NORTH- WESTERN ~ Solwezi

By CIC Public Reporter

CURRENT VOTERS REGISTRATION EXERCISE NOT CONDUCIVE FOR WOMEN TO REGISTER ~ TETAMASHIMBA

……….as she appeals to the Electoral Commission of Zambia to maintain the old voters register to allow more women to exercise their constitutional right to vote in 2021 elections

United Party for National Development (UPND) North Western Province Women Vice Chairperson for Mobilization says the flaws in the ongoing voters registration exercise will deter a lot of women espercially the elderly to register as voters in the forth-coming 2021 General Elections.

Ms.Tetamashimba, said this after she and her team conducted a tour around some polling stations in Solwezi and Kalumbila District this morning.

“it is disheartening to see some women travelling long distances with babies and some expectant mothers including the elderly sitting the whole day without being attended to because ECZ could only manage to register about 40 – 50 voters due to the process which is slow, a thing that may discourage many women to register”.

Ms.Tetamashimba said the flaws in the on-going voter registration are a clear indicator that ECZ still needs the maintain and update the old Voters Register to allow all eligible voters to register and vote.

“ It’s suspicious that ECZ has totally ignored the voice of the people demanding that the old voters register should be maintained and opted to impose a decision on the Zambian people by discarding the old voters register and come up with a new one which every Zambian has said no to knowing too well that reaching the expected 9 million voters is practically impossible.” said Tetamashimba.

She agreed with President Hakainde Hichilema that ECZ is indeed playing games following that there was no census for ECZ to estimate the huge numbers they want to capture without putting in place the needed resources for an effective voters registration.

“The right to vote is a constitutional and ECZ should not stand against the right of women to vote by not allowing them easy access to register due to their pathetic system, ” said Ms Tetamashimba.

She further encouraged everyone who is above 18 years and older to get a National Registration Card and later register to vote.

Meanwhile Ms Tetamashimba has called on all Zambians to ensure that those eligible register to vote.

“ Let us assist all our family members and others to register as this is our right and key to open to the door that will lead a better Zambia with it’s citizens living better lives,” said Ms Tetamashimba.

CIC PRESS TEAM

President Edgar Lungu has said that he regrets the failure to pass the Constitution Amendment Bill 10 of 2020.

Speaking when he met traditional leaders in Mkushi District of Central Province today, President Lungu said the passage of Bill 10 could have enhanced the inclusion of women, youths and differently abled people in governance.

President Lungu said Bill 10 could have helped to address the inequalities between women, youths, and differently-abled people in governance.

He said he did not see anything wrong to extend the period in which to petition an election and the inclusion of special groups in governance as was embedded in Bill 10.

Mr. Lungu has also assured the chiefs that his administration will look into their transport challenges to enhance their administrative duties.

He said the government will also continue to work on feeder roads to improve the movement of farm produce and easy the accessibility of various social services.

He further added that the government will continue with the early and timely distribution of farming inputs as a way of promoting the growth of the agricultural sector.

And President Edgar Lungu has noted that the Church and government continue to be partners in national development.

President Lungu says the Church and government have similar desire and mandate to make sure that the lives of the Zambian citizenry are improved upon.

He reaffirmed governments continued support to the Church by providing what is needed.

Speaking in Luano district in Central Province during a meeting with the Clergy yesterday afternoon, President Lungu expressed happiness that the Church in Luano already has a framework that has integrated people so as to improve their wellbeing.

“I’m glad that you are talking about development. Development has no finishing line. There is always more that needs to be done,” the President said.

President Lungu further assured the Clergy that government will expedite programmes to alleviate the suffering of the people in the district including the civil servants that are employed in the area.

“We will do everything that is required in a new district to make Luano district a reality. It is good that we have the Clergy here that are committed to the wellbeing of the people,” stated President Lungu.

And Representative for the Clergy, Reverend Stanley Msiska from the Reconciliation Life Church International, thanked President Lungu for recognizing the Church and the role it plays in national development.

Rev. Msiska noted that the inclusion of the Clergy in government’s developmental programmes is a plus to government.

“We are honoured and privileged to have a President who has put the Clergy on top of government’s agenda. As the Clergy in Luano district, we pledge our continued support all the way,” he said.

Rev. Msiska also called on President Lungu to help address challenges faced in the district.

Earlier, President Lungu held separate meetings with traditional leaders in the district and the Head men to engage them in matters of national development and also to learn of their challenges.

IMPROVE YOUR EFFICIENCY OR LEAVE THE OLD VOTERS ROLL ALONE MUSOKOTWANE URGES THE ELECTIONS BODY.

By UPND reporter

UPND parliamentary whip Situmbeko Musokotwane has demanded for the immediate increase in the number competent Electoral Commission of Zambia officials handling the voter registration exercise to avoid disfranchising eligible citizens in the forthcoming national general elections slated for 2021.

Dr Situmbeko says the lack of adequate manpower and equipment at polling stations especially in rural areas were disappointing and called on the elections body to consider maintaining the current voters roll which has more than 6 million registered voters and concentrate on new voters if it is to meet its 9 million target.

He said reports reaching his office from UPND Members of Parliament across the country provide a gloomy picture of the exercise hence the need for the commission to put its act in order and serve the nation in accordance with its mandate and not disfranchise eligible voters of their democratic right.

Dr Musokotwane who is also Liuwa UPND lawmaker said reports reaching him from the constituency indicate faulty machines such as dry ink and faulty generators resulting into only 13 people obtaining the cards at one polling station at the opening of the exercise.

“The exercise is very slow as ECZ has only dispatched one poll officer to each polling station who is doing all the activities such as taking down details,biometrics and laminating which is quiet too much for an individual.We demand as Members of Parliament of the UPND that the ECZ immediately dispatches more manpower to the stations to make the process more effective.You cant have a single officer and expect to achieve maximum results.This is a lie.We only have 30 days and the rate at which the exercise is being handled is scarely,he said.

He further added that the failure by the government to conduct the nationwide census exercise due to lack of funds has not helped matters as the country was operating on guess work in as far as the number of eligible voters is concerned,saying the lack of funds has had an adverse effect on social programs such as the registration of voters.

“When we advised the Patriotic Front that the number of induced by-elections was not helping the nation as too much resources were being allocated towards such exercises,they thought we were joking and called us all sorts of names.Now look what is happening,ECZ is broke because all funds went towards by-elections.We are now where we are due to lack of prudent management of resources”.

Dr Musokotwane was speaking when he addressed the media this morning at the UPND secretariat.

By Elias Sakala cic Private Reporter.

LUSAKA ~Lusaka

ECZ NEEDS HELP THEY SHOULD STOP PRETENDING SAYS MUCHELEKA.

UPND Deputy Secretary General in charge of Politics Hon Patrick Mucheleka has charged that the current state of ECZ must swallow their pride and call for help because they are compromised and infiltrated by PF cadres.

Hon Mucheleka says that it’s not a hidden matter that PF are dictating what ECZ does in their own interests. He said that the ongoing voter registration countrywide by ECZ whereby the process is very slow has worried stakeholders in the country because it will take a miracle for 9 million Zambians to be issued with voters cards. He said that ECZ can not give Zambians any lame excuse of not having manpower, faulty equipments or it’s staffs reporting very late and still expect to reach the impossible targets. He has observed that PF government had enough time to register Zambians in the more stable way than the current rush hour going of 30 days which he said it’s an impossible task.

Hon Mucheleka was speaking today at United voice station where he featured on the topic ” is ECZ capable of handling the next years general elections “. Hon Mucheleka argued that in as much as what ECZ can say they need help and it’s only by admitting that they do need help will that help come otherwise it will not do any good to Zambians because the pace at which time is progressing many Zambians will be defrachised from participating in the next years elections.

He said that the process of continuous voter registration was supposed to be an ongoing project be a funds were there and had it not been for numerous induced by elections PF kept the nation in an endless by elections except for those that where caused by death Zambia was going to save money and channel it to the important exercise as this one (voter registration). And her his rival Hon Mumbi Phiri the deputy secretary general of PF phoned and responded in affirmative that indeed ECZ was capable of handling the process because it’s the same ECZ that handles elections that sees certain seats goes to UPND, but Hon Mucheleka denied saying the discussion at hand with respect to his negative response was a s a result of the process which is slow and going by records of PF interference during elections, Hon Mucheleka has called on Home affairs minister Hon Stephen Kampyongo to stop disturbing ECZ during elections.

He said that under the law the Zambia police with guns are not allowed to be in any place where elections are being conducted even if it’s general elections.
He said what transpired in Lukashsya where the police being given orders by Home affairs minister was uncalled. He said it’s those and other matters which he feels that the ECZ are in their current state are not ready and able to conduct free and fair elections.
On Bill 10 he said that many people especially PF are happy that Bill 10 failed, he said people like Justice Minister Hon Given Lubinda and many more are very happy that Bill 10 has failed because it was a disappointment to them such that Lungu had decided to betray them in 2021.

CIC PRESS TEAM

THE RULING Patriotic Front (PF) Media Director Mr. Sunday Chanda has challenged the opposition political parties to tell the Zambian people what they will do for the country if elected into Office.

Speaking on Tuesday morning on Kwithu FM’s ‘Nkani Yatu’ program where he was discussing issues of governance, Mr Chanda expressed sadness over the tendency exhibited by some members of opposition parties to politicizing everything.

He said the opposition should put the interest of the people first as opposed to opposing matters which are aimed at taking the nation forward.
Mr Chanda cited Bill number 10 which some members of the opposition campaigned against but shunned from voting.

“What we wanted as the PF is for the youth, women and differently-abled persons to have guaranteed seats in parliament so that they can advance their own agenda,” said Mr Chanda.

He emphasized that issues affecting the marginalized groups of Zambians can be best addressed by the affected persons and further said that is the more reason why PF wanted such people have their own representation in Parliament.

“As the PF, we wanted young people to advance their agenda, we wanted differently-abled persons advance their own agenda and the women too because we understand their challenge.”

However, Mr Chanda said even in the absence of Bill 10 which the opposition claimed the PF wanted to use to its benefit that the ruling party was confident of another victory in the forthcoming general elections slated for August 12, 2021.

He said Zambians have seen what the ruling party had done and further challenged the country’s largest opposition party, UPND, what it would do for the people.

And the PF Media Director further said lawyer John Sangwa’s discourse with regards President Edgar Chagwa Lungu’s eligibility was nothing but mare politics, adding that President Lungu would be on the ballot next year as the constitutional court had ruled in its judgement that he was eligible to stand as President.

Meanwhile, Mr Chanda said the PF remained confident that the voter registration exercise which commenced on Monday would be a success despite the process facing challenges on the first day.

“Unfortunately, our colleagues in the opposition and some CSOs opposed the online pre-registration voter exercise which would have made things easier when doing the actual exercise as most of the things would have been done and we feel that had MPs gone earlier in their constituencies to tell the electorates about it, it would have helped but again, they chose to play politics.”

Mr Chanda however said that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) should consider allocating more man power in high density areas so that it is able to capture the intended targets of registered voters ahead of the crucial elections.

By Julia Malunga,
SENANGA UPND member of parliament Mukumbuta Mulowa says Hakainde Hichilema cannot chase him from the party for voting for the Constitution Amendment Bill Number 10 of 2019 which fell off last week.

In an interview, Mulowa said he was still a member of the opposition party and that he was going to recontest his seat next year.

“UPND is my party and I am standing on the UNPD ticket. Hakainde is still my friend despite me voting for Bill 10. He is my close friend and there is no way he can chase me because of Bill 10. Tell Hakainde, he is still my friend and president. I wish to work with him in the future very well. In the party there are different people, there are those who are reasonable and those who are not reasonable. Reasonable people like Hakainde cannot bring a grudge against me,” Mulowa said.

He said it was unfortunate that Bill 10 fell off because there were some progressive clauses in it.

“It is unfortunate because I don’t think that delimitation will take place. For us to have delimitation of these constituencies, there is supposed to be a form of constitution amendment and that was an opportunity which was given to us through Bill 10. I know there are some arguments that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) can still move a motion so that there can be delimitation, I agree with that but whatever constitution amendment which takes place, it will need about two thirds. Now do you think our friends in the PF will agree this time? Some of us with wide constituencies will suffer because they are quite big to be developed. I think we have lost out,” Mulowa said.

He said Bill 10 also provided an opportunity for MPs to go back to the councils.
“Remember in 2016, the constitution amendment number 2 of 2016 removed MPs from the councils, hoping that there could be provincial assessments which never happened. So now the failure of Bill 10 means that MPs will not go back to the councils. There are a lot of things which are happening in the councils, things like equalization funds being misused. One of the functions of the MP is to provide an oversight role which is not there. So that means the fight between the mayors, council chairperson and MPs will continue at the expense of the Zambians who voted for these people,” said Mulowa, who also refuted claims that he was bribed by the ruling Patriotic Front to vote for the bill.

“There is also an issue of chiefs. Today, the paramount chiefs, like the Barotse Royal Establishment, anyone can declare himself chief, so this bill wanted to save these chiefs from such embarrassment that anyone can declare himself chief anywhere. The people of Zambia are going to lose out on this. The women, the youths, the church will all lose out. We are not saying that we can make a perfect law, the only perfect law is the law of God. Look at the money that was spent on the roadmap for Bill 10! So now we are back to square one.”  – Diggers

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: LUNGU PARDONS POLITICAL PRISONER AFUMBA MOMBOTWA, FIVE OTHERS TO CELEBRATE BIRTHDAY

11 November 2019 | Author News Editor, Barotseland Post

As he celebrates his 63rd birthday, Zambian President Edgar Lungu has pardoned five prisoners, among them Barotseland independence leader, Afumba Mombotwa, who was serving fifteen (15) years in maximum prison for taking an oath of office as Barotseland administrator general in his formed Barotseland transitional government in August of 2013 which would facilitate the peaceful and legal implementation of the 2012 Barotse National Council (BNC) unanimous resolutions for Barotseland independence from Zambia.

Afumba Mombotwa (60), has been in maximum prison since his arrest on 5th December 2014 with two other Barotseland compatriots and fellow prisoners, Inambao Kalima (59) and Likando Pelekelo (64).

Meanwhile, the fate of Kalima and Pelekelo is yet to be determined.

In a press statement by the Special Assistant to the President (Press and Public Relations) at State House, in Lusaka on Monday, 11th November 2019, to mark Edgar Chagwa Lungu’s 63rd birthday, the President of the Republic of Zambia pardoned the five inmates from various correctional facilities.

This was in the exercise of the powers vested in the Zambian President by Article 97 of the Constitution of Zambia Chapter (1) of the Laws of Zambia which provides for the Presidential pardon and substitution of severe punishment imposed on the convicted.

Others pardoned alongside Afumba are Chief Mulongwe, Maxwell Mwale – who is Former Minister in the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) government, Journalist Derrick Sinjela and former Zambian Airforce Commander Christopher Singongo.

Many Barotseland independence activists and international human rights watchdogs have been lobbying for the unconditional release of Afumba Mombotwa and his two Barotse patriots, and it is here hoped that the remaining two Barotseland political prisoners still in Zambian jail will be released sooner rather than later.

http://barotselandpost.com/…/lungu-pardons-political-priso…

BAROTSELAND POST COMMENT: In spite of receiving this Presidential pardon one year ago, Afumba Mombotwa remains imprisoned at Zambia’s State maximum prison after President Lungu’s Home Affairs Minister, Stephen Kampyongo, reportedly reversed the pardon several hours after it was officially announced by the Presidency, an anomaly that Zambians have watched quietly by.

We, therefore, call on President Lungu to revisit this unprecedented eventuality which amounts to a gross infringement of Mr Afumba’s human rights.

Once a prisoner has been pardoned under the Zambian President’s constitutional prerogative of mercy, the recipient of such mercy is deemed as a free person, and the only way they could be imprisoned is if they committed a fresh crime for which they get tried and convicted for another prison term.

OUR PARTY IS FINISHED, EVERY ZAMBIAN IS NOW CRYING AND WE MUST BE READY FOR EXIT BECAUSE ZAMBIANS ARE ANGRY AND AGAINST PF ~ Kungo
By CIC Intelligence
Former North Western Province Patriotic Front Chairman Jackson Kungo has expressed worries on how things are moving in the country especially in North Western Province where almost everyone is angry against the Ruling Party because of the uncontrolled high level of poverty, police brutality, corruption, tribalism etc.

Mr Kungo who was speaking on phone with another senior PF member from the Copperbelt whose identity has been withheld informed CIC PRESS TEAM reporter in Kitwe has charged that the ruling Patriotic Front party members should be prepared to lose power to the opposition UPND who have now even managed to penetrate the system because things are currently not favouring Ruling Party.

Mr Kungo also said that even the current scheme by the PF through Electoral Commission of Zambia to defranchise Zambians by not registering more voters will not help the ruling party but has a negative impact on the PF because their members are not willing to register as voters in numbers as compared to the opposition party members who are still spending long hours on the cue to get the voters card without eating anything.

Mr Kungo has instead advised the top Leadership in PF to consider instructing the Electoral Commission of Zambia to revert back to the old voters register which already has some PF members as eligible voters that to discard it because of his observation on the ground especially in North Western Province which indicates that PF members are not willing to register as voters.

Mr Jackson Kungo is the past Provincial Chairman who was suspended and later replaced by the party Secretary General Davies Mwila following his arrest by the Police for stealing Gold worth 3m kwacha which he share with the former North Western Province Police commissioner Hudson Namachila who was also fired by the President for the same case.
Mr Kungo also stated that he’s still a member of the Patriotic Front push for his clearance by the court using ichipani (party) before he makes a decision to move to another political party where he’ll be respected and considered than to cling on to PF that’s not appreciating him despite his efforts to make PF visible in the Province when he served as the Provincial Chairman for the ruling party.

When CIC Reporter asked whether Mr Kungo has plans to ditch the ruling party to join the UPND, Mr Kungo said that he intends join either UPND or NDC but waiting to see whether UPND and NDC will agree to work together in the 2021 general elections because he believes in Chishimba Kambwili’s politics and Leadership.

Mr Kungo who was heard complaining in a call recording made available to a CIC reporter in Kitwe has said that it is now worrying and scary to be a member of the Patriotic Front because things are bad and Zambians will soon rise against PF known members and if elections were called today, we can terribly lose as a ruling party because of our failure to put the best strategy that can attract people to support the party.

He further stressed that the party Leadership has immensely contributed so much to the problems because of their Failure to manage programs meant to attract party support from Zambia, eg Solar milling plants, Presidential Empowerment initiative Fund which has been mismanaged and abused by those entrusted to manage them on behalf of the party.
It’s not time to pretend that all is well for us as a ruling party and it’s now time to make the right decision to fight for Zambia by doing the correct thing, Mr Kungo said.

Mr Kungo has also advised that if the government fails to manage the voter Registration exercise well, Zambia is headed for the countrywide protests which will now annoy Zambians more and paint the ruling party a bad image which will affect the Presidential vote for the PF allowing a landslide victory for the opposition UPND.
CIC PRESS TEAM

Scores of people turning up at different voter registration centers in the country have expressed concern with the pace at which the process is being carried out, saying it is very slow and stressful.

In Dundumwezi, Member of Parliament Edgar Sing’ombe yesterday, described the process as pathetic, claiming that only four people were being registered per hour.

Meanwhile, Vice President Inonge Wina has since urged the Electoral Commission of Zambia -ECZ- to open many registration centres to enable eligible citizens to acquire voters’ cards.

Wina says if the process to obtain a voters’ card is slow, it will discourage would-be voters from acquiring the document.

She said this in an interview shortly after obtaining her voters card at Silverest Primary School in Chongwe yesterday.

Wina also urged ECZ to sensitise the community on the process and where the would-be voters can obtain voters cards ahead of the elections.

Apparently, many have since been questioning ECZ’s capacity to register all the eligible voters in a short period, they ask; ‘How can you allocate one voters registration officer per centre to attend to hundreds of people?

‘This is time consuming for people that are registering even the process itself might take longer than your projected time limit and abuse of Labour for your employees, do you know how stressful and exhausting it is to deal with a lot of people on a daily basis?

‘That material you guys are using is also pathetic, it’s cheap quality, even the design not so good, you are using too much ink on it, you should have designed something simple to save money and use it for hiring more workers,’ they say.

Meanwhile, Binwell Mpundu has called on the electoral management body to reverse its idea to have a new voters roll and wrote…

Reversing a decision is not a sign of cowardice or luck of foresight let alone a sign of dullness it actually is the best attribute for successful decision makers.

Here ECZ may need to consider reversing the decision to have a complete new register because the new exercise will not be pulled off for many reasons.

The time it’s taking an officer placed in those registration centers to attend to one person is a serious indication we will not register 9 million people. If the machines where super fast and we had too many registration points and streams we could have pulled this off.

My suggestion is that ECZ should consider simply cleaning the old register up and replacing those who have lost their cards, changing voting stations for those who would like to change and giving the new voters their cards plus removing those who have died off the register.

If am proved wrong I will gracefully give credit to ECZ but I think if they are to pull this one off they will need to triple the results and perfomance of yesterday across the country.

This is simply my honest observation and am not in any way trying to undermine anyone. I mean to help and my thinking here is based on what I witnessed yesterday in all the centers I visited and I will continue to visit the centers and will report if there will be improvements.
BINWELL MPUNDU
UMWINA NKANA

COLONEL Panji Kaunda says voter registration should not be left to government and Electoral Commission of Zambia to conduct.

Commenting on the voter registration exercise which commenced yesterday, Col Panji said every Zambia should take interest in the voter registration exercise.

“I think it is in the interest of every Zambian to register to vote if they reach the acceptable age. If those who are in the opposition are not allowed to go round the country to encourage members of the community to register, the exercise might fail,” he warned. “You can’t register nine million people who are targeted for by ECZ in a month in such a silent manner, it might be difficult to achieve.”

Col Panji appealed to all political parties especially those in opposition to get involved in sensitising the people to register as voters.

“Let the political parties especially those in opposition send their men and women to every corner of this country to sensitise Zambians that they must register whether they registered in 2016 or not, their vote will not count unless they have a new card,” he said. “Most people in rural areas have no idea about this exercise. Our appeal is to the government, those who stop our opposition political parties to go round the country, to stop it and allow them to go round the country.”

Col Panji said the opposition should mobilise their supporters, countrywide, to register.

“It is obvious that the PF will do that quietly on their own in their strong areas and they might sabotage the areas where they think the opposition is strong so that they don’t have numbers to register,” he said. “So we must fight that abuse which is there so that the Chishimba Kambwilis, the Kalabas, the Hakaindes and the Milupis of this world are free to go round the country and mobilise their members or any Zambian to register.”

Col Panji said if all the people get involved in the voter registration it would be better for democracy in the country.

“Democracy is about numbers, the more we register as voters the better the democracy. You cannot be celebrating of having brought democracy if you cannot attract the people to register as voters,” he said. “Time for campaigns will come but for now it is a civic responsibility for everybody including yourselves the press to sensitise Zambians about this exercise.”

Col Panji appealed to Zambians to get involved in the exercise and make a difference.

“Others may not like the exercise but it is there. You can’t change it and you can’t boycott it either. So let’s get involved and make a difference in this country,” said Col Panji.

PF member Munir Zulu has said chief government spokesperson and information minister Ms Dora Siliya is right to say that some senior members of the ruling party have actually been praying that President Edgar Lungu is not eligible to contest the elections next year.

Munir also says tourism and arts minister Ronald Chitotela is a liability to the PF government.

He said during a special programme on Muvi TV that some senior party members in the PF are a source of conflict.

“Most of these people that condemn youths like myself, it is for one reason that we don’t go to them to beg like I don’t have mealie meal at home. So, when they are having their caucus meetings, they don’t invite us. Honorable Siliya is right that there are very senior members of the party and even members of the central committee that were praying or that are praying that President Lungu is not eligible. I spoke to lawyers to say what’s the issue after Bill 10? And he said the issue of eligibility is not there but what is a problem is delimitation. Those senior members are a source of conflict,” Munir said.

He also revealed that the ruling PF has very good ministers and at the same time very bad ones and he went on to cite certain ministers whom he felt are good and those who are bad.

“We have got sober ministers like Honorable Musukwa for Mines, Honorable Alexander Chiteme for National Planning, Honorable Kampamba Mulenga for Social Development, Honorable Bowman Lusambo for Lusaka Province, the Finance Minister is sober, Copperbelt Minister Mwakalombe is sober. Then we have Dr Chitalu Chilufya, also a sober guy but the only people that are denting him are young people that follow him behind. Then we have Nickson Chilangwa, Luapula Provincial Minister, very sober. Home Affairs is also a very sober guy. In fact when Honorable Stephen Kampyongo was national youth chairman, there was discipline in the party. The moment he went to security, indiscipline has become the order of the day in the Patriotic Front. Katambo is a very sober guy. But these other ministers like for information, tourism and arts, I have just told you that Honorable Chitotela is a liability to this country. If he wants those who are going to say to him that ‘honorable nshikwete ubunga and those are not enemies of progress, then we will continue to be enemies of progress. Honorable Kampyongo is sober mind, sober character, disciplinarian, and we miss him,” he said.

He said the PF’s national youth chairman Honorable Kelvin Sampa, the Kasama MP, is another liability.

“The youths in the PF have a wrong national youth chairman. It’s a scam. He is a scam, he has got no influence on the youths in this country. Kelvin Sampa is a wrong fellow to lead the young people in PF. He cannot influence my opinion and that’s enough reason for him to be a wrong guy, self-centered man. I can tell you that the day when Kelvin Sampa will not be National Youth Chairperson, there will be a lot of jubilation in the PF,” Munir said. -ZR

ECL ELIGIBLE FOR 2021, UNLESS YOU ARE LOOKING AT IT FROM A SCARED POINT OF VIEW – CHITEME
….as he castigates those who wish to prolong the eligibility debate as time wasters…..
KITWE. Tuesday, November 10th, 2020.

Minister of National Development Planning Hon Alexander Chiteme over the weekend admonished all those that want to sustain the eligibility debate to focus on real issues, as the matter had already been settled by the Constitutional court (ConCourt).

Addressing scores of Miseshi residents who gathered at Butungwa Primary school in Kitwe, the Nkana lawmaker termed all those who were engaged in the futile eligibility debate as scared individuals who were terrified to face President Edgar Chagwa Lungu head on.

“The President has delivered, he is still delivering, and that has petrified some people, his works has immobilized them, the eligibility debate is a foregone conclusion, the highest court in the land ruled in favor of our boss. Don’t be cheated by time wasters, who wish to waste your time twice,” Hon Chiteme said.

And the Nkana Constituency Member of Parliament wondered which new arguments the naysayers would bring to court which they didn’t during the Danny Pule case.

“One doesn’t need to be a lawyer to understand that the Pule case exonerated the President, without him uttering a single word. Efyo chaba nga Lesa ali naiwe, aba lwani nangu bengema shani, ena kuli bonse alapokolola,” Hon Chiteme stated to a cheering crowd.

Officially welcoming the over 15 branches that have been formed in Miseshi ward, Hon Chiteme urged the branches to go flat out and ensure that every person of legal age registered as a Voter. He also emphasized to the gathering that ECZ had streamlined the process, that people were now able to register from anywhere.

“It doesn’t matter whether you are in Ndola or Chipata, one can still register to vote here in Nkana, Kitwe, all one needs is to know the polling station. This is revolutionary in nature, go and spread the word far and near.

“Show us that you are dedicated branches by ensuring that everyone who is 18years and above in your localities registers to vote, it’s their right!” Chiteme challenged.

ECZ yesterday begun the voter registration process across the country. Their target this time around is to capture 9 million voters.

Voters can now register from any nearest registration centre and opt to vote from a polling station of their choice.

VOTER REGISTRATION, A PF/ECZ RIGGED EXCERCISE IN FUTILITY – IT MUST BE CORRECTED SOONEST, AND EXTENDED BY ALL MEANS NECESSARY!
Diving Deep into the PF Political Mindset
—————————————————————
By Mainda Simataa | 10 Nov 2020 | Lsk
—————————————————————
So the voter registration disaster begun in earnest yesterday, and in the ward I’m standing for as councillor, Kamwala Ward 5, I’m one of only 85 people who managed to aquire the pathetic-quality voter registration cards at Kamwala Basic School, a polling station which has 18,790 registered voters as at 2016, and a projected 25,000 in 2021.
How long will it take to register 25,000?

So naturally, as a democrat, citizen and candidate, I’m very concerned that despite the registration scandal we’ve witnessed today – a scandal with the potential to rob us of more voters via our people being subjected to unbearably torturous conditions – long ques, the heat, the confusion, the exhaustion and time waste – we remain calm and watch the saga unfold as opposition, as if we’ve got nothing to lose!

We’ve continued to give the enemy a free way in perfecting its art of professional rigging, and they’re doing it with ruthless efficiency…and yet, we remain mute still!
Perhaps we feel that even if a handful of people registered as voters, they’ll still vote for us. We’re dead wrong if we think that, because PF has the financial capacity to corrupt the same handful with FISP and EMPOWERMENT. Fewer numbers is good for their campaign budget.

Or perhaps we feel no amount of rigging and scheming can break-through our impenetrable popularity polls and firewalls which show we’re capable of scooping 75% of the popular vote at the very least…well, yes we can. And we could get even 80%, but if, and only if, EVERY ELIGIBLE VOTER:
1. Gets their NRC
2. Registers as a voter
3. Turns up to cast their vote, and
4. The vote is protected
(I won’t go into gaming the system, a task which is pivotal to forming power itself)
KEY QUESTION:
As far as gunning for the nationwide popular vote goes, how have we performed in rounds 1, 2, 3, and 4?
RESULTS:
1. NRC Registration: PF won round 1 hands down. We’ve lost 3 million potential youth votes.

2. VOTER Registration: PF deleted the voters register. We’ve lost 6,698,372 voters. So PF is set to win this round 2 as well if we don’t challenge, correct and extend the fraudulent and cumbersome process of the new voters register.

3. If we lose round 1 and 2, PF will find it most easy to win round 3 via manipulating the few voters through cash, food and favours for votes.

4. Having lost round 1, 2 and 3, round 4 will be irrelevant as there will be no votes to protect.
WE NEED TO DRAW A LINE IN THE SAND ON THIS ONE NOW, AND SAY, NO MORE!

The ruling Patriotic Front (PF) Copperbelt Chairman Nathan Chanda has accused the opposition of spreading what he described as blue lies that President Edgar Lungu wants a third term.

Speaking when he received Former Kafulafuta UPND Member of Parliament Brian Chitafu who resigned from the Opposition party to join the ruling PF, Mr. Chanda said that President Lungu has not served for two terms and is not going for three terms as the lies from UPND, adding that the opposition is pushing the third term narrative out of fear of facing President Lungu on the ballot because they know that he will win again because of the development works he has done for Zambia.

“The UPND wants us to put in a weaker candidate. If President Edgar Lungu was weak, the UPND could have been very happy, but they know the strength of President Lungu, that is why they are so scared of President Lungu,” Mr Chanda said.

On Bill 10 Mr. Chanda said that PF is not the one that lost on Bill 10, but the youths, women, disabled, Traditional Leaders, Christians and innocent Zambian people.

Mr. Chanda said that UPND was the cause of Bill 10 after they lost the 2016 general Elections and that was the UPND that complained after the loss in 2016 and wanted to repeal the Public order of 1955 and the Electoral reforms that is how the meeting for Secretary Generals was called in Siavonga.

Mr. Chanda also encouraged members to register as many members as possible in the Voters registration exercise which commences on 9th November 2020 by the Electoral Commission of Zambia.

And Mr. Chitafu who is also the first UPND MP for Kafulafuta of Lamba land said there is no way a person can ignore the development agenda of the PF. Mr. Chitafu said he is shocked that people can doubt the development agenda of President Edgar Chagwa Lungu.

“Today, I have come to join the family of development. There is no way I can ignore the development agenda of the PF and President Edgar Lungu,” Mr Chitafu said

Mr. Chanda directed the District Chairman for Masaiti to give positions to the new members and form more branches. In PF there is nothing like this one is new or old , this one is from this tribe or part of the country but we all one under the one Zambia one motto.

Masaiti Member of Parliament Micheal Katambo said the PF has always strived to ensure that it’s Members of Parliament work for the people.

Hon. Katambo said the Constituencies are so big in Ndola rural and it is important that people can have a share of national development.

“So everything that we fought to have in Bill 10, is for the good of the people. But the UPND has rejected to bring development to the people. So the issues that we need to look now is for the needs of the people. All those that have come from the UPND is for the good of the people. Us as PF, our duty is to ensure that we work for the people. Our driver is Edgar Chagwa Lungu and he is the one who will lead this country to higher heights.”

“President Lungu will win with over 72 percent so don’t be left out in this development agenda for Zambia,” Hon Katambo said.

Kafulafuta Member of Parliament who is also Constituency PF Chairman Joseph Kabamba and PF District Chairman Mr Kalutwa said the PF is still growing strong and strong in Masaiti.

“Today we are receiving 700 members from the UPND. This shows that the PF is growing and growing,” he said.

Copperbelt PF Chairlady Rose Mukupo said defectors should be truthful when joining the party. She said it is good that people have voluntarily decided to join the ruling party at will.

Others that defected included David Zulu, the Kafulafuta Constituency Chairman who said he has decided to join the PF because of the works which are visible.

ABOUT OPPOSITION UNITY: WHAT REALLY IS IT?
By Sean Tembo – PeP President
1. In the 4 years that l have actively participated in Zambia’s political dispensation, the term “opposition unity” is one that l have found to be the most abused, most misunderstood, most meaningless and yet most desired. It is a paradox, so to speak. But what really is opposition unity and is it attainable in our current political dispensation?
2. For starters, my view is that it is difficult to continue talking about opposition unity without first defining what it really is. And therein is the beginning of the problem. There does not appear to be any consensus among political players on a common definition of opposition unity. Each one has their own, and the definition varies from one end of the spectrum to the other. On the extreme left of the spectrum, opposition unity means speaking with one voice on issues of common interest, whereas on the extreme right, it means total submission of all smaller political political parties to the main opposition, for the common purpose of kicking out an incumbent ruling party. In other words, when you look at opposition unity in its extreme form, it is synonymous to an alliance of all opposition political parties.

3. Having shed some light on my understanding of opposition unity, the next question perhaps is; do l believe in it, and if so, then what shade on the spectrum of opposition unity do l believe in? As a matter of fact, l do verily believe in opposition unity in all its shades, depending on the available circumstances. For example, I do believe that when parties are in an alliance, then they have a duty and obligation to work collectively and with a common purpose of kicking out a ruling party. However, when parties are not in an alliance, then opposition unity needs to take the shape and form of speaking with a common voice on issues of common interest.

4. The need for this distinction is exactly my point of departure with other opposition leaders like HH and Kambwili. To them, opposition unity must always mean that smaller parties must submit fully and completely to the agenda that is set by the main opposition, without any questions asked. If a party is disagreeable to the position taken by the main opposition regarding any matter, then they are opposing the opposition and are therefore labeled as a surrogate of the ruling party. Even if such a party that is not available for full and total submission to the main opposition is in fact available to speak with one voice on issues of common interest, they are not interested. It is either their way or the highway. Put simply, they want all smaller opposition parties to act as though they are in an alliance with them. In other words, they want to get the benefits of an alliance without the cost. If anyone calls them to order, they are very quick to disparage such a political leader. They actually believe that they’re shrewd enough to get away with such blackmail.

5. But it is often difficult for a common Zambian to understand these political dynamics. Am fully aware that the majority of Zambians are sick and tired of the current PF regime and they want change, and they look up to the opposition to deliver that change, and they get even more disappointed when they note that the opposition are bickering among themselves instead of being united and presenting a consolidated force to kick out the incumbents. The common question that l often get from most well-meaning Zambians is; why can’t you people work together? By “you people” they actually mean us in the opposition.

6. Well, l can’t speak for other political parties as to why they can’t work with the main opposition UPND, but l will tell you why me and my party, PeP, cannot work with UPND. Of course the reasons are several, but for purposes of this discussion, l will narrow down to just two. Firstly, UPND in general and HH its leader are inherently selfish people. For example, when we were in an alliance with them, they enjoyed our full unconditional support, but were unwilling to sacrifice even a single constituency or ward in return, for our party to field candidates under the alliance umbrella. In other words, they want you to use your resources to escort them to State House, with no benefit accruing to yourselves whatsoever. Even a child at home, after they wash your car, they expect you to buy them appy apple when you go to the shops. Nothing is for free in this world. Like the saying goes; give and take is a fair game. You cannot just take, take, take, take and take some more without giving back anything. If you just get from someone without ever giving, that amounts to abusing the person, and an abused person is unlikely to stick around for long. In my view, that is the primary reason why HH has had problems building sustainable relationships with other political stakeholders. He is in the habit of using people. He wants no one else to benefit even a little, but himself.

7. The second reason why we cannot work together with UPND again is that they do not have any vision for this country. In fact, if UPND had a viable plan to turnaround this country for the better, l would not, in the first place, have found it necessary to form the Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) way back in 2016. I mean, why duplicate the effort? I would’ve simply joined UPND and worked my way through the ranks. But l long critically scrutinized what UPND had to offer, and l long realized that there is nothing there. HH is only able to condemn without offering any alternative solutions. The few times that he has made an attempt to offer alternative solutions, it was an absolute disaster! Am sure that most people remember his 10 point plan for turning around Zambia’s economy, which he produced in the run up to the 2016 general elections. It was a total sham and he had to quickly withdraw it. The same applies to the two-page Alternative National Budget that he produced last year and which one of his MPs tried to table in Parliament, it was again a shallow and hollow piece of document, especially when compared to the 62-page PeP Alternative National Budget. Again, he quickly withdrew this document in shame. After last year’s embarrassment, HH decided to just stay away from making any attempt to produce an Alternative National Budget this year. No vision for Zambia, no plan for Zambia and yet you want power? To do what with it? If you say you want to be made President so that you can recover some of the money that you have spent funding your party in the past 14 years, then we can understand. But if you tell us that you want power in order to improve the lives of the Zambian people, then we cannot agree with you because you have so far shown no evidence that you have the capacity and a plan to turnaround Zambia. You see, vision taimenafye anyhow kwati ubobwa. It’s either you have it or you don’t, and HH, just like Lungu, does not have any vision for this country. The only difference is that Lungu was honest about it.

8. But people will ask to say; how can such a brilliant businessman have no vision to turnaround Zambia’s fortunes? Why can’t a businessman who has built a fortune for himself be equipped to build a fortune for this country? How come a brilliant businessman is failing to produce a sound Alternative National Budget and ends up with a two-page shallow document which his MPs even have the audacity to present to Parliament? Well, what if he is not and has never been a brilliant businessman? What if the allegations that he made his fortune by swindling the Zambian people during privatization are true? Then of course it would explain a lot of things. Whatever the case, the bottom line from our standpoint is that HH and his UPND have nothing to offer to the Zambian people. Any citizen who is hoping for redemption for this country better look elsewhere.
/// END
SET 09.11.2020

By Chipenzi McDonald
WHY PF AND LUBINDA NOW URGENTLY WANT POLITICAL PARTIES’ BILL (2017) ENACTED?
Justice minister, Given Lubinda, after failing to pass Bill 10 (2019) in a shockingly, disappointingly and embarrassingly manner as admitted by Vice-President, Inonge Wina in Parliament last week, has now remembered the need to revisit the political parties’ Bill (2017).

To save face, Lubinda has gone into full gear rhetoric assuring the nation that his next legal stop is to restore the Political Parties’ Bill and present it for first reading in the National Assembly once given a go ahead by his Boss, President Edgar Lungu.

Just for your own information, the objects of the Political parties’ Bill are: the registration and regulation of political parties; the Establishment of the Board of Political parties; establishment and management of a political parties Fund; and The sources of funds for political parties.

What is then the urgent motivation by Lubinda and the PF to unshelve this shelved Bill which was not even considered by the National Dialogue Forum (2019) and has been on the shelves since 2017?

The real motive is not really as per objects of the Bill that of-the regulation of political parties and funding them-as government may have no money to fund political parties but the advantages the Bill may offer to any party with dwindling political and electoral base.
After Lubinda and his fellow proponents of Bill 10 failed to pass it into law, a Bill which would have helped them promote the formation of a coalition government, they have found in this political parties’ Bill (2017) another opening that may perform, achieve and preserve the same political interests that the coalition government clause in Bill 10 intended to.
The major interest by Lubinda and the PF may be, perhaps, deposited in section 24 and 25 that legalise the formation of Political and electoral Alliances and Mergers respectively ahead of the 2021 General Election.

Section 24 of political parties’ Bill (2017) proposes that “a political party may form an alliance with two or more political parties…in accordance with the [party] constitution, rules and procedures of the politucal party” while section 25 of the same Bill stresses that “a political party may merge with another political party…”
So the enactment of political parties’ Bill as as good as enacting Bill 10 and its proposed coalition government clause.

Another compelling interest why it has become urgent to Lubinda to enact the Political parties’Bill may be the ‘spying’ spirit/nature of the Bill as it proposes public knowledge on political parties’ sources of funding, amounts, income and expenditure.

Section 40 proposes to mandate all political parties to publish the sources of their funding, amounts, income and expenditure in at least 2 daily newspapers of general circulation in Zambia failure to which they commit an offence and are denied access to political parties Fund.

It is for the possible reasons that Given Lubinda is now in hurry to table the Political parties’ Bill into.

Since this Bill just require simple majority to pass, its possibility to pass into law in the National Assembly once Given is given the green light to table it is 100%.
I submit.