By Sean Tembo – PeP President

1. One of the key characteristics of a failed Government is lethargy. That is a lack of energy and enthusiasm to get things done quickly. Dragging your feet. Procrastinating. Having a bureaucratic mindset. Always telling yourself that l’ll do it tomorrow even if it can be done today. That is exactly the disease that appears to have afflicted our newly elected President, His Excellency Mr Hakainde Sammy Hichilema.

2. It has been more than 10 days since President Hichilema won the 2021 general elections, and it has been 15 years since he started aspiring to be Republican President. The general expectation is that with all that ample time, President Hichilema should have been ready to govern and should’ve hit the ground running. The starting point to governing a nation such as Zambia is to appoint a cabinet so that you can begin to roll out your policies. But it’s quiet. No cabinet in place up to now. The question is how difficult is it to announce a cabinet?

3. Well, it all depends on whether one was ready to govern or not. In this particular instance, it appears that the electoral victory came as a surprise to Mr Hichilema. What he had prepared was an election petition and a media statement of how unfair the election was. So to replace his drafted election petition with a cabinet appears to be a struggle for him. He seems to be in a state of functional paralysis. He is unable to move FORWARD. But at what expense to the nation?

4. You see, this country has had a leadership vacuum for more than
3 months now, ever since cabinet was dissolved. In other words, it has been operating on autopilot. Meanwhile we are besieged with numerous national problems; An economy on the verge of collapse. The pandemic. An education calendar that is in turmoil. Ever escalating cost of living. Default on Eurobond interest payments. Impasse in the mining sector at KCM and Mopani. No medicines in our hospitals. The list of urgent national matters goes on and on.

5. Our expectation is that President Hakainde Hichilema would roll out his cabinet so that his Government can begin to address some of these issues and give hope to the Zambian people. But instead the President is busy on social media making promises to the youth. Well sir, you’ve had 15 years of making promises. Don’t you think it’s now time to roll up your sleeves, get behind a desk and get some work done? Time to start fulfilling those promises? A cabinet is not something that is cast in concrete and steel. A cabinet can always be reshuffled at a later time. So the President is wasting his time trying to draft a perfect cabinet. In fact there is no such thing as a perfect cabinet because the true character of some of the candidates will only be revealed once they have been appointed and given power.

6. It appears to me that our new President is too immersed in trifles that he is unable to focus on the big picture. What we want sir is an economic turnaround so that the high cost of living can come down, so that our people can have gainful employment, so that our youths can be assisted with small empowerment loans to start businesses, so that our debt default can be corrected, so that there can be medicines in our hospitals and clinics. That’s the bigger picture that we want sir. We are not interested in trifles such as you insisting to ride your Nissan Infinite or whatever it is you call your vehicle, instead of the officially designated Mercedes Benz. That is a populist move sir, and history is replete with evidence that 10 out of 10 populist leaders tend to be incompetent and lack the necessary energy and enthusiasm needed to get things done. They are lethargic. Don’t be populist sir. Just ride the Mercedes Benz, fly the Gulfstream G650 presidential jet, enjoy State House lawns. Those are your perks. You deserve them. You need to enjoy them. I believe that l would be speaking on behalf of 18 million other Zambians when l say that if you want to please us, just deliver on your promises instead of engaging in populist antics of riding your Nissan Infinite.

Godspeed and please pull up your socks sir.
/// END
SET 26.08.2021

PRESS STATEMENT
(For immediate release)

Lusaka, 26th August 2021: Fellow Zambians, the historical event of Tuesday, August 24, 2021, where thousands of our citizens and international dignitaries gathered at Lusaka’s Heroes National Stadium, to witness the peaceful transition of presidential power, cannot go without mention.

It is gratifying that this peaceful handover of power from the sixth Republican president Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu to the seventh Republican President His Excellency Mr Hakainde Hichilema, and the seamless handover of power from former Republican Vice-President Madam Inonge Mutukwa Wina to Republican Vice-President Her Honour Madam Mutale Nalumango, took place peacefully and orderly within the spirit of One Zambia One Nation.

We, in this vein, would like to congratulate His Excellency President Hichilema and Her Honour the Vice-President Madam Nalumango, and the outgoing leadership, for magnanimously facilitating the presidential transition in fulfillment of Zambia’s impressive democratic credentials from a regional, continental and global perspective.

We are, therefore, humbled and grateful that regional, continental and global leaders who include South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa; Malawi’s President Lazarous Chakwera; DRC’s President Felix Tshisekedi; Namibia’s President Hage Geingob, Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa; Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan; Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta; Angola’s Vice-President; Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Eswatini, Mr. Cleopas Dlamini; the delegation from U.S President Joe Biden; former president of Nigeria Dr Olusegun Obassanjo; and Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland among others, have been witness to this exemplary nurturing of democracy in Zambia.

Other international dignitaries worth of our appreciation are Hon. Dominic Nitiwul, Minister of Defence of the Republic of Ghana; His Excellency Sheikh Shakhboot Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates; and Dr. Monique Nsanzabaganwa, Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission.

The UPND Alliance further applauds the Zambian people for the orderly and peaceful manner they conducted themselves during Tuesday’s presidential inauguration, and equally salutes our women and men in uniform for maintaining law and order.

We are grateful for the solidarity expressed by our leaders of opposition political parties who were physically present to witness as President Hichilema and Vice-President Nalumango took oath of office. This speaks to how robust our democratic environment is.

That said, we are confident that with such kind of national and international co-operation, the mammoth task of actualising the key national issues President Hichilema outlined in his inaugural address, will be eased up for the benefit of all Zambians.

The UPND Alliance, in this regard, commits to working with President Hichilema and Vice-President Nalumango, to ensure that our promise for a better Zambia is turned into a reality. This promise is about a Zambia which is united and prosperous.

In addition, the task before us is about delivering a Zambia that guarantees basic needs for all its citizens, and one in which fundamental human rights and property of her citizens are protected. On Tuesday, the journey towards realizing that dream was commenced by the UPND Alliance government.

In President Hichilema’s words, the road ahead will not be without challenges but with a clear vision and plan, we shall overcome and deliver on the aspirations of our people.

We shall count on the hard work of our fellow Zambians, who have endured so much over the years hence the decision to vote for the change that saw the UPND Alliance’s ascendancy into government, and we are confident we will score, especially with the unity of purpose we demonstrated at Tuesday’s presidential inauguration. Together, we will deliver to the expectations of the Zambian people. Welcome to servant, accountable and inclusive leadership.

Issued by:

Charles L. Milupi
UPND Alliance Chairperson

Dr Ernest Mwansa
UPND Alliance Chairperson

By MacDonald Chipenzi

CAN A PRESIDENT APPOINT MINISTERS WHEN PARLIAMENT IS STILL IN DISSOLUTION ?

Since parliament dissolved in May this year to pave way for the General Election, it has not been reconvened and is still in dissolution.

Can then the President appoint ministers from among the members of Parliament who are still dissolved?

In my humble view, this can be an anomaly and a break of the Constitution on the appointment of Cabinet.

The President can name the people he wishes to appoint but if the Constitutional Court Judgment is to be followed, Ministers cannot hold office when Parliament is dissolved.

In any case, the Standing Orders of Parliament also support this view that parliamentarians have to first take an oath of allegiance when the House first seats.

First business is the election of the Speakers who takes oath before the President and then members of Parliament before the Speaker then for that day business is suspended awaiting the presidential summon for presidential address.

Standing Orders of Parliament 2005 i believe were amended in 2016 But didnt deviate from this norm state in part;

The Speaker-elect, accompanied by his or her proposer and seconder and other members of the House, shall, as soon as may be, present himself or herself to the President for presidential APPROBATION and shall TAKE and SUBSCRIBE the OATH.

On his or her return, he or she shall report these facts to the Assembly.

The SPEAKER and MEMBERS shall then TAKE and SUBSCRIBE the OATH or AFFIRMATION OF ALLEGIANCE.

(17) When ALL the MEMBER’S HAVE TAKE or SUBSCRIBED the OATH the House then adjourns until the time the President will address the House.

This is just to buttress my earlier post which cde counsel Mushya wanted me to delete it alleging it is misleading though he has not yet given me his thrust in terms of clauses supporting his contra argument FROM MINE. AM STILL WAITING THOUGH.

If is following former President EDGAR CHAGWA Lungu’s style of doing things and disrespect of the Constitution, then yes the President can proceed to appoint ministers by precedence.

Former President EDGAR CHAGWA Lungu appointed his partial cabinet on 14 Sept 2016 barely a day of being sworn in when those appointed had not taken an oath of allegiance since PARLIAMENT reassembled on 24 Sept for election of the Speakers and taking of OATHS by the Speakers and MPs.

As we speak now, the Parliament stands dissolved so where will the PRESIDENT get the MPs to appoint as Cabinet ministers?

If he does the appointment now than waiting for the relevant oaths are taken by the prospective appointees, this, in my view, would be the start of the disrespect of the Constitution by the President.

There is no need to rush the new president to appoint Cabinet outside the normal. We are in the NEW DAWN where the rule of law is our portion.

I submit.

By Chimwemwe Mwanza

This heading is not only repulsive but emotive enough to upset a segment of politically conscious Zambians – more so in the aftermath of a bitterly contested Presidential election.
Yet nothing compares in its vulgarity to this infamous remark. ‘Zambia will one day have a Tonga President but not this one,’ retorted former President Edgar Lungu to a question on the possibility of a Hakainde Hichilema Presidency.

Notwithstanding the sarcasm with which he delivered this message, Lungu was conscious of its impact on the electorate. It is precisely why he used the Presidency as a bully pulpit to deliver such a crudely stitched innuendo. He knew very well the influence and power of the office that he has since vacated. In retrospect, did President Kenneth Kaunda – Zambia’s founding statesman’s ethnicity ever matter?

Put more succinctly, did it ever bother our electorate or the political commentariat that Kaunda’s successor Frederick Chiluba was Bemba? If not, why then should ethnicity become a prism through which the HH Presidency be viewed? The fact that we are even discussing ethnicity with focus on a specific tribe and 57 years after independence is reflective of the low bar that politicians have set in our social discourse. However, the reality is that fear sells, and this is something that politicians know too well.

In fact, nothing scares the Zambian electorate more than having a tribalist sitting in state house. It is thus fair to state that in the absence of a compelling campaign message, politicians tend to resort to base politics hence the Patriotic Front’s (PF) decision to enlist Chishimba Kambwili as the attack dog to amplify their assault on HH’s persona. This was a well calculated move by the PF to exploit Kambwili, a formidable politician with a solid grassroot following in both Lusaka and the Copperbelt – two swing provinces that were critical to the electoral outcome.

Why Tribalphobia is Zambia’s biggest threat?

With Eastern, Northern, Luapula and Muchinga provinces firmly in the PF corner, he was the chief points man designated to arrest the PF’s waning fortunes in Lusaka and the Copperbelt. Whether he did succeed or fail in his scaremongering mission should not be seen in the context of PF’s loss but the overall impact of his messaging on the larger electorate. In the bigger scheme of this analysis, HH’s victory is inconsequential. While he won the election, it may well be true that HH somewhat lost his standing as a non-tribal leader especially among the PF faithful and independents that voted against his candidature.

Whichever way you look at it, PF with help from the likes of its Deputy Secretary General Mumbi Phiri (she of the bakachema fame), GBM, Canicious Banda and Kambwili among others did succeed to put ethnicity on the ballot alongside unemployment, rampant corruption, rising cost of living and poverty among others. This is evident in the voting pattern as demonstrated in the Eastern, Muchinga, Northern and Luapula provinces.

We can argue all we like and rightly so, but the facts and outcome of the elections tell a different story. Zambia is now dangerously divided into two parts, one shared by the UPND and the other half by the PF. Which brings us to the crux of the discussion.
HH waving to the crowd during his inauguration
HH waving to the crowd during his inauguration

Is HH a tribalist? It is difficult to pierce through this man’s veil but those that were once in his inner sanctum tell conflicting stories regarding his character. In fairness, there is hardly any tangible evidence to prove such. However, it is worth noting though that his ascent to the United Party for National Development (UPND) Presidency was problematic giving rise to a perception that he was enthroned to the UPND Presidency by a cabal that wanted to create a Tonga hegemony. To this day, this perception continues to fester hence the belief that the UPND is a tribal party.

Add to this, the commentariat including sections of the media peddled this notion with maximum potency effectively robbing the electorate a balanced view from which to interrogate his personality. In fact, no Zambian Presidential candidate has ever borne the brunt of a tribal stigma as much as HH. It can be argued that his defeat in previous Presidential polls was in part enabled by a sustained media attack on his persona. In truth, the HH we know has largely been defined by the media and his political detractors.

It now seems amusing that the leader of a party that was called all sorts of names including a derisory reference to being a leader of a Bantustan is today in charge of government. With the PF having collapsed Zambia’s political and moral fibre and Lungu on a slow march to political oblivion, the in-coming leader has the added burden of restoring decency to the country’s political landscape.
To suggest that HH is now carrying the weight of the nation on his shoulders is being charitable; the appropriate description is that the weight of his nation is resting on his entire body. This includes a toxic political environment bequeathed by the outgoing regime

As he prepares to govern, optics will also focus on the ethnic composition of his cabinet and the rest of his government, perhaps unfairly so. But this is the Zambia he has inherited. It is a pity that a tribal balancing act will rob him the luxury of picking his best team. Blame this on the toxic politics perpetuated by the likes of Kambwili and his handlers – precisely why uniting Zambia and helping it rid of tribal politics should rank as one of his top priorities.

The author is an avid scholar of political history and philosophy. Raised in the multi-cultural city of Livingstone, he often ate ndongo and mapopwe with his peers drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds. He also knows a thing or two about mashendo yamu Livingstone. Mwanza remains a lifelong fan of both magnificent Kabwe Warriors and Liverpool. For feedback, contact Kwachaone@gmail.com

By MacDonald Chipenzi
·
WHEN IS THE NEW PRESIDENT APPOINT HIS CABINET IS THE QUESTION MANY HAVE ASKED ME.

The appointment of Cabinet is guided by Article 116 which demands that these cabinet ministers are drawn from WITHIN parliament and among the members of Parliament.

ARTICLE 116 (1) of the Constitution of Zambia guides that *the President shall appoint a prescribed number of Members of Parliament as [Cabinet] Ministers*

This means that those to be appointed as Ministers must be sworn members of Parliament I.e those who would have taken an oath.

But how does one become a bonafide member of Parliament? Is it by mere election I.e winning an election or has to be sworn in?

Article 81 (1) provides guidance on the above question and it states *the term of Parliament shall be five years commencing from the date that the Members of Parliament are sworn into office after a General Election and ending on the date that Parliament is dissolved.*

This means that without being sworn in, one is not a bobafide member of Parliament perhaps s/he is just MP-elect without any authority to discharge his/her duties as an elected or nominated MP.

So what is the first thing Parliament is and members of Parliament are supposed to do once a General Election is over and new crop of parliamentarians elected?

Article 82 (5)(a) directs that *when the National Assembly first sits after a General Election, firstly, subarticle 82(1) stresses that *the Members of Parliament shall elect, by secret ballot, a Speaker of the National Assembly from a list of names of persons, who are qualified to be elected as Members of Parliament, but are not Members of Parliament, submitted to the National Assembly by— (a) the President; and (b) political parties holding seats in the National Assembly.*

Secondly, subarticle 4 of the same Article further guides that *the Members of Parliament shall elect, by secret ballot, the First Deputy Speaker from a list of three names, selected by the political parties represented in the National Assembly, from among persons who are qualified to be elected as Members of Parliament but are not Members of Parliament*

And thirdly, subarticle 5 further guides that *the Members of Parliament shall elect, by secret ballot, the Second Deputy Speaker from among their number* all this happens at the first sitting.

Note that the *two Deputy Speakers of the National Assembly shall not be members of the same political party and of the same gender.*

After the election of the Speaker is done and MPs sworn in, then Article 116 is summoned which requires that the President appoints any member of Parliament as Ministers. This is the time the Cabinet is supposed to be unveiled.

In addition, Article 75.(1) is also triggered i.e. *The [elected] Speaker shall, within thirty days after a General Election, by notice in the Gazette, appoint a date for the first sitting of the National Assembly.*

Therefore, as long as MPs have not been sworn in, it may be tricky for the new President to appoint his Cabinet from unsworn in MPs but he can nominate the 8 to be sworn in together with the elected ones when PARLIAMENT sits.

I hope i have addressed your numerous concerns and will allow the New President do his due diligence on the would be cabinet ministers. It would have been quicker if he was appointing them from outside parliament.

However the puzzle is who shall be our next Speaker? Will the new government retain Dr Matibini or replace him with someone else and who is that somone?

What about the two deputy Speakers, who are they? Will Catherine Namugala be reconsidered or a new first Speaker will be born? At least for the second spwakee since s/he must be from among the members of Parliament. We can continue guessing and floating names.

I submit

McDonald Chipenzi

By Mwansa Prospery Chalwe Snr

The vanquished Patriotic Front (PF) party’s campaign was partly based on depicting Hakainde Hichilema (HH) as a representative of Western interests. He was falsely accused of intending to sale the country’s resources to the West once he gains political power. This was a very a disingenuous claim by the PF. They conveniently forgot that under their watch, Zambia had borrowed heavily from China (30% of foreign debt) and the country is in fact currently beholden to China. And to his credit, HH did not bite the bait, and for the first time since 2001 or thereabouts, there was no Chinese bashing on the campaign trail by the main opposition in Zambia, as a populist strategy. This has put HH in very good position to talk to President XI Jinping in order to reset Zambia-China relationship on an even keel so as to ensure that it becomes indeed a win-win situation unlike now.

In recent years, the geopolitical and economic rivalry between the United States and China has reached fever pitch, and African political leaders have to be very careful on how they handle their relationship with the two super powers. China and Africa are soon to hold their three year cooperation conference, the Forum on China – Africa Cooperation ( FOCAC) next month, September, in Dakar Senegal. This is a MUST attend conference for HH because it provides him with an opportunity to meet all 54 African heads of state as well as to meet President Xi Jinping of China so soon after taking over power. It will be a great blunder if HH decided to skip such a conference.
In this article, I will discuss the issue of the sort of relationship that Zambia should have with the two super powers – US and China- and provide some advice to the HH administration on how to handle this very delicate and sensitive issue.

From the outset, it should be clear that the answer to the question as to which country and economic development model Zambia should choose between the Washington Consensus and the Beijing Consensus; the answer is a straight: neither of them. Zambia needs both. The two countries- China and the US – and their economic systems bring different positive aspects which are beneficial to Zambia and could facilitate its development. The two countries should not necessarily be in open conflict in Zambia as former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton observed on her visit to Zambia, on a five nation tour of Africa in June 2011.

“The United States does not see these Chinese interest as inherently incompatible with our own”, Clinton said. “ We are , however, concerned that China’s foreign assistance and investment practices in Africa have not always been consistent with generally accepted international norms of transparency and good governance, and that it has not always utilized the talents of African people in pursuit its business interests.”

The researchers Larry Hanauer and Lyle Morris of Rand Corporation in the United States share the same view with Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as they stated the following in their paper: “ U.S and China goals in Africa do not necessarily conflict, and the engagement of both economic powers could be advantageous to Africa.”
In relation with the United States, the HH administration should continue and even improve the relations with them which were severely damaged by the Lungu
administration through the expulsion of the former Ambassador Daniel Foote for condemning corruption and human rights abuses. Zambia stands to continue to benefit from the massive aid that it receives from the United States of about $500million per year. Zambians will also benefit from the democracy and human rights support that the US champions and intends to improve further as per recent pronouncements by Foreign Secretary Antony Blinken. The PF administration under former President Lungu, was an emerging dictatorship without doubt. Zambians have overwhelmingly ditched authoritarianism in 1991 when they got rid of late President Kaunda’s UNIP dictatorship. And now, again they have shown PF and former President Lungu the door by rejecting their dictatorial tendencies and economic mismanagement. Zambians have long chosen multiparty democracy as their political system due to the country’s diversity. There is no question about that. The United States is, therefore, urged to lend more support to civil society in Zambia to strengthen our democracy. The U.S can help, for example, with reforms such as converting the seemingly compromised Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), which is always perceived to be beholden to any Party in power into a truly independent body as is the case in South Africa in order to reduce election disputes.

In view of the United States’ intention of resetting its economic policy towards Africa as per its Strategic Competition Act 2021which is meant to facilitate competition with China in Africa, one hopes that U.S companies will now be attracted to Zambia and compete with Chinese Companies. The business competition between the United States and China on Zambian soil can benefit us in so many ways. The benefits include Zambia being able to negotiate better commercial deals with the respective foreign investors rather than being beholden to one or the other. It may be quite possible that if more US companies were involved in Zambia, for example, they are likely to be engaged in different business practices based on western values, such as employment of locals for skilled and unskilled positions, transfer industrial technologies to local partners, engage in more humane working conditions, and contribute to initiatives that promote the health and welfare of their workforce. Consequently, it is most likely that such civilized business practices could encourage the more than 600 Chinese enterprises in Zambia to emulate the Americans in order to secure deals, compete in the local labour and consumer markets.

In far as China is concerned, Zambia should continue with the excellent government to government relationship that exists but the new administration should double down on its economic cooperation with China by ensuring that ordinary Zambians benefit from the cooperation.

Zambia-China Economic Ties need Recalibration

If HH and the UPND alliance wants to fast track the country’s economic recovery, the main road should lead to Beijing. China offers two massive opportunities to Zambia in terms of Capital and Market. The impression one gets is that the former PF administration’s dealings with China were anchored on graft and personal benefits to the Zambian leaders and those connected to them, rather than ordinary Zambians. There are immediate, short term, medium term and long term economic strategies that the UPND alliance can adopt in relation to China that are beyond the scope of this article. I could share such opportunities based on the knowledge acquired during my extensive research while writing my recent book :China-West Battleground in Africa: Debt Ridden Zambia.

It is very clear from the above analysis that Zambia should cooperate with both the United States of America and China as it stands to benefit by facilitating its development because the two bring different but complementary menus to the table. As at present, the US is playing a critical role in providing Aid to Zambia and should in fact increase its involvement in Zambia through the promotion of democracy and human rights. On the economic front, it will be up to the private sector in the US to make decisions whether to invest or not as government cannot force them. On the other hand, Zambia and China should continue with its cooperation but recalibrate the relationship so that the economic cooperation results in poverty alleviation and genuine win-win situation unlike now when it is lopsided. Chinese capital and market provides a massive opportunity for the UPND alliance to exploit to speed up economic recovery.

This article comprises a few excerpts from my recent book whose link is below
CHINA-WEST BATTLEGROUND IN AFRICA: DEBT RIDDEN ZAMBIA: Why U.S. May Lose Geo-Economic Competition to China http://www.amazon.com/dp/B097DVXBKH/ref=cm_sw_r_wa_api_glt_7PR5H7YBZZ14FCDNT54Y
The writer is a retired Chartered Accountant and Author. He is a financial commentator and Analyst, and an Op-Ed Contributor to the Hong Kong based, Alibaba owned, South China Morning Post (SCMP). Contact: pmchalwe@gmail.com

“HH’S IGNORANCE AND PARANOIA, A DANGER FOR STATE INSTITUTIONS.”
_Who’s the strange cadre escorting HH on the gaurd of honor_
We have a very strong observation during yesterday’s SWEARING IN CEREMONY where we saw state security taking a very minimum role in yesterday’s function. We discovered that the President Elect Hakainde Hichilema was surrounded by his party cadres as his security who have not swore to any oath of the nation and cannot be accountable to anyone.

When President HH went for the gaurd of honor, there was a cadre who escorted him. He instead chose to have a cadre escort him during his guard of honor, instead of his ADC from Zambia police who was clad in ceremonial gear.

The swearing ceremony custom and it’s swearing in party has been established in the laws of Zambia and what type of procedure prescribed to be followed.

Secondly, the vehicle the President used must be explained. The GLOBE including foreign dignitaries who attended yesterday’s inauguration are amused by the embarrassing situation where President Hakainde refused to use state vehicles, instead he chose to use his private vehicle and he asked the American security from the American embassy here to scrutinize that vehicle. Why has he chosen America over and above his own people and institutions that he so desired to preside over? What message is he sending to our security agencies and our defence force, when he cannot trust them? How can a President refuse to jump on Zambia’s state vehicles as prescribed? He is exposing the nation badly with his fainted paranoia. We must differentiate between institutional and personal things.

On this we are demanding an explaination from the Scretary to Cabinet to give us a full report of what transpired there regarding the person who escorted the President on the gaurd of honor, the vehicle the President used and 75 percent of the cadres who were surrounding the President. This also should be explained by the Commissioner State House, the Inspector General together with Zambia State Intelligence Service. We want to know his service number in the Zambia Police Service.

Everyone who works in security institutions including State house or indeed on state functions were employed to serve the state and swore to protect the constitution and not political parties, so let us not BEGIN A PURGE and VICTIMISATION of innocent people, these are innocent people, these people swore allegiance to serve the Zambian people without fear or favor. Even in 1991 when there was change of govt at the time there was a ONE PARTY DICTATORSHIP when State Security and intelligence were so complicated and sophisticated, but the one who was elected Dr. CHILUBA had to comply to constitutional requirements. Everyone who has come after that have followed suit, because it’s not about your wish but about the requirements.

We don’t want to set a wrong precedence where State institutions are disregarded which are established by law with impunity. HH is no longer a private citizens, he is now a state asset and everything about him, has now got to be checked and accounted for. It’s not the first time we are changing govt, Zambia as a country has got laid down procedures on how state functions are performed to fulfil he requirements as prescribed by law. In 1991 we had a change of govt and in 2011 we had a similar process, but what we witnessed yesterday WE HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

We don’t want people to be sneaked into the system without following procedures or indeed formally, this will jeopardize and compromise the security’s integrity of our country to which Hakainde swore to uphold and safeguard.

We don’t want to see individual houses being gazzetted to become State House. Zambia has established state places where State functions and state institutions are established. This is a 7th President and all the other six have followed laid down procedures and customs.

We hope this avoidance to observe state procedures as established by law with impunity, does not become a norm, otherwise state institutions run the risk of being run over by partisan operatives at the expense of the nation. We want to warn state institutions especially the State House and ZSIS to move in, don’t be afraid to do the right thing, this is about the nation and not an individual’s feelings.

The media must take keen interest of these anomalies and what is yet to come. Let us not dignify indecency and illegalities.

Kindly take note, that I will be having a SPECIAL PRESS BRIEFING tomorrow morning to address numerous PERTINENT matters of national interest at a venue to be announced later.
Raphael Mangani NAKACINDA
Former Water Development Minister.

By Chambwa Moonga

CORNELIUS Mweetwa says no one in the UPND top echelon will be President Hakainde Hichilema’s bootlicker.

Mweetwa, the UPND spokesperson and recently elected Choma Central member of parliament, featured on ZNBC TV’s Sunday Interview.

“For those who have the opportunity to be around him (President Hichilema), I’m here to say we are not going to be bootlickers for HH. None of us is a bootlicker for HH; we are co-leaders with HH,” Mweetwa said. “We are there to support him [because] he is our leader. [We’ll] hold him accountable to help to lead this country to a better country that we want.”

He said unlike the PF pride of bragging that ‘we shall be in power until 2050,’ the UPND mandate in government would expire in 2026, with a possibility of renewal – based on performance.

The PF, with a haughty leadership and mostly stuck-up followers, suffered a humiliating defeat at presidential level, in the August 12 polls.

Mweetwa said as a way of maintaining people’s support, the UPND government has low-hanging fruits by way of curtailing political violence and that such has already begun to happen.

“Everyone is free in Zambia now – free at last. [We’ll] end political cadreism – cadres storming ZNBC, ministries, cadres poking police officers,” he promised. “[We are also] ending political impunity – people speaking as though they were not elected. ‘We shall be here until 2050.’ [But] I’m here to say [that] UPND is here up to 2026, and dependent on how we behave, how we deliver [and] how we use this mandate, the people of Zambia have the right to remove us in 2026. So, what we shall do depends on the will of the people to decide to give us another mandate.”

Mweetwa added that the presidency of Hichilema is a departure point, from the rooted confusion that headlined Zambia under PF regime.

“You can see the freedom which is reigning in the country. You can put on PF, UPND regalia and go anywhere. A radio station now can be able to interview anyone. No one is coming to shutdown…No DC (district commissioner) is going to come and say ‘what are you doing?’” Mweetwa explained.

He noted that those who were coming to serve with President Hichilema must be leaders and not bootlickers.

“And leaders will know that our leader has to be helped by making the right choices and decisions, in order that his legacy should be enduring on the promises he made to the people of this country – the basis upon which the people gave him a landmark vote,” Mweetwa said. “I’m here to commit, as spokesperson of the UPND, [that] the media will have their space. We do recognise that the media is the fourth estate in any functioning democracy.”

He further said “the moment you begin to trample on media freedoms, then you get it wrong, like it has happened in the past five years.”

“You close down the views of the people, you shut-down the voices of the people [and] you can’t hear what the people are saying. You only hear it through the ballot and by that time you are out. We don’t want to go that route,” Mweetwa said.

“The President-elect has a vision for the media. He is a businessman. He has a mission for the media. He wants to transform the way the media operates in this country…”

Mweetwa indicated that the UPND remained relevant in the opposition for 23 years because of honest and sincerity.

“It’s because of standing for truth and not appeasement. I don’t think that HH will change. If he does change, the people of Zambia will also change – they will stop supporting him and remove him from office,” he explained, adding that the international community is overjoyed with the election of Hichilema as the Republican President. “[It’s] joy at last. The international community is even taking Zambia as a case study to say ‘there is a government that was heavy-handed, oppressing citizens, abusing police to stifle freedoms of people.’ If you did an opinion poll in the international community, people thought that government would not change in Zambia because it was a brutal government. They are wondering ‘how have you managed as Zambia?’ Zambia has managed it because we don’t have a tradition of having a leadership coming through the bullet [but] we always have a leadership coming through the ballot.”

He pointed out that as Hichilema gets sworn-in today, he should carry on from where he has already begun as the President-elect.

“Number one expectation of the people of Zambia is the economy – the issue of debt, the issue of the kwacha-dollar relationship,” Mweetwa said. “For the first time in Zambia’s history, Brentwood institutions – the IMF, the World Bank, are sending representatives to come and be part of the inauguration of Zambia’s Seventh President, HH. That is happening for the first time!”

He emphasised that the business and market industry has confidence in Hichilema.

“I don’t want to be overarching about it – the leadership will have to be sober and humble about it. We have to harness this goodwill and use it to the benefit of the people of this country,” he noted.

Around Zambia’s debt, Mweetwa said: “we are coming in to do a forensic audit, to create integrity of numbers – to find out whether what we have been told over the years that Zambia owes is really what we owe.”

BRILLIANT WRITE UP!!

Michael Taonga Phiri writes…

Seeing ECL leave the stadium pa last when everybody else have left with only his daughter by his side breaks my heart. This is the man who had a legion of supporters, bootlickers and sympathisers. This is the man who received praise and worship from his mass choirs. He was almost becoming a lesser God only superior to his singing angels. Today he is seen being bundled in an ordinary Range Rover with no flag, no security detail and motorcade whatsoever. Even the service chiefs have switched their loyalty to the government of his excellency president HH. Today he has no much salutation and praise from his faithful lieutenants. His number is not as busy anymore. He is trying to understand why the crowds in the stadium are booing him yet a few weeks ago he was the commander in chief. In the very state of shock he tries to call his close associates whom he ate and drunk with but no one is answering or giving him any attention like before including the number one bootlicker. Ichalo ichi!!

Brethren I have picked up a very sad lesson about life from today’s inauguration ceremony; People will stick with you as long as its beneficial to them. Very few people are willing to stand with you when life gets messy and when the world turns it’s back on you. People will act like they don’t even know you yet you broke bread with them. The same people who cheer and chant slogans for you today will leave you to fight off your battles alone no matter how much you helped them. People who dined with ECL showed him fake love and today they cannot be seen anywhere near him. Those who ate and drunk with him can no longer associate with him.

Today they’re in red regalia chanting forward. He meant well to them but like mwankoles, they have flown away leaving him stranded. I am reminded of Simon Peter in the Bible, when asked if he was one of them and he denied three times. In this day we have such people. As long as what you offer to them is beneficial they will praise you, they will shower you with all sorts praises such as commander, big boss, bazungu etc yet under their skins are a brood of vipers.

They will treat you like you’re on top of the world. They will even influence you to do what’s not right and when things go wrong, you’re on your own. Brethren mark such people and avoid them. This should also be a lesson to president HH, Ameno mafupa 💔

Patritic Front (PF) Member of the Central Committee Mumbi Phiri has announced her retirement from active politics and since reverted to the role of a house wife.

And Mrs Phiri has blamed the PF embarrassing loss to the UPND to failure by the party to deal with the issue of cadres.

In an interview on Tuesday, Mrs Phiri said time has come for her to move away from politics and concentrate on cooking fir her husband and grand children.

Mrs. Phiri who is also former PF Deputy Secretary General says she does not deem it fit to continue with politics following the PF’s heavy defeat in the August 12th general elections.

She has appealed to other older politicians to enhance her stance and leave room for fresh and young politicians.

Mrs Phiri said Zambia needs fresh ideas from young people ready to develop the nation.

“There is so much one can do after leaving politics and I for one will be spending more time at home as a house wife, I missed cooking for my husband and just being a house wife and now this is a chance,” Mrs Phiri said.

She stated that she is happy that she is leaving politics with her marriage intact just as she has hoped for when she joined over 29 years ago.

“ I am so happy that as I leave politics today, I still have my marriage intact. I had asked God to preserve my marriage when I embarked on this journey to work for the people of Zambia and God answered my prayers,” she stated.

On the PF’s loss to the UPND, Mrs Phiri blamed the uncontrolled rise in cadres as one of the key reasons Zambians kicked out the PF from power.

“We failed to deal with the issue of cadres and it came to bite us. We can’t blame anything because this is our own doing, she said.

On calls for PF Secretary General Davies Mwila to resign, Mrs Phiri said only Mr Mwila could answer to the calls.

“Let’s have the S.G himself answer to the calls from the young people for him to go, I can’t be answering for him,” she said.

And Mrs. Phiri has called for a lifestyle audit law that will seek to audit all politicians before, during and after they leave politics in order to avoid counter accusations of corruption.

The Africa Union (AU) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have hailed Zambia for the smooth transition of power and demonstrating that it is a true democracy.

African Union (AU) Chairperson Felix Tshisekedi said August 24, 2021 is a very important date for Zambia which should be remembered for the country’s smooth and peaceful transition of power from one regime to another.

Speaking during the inauguration ceremony of Zambia’s new President Hakainde Hichilema in Lusaka yesterday, Mr. Tshisekedi, who is also Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President, paid glowing tribute to the country’s role in the liberation struggle saying the AU is happy that Zambia has managed to hold elections successfully as demonstrated in its advocatory role for promoting peace on the continent.

He said the victory for the new administration was for the ordinary Zambians who are the true winners because the country has remained committed to upholding democratic values.

The DRC President said it was gratifying that African countries were committed to upholding the AU agenda 2063, which seeks prosperity, security and safety for all citizens and mechanisms to promote and defend the continent’s collective security and interests.

Mr. Tshisekedi has meanwhile commended the Electoral Commission of Zambia for the well-organized elections and process that saw Zambia usher in its seventh president.

He assured President Hakainde Hichilema that the AU will support his administration and Zambia in fulfilling its aspirations and mission to the Zambian people.

The DRC leader further reassured President Hichilema that his country remains committed to promoting cross border cooperation for the betterment of that country and Zambia.

Mr. Tshisekedi said Zambia and DRC have historical ties which his country continues to pursue for good brotherhood and cooperation in areas of common interests.

And President of Malawi, Lazarus Chakwera stated that Zambia has written a story that shows the world that Africa can solve its own problems and does not need to be nursed anymore.

President Chakwera said Zambia, which is a beacon of democracy on the African continent, has shown more than integration.

Dr. Chakwera, who is also SADC chairperson, said Africa has the spirit of civility and generosity as demonstrated by Zambia where there has been a peaceful transfer of power from one President to another and one party to the other.

He said Africans from all over the world are celebrating the joy of Zambia in the spirit of solidarity.

The SADC Chairperson, who congratulated President Hichilema, pledged the regional body’s support to Zambia in her endeavors.

Meanwhile, Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland reassured the new administration that the Commonwealth collectively stands ready to work with Zambia as the country strives to realise the vision of it becoming a prosperous, peaceful, and proud Zambia, anchored on love, national unity and mutual understanding.

Ms. Scotland said progress could only be achieved through contributions by many people, each playing their part.

Ms. Scotland said the wider Commonwealth community and Zambia have worked together since independence.

She said the outcome of Zambia’s elections was a landmark moment for the organisation, Africa, and the whole of the international community.

Speaking during the same occasion, United Kingdom Minister for Africa James Duddridge pledged that country’s continued support towards Zambia’s developmental agenda.

Mr. Duddridge said the UK government is looking forward to building on Zambia’s strong economy, promote human rights, health, and well-being for all.

And the UK Minister for Africa commended former president, Edgar Lungu for smoothly handing over power.

Mr. Duddridge stated that the development in Zambia has inspired the UK government to continue working with the people of Zambia and its administration.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by among others, some heads of state and government who included President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe, Samia Hassan of Tanzania, Mokgweetsi Masisi of Botswana, and Filipe Nyusi of Mozambique.

Other dignitaries present were representatives of heads of states and international organizations who joined the country at National Heroes Stadium to witness the swearing-in ceremony of Zambia’s seventh republican president.

VICE PRESIDENT MUTALE NALUMANGO WRITES AN OPEN LETTER TO H.E MR HAKAINDE HICHILEMA.

Your excellency Mr. Hakainde Hichilema the 7th Republican President of Zambia, I wish to sincerely express my gratitude to you and indeed our Alliance partners, for having accorded me this very rare opportunity, to become your running mate, and now the Republican Vice President. It’s a great honor to be of service in a country that is blessed with both vast natural resources and a people that can only be described as among the best in the world.

This responsibility is not for self-gratification. It’s not an item one ticks off of their to-do list. But it’s a call of selfless service to people in my pursuit to glorify GOD. Therefore, GOD will only be glorified, if His people are served well.

Today I can feel the hope, the excitement and anticipation of a good future for Zambia just like the feeling I had as a 9 year old young girl in Kaputa as Zambia got its independence. It is clear now as it was then that we will no longer have to be subjected to injustices and unfair treatment as a people.

The hope and optimism of Zambians during my childhood made me fall in love with Zambia. That same hope and optimism, today we pass on to the millions of young people who made a statement about their future on 12th August 2021. It was a statement that they wanted a Zambia that every human being should be valued and treated with dignity.

Our constitution recognizes the equality in worth of both men and women and this Mr. President you have exemplary demonstrated in how you regard your wife who is now our first lady, Mrs. Mutinta Hichilema: You have shown that you are a good husband and demonstrated good leadership to your children.

The women of Zambia understand all too well the social and economic environment we are in. They feel the brunt of the lack of jobs and the difficulties of feeding the family and the misogynistic structure of our society.

It is therefore with great anticipation that the women of this country look forward to your leadership that will provide an environment which will encourage them to thrive and feel safe, unlike feeling like second class citizens.

President HH or should I say Bally as you are popularly known by the youths, you have demonstrated to them that being consistent, focused, disciplined, not giving up and faith in God are key factors in realizing ones God given dreams. You are indeed a role model for the young people and we know that under your leadership, many dreams and aspirations of our youths will come to life.

The Zambians have believed our promise of Change and they now await for our action to ending corruption, promoting justice and boosting the country’s economy, among other responsibilities as enshrined in our party manifesto. Knowing the man that you are and the uncompromised values you stand for, it is possible that together as a nation we will FIX IT.

This historic day is not for the UPND and its Alliance Partners. This day is for Zambia. Let us therefore continue to uphold the legacy of our founding fathers of “One Zambia One Nation.” And as image bearers of God, let us all rise above selfish interests and be of service to one another.

Finally, I would like to express my eternal gratitude to my God given, God ordained Bishop-husband for always standing with me, counselling me and praying with me through my journey. To my lovely children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and my friends, thank you for being my support system without which, my life would have been incomplete.

I thank you

By Daimone Siulapwa

Seeing ECL leave the stadium pa last when everybody else have left with only his daughter by his side breaks my heart. This is the man who had a legion of supporters, bootlickers and sympathisers.

This is the man who received praise and worship from his mass choirs. He was almost becoming a lesser God only superior to his singing angels. Today he is seen being bundled in an ordinary Range Rover with no flag, no security detail and motorcade whatsoever. Even the service chiefs have switched their loyalty to the government of his excellency president HH. Today he has no much salutation and praise from his faithful lieutenants. His number is not as busy anymore. He is trying to understand why the crowds in the stadium are booing him yet a few weeks ago he was the commander in chief. In the very state of shock he tries to call his close associates whom he ate and drunk with but no one is answering or giving him any attention like before including the number one bootlicker. Ichalo ichi!!

Brethren I have picked up a very sad lesson about life from today’s inauguration ceremony; People will stick with you as long as its beneficial to them. Very few people are willing to stand with you when life gets messy and when the world turns it’s back on you.

People will act like they don’t even know you yet you broke bread with them. The same people who cheer and chant slogans for you today will leave you to fight off your battles alone no matter how much you helped them. People who dined with ECL showed him fake love and today they cannot be seen anywhere near him.

Those who ate and drunk with him can no longer associate with him. Today they’re in red regalia chanting forward. He meant well to them but like mwankoles, they have flown away leaving him stranded.

I am reminded of Simon Peter in the Bible, when asked if he was one of them and he denied three times. In this day we have such people. As long as what you offer to them is beneficial they will praise you, they will shower you with all sorts praises such as commander, big boss, bazungu etc yet under their skins are a brood of vipers.

They will treat you like you’re on top of the world. They will even influence you to do what’s not right and when things go wrong, you’re on your own.

Brethren mark such people and avoid them. This should also be a lesson to president HH, Ameno mafupa 💔

Sean Tembo attacks the singing of Tonga at Inauguration, calls it tribalism. Tembo got zero in most of the constituencies he stood as President including Eastern Province the area he hails from.

By Sean Tembo – PeP President

1. Corruption – Most of the potential UPND ministers have been in opposition for a very long time and are very broke. They’ll see their appointment to cabinet as their time to eat. Within months, they might be in deep scandals. The same scandals that made people to vote the PF out. President HH will need to handle this very carefully.

2. CADRES – The assertion by President HH that cadres will continue to be banned from markets and bus stations is well and good, but he will need to quickly find an income earner for these youths who are very expectant, having fought running battles against the PF for years. If President HH fails to accommodate his youths into some kind of income generating activity while he himself is busy taking selfie’s in State House, it will lead to his quick downfall. Cadres are a potent force in our political dispensation regardless of what President HH thinks.

3. Tribalism – The official language of Zambia is English and the two national languages are Nyanja and Bemba. This is a well established fact that cannot be easily changed. If President HH tries to use the opportunity of his having been elected President to try and impose a third national language on the people, he might be met with resistance and it might lead to his eventual downfall within a short period of time. Already, the language of performance of songs during inauguration was not representative of the nation.

4. Fight Against Corruption – When it comes to the fight against corruption, President Hichilema is between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, the youths that largely voted him into office expect him to go on a crusade against former members of the PF Government including former President Lungu. However, he needs to tread carefully here. Firstly, given Lungu’s peaceful handover of power, most right thinking Zambians would not support a Spanish Inquisition against him.

As to his lieutenants, my view is that those who engaged in blatant corruption where there is clear evidence should be prosecuted without question. However President HH should not get carried away with the corruption crusade otherwise he might be seen to be on a mission to decimate the Bembas and Easterners, who were the major beneficiaries during Adada’s administration. Such a perception cannot be good for President HH’s future political fortunes.

5. Economic Turnaround – When it comes to turning around our economy, again l see President HH as being between a rock and a hard place. However, in as much as he is faced with several pitfalls, l think he has several opportunities too. The only question is whether he will be able to assemble an economic management team that can be able to identify and exploit the opportunities while managing the pitfalls at the same time. For starters I hope the President does not appoint any of his party people to economic management positions just so as to reward them for their contribution to the struggle. So far l don’t see anyone who can properly manage the Minister of Finance portfolio.

So my take is that he should look outside of his inner circle and try to identify a seasoned economic manager. Again, him being an economist, he should desist from micro-managing MoF. I am also hopeful that he will not put the country on an IMF Program. The conditionalities that are often imposed by the IMF naturally bring about a lot of hardships on common citizens, and the Zambian people have already gone through a lot of hardships already and would not be patient enough to go through another round of hardships, all in the name of the IMF.

My take is that President HH’s trump card will be how he manages the mining sector. Here am not talking about long term mining policy, no. Am talking about the immediate issues facing the sector, as in Mopani and KCM. My take here is that he should consider proceeding with the Mopani shareholder buyout deal because it will definitely benefit the nation given the general direction in which copper prices are headed, with the advent of electric cars.

However on the KCM issue, the PF Government made a mistake to go with the liquidation route because it is untenable, both from a moral and legal point of view. I know for a fact that Vedanta had been misbehaving for a long time and truth be told, they don’t deserve to operate in Zambia, but we went about the job of kicking them out the wrong way. My take is that we should’ve revoked their mining license on the basis of their pollution of the Kafue river, which was well established by the London Court.

That way we would’ve had sympathy from the international community. But that liquidation route makes our Government look and sound like an Al Capone outfit. Anyway, since we are here, l feel that the right thing to do right now is to give KCM back to Vedanta so that we don’t scare the hell out of other potential mining investors. If they mess up, we can always get it back in a proper way. A legally sound way.

/// END

SET 24.08.2021

The Daily Verdict

Breaking News
DEC grabs Maxwell Chongu’s Land Cruiser as PF Chipangali MP Andrew Lubusha goes into hiding

Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) last night raided the house of PF diehard Maxwell Chongu where they seized his newly purchased Land Cruiser and a Toyota Mark X belonging to his wife.

According to a source close to the development, 15 DEC officers went to search Chongu’s house on suspicions that he has some drugs.

However, after a two hours search , DEC could not find any drugs to implicate Chongu after which they ended up grabbing his two vehicles and left word for him to go and explain how he acquired the properties.

However, an impeccable source has also told The Candidates that DEC also visited the house of Phil Chikuwa the proprietor of Phil Auto but haven’t seized anything after lawyer Jonas Zimba intervened to challenge the legality of such an operation.

Meanwhile, a source within DEC says there is a crop of crooked officers who are taking advantage of the change of government by targeting to harass and intimidate PF members with the view of blackmailing them.

“There were raids last night but some of these things are not genuine. Yes we have a mandate but since when do our works mean following anyone in their homes to grab anything and asking them to prove that it was not proceed of crime? It’s shameful. it’s witch hunt and it will end up embarrassing the government. Some people are trying to take advantage of the situation so that they blackmail those from the former ruling party” a DEC source says.

However, the source says PF Chipangali Constituency MP Andrew Lubusha’s house was also visited at night but they could not find him.
Lubusha is said to be in hiding.
According to the source, the PF Chipangali MP was tipped off that DEC was going to visit his house and he ran away on his own.

Andrew Lubusha has even removed all personalized number plates from his vehicles which he has hidden by giving them to different people across the country.

Lubusha’s fleet of very expensive vehicles were flaunted on social media parked at his exquisite blocks of flats in Lusaka.

DEC is investigating Lubusha over a number of financial crimes including owning property beyond his usual earnings.

During the PF intraparty activities, Andrew Lubusha spent a total of K14 million to get adopted.

Meanwhile, according to insiders at DEC , Lubusha is also being investigated over a Fertilizer scandal in which he is suspected to have stolen bags of fertilizer belonging to farmers – The Daily Verdict

LETTER TO BALLY

Ba Boss Ba Hakainde Hichilema I won’t ask much from you but apa nala lombako fye ichintu fye chimo, we understand the power vested in the head of state and that his word is final as commander in chief and head of government and state. of course he is our head of state and we will support his regime and his decisions but ine nalomba kuli ba boss, “Mwishitisha Jet 🛩 !!!!!

You promised you would sell it. Being a man of your word you are, you may want to sell it, we understand your integrity, that we do not doubt. But Boss Jet 🛩 yena mwi goleka….

As it stands Right now you are our HH “hope and help” as you sold yourself in the campaigns . But Bally pishenimo pen 🖊 🤔, Am sure you will be going to a lot of meetings to undo many mistakes and wrongs and bad deals of the PF regime. We need you to move in record time and with comfort so that you are well and not Jet lagged and get sick over long flights. President ni fit at all times 🤨👋🏽👋🏽🥊🇿🇲🇿🇲

Yes you said you will sell this Jet. But 100 million dollars is nothing and is just pocket change to how much you will make for us as a Nation when you travel the world. I know you are not a spledger and a bad spender, financial discipline is what you known..but sir remember God can write straight on crooked lines, even good can come out of bad, out of manure we get very good veggies, so even out of what these previous guys meant as careless spending, may you use this same tool to earn billions of dollars for your country my dear sir. May you travel to UN in style and talk confidently like our champ because you are not tired of switching flights or a chattered old flight. May we never worry about your safety because you are like the long lost father in whom we have faith, may this plane 🛩 take you to America 🇺🇸 and China 🇨🇳 and Britain 🇬🇧 and Germany 🇩🇪 and the entire planet 🌎 to seek wealth for the betterment of your people

Besides bamudala naimwe chimoneni chi Jet ichi, proper Zoona. Mukamba wesu Bally sure can’t we also have something Morden? Must we always lag? Next bikenipo na Bullet train 🚄 iya 1 hour from Kitwe to Lusaka 😁😁😁 come one Bally 👋🏽👋🏽👋🏽

On this one Rescind your word and I know majority of Zambians will agree and not mind. Infact they will support. Sir we ask, the Jet 🛩 stays

Bally Wesu Tumfwe

By Mwaba Mutale

Our prayer as we prepare for inauguration.

Holy God, Author of Life and Liberty, Creator and Sustainer, may Your Name in all the earth and in the heavens above be glorified and exalted, now and forever more.

In Your infinite wisdom, you have set me to be a leader of Your people today, as I prepare to be sworn in the highest office of the land, the office of the Presidency.

I ask for nothing for me but humility, wisdom and knowledge to serve Your people, the wisdom and knowledge you granted King Solomon when he sought for it, in 2 Chronicles 1:10;

“Give me the wisdom and knowledge to lead them properly, for who could possibly govern this great people of yours?”

But I also pray for our government officials, those who serve in positions of great responsibilities and those of lesser responsibilities, those who represent millions and those who serve hundreds, those whose decisions will affect generations still to be born, and those who serve the immediate needs of today.

Grant us that we may treat the rich and the poor, the young and the old, the widow and the orphans, the educated, and the uneducated, our political opponents and the comrades, with dignity, fairness and love.

May we serve without prejudice or partiality in times of prosperity or poverty, peace or during whatever differences we will encounter with each other. O God, may every one of us as leaders be people of integrity, reliability and commitment; who serve out of a sincere compassion, never seeking personal gain, status or prestige.

May we make every effort to make our community, city, and nation, not only a better place to live in, but a better place known for its mercy, justice, righteousness and fairness.

Give each of one us knowledge, insight, courage and strength. May we know right from wrong, when to be flexible and when to be firm.

Heavenly Father, be merciful to our great land and to those of us who lead in our communities, cities, and national government. Give to each one of us a sense of calling. May each put a high value on justice, righteousness, honesty and service.

May all have a pure heart and the peace and joy of knowing they have taken the high road. O God, no one said it would be easy and no one said it was going to be this hard. But may the day come when we can say, “Praise the Lord, Hossanna in the highest, we have come this far!”

This we pray in the name of the Righteous of the righteous; the Purest of the pure, our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

Fellow citizens,
Happy inauguration day. Today I sign off my prayer as President Elect, but tomorrow I will sign it off as President of the Republic of Zambia. And thus to God be the honour and the glory, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen. God bless you and may He bless the Republic of Zambia.

Hakainde Hichilema
President Elect.
Republic of Zambia.

By Ulande Nkomesha,

CONSTITUTIONAL Lawyer John Sangwa says people should not be emotional by trying to remove President Edgar Lungu’s immunity before collecting evidence of any crime committed because it can be a costly exercise.

And Sangwa says the country needs a fresh Constitution.

Meanwhile, Sangwa says President Lungu appointed more judges than any other Head of State, which affected the operations of the Judiciary.

Speaking when he featured on Radio Phoenix “Let the People Talk” programme, Friday, Sangwa said there was need to have concrete evidence before pushing for the removal of immunity.

“We are trying to restore rule of law and rule of law means those who committed offences should own up and they should be able to be punished for the wrongs they have committed. I know there are several petitions, which is good for the country. If we are talking about rule of law, we have systems in place, we have laws in place. I was one of the lawyers that defended president Chiluba, I went through that experience where he had his immunity removed. My plea is that let us not be emotional about this. First of all, President Lungu is safe, he is safe not because the President-elect said he is safe, but the unfortunate thing is that his ministers don’t enjoy immunity but the President enjoys immunity, he is protected by law. You cannot indict him for things he did in his personal capacity while he held office. You have to make a case. We changed the system after 2016, but no President has been indicted after 2016, if he is going to be, he will be the first one,” Sangwa said.

“So, there is a procedure, what it means is that you need to collect evidence first, you start with investigations. What happened with president Chiluba was that president Mwanawasa went to Parliament and made numerous allegations ‘no he did this’. This was before there was any form of investigation. Some of those allegations turned out to be false when things were finally investigated. What it turned out is that the country spent more money prosecuting than what they actually recovered. So, we have to be careful. This is something that we have to be cool-headed about. First of all, allow the investigative wings to carry the investigations freely. If there is evidence that President Lungu broke the law or stole money, it has to be not speculation, [but] cogent evidence. I am even offering to take leave from my law firm to go and prosecute him, I can do that if there is evidence to that effect. But let us not be emotional. The starting point is carrying out investigations first, then once evidence is gathered, take that to the National Assembly. The purpose of the National Assembly is to act like a check because there is always a danger that his successor may be vindictive, he may want to persecute his predecessor. So, a case has to be made to the National Assembly, unlike in Chiluba’s case which is what we voted for, we said Chiluba ought to be allowed to give his side of the story to the National Assembly.”

And Sangwa said the Judiciary did not perform as expected with regards to President Lungu’s eligibility case.

“Clearly the Judiciary as an institution did not perform as expected. We can for example talk about two examples, for instance; even this very election, the Judiciary could have prevented that. They could have ensured that President Lungu did not stand. Unfortunately, this is my opinion that they interpreted the Constitution in a manner that suited President Lungu, they did not uphold the constitution because there is nothing complicated about the provisions of the constitution,” he said.

Sangwa added that the country needed a new constitution.

“I have spent time thinking about how we can address these issues. Now what we need to do in relation to the Judiciary, it is not just about targeting the Judiciary, what we have to look at is a complete overhaul of the system. For that reason, I would support putting a fresh constitution in place. Because the weakness obviously we have seen, we have experimented with the constitution as amended in the last five years, we have seen the challenges that have emerged,” he said.

“I think people complained about some of the provisions. The most decent way to do that is I think to overhaul the entire constitution and which should include the Judiciary. It shouldn’t be targeted because it is not the only culprit in this whole arrangement, other institutions failed. So, we need to overhaul the entire system and begin to redo it.”

Meanwhile, Sangwa said President Lungu had appointed more judges than any other president, which affected the operations of the Judiciary.

“The Judiciary that is supposed to check what you do, after 2016 we amended the constitution and what resulted in that is that we created two new courts; the Constitutional Court, the Court of Appeal and a few divisions of the High Court. I would estimate that President Lungu was able to appoint, I think more than 80 percent of the current judges, no President has ever appointed in the history of this country more judges than Lungu. The problem also is that the process of appointment is not transparent and that is something that needs to change,” said Sangwa.

“How do you corrupt an institution? You pick up the unqualified, then they know that they are not qualified, you know that they are not qualified, will they ever raise their voice against you? No! You are buying loyalty and you know that you are not qualified to be there and I have put you there, that is the extent of the corruption that has gone on. When you look at the Legislature, that Legislature in this case, the National Assembly is dominated by members of his political party, so that arm was destroyed. The other chapter for example. you had a situation of my friend Mutembo Nchito who was DPP, he was literally hounded out of the office despite the fact that he enjoys protected tenure.”

Yesterday, we paid a courtesy call on our newly elected President-Elect of the Republic of Zambia, His Excellency Mr.Hakainde Hichilema at his ‘Community House’ in New Kasama.

In our discussion, we did formally congratulate him,again, on his resounding and well earned victory that gave him a national mandate across all demographics in the just ended election.

We did further indicate to him that we expect that the first 100 days of his Presidency, that begins tomorrow, after his inauguration will strongly mirror the story of President Levy Patrick MWANAWASA and the MMD in 2001.

With both administrations trying to navigate a serious national Debt Crisis, high inflation and a deteriorating exchange rate, both dealing with a public outcry against the high cost of living, high unemployment and both taking over the Presidency after a regime that was considered very corrupt.

We know that the new President, with years of successes in the board room negotiating corporate restructure and change management can draw governing lessons about how to rebrand the government, restructure our civil service, negotiate with lenders on possible restructure of our sovereign debt so as to free up funds that can be directly invested into provision of essential services and place us back on a long road to recovery.

In our meeting, we did advise the President-Elect to focus on delivering on his election Promises to the voters, to seek ways of truly unifying the nation and to carefully navigate the social divisions that had charecterised political rhetoric towards the end of the PF era, and to carefully choose a team he can trust to help him govern the nation, in line with the positive aspirations of the people.

This is also the Presidency that we expect to execute the shedding off of the old UNIP-era mindset by embracing the voices and aspirations of a growing electorate of young and diverse ZAMBIANS who want to turn our nation from a typical third world nation onto one of the fastest developing nations on earth through transformational leadership.

As the New Hope MMD, we have fought in the trenches and now look back at the bitter lessons that have shaped the last Ten Years. We believe that we now have a friend in state House who shares the same values we hold true, of fairness, justice, and development for all ZAMBIANS regardless of affiliation, gender, tribe or indeed belief systems.

We have pledged to provide positive engangement with this givernment and we urge all ZAMBIANS to exercise patience as the New President and his team try to put in place a new approach to governing and to FIX our nation.

We shall remain relevant by fostering intelligent, insightful and timely checks and balances to this government as required.

Zambia Shall Be Saved

SENIOR chief Puta of the Bwile people of Chiengi district in Luapula Province says outgoing President, Edgar Lungu was a careless leader who never cared for the poor.

In his congratulatory message to President-elect Hakainde Hichilema, Puta vowed never to forgive Lungu for the manner his people treated the senior chief’s young brother.

He said President Lungu defended thieves at the expense of innocent people.

Puta also charged that President Lungu incited sub-chiefs to rise against senior traditional leaders who had divergent views over his governance style.

“Abantu balecula; ifilingile fyaya kubantu fyaleya mu matumba yama (People were suffering. What was supposed to be given to them was going into the pockets of) leaders. President Edgar Lungu was a careless President ushalemona ifyo

abantu baleonaula (who never saw how people were destroying the country),” Puta said. “He supported thieving, elo umuntu nga alandako mailo kuya mwikata (and if anyone spoke against that the following day they would be arrested). That was dictatorship. My young brother was arrested. Ukubika imfumu muma (locking up a chief in) cells! Cena ico nshakamwelele Lungu. Ukuya imya utufumu tunono ukutila tuleimina fwe mfumu shikalamba! (And for that I will never forgive Lungu. He incited sub-chiefs to rise against us the senior chiefs)! Awe (no) it was very bad.”

And Puta congratulated Zambians on liberating themselves by voting for Hichilema.

He said President Lungu wanted to plunge the nation into a dictatorship to the detriment of its democratic tenets.

“Icakubalilapo, ndefwaya ukucita congratulate ba President Hakainde Hichilema ukutila abena Zambia bailubula. Ukulacita abantu nga balelanda pama phone, ukulabapanika; that was dictatorship. (Firstly, I want to congratulate President Hakainde Hichilema, that Zambians have liberated themselves. Whenever people were speaking on phones, they were getting punished. That was dictatorship),” he said. “Change has come pa nshita iyisuma. Elyo fwe bena Zambia twailubula ukufuma kuli dictator, Edgar Chagwa Lungu (Change has come at the right time. And we the Zambians have freed ourselves from a dictator, Edgar Chagwa Lungu).”

He said under President Lungu’s reign Zambians suffered a lot in all spheres, adding that it was the reason most traditional leaders did not support him.

Puta said he did not support President Lungu because he knew that the Head of State was a full-blown dictator.

“Nde eba ba President abasalilwe ukutila Lesa abalundile inshiku ukutila bakateke bwino Zambia, pantu icakubalilapo. I know the calibre

of HH. (I am telling the President that may God give him more days so that he governs Zambia, because, firstly, I know the calibre of HH,” Puta added. “He will deliver this country, not balya bale enda ne ndeke shitatu; ba running mate ne ndeke shitatu, ukulaonaulafye impiya sha

calo (not those who were moving with three planes. The running mate also with three planes, just wasting public resources), that was very bad.”

Puta advised Hichilema not to pay attention to all those that persecuted him, stressing that even Jesus Christ suffered while on earth.

He urged Hichilema to instead focus on development so that those that despised him would see the difference.

Puta however, asked all those that plundered national resources to pay back.

“I know he has to do it. Tebalya abakweba ati balenwafye fibwalwa (unlike those who were just drinking beer). I know HH will deliver so bonse abalelanda ifibi (all those who were speaking evil) should be forgiven pantu ninjishiba ati (because I know that) my Church elder will deliver this country,” he said. “Elo cimbi ico tulefwaya, balya bambi abaibile ulupiya lwa calo bakabweshe

ulupiya lulya baiba ulwa calo. (Another thing we ask, is that all those who store public money should bring it back).”

Puta said the country could not allow plunderers to go scot-free when people had been subjected to poverty for the last seven years.

He noted that hospitals had been running without drugs while some leaders in government bought mansions and fleets of cars at the expense of poor Zambians.

The post I WILL NEVER FORGIVE LUNGU…he was a careless leader – Puta appeared first on Kwacha News.

DEC is investigating Burma Car Wash Not Phil Auto

Last week , sources at Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) said they were investigating an auto company which supplied vehicles to government at exorbitant prices.

The company in question is Burma Car Wash and not as earlier reported that it was Phil Auto.

The Burma Car Wash has been linked to former Justice Minister Given Lubinda.

DEC is investigating the matter which was mistaken for Phil Auto.

A little known Car Washsh business based in Kabwata, Lusaka has was a US$ 1 million contract to deliver 46 brand new 4×4 vehicles to the Judiciary.

Burma Car Wash which also trades as Sarago General Dealers snatched the lucrative deal after beating well established motor vehicle firms such as Toyota Zambia, Southern Cross Motors and Hazida Motors including Tata Zambia.

Investigations have revealed that Sarago General Dealers is owned by Businessman Chiza Gondwe, a close associate of Kabwata Member of Parliament and Justice Minister Given Lubinda.

The Judiciary falls under the Ministry of Justice.

According to tender documents, Judiciary Chief Procurement and Supplies Officer Patrick Mwale wrote in a notice that Sarago General Dealers was the best evaluated bidder for the supply of 46 4×4 Double Cab motor vehicles after it offered 1,012,000.00 as the total bid sum.

According to the tender requirements, Sarago General Dealers was required to deliver the said vehicles within two to four weeks from November 10th 2020, the date on which the tender was awarded.

But investigations have revealed that the awarding of a huge contract to a Car Wash business shocked people in the car industry in Lusaka.

One insider revealed that all the major players in the industry were shocked that a company with no track record in delivering huge vehicle supply contracts could be entrusted with a million-dollar public contract.

The source added Sarago General Dealers intends to supply Mitsubishi Double Cabs although Mitsubishi suppliers in Zambia have expressed ignorance over the order.

Further investigations revealed that Sarago mainly deals in second hand vehicles and also run a Car Hire business including a Fitment Centre all based in Kabwata.

A brand new Double Cab sells at the market price of around US$ 32,000 meaning government would need to spend over 1.4 million dollars to procure the 46 vehicles, which was well over the contract sum.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE 2021 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE HIGHVIE HUMBULO HAMUDUDU?

In view of the Hamududu frenzy that has gripped the nation, because of the way some ECZ commissioners were pronouncing his name when announcing the presidential results and the fact that some names are generally comical, I thought I should provide a little bit of information about the man who is trending—especially to those who are only getting to know him now.

Highvie Hambulo Hamududu or triple H, was born on March 23 in 1970. He is married and is an economist by profession—a graduate of the University of Zambia. He served as UPND Member of Parliament for Bweengwa constituency, where the newly elected president Hichilema hails from, between 2006 to 2016.

During his time in Parliament, Mr Hamududu served as a member of the Public Accounts Committee and also the Budget Estimates Committee which he chaired for seven years. For those that used to follow parliamentary proceedings, will agree with me that Mr Hamududu was one of the members of parliament on the left that could articulate issues with ease.

He was a good debater. In the 2016 adoption process of the UPND, Mr Hamududu was left out. In 2017, he resigned from the UPND to form Party of National Unity, which later rebranded to the current Party of National Unity and Progress (PNUP).

On August 12, 2021 Mr Hamududu’s party contested the general elections for the first time, with him as the presidential candidate. He came out sixth with 10,480 votes. Despite the not so impressive performance in the presidential run, PNUP managed to get a Member of Parliament in Western Province’s Nalolo constituency, Wamunyima Imanga.

Some people believe PNUP only won the seat because the UPND which scoped the majority of seats in Western Province, didn’t field a candidate for that constituency and the battle was left to a very unpopular party in PF and a popular PNUP candidate.

With that single representation in Parliament, PNUP is now the third largest opposition political party in Zambia, with the PF occupying the second spot. In addition to this achievement, the Hamududu name has also become a household name for fun of course—not because people are in love with his manifesto.

I think someone even came up with a Hamududu song. With the 2026 general elections in sight, it remains to be seen how the PNUP president will capitalize on this newly found fame of his by turning the jokes side of it into serious business of attracting votes.

AUTHOR: MOSES KUWEMA

FEAR THE LAWS OF ZAMBIA NOT HH

The first speech by the president elect Mr. Hakainde Hichilema where he emphasized on the need for forgiveness has been misunderstood by some section of society. Mr. Hakainde Hichilema has a right to forgive any one who wronged him because the pain and humiliation he suffered were inflicted on him by his competitors as an individual and not Zambia as a nation.

However, we should all know that anyone who steals public resources or kill a citizen, that particular individual is not answerable to HH but to the people through the laws of Zambia. So when HH says he has forgiven those that abused him we should differentiate between the two him as an individual and crimes against the state.Those who stole and killed Zambians they committed crimes against our nation and not president Hakainde Hichilema.

Anyone who has committed a crime should not be afraid of Mr. Hakainde Hichilema but, the laws of Zambia. Zambia has institutions such as DEC, ACC, Police and courts that work hand in to bring criminals to book. Mr. HH as an incoming president his job is to ensure that these institutions operate independently and without any political interference as they were in the past and anyone found wanting cannot claim HH has sent him/ her to prison no. HH is not DEC, ACC, police or a court.

We fought to kill a culture of Presidents having to choose who has to be investigated and prosecuted. The people through their institutions of governance are responsible for that. Never again shall a President determine who gets arrested and convicted. The courts of law must be responsible for that, through the justice system.

Mr HH can only forgive individuals who offend personally and not those that broke the people’s laws. If he does so then, that’s dictatorship.

May I take this opportunity to thank some PF youths such as Mr. Binoculars who has called on these public institutions such as DEC, ACC, police and courts to ask all PF leaders to account for their wealth they have accumulated the last ten years. Mr. Binoculars has further asked the law enforcement agencies to follow up on those who sponsored political violence.

Fellow country men and women, following the intelligence information I have received from the time ECZ declared the winner of this year’s election, I can assure the nation that there is a serious need for a clean up in these public institutions if we are to see this nation progressing. Our economy died due to the mess in these institutions.

There’s alot of mess surrounding our public institutions. Zambians voted for a new government so that these main questions can be answered.Therefore, it is not HH who is going to arrest those found wanting but the laws of Zambia which HH is also answerable to. We have a Supreme law of the land which is the constitution. So fear not HH but the constitution of Zambia. HH cannot forgive criminal activities, his only power provided for in the constitution is, prerogative of mercy (pardon criminals after convictions). If he does it before they’re investigated, prosecuted, convicted and imprisoned, then he would have abrogated the constitution.

Sikaile C Sikaile
Good Governance and Human Rights Activist for Africa and Amnesty International

BY SISHUWA SISHUWA & NIC CHEESEMAN

AUGUST 22, 2021

How did voters, the opposition and civil society manage to defeat an entrenched and repressive regime?

Zambia has done it again. On 17 August, President Edgar Lungu conceded defeat and congratulated Hakainde Hichilema on a remarkable victory. In the election five days earlier, the long-time opposition leader had won in a landslide, defeating the incumbent along with 14 other candidates. For the third time in the country’s history, power changed hands via the ballot box – not just democratically but peacefully. Along with Malawi, Zambia is now leading the way as one of a very small number of countries to move away from authoritarianism during the pandemic.

In addition to the fact that it happened as democracy is generally receding worldwide, Zambia’s achievement is particularly striking for two reasons. First, it came after a period of growing repression that had weakened key democratic institutions and led to fears the country could become the “new Zimbabwe”. Second, despite President Lungu enjoying so many advantages of incumbency that the opposition was effectively competing with one hand tied behind its back, Hichilema won comprehensively. While several commentators were predicting a second-round run-off would be needed, the opposition figure garnered 2.8 million votes, or 59% of the valid votes cast. That was 1 million votes more than Lungu in a country with just 7 million registered voters, or a winning margin of over 20 points.

After every opposition victory in Africa, there is a wave of optimistic media coverage wondering whether further transfers of power are about to be unleashed across the continent. With the 2021 Zambian elections, this has been heightened by the emphatic nature of Lungu’s defeat. However, while there have been moments when events in one country have inspired those in another – such as the impact of the freeing of Nelson Mandela on pro-democracy movements across Africa in 1990 – there is a tendency to exaggerate the spill over effects of a democratic process in one country. Nothing that happened in Zambia shifts the political reality in Cameroon, Uganda, or Zimbabwe. Hichilema’s success can only be repeated if the conditions that gave rise to it are also replicated.

Put another way, Zambia’s democratic success story will only inspire change elsewhere if the political context and the strategies used by opposition parties and civil society groups are reproduced. That will be extremely difficult in more authoritarian states with less experience of the will of the people determining who holds power – and in some countries it will be all but impossible in the near future. This caveat notwithstanding, the lessons of the Zambian election about how entrenched authoritarians can be removed from power are worth learning – for opposition parties, civil society groups and all those who care about democracy.

It’s the economy, stupid

The most obvious lesson from Zambia is that economic crisis can undermine the hold on power of genuinely repressive regimes. This might seem obvious, but the focus on ethnic, regional, or racial voting in Africa has often obscured the extent to which people vote on the economy. Swing voters are more likely to line up behind the opposition, and ruling party supporters are most likely to stay at home, when they blame the government for economic pain.

Ahead of the election, nearly all of Zambia’s key economic indicators were extremely poor. Unemployment was high and particularly acute among the youth, one of the groups that helped swing the outcome in Hichilema’s favour. Corruption was endemic, inflation was in the double digits, and the high cost of living left about 40% of Zambians unable to eat as normal. The staggering external debt – $12 billion, up from $1.9 billion in 2011 – took money away from social services, while service delivery was so poor that sporadic protests flared up in urban centres.

Exploiting this favourable economic context, Hichilema positioned himself as the business savvy leader that Zambia needed, giving people hope that the country can overcome the recent debt default and put money back into people’s pockets. Against this backdrop, Lungu’s efforts to buy support by channelling money through “empowerment schemes” proved to be ineffective. As in the famous opposition victories of 1991 and 2011, Zambians took money and gifts from whoever offered them, but voted with their hearts and their brains.

Opposition learning and unity

These elections were Hichilema’s sixth attempt at winning the presidency and, crucially, he had learned at least three key lessons from previous defeats. First, the opposition was more coherent this time, after Hichilema persuaded eight opposition parties to back his United Party for National Development (UPND) ahead of the election. Although the allying parties were small and lacked clear power bases, they were led by well-known figures, including some who had served as ministers under Lungu. Importantly, these individuals were united in their opposition to the governing Patriotic Front (PF) and seen as credible by many voters. This elite pact legitimised Hichilema as an inclusive national leader and presented the UPND as the most viable vehicle for removing the PF from power.

Second, Hichilema made a real effort to expand his support base beyond his traditional constituencies in the Western, Southern and North-western provinces. He targeted the urban areas of Lusaka and the Copperbelt, where he focused on unemployment and rallied youths on social media, speaking in their language and using the popular moniker “Bally”. He also appointed Mutale Nalumango, an experienced politician from the Bemba-speaking Muchinga and Northern province – ruling party bases – to be his running mate. While the opposition was becoming broader, the PF was beset by factionalism, driven by dissatisfaction with Lungu’s decision to run for a third term and his deeply unpopular choice of running mate, Nkandu Luo.

Third, the UPND protected the vote. Unlike in 2016, when UPND election monitors had a limited presence in key areas, the opposition appears to have deployed agents in almost all the 12,152 polling stations in 2021. This made it very difficult for the government to manipulate the vote. Once the counting was done and the votes were tallied at constituency level, party agents faxed the signed results forms to their representatives at the national totalling centre in Lusaka to make sure their figures matched those announced by the electoral commission. An early intervention by UPND representatives during the official announcement of results to stop the release of disputed figures for the Feira constituency laid down an important precedent and shut down the opportunity for electoral fraud.

Civil society matters

Civil society groups in Africa have often been criticised for being too aggressive on the one hand or too pliant on the other. They are regarded as too elitist by some, or too reflective of the divisions in society by others. Similarly, international funding for civil society has often been branded a waste of resources by those who lament “Dead Aid”. Zambia, however, shows just how important civil society groups can be, and why it is essential to support them through hard times.

In 2021, they played several critical roles. First, civic organisations campaigned throughout the country to raise awareness on the importance of voting and vote protection. Institutions like Alliance for Community Action (ACA), Governance, Elections, Advocacy, Research Services (GEARS) and People’s Action for Accountability and Good Governance in Zambia held a series of meetings on voter education, sensitising the population. Civil society organisations also carefully monitored all 156 constituencies on voting day. While GEARS deployed about 10,000 observers, the Christian Churches Monitoring Group (CCMG), which also deployed 1, 600 monitors, conducted a parallel vote tabulation that captured the election results at polling station level, ensuring that any manipulation would be exposed.

Finally, civil society initiated several court cases against the abuse of state power. The persistent attack on the erosion of the rule of law and human rights raised awareness among voters and helped delegitimise the governing party. Though they did not always win, the cases drew attention to the erosion of democracy. There were also some important victories, not least by legal advocacy group Chapter One Foundation, which successfully obtained a court order that stayed the government’s shutdown of social media platforms on election day.

The diffusion of democracy

These lessons can be learned by opposition parties and democracy activists across the continent. But they will not always be easy to reproduce. While Hichilema’s win was celebrated by other opposition leaders such as Zimbabwe’s Nelson Chamisa and Uganda’s Bobi Wine, the conditions that made it possible are not present in their respective countries.

Although Lungu’s regime was repressive, and there were fears that the army would be used to repress opposition protests, the military remained politically neutral. And while many Ugandans and Zimbabweans demand change, there is no popular memory of replacing the government via the ballot box to give voters confidence that their votes matter, and to empower the electoral commission to believe it is safe to announce an opposition victory. The lessons of Zambia are still pertinent in these countries, but it will take many years of struggle to put them into practice.

Sishuwa Sishuwa & Nic Cheeseman

Sishuwa Sishuwa is a Lecturer in Modern History at the University of Zambia and Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Institute for Democracy, Citizenship and Public Policy in Africa at the University of Cape Town. Follow him on twitter at @ssishuwa. Nic Cheeseman is the Professor of Democracy at the University of Birmingham and author of ‘How To Rig an Election’. Follow him on twitter at @Fromagehomme.