HAVE CURRENT LAWS PLACED COUNCILORS ON WARPATH WITH MPs, MINISTERS? (Part II)

LAST week we looked at the current laws governing the local government system in Zambia.
In so doing we also looked at some of the legal provisions which seemingly place councillors on the warpath with the Members of Parliament (MPs) and ministers.

These are mainly on the composition of the council as well as on how the councillors, council chairpersons and mayors are elected as compared to how MPs are.

For instance, we noted that the Constitution (Amendment) Act number 2 of 2016 provides for a slight change in the composition of council by excluding the MPs.

That has not sat well with some of the lawmakers and seemingly sets up the councilors against the MPs.
The proviso for mayors and council chairpersons to be elected directly, during elections for councilors also sets the mayors and council chairpersons at par with MPs, in some instances, and at higher
pedestal in others.

In instances where a district has only one constituency, like in most newly created ones, the mayors/council chairpersons are elected by the same electoral colleges as MPs’.

I indicated that for bigger districts like Lusaka, Kitwe and Ndola which have more than one constituency, the mayors are elected by bigger electoral colleges than those for MPs.
I wondered whether that could be a bone of contention and partly the motivation of the recent suspension of the Lusaka and Kitwe City Councils!

During the week, Local Government Minister Charles Banda who had suspended the Lusaka City Council (LCC) and Kitwe City Council (KCC) said there was nothing personal about the move.
Dr Banda says the move was not out of jealousy or personal vendetta against the mayors and councilors as insinuated by people in some circles.

But that it was meant to restore sanity in the manner the local authorities administered land, very specific!
Dr Banda clarified also that the suspension of LCC and KCC was in line with the Local Government Act and did not mean that he had suspended the mayors and the councillors from their positions, as was being perceived by some sections of society.
Dr Banda said in an interview with the TIMES OF ZAMBIA that he suspended LCC and KCC as a way of guiding the councils to administer land in a correct manner.

“My job is to guide everybody in the 116 local authorities. How can I be jealous of a junior position? A mayor is very junior to me, a councillor is very junior to me. I am not hoping to become a mayor one
day, not at all.

“My job is to guide so that we do things in the right way. I have never quarreled with any one of the mayors in this country or council chairmen in this country neither have I quarreled with any councillor
in this country at all,” Dr Banda said.

Dr Banda said it was unfortunate that some people were narrowing down councils to individuals and obvious those individuals are known.
“I cannot be jealous of a junior position at all, am up, up, up, up there. … I am not going to fail to do my job just because of people who think they are untouchable and cannot be guided. I will always
guide!” he said.
That is a loaded statement.
On the legality of the suspension, Dr Banda was guided by article 156 of the Constitution and section 56 of Local Government Act number 2 of 2019.
Article 156 of the Constitution states that:
“Councillors shall be collectively and individually accountable to the national Government and residents in their wards and districts, for the performance of their functions.”

The national or central government does not exist in abstract but has natural persons to represent it and one of them is Dr Banda as Local Government Minister under the executive wing of the government.
Councillors, therefore, are collectively and individually accountable to him, as the representative of the national government, as well as to the residents in their respective wards and districts.

To enforce that accountability, Section 56 of Local Government Act, among other things, states that the minister may, by reason of the refusal, failure or inability of a council to adequately perform all or any of its functions, by statutory order, suspend all councilors of the council from performing all of their functions as councillors…

So the disciplinary measure is meted out against the councilors collectively, hence the move by Dr Banda.
You, as a reader, are the best judge on whether factors on which the decision was based are right or not!
For contributions call: 0977 246099, 0955 431442 or email: jmuyanwa@gmail.com
Ends…

By Mwango (Checkmate)

LATELY, there is a cheap mwankole mentality pushing a narrative that the Patriotic Front has driven a more successful developmental agenda than any other Government in Zambia since 1964.

Shamelessly, such falsehood has been advanced by Edgar Lungu, severally repeated by cheats in his PF media team and parroted by his Secretary General, Davis Mwila who is third in the ruling party Government.

To start with, Kenneth Kaunda’s first United National Independence Party (UNIP) cabinet comprised brilliant minds. Despite the youthful average age that caliber was superior than PF’s first cabinet in 2011!

Even newly born babies know that roads are the PF’s pride. But is there a 200-kilo meter road which passes through the forest, crossing valleys and mountains which Lungu has done from the start?

And what has Lungu built which is bigger than the Tanzania-Zambia Railways (TAZARA)? Is it not the PF that messed-up the recapitalization of Zambia Railways using Euro Bonds?

If the PF has not built anything bigger than the University Teaching Hospital (UTH), how can Lungu see the tears of the people of Mpika crying for better equipment at Michael Chilufya Sata hospital?

In the education sector, Lungu has not built a university which is more improved than the University of Zambia (UNZA), and turning colleges built by UNIP into universities doesn’t make him better than Dr Kaunda.

Apart from making empty promises repetitively, the PF cannot exceed jobs created by UNIP during in the glory days of the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM), Industrial Development Corporation (INDECO) etc.

And in conclusion, the PF has succeeded in beating UNIP and MMD in the negative sense; lack of leadership, poverty, corruption, theft of public funds, plunder of natural resources, breakdown in the rule of law, state sponsored violence and rundown economy.

That said, Lungu has no political life beyond 2021 and we can also predict that individual PF members of parliament who live by abuse of authority will fail to function when in opposition starting 2021.

Mwango Wamapembwe

10/08/2020
Checkmate

By Lambwe Kachali

First republican president Dr Kenneth Kaunda’s family has demanded that Lusaka province minister Bowman Lusambo apologises for insulting their honest and integrity.

And the family has asked President Edgar Lungu to discipline Lusambo for demeaning and disgracing the office of the President.

Lusambo last week accused Dr Kaunda’s family, singled out Colonel Panji and Kaweche of being frustrated who lost an opportunity to make money and better their lives when their father Dr Kaunda was president for 27 years.

Lusambo’s statement followed Colonel Panji’s letter to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to institute investigations into the source of income for President Edgar Lungu’s daughter Tasila who paid K2 million cash to purchase 600 hectares of farm land from Reverend Ben Zulu.

In his defense for Tasila, Lusambo said K2 million was nothing because such an amount can be used just for shopping.

He described Dr Kaunda’s family as frustrated who missed a golden opportunity to amass wealth when their father served as republican president for more than two decades.

“Those are frustrated guys, they missed their opportunity in 27 years when their father was president. They would have also managed to put their lives in order. You can’t be a son to the President for 27 years and you find yourself in that situation, which means your brain doesn’t work well,” Lusambo said. “President Kaunda was the president for 27 years, 27 solid years. Panji Kaunda, those big boys, they used to be big boys and they were supposed to put their lives in order, so whatever things which you have seen from Panji Kaunda those are frustrations.”

But speaking with Daily Revelation, Colonel Panji’s brother Kaweche defended the integrity of his family, saying, “that if (not) bettering our lives is living a clean and honest life, and not taking advantage of the poor people of Zambia, then he is all talking rubbish. And that (is) an insult basically, we were not thieves. That because our father was president for 27 years, we should have stolen?” he wondered. “What we did, we lived clean lives. That is why we are still here in Zambia (today).”

He said only dishonest and greedy children with criminal and thieving minds would take advantage of their parent’s political position to steal from fellow citizens.

“If we had been thieves and stolen, the people of Zambia would have been left with nothing. Look around Africa, not far! Look around African what happened. Some families have been in office and owned the whole country. We could have done that. Our father had more power, and we could have easily done that. But we couldn’t because we respected what our father was doing for the country and the region. God help us! If Bowman’s father would ever have been president; God help the people of Zambia what would have happened,” he imagined.

Kaweche said all his siblings were content with what they have acquired and very proud for not having used their father’s position to steal from the Zambian people.

He added: “Basically, being president (or president’s children) doesn’t mean it’s an opportunity to steal. All of us are educated; all of us have choices and that’s the wealth our father gave us. Right now, with what our father did and with (the) respect our father had earned, I can go anywhere in the world and they accord us with that respect because of our father. Not because we stole money, or because I have got K2 million in my account, that is not respect. All of us are content with what we are doing. There is not one of us who is not content with what we are doing. But this did not come as a result of having stolen from the people of Zambia.”

He called on President Lungu to sanction Lusambo and discipline him because potentially, his statement demeans the office of the President.

Kaweche said if left unchecked, Lusambo was sending dangerous message to the young people by implying that when one was a president, it was an opportunity for the children to amass ill-gotten wealth.

He noted that people like Lusambo were not fit to be in public offices. He observed that K2 million was a lot of money to majority Zambians and it was unacceptable for Lusambo to describe as nothing.

“What is he telling the people of Zambia when he goes to campaign? That K2 million is nothing when poor people in the villages are not even able to have K5, and he is saying K2 million is nothing? That is an insult to the people!” he charged.

Kaweche demanded that Lusambo apologises to the Dr Kaunda’s family and the people of Zambia at large.

“What Bowman has done is a big insult to the family; and an insult to people of Zambia that when you are president, your family must steal; this is what his message is telling the people. How do you talk like that?. Because what will young people learn (from his statement), that the Kaunda’s missed an opportunity when their father was president for 27 years, they never made money? What are you telling them? That whoever is going to be president, their children must steal. So, he owes the people of Zambia and apology; he owes our family an apology,” demanded Kaweche. “And if he is going to counter what am saying, let us meet face to face and discuss this in public (on radio or TV). Not where he hides behind the newspaper and pretend as if he has done nothing wrong. This is a big insult and he owes the people of Zambia and apology and he owes us an apology. We are not thieves.” -Daily Revelation

PF INSTANT MULTI- BILLIONAIRE BOWMAN LUSAMBO CALLS KK’S SONS IDIOTS FOR NOT STEALING DURING THEIR FATHER’S 27 YEARS PRESIDENCY

By Friday Kashiwa

With due respect, which is very rare in the PF Administration, let us learn to appreciate and respect the sacrifices and legacy of our first republican president Dr Kenneth David Kaunda and his family.

The insulting and demeaning utterances by the MMD turncoat PF Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo towards the Kaunda family is totally unacceptable, uncalled for and a clear manifestation of the PF leadership’s lack of respect for our country’s founding father and his family.

As has been reported and up to now never retracted or refuted by PF or Lusaka Province Admnistration, Bowman Lusambo has branded first republican president Kenneth Kaunda’s sons as Idiots for missing the opportunity to steal during their father’s 27 years as President.

Bowman Lusambo is insinuating that first born son to KK, Rtd Col. Panji Kaunda and his brothers missed an opportunity to better their lives, by stealing, when their father, KK was President for 27 years.
He further went on to say that when you are an IDIOT (not to steal) it doesn’t mean that even the other or next person should be an IDIOT also, not to steal.

The only crime Col Panji Kaunda committed was to exercise his inherent constitutional rights and civic duty of reporting Tasila Lungu to the ACC to probe her over some questionable land acquisition transaction.

But as usual, PF leadership would rather vilify, insult, disparage and persecute the whistle blower and ensure they protect the suspect and reported person:
TOUCH NOT THE ANOINTED ONE.

We will leave it up to the good people of Kabushi constituency to either rejoice the caliber of their MP or redeem themselves come 2021.

We will leave it up to the appointing authority of Bowman Lusambo to show us whether discipline is or is not part of their leadership vocabulary.

As for the Kaunda family, we sympathize with you, but you have been known to be God fearing and forgiving people.

Friday Kashiwa.
Shiwangandu.

HH DOES IT AGAIN, THIS TIME AROUND, HE DONATES A ROSA BUS TO PILGRIM WESLEYAN CHURCH!!

UNITED PARTY FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT President Hakainde Hichilema this morning fulfilled his pledge of a 37 seater Rosa bus to Pilgrim Wesleyan Church, John Howard congregation in Lusaka’s Chawama constituency.

Lusaka District Pilgrim Wesleyan Church Overseer,Richwell Mudenda when receiving the donation said the Congregation is happy that President Hichilema has fulfilled the pledge he made during one of his visits to the church.

“I do remember mentioning the need for the Church to move and preach the word of God within our communities despite transport challenges.When President Hichilema stood up to greet the congregation,he pledged to get us a bus to help us resolve the transport problems we were facing that time. Today that pledge has come to fruition and we thank God for the donation,” said Pastor Richwell Mudenda.

Pastor Mudenda said he now believes that indeed President Hichilema was brought up in a family whose tradition is to give charity for a just cause.

“Wait patiently upon the Lord who has your destiny, we are really grateful for the genuine gesture. We really appreciate the donation.To the family of Mr and Mrs Hichilema, we say thank you,” he said.

And in a speech read on his behalf by UPND Religious Affairs chairperson, Pastor Kelly Mukonka, Mr Hichilema said UPND attaches great importance to the church as it has a great role to play in politics through its Prophetic Ministry.

President Hichilema said government should not interfere with the work of the Church but allow it to operate as a body of Christ because it has its own agenda of making a difference in this world, through the holy spirit.

Meanwhile President Hichilema said it is more important at this moment for the Church to engage government on issues bordering on leadership, corruption, morality, economic debt, safety and security as part of its mandate to serve the interests of the lowly in society.

“I request all Church mother bodies and their affiliates to continue demanding freedoms that will create room for sustainable justice in our beautiful land. Our thorn issue is freedom of assembly and expression, the Public Order Act (POA) and total abuse of human rights and we humbly request the church to continue standing in the gap and create a beacon of hope and guidance to the nation,” said President Hichilema.

He said the church leadership should be determined, in speaking for the voiceless and the vulnerable in society, in order to realize a safer and prosperous country.

Pastor Mukonka was accompanied by UPND Lusaka district Chairman, Savious Ndaba, Chawama Constituency chairperson, Andrew Zulu and 2021 UPND Chawama Constituency aspiring candidates, Potipher Tembo and Nchimunya Chimbulu.

UPND MEDIA TEAM

I DIDN’T BUY ANY LAND FROM FOREST 27 – UPND CHISAMBA MP

“PF Propaganda is alarming!”

The Chisamba UPND lawmaker has reacted to the sentiments of the Patriotic Front Deputy Secretary General Mumbi Phiri saying she has never benefited any land from forest 27 or any parliamentary land from PF. Ms Mumbi Phiri during a live phone program at Radio Phoenix which hosted UPND leader Mr Hakainde Hichilema the PF Deputy SG called in and asked the UPND President Hakainde Hichilema what words he has on forest 27 when some of his MPs among them Chisamba MP Hon Kasanda Chushi being the beneficiaries.

Hon Kasanda has reacted that she’s not that desparate of land to dent her political career by being in bed with PF. The Chisamba lawmaker has told CIC that she questioned the Lands Minister to provide the list of all the MPs that benefited from forest 27 but that the Speaker prevented Hon Kapata (Lands Minister) from taking that question.

“I heard mumbi said I got land from forest 27.
I am one of the very few MP’S who has never gotten land from PF either from forest 27 or any land that they have given to MP’S at parliament.

I am not a desperate MP to seek for land from the corrupt PF govt especially when I know that we will repossess it all when we get into power next year.

I stood on the floor of the house to ask the Minister of lands to give us a list of all those that benefited from forest 27 if there was nothing sinister about it but the speaker refused the Minister to take up that question.

I personally as Chushi Kasanda – MP for Chisamba did not benefit from the said controversial piece of land and therefore Mumbi Phiri should get her facts right before she blurts out things she is not sure about.

Its a shame for a deputy SG to to ask such stupid questions with no facts.
Now I understand why she was kicked out of parliament and her constituency because she holds no value and that is evident by her useless questions.

As a young politician I will not dent my political name for a piece of land in forest 27 and those UPND MP’S that are being accused of benefiting land in forest 27 should come out in the open so that all of us are not dented when I believe these colleagues of mine can afford to buy themselves plots without begging from the PF” said Hon Chushi.

She has further dared Hon Mumbi Phiri to provide evidence in documentation forms where herself (Hon Chushi) is named as the beneficiary of land in forest 27.

Partly Fred is to blame for his misfortunes. He rose to the throne using the pen and not the gun. He had absolute power which later destroyed him.

The man’s pen was able to humble government. He is credited to have played a role in the death of UNIP. Twenty years later he helped the PF remove the MMD. He rebranded Sata. His paper played a pivotal role in explaing Michael Sata ‘s 90 days slogan. We all thought he was doing it for free.

But after Sata became President, his intentions became clear. He literally captured the state making Sata look like a puppet. It is Fred who supplied Sata with a press aid so as to monitor his daily activities. Amos Malupenga and several other The Post workers were given government jobs or sent out as Diplomats.

All of a sudden, The Post started having government contracts. Government adverts appeared in his Newspaper. If our memory serves us right, even names for teacher recruitment appeared in The Post, something which was the preserve of Times of Zambia or Zambia Daily Mail.

The Post also branched off into tranportation. Its trucks started transporting Copper from Solwezi. This access to lucrative contracts was facilitated by Government.

Then News started emerging that President Sata was ill. Fred Mmembe begun positioning himself to take over. A cartel was formed to make this possible. In his sick state, Sata perceived there were so many factions vying to take over from him. And that displeased him.

As a result he brought close Edgar Lungu, a man who appeared not to belong to any group. He was not meant to be his successor. He was just somebody Sata used as a temporal measure as he looked for a way to introduce his preferred candidate.

As Sata’s health worsened, the other factions threw their support on Edgar as a way to neutralise Mmembe and Guy Scott ‘s influence. When Sata eventually died, Mmembe became just a peripheral figure whose fate got sealed when ECL became President.

Realising that Mmembe remained a significant threat, Edgar Lungu was determined to cut his tail. Unfortunately when Fred got so powerful, he had stopped paying tax. It was this door that was used to bring him down to where he is now.

Had Fred maintained his lane, his The Post would have been alive. Sadly his poor judgement and pride got in the way.

-The Zambian Times

NATHAN CHANDA WARNS PF SENIOR LEADERS OVER LEAKED ‘FIRST HALF’ PRESIDENTIAL APPROVAL RATINGS

“Your reckless behaviour is disadvantaging PF”

Copperbelt Provincial PF Chairperson, MCC Nathan Chanda Bwalya has warned that all PF members who leaked the First Quarter Presidential Approval Ratings to the media will be disciplined in accordance with the party constitution.

Speaking in Ndola on Friday when he addressed Ruling Party Leaders in the province, Mr Chanda accused PF members loyal to the former Roan Law Marker (Chishimba Kambwili) of leaking the approval ratings to Koswe the pro-UPND online media. He said it was unacceptable for PF senior members to leak sensitive party information to the media as that puts the party at a disadvantage side. The Copperbelt PF Boss has since constituted a 5-Man committee which will investigate the source of party information leakage. Mr Chanda’s remarks came in the wake of the PF Secretary General Davies Mwila’s comments in which he revealed that preliminary investigations into the leakage of the party’s information indicate that the Presidential Approval Ratings were first leaked to NDC on the Copperbelt who in turn leaked it to the media. Last month, PF’s election intelligence committee released shocking opinion polls which showed PF on the losing side if elections were held in June 2020.

The leakage of the information to the media has sharply divided the ruling party with some accusing the Party Chairperson for Elections, MCC. Yamfwa Mukanga and Director Administration Mr. Alick Tembo of leaking the information to some yet to be known PF officials on the Coppertbelt who in-turn leaked it to Chishimba Kambwili, then to Koswe.
Below are the Leaked Presidential Ratings which were conducted by PF in June 2020.
Approval ratings (HH).

1. Eastern P=25.3%.
   2.Norh Western P=78.1%
   3.Western P=72.5%
   4.Central P =56.9%
   5.Lusaka P=50.5%
   6.Copperbelt P=48.4%
   7.Northen P=40.8%
   8.Muchinga P =40.3%
   9.Luapula P=38.4%
2. Southern P =84.6%

TOTAL for HAKAINDE HICHILEMA = 52.5%.

President Edgar C. LUNGU.
1.Eastern P=74.7%
2.Luapula P=61.6%
3.Muchinga P =59.3%
4.Northern P=59.2%
5.Copperbelt P=51.6%
6.Lusaka P=49.5%
7.Central P=43.1%
8.Western P=27.5%

9. North Western P=29.9%
10. Southern P=15.4%
    TOTAL for President Edgar C. LUNGU, with possible support from ECZ and POLICE stands at 47.5%.

-Zambian Accurate Information

A LETTER TO PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema.

Mr President I greet you this morning together with your family hoping you’re all in good health.

Dear President as you form Government next year (2021) please don’t be a puppet to any group of race or individuals.
WHY I’M I SAYING SO?
Currently we have Edgar Lungu, despite not having a vision for our country one of the reasons which has contributed to Mr Lungu’s underperforming is by being a puppet to the Chinese and part of Bamwenye(Indians).

Mr President let me remind you that once a president becomes a puppet to a group of some foreign race, he/she becomes blind and deaf to their people and will never hear their cries nor see anything wrong when they are abused. Mostly these guys come as investors and once they make you their puppet Nomata how much they abuse your people (citizens) you will never have a SAY because they would have already bought you.

Mr President I’m saying this because I have heard how much hope the people have in you and it will be unwise to disappoint them. People are fade up of this Foreign Brutality in their own Country where we/they are treated as Captives olo slaves😭💔.

My humble request/Advice as you take over presidency is that be you Mr President,be real and be Firm.
Always try by all means to put the interest of your people FIRST because foreigners will go but your people will always be indigenous .

In this letter I don’t mean Foreigners must be mistreated instead I mean they must know that Zambians own the country and they must be protected, Respected and Treated fairly.

The other thing Mr President is Land, please protect our Land jealously because I don’t know why Foreigners should be the ones to be selling land to the citizen then how much land have they acquired? There must be some limitations on how much land can be given/sold to them.

I hope these few words reaches you Mr President.
Yours your supporter

GardnerGarz 🗣😷 👋👋👋👋

CHAPTER One Foundation has petitioned the Constitutional Court, seeking an order that the State should implement the mobile issuance of National Registration Cards throughout the country.

The petitioners also want the court to order the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to carry out continuous voter registration between elections.

Chapter One Foundation, in its petition filed in court, has alleged that the ECZ has breached the Constitution by
restricting voter registration for the 2021 elections to only 30 days.

Chapter One Foundation through its chairperson Fr Cleophas Lungu has cited Attorney General Likando Kalaluka and ECZ.

This petition follows an announcement by the chief electoral officer at a press briefing held on June 12, this year, that the period for the voter registration had been reduced to 30 days.
According to the petition, Chapter One, a non-governmental organisation, has argued that Government violated the Constitution by implementing the issuance of National Registration Cards (NRC) in a manner that contravenes the Constitution.

The petitioner relied on Article 128 (1) (b) of the Constitution of Zambia and alleged that the actions taken by government and ECZ are a violation of the Constitution and therefore the court has jurisdiction to determine the petition.

It also relied on Article 128 (3) (b) of the Constitution and alleges that the decision made in the exercise of the legislative mandate to register citizens and register voters is unconstitutional.

Chapter One Foundation has further argued that the Government has been implementing the issuance of NRCs to citizens pursuant to the National Registration Act Chapter 126 of the Laws of Zambia.

It stated that the registration of citizens in accordance with the National Registration Act Chapter 126 of the Laws of Zambia has been accelerated by the policy of mobile registration in various parts of the country.

The petitioner however, allege that government whether willingly or unwillingly has not rolled the mobile registration in all parts of the country and further that the registration services are not uniformly available to all citizens.

The NGO argued that following the 2016 Constitutional amendment, he electoral process act was amended to provide for continuous voter registration to be carried out by ECZ.

The petitioner argued that by taking actions not provided for in the Constitution, ECZ has willfully or in ignorance of the law acted outside perimeters of Constitutional limits.

“The respondents in undertaking national registration and deciding to undertake voter registration have neglected to apply the principles that apply to the system of elections in Zambia which principles are mandatory,” further read the petition.

Credit: Daily Star Zambia

By Kasebamashila Kaseba

EMPEROR KOSWE’S NEWEST SHOWPIECE BRIDGE ACROSS NO RIVER AS THE NEWEST NORMAL

Once upon a time in the year of the Koswe the Rat King of the rat race reign or era in the newest normal, he built and commissioned, instead of burrows like at the Koswe Confiscated Mines (KCM) a showpiece fly-over bridge over no river.

Therefore, it came to pass that in the same year of the rat race reign, Koswe The Rat King also renamed The Handsome Tiger thus also renamed Koswe the Rat Emperor of decongestion showpiece bridge that also brought rat congestion at the commissioning.

Otherwise, Koswe the Rat King commissioned decongestion by congestion.

In the rat sense, Koswe rather than decongest the rat race or rat traffic needed to decongest his thoughts.

In building and commissioning the best showpiece bridge decongestion at congested commissioning; he forgot he already called the tabletop bridge over no river; memory congested or forget to decongest his head, that the tabletop was already called the best bridge.

Before he could commission it, Koswe had built himself actual castles in the air or skyscraper mansions without commissioning them; but stood dumbstruck without his tusk mask at the bridge.

He marveled at the beautiful, handsome, sexy, appetizing and melodious master showpiece of a bridge.

He marveled the actual infrastructure was better than artistic drawings.

Every rat present at the spectacle fell into worship adoration of the master showpiece bridge.

He recovered his breath and speech.

He cleared his eyes and voice.

• Chwi. Chwi. Chwi.

Translation.

• Only ugly and sadistic enemies of progress and beauty cannot see progress and beauty of this master showpiece.
• Chwee. Chwee. Chwee, roared the other rats.
• Viva. Viva. Viva. To more bridges.

As he beheld the master showpiece bridge, the other congested rats only beheld him fooling himself and encouraging him to it that is congested his mind.

He was proud of the rat congestion of the rat traffic decongestion project that even went viral.

Until one tiny rat called Shown E-knock Tebble asked in a tiny lone voice amidst the rat cheerful noise why the master showpiece bridge was not across a river but flying over dammed traffic congestion under the bridge.

Koswe The Rat Emperor pre-emptied that, if Tebble had wanted rivers without bridges as the olden abnormal, the newest normal Emperor would also build a thousand rivers with 10,000 bridges.

Tebble, said the Empire of the Hindos river who was building the decongestion flyover bridges over congestion was building Himself hospitals for the golden crown epidemic and treatment of thought decongestion.

So saying, Tebble was re-arrested, into the congested dungeon, for alleging imperial thought congestion or blockade whereas other unmasked rats’ congestion of court corridors was lawful.

By Patson Chilemba

Bowman Lusambo needs to be more respectful to the vast majority of Zambians who will never see K2 million in their lives, says former vice-president Dr Guy Scott’s wife, Charlotte.

Speaking with Daily Revelation on Lusaka Province minister Lusambo’s comment that K2 million was nothing that ruling PF member Colonel Panji Kaunda should report President Edgar Lungu’s daughter, Tasila, to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for, Dr Charlotte said Lusambo was being disrespectful to the suffering majority in this country.

“I think we need to be respectful for the fact that most people will never see that money in their life. Being dismissive about such figures is disrespectful to the vast majority who will never see K2 million in their lives,” she said.

During his remarks, Lusambo also said Col Panji and his brothers missed the chance to put their lives in order during the 27 years their father Dr Kenneth Kaunda was President, and that if one was an idiot they should not expect that the next person will be an idiot also, But Dr Charlotte said most Zambians have a great deal of respect for Dr Kaunda in terms of how we brought up his children as respectful and professional citizens in their own rights.

She urged Lusambo to remember history with a little more dignity that just portraying himself as being abrasive.

Dr Charlotte said Dr Panji was exercising his own rights as a senior citizen, and was within his rights to report Tasila to the ACC. He said this was also a welcome move for the person being reported to the investigating wings to clear themselves of any wrongdoing.

Speaking with Daily Revelation, Lusambo said K2 million was nothing to start reporting Tasila to the investigate wings for, as some even use that same amount of money just for shopping.

“You people this is not a time to start PHD, pulling her down pulling him down. This is a time to start clapping for people who are doing well. This is a time to start encouraging Zambians to have money. This is the time. I went to China, I met with a colleague, the governors there who were telling me that for us as China we want to have our own billionaires, our own millionaires in dollars so that we can run our economy ourselves,” Lusambo said. “We don’t want to run this economy depending on other people. But we can only do that if we stop jealousy in our country because K2 million there are a lot of people in this country who have more than that money. A lot of people, a lot. So if for arguments sake she spent K2 million, what is K2 million? What is K2 million? We have businessmen, we have people doing other things in this country with K2 million.”

Lusambo said civil servants were getting that amount of money in pensions, including those in parastatals.

“What is K2million, the money which we can even start talking about? K2 million people go out and do the shopping, with K2million. They do the shopping with K2 million. And investigating what? What has she stolen? She has stolen from who?” Lusambo asked. “So Patson let Panji actually concentrate on other things which can add value to the wellbeing of Zambians and I am happy that Panji is in Chipata.”

In a follow up letter to ACC, Col Panji has asked ACC to investigate the source of Tasila’s K2million cash money she paid to buy a 600-hectares farm from the late Reverend Ben Zulu. -Daily Revelation

Today, I wish to write about tribal appointments of senior government officials by President Edgar Lungu.

Many patriotic and progressive Zambians have complained over the tribal manner the Patriotic Front (PF) government and President Lungu are appointing senior civil servants. The appointments are being done in a partisan and tribal manner. It is common to hear President Lungu’s appointees either being his tribesmen or his tribal cousins (us the Bemba speaking people). I am extremely worried that this practice is gaining momentum as the country draws near to the 2021 tripartite elections. President Lungu has accelerated the appointment of his tribesmen and tribal cousins to senior government positions much to the exclusion of other tribes.

Our founding fathers, Dr Kenneth Kaunda and his contemporaries fought hard to suppress tribalism in government, and KK’s appointments to senior government positions largely reflected the motto of One Zambia, One Nation. It is however disappointing that the PF government, led by His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, the humble President, has yielded to tribal appointments at the exclusion of many other Zambians who are well qualified to serve this nation.

Under the humble President, appointments lack national character; they depict regionalism and tribalism which are at variance with national values and the Constitution. As Dr Guy Scott observed on page 250 of his book (Adventures in Zambian Politics: A Story in Black and White), there are systems at play, behind the throne, some of which have endured since KK’s days. There are family systems, tribal systems, systems of obligation and of government and, of course, vested interest. President Lungu’s government has succumbed to these retrogressive systems and a tribal system has taken a stronghold on his government.

Many appointments at permanent secretary (PS) level are given to President Lungu’s tribesmen and his tribal cousins; only a handful of permanent secretaries are from other tribal groupings which include madam Kakulubelwa Mulalelo (PS, Ministry of Health in charge of administration) and Mr Amos Malupenga (PS Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services). Even when Dr Chileshe Mulenga (PS, Ministry of Home Affairs) died, instead of beginning to balance appointments at that level, President Lungu rushed to replace the late with his tribesman, a Mr Masiye Banda.

Further, almost all senior positions in our security wings (Zambia Army, Zambia Air Force, Zambia National Services, State Intelligence Services, Zambia Police Service, and the Zambia Correctional Services are held by President Lungu’s tribesmen and tribal cousins. This is also the situation with the Anti-Corruption Commission and Drug Enforcement Commission. In these security wings, there has been a purge of senior officers from other regions on the pretext that they support the United Party for National Development (UPND), an opposition party. A case in point is the recent firing of Zambia National Service (ZNS) deputy commandant, Major General Alick Kamiji and replaced with President Lungu’s tribesman, Brigadier General Benson Miti. Does it mean that only officers from Bembaland and their tribal cousins qualify to lead ZNS?

Even the appointments of district commissioners (DCs) are being done on tribal lines across the country. I am surprised to see Easterners and their Bemba cousins being appointed to head districts in other regions such as Mpongwe and Masaiti. The natives of these areas are being displaced and when they complain, President Lungu and his government pay a blind eye to that.

I am perplexed also to observe that some Zambians from the Eastern and Northern provinces of Zambia seem to support President Lungu’s tribal appointments. They claim that it was their time to enjoy because when someone from other regions becomes a President of Zambia, they will begin favouring their own tribesmen. This is shameful and unacceptable; it is unprecedented in the history of this country.

I have been wondering why President Lungu’s appointments do not reflect all regions. My guess, which is probably your guess, is that the PF and President Lungu think that putting their own people in strategic government departments will help them tighten grip on power. There is strong belief that Mr Lungu’s tribesmen and tribal cousins will support him even when he loses the 2021 poll; his appointees will help him to fight against the people of Zambia’s wish to change government. If this is the motivation, President Lungu and his PF will be surprised. They may face what former Malawian president Professor Peter Mutharika experienced; his tribesmen in the Army refused to carry out his unlawful orders to help him stay in power after losing the poll.

The consequences of President Lungu appointing people to senior government positions from only two regions are many. The first thing is that his appointments alienate other tribes; these tribes will begin thinking that they are not part of Zambia. This could be a serious recipe for civil strife.

Further, President Lungu’s appointments deny Zambia a chance to benefit from the intellectual endowments from other groupings in the country. As a result, we see some ill-qualified Lungu’s tribesmen and tribal cousins appointed to senior government positions. This results in inefficiency and poor service delivery in government departments.

As I conclude, I wish to remind President Lungu that he is not a President for his tribesmen and his tribal cousins only. He is a Republican President; therefore, his appointments should reflect all regions. It is wrong for him to continue sideling other tribes in his appointments. His tribal appointments are not helping uniting this country but further tearing the bridges of One Zambia, One Nation built by our forefathers.

The author is a lecturer at the University of Zambia, department of Library and Information Science. Send comment to: tuesdaybwalya1@gmail.com

By Sikaile Sikaile

It is not surprising to see Chitalu Chilufya, being declared a free man in spite of all the corruption allegations leveled against him with tangible evidence.

I’m pretty sure some of you Zambians who don’t take our words seriously, you now understand that we tell you nothing, but the truth. It is just few days ago when I argued and charged that Edgar Lungu was backing Chitalu Chilufya, and I outlined even how this case would go to court and the man would be cleansed of his corrupt activities.

Sources within state house have disclosed to us that Lungu can’t fire Chitalu Chilufya, because that will mean the total confusion of PF as political marriage breaks will emerge.

The president knows very well how corrupt Chitalu Chilufya, but he can’t fire him for political reasons another source at the ministry of healthy disclosed.

At least now you have seen for yourselves fellow citizens. There’s nothing sensible and good that can come out of a chief priest of corruption like Edgar Lungu.

The man is very brutal and corrupt,that is the reason seer one nick named him Jagaban of corruption. Yes, seer one is very right, Edgar Lungu has brought more harm to our nation Zambia and a disgrace to the continent of Africa. He has sold Zambia to China and our nation is losing billion of dollars everyday as Lungu’s main focus is to become a successful dictator like his mentor and father Museveni of Uganda.

He cares less about the people of Zambia. As long as he keeps controlling state machineries, all is well for him. When youths asks for empowerment, he gives handouts from his left overs. Because he wants to control them after making them swim in abject poverty.

There is no sense of responsibility in his brains, all he enjoys a lot is to harbour criminal activities such as the rampant corruption and political violence in PF government.

The only thing we citizens can do is to vote him out together with his PF government. That is the only way out for Zambia.

We are actually blessed and lucky that next year we are voting, otherwise, we could have suffered the worst if Lungu and PF were to rule Zambia for another five years before elections come.

How can ACC say Chitalu committed no offence? Anyway, last time I said it that it is very dangerous for ACC officers to deal with senior government officials, this risks the lives of these officers and Lungu like it that way. So, ACC officers are declaring interest because they know the president is siding with criminals who can mess them up if they insist to prosecute them.

Let us thank God for this rare opportunity we have next year and use it wisely to redeem ourselves.

Sikaile C Sikaile Good Governance and Human Rights Activist

OPERATION YOUNG VOTE APPALLED BY RESTRICTIONS ON NRC REGISTRATIONS

Operation Young Vote (OYV) says that it is “not only appalled and dismayed but also very concerned and displeased” by moves taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs to prevent monitoring of the 2020 Mobile issuance of the National Registration Cards (NRCs).

On August 1 Home Affairs Minister Hon Stephen Kampyongo kicked off phase one of the mobile registration exercise. The exercise is intended to increase coverage and reach out to citizens who live in hard to reach areas.

The 2020 mobile registration exercise is expected be conducted in a two-phased approach of 40 days each.

“Phase one will cover Luapula, Northern, North-Western, Copperbelt and Eastern provinces while phase two will cover Western, Southern, Lusaka, Central and Muchinga provinces”.

Just days later the Ministry of Home Affairs ordered organisations which have taken to monitoring the newly launched exercise to disband and allow officials tasked with monitoring voter registration to do their job.

Ministry spokesperson Nephas Chifuta said the mobile registration exercise is a normal operation for the government and does not call for external monitoring by other organisations.

In particular Mr Chifuta said the Home Affairs Ministry has its own systems for appraisal and mechanisms in place to recognise which areas should be revisited to ensure identity cards are issued.

Writing on the suspension Executive Director of OYV Guess Nyirenda stated, “As OYV we find the pronouncement and threats misplaced in that the exercise is not an ordinary undertaking but an extraordinary one whose many purpose is related to the forth coming voter registration exercise by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) and the 2021 National Elections. This sudden apprehension by Government on citizens monitoring on how a service is being provided to members of the general public leaves a lot to be desired. This is very unusual especially that this is not the first time Zambia is conducting the Mobile Issuance of NRCs in relation to the electoral process.”

“The skepticism perception Government is trying to employ to the point of seemingly being scared of its own shadow must not be allowed anywhere near the process as it is a recipe for mistrust and loss of confidence by the citizens in such undertakings of paramount significance in the nation,” he continued.

“OYV is of the conviction that Zambia having ratified and being a state party to many sub-regional, regional, and international protocols and conventions that espouse transparency and accountability, robust and comprehensive citizens and stakeholders’ participation coupled with the aspirations of national plans such as the 7th National Development Plan (7NDP) and other policies of leaving NO ONE behind, its failure to understand and appreciate the goal and objectives of the exercise at hand specifically and the mandate of the Ministry generally,” Nyirenda adds.

“OYV would therefore like to challenge Government in general and the Ministry of Home Affairs particularly to own up and walk the path of transparency and accountability by allowing members of the general public and Civil Society Organisations to monitor the Mobile NRC Issuance implementation if indeed this exercise is to yield fruits that favour Zambia and Zambians,” he concludes.

By Staff Reporter

Chikondi Foundation, president John Mambo has warned National Revolution Party(NRP) Dr Cosmo Mumba and Patriotic Front(PF) cadres that have gone on rampage mocking Former Catholic Church Lusaka Diocese Telesphore Mpundu that they risk facing God’s wrath.

Bishop Mambo reacted crossly to the ruling party and its ally that are vilifying Archbishop Mpundu for his recent remarks that Zambia was plagued with unbridled corruption and described the country as no longer being a democracy, but a kleptocracy ruled by thieves.

During a Press Conference, Dr Mumba mockingly appointed Archbishop Mpundu as NRP chairperson for religious Affairs since he so wishes to “wear a political jacket.”

“I therefore appoint Telesphore Mpundu as NRP Chairperson for Religious Affairs. Since Mpundu wants to enter into politics, I have thought it wise to offer him a position before another political party gets to him because we need his brains,” said Dr Mumba in a fairly packed Ndeke Hotel room in Lusaka.

That remark did not sit too well with Bishop Mambo who branded it as an insult to the anointed man of God.

Ironically, Dr Mumba who made such a remark is a destined Reverend of the United Church of Zambia but does not take to the pulpit because of his involvement in active politics.

Bishop said that being a member of the Church, Dr Mumba should know the consequences of maligning an ordained man of God like Archbishop Mpundu.

He said Archbishop Mpundu has spent his entire priesthood preaching social justice.

“That is an insult…Dr Mumba should learn to respect the cross. The Bible says touch not the anointed ones. Dr Mumba is of your age (the age of this writer) and if he wants to see the sun, he mustn’t say such things. I spoke against injustice in the Kaunda era…I was jailed and almost deported but he (Dr Kaunda) never insulted the clergy. Moreover, Archbishop Mpundu did not talk about Cosmo, he was talking about the ruling party in Government. Therefore, offering him a position by Cosmo is not helping…,” he said.

The Bishop added: “For Archbishop Mpundu, I am begging Cosmo and any cadre or person who wants to attack not only Archbishop Mpundu but any other man of God for speaking for the voiceless to desist from doing that. Archbishop Mpundu was there when things were bad in the 90s as a young Bishop, coming from the position of being Secretary General of the Episcopal Conference of Zambia (ECZ now Catholic Conference of Bishops in Zambia). That is why someone was saying that in Zambia, you don’t read, you just talk anyhow but for me, I know who has done this and who has done that. I will not call Archbishop Mpundu a hero but he has been in the forefront, fighting for the good of the people of this country. He(Mpundu) does not want to be a President. What does he gain to become a President of this country because then, he will lose a focus of being God’s ambassador?”

The Chikondi Foundation president said he has great regards for Archbishop Mpundu who he described as a man with impeccable character.

“…So, is Archbishop Mpundu looking for a job? No, he is not. If he wanted to stand as President, he can do that but he is just trying to offer advise. The problem with Zambia is that there are too much insults, too much drum beatings. If Mambo talks, it means he is an opposition or planning to run for a political office. No, no, no, my party is when I go to the ballot box where my vote is secret. I can’t go to the NGOs, CiSCA or Chikondi Foundation or to the Church and say, ‘I belong to party A or B. At least not here in Zambia. We have not reached that stage in Zambia. In America, you can say that I am a Democrat or Republican. Even you reporters, you can’t say, you belong to this and that political party,” the Bishop said.

Bishop Mambo said he feels for Archbishop Mpundu but was quick to point out that the Former Catholic Lusaka Dioceses has a thick skin.

“He has a thick skin, an elephant skin like that of mine. It doesn’t bother me that tomorrow you write that Bishop Mambo is an opposition member. I was close to (late President Michael) Sata but I never got any position. Sata was sued before he went to State House and the person he wanted to stand for him in court was myself and the lawyer was Mundia Sikatana because one of the tabloids had called him a mad person. He came to my house in the evening and said ‘I want you to go to court and stand for me as a witness that I am not a mad person,’ and I said ‘Yes, you are not mad, you just talk the way I talk’. Apparently, that matter never took off,” he said.

Bishop Mambo added: “The ones that are in the forefront now are what in Bemba they say bamuselela kwa kaba. They just want to eat. The legacy of Sata… If the legacy of Sata was followed (even though he had a mouth like mine), Zambia could have been a better country because Sata didn’t allow corruption, Sata didn’t want gossip. If Sata felt bad about me, he would call me and say, ‘I am not happy about this, I will sort you out’ of course he had state machinery. But I would say, ‘you will sort me out but God will sort you out’. Then we would start laughing about it but not this leadership.”
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PF GOVERNMENT IS A DISGRACE TO NATIONAL LEADERSHIP

The year 2021 will be a do or die for Zambia. This is a year that will determine what type of a nation Zambia will be in the next fifty years to come.

We all have a huge responsibility as citizens of this country. It is either we let go of our country and all its resources by allowing this PF government of thieves and oppressors continue with destruction.

It is in black and white that should the people of Zambia allow Lungu and PF government or anyone affiliated to PF lead this country beyond 2021 by any mean, then, that will mark the end of Zambia.

Next years elections are not only about voting but vote protection as well. Everyone should remain alert, and protect their votes from hungry hyenas.

To all the youths, I have seen a lot of youth movements in the last few months emerging. However, I have a concern about these youth movements stance of none partisan.

My dear fellow disgruntled youths, you can’t claim to be neutral with injustice, No! In a political misfortune of a country like ours, were criminals and thieves masquerade to be leaders, it is either you are with them (oppressors) or you join forces with prominent defendants of the right thing .

This week Sunday Chanda PF media director, twisted one of my statements by quoting me a good governance and human rights activist aligned to the opposition.
PF will win next years elections Sunday Chanda said.

There is one thing I liked in Sunday Chanda’s propaganda, he did not affiliate me to thieves but those citizens who are trying to liberate the country. So, what I want to encourage youth movements is that you know what is good for Zambia therefore, it is not a crime if you stand up and support prominent opposition leaders like Hakainde Hichilema, Nevers Mumba, Chishimba Kambwili, Saviour Chishimba, Charles Milupi and many others. This also applies to various stakeholders such as civil society organizations, NGO’s, the church and many others.

My message to HH, Kambwili, Nevers Mumba, Mmembe, Milupi, Kasanda, Saviour Chishimba, Sean Tembo and many other opposition leaders is that never give up, you are almost there. All you need is the support of all of us the majority Zambians, who this wicked PF regime is mistreating. Work as a team as opposition leaders, put your personal interest aside and think about the nation first by having one candidate so that we voters can rightly prepare our minds for a landslide victory against the dictatorship.

We can’t afford even for a day for that other one, he is a disgrace to Presidency who has proven that he can kill and sit on our constitution without shame just to prolong his stay in office.

Youths should not be scared to be affiliated to those who mean well. Let us look backwards to our political history;
Youths of the UNIP days, picked UNIP over colonial masters and they succeeded. The youths of MMD picked MMD over oppressors UNIP and succeeded.

Youths of the MMD corrupt regime under RB picked PF of Michael Sata, a regime which has turned into a monster after Sata’s death and they succeeded.

We should also remember to appreciate seeing MMD under the new leadership of Dr Nevers Mumba, re-joining in the fight against criminality. This is one classical example of choosing a right side of a battle.

All these youths were successful because they aligned themselves to those who meant well.

Any youth movements that will try to use the neutral approach and stand alone, will end up being useless.

How do you remain neutral in the middle of tyranny and corruption like what we are witnessing under this ruthless PF government?

Even at church, if you want to receive Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and savior, the pastor will tell you to choose either God or the devil, there is nothing like pastor, I’m going to be neutral with my Christian life, half God and half devil, never at all.

Every concerned citizen should pick their battle rightly and stop hiding in none partisan cowardice approach. In times of injustice, you have to show the devil that you belong to Jesus Christ.

Sikaile C Sikaile Good Governance and Human Rights Activist

“I TAUGHT HICHILEMA POLITICS”…

…”He came from the boardroom to join politics with no experience whatsoever”- Antonio Mwanza

LUSAKA—-Thursday, August 6th 2020

By SMART EAGLES

The ruling Patriotic Front (PF) Deputy Media Director Antonio Mwanza says it will be very difficult to unseat his party because of the unprecedented development it has rolled out countrywide.

And Mr. Mwanza said the opposition UPND is fooling itself if it thinks PF has lost ground.

Speaking during 5 FM radio’s Thursday Edition of the ‘Burning Issue’ Mr. Mwanza said the only place where HH thinks he has beaten PF is on his social media meme postings which he spends time making while PF is on the ground demonstrating leadership and the developmental projects that have been rolled out.

While on the program, Mr. Mwanza took time to explain developmental projects in the agriculture, education, health and mining sector that the PF has delivered to the people of Zambia in line with its manifesto.

He said when time to vote comes next year, Zambians will distinguish between development and meme makers and vote wisely.

He said Zambians are able to read between the lines and they can’t be wasting time on an opposition political party that has no manifesto.

He urged the opposition to stop relying on tribalism, hatred, bitterness, propaganda and fakebook memes as the way to campaign in 2021.

“It will be very difficult for any political party to upset PF and this is reason why today and I can challenge anyone tiyeni tiyende ku facebook, tiyende titenge facebook ya Hakainde Sammiee Hichilema titenge facebook yaba President Edgar Chagwa Lungu tiyeni tione vamene baposta ba Hakainde Sammie Kuli Ba Hakainde Kuli Chabe ma memes navaufana because he has no manifesto. But when you come to the Presidents page he will be telling you of the projects he will be commissioning,” said Mr. Mwanza

Meanwhile Mr. Mwanza has told the UPND to stop politicising the National Registration Exercise because its everyone’s constitutional right.

He said there was nothing wrong for the ruling party to encourage people to obtain NRCs.

Meanwhile Mr. Mwanza has taken a swipe at Hichilema for being stubborn despite being taught politics sometime back.

“When Hakainde Sammie Hichilema came to join UPND he found us, I was in UPND with Mazoka and we worked very hard to make sure that he wins the convention of 2006 twalebasambilisha ama apolitics there was nothing that he knew he was coming straight from the boardroom trying to go in a campaign with a suit and a tie, I told him where we are going is not for suit and tie ama suit nama tie kusha ku boardroom,” Mr. Mwanza responded to one of Hichilema’s callers who wanted to disrupt the program.

MAGISTRATE WONDERS WHY CHILUFYA IS IN COURT

…if value of assets alleged to have acquired is less than legitimate earnings

By Agness Changala-Katongo

Lusaka Chief Resident Magistrate Lameck Mwale has wondered why Health minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya is in court if the the value of Assets is alleged to have acquired is less than his legitimate earnings.

Magistrate Mwale expressed the sentiment after Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) investigator Chimpampe Chipili Manda told him that the total value of Assets Dr Chilufya was accused of acquiring illegally was less than his legitimate earnings.

“Are you saying the assets are less than his known legitimate income or more?”He asked, as the the witness said it was less.

“Then what is wrong with that?” Magistrate Mwale asked.

According to Manda, the total value of the assets the minister is alleged to have acquired through proceeds of crime was K5, 542,500.

“Having done that your Honour, I looked at the total sum that Dr Chitalu Chilufya is alleged to have acquired through proceeds of crime. The total value of properties was K5, 542,500,” Manda explained.

The witness said since the minister was accused of paying cash for all assets, and he summed up the withdraws on Henry Court Yard Limited, where he is director and shareholder, and found the withdraws to be over K19 million.

This is in a case where Dr Chilufya is appearing before Magistrate Mwale on four counts of possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime.

And during cross examination, Manda said he did not believe that Dr Chilufya committed the offence after he investigated and analysed the evidenced he gathered.

The witness also said he does not have evidence to show that the accussed paid K3 million to Kimula General Dealers for the purchase of Spark Guest House.

Manda could also not tell whether it was Dr Chilufya or Henry Courtyard Hotel who paid towards the purchase of Spark Guest House.

He further told the court that Dr Chilufya acquired a K2 million loan from Citizens Economic Empowerment (CEC) before the period in question which he was still paying for.

Meanwhile, Manda said being a minister and member of Parliament for Mansa Central, the positions which the accussed held, they came with emoluments as such he earned over K7.7million from December 2017 to April 2019.

Manda further testified that he established that Dr Chilufya was director and shareholder in Henry Courtyard Limited.

The witness also said he did not have evidence that the accused possessed USD 200,000 as alleged in one of the charges.

Manda said Dr chilufya never concealed shares as he openly bought them in Samfya Marines.

He said it could be dangerous to conclude that the accused bought the boat and never possessed USD 52,000.

The witness also said Dr Chilufya corporated during investigations and there was no belief that he hid anything.

He also said he could not tell the source of income for the properties Dr Chilufya is alleged to have bought.

Trial continues tomorrow.

It is alleged in the first count that Dr Chilufya on a date unknown but between December 1, 2016 and December 31, 2017 in Lusaka possessed US$200,000 which was used to purchase 6,000 shares in Samfya Marines and Tourism Services Limited from Den Daas Investment Zambia Limited, property suspected to be proceeds of crime.

In the second count, it is alleged that Dr Chilufya on a date unknown but between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017 in Lusaka possessed K270,000 cash which was used to purchase 2,000 shares in Samfya Marines and Tourism Services Limited from Leo Jonas Ngosa Investment Limited, property suspected of being proceeds of crime.

In the third count, it is alleged that Dr Chilufya on an unknown date but between January 1, 2018 and December 30, 2019 possessed K3,000,000 which was used to purchase Lot No. 365/366 also known as Spark Guest House situated in Mansa district of Luapula Property, property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime.

In the last count, it is alleged that Dr Chilufya on a date unknown but between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017 in Lusaka possessed US$52,000 which was used to purchase a passenger boat also known as Transport 32 from Smart Own FZE of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime.

Credit @ Daily Revelation

[By Ben Mbangu in Sinazongwe]

SINAZONGWE UPND district youth chairman George Bbabi says it is shameful and suicidal for PF to think that his party’s poor performance in the recent local government by-elections reflects what will happen in 2021.

But acknowledged that the UPND, “I think we lost those by-elections in our stronghold because officials in those areas are dormant, they are not working. Surely how can we lose in an area where we have the MP, the council chairman and the councillor?”

In an interview, Bbabi said the PF should not cheat itself that it would win in 2021 because the people had already decided to vote for UPND.

“It is shameful and suicidal for PF to think that the poor performance of the party in the just-ended local government by-elections reflects what will happen in 2021. The performance of our party, UPND, in the just-ended by-elections is not the reflection of what will happen in 2021,” Bbabi said.

He said what was happening now where the ruling party was bribing voters used to happen even under the MMD regime which still lost to PF in 2011.

And Bbabi questioned what UPND officials were doing in areas they allowed PF to win by-elections, adding that it was a sign that they were not working.

“The biggest solution to this issue is for our officials in those areas to go down to the grassroots and start mobilising the people. Let’s talk to the people on the ground and youths must stop concentrating only writing rubbish on social media,” Bbabi said.

He observed that the problem in Zambia was that people only wanted to mobilise their political parties through social media by insulting one another.

“For us the UPND, I think we lost those by-elections in our stronghold because officials in those areas are dormant, they are not working. Surely how can we lose in an area where we have the MP, the council chairman and the councillor? It doesn’t make sense. Social media has brought a lot of problems in this country. You will find that people are just busy writing on social media instead of mobilising the people,” Bbabi noted. “You can’t win an election using social media, but you only win by mobilising, talking to the people face to face, not insulting one another. We must change our behaviour in order for our party to win.”

And Bbabi observed that most people vying to be voted into positions had preconceived conceptions that when elected there would be money put aside to pay them hence their failure to work or to mobilise the party.

“They just go into positions without knowing why they are there and that’s what is affecting us as UPND,” said Bbabi.

HAKAINDE HAS NOmMORAL RIGHT TO CLAIM HE CAN FIX THE ECONOMY- LUSAMBO

Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo writes:

Martin Luther King, Jr. is often quoted as having once said, “vanity asks, is it popular? Politics ask, will it work? But conscience and morality ask, is it right?”

I wish to implore Hakainde Hichilema to reflect on these very important words as he goes round speaking to radio stations in phone interviews. It is disturbing that in his desperate attempt to enter State House, Hakainde has developed a high pomposity to lie. The Hichilema we saw in past election campaigns is totally different from what we see today. The Hichilema of today is lying about fixing everything.

Like Martin Luther King Jr said, we ask Mr Hichilema, where is your conscience and morality when you claim you can fix an economy which you helped destroy?

In morally upright societies, Mr Hichilema would never have been given a chance to even vie for public office. He has no moral and ethical standing to seek to serve the Zambian people. By his actions of participating in the privatization of key state assets and later personally benefiting from such, he is complicit to the misery and poverty that have befallen millions of Zambian families.

Listening to Mr Hichilema’s phone interview on Radio Chimwemwe recently on which he again postulated that he is some kind of a general fixer of everything broken in Zambia, I am reminded of a conversation I had with late President Dr Frederik Chiluba at his Serval Road residence over lunch when he told me, pointing at Mr Hichilema’s house that “My neighbour here can’t be trusted with public office. We gave him and his educated friends an opportunity to advise us on privatization and he ended up awarding himself this same House he is staying in. The young man cannot be trusted.” Those words still ring in my head each time I hear Mr Hichilema claim that he can fix Zambia.

What is however true is that the only thing that pushes Mr Hichilema to continue to attempt to occupy State House is that he wants to come back and finish his mission of looting state resources. He has done it before, he will do it again if Zambians ever give him a chance to get close to state coffers.

With all his riches, Mr Hichilema has to date failed to give an account of how he made his money. Each time he is asked a question about his source of wealth, his answer has always been education. Now we ask, how many other graduates in Zambia have made the same kind of money as Mr Hichilema? What is so special about him that he can amass so much money in so little time all because of his education? As long as he fails to account for his money, we will continue to tell the Zambian people that the man has long fingers and he should not be anywhere close to the public purse.

This explains why the Zambian people have rejected Mr Hichilema on five attempts and they will do it again in 2021. The Zambians have already decided that His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa is Lungu offers the safest pair of hands to manage national affairs and thus they will give him another five year mandate.

So the next time Mr Hichilema jumps on a phone interview on some radio station and tries to make further claims, let him ask himself, “Is my conscience and morality right?”

GRANT ALL POLITICAL PLAYERS EQUAL SPACE AND OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE ELECTORATES – KAPESO DIRECTS THE POLICE

LUSAKA – 05/08/20

DEPUTY INSPECTOR GENERAL in charge of operations at the Zambia Police Service Bonnie Kapeso has directed all police officers in the country to grant all political players equal opportunities and space to engage the electorates in selling their party programs and manifesto as the country goes its national elections.

And UPND Deputy National Youth Chairman Gilbert Liswaniso has attributed the escalating levels of violence in the country to Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo who is cited in the report of the commission of inquiry on political violence and voting pattern in Zambia.

Mr. Kapeso says political parties should be accorded an opportunity to convince Zambians that it was the right and most favorable political institution to drive the country’s economic and social agenda forward without any undue pressure and influence as this is their duty as provided for in the constitution of the Republic of Zambia.

The deputy police chief who was speaking when he met a delegation from the United Party for National Development led by its deputy national youth chairman Gilbert Liswaniso in Lusaka today expressed sadness at the amount of hurt and scorn directed at his officers by political cadres across the divide and warned that his officers will not condone such behavior.

“Zambia Police is in charge of everything. Whether it is UPND, NDC or PF cadres, we as the Police demand respect because we are in charge. That one I shouldn’t even mince my words about it. We demand respect because we have had enough of confrontations from you political cadres. You insult and say all kinds of words against us. Yes, that is the job but allow us to do the job that we chose to do in the manner we feel it fit. At the end of the day, we must ensure that the people we are dealing with are respected as well”, Mr. Kapeso told the meeting which included Lusaka Provincial Police Commissioner Nelson Phiri.

He has since urged his officers across the country to remain exemplary and professional as God will judge their performance based on their professionalism to duty and called on political players to cooperate with his office in showing the world that Zambia is owned by mature and responsible Zambians with a full conscience that the country needs protection from everyone.

Mr. Kapeso further assured the UPND that no bone will be broken provided people operate within the confines of the law as he prayed that the current cordial momentum is maintained towards 2021 national elections.

And Gilbert Liswaniso urged the deputy police inspector general to ensure that all political players are treated equally as failure to do so will lead to the anarchy that the party is hoping against but might have no control should the membership continue to feel segregated by the service.

Mr. Liswaniso said the police top brass which include the Inspector General, Kakoma Kanganja and the ten provincial police commissioners have been a letdown in the impartial maintenance of law and order in the country and cited recent developments on the Copperbelt where UPND members were arrested for merely participating in intra-party elections which are a constitutional requirement.

“My appeal to you bwana deputy I. G is that please talk to your commissioner for Northern Province, Mweene and deputy commissioner western province Chipasha.All illegalities in the Northern province have the blessings or the police commissioner and we don’t want problems. Talk to them because they are in the forefront creating problems for our members. Why should our members be arrested for merely following a constitutional requirement? We don’t need to beg your office for us to perform a constitutional requirement. The only thing I can beg you in the police service is to vote for the UPND that’s all. The rest lie within my rights which should be respected”, he added as the police deputy chief promised to advice his commissioners on how to relate with political parties.

Source: UPND MEDIA TEAM