By Sara Imutowana Yeta II

POLITICAL ISCARIOTISM

Judas Iscariot was a shrewd member of Jesus’ inner circle.

He betrayed Jesus, his master for 30 pieces of silver, and he is roundly condemned for his perfidious actions.

However, in practice, Judas is the most celebrated disciple for his bravery to do something other disciples would not do.

In a deft manner, he single-handedly came up with a scheme to betray Jesus, and alone executed his scheme.

Absolutely no person in Jesus’ inner circle suspected Judas’ scheme. Even Jesus was only aware of Judas’ plan because he was God who knows all things – the past, present, and future, or else, no one including Jesus would have known Judas’ master plan.

Like other disciples, Judas spent time with Jesus and listened to him all the times as he preached about the kingdom of God, and watched him perform miracles.

Even with first-hand experience of Jesus’ works that brought hope to the hopeless, Judas was not moved by anything.

His ability to stay with Jesus for years and remain unmoved is startling. More than that, it can only take a special spirit for him to give Jesus a kiss; sign of love, when he was carrying hate, betrayal and death in his kiss.

Indeed, Judas had a spirit of Iscariotism; the spirit that makes people think they are wise and brave when in actual sense they are foolish and unethical.

Judas’ selfishness was epic, he was all set to cut short Jesus’ mission for self-gain. In Judas lived a ghost of Iscariotism.

Elections time reveal to us how Judas is celebrated among politicians. He is a patron saint of politicians who are proud of keeping up his legacy by betraying their political associates.

I am thinking of the likes of Charles Kakoma and Geoffrey Mwamba who were in a political relationship with Hakainde Hichilema for some time.

Both, their words and actions promised Hichilema an unwavering political bond. They talked, hugged and worked with Hichilema as if it was from their hearts.

Then, unexpectedly they broke up with Hichilema, and without delay, their political support pledges to the Patriotic Front (PF) were openly announced.

It is stunning how these characters did it with easy and without shame. More surprising is how they worked with Hichilema and kept straight faces when they were scheming a political break up to join PF a party they denounced as corrupt.

Judas must be proud of the many Kakomas and Mwambas in our political landscape able to walk around well packaged making people think they are principled politicians.

Nobody would ever believe that the priest-like Kakoma and the holier-than-thou Mwamba would leave UPND to join PF.

Of course Kakoma and Mwamba have democratic rights to join any political organisation, but that does not change the fact that they represent many politicians who are masters of the skill of pretense, false holiness, false ethics, false integrity and false loyalty because their hearts are controlled by the spirit of Iscariotism; self-gain.

Looking at how politicians betray their associates for personal gain, surely Judas must be proud of these politicians for taking his legacy to another level.

Who else can be a successful mentor to politicians that in spite of the time Kakoma and Mwamba spent with Hichilema, they remained unmoved by the national cause for development for all people Hichilema expounded?

Hichilema should set the bar higher to scrutinize people around him because he may be surrounded by a lot of Iscariots not interested in the common good but self-gain.

Iscariots should be kept far away from party leadership but instead work with people with strong convictions; who mean what they say and do what comes from convictions they espouse.

If it means remaining with a few people, let it be so as long as the party is led by people with integrity.

The party needs leaders able to stand upon strong convictions without wavering from them regardless of prospects for self-gain, and the party is not short of such.

Leaders who cannot look beyond themselves can leave the party if they wish. In fact, this will allow principled leaders whose actions are guided by values and consistently live their values in a transparent manner to come in.

It does not pay to go for either loud or quiet voices when most of these are voices of self-centeredness, power, wealth, and greed.

Until we have reliable leaders, the party will continue to be led by Iscariots with no intention to serve and no idea of the bigger picture, and it is difficult to win elections with such characters.

THE UNTOLD STORY : ECL sneaks out of the barracks

By Brian Hapunda

I remember this day very well. Do you?

The day Dr Christine Kaseba, Anthony Kasolo, Daniel Munkombwe & Acting President Dr Guy Lindley Scott pleaded with Edgar Chagwa Lungu whom they held hostage at a Meeting in Kohima Barracks Kabwe to have him withdraw his PF Presidential candidature & pave way for Dr Christine Kaseba the Day the PF Extra Ordinary Convention was to be officially opened by Dr Scott.

The Venue for this Meeting was carefully selected so as to instil fear in ECL. Instruction had been issued to the Barracks Commander & IG who was present in that meeting to say if ECL refuses to surrender he must be arrested & Cited for sponsoring anarchy at Mulungushi Rock of Authority where thousands of PF & ECL supporters were anxiously waiting for Dr Scott & his Team to come & Officially open the Convection.

ECL refused to back down to the demands of this merciless team & Dr Guy Scott threatened him in no uncertain terms that “over his dead body was he going to drive to Mulungushi Rock of Authority to Open the Convention!

At this point, EL excused himself to answer a phone call outside in the Corridor of the Barracks Commander’s Office where this meeting was taking place. At this point we agreed never to get back in the Meeting but sneak out from the Barracks with a view to dash to Mulungushi Rock of Authority to address our supporters who were slowly becoming agitated at the non appearance of Guy Scott who called for that Convention.

We walked incognito a distance of about 2.5km from the Venue of the “Hostage Meeting” to Kohima Barracks main gate on the Kabwe – Ndola Road & jumped on vehicles to Mulungushi Rock of Authority. Before we could get to the Gate, the Helicopter that had flown this Team with EL from Lusaka took off back to for Lusaka flying above our heads with Dr Guy Scott & his team inside but left out one more person behind whom they had flown with into Kabwe Kohima Barracks.

Little did we know that after ECL had sneaked out of that Meeting, a heated argumented ensured between Dr Guy Scott & mama Inonge Wina who asked Dr Guy Scott “why he so much wanted kill the Party of his friend MCS MHSRIP by his undemocratic, unreasonable tendences & his hate for ECL whom happened to be the majority PF Members choice for Party Presidency”?

So the other person who was left out on the Chopper from Kohima Barracks was Mama Inonge Mutukwa Wina because she had backed ECL in that Meeting. We did not know of her being kicked out of that clandestine meeting after ECL had sneaked out of it.

ECL arrived at Mulungushi Rock of Authority to a thunderous welcome of excited PF Delegates/Members.

As we sat on the Stage at Mulungushi Rock of Authority to a cheering Mammoth Audience of Delegates, agony was that there was no one present amongst the PF Senior Members who had the Power to call Delegates to Order & Officially declare the Convection Open!

According to the PF Party Constitution, the PF Convection can only be Called to Order by a PF President or Acting PF President or Party National Chairperson. In this case, Dr Scott had refused to go Officially open this Convection on demand that Edgar Lungu withdraws from the Party Presidential race to pave way for Dr Christine Kaseba to become PF President. On the other hand, the PF National Chairperson Bo Inonge Mutukwa Wina was not in our midst.

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GOD WORKS MIRACLES THROUGH PEOPLE!
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To everyone’s surprise, a Vehicle drove to the main Arena at the Convention just infront of the Stage & one Mama Inonge Mutukwa Wina enlightened from the Vehicle & made way to the stage where ECL was seated much to the Audiences’s loud praises!

After a brief chat with ECL & other Senior PF members on stage, she proceeded to the Podium & Called the Convention to Order & Declared it Officially opened. The Chief Returning Officer Counsel Tutwa.S.Ngulube took over the voting Process.

The rest is history …..

A WELL-KNOWN UPND-aligned chief from Southern Province is holding the missing Hatembos against their will, PF deputy secretary-general Mumbi Phiri has revealed police have however, refused to confirm whether or not they have zeroed in on the abductors. When contracted on whether police have closed in on the abductors of the Hatembos, Police public relations officer Easter Katongo could neither confirm nor deny.

She said when police are carrying out investigations they do not reveal any detail to the public until investigations are concluded. “I believe everyone has noticed our silence on the same. It means we do not want to jeopardize our investigation. That statement you are asking about has not come from police hence we opt not to confirm or deny,” she said.

Meanwhile, Ms Phiri said according to the PF intelligence, the Hatembos are being kept by one of the chiefs in Southern Province. The chief is a well-known sympathiser of the opposition party. “Even people on the streets are saying the same thing that these people are being held captive by a known chief in Southern Province,” she said. “I am demanding the arrest of the chief who is behind the kidnapping of the victims, not only as deputy secretary-general of the Patriot Front but also as a mother who feels aggrieved by the inhuman manner in which the missing persons have been treated,” she said.

Ms Mumbi said what was going on with the Hatembos has never happened in the history of this country, adding that Zambians should not allow such evil occurrences to happen as a Christian nation. Ms Phiri also wondered why the vocal NonGovernmental Organisations (NGOs) run by women were quiet over the missing Hatembos but were quick to petition the courts over the Cyber Security and Crimes Bill which was meant to protect citizens against cyber bullying. She said it’s clear that the vocal women organisations are mute over the missing Hatembos because they are dead scared of the chief who is behind the crime.

She said no one was above the law and therefore the police should move in and arrest the traditional leader. She said the police should smoke out the chief so that he can tell Zambians why he has been hiding the Hatembos. Ms Phiri said it’s obvious that the people who have abducted the Hatembos especially Pheluna have no heart, because if they did they would have organised a nurse to be looking after her daughter who has a serious condition.

Hatembos siblings Milton and Pheluna disappeared after a highly publicized meeting where the duo refused to appeal a court matter against UPND leader, Hakainde Hichilema which went against them. The duo, went against a family decision to appeal the matter which they lost on account of being time barred. The duo were mysteriously brought to Lusaka to denounce the case and then taken back to Choma where they disappeared after a presser organized by Zitukule Consortium. -Daily Nation

Analyst, Alexander Nkosi has brought United Party for National Development leader Hakainde Hichilema’s economic ‘blue print’ up for debate, with some now doubting its feasibility in turning the country’s fortunes for the better.

HH challenged those doubting his plan and its ability to pay bursaries to all students, totaling 147,000.

In his proposition HH said the lenders to Zambia have indicated that they are willing to reschedule such that of up to 20% of current debt repayments will be released for national expenditure.

According to him, what this meant was that immediately this happens, the country’s annual debt repayments will reduce to about US$1.76 billion, saving us as much as US$$440 million.

He went on to say, since the country wants bursaries at K1,980 per month per student, and an academic year is 9 months, this means that for 147,000 students we will need 147,000×1,980×9 which is K2,619,540,000 (K2.62bn).

This K2.62bn is US$116 million at the current exchange rate of about K22.50. With our savings of US$440 million we can afford this.

However, Nkosi challenged HH to the turf, pointing out the flaws in his economic plan and exposing its shortcomings.

Response by Alexander Nkosi

Dear Mr. Hakainde Hichilema Thank you very much for responding to my questions. I see this as Zambians discussing so as to find feasible solutions to some of our economic challenges, dialogue is very healthy. I have gone through your response. Here is my response:

1) IMF and lenders are non partisan. They are interested in leadership that reflects through policies put forward to address the challenges. They do not want policies that will put us on same path that led to these challenges. When you ask to restructure, they want to see us avoiding things like – subsidies, free education, free healthcare, mass recruitment into civil service and huge payrise – because these basically add to our pressure. They would want us to spend within our means and not start providing free things when we are begging to have our debt restructured. So even before you get your proposal accepted, you will be required to make these commitments. So here is where we differ in expert opinion: your assumption is that they will agree to restructure debt which will release 20% of what is spent on debt service and my argument is that them agreeing to your debt restructuring proposal will depend on your fiscal management strategy and if they see all these free things you are promising at a time you are begging for restructuring you will not get your wish and you won’t have that 20%.

2) The second point is that no lender has indicated anything to you, it is the government of Zambia through the contracted firm that communicates to these lenders. No individual can go behind and discuss anything with them on behalf of the Republic of Zambia. Those who understand how these negotiations are managed will agree with me. It is actually a complex process, and with bonds sometimes it involves thousands of individual investors. Even professional and reputable firms like the one we hired do not have it the easier way. So yes you are a reputable businessman and politician in Zambia but this is a different thing altogether. So you have not talked to any lenders but my assumption is that the 20% debt relief you have mentioned is what you would propose if you formed government.

3) Like I explained earlier, for you to promise free education you need to have all the key statistics, you need to know the actual total number of students and the cost of providing free education. Let’s work with actual numbers unlike giving examples, it gives an impression you do not know the number of students and estimated total cost of providing free education.

Even if I’m to work with the 147,000 you have given, your calculations are not correct. In your previous article the 147,000 is the total number of students completing grade 12 and moving to tertiary institutions every year. This does not represent the total number of students, it is just an intake. If we assume an average of 5 years per course, then each year would have 147,000 multiplied by 5, giving us 735,000 learners. Your assumption is that K1,980 would be enough for monthly stipend (bursary). Hence the correct figure is K13 billion which is $595 million.

Note that this is just meal allowance. When you add the school fees which include quality tuition, medical cover and accommodation estimated at K30,000 per year per student, it goes to K22 billion, giving us a total of K35 billion ($1.6 billion). Note that this is just tertiary, we have to include the cost of free education from grade 1 to 12 as well which is equally huge. Education is not all about tuition fees and meal allowances, we also have to increase the number of facilities; more student hostels, lecturer rooms and equipping them adequately. The total cost goes way beyond K50 billion.

3) Your Revenue: The other thing is that it is not correct to assume that restructuring will give us more money. If we follow your policies where you are promising to significantly cut down on borrowing this means the reduction in borrowing will actually be higher than the amount relased from restructured debt. You further promise to significantly lower taxes. It takes time for the reduction in taxes to translate into improved economic activities and more revenue. So the immediate effect will be a reduction in revenue. Broadening the tax base also has a double effect of giving some relief to certain players and bringing on board others, so there is a process of adjustment and its final outcome is difficult to predict in actual numbers. Improve compliance is a process. This all points to the fact that you will be faced with reduced revenue so the reality is that you will have less to spend despite restructuring.

4) Your Expenditure: Free education is not the only free thing you have promised. You promised free quality healthcare, mass recruitment into civil service, huge payrise, clear over K30 billion domestic arrears, clear arrears for council workers, stipends for headmen and many other things, and you are promising all these in the short term. How do you reconcile this with your reduced revenue?

Thank you and stay blessed.

Meanwhile, following Nkosi’s submission, many people have since been drawn into debate, a move which would require HH to come on board once again to explain and defend his position.

April 3, 2021

Former United Party for National Development (UPND) Spokesperson Charles Kakoma said that he left UPND because he felt betrayed for choosing to sideline him and the people of North Western Province.

Speaking at a PF Mobilisation rally in Chavuma District of North-Western Province where more than 600 people defected from UPND to PF, Kakoma wondered what UPND would do to North-Western Province if they were to form Government.

“You saw me leaving the UPND to join the PF just a few days ago. That move was necessitated by you people who felt betrayed by the UPND for choosing to sideline me and you in the party. God forbid but imagine what they could do if they were in government,” Kakoma said.

Kakoma assured the people of Chavuma and North-Western Province that President Lungu and the PF means well for them as could be seen from the development that he has rolled out in the area, adding that joined the ruling party because he wants to continue serving the people by lobbying for more development to come to North-Western Province hence the need for the locals to support President Lungu and the PF.

He has assured the residents that more development is guaranteed to come to Chavuma Distrcit and the entire Western Province and urged the residents to remain committed to their pledge to support President Lungu and the PF in the August polls and also called on everyone who wishes to join the party not to hold themselves back.

Speaking at the same event Minister of Foreigh Affairs Joseph Malanji said he was impressed with the overwhelming response by the residents in the area who have resolved to work with the government of President Lungu to take development to all parts of the country.

“It is good to see that the people of Chavuma District and North-Western Province as a whole are beginning to realize that President Edgar Lungu and the PF government has their best interests at heart despite the malicious accusations levelled against him by some people who want to sow confusion everywhere,” Malanji said.

Malanji has assured them that more development is poised to come to the area soon because President Lungu has vowed to transform the area into a hub of economic activity to uplift the standards of living for the residents.

66 UPND MEMBERS JOIN PF
ABOUT 66 United Party for National Development (UPND) members in Solwezi Central constituency have defected to the ruling Patriotic Front (PF).

The members mainly traders from the Solwezi main market resigned from the opposition party to join the ruling party during a mobilisation meeting addressed by PF Solwezi Central aspiring candidate Jackson Kungo yesterday.

Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Getrude Ntambo who is a trader in Solwezi main market said the members have decided to join PF because the opposition party has nothing to offer. Ms Ntambo said the marketeers have for a long time suffered at the hands of the UPND opposition leaders who run the Solwezi council and parliamentary seat. The defectors have since resolved to support the PF and President Edgar Lungu in the August 12 general elections.

She said markeeters in Solwezi have not benefitted from the empowerment programmes being initiated by Government because they have been supporting the opposition for a long time.
In receiving the defectors, Mr Kungo urged the traders to go flat out and campaign for PF and President Edgar Lungu to ensure victory in the August polls.

“You must ensure that President Edgar Lungu goes back to State House, ” he said.
Mr Kungo said there are no membership cards in PF and urged old members to embrace the new comers in order to grow the party.

He said there is no leadership in UPND and that is the reason why people are joining PF everyday.
“President Edgar Lungu has provided leadership,” he said. Mr Kungo said the constituency has lagged behind in development because people have been voting for the opposition UPND Members of Parliament (MPs) who have failed to lobby for development. He has promised to work on the township roads and look into the welfare of markeeters once adopted and elected as Member of Parliament this year.

Solwezi district women’s secretary Ireen Kikambo said markeeters in the district have resolved to vote for the PF in the August 12 general elections because they want to start benefiting from the empowerment programmes. Ms Kikambo urged the traders to go flat out and campaign for the PF to ensure victory for PF and President Lungu in the August polls.

HOPE FOR THE BEST BUT PREPARE FOR THE WORST, UPND VEEP URGES UPND MANDEVU CONSTITUENCY ASPIRING CANDIDATES

……….AS SHE URGES UPND MANDEVU CONSTITUENCY AND WARD EXECUTIVE MEMBERS TO ADOPT CANDIDATES THAT WILL MAKE UPND AND PRESIDENT HH WIN BIG

02/04/2021

UPND Vice President Hon Mutale Nalumango this afternoon visited UPND Mandevu constituency and ward top executive leaders together with UPND Mandevu constituency Aspiring candidates.

Hon Nalumango urged the Aspiring candidates in Mandevu constituency to remain loyal to the party during and after the adoption process. She encouraged all the Aspiring candidates to continue working hard because victory is not about an individual but as a team so that UPND can win big.

She urged the UPND Aspiring MPs in Mandevu constituency to support one another after the adoption process because even when they were all capable to lead Mandevu constituency , the party is mandated by law to adopt only one candidate but it was a duty of the remaining candidates to support the party’s decision.

“Hope for the best but prepare for the worst, through your preparation it will be easy for you to accept the outcomes after the adoption process” Hon Nalumango stated.

The vice President urged the constituency and ward executive members to choose candidates who can help the party win big as opposed to choosing people based on what they give out. She urged the executive members to adopt candidates that will make UPND win big on the 12th, August, 2021.

And UPND Mandevu constituency chairperson Mr Hendrix Ndhlovu informed the UPND vice President Hon Mutale Nalumango that in Mandevu constituency only 4 UPND candidates have applied on parliamentary level. He named candidates as Mr Ross Josphat Kasikili, Mr Isidore Tetamashimba, Mr George Mapara and Mr Aaron Mulope as the only candidates who have applied and that as Mandevu constituency they are ready to work with any of the 4 candidates but that they will not accept anyone apart from the four named individuals who are youthful and capable to lead Mandevu constituency.

Mr Ndhlovu said the 2016 Matrix shouldn’t be entertained as doing so will affect the presidential vote which should be avoided this year.

He further informed the vice President that Mandevu constituency has 8 wards and that all the wards have UPND Aspiring councillors and that Mandevu constituency was ready to give UPND 100% votes.

UPND Lusaka provincial youth chairperson Mr Anderson Banda on behalf of the youths assured the UPND vice President that 2021 elections is unique and that it be well handled because the people’s victory will not be stolen by any one. Mr Banda thanked the vice President for taking time to engage the people of Mandevu constituency.

Hon Nalumango said her visit to Mandevu constituency was to have a first hand information and see how the leadership was doing in readiness for August elections. She stated that time has come for everyone to get involved unlike pointing fingers.

And in giving closing remarks, UPND Mandevu constituency chairlady Mrs Violent Kumwenda thanked the UPND vice President for visit to the constituency few months after being appointed. Mrs Kumwenda stated that the visit by the vice President in constituency will boost the energy in the leadership to work extra hard ahead of August elections.

The vice President was accompanied by UPND National chairperson for international relations Mrs Rose Sakala, UPND vice chairperson for youth and sports Mr Isidore Tetamashimba, UPND (NMC) National Trustee Mrs Grace Chivube, NMC member Mr Sikazwe, UPND Lusaka provincial youth chairperson Mr Anderson Banda, Lusaka provincial vice chairperson for politics Mr Godfrey Chitanga and the UPND provincial youth officials, Lusaka district secretary Mr Matongo and some district officials.

@UPND MEDIA TEAM

Former United Party for National Development (UPND) Spokesperson Charles Kakoma said that he left UPND because he felt betrayed for choosing to sideline him and the people of North Western Province.

Speaking at a PF Mobilisation rally in Chavuma District of North-Western Province where more than 600 people defected from UPND to PF, Mr. Kakoma wondered what UPND would do to North-Western Province if they were to form Government.

“You saw me leaving the UPND to join the PF just a few days ago. That move was necessitated by you people who felt betrayed by the UPND for choosing to sideline me and you in the party. God forbid but imagine what they could do if they were in government,” Mr. Kakoma said.

Mr Kakoma assured the people of Chavuma and North-Western Province that President Lungu and the PF means well for them as could be seen from the development that he has rolled out in the area, adding that joined the ruling party because he wants to continue serving the people by lobbying for more development to come to North-Western Province hence the need for the locals to support President Lungu and the PF.

He has assured the residents that more development is guaranteed to come to Chavuma Distrcit and the entire Western Province and urged the residents to remain committed to their pledge to support President Lungu and the PF in the August polls and also called on everyone who wishes to join the party not to hold themselves back.

Speaking at the same event Minister of Foreigh Affairs Joseph Malanji said he was impressed with the overwhelming response by the residents in the area who have resolved to work with the government of President Lungu to take development to all parts of the country.

“It is good to see that the people of Chavuma District and North-Western Province as a whole are beginning to realize that President Edgar Lungu and the PF government has their best interests at heart despite the malicious accusations levelled against him by some people who want to sow confusion everywhere,” Hon. Malanji said.

Hon. Malanji has assured them that more development is poised to come to the area soon because President Lungu has vowed to transform the area into a hub of economic activity to uplift the standards of living for the residents.

By Sean Tembo

1. As Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) it is our considered opinion that the continued attempt by Government to get a bailout loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) at a time that the price for copper is at an all-time high of about US$9,000 per metric tonne, is ample evidence that the PF have failed to run this country and need to be retired in the national interest on 12th August this year.

It must be noted that IMF bailout loans are meant for countries that have no resources and are on the brink of total economic collapse. However, Zambia has an abundance of resources and world economic parameters are in our favour due to the advent of electric vehicles which has caused a major surge in the price of copper which is a major component in their manufacture and is our major export commodity.

2. Given the circumstances at hand, our expectations as Patriots for Economic Progress were that the Government would be talking about how best the country should utilize the surge in copper prices for our economic prosperity and not talking about getting an IMF bailout loan.

The fact that the PF and its Government see borrowing as a solution to every national economic problem renders credence to our long held position that the Patriotic Front is a party that is made up of incompetent people that were in group C in class. Therefore, any reasonable Zambian should not expect improvement in the manner that the PF Government will run the affairs of this nation, should Zambians be naive enough to re-elect them back into office.

3. As Patriots for Economic Progress, we wish to appeal to the Zambian people to vote into office a political party that will competently and diligently run the affairs of this nation and which will be able to convert the huge economic potential that Zambia has into actual wealth for the benefit of Zambians. That political party is the Patriots for Economic Progress. The only thing that the PF and its Government are capable of doing is contracting more and more national debt, despite the fact that we have already defaulted on our debt repayment.

Come 12th August, if Zambians insist on re-electing this collection of group C individuals when group A is available, the end result will be continued shrinkage of the economy, unemployment, poverty, squalor and corruption. Zambians have a very important decision to make on 12th August this year. We have already seen what group C is able to do. It is now time to try group A.

By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba

I have noted a flurry of persons declaring that they will stand as independent presidential candidates in the forth-coming General Elections due on August 12th.

In the past, independent presidential candidates were forbidden as it was explicitly provided for in the Constitution that a presidential candidate, among other qualifications, needed to be sponsored by a political party.

For unknown reasons, or omission, this provision is no longer available under Article 101 and Article 30 of the Constitution of Zambia which provide for the qualifications of a presidential candidate and vice president.

I also looked at Part V of the Constitution that provide for both the Electoral System and Electoral Process.

I also looked at the role of political parties (Article 60) whose key functions among others, is to nominate persons to a state office in respect of national elections.

I also perused the provisions of Article 68 that provides for the composition of the National Assembly.

The Constitution, however provides for the position of a candidate wishing to stand as an independent Member of Parliament, and Article 51 provides;

Art 51. “A person is eligible for election as an independent candidate for a National Assembly seat if the person”—

(a) “is not a member of a political party and has not been a member of a political party for at least two months immediately before the date of the election; and (b) meets the qualifications specified in Article 70 for election as a Member of Parliament.”

However there are no similar provisions for an independent person to stand as a presidential candidate.

CONCLUSION

Under the amended 2016 Constitution and the Electoral Act, it is clear that a presidential candidate may not require the endorsement or sponsorship of a political party.

The only requirement among the usual stated qualifications under the Constitution but provided for under the Electoral Act, is that such a candidate must bring and have the endorsement of 100 registered voters drawn from each of the ten provinces of Zambia.

Another limiting factor may be the nomination fees for presidential candidates(K95,000).

But however this is big!

What it means, and if my interpretation is correct, is that we are going to have an unregulated high number of persons seeking to stand as presidential candidates, and the number may reach a nuisance level!

What is your view about an independent presidential candidate? Do you think it is workable in Zambia? Do you think Zambia should accept this scenario? Will the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) manage if a huge number of persons submit as independent presidential candidates? Do we need to seek the interpretation of the Constitution Court on the matter relying on old practice?

Have your say.

By Staff Reporter

Controversial Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) leader Edith Nawakwi has wondered why Zambians do not question UPND’s failures in all the alliances the party has been previously involved.

Featuring on Diamond TV last evening, Nawakwi said there had never been an alliance that worked in which UPND was part to, citing the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), the 2009 pact with the ruling Patriotic Front (PF), and the recent collapse involving the NDC, which equally failed because of UPND.

She said because of her disagreements on fundamental issues with main opposition party, she was being called all sorts of names.

Nawakwi was responding to assertions that she had become a surrogate of the PF and President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, dismissing such assertions – further explaining that the only offense she committed that triggered such a narrative was her disassociation from a UPND.

She said only UPND supporters call her a PF surrogate, which she totally disagrees with. She said she was not a PF surrogate.

“The people who call me that (surrogate), am afraid, are people whom I have refused to support. The relationship between them and FDD ended. And the moment it ended, in 2016 when I was called to support them and I refused, I was called a surrogate of PF and a surrogate of President Lungu. That is the name my distractors want to use. But you will agree with me that I cannot side with a political party whose policies I don’t agree. FDD has been here from 2001 to date,” Nawakwi explained last evening on Diamond TV programme monitored by Daily Revelation. “I think if you look at the history of some of political parties, let say UPND, how many alliances have they been in and out? No one raises anything. It only becomes an issue when Edith Nawakwi says that which is not pleasing to the opposition.”

And Nawakwi said it does not make common sense to demand for a Grade 12 certificate from every Zambian who want aspire for political office.

She called on the Attorney General to interpret the law bordering on Grade 12 as a requirement to vie for political office. She said Zambia does not only belong to the elite to govern the affairs of this country. Nawakwi said she sometimes wonder whether or not the Zambian judiciary existed in the air.

“There are many judgements where when you look at, you wonder to say, are they working on the moon or where? When there is a bad law from parliament, the judiciary in many instances does correct the wrong that parliament has created. I draw people from justice Musumali. The issue was that the law could not allow women to sign papers for their children to get passports. And justice Musumali changed that law. Now when they get a document like the 2016 constitution which has many lacunas; many mistakes because people were drunk some of them when they were doing that law – it’s up to the court to interpret (it) in such a way that is fair. I think the Grade 12 certificate… I am a Master of Science degree holder. Now you are asking me for a Grade 12 certificate. I don’t even know whether my Cambridge certificate is acceptable. Is Cambridge equivalent to Grade 12 certificate?” Nawakwi asked. “If I have a degree from University of London, why on earth should I be looking for a Grade 12 certificate? It doesn’t make common sense. And I think the Attorney General should step in and interpret to say, look this country doesn’t only belong to the elite, it belongs to every Zambian.”

Nawakwi said from the perspective of the Grade 12 clause, it was clear that some law makers were not in the right frame of mind when they were amending…- Daily Revelation

VICTORY IS CERTAIN FOR ANY CANDIDATE THAT WILL CONTEST ON THE PF TICKET-ANTONIO MWANZA

… as he says the ruling party has been overwhelmed with applications from people wishing to contest on the PF ticket

Lusaka, Thursday 1st April 2021

(SmartEagles)

Patriotic Front (PF) Deputy Media Director Antonio Mwanza says victory is certain for any candidate that will contest on the PF ticket in the fourth coming August 12 general elections.

Speaking when he featured on Live Radio in Lusaka today, Mr. Mwanza said the PF is overwhelmed with the number of aspiring candidates wishing to contest on the party ticket.

Mr. Mwanza disclosed that in Lusaka alone, the party has received an average of 10 applications from people wishing to contest on the PF ticket in each constituency.

He charged that unlike the opposition UPND that is begging people to contest on their ticket, the ruling PF is overwhelmed with applications from credible and saleable candidates because they know that victory is certain for them once adopted.

“This shows that people have realized that the Patriotic Front is the sure way of winning elections hence the number of applicants the party has received, ” Mr. Mwanza said.

And Mr. Mwanza said it is unfortunate that the UPND has failed to find candidates that will contest on their ticket and are now waiting to adopt those that will not be adopted by the ruling party.

The PF Deputy Media Director charged that it is laughable that the UPND want to adopt the same people they have been calling corrupt, ‘ba mwankole’ and ‘bamushanina ubwali’ to contest on their ticket.

Meanwhile, Mr. Mwanza has reiterated the party’s call on those that will not be adopted not to despair but learn from President Lungu who despite not being adopted when he applied to contest for the Chawama seat in 2006 remained royal to the party.

“President Lungu applied to contest on the party ticket in 2006, he was not adopted; the president did not defect from PF but remained in the party and today he is Republican President” he explained.

Mr. Mwanza said people who will not be adopted must realize that they are more elections coming and more positions in government where they can still be deployed to serve the country.

And Mr. Mwanza has charged that it is unfair for the opposition UPND to write to the African Union and SADC accusing the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) that they were biased in the registration of voters.

“Their letter which is dated 25th of March, 2021, they have accused the Electoral Commission of Zambia of registering more voters in seven provinces which are strongholds of PF against three provinces which were their strongholds,” Mr. Mwanza said.

He explained that the ECZ have done a commendable job hence it will be unfair for anyone to malign them.

The PF Deputy Media Director stated that all the stakeholders have been involved in all the electoral processes by the ECZ starting from the issue of voter registration.

Mr. Mwanza has since urged the UPND to leave the Electoral Commission of Zambia alone saying that if they have any issues they can go to their offices to air their grievances instead of running to the international community.

He charged that the opposition UPND has realized that they do not have the numbers to defeat President Lungu and the PF hence they have resorted to find excuses for their eminent loss.

Mr. Mwanza stated that the PF has seven provinces which are their strongholds and have equally started making way into Western Province which was once a UPND stronghold.

He explained that out of the 25 bye elections that were held in Western Province, the PF managed to win 19 an indication that the Province is no longer a UPND stronghold.

“They have realized that they don’t have the numbers and now want to bring confusion by blaming ECZ, blaming the police and very soon we shall hear that they are blaming the Pop of the Catholic Church for their loss of elections,” Mr. Mwanza said.

PF PUT KU WIRE IN KITWE
———————-
The Kitwe District Elvis Nkandu Management Committee has continued mobilizing the Party in the District despite PF Police intimidation on a daily basis.

The Journey to 12th August 2021 has not been easy for the Elvis Nkandu led team as the PF Police has been arresting and crushing the political space for UPND in Kitwe but this did not make the team stop the mobilisation.

Recent Branch Mobilisation meetings have been turning to look like public rallies as residents in Kitwe can’t wait to see the Government that has been supplying expired drugs out of Government. This is a perfect indicator that PF has been buried in Kitwe. UPND Membership cards are on high demand in the District.

Every corner of Kitwe is red and ready to vote for President Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND.

The mining town which has been reduced to a poor town can’t wait to finally put PF KU WIRE on 12th August this year.

Graduates in the streets of Kitwe without Jobs can’t wait to Put PF KU WIRE so that President Hakainde Hichilema can bring the economic environment that will create Jobs and business opportunities in the District.

Marketeers who are having low sales due to low purchasing power in the once vibrant mining town can’t wait to put PF KU WIRE so that they can have an economic environment that will restore the high purchasing power from which they will get back to high daily sales.

Farmers in the rural wards of Kitwe whose farm inputs are poorly distributed and at times not even distributed to them are even more happy that they have a chance to put PF KU WIRE this August.

These Farmers also are faced with bad roads to transport their farm produce. They also can’t wait to put PF KU WIRE so that their fellow Farmer President Hakainde Hichilema can come and fix these problems.

Miners who have been reduced to ECL Mealie Meal beggers and those Miners who have lost their Jobs due to poor mining policies and political interference in the mines can’t wait to put PF KU WIRE in Kitwe.

Business Men and Women in Kitwe also are saying their business opportunities have been taken away by PF Cadres and largely by poor business policies under PF.

Business People say the US Dollar, a major vehicle currency has continued to reduce their capital on a daily basis as PF does not know how to deal with the daily weakening local currency as a result business projections are always coming out negative thereby affecting strategic goals.

The business environment currently has no regular clients as everyone is struggling thereby leaving the business to chance deals and sales which is not good in business focusing. This has led Business Men and Women in Kitwe to hire the services of President Hakainde Hichilema their fellow Business Man who understands business needs and the UPND on August 12 as they put PF KU WIRE.

Even rigging will not work for PF in Kitwe as the Elvis Nkandu message of Change for a better Zambia under President Hakainde Hichilema has been embraced by everyone in Kitwe. PF has been trying to buy support in the District but not even their money is working for them.

Come 12th August 2021 PF NI KU WIRE.

#TIME4CHANGE

Issued by//
Sam Mwikisa
Kitwe District UPND Youth Spokesperson

PF CANNOT WIN A FREE AND FAIR ELECTION – EIU.

Over the past few days, the digital space has been awash with tonnes of misinformation by a poorly read, poorly informed Patriotic Front (PF) media team; purporting that the latest country report by the Economists Intelligence Unit (EIU) has declared the PF and President Edgar Lungu likely victors in the August 12 General Election.

Let me state from the onset, that the purported election victory by the PF is CONDITIONAL on a set of diabolical set of circumstances falling into place, circumstances which in effect would constitute an assault on Zambia’s democracy by the PF and its leadership, effectively rendering the results of the August polls a mockery to our collective intelligence.

Here is a list of critical insights contained in the March 30 2021 report by the EIU, insights conveniently and foolishly overlooked by the regime to claim that election victory is guaranteed in their favour when Zambians head to the polls this August.

INSIGHT #1

Under the PF regime, Zambia’s democracy index is down from 5.09 to 4.86, designated from flawed democracy to hybrid regime. This means that we are no longer a recognized democracy, but a cross between a democracy and an authoritarian regime, like Benin, Uganda, Thailand.

A further downgrade of Zambia’s democracy rating is expected should President Lungu succeed in clinging on to power.

INSIGHT #2

President incumbent of the PF is designated as an authoritarian leader in the report.

I do not need to explain what this means.

INSIGHT #3

The policy focus of the PF regime to hinge on short-term, populist features to endear the masses into keeping the regime in power. This is why we have seen and overflow of money in empowerment, social cash transfer and FISP.

All this careless splashing of cash will soon be back to bite all of us.

INSIGHT #4

The report proposes or points to a possible Chinese takeover of state assets as part of a possible Chinese debt restructuring program – this could further escalate anti – Chinese sentiments in our country.

We have always warned about the lack of transparency around the quantum and conditions around Chinese debt. We think that it is this lack of detail and transparency from the regime that is escalating fears.

INSIGHT #5

Zambians must be braced for a painful austerity ahead. This could and usually means cuts may be made to critical public services – no proper funding for healthcare, education, while salaries for civil servants may be expected to become more erratic.

Already, many council workers go for several months without being laid salaries, while the widespread degeneration in critical public services was witnessed in the dying years of the UNIP regime.

INSIGHT #6

Zambia has now been cut off from external funds thanks to poor infrastructure program implementation by the PF.

We always warned that the cost of infrastructure was unsustainable, especially that this was funded by very expensive debt money.

Zambia was officially cut off from external borrowing the moment we decided we will not make Eurobond coupon payments because the PF wanted to focus on splashing money.

INSIGHT #7

Decision to abolish 2005 voters’ register seen to likely lead to the registration of more voters in ruling party strongholds than opposition ones.

We all saw what happened during the exercise to issue NRCs and voters cards, and there are numbers to back up our initial fears.

INSIGHT #8

Zambia’s functioning of governments score at 2.93, reflecting PF corruption and mismanagement of the economy and public finances, including weakening of independence of BOZ by abrupt changes in governors.

This killed confidence in the Central Bank’s ability to steer an objective monetary policy. Bad for business.

INSIGHT #9

The EIU projects that the election will neither be free nor fair as PF will be forced to rely more on Zambia’s partisan security forces to aggressively narrow the political space for the opposition.

We have seen an increasing appetite by the police to use a heavy hand when dealing with opposition political parties- arbitrary arrests, detentions and citizens being killed by police bullets.

Now, ALL this is contained in the same EIU Report the PF are using to claim victory come August.

The report is a public document and I urge people to read it and understand full well the path to nowhere the PF have set us onto.

Anthony Bwalya
UPND Presidential Spokesperson.

Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI) has anticipated more defections from the United Party for National Development (UPND) ahead of the August 12 polls.

YALI president Andrew Ntewewe said in an interview yesterday that leaving UPND because of its dictatorial style of leadership and tribalism. This comes following the defection of the former UPND member Mr. Charles Kakoma who served as the party spokesperson for 14 years.

And Mr Ntewewe said the resignation of Mr Kakoma opens more wounds to Zambians.

“The resignation of their former spokesperson opens another wound in the eyes of the Zambian people. It opens another wound in a sense that this political party which is supposed to be an alternative to government is unable to offer credible checks and balances because of lack of its clear principles and values,” he said.

“Everyone who has left UPND has talked this issue of lack of intraparty democracy. Where everything revolves around one person. And that is HH. Where anything in this party can only go if it goes through the Alpha and Omega of the party who is HH. To us, that leaves too much to be desired. Talk about GBM, talk about Kakoma, you talk about Saboi Imboela, you talk about so many other who have left. All of them have one significant story; one, UPND is a tribal political party, it promotes regionalism, number two, UPND is a dictatorial political party, its decisions revolve around one individual.”

Mr Ntewewe also stated that there have been more divisions in the opposition party from the time it held its general Assembly which we slammed for not meeting the benchmarks of a democratic election.

He noted that the opposition party is structured in a way that everything revolves around the party’s “life president,” Mr Hakainde Hichilema.

The Initiative’s president said “We are very certain as the Young African Leadership Initiative that the resignation of Kakoma is not the last one. We are going to see so many more resigning from the UPND so that HH will remain alone. Because ultimately, in modern-day leadership, you cannot revolve all the powers around one individual.”

“If you look at how UPND has been structured, its campaign messages and everything else revolves around one man. Now that is not how you do modern-day politics. That is not what servanthood leadership is about. Servanthood leadership is about getting the collective wisdom of a collective group of individuals, of a collective group of citizens, who are able to provide effective leadership. Unfortunately, what UPND offers is only one person. What UPND offers is only Bally and that, unfortunately, is not servanthood leadership.”

By Marvin Chanda Mberi

The season of finding all possible excuses to validate the claim of alleged rigging is now in our midst. It is the anthem that we are used to and it has become synonymous every electoral year.

United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema has written an expansive yet substantively void of merit letter to the African Union (AU) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to pen his lamentations against the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ).

We too would like to pen our observations after intently perusing through the correspondence addressed to the two continental bodies. Firstly, Mr Hichilema faults the new voter’s register and links it to his alleged manipulation of the process.

Here Mr Hichilema willfully neglected to bring to the attention to the two regional bodies that the new voter’s register was as a result of audit anomaly regarding the ghost voters as per the voter’s register of 2016.

Clearly the 2016 voter’s register was virtually a “dead document” which was filed with bloated list of registered voters.

Mr Hichilema did not appreciate that the voter’s role with ghost voters was vulnerable and susceptible to manipulation thus undermined prospects of the free and fair elections.
Contrary to what was alleged by Mr Hichilema, the voter registration process was conducted in a very fair and transparent manner and all stakeholders were given an equal opportunity to offer their participation and lend their expertise to this important part of the democratic process.

We recall how the UPND and its allies deadly and stanchly criticized every move that ECZ made without proposing any viable alternative. We wonder why HH can write to African Union (AU) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) alleging inadequacies yet his letter makes no mention to specific breaches of instruments such as the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG), the Zambian Constitution, the electoral legislation among others.

This clearly gives us an irresistible conclusion that Mr Hichilema is only entrapping the international actors to notice him and make headlines for wrong reasons.

As regards Mr Hichilema’s lamentations that the new voter’s register has reduced numbers in the UPND strongholds while recording marginal increase in PF strongholds, HH has clearly missed the causal link between the two.

Mr Hichilema has ignored to tell the AU and SADC that the reduction in UPND strongholds was a result of contributory negligence by the UPND to mobilize their supporters to the nearest voter registration centers.

We do recall that while PF was mobilizing its supporters to registration centers using all possible means, the UPND did not take interest but opted to waste their time by gallivanting from one social media page to the other discrediting the process and incite public discontent against ECZ.

And all things being equal, the long adage which goes, “you reap what you sow” always comes to fruition.

The PF which invested it’s time to mobilize numbers in the strongholds has yielded marginal increase while the other camp has yielded a reduction.

It is also laughable that HH can approach AU and EU not to legitimatize the outcome of the August poll when the mandate of declaring a victor solely lies within the ambit of ECZ.

We urge Mr Hichilema to have confidence in the internal institutions as they are competent to address his grievances than maliciously undermining the integrity of Zambia’s democracy before regional bodies.

PRESS STATEMENT

1ST APRIL 2021

ZAMBIANS MUST KEEP AWAY FROM PF; THE LAST KICKS COULD BE FATAL

We appeal to the outgoing PF leadership to respect the will of the people on 12th August. The MMD Government in 2011 graciously conceded defeat without spilling any innocent blood. But looking at the desperation being exhibited by PF it’s unlikely that they will concede defeat and hand over the instruments of power peacefully to HH. Zambians have the right to choose leaders of their choice without any intimidations. Zambians have already settled for HH as their next President. PF, the Police and ECZ must commit themselves to a peaceful change of power.

The biggest mistake PF is making is counting the number bicycles, goats, chickens, money and mealie meal they are dishing out as their potential votes. This reckless behavior will make it very difficult for PF to accept defeat. There is life outside Government; after all most of you came into Government from a very humble background. In the interest of peace avoid the Bemba saying of FULWE PAKUFWA EPO APASA UMULILO.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia must ensure that there is peace before, during and after elections. However ECZ in its current form has failed to win the confidence of Zambians. ECZ must conduct itself above partisan politics otherwise any violence during the August elections will be blamed on them. PF has been campaigning openly and corrupting people while ECZ has approved these electoral malpractices. ECZ must understand that the standards of holding a by election is different from that of a general election. Zambians have made up their minds; PF is going. Come what may, HH is the next President. Therefore, ECZ must approach the August election with a very sober mind to ensure peaceful transition.

Our Zambia Police is a disaster and we don’t understand why DMMU can’t declare this institution a national disaster. Zambia Police has contributed greatly to the volatile situation obtaining in the Country because of selective justice. Our Police Officers should take a leaf from what happened to their friends who took instructions from politicians in the case of the late prosecutor and UPND member. Please stick to your professional conduct and ethics. Your job is to maintain law and order and not boot licking. Stop being used as catalysts of violence.

Percy Chanda

UPND – Chairman for Mines and Freedom Fighter