. The current attempt to amend the Constitution is driven by the desire to, in the name of curing lacunae, abolish the Constitutional Court and restore more power to the Presidency, a very bad motive. The Constitution does not need amendments but interpretation.

*Zambians were right…*

Zambians spoke loud and clear this year that they don’t want their Constitution amended. Renowned State Counsel, John Sangwa, was actually on record to state that there is nothing wrong with the current Constitution and civil society organisations run around to defend the Constitution against any amendments. This is the spirit that must continue in the next five years.

Of course, some of us advocated for amendments to this Constitution. I must concede that we were wrong to want to amend the Constitution which was not broken. The majority Zambians were right. It is actually good for us to acknowledge that those of us who took that path to amend the Constitution were wrong. There was no need to amend the Constitution.

*Resolving Constitutional lacunae*

Does the Constitution have lacunae which need to be cured through amendments? By now, history must have taught us that when you try to cure one lacuna with amendments, you create many more lacunae. Amendments is thus no perfect route to curing the lancunae contained in the Constitution.

Immediately upon amendments of the Constitution in 2016, the first lacuna which was noticed in the Constitution was that Article 60 did not allow Councillors to be sponsored by Political Parties as they were not categorised as State Officers. This lacuna was cured by interpretation of the Constitutional Court when two lawyers and an NGO approached the Court in the first ever case to be determined by the Constitutional Court.

Again in 2016, the issue of Ministers staying in office until another President takes over was also cured when the matter was taken to the Constitutional Court. The Court disagreed with the Executive and made the former Ministers to pay back the money they received during time Parliament was dissolved.

In the same year, when the question came up among lawyers on how to count 14 days, the Court gave an interpretation and now everyone agrees that we all know how to calculate 14 days for hearing a Presidential Petition. You do not need amendment to explain the meaning of 14 days now.

In 2018, when the then LUSAKA Mayor died, a question came up on whether the Constitutional allows a Councillor to contest the office of the Mayor as a way of filling up a vacancy. The Court again gave a very sound interpretation the provision which advances the spirit of the Constitution that a Councillor cannot contest the seat while holding that seat and neither can he contest the seat after resigning as he or she would have contributed to the vacancy.

In 2020, the Court also interpreted on whether a councillor (in extension all persons elected) who resigns can withdraw his or her resignation after it has been tendered. Again, the Constitutional Court cured that lacuna in the Constitution by giving a solid judgment on it.

From the above, it is clear the main role assigned to the Court was to deal with issues of interpretation of the Constitution whenever questions arise that border on governance or to clear lacunae in the Constitution when such arise. Most lacunae in the Constitution can be cleaned up through interpretation by the Constitutional Court, not complete overhaul. A complete overhaul just introduces more and more lacunae.

But it is clear that the Constitutional Court has never been a darling of the current administration because of how the 2016 Petition ended. A lot of accusations were heaped on the Constitutional Court when it was the lawyers on both sides that did not mind the time and kept bringing up one application against another.

There is no doubt that when you get an unfavourable judgment from any court, it’s normal to feel that the court is biased or to looked down on judges as is currently being shown by some of the lawyers. What we forget is that the Courts are not there to win anyone an a case. The Courts arrive at Judgment based on how the law and the arguments by both sides.

So attempts to amend the Constitution just for purposes of doing away with the Constitutional Court are not helpful at all. The Constitutional Court, which is the people’s court, must be allowed to stand side by side with the other Courts.

*Conclusion*

Members of Parliament must not be duped to amend the Constitution again. They will be creating an easy way to weaken the new governance system that has worked well in the last 5 years but they may also do things the way of the Mwalitetas who amended the Constitution and ended up barring themselves from standing as candidates

THE PeP PLAN FOR TURNING AROUND THE ZAMBIAN ECONOMY

By Sean Tembo – PeP President

We have noted the various haphazard and uncoordinated efforts being pursued by the UPND Government in the quest to try and turnaround the Zambian economy and as a progressive minded opposition political party, PeP has decided to offer some possible solutions as outlined below:

1. Strengthen Collection of Non Tax Revenue: According to our estimates, less than 30% of all non-tax revenue such as fees and fines, ends up in the treasury due to pilferage. This is largely due to the manual receipting system and lack of internal controls. A common scam among revenue collectors is to write a receipt for say K5,000 without using carbon paper underneath or in the case of self-carbonated receipt books, by inserting a firm cardboard, and after the customer goes, to then insert the carbon paper and write a lower amount such as K150. When officers from the Auditor General come to inspect these receipt books, they look perfectly in order. The only way to reduce pilferage in revenue collection is to computerize the receipting system with a centralised server.

2. Strengthen Collection of Tax Revenue: Everytime one goes to buy items in a shop, it is sickening when you’re told that “the fridge is K3200 but if you don’t need a tax invoice, l can give it to you at K2800”. People treat VAT as something optional which they can charge or not charge, and yet when it comes to claiming, they claim in full. There are three ways to strengthen the collection of tax revenue. The first is to increase the number of ZRA officers and offices across the country so that we have more ZRA offices than Police Stations and Police Posts combined. Secondly, to ensure prosecution of deliberate tax offenders so that it serves as a deterrent to future offenders. Third, ZRA officers need to be given the best remuneration and conditions of service among all the parastatals, after all they’re the ones that make the money for Govt. Their current conditions of service are deplorable especially the part where they work on contract basis with the perpetual fear of having their contract not renewed if they do not do the bidding of their bosses. ZRA officers are too critical to the nation for them to be treated with such contempt.

3. Retain at least 50% partial control of all Copper Mines that were sold by ZCCM: Copper is supposed to play three main roles in our economy being (a)source of much needed forex (b) source of direct and indirect tax revenue and (c) source of employment. Among these 3 key roles that copper is supposed to play in our economy, it is the role as a source of forex that is critical to the sustainable management of the economy because there is no significant amount of forex that comes from Non Traditional Exports (NTEs). For as long as current owners of mines keep externalizing the forex proceeds from copper sales and only remit back the nominal amount needed to pay salaries and other bills, we are doomed as a country! The temporary solution to this is to enforce exchange controls so that all proceeds from copper sales must be remitted back to the country intact. The long term solution is to acquire at least 50% shareholding in all copper mines that were sold by ZCCM. There is a fallacy that we failed to run the mines hence it was necessary to sale them. That is simply a fallacy. What happened is that the price of copper fell on the world markets, which was a temporary event as has been happening in the past couple of years. However, we rushed to make a long-term decision of selling the mines based on a short-term event. Since we don’t have the money to buy the 50% stake, we can get it by enforcing ridiculous regulatory measures to force the current owners out after which we would identify new partners with whom we would have the 50% stake. The Mineral Royalty Tax was a good example of one of the measures that we can implement to force the current mine owners to accept our terms as a country.

4. Reform Key Government Institutions: The “big man syndrome” in the management of government agencies and parastatal bodies must come to an end. This can only be achieved if people are recruited on merit following rigorous interviews. To this end, each and every job in the public sector as well as government institutions would be advertised and independent recruitment agencies appointed to handle all recruitment of Permanent Secretaries, Parastatal CEOs, Bank Governor etc so that competence is the only consideration and not the size of their tongue and its ability to lick people’s shoes or indeed whether their surnames are associated with pre-independence freedom fighters or members of President Kaunda’s first cabinet. Institutions like BOZ cannot be allowed to lamentably fail in their primary mandate and people are still allowed to keep their jobs. Other reforms would include for institutions such as Central Statistics Office and the approach used to calculate year-to-date inflation as it is fundamentally flawed and exposes the economy to huge fluctuations.

5. Strengthen the Criminal Justice System: Our criminal justice system only works for crimes against other persons such as murder, assault, rape etc. It is non existent for commercial crimes like theft, especially theft by servant. This has resulted in pilferage being the largest cost to businesses in Zambia because people know that if they are caught stealing, the most that will happen to them is to loose their job and maybe spend a few days in police cells and not jail time. Everytime one goes to buy something in a shop in town, you get sickened by employees who approach you so that they can steal from the owner of the shop when buying items. They keep saying “am going to write 3 on the invoice but when issuing from stores l’ll issue 7”. This is so rampant that it’s sickening and its all because we have a very weak criminal justice system. If all offenders were sent to prison, even for a few months, pilferage would go down as people would be afraid of doing jail time and the economy could grow.

6. Transform the Marketing Side of the Agricultural Sector: Successive governments have been making the same mistake of focusing so much on the production side of agriculture and forsaking the marketing side of it. Provided there is a good market for a given produce, people will find a way to produce it using their own means, they won’t need FISP or any other assistance. Provided the market is there for a given agricultural produce and the price is good and stable year after year, production will shoot up. The country should be allowed to freely export agricultural produce and not having to do it illegally in the middle of the night while there is a claim that we have a bumper harvest.

7. Reduce the size of Government: The size of Government should be reduced by among other things scraping off positions of Provincial Minister, District Commissioners and cutting down the number of line Ministries to not more than 12. There’s need to utilize the local government system at the local level. Its a duplication to have the presence of both the central government and the local government at grass root level. There’s also no point in having a Ministry which only has one department such as the Ministry of Religious Affairs or the Ministry of Gender.

8. Exit from Regional Trade Blocks Such as SADC and COMESA: While several countries in the region are members of integrated regional trade blocks like SADC, each country is also busy pursuing nationalist policies. Almost each and every member country of SADC has a citizen economic empowerment law which gives preference in terms of trade to its own citizen owned enterprises over foreign owned enterprises. Instead of wasting resources pulling and pushing at the same time, PeP would withdraw from these regional talk shops and concentrate on other approaches to economic growth. The decision by the British to exit the EU and the election of President Donald Trump are clear signs that globalization is finally coming to an end and nationalism is the future.

9. Open the Borders to anyone who wants to come and Invest, Work or Live in Zambia: A country is built by people with dreams. Those people with dreams do not necessarily need to be citizens of that country. Provided they pay their taxes in full and comply with the laws of the land, it is not the business of govt if such people enjoy eating dogs or cats.

10. Enforce Fiscal Discipline: Develop a budget, fund the budget and spend according to the budget. Do not spend on items that are not in the budget such as free soccer tickets or chartering private jets for the Republican President, when items that are in the budget have not been funded.

If we were to consistently pursue these ten points as a country, within 5 to 10 years, we would be a regional economic power house even ahead of South Africa.

/// END

23.10.2021

By Emmanuel Chilekwa

The ACC Section 80 which frees perpetrators of corruption and crime if they surrender their loot and escape jail just promotes more theft, more plunder and must be repealed forth with.

This ACC Section 80 actually promotes looting, corruption and crime and it undermines the very fight against corruption. It does not help the fight against graft, it promotes criminality and corruption.

What would stop a public officer or anyone to engage in graft, corruption or crime and later just surrender even part of the known loot and possibly keep the rest and escapes going to jail?

This piece of law is counter productive. It promotes stealing big time. It encourages looting with no consequences.

This Section says as long as the accused gives full and true disclosure of all material facts relating to past corrupt conduct and an illegal activity by that person or others; and, has voluntarily paid, deposited or refunded all property the person acquired through corruption or illegal activity, you can go scott free.

Using Section 80 of the Anti-Corruption Act No.3 of 2012, the State can enter into an undertaking not to institute criminal proceedings against the accused on condition that you fulfil the requirements of Section 80 of the Anti – Corruption Act No3. Of 2012.

Section 80 of the Act allows the State to grant amnesty to accused persons in certain instances on condition that they admit wrongdoing and return what they wrongfully acquired through corrupt practices.

Practically speaking and if Section 80 can be put to the wall, a person who steals or obtains a chicken corruptly, if caught but surrenders it to the State does not need to be jailed but should be let scot free, more so if he or she volunteers information on how the theft occurred and reveals who else is involved. This them should see prison walls begging for inmates because there would be few going behind bars.

The State believes that its advantageous to use Section 80 in cases of asset recovery because that saves on time by eliminating the prosecution process which can be lengthy, leading to assets losing value or getting damaged, and it also saves on the cost of investigation and prosecution.

According to Section 80 (3) of the Anti-Corruption Act No.3 of 2012, The Anti-Corruption Commission “may tender an undertaking, in writing, not to institute criminal proceedings against a person who has given a full and true disclosure of all material facts relating to past corrupt conduct and an illegal activity by that person or others; and voluntarily paid, deposited or refunded all property the person acquired through corruption or illegal activity.

PF SCOOPS KAUMBWE CONSTITUENCY SEAT
Kaumbwe Final Results
PF= 6738
UPND= 2972

LUSANGAZI DISTRICT COUNCIL CHARPERSON BY ELECTIONS.

Senya polling station PF 169,
UPND 115,
ADP 04.

Samba polling station PF 89,
UPND 39,
DP 0.

Sichilima polling station PF 90,
UPND 42,
DP 03.

Kachebele PF 78,
UPND 19,
DP 02.

Mawanda polling station stream 1 PF 67, UPND 24, DP 02.

Mawanda polling station stream 2 PF 75, UPND 34, DP 01.

Lusangazi polling station PF 185, UPND 59, DP 02.

Mkonda polling station PF 80, UPND 63.

Ndambwe PF 69, UPND 72, DP 02.

Chikuse PF PF 55, UPND 24, DP 04.

Kalumbi PF 70, UPND 29, DP 0.

Kasuma PF 08, UPND 18, DP 03.

Manje PF 96, UPND 19.

Chiwa PF 32, UPND 17.

Sandwe PF 40, UPND 43.

Chikombe PF 29, UPND 26, DP 01.

New Mzumwa PF 93, UPND 48.

Mutapi PF 106, UPND 23.

Nyalubilo PF 85, UPND 20, DP 01.

Makale PF 74, UPND 38, DP 12.

Sopa PF 15, UPND 33, DP 45.

Lusandwe PF 20, UPND 25, DP 0.

UKwimi PF 79, UPND 76, DP 46.

Songovwa PF 65, UPND 18, DP 01.

Sonja PF 15, UPND 42, DP 03.

Chiware PF 11, UPND 94, DP 46.

Maila PF 80, UPND 23,DP 04.

Masili PF 134, UPND 14, DP 04.

Chitwele PF 73, UPND 15, DP 04.

Misolo PF 153, UPND 116, DP 06.

Chiwizi PF 27, UPND 28, DP 01.

Matonga PF 96, UPND 43.

Chingolo PF 28, UPND 28, DP 0.

UPND SCOOPS LUFUBU WARD ELECTION IN MWANSABOMBWE*
UPND 691
PF 227
SP 456
DP 16
LM 02

KALILELE WARD BY ELECTION RESULTS
Mushindamo District, North Western.
Kasapa Polling Station 1
UPND 112
DP 14
IND 07
PF 03
REJECTED 02
Kasapa Polling station 2
UPND 126
DP 60
PF 01
IND 10
REJECTED 05
Kasapa Polling Station 3
UPND 96
DP 53
PF 07
IND 10
REJECTED 05

UPDATES FROM LUSANGAZI DISTRICT.
LUSANGAZI DISTRICT, EASTERN PROVINCE.
CHIBALE POLLING STATION IN LUSANGAZI DISTRICT
FRED BANDA UPND =94
BANDA PF=46
BANDA DP=11

ZUMBI POLLING STATION IN LUSINDE WARD OF KAUMBWE CONSTITUENCY
ESNART SAKALA (UPND)=97
DAKA MASUSO ( SP)= 94
AARON MWANZA (PF) = 26
TEMBO WILBASE ( DP)= 1
NYANYOKA CHARLES ( PNUP)= 1
( C) UPND MEDIA TEAM

KALILELE WARD BY ELECTION RESULTS ~ MUSHINDAMO*
*Shafilundu Polling Station*
UPND 117
DP 20
IND 54
PF 05
(C) UPND MEDIA TEAM

The results for Chibanga polling station in Mwansabombwe.
UPND 64
SP 27
PF 01
DP 05 LM 00

KALILELE WARD BY ELECTION RESULTS*
*Kingovwa Polling Station in Mushindamo*
UPND 56
DP 05
IND 06
PF 04

Lufubu ward by-election in Mwansabombwe District of Luapula provinve at Kalenga poling station .
Sp 47.
Upnd 37.
Pf 1
the rest got zeros
(C) UPND MEDIA TEAM

KATAYAUCHI POLLING STATION IN LUSINDE WARD OF KAUMBWE CONSTITUENCY*
AARON MWANZA PF= 24
DAKA MASUSO (SP)= 15
ESNART SAKALA (UPND)= 2
*TOTAL VOTES CAST 46*
(C) UPND MEDIA TEAM

FAITH MUSONDA WILL NOT BE PROSECUTED

STATE TAKES POSSESSION OF K65 MILLION, US$57, 900, PROPERTY FROM
MARGARET CHISELA MUSONDA (ALIAS FAITH MUSONDA)

The general public is hereby informed that the Joint Investigative Team from the Anti-Corruption Commission,
Zambia Police Service, Drug Enforcement Commission and Financial Intelligence Centre has since concluded investigations involving Margaret Chisela Musonda, alias Faith Musonda in which she was found in possession of K65, 333, 046 and US$ 57, 900 which was discovered in a house in New Kasama.

The general public is further informed that, on Friday 15th October 2021, the State, using Section 80 of the Anti-Corruption Act No.3 of 2012, entered into an undertaking not to institute criminal proceedings against
Ms. Musonda on condition that she fulfils the requirements of Section 80 of the Anti-Corruption Act No3. Of 2012, which she did.

Section 80 of the Act allows the State to grant amnesty to accused persons in certain instances on condition that they admit wrongdoing and return what they wrongfully acquired through corrupt practices.

The advantage of using Section 80 in cases of asset recovery is that it saves on time by eliminating the prosecution process which can be lengthy, leading to assets losing value or getting damaged, and it also
saves on the cost of investigation and prosecution.

According to Section 80 (3) of the Anti-Corruption Act No.3 of 2012, The Anti-Corruption Commission “may tender an undertaking, in writing, not to institute criminal proceedings against a person who;

(a) has given a full and true disclosure of all material facts relating to past corrupt conduct and an illegal activity by that person or others; and,

(b) has voluntarily paid, deposited or refunded all property the person acquired through corruption or illegal activity.”

As required by law, Ms. Musonda has since made a full disclosure of the monies in question and has willingly surrendered the same to the State.

She was initially charged with Possession of Property Reasonably Suspected to
be Proceeds of Crime contrary to Section 71 of the Forfeiture of Proceeds of Crimes Act No.19 of 2010.

The State has also taken possession of the House in New Kasama, in which the money was found. The House, property Subdivision No.4 of Subdivision B of Lot 11279/M, valued at K 6 Million was owned by OCK
Investments Limited, a company in which Ms. Musonda is a majority shareholder.

The property was reasonably suspected to have been proceeds of crime.

After fulfilling the requirements of Section 80 of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 3 of 2012, the State undertook to
not institute criminal proceedings against the company.

Ms. Musonda has since made a full disclosure of OCK Limited’s property and willingly handed it over to the State.

The Joint Investigative Team is working timely to recover suspected illegally obtained assets and funds, and
will continue to pursue all available avenues to speed up the process of recovering assets and other proceeds
of crime.

We urge all well-meaning Zambians who have any information with regard to any suspected illegally obtained
assets to come forward and report to any of the institutions aforementioned.

JONATHAN SECHE SIAME
ANTI-CORRUPTION COMMISSION PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER

FULL STATEMENT: DR NEVERS MUMBA ON PARTNERSHIP WITH UPND

The New Hope MMD has resolved to forge a partnership with the UPND based on a set of common values.

Party President Dr Nevers Mumba announced the partnership yesterday morning at a briefing at Democracy House.

The partnership is based on seven common values, that include Rule of law (order), Fight against Corruption, Repeal of the POA, Unity of the Nation – Ensuring that tribalism and partisanship is not allowed, Grow the Economy and Clear the Debt, upholding human rights, and renew foreign policy for Zambia to have a place on the global round table.

Dr Mumba said the New Hope MMD shall support every effort by the new government to deliver on these fundamental policy positions.

“These are policy positions we would have employed had the Zambian people given us the mandate to govern. President Hichilema and I have discussed this partnership based on our shared values,” Dr Mumba told the journalists and party supporters.

“This is not an entry into the UPND Alliance as that is a separate process. This is a partnership to support what we believe is a positive programme for the nation.”

Dr Mumba said that the UPND has so far demonstrated a clear determination to pursue the values (policies) that agree with MMD’s

He explained that the partnership is meant to encourage Zambians to learn how to support what is good for the nation regardless of who is doing that good.

“UPND has chosen the right path and our partnership is meant to help them stay on that path,” Dr Mumba explained further.

“We remain committed to this partnership to the end unless and until the UPND decides to abandon these values. As long as UPND remains on this positive path we remain committed to being dependable partners both in word and in deed with effect from today.”

Meanwhile, Dr Mumba says he is aware
that some of his personal friends, family and church members are distraught about his turbulent journey in politics.

“Each time I stumble and fall, they share both in my pain and shame. They weep in their private and silent moments about me,” he said.

He assured both his friends and opponents that his strength to continue on this path or not does not depend on how many times he fails but on the life long vision of Zambia Shall Be Saved.

Dr Mumba vowed that he will never quit.

“Never. I am determined to support any progressive good for my country. Some have even gone as far as pronouncing me to be on Sabbatical leave. I am not on any leave. I am leader of the New Hope MMD and as of today we have further partnered with our colleagues in the UPND to deliver on the seven common values already alluded to,” Dr Mumba said.

“This is not a compromise on my part. It is part of the process of supporting what is good for the nation and I ask all progressive Zambians to join in and use this new found freedom to improve the quality of life for all Zambians.”

It’S WITHIN THE LAW FOR THE PRESIDENT AND VICE TO USE GOVERNMENT TRANSPORT FOR CAMPAIGNS – GEARS

GEARS Initiative has noted the raging debate on social media regarding the Republican President and/or Vice-President use of government transport such as vehicles, helicopters and planes to campaign for their party candidates in the forthcoming 21 October, 2021 by-elections in Chisamba, Lusangazi, Kaumbwe and other four (4) wards.

Some citizens feel this is an electoral malpractice engaged in by the President and his Vice-president.

While the concerns are well noted that the duo should not have done so because of their earlier but consistent arguments alleging that they inherited empty coffers when they took office, the law is very clear and categorical in allowing the two offices to use government resources including transport for campaign purposes.

The electoral law and code is clear on this issue of presidential and Vice-presidential use of government facilities and resources during election campaigns albeit a by-or General Election.

The Electoral Process Act section 107 (schedule: Electoral Code of conduct) Regulation 15(k) guides the nation that no person shall use Government or parastatal transportation or facilities for campaign purposes except the president and vice- president with their respective officers.

We quote; A person shall not use Government or parastatal transportation or facilities for campaign purposes, except that this paragraph shall not apply to the President and the Vice President in connection with their respective offices.

It is GEARS Initiative’ hope that this provision in the law will help die down the debate and responded to concerns raised by some politicians, bloggers and social media activists.

Regarding the flagging off of the fertiliser distribution in Lufubu ward of Mwansabombwe district in Luapula Province which is having by-election and during the campaign period, the law is silent and not categorical on such presidential activities

However, as electoral advocates who want to see level playing field, it has been our considered and consistent argument that such activities be halted during election campaigns because they act as electoral blackmail to voters.

Notwithstanding, some stakeholders have vehemently argued, in the past and now to contrary, that government developmental projects cannot stop because of elections.

Thereby, making this practice in the electoral process to be within the right and an entitlement of the sitting presidents and vice-presidents who are allowed to use government resources ans do inspections of development projects, lay foundation stones and flag off national and government activities even campaign periods.

As we embark on the electoral reforms, this is one area the nation must reflect on and find the best way of how the presidential and Vice-presidential engagements and interactions with government duties during campaign periods can be done.

GEARS Initiative still maintain that activities of such nature must be shelved during campaigns and be done either before or after the elections.

Further we propose that a law be put in places to avoid enacting new election oriented laws three (3) months to the Elections as it happened ahead of the 2021 General Election.

McDonald Chipenzi
Executive Director GEARS Initiative

Sensio Banda

OUR STRENGTH LIES IN OUR ETHNIC AND TRIBAL DIVERSITY

In my prologue allow me to emphasis that, the architects (freedom fighters) of the independency of Zambia understood the game they were in. They conceived that, to actualise the independency of Zambia, management of the melting pot of ethnic and tribal diversity was an imperative. They understood that the foresaid was a key success factor for the undertaking. In effect, they appreciated that diversity of ethnic and tribal groupings was both an important asset and a source of strength.

Suffice to say that UNIP an offshoot of ZANC was established as a mass movement and functioned more like a coalition of the major tribal groupings of Zambia; with the late KK in charge, holding it together and injected cohesion. Our founding President, H.E The Later Dr KK and his colleagues knew that he had to do with everything and everybody in the country when he coined the national motto: “ One Zambia, One Nation.

Indeed UNIP had four major factions within, each with very strong leadership: Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe, Justin Chimba, Robert Makasa, Leo Changufu, Clement Mwananshiku and Alex Shapi were leading the northern block (Luapula, Muchinga, Northern and Copperbelt); Reuben Kamanga, Grey Zulu, Dingiswayo Banda and Wesley Nyirenda from the eastern block; Arthur and Sikota Wina, Nalumino Mundia and Munu Sipalo from the western block; Mainza Chona and Elijah Mudenda were more like stand-ins for the southern block, which was overwhelmingly loyal to Harry Nkumbula, the veteran freedom fighter and was the leader of the African National Congress(ANC). Peter Matoka, Samuel Mbilishi and Humphrey Mulemba from the northwestern block and Solomon Kalulu from central block.

I have belaboured to highlight the above said firebrand freedom fighters for the national struggle so that we appreciate the ethnic and tribal diversity which were prevalent during independency struggle. They had their own differences and deep-rooted issues, but they had a shared bond; the independency of our motherland. They managed ethnic and tribal diversity; diminished the active role of ethnic and tribal political lens during the struggle for independency. And it did not come as a surprise that Britain had to let go; simply because, in ethnic and tribal diversity, therein was a solution to the attainment of independency. Indeed the ethnic and tribal diversity we have in Zambia accorded us many perspectives and solutions for the independency.

However, a million dollar question is; what has changed in comparison to our forefathers who fought for independency and the current generation. A generation were politicians advance political hegemony over opponents through ethnic or tribal ploys. It is a known fact that in the current Zambia’s geopolitics, ethnic and tribal diversity has been used as a ploy to seek or retain power. This has been seen in the manner of campaigns and regional block voting trends. We are all guilty of this phenomenon with no exception. Our country has reached a tipping point as regards this scourge. Together as a people, from all walks of life, ruling and opposition parties we ought to cure this phenomenon; without which adverse repercussions will be far reaching as regards managing public affairs; the economical and developmental prospects of country.

In fact from economic or business perspective, it has been proved that fostering diversity creates teams that stimulate new ideas and drive efficiency. A 2015 McKinsey diversity report shares that: Those in the top quartile for ethnic and racial diversity in management were 35% more likely to have financial returns above their industry mean. Therefore, inclusive skilled-based ethnic or tribal diversity both in the public and private sector is one of the key success factors for national development. Thus, commitment to ethnic or tribal diversity and inclusion is key to our national development. Research has shown that any country which upholds democratic tenets; ruling parties held to power long enough through effective management of country’s ethnic and tribal diversity. Hence, as regards the subject matter; every Zambian, starting with political leaders, both in the ruling and opposition parties, captains of the industries both in the public and private sectors should labour to ensure that attitudes meet actions.

In our diversity and our spirituality, our tolerance and our commitment to our shared community, mother Zambia, lies our strength and our hope for a better future. Indeed, as we celebrate independence on the 24th of October, let us remember that, “our strength lies in our ethnic and tribal diversity”.

Aluta Continua

Sensio Banda
Former Member of Parliament
Kasenengwa Constituency
Kasenengwa District
Eastern Province

CLAYSON HAMASAKA WILL BE APPOINTED AS STATE HOUSE CHIEF ANALYST, REPLACING CECILIA MULENGA LUBUMBASHI

He is not State House Media Director, a non-existent position, as earlier purported by Thabo Kawana.

Kennedy Limwanya writes:

CONGRATULATIONS, CLAYSON HAMASAKA!

Today, I join many other Zambians in congratulating my former journalism lecturer Clayson Hamasaka on his appointment as head of the media directorate at State House.

Mr Hamasaka taught me at Evelyn Hone College in Lusaka 24 years ago.

He brings to the table many years of experience, having trained many Zambians including former president Edgar Lungu when he enrolled for a journalism programme at the institution in 2010.

Mr Hamasaka lost his job as head of the Evelyn Hone media department in 2012 in politically-motivated circumstances.

His only offence was to allow opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema feature on Hone FM radio.

After Mr Hichilema had appeared on the programme, State House prevailed on Evelyn Hone College principal Sam Kangwa to fire Mr Hamasaka whom the Patriotic Front (PF) government perceived to be a UPND sympathiser.

His Tonga ethnicity had given him away and he was, thus, rendered jobless after 15 years of service.

It had not been an easy decision for Dr Kangwa to make as he was Mr Hamasaka’s friend.

The Hamasaka household would, then, have to depend on a single source of income in the form of the salary Mr Hamasaka’s wife, Pamela, was earning at the Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company where she was working as public relations manager.

But the PF government was not yet done with the inflicting of pain on the Hamasaka family.

Mr Hamasaka was fired on a Thursday.

Exactly one week later, Mrs Hamasaka had no job.

State House had twice called Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company managing director George Ndongwe, instructing him to fire Mrs Hamasaka.

Her only offence was that she was married to Mr Hamasaka.

Another heart-rending decision for the water utility company.

The management team summoned Mrs Hamasaka, counselled her and explained the instruction they had received from State House.

The company was generous enough to pay Mrs Hamasaka all her dues.

Mrs Hamasaka’s dismissal, resultantly, sent Mr Hamasaka into depression.

She had committed no offence at all.

That was how wicked the PF were.

Many other families endured similar experiences during the 10 years of the cruel PF regime.

Once again, congratulations to Mr Hamasaka on his very well deserved appointment.

By Field Ruwe EdD

Get up and do something about it!

On August 12, 2021, Zambian youth shocked the world. In countless droves, this finest possession of the country queued duty-bound and resolved. One by one they entered the booth with ammunition stronger than the bullet and dislodged corrupt and incompetent politicians in black suits. In paying tribute to every Zambian youth for rejecting the Lungu regime in landslide style, I am inclined to remind the reader of the source of motivation for many lest it is lost in political arrogation.

Do the words “it’s amazing how you all sit there and watch yourselves die. Get up and do something about it!” ring a bell? The words struck at the heart of the Sub-Saharan Africa. I shared with the children of my motherland the resonance of the encounter in my 2012 article “Zambian Intellectuals Are Lazy” a.k.a. “You lazy (African Intellectual) Scum.” Within minutes of its release, social media exploded. Soon, anger, regret, shame, hope, and hopelessness left the Pandora’s Box and engulfed the entire world in its rainbow colors. The impact of the story was like an epiphany some said—like the wind of change, a tsunami, perestroika even, others mused.

Let the reader be reminded. It was New Year’s Eve 2011; I was already strapped in my seat. The plane to Boston was on the Los Angeles taxiway its large, powerful engines emitting waves of shimmering heat from the exhausts. I was angst-ridden because I was seated next to a brawny, fully bald white man with intense, steely eyes.

A few minutes into the New Year, we were up in the air when the American Walter went into a rant and called Zambia intellectuals lazy in my face. “You and other so-called African intellectuals are damn lazy, each one of you. It is you, and not those poor starving people, who are the reason Africa is in such a deplorable state.” The words uttered like the piercing of the sword struck at the heart of not only Zambia, the intended country, but Sub-Sahara, and left a hole only the beholder could seal.

For the Sub-Saharan intellectual from Angola to Zimbabwe, it was a shudder of dishonor, a Hegel moment. Georg Hegel was the German philosopher who excluded the African from world history stating; “This distinction between himself as an individual and the universality of his essential being, the African in the uniform, undeveloped oneness of his existence has not yet attained; so that the Knowledge of an absolute Being, an Other and a Higher than his individual self, is entirely wanting.”

Some people say I should have punched him in the mouth. My heart was bursting with the same temptation. But in honest, though a cry of unassuaged anguish, Walter’s words were delivered with a sense of truthfulness. To this, a reader wrote, “The ‘bwana’ is the least racist I ever heard of – only someone who has your interest at heart will tell you if you have mouth odor – the rest will just shy away and gossip behind you.”

A good number of Sub-Saharan youth were calm. They saw it as a calling by nature; a moment of reflection. One Ghanaian responded in verse: I’ve heard your voice; let my hands labor for my motherland; all the talent given me, I yield to her; so when she sees my fruit, she may say, “you woke up and did done something about it.”

The Technological Revolution had begun

In countries like Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, Seychelles, Gambia, Liberia, Angola, Senegal, Ethiopia, and South Africa, presidents and political leaders, some who had read the article, and acknowledged in their speeches, recognized that the only way forward was through homegrown science and technology. Some of the brightest and innovative minds took up the challenge, and with that, a technology revolution had begun:

Kelvin Doe (Sierra Leone) built a generator and radio transmitter; William Kamkwamba (Malawi) built a windmill from scrap parts; Arthur Zang (Cameroon) developed Africa’s handheld medical computer; Usman Dalhtu (Nigeria) invented a street sweeper; Maasai herder Richard Turere (Kenya) invented the lion light to keep predators away from cows; Therese Kirongozi (DRC) invented human-like robots to help control traffic; Makerere University (Uganda) students made the electric car Kiira EV, and inventions kept pouring in.

Most of the young inventors reached out to me to acknowledge the source of their drive. In December 2020, Tanzanian inventor Askwar Hilonga wrote: “I just wanted to let you know how much I was impressed and then CHANGED by your article…At the time I was doing my Ph.D. in South Korea. You really challenged me…I [also] invented a water filter called Nanofilter that provides clean water in Tanzania, and your own country Zambia.”

As for Zambia, Harvard graduate (2020) Sela Kasepa and thousands of others endowed with intelligence and natural talent for home-grown science and technology got in touch with me. In 2017, Kasepa raised funds through her initiative, assembled a group of Zambian inventors to participate in the Global Robotics Challenge in Washington D.C. For her work in Robotics, Queen Elizabeth II rewarded her with the Queen’s Young Leader award. In her native country Zambia, she received little recognition.

I do not say so to cast aspersions on their abilities, it would be as far short as the truth to label the “democratic” presidents as the men who sapped the stamina out of Zambia’s intelligentsia. They peddled and promoted only their archaic agendas, forcing many intellectuals, inventors, and innovators to retreat to the barstool, their sedentary seat of ruin. Like the sloth, in moving slowly they had no peers. They hang to a fragile branch in their drunken stupor while life below them scurried and escaped them.

A case in point, in 2013, Charles Mumba made a compressor to maximize the potential of hydro energy. The Sata government showed little interest in his invention just like the Banda regime did in 2010 when he invented a domestic turbine. It was a sorry sight to see young talented and brilliant Zambians trapped in a labyrinth of abject poverty, play into the dirty hands of unscrupulous heartless politicians at a time when other African leaders were making attempts to take theirs to a higher stratum.
As for the leading highest academic institution in the country, the University of Zambia, political maggots were eating at the heart. Professor Lameck Goma was long turned into a lake. The water so still it reflected the faceless graduates on their knees reciting S.E. Kiser’s poem:

“I have hoped, I have planned, I have striven; To the will, I have added the deed; The best that was in me I’ve given; I have prayed, but the gods would not heed. I have dared and reached only disaster; I have battled and broken my lance; I am bruised by a pitiless master. That the weak and the timid call Chance; I am bent, I am cheated. Of all that Youth urged me to win. But name me not with the defeated. Tomorrow again, I begin.”

The March to August 12, 2021

The above poem led to my writing of “Hunt for Successor 44: The Faceless Graduate” as part of the “Hunt for Successor” series. I slew myself with pen, staked my life and reputation amid arrest and death threats. I did so because I sensed neglect and mediocrity in governance. My writing was meant to mobilize Zambia’s elite youth and make them serve as a major engine for social and economic change. The ultimate goal was to snatch the mantle from the old guard and complete the unfinished work by God. “Hunt for Successor 1: Last of the Venerable Martyrs,” flagged off The “One-Million” March to August 12, 2021.

The title referred to middle-aged politicians who had dominated Zambian politics since independence to the point of decay. King Cobra for one, failed to recognize the downtrodden youth for their potent force for change. Instead, he took advantage of their gullibility and coerced them to do the dirty “kaponya” work for him. Consequently, during his tenure, cadreism became an endemic feature of Zambia’s political landscape. Each of the one hundred and eight “Successor” articles written in the Sata reign focused on paving the way for a youthful intellectual leader, among them the now president of Zambia Hakainde Hichilema who was heading UPND at the time.

King Cobra’s successor Edgar Lungu accelerated the march to August 12. By this time he had turned the country into Lake Zambia, that’s what Walter called our country. “You guys are as stagnant as the water in the lake. We come in with our large boats and fish your minerals and your wildlife and leave morsels—crumbs. That’s your staple food, crumbs. That corn meal you eat, that’s crumbs, the small Tilapia fish you call Kapenta is crumbs. We the Bwanas (whites) take the catfish. I am the Bwana and you are the Muntu. I get what I want and you get what you deserve, crumbs.”

The words were lodged at the base of the Zambian youth’s mind as they turned the corner and finally, on August 12, 2021, at 6 a.m., reached their destination—the ballot box. On their way, many, among them graduates, could not afford a meal, their shoes, and clothes worn to the skin. All of them were overwhelmed by neglect by a leader who promised a paradise on earth. Some remembered the words: “As long as you are dependent on my plane, I shall feel superior and you my friend shall remain inferior, how about that?”

By the time they were casting their vote their country was on oxygen, its lungs filled with a litany of scandals. The economy had fallen into the abyss. Tribalism had reared its ugly head. Corruption had become deeply rooted in every alcove and recess of all sectors of the country. Violence had become an inevitable characteristic, claiming the death of 50 gassed people and many others. Arsonists were burning markets, and President Edgar Lungu had no clue how to heal the self-inflicted cancerous wound. The youth of Zambia showed him the door, shocking the world, and setting an example to their peers in the Sub-Sahara.

Now Shock Yourselves

It’s a delight to see a confident and eloquent youthful leader possessed and obsessed by a vision of an ideal Zambia take the youth, their parents, and siblings on the journey they seek. It is by far not an easy one. If he allows deeds to speak for him then we have the leader we’ve been waiting for. We fought for our independence. We have obeyed the laws of our country and kept our eagle flying. We’re by far not lazy people, but the most hard-working on the planet. We’re by far not dull people but the most intelligent in the universe. We have shown resilience in moments of hunger and disease. Many-a-time when the chips are down, we have come to the rescue of the other. We can be even better now that hope is beckoning.

Young men and women of Zambia: you have shocked the world, and now shock yourselves if in honor and glory you are to be remembered as the ones that changed our beloved Africa. Help the leader you have put in State House to leap the country from stagnation to advancement. You will be glad you did. Thank you all and God bless.

FORMER SOUTH PS, 13 OTHERS ARRESTED FOR CORRUPT PRACTICES

The Anti-Corruption Commission has arrested former Southern Province Permanent Secretary Sibanze Simuchoba and 13 other officials at the Provincial Administration for Willful Failure to Follow Procedure and Fraudulent False Accounting involving over K 623, 000 contrary to the Laws of Zambia.

Sibanze, 66, of House No. 19 Ngwerere Road, Roma, Lusaka, together with Enoce Kashweka, 57 a former Principle Accountant, and Linda Siwale, a Chief Planner at the Choma Provincial Administration have been jointly charged with One Count of Willful Failure to Follow Procedure contrary to Section 34 (2)(b) of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 3 of 2012.

This is in a matter in which the trio willfully failed to follow applicable procedure in the manner they authorized transfer of funds from a named Account without written approval from the Secretary to the Treasury.

Sibanze and Kashweka have further been charged with another Count of Willful
Failure to Follow Procedure involving a matter in which the duo failed to follow applicable procedure in the manner they authorized transfer of funds from the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Relief Account to another Account without written approval from the Secretary to the Treasury.

Meanwhile, 11 other officials from the Choma Provincial Administration and various Ministries have been arrested for fraudulent false accounting contrary to Section 326 of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia.

The 11 have each been charged with One Count of Fraudulent false accounting for falsifying retirement entries of various amounts of money paid as imprest, purporting to have travelled to various Districts in Southern Province when they did not in fact travel, a matter which concerns the provincial
Administration, a public body.

The 11 officials include, Mr. Hameja Muzoka, an Accountant, Mr. Muyano Mwanang’ombe, Senior Accountant at the Ministry of Health, Mr. Cheelo Chiyanika, Senior Accountant at the Ministry of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection, and Mr. Brighton Mutokola, an Accountant at the Provincial Administration.

Others are Ms. Nsofwa Kangwa, an Accounts Assistant at Ministry of Ministry of Religious Affairs and National Guidance, Ms Chaoneka Lubemba, Mr. Rossy Kajebwe, both Accounts Assistant at the Provincial Administration, Mr. Isaac Moonga, assistant accountant at Kabwe Mine Hospital, Mr. Winter Lupani, Mr. Chisanga Simuchomba, and Mr. Owen Ngulube, all accounts assistants at the Provincial Administration.
The 14 are due to appear before the Choma Magistrate’s Court on 3rd November, 2021.

JONATHAN SECHE SIAME
CORPORATE AFFAIRS OFFICER

NEVERS MUMBA HEAPS PRAISE ON HH AND HIS LEADERSHIP.

Opposition Movement for Multi Party Democracy MMD president Dr. Nevers Mumba says the UPND government under the leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema must be praised in the manner in which it has reigned over the affairs of the country.

Speaking at a media briefing in Lusaka Wednesday morning, Dr. Mumba says president Hichilema’s sytle of leadership is giving hope to the nation.

He says unlike the Patriotic Front who reigned with terror and vindictiveness in its first 60 days of assuming office in 2011, the UPND has taken a path of healing and uniting the nation.

Dr. Mumba says in 2011 the PF immediately after winning the elections, opted to hound out MMD officials in government like dogs but the opposite is happening with the UPND.

The MMD leader says the UPND government has allowed the PF to continue serving in their various positions even when there are loud cries from its members to get rid of them.

He says it is clear that President Hichilema is changing the template of governance for the better for the good of everyone.

Dr. Mumba further says President Hichilema is indeed raising the bar of leadership high saying unlike in the past when MMD leaders got arrested, they would spend weeks in detention without being taken to court or issued with either a police bond or bail from the courts, while the UPND leadership has so far ensured that everyone accused of anything is treated with the ultimost diginity while respecting the rule of law.

Meanwhile Dr. Mumba has announced that his party has entered into a partnership with the UPND government in fostering good governance and promotion of tenents of good governance.

He explains that the working relationship has been agreed upon by the two parties arising from a meeting held between president Hichilema and Dr. Mumba himself.

Dr. Mumba has since urged president Hichilema to expeditiously deal with the cancer of corruption among PF officials saying giving them to much chance is giving them an opportunity to destroy evidence.

He says the fight against corruption should not in any way be perceived as retribution but as a way of ensuring that, that which belongs to the Zambian people is recovered.

The MMD leader has meanwhile expressed shock that the PF are complaining that they are being oppressed by the UPND when the reality is that they are actually being treated like Sunday School pupils in a class.

Dr. Mumba says the PF instead of complaining must actually be thanking the UPND for guaranteeing them safety. -Munati TV

ANTHONY BWALYA IS BEING TORTURED MENTALLY FOLLOWING HIS DEMOTION, SAYS BOWMAN

President Hakainde Hichilema is creating new positions in government to create employment for his friends and associates, Bowman Lusambo has charged.

Commenting on the creation of the position of media director at State House, which has seen President Hichilema appointing former Evelyn Hone lecturer Clayson Hamasaka to the said position, Lusambo, who is former Lusaka Province Minister, charged that going by the appointments that the head state is currently making in his appointments, it is clear that he is trying to appease.

He stated that the appointment of Hamasaka to the position of media director at State House is a tribal appointment.

“We knew when Anthony Bwalya was being appointed as press aide that he won’t last in that position. And the creation of a position of media director at State House, which has seen the appointment of Clayson Hamasaka to that position has a tribal tag,” Lusambo stated in an interview. “And I can assure you, just like I talk or speak out on these issues in Parliament, President Hichilema is creating new positions in government in order to create jobs for his friends and associates. The President is making appointments of appeasement. Nipano tuli. If President Hichilema had wanted Hamasaka to be head of the communication department at State House, he should have appointed him there and then just after his innaguaration. But he appointed Anthony… and the young man received a lot of support. But today he is technically knocked out. And because of that, he will not perform. I know what I talking about. These boys are people that have not faced big challenges in their lives. Anthony Bwalya is being tortured mentally and he is being tortured physically.”

He said he pity the Presidential press aide.

“Anthony used to stay in Kabushi… he is a Kabushi boy. The father used to reside in Kabushi and passed on. His uncle is a UPND constituency in Kabushi. So, I know Anthony very well. He is equal to the task. But I pity the young man. He has been relegated; demoted.”

The Kabushi lawmaker continued.

“I would like to congratulate Hamasaka. He is a very strong man who has moved the President to give him a job by creating a position that never existed at State House. He is a very powerful. And me I like people who are like Hamasaka because he has been critical of President. And that is why he has given him that position. And since 1964, this is when we are seeing the position of media director being created at State House. It’s unprecedented,” said Lusambo…finish reading here

http://dailyrevelationzambia.com/anthony-bwalya-is-being-tortured-mentally-following-his-demotion-says-bowman/

By Melony Chisanga

LUSAKA youth Dillon Mayangwa has told Pambashe PF member of parliament Ronald Chitotela to search his soul and seek forgiveness for failing to speak against his party’s brutal leadership.

On Friday during the Vice-President’s Question Time in Parliament, former tourism minister Chitotela asked Vice-President Mutale Nalumango when government would end violence in the country.

Chitotela claimed that his heart was bleeding because of the violence he was witnessing across the country.

Reacting to Chitotela’s remarks, Mayangwa said it was hypocritical for the former minister to lie in the House that his heart was bleeding because of political violence under the UPND government when peace and unity was being restored in the country.

He said Chitotela was a church elder in the Seventh Day Adventist who should have used his influence to denounce and stop political violence in the country when his party, the PF, was in power.

“Member of parliament for Pambashe Ronald Chitotela needs Jesus in his level of mockery. His hypocrisy on violence has even shocked Lucifer. He claims his heart is bleeding at the levels of violence under the new dawn!” he said. “May he kindly tell us which violence he is referring to? Chitotela is a senior elder in a respected church, SDA, who is expected to stand on honesty and truth. To start with, when the PF was in government with his close friend Stephen Kampyongo as minister of home affairs, they did nothing to end violence in this country. But they condemned violence when it was against them.”

Mayangwa told Chitotela to reflect on his life as a lawmaker that represents Zambia and bring out things that would unity the country.

“Chitotela needs to search his heart and seek forgiveness for failing to stand up and speak for the people of Zambia when he had the power to do so. If not, let him close his mouth because memories of PF violence in the minds of Zambians are still fresh,” he added.

Mayangwa recalled that a lot of people died under the PF regime but Chitotela was quiet.

He said as a church leader, Chitotela should start preaching peace in the Church.

“During the PF reign we had an innocent young university student die at the mercy of their irresponsible police force motivated by cadreism. We are still mourning State prosecutor Nsama Nsama and many others who were killed by PF cadres in police uniform,” said Mayangwa. “Hundreds of people got injured, others killed and many lost property during gassing. And our hearts are still in pieces over the killing of ‘Gaddafi’ [Lawrence Banda], Mapenzi [Chibulo] and others under the hands of PF cadres and police which all fell under his best friend’s supervision.”

Mast

By Davis Mataka

UPND Alliance Parliamentary candidate for the Kaumbwe constituency by elections Esnart Sakala is confident that she will scoop the polls slated for Thursday.

Speaking in an interview in Petauke yesterday, Ms Sakala who hails from the area said the people of Kaumbwe in Petauke were poised to vote for the UPND Alliance to forster development which has eluded them for the past few years.

She said the people of the area had embraced development and change and were ready to vote for her as an agent of progress.

She promised to turn the constituency into the food basket it was before the PF assumed leadership of the country ten years ago.

The seat fell vacant after the incumbent candidate UPND Alliance candidate passed away just before the August 12th 2021 general elections.

Ms Sakala revealed that It was disheartening to note that Kaumbwe had become the poorest constituency in the country surpassing the desolate Shangombo district in the Western province, not because of laziness of the people, but due to neglence by the previous PF government.

She said that in this day and age, the natives of Kaumbwe were in the dryer months of the year still subjected to sharing ponds for water with their animals for drinking and domestic use.

Ms Sakala said once elected as Member of Parliament, she will help uplift the quality of life for the area with one of her first priorities being to lobby for the construction of dams in the area to ease the water shortage and to ensure that electricity is made accessible to the people of Kaumbwe.

“One of the challenges of the areas that gave me the zeal to contest the position is the high poverty rate and particularly the lack of water for both domestic use for the people and their animals,

“It is dehumanizing that people are forced to share drinking ponds with cattle, and in the dryer months, the animals stray into neighbouring Mozambique in search of water and are stolen there,” she said.

Ms Sakala also bemoaned the lack of electricity for the locals saying the only power line in the area provides power to the palace and a few surrounding houses.

According to Ms Sakala, there is only one secondary school worth its name because the few other secondary schools in the area were being manned by primary school teachers, a situation which has disadvantaged especially the girl children.

Kaumbwe constituency has five wards namely, Kaumbwe, Lusinde, Manjanzi, Manyane and Kanyanga with approximately 30,500 registered voters.

Other parties contesting the seat are the PF and the Socialist party.

UPND Alliance Media Team.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia ( ECZ) says the nomination of Patrick Banda, a Patriotic Front (PF) Candidate in the October 21st, 2021 council chairperson election for Lusangazi district remains valid and the candidate will participate in the election.

ECZ Cooperate Affairs Manager Patricia Luhanga told ZANIS in a telephone interview today that ECZ could not remove Mr Banda from the ballot papers because he not been taken to court over the allegations that he was in possession of a fake Grade 12 school certificate.

“This is just an election but for now the possession of the commission is that his candidature is still valid and we could not remove him from the ballot because he was not taken to court,” she said.

Mr Banda was arrested by police in Petauke on October 16th for forgery and uttering of false documents but was later released on police bond.

He has since continued campaigning in Mzanzala ahead of the October21st, 2021 council chairperson election.

Meanwhile, ballot papers for the forth coming Lusangazi district council chairperson election were on Sunday, October 17th delivered to the area four days ahead of the council chairperson election.

Lusangazi District Electoral Officer Justin Mbashila confirmed to ZANIS the arrival of ballot papers and other election logistics.

Mr Mbashila said all security materials were delivered to Lusangazi and the ballot papers were verified, adding that all is set for the forth coming Lusangazi Council Chairperson election.

“The ballot papers were received on Sunday and verification was done so all is set for the forth coming election,” he said.

Meanwhile, Patriotic Front aspiring council chairperson candidate for Lusanga Patrick Banda has said that PF should win all the by-elections to shame the UPND who are claiming that the PF party is finished.

Mr. Banda said that if the PF loses by-elections, the ruling UPND will start boasting that the PF has been rejected in the Eastern province where former President Edgar Lungu hails from.

Mr. Banda said that victory for the PF in all the by-elections will be for former President Edgar Lungu as it will redeem the August 12 defeat. Mr Banda lamented that assertions that the PF is finished is merely hearsay by the opposition.

He noted that the PF is intact and that it will bounce back in 2026 because the UPND has failed to meet the aspirations of the people.

And Senior headman Lundu in chief Sandwe village said that the area has lagged behind in terms of development. Headman Lundu said that despite people voting for different candidates development has not been delivered.

And PF vice president Given Lubinda observed that the reason why the people of Musanzala rejected Mr Peter Daka is that there is no development in the area. Mr Lubinda said that Mr Daka has been voted for three terms without doing anything for the people.

He explained that the roads are in a deplorable state and that bridges under construction have been abandoned. Mr Lubinda said that once the people vote for the PF chairperson, he will work hand in hand with the area member of parliament Elias Banda to bring development to the area.

The council chairperson position fell vacant after the death of PF candidate William Banda.

PF CAN BOUNCE BACK

The Candidates’ Comment

There is a myth that once a party loses elections in Zambia, it eventually dies. When people are discussing about the chances of survival for a former ruling party, they point to UNIP and MMD. Even Hakainde Hichilema is telling voters that they should vote for his candidates because the Patriotic Front (PF) is dead just like UNIP and MMD died after losing power.

Hakainde is not God to determine the fate of a political party. A few years ago, it was not possible to imagine that United Party for National Development (UPND) could win elections in Zambia. When one spoke about UPND, to an average Zambian, this party was synonymous to regionalism, tribalism. The type of politics that were practiced in UPND was very tribal in nature. We know of many people who left UPND on account of being discriminated on tribal lines. The leadership of UPND conducted their activities on tribal lines. This is not a secret.

We remember that political opponents of the UPND, would always say, Hakainde will never rule because of his regionalized politics. Where is Hakainde today? Isn’t the same person whom some people said would never rule Zambia, a President?

No human hold the monopoly of destiny for any situation. The PF was removed from power because it made mistakes. It made mistakes because it is led by humans who are prone to stumble. The PF was replaced by a party that is led by humans who are equally prone to stumble. There was a point when PF was so desirable to the people. Whenever Hakainde spoke anything against PF; he was called all sorts of names. But as life has it, it is the same people who were once desirable, who became unattractive.

UPND is in power today on condition that they do things that find expression in the interest of the people. If UPND does not impress the people, they will be removed in the same way UNIP, MMD and PF were removed from power and another party will be ushered in.

If you look at the 2021 elections, there is nothing significant which UPND did to win the elections.The results were largely determined by the failures and conduct of the PF. PF was its own destruction and UPND seized the opportunity. At the time the people became so angry with PF, the main opposition happen to be UPND which occupied that position in 2011 by chance. The people made a choice to remove PF and by consequence, a party that had the highest chances to win the election benefited heavily and won the election.

Currently, people can talk all they want against PF and that it shall never rule again. That is their feelings but that does not constitute the truth. It is God who knows what will happen to a single party. Look at what happened in Malawi. Didn’t a former ruling party bounce back in power?

At the moment, the greatest majority of the people are still drunk with the excitement of ushering a new administration of Hakainde. A few months or perhaps years from now, the same people who are celebrated today will become loathed by the same people celebrating them, once certain promises are not fulfilled. It will only take a few promises to be broken before people begin to detest the new administration.

All what the PF need is to usher in a new leader and begin to reorganize themselves in the same way the former ruling party of Malawi did. As they do so, they need to admit that they wronged people of Zambia and they have to be honest about it. If possible, the PF need to outline some of the things they have realized they did wrong which offended people. They need to engage the people on various platforms and apologize for the wrongs they committed. Once a sober leader is chosen and apologies are made sincerely, they can begin to work on how to become a better entity. The choice is with PF and its members. If they choose to fight for positions, they will die like UNIP and MMD. If they do not take stock of their own faults they will not be forgiven and the people will continue to reject them.

For now, the PF has no moral right to expect any love from the people. They hurt people of this country a lot. What is worse is that majority people loved and still love the PF too much. Their hate comes from the magnitude of disappointment from a party that gave people hope. If you ask people to choose whether to be led by a Capitalist party of Hakainde which serves the interests of the West or a pro-poor party like PF, they will choose the latter. But how can they choose the latter when it turned itself into a party of corrupt and thieves?- The Candidates

PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 18, 2021

WE ARE CONCERNED WITH THE RATE AT WHICH OUR YOUTHS ARE LOSING EMPLOYMENT ACROSS THE COUNTRY

We want to express our concern as African Youth Movement Zambia over the speed and alarming rate at which our young people, women, differently abled are losing employment in various companies across the country.

Quiet appalling and disgusting to our ears to be informed that many contractors as well as suppliers of goods and services are laying off and/or declaring many Zambians redundant mainly because they can no longer afford paying them anymore. Our structures have informed us that from the time Government signed a freeze instruction on payments of contractors and suppliers, many young people, women and differently abled persons have had their employment statuses affected. We hear of redundancies, forced leave and terminations being effected on them because employers have reached levels where they can no longer afford their wage bills due to a freeze in payments by the New Dawn Government as per notice from the office of the Secretary to the Treasury.

We are saddened as an organisation because we understand the adversaries that will surely come with this on our people across the nation. It is without doubt that the economy is on a standstill due to the fact that their is no money in circulation due to that not so good decision by the new Dawn Government to freeze payments. Families are suffering, contractors and suppliers are suffering because they can not have salaries and the bigger interest rates which are accrued with different banks as some of these contractors and suppliers got moneys from these financial institutions with a hope that Government will pay them the money it is owing them. If this is left unchecked, we are likely to face a serious problem as a Country.

It is therefore our plea and request to President Hakainde Hichilema to have a serious relook at this matter if his promises of economic recovery would have anything meaningful. We urge our republican President who is a business man to immediately engage the Treasury with a hope of lifting the freeze before things get to a worser scenario. It is not too late to have this matter resolved, the many youths that voted for Mr Hakainde are looking forward to seeing a nation that will have citizens that can have three meals a day against what is currently obtaining in the country.

President Hichilema must understand also that some of the contracts signed by Government with these contractors have clauses that discuss a specific duration in which payments ought to be made, failure to which, huge interest rates would start accruing in favour of these contractors bringing about a huge debt responsibility on Government whose income is mainly from Tax Payers. Must we wait to reach such levels? We feel it is not the way to go.

Please Mr President, may you have a relook at this matter as a matter of urgency before we plunge our country into a serious circus.

Signed
AFRICAN YOUTH MOVEMENT ZAMBIA

Chanoda Ngwira
Executive Director

By Mupishi Jones

PF IS DESTROYING ITSELF BY ADOPTING THE SAME STRATEGIES THAT BROUGHT THEM WHERE THEY ARE TODAY.

I cannot believe that it is not possible for the PF to realize that the path they’re taking as they want to rebrand is leading them towards self-destruction? The PF leadership seem to have surrendered the party to it’s rival gangs amongst the PF to decide the fate of its party.

I may not agree with everything that Seer 1 prophesises, but on tickling a catastrophic spell of confusion in PF,I totally agree with him! PF is in a totally confused state.It doesn’t know what to do and yet it wants to be seen to be doing something.Currently there’s a groundswell of the scrumble for the PF presidency that has given rise to many rival gangs operating underground.Edgar is not doing justice to this party that sponsored him to his presidency.His silence on the party presidency and yet holding on to it, will cost the PF more than how RB costed the MMD! If he is hanging his political gloves,let him do so openly so that others might have the courage to come out contest! So far the only gang that has come out in open is the group sponsored by CK. This gang wants CK to take over the presidency and you can imagine the confusion that this decision can create from other gangs strongly opposed to CK’s loud-mouth type of tribal politicking!

These rival gangs probably are the ones at the center of crushing on each other during by-elections and accusing the UPND.PF had secured alot of UPND ligalia.

These PF rival gangs haven’t started today, they’ve been there even when they were in government when Kampyongo was the Home Affairs Minister and Kalimanshi one of the commanders of a rival gang!
It is these rival gangs raised by the PF top leadership themselves whilst in government that will destroy the PF completely.Equiped with incriminating evidence against those who were sponsoring violet activities against their opponents,these PF rival gangs have become untouchables….loose cannons!!!!!

If these commanders of these rival gangs could slap the Justice Minister in broad daylight at the market place in full view of members of the public whilst they were in government then,who can control them in PF today? If a commander of a rival gang in PF can publicly insult a sitting Minister of Home Affairs, what makes you think the former minister can scare such a commander today when they’re both out of power?

When people were advising the PF government then to tame their cadres,these PF leaders thought people were just jealous about there new found lifestyles! People used to warn them that these cadres you were raising and sponsoring to attack others, one day they’ll rise against you,they thought people were just hallucinating.Today,this confusion in PF is about to erupt.

These PF rival gangs in PF are hunting each other like predators in the jungle.Once they strike their opposition, they’re quick to scream whilst pointing to UPND as perpetrators of violence and yet they know each other pretty well! UPND has a very disciplined leader whom by now everyone knows that whoever is caught on the wrong side of the law,he or she will be himself or herself to blame regardless of the political party one is affiliated to! UPND members knows this pretty well to undertake such a risk operation of engaging in political violence without the full backing of the party leadership.UPND is aware that the responsibility to maintain and conduct peaceful elections lies squarely on their shoulders.They know that any incidents of violence in areas where there are by – elections, the buck will stop at them.Therefore, the UPND has no reason whatsoever, to engage in violence.However,there could be one or two disgruntled members acting on their own volition to engage in violence,but that cannot be said to be UPND’s stance!
I submit.

Mupishi Jones
Provincial Vice Youth Treasurer UPND Western Province
+260977480386

By Chimwemwe Mwanza

Attack is the best of form of defence. It’s a tactic that the late PF founding leader Micheal Sata often adopted when his back was against the wall, and it seemed to work. Thanks in part to his brand of populist politics, he was at his best when on the offensive.

After serving the MMD from its inception, he was overlooked for the Presidency prompting him to turn against the late Frederick Chiluba – once his closest political ally. It is worth recalling that it’s Sata that selfishly championed Chiluba’s ill-fated but divisive third – term bid yet king cobra deftly managed to extricate himself from a tarnished MMD to establish the PF.

It appears that PF Presidential aspirant Given Lubinda has borrowed this strategy cut and paste from Sata’s political playbook – albeit with a few tweaks. Granted his party has a ten-year record in office to defend after being tossed out of power, Lubinda has been hard at work battling to deflect the damning findings of a post electoral autopsy of the PF’s governance record. Struggling for relevance in a vastly transformed but new political landscape, he has been on the offensive attacking a two-month-old government for failing to deliver on its promises.

But here is why this strategy is struggling for traction. An electoral defeat like the one recently handed to the PF signifies rejection and by implication Lubinda as part of the PF collective is intrinsically linked to failed leadership. For some in the PF and the electorate at large, their anger is still simmering that Edgar Lungu’s candidature including the rest of the top leadership brass cost them both power and the gravy train.

As the newly appointed Vice President of Zambia’s biggest opposition party, He is almost a shoe in to taking over the reins from the incumbent – who has already made his intentions known that he won’t be seeking re-election at the party’s forthcoming convention. By virtue of proximity and association, it would be fair to suggest that the two leaders are now co-joined and are viewed by the PF grassroot as political Siamese twins – for lack of a better description.

Hence this attack, deceive and deflect strategy. At least he has a plan. As the adage goes, an idiot with a plan can beat a genius without a plan. Who can forget? In 2011, the PF taking advantage of disgruntled Zambians fed up with economic malfeasance under the MMD, pulled a stunning con on the electorate with promises of more money in people’s pockets. For the attack, deceive and deflect plan to work, all that Lubinda has to do is to consistently keep the spotlight on the UPND – this as a ruse to avoiding scrutiny and interrogation for his role in the PF’s poor record of governance.
He is all too aware of the impracticality of the UPND successfully adopting its election promises in under two months in government. However, he is hoping that by repeating and beating the UPND manifesto drum so hard, the noises regarding free education and cheap fertilizer among several of the UPND’s utopian promises will find resonance with struggling families, the youth and possibly the PF faithful.

RACE FOR THE PF PRESIDENCY – READ KAMBWILI’S LIPS

A career politician with nothing to show for in terms of development for his two-decades as a member of parliament for Kabwata, Lubinda lacks leadership skills, the charisma and oratory cadence critical to galvanising his party’s dejected base – which is still battling to digest the shock August 12 defeat. While the top PF structure has settled for the former Justice Minister as its preferred leader, they know too well that he is not sellable.

In the eyes of true greens, he is not only a liability but has no support base outside the PF’s central committee. And for a party that largely considers the Mpika, Chinsali and Kasama clique as the true greens, Za yellow’s ethnic background counts for nothing – in fact this diminishes his chances.

Never mind the fact that Lungu an easterner is PF President and try as we may to discount the significance of ethnicity in the PF, one can rightly argue that the former ruling party traces its genealogy to Mpika. In fact, where it not for Alexander Chikwanda’s shrewd backroom role in dispatching Wynter Kabimba from the party, Lungu’s ascent to the PF throne could have hit a snag. But with Chikwanda as the kingmaker and helped largely by the bemba clique, Lungu bagged the PF Presidency.

This begs another question, does this clique have any motivation to supporting a Lubinda Presidency? First and foremost, the PF is unlikely to ever bounce back in power at least not in its current state so why would anyone invest their effort, time, and money in supporting a lifeless trojan horse in Lubinda? Put differently, other than financial, is there perhaps another incentive to investing in a party that will serve in opposition trenches for the next five years? Off course there is – this is certainly the view of the PF die hard.

One can forgive them for betting on a resurrection because miracles do happen in politics too. If you dare argue, look east beyond Chipata. After more than two decades out of power, Kamuzu Banda’s Malawi Congress Party (MCP) recently resurrected from its grave with MCP Tonse Alliance leader, Lazarus Chakwera – just like his biblical namesake stunning Peter Mutharika to ascend to the Malawian Presidency.
However, Zambia’s political contour is rugged and any thought that the PF could bounce back to power seems far-fetched. Here is a good reason to back this argument. After losing power, all of Zambia’s former governing political parties including UNIP and the MMD have ended up at a crematorium and it seems that the PF is now on life support awaiting similar fate. Where does this leave Lubinda then?
Those rooting for his candidature are united in the view that he is more pliant to preserving Lungu’s legacy in the PF than other candidates. And this is a big deal in a party that doesn’t require its leader to advance his own vision but that of its founding leader, Sata. Whichever way one looks at this, Lubinda is in a pickle. But first, he has the small matter of the convention to worry about before he can even start thinking about 2026. Crucially, he lacks a critical support base to take on a formidable opponent such as Chishimba Kambwili which is why he is using his countrywide roadshow as a ruse to sell his candidacy.

And don’t be fooled by claims of Kambwili’s unpopularity in the PF central committee, this race will ultimately come down to grassroot support which by and large is a bug bear for Za yellow. In fact, Lubinda is intensely disliked by the grassroot to the extent that his own former constituency officials once organised a mob to lynch him for poor service delivery in Kabwata – his former constituency. If a leader can’t manage a constituency, imagine a party like the PF or a country as complex as Zambia for that matter?

Whatever the PF’s choice, the party can ill-afford to self-destruct after its convention. For once, it should guard against the temptation to rig its convention in favour of a pre-determined outcome because Zambia can’t afford to give the UPND a blank cheque in the form of a weak opposition – not in this era where the ruling party is within striking distance of attaining a two-thirds parliamentary majority.

To be candid, a genuine renewal of the former ruling party will require a complete overhaul of the top leadership structure – if possible, the dissolution of the entire central committee and pack it with new blood. It’s time to look for a youthful and charismatic leader that is not linked to the party’s disastrous ten – year reign in government.
Does Lubinda fit this profile?

About the Author: He is halfway through an interesting best seller titled winning and written by the late Jack Welch – the former CEO of General Motors. He is recommending this book to Miles Sampa who by the way is next in line in the race to the PF Presidency series. For feedback contact: Kwachaone@gmail.com

By CIC Investigations. .

UNHAPPY PF CADRES ATTACK HON GIVEN LUBINDA AS THEY DONT RECOGNIZE HIM AND WANT PF SG OUT.

Chaos has broke out within PF after a faction group refused to be part of the campaign trail of Kaumbwe by election due to PF not supporting the losing Candidate for Petauke Central Hon Dora Siliya.

PF in Petauke is divided into 4 segments with Jay Jay Banda controling the major percentage.

Segment 1 comprises of the rebellious faction who have vowed that PF SG should step down for wrong adoption process that caused Eastern province despite being the natural Strong hold for ECL recorded the highest numbers of independents and some to UPND thence embarrassing the party badly.

This segment has refused to be part of the campaign trail as they detest the appointments of veep Hon Given Lubinda whom they portray as being the causer of making PF unpopular with his failed Bill 10.

Segment 2 comprises of Dora Siliya supoorters who have opted to move on with their lives and have nothing to do with PF or politics. These people are divided badly from district to constituency.

Segment 3 comprises of 100 % PF members who are rejecting the appointment of Hon Given Lubinda. These are semi-PF that are in numbers but are loyal to the current MP for Petauke Central Hon Jay Jay Banda.

Segment 4 are undecided with their lives as they stick with PF regardless of who’s there to lead. These are people that are even campaigning in Kaumbwe by election.

When the news of Hon Given Lubinda came about some resources where sent that landed in the wrong segment and that caused uproar as counter threats kept going on. The other segment mobilized to protest the coming of Given Lubinda and to threaten all those recognising him as this gives legitimacy to the party secretary general.

CIC has established that the campaigns in Kaumbwe has been free and fair despite foul language of tribalism and hate speech by PF top leaders that includes Dr Chishimba Kambwili and Raphael Nakacinda.

The attack on Hon Given Lubinda has been heavily linked within their segmental circles and factions in PF as UPND are far away from coordinating such an attack.

The police are yet to give a detailed program.

CIC PRESS TEAM

By Ulande Nkomesha,

KABUSHI PF member of parliament Bowman Lusambo says it’s not President Hakainde Hichilema’s job to announce when asset recovery will happen.

Commenting on President Hichilema’s remarks that government would in the next few days announce the first national asset recovery, Lusambo said President Hichilema should respect the autonomy of investigative wings.

“The President in the first place should not be announcing investigative wings’ works. Let the people of Zambia get it from the investigative wings. Remember, the President has put FIC and ACC under his office. The people of Zambia are worried, this is what the people of Zambia didn’t want to see.

Remember when president (Michael) Sata took RDA to State House, the UPND cried the loudest that RDA should not be placed under the President’s office. All the government institutions carry delegated powers from the President. So, it is very necessary that we respect the autonomy of these institutions,” he said.

“For President Hichilema to announce that this week they will announce the recovery of money, that is not right, he is not the spokesperson for DEC, for police, he is not the spokesperson for ACC. Now that the President has announced that, people are expectant, they are expecting to see the massive recovery of money the President talked about.

It is not necessary for the President to talk about all those things. Yes, he is the Head of State, he is the overseer but government has institutions which need to operate freely.”

Lusambo said people were worried that the decision to place investigative wings under the Office of the President was meant to fight political opponents.

“People are saying that the decision that the President has made to bring these institutions under his office is for the President to fight his perceived political opponents. In a democratic dispensation those sentiments are not supposed to come out, because in a democratic dispensation the President expects the opposition to thrive.

It is healthy for him for the opposition to offer objective checks and balances. Let him be a democrat. One thing he should bear in mind is that immediately he was voted in on the 12th August 2021, the next is for him to be out of that office,” he said.

Meanwhile, Lusambo said President Hichilema should distance himself from investigative wings if he wanted to leave a legacy like Edgar Lungu.

“So, if he becomes objective, it will be easy for him to work. Remember we have presidents that have governed this country and they have left without any legacy. I wouldn’t love President Hakainde to be part of that list of presidents who have governed the country without any legacy.

I want President Hichilema to join the list of sons of the soil like Edgar Chagwa Lungu, who is a very proud man. As he was leaving the office, he left his legacy in the public. For me, I would want the President to distance himself from the investigative wings,” said Lusambo.

“I would want the President again to distance himself because he will be blamed that he is the one who has been directing ACC and other investigative wings. In Zambia it is a system, it doesn’t just end at recovering and announcing, you need to prove beyond reasonable doubt.

That is why there are courts of law. So, it is not necessary for the President to announce, let the investigative wings investigate. We have seen these things before, we have seen Mwanawasa’s regime, how some officers were excited, they were just pouncing on anything. At the end of the day nothing came into the coffers of the country.

Money was spent, in fact money was wasted because it wasn’t spent wisely. The people that got rich were the lawyers who were assigned to work for that task force.”

ANTHONY BWALYA HAS BEEN RELEGATED – KAMBWILI…but Panji says HH will always be criticised even on decisions he discharges on merit

Anthony Bwalya has been relegated in favour of Clayson Hamasaka, says Chishimba Kambwili.

But Colonel Panji Kaunda said President Hakainde Hichilema will be criticised even when he makes decisions on merit, saying that was part of human nature.

Speaking with Daily Revelation over the creation of a new position of media director at State House, which has been given to former Evelyn Hone College lecturer Hamasaka, which some pundits have said is senior to the special assistant to the President for press and public relations position held by Anthony Bwalya, Kambwili laughed off the matter, saying there was a saying in his language that says “ati bamisula kale, ninsoni shakumyebelapofye shabula (they don’t have any consideration for you, it’s just that they don’t have the courage to tell you).”

“Ahahaha I am just saying wait and see. I am just saying wait and see. I already gave my views during the campaigns and all I can say is wait and see. People can pretend to some extent but just see the actions and wait and see,” Kambwili said. “If you are a general manager, you are in charge of everything then on top of you they bring a chief executive officer, he becomes in charge of everything, what does it mean. He’s relegated isn’t it? But the President has got the right, it’s his prerogative to choose who he wants to work with. He has also the power to create positions. The constitution allows him to do so.”

Put across to him that Hamasaka was a qualified media practitioner, Kambwili said he was not saying that Hamasaka had been given the position because of his Tonga tribe, nor that Bwalya had been relegated because of being Bemba, but he insisted that people should watch the actions in government closely.

“Wait for the actions as they unfold everyday, look at State House, look at other institutions and judge for yourselves. I am not insinuating anything. I am only worried at certain comments of people that are trying to tell me I am tribal,” he said.

Kambwili said he wished Bwalya well.

“In my language there is a saying ati bamisula kale, ninsoni shakumyebelapofye shabula. When a thing like that happens where you are a general manager then they bring somebody on top to supervise you we call it in my language that bamusula kale, ninsoni shakumyebelapo shabula,” Kambwili said. “Because if you are effective, if they have the trust in you why not promote you to that position of director and bring the other person below? Why put a person on top? Then you know that that’s how they look at you. Not on tribal lines but that is how they look at you as a person who is not capable, he needs a supervisor.”

He condemned Vice-President Mutale Nalumango over her recent statement to parliament.

“Really how can someone go to parliament, a Vice-President to parliament and start saying out of 7000 people employed only 281 were employed from Southern, North Western and Western? That is divisiveness of the worst kind and it must be condemned,” Kambwili said. “And if it is true that people really employed 281 out of 7000, those who did that must also be condemned. But I think it is wrong for a Vice-President to go and isolate a certain region in the manner it was isolated in that statement.

“think sometimes there is a saying in English let…finish reading here http://dailyrevelationzambia.com/anthony-bwalya-has-been-relegated-kambwili-but-panji-says-hh-will-al

Pilato wrote:

DOING THE RIGHT THING

As we watch the new government continue to settle in, it is also important to remind them of certain hopes and expectations the people hold, beyond the promises made on the campaign trail. Much of the focus is on theft of public funds, fraud and corruption and as Zambians we should never relent on that but continue to demand our resources back and accountability of the new government at every step. However, there were a lot of wrongs done to Zambians by the PF regime beyond those things. A wrong done to a person living in some rural part of Zambia is still a wrong. That man or woman deprived of an opportunity or the child deprived of a life, all those are wrongs that should be corrected. Some we’re teachers, service men and women and even ordinary citizens. It is not every wrong that was as high profile as the attempted grabbing of Copperbelt Energy Corporation, the killing of the Post Newspaper and the shutting down of Prime TV. Others are low key but still very important because behind those action, there are people with names. Individuals and companies that suffered for merely being run properly or on the mere suspicion that the owner was President Hakainde Hichilema, when in fact not.

One would think a free functioning media is a prime tenet of democracy which should be protected, supported and invested in but what we saw under the PF was sponsored destruction of the media. It’s good to see that President Hichilema has particularly committed to correcting that.

A company like CEC holds a rich history, not for the history books but something Zambians have benefitted from for more than 60 years. A business upcoming Zambian entrepreneurs can learn from and aim to outdo. Anyone who has taken an interest in finding out about CEC knows that thousands of ordinary Zambians, including pensioners, continue to benefit from its success. Not only because they collect a dividend but also because CEC consistently pays taxes which every Zambian should benefit from as long as that money is not being stolen or going into the wrong hands and it also invests directly in its communities by supporting football, health, educational and environmental sustainability. As for the dividends, theZambian government is a large shareholder in that company so when an individual collects their small dividend cheque, the government has a much larger, fat cheque to cash. Who wins, ultimately? Zambians!

I’m here to remind the new government to let Zambians continue winning. To stand with us, the people, in making decisions and taking actions that don’t harm individuals and companies, communities and organizations whether small, big me regardless of where they are located. I like the policy direction being indicated so far and shall continue to watch and remind.

The Post couldn’t be saved. Prime TV was resurrected. I believe CEC can be prevented from further harm. When individual Zambians legally thrive, eventually Zambia will collectively thrive. Then, we will see less poverty and injustice.

By Veronica Mwale cic private reporter.

Copperbelt Province ~ Kalulushi.

“WE SHALL DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY” ~ Banda Sakanya.

President Hakainde Hichelena is on right track making sure Zambia realises the dream of a better Zambia.

In his campaign message to the Zambian people, he clearly stated that his administration will ” DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY” and this is exactly what he meant in the way he is running the country and making appointments.

There is anxiety for appointments from within UPND leadership and members who spent over 20 years in opposition and braced the PF brutality to see UPND form government.

Bally 1 will not copy cut the previous regimes’ kind of administration and that is the more reason why he is being more methodical and systematic in the way he is making appointments and running the country.
Everyone expected HH to fire all PF appointed positions and civil servants perceived to have supported PF openly and threaten UPND supporters with dismissals should have PF bounced back but HH will not copy cut that kind of administration because doing so will not be in any different from the out gone PF regime.

HH will not betray all his supporters that braced the PF brutality to form government and therefore, there is need to exercise a little more patient from within UPND leadership as the president is working all around the clock to ensure that his appointments doesn’t disappoint the 2.8 million that gave him and UPND the mantle to lead this nation.
President HH has categorically stated that his administration shall not tolerate any form of corruption hence a need for those waiting to be appointed to be extra cautious and bare in mind that appointments will be based on serving people and not for enrichment.

The country reached irreparable state, however, HH has within two months in office made positive strides in making sure tangible reforms are visible such as removing cadres from bus stations, markets and making sure civil servants are not harrased and threatened by the said PF legalised hoodlum thugs that created phobia in almost all civil servants.

HH is more determined to ensure that Zambia is for Zambians by making sure Jobs, businesses and contracts are given preference to Zambians. The president has in a very lucid way stated that food and shelter are a necessity to all Zambians and no one should lack them.

UPND leadership and members should excercise patience a little while and give HH chance to formalise his appointments.

Worry not about PF regrouping because when HH rolls out into action his formidable decentralized governance, the whole PF opposition party will have its short-lived regrouping excitement burried.

By CIC.

UPND THE RIGHT PARTY WITH A VISION TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF ZAMBIA

The Republican Vice President Mrs Mutale Nalumango has called on the people of Kaumbwe constituency in Petauke district of Eastern Province to vote for UPND candidate Esnart Sakala in the forthcoming by-elections.

Mrs Nalumango says a vote for Esnart Sakala is a vote for development as she will be a conduit for implementation of government plans in Kaumbwe constituency.

Speaking during a campaign trail to drummed up support for the UPND candidate in Kaumbwe constituency, Mrs Nalumango revealed that the UPND government is in a hurry to bring development closer to the people through decentralization.

The Republican Vice President says government’s release of constituency development fund CDF in full for all constituencies including Kaumbwe constituency is the demonstration of the New Dawn’s commitment to the people.

“Vote for UPND that is the government in power, when the the PF come to tell you lies that they will do this or that, ask them why didn’t you do it when you were in power?”

She explains that in UPND government under President Hakainde Hichilema money will be taken to the people to plan and implement projects according to their priorities.

The Vice President says the New Dawn government is doing everything possible to facilitate efficient fertilizer distribution on time.

She revealed that PF’s pronouncement that fertilizer will be in the country before the month of May, was not true as the country has not received the fertilizer todate.

“During the campaigns before the elections of August 12 PF told you that they have brought fertilizer for FISP. They said fertilizer will be delivered before elections but what we found was chaos, there was nothing at all.

The fertilizer that was suppose to be in the country in the month of May according to the PF is not here up to now.

We are working day and night to see that fertilizer is distributed on time.

let them challenge me and show me where the fertilizer is.” charged Mrs Nalumango.

“We are already on course to ensure that fertilizer is dispatched on time, as the Minister of Agriculture will be launching the distribution on Monday that everyone receive the inputs.”

The Republican Vice President says government will ensure the distribution of fertilizer is done on time and in a well coordinated manner.

CIC PRESS TEAM

POSITIVE CHANGE IS HERE

The Republican Vice President Mrs Mutale Nalumango has assured the people of Kaumbwe constituency in Petauke district of positive change they voted for on 12 th August 2021as evidenced by translating development agenda in Zambia.

Mrs Nalumango says UPND government is set on delivering development for the benefit of every Zambian.

And Mrs Nalumango said the New Dawn government will not allow a situation where individuals keep Millions of Kwacha in their houses when a project that is supposed to benefit many people such as constructing a bridge in Kaumbwe constituency costs K400,000.

“You have heard that people connected to the former ruling party were found with Millions of kwacha, 65million cash and some dollars while here in Kaumbwe a project to build a bridge costs as low as K400,000.

We are a rich country the only problem is that our colleagues in the former ruling party put money into their pockets at the expense of projects that would benefit many Zambians.”The vice president recalled.

Addressing people in Lunene ward of Kaumbwe constituency,

The Vice President said government is aware of some of the challenges being faced in the agriculture sector.

“PF planned and budgeted to buy 500, 000 metric tonnes of maize but since we had more harvest we added 400,000 metric tonnes more to carter for farmers that did not manage to sell maize and government has continued to buy to avoid wastage.

Here in Kaumbwe we planned to buy 24,000 metric tonnes but we have purchased 29,000 metric tonnes to ensure that all those that brought maize at the Satellite deport are cartered for.

Am told that everyone is paid for the supply of maize except for one or two people who will be paid soon.

The Headmen briefed me about their concerns on FISP and other challenges, the Minister will launch distribution of fertilizer on Monday, 18 th October 2021 and you will all have your farming input.

The delay in fertilizer distribution was due to the failures by the PF to bring in fertilizer on time.

I will not give you more details on some of these things because some maybe arrested.” Mrs Nalumango narrated.

“We have had to take responsibility for the mismanagement of former ruling party.

Government is resolved to find lasting solutions on the youths through skills development and empowerment.

“Vote for Esnart Sakala to represent you in parliament she understands our manifesto and will bring development to you” She said.

And Mrs Nalumango assured the people of Kaumbwe and the nation at large that Zambia being a rich country under the New Dawn therewill be equal distribution of resources.

“I have inspected some bridges that are critical for movements, we will come and repair the bridges starting with the one at Zumaili”She assured.