PRESS STATEMENT BY THE CHIEF GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON HON. DORA SILIYA, MP ON THE DECISIONS MADE BY CABINET AT THE 17TH CABINET MEETING (CONTINUATION) HELD AT STATE HOUSE ON WEDNESDAY, 29TH JULY, 2020

His Excellency the President Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu called for the continuation of the 17th Cabinet Meeting today Wednesday, 29th July, 2020 after adjourning the Meeting last week on Thursday, 23rd July, 2020. To wind up debate on the matters aimed at improving the policy/legal environment in the country, the following were the decisions made by Cabinet:

1. Media Development Policy.

Cabinet approved the Media Development Policy in order to deal with the challenges that are constraining the development of the media industry in Zambia.

As a result of liberalisation, the media industry has grown significantly and continues to do so. With this growth, comes attendant challenges that must be tackled through a comprehensive Policy framework. Challenges such as inadequate regulation, inadequate skills among media practitioners as well as inadequate media development-related infrastructure. It has become necessary to ensure a well-coordinated approach in the sector. Further, with the advent of the electronic media, the need for appropriate regulation and capacity building is cardinal for the growth of the sector.

2. National Information Communication Policy.

Cabinet also approved the National Information Communication Policy and its Implementation Plan.

The Policy aims at among other things, to address the challenges that Government is currently facing as regards intra-government communication and communication with the public in order to enhance information flow from Government to the members of the general public and from the members of the general public to the Government. The Policy also addresses the irresponsible use of social media.

3. Zambia Council for Journalists Bill, 2020.

Cabinet further approved in principle, to the introduction of a Bill in Parliament to provide for the establishment of a self-regulatory professional body for journalists.

Stakeholders have generally complained that a phenomenon where every person feels that they can practice journalism and do so willingly without observing the minimum standards cannot go unchallenged. There is a great desire among the stakeholders to save the credibility of the media.

The establishment of the Zambia Council for Journalists will provide a legal framework for the journalism profession to thrive making it more effective and efficient. Journalists will have confidence in their work considering that they are protected and further, it will protect the profession and ensure that there is professional reporting especially with the advent of social media. The legislation will provide for soberness and sanity by the journalists.

4. Professional Film Makers Guild of Zambia Bill, 2020.

Cabinet also approved in principle, the introduction of a Bill in Parliament in order to establish the Professional Film Makers Guild of Zambia that will organise and govern the activities of actors and film makers and introduce mechanisms that will monitor quality of films.

The film industry not only provides a means for cultural preservation, but also has the potential to significantly contribute to national development. It is for this reason that Cabinet approved the National Film Policy on 19th May, 2017. The proposed piece of legislation is, therefore, expected to provide a platform which will organise and govern the activities of actors and film makers as well as monitoring the quality of films.

5. Amendment of the Teaching Profession Act No.5 of 2013.

To wind up debate for the day, Cabinet approved in principle, the introduction of a Bill in Parliament to amend the Teaching Profession Act Number 5 of 2013 in order to redefine the mandates, roles and functions of the Council and the Standards, Evaluation and Assessment Section of the Ministry of General Education and further, harmonize them so as to enhance cost effectiveness, efficiency, and quality in the education service delivery.

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
CABINET OFFICE
LUSAKA

29TH JULY, 2020

By Patson Chilemba

Ruling PF deputy secretary general Mumbi Phiri says it will be unfair for her to argue against Paul Moonga’s statement that the party’s presidential running mate for 2021 must be a strong, mentally fit male from Luapula, Northern or Muchinga Province.

Speaking with Daily Revelation, Phiri said Lusaka Province PF chairperson Paul Moonga was free to air his opinions as a party member, saying there was maybe a reason why he said what he was saying.

“That’s his opinion and PF is a democratic party, he’s free to put his opinion. He’s our member. I cannot refuse or deny the way he’s feeling. That will be unfair that is his opinion. That’s all,” Phiri said. “I have told you that that is his opinion, it’s not mine. It’s his, so do you want me to start commenting on somebody’s thinking? I am not even thinking about it, it not on priority like my provincial chairman. Maybe there is a reason why he’s thinking like that. For me whoever is picked is not part of my agenda. That’s a prerogative of the President. Even if I had my own opinion it won’t have an effect.”

Asked how she felt over Moonga’s statement, especially that the current Vice-President Inonge Wina was female and had expressed interest on continuing, Phiri said: “Why should I feel because it’s coming from Mr Moonga? Us women we replace each other. I was a member of parliament in Munali, wasn’t I replaced by a fellow woman? So it’s up to whom they want. It’s up to whom the President wants.”

Phiri said her only concern was to pick someone who could help the party win the elections, whether male or female.

“I am not bothered whether it’s a youth, if the President will think of bringing a 21 year old because we have a lot of young people…that’s his prerogative,” Phiri said.

Moonga said the PF could not be selfish against the people of the three Northern Bemba-speaking provinces, saying he had nothing against any tribe but was just being realistic.

“If you put ba (Richard) Kapita he’s a good man, qualified accountant, very intelligent from North WesternProvince, (do) you think he would add more value? The answer is no. What about those people giving more votes?” Moonga said. “A child whom you send all the time, go and bring this, even when there is left over food you call this child. Even the voting pattern should be the same.”

Moonga said if he were President Lungu, he would not look beyond those three provinces.

“And this time around I am talking about a male. Any male. All the good male candidates. I have nothing against the gender issues, I am looking at a person who would run the race. This country is 762,000 square kilometers,” Moonga said. “Somebody strong enough to hit the ground all over the 10,000 polling stations. We have got over 10,000 polling stations to go round and check every thing. That’s a strong man. Not just a man, a strong physically fit and mentally fit. Mentally stable. That’s a man I am looking at from those three provinces if I was Edgar Chagwa Lungu.”

Asked to comment on another female, President Edgar Lungu’s daughter Tasila, who has been in the media for the wrong reasons having fenced a national forest in Eastern Province, something the Ministry of Lands has described as a criminal offence, Phiri said it would be wise to get a comment from Tasila herself over the matter, saying the media had not bothered to hear from her directly.

“Get it from the horses mouth herself. She’s a councilor follow her and ask her. Yes does she work for the Ministry of Lands? No she doesn’t. That’s why to balance this story as a journalist you should follow her…you can even go and wait for her at Church she goes and St Ignitius,” said Phiri.

Well placed sources in the Ministry of Lands and Environmental Protection have told Daily Revelation that Tasila has decided to surrender the fence she erected around the Forest to the Ministry. The sources said this was necessitated by the constant media spotlight on the matter and the anger it has elicited in Eastern Province. Lands permanent secretary Ndashe Yumba could neither confirm nor deny

For Immediate Release

Chiengi 29th July 2020

PAY THE OFFICERS WHO TOOK PART IN THE 2015-2016 PHASE THREE NRC MOBILE REGISTRATION EXERCISE BEFORE 1st AUGUST 2020 – CHISHALA

Roan member of Parliament Honourable Joseph Chishala has appealed to the Department of National Registration, Passports and Citizenship to immediately source for funds to pay the poor officers who took part in the 2015-2016 NRC Mobile Registration exercise their dues as it is so embarrassing that government has not yet paid the officers (6) six years down the line.

In the year 2019 when the Roan Lawmaker followed up on this issue Registrar-General Matthews Nyirongo said the unpaid officers who took part in the 2015-2016 mobile registration exercise will only get their dues when funds are available because the Treasury was stressed at that time.

About 700 officers who took part in phase three of the exercise have still not been paid their balance of K15,000 each, despite Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo promising in Parliament in the year 2018 that they would be paid at the end of 2018 and this is 2020 the officers are still being owed.

The Roan lawmaker expressed disappointment over the government as the officers expected to be paid their monies immediately after the exercise in 2016.

The exercise was for three months. Before getting in to the exercise, officers were told it was funded and officers expected to be paid immediately after the exercise. But up to now, government is owing them K15,000 each and about 700 officers took part .

In June 2020 the officers were asked to submit their bank details to the Ministry Of finance in the pretence that government will pay the officers through their bank, but no sign of payment up to now.

The Roan MP is wondering were government will get monies to pay officer’s who will take part in the phase one and phase two of the 2020 NRC Mobile Registration Exercise commencing on 1st August 2020 when it has failed to pay the 2015-2016 officers who took part in that exercise.

Honourable Chishala further said the same way the PF is panicking to make sure more youths acquire Registration cards ahead of the 2021 general elections so that the ruling has numbers it should be the same way they should panic to pay the poor officers.

The Roan MP has since advised the officers not to commence the 2020 mobile registration exercise not until the 2015-2016 and the 2020 monies are paid in full as this PF government can’t be trusted.

Besides PF is leaving power come 2021 so it’s just in order that they settled dues immediately

Issued by: Honourable Joseph Chishala Roan Member of Parliament NDC Chairperson Incharge of Labour

THE DANGERS OF PF’S TRIBAL CAMPAIGN – LESSONS FROM RWANDA

The images you see here are real. This is Rwanda in 1994.
A tribal war which lasted only 3 months left 800,000 people dead and an entire nation torn to pieces.
The war was stared by radical tribalist Hutu’s against the Tutsi tribe and moderate Hutu’s.

The tribal campaign was caused by radical Hutu’s who wanted to cling to power by undemocratic means.

They launched a vicious tribal campaign against the Tutsi’s on radio, television and newspapers.
It culminated into acts of mass murder, church burnings, village burnings and hackings.

It only took 100 days to destroy the country to pieces.

What we’re seeing today from the PF is a repeat of Rwanda in 1994.

1: The PF government is unpopular and trying to cling to power. They have no message of hope to give to the people. Their last campaign strategy is to stoke tribal divisions in the country.

2: The PF are enlisting traditional leaders to fuel tribal hatred in the country.

3: Cadres have been armed with guns and machetes.

4: A vicious tribal propaganda campaign has been launched by senior PF officials and surrogates to stoke tribal divisions and fear among the people of Zambia.

They have lined up all the ingredients required to ignite tribal conflict.

The Daily Nation Newspaper is the biggest culprit of this tribal hatred. This horrible newspaper is championing and pushing the agenda.
Even the official PF National Facebook Page run by Sunday Chanda is running tribal articles on a nearly daily basis now. Senior MP’S like Tutwa Ngulube are pushing this agenda too. It’s a well coordinated plan.

Richard Sakala, Sunday Chanda, Tutwa and the others, don’t be surprised if you find yourselves at the International Criminal Court one day.
You are vigorously trying to set this country on fire because of your insatiable appetite to cling to power.

Stop this nonsense and campaign on real issues, you’ve had 6 years in government, what have you done for the people in these 6 years to uplift their standards of living ?

And to the Bemba people, don’t be used by the PF for their own selfish motives.

PF does not represent Bembas, it represents thieves.

Bembas are good people and they are not tribalists or tools to fuel a tribal campaign to protect thieves.

Afterall President Edgar Lungu is not even Bemba himself.

So why do they want to hide behind the Bemba name to hide their corruption?

Why can’t they go to Petauke where President Lungu comes from and galvanize their tribal support base there?

The good thing, and we find comfort in it is that the people of Zambia have completely rejected this tribal campaign, the PF has tried but lamentably failed to ignite tribal divisions. The people can read in between the lines.
We are all suffering regardless of which ethnicity you are. And the PF is the cause of that suffering due to corruption and economic mismanagement.

What we are looking for and what we need is a good president, a good cabinet, a good government.
It should not matter what tribe a president is, what should matter is his or her performance.

We yearn for the day when Zambia will have a Lunda President, A Lozi President, A Tonga President, A Bemba President, A Luvale President, A Chewa President.
A President whose ethnicity will not matter, a president elected on merit and their ethnicity will be of no importance to the national discource.

NDC MEDIA 28.07.2020

By Patson Chilemba

PF needs a strong, mentally fit male from Luapula, Muchinga or Northern provinces to be President Edgar Lungu’s running, says the party’s Lusaka provincial chairperson Paul Moonga.

And Moonga said he is a member of the central committee and therefore asking him to contest for the provincial chairmanship at the conference, will be like asking a grade 12 to sit for a grade 7 examination.

Speaking with Daily Revelation, Moonga said there was so much witch-hunting among PF members, saying his recent statement that the presidential running mate in 2021 must come from Northern, Luapula or Muchinga Province had not gone too well with some people.

“There are those who feel like they would still be part and parcel of the system in 2021. Now me I was speaking on reality that we need to be candid and see reality, look at the bigger picture than me being selfish…I look at my vote where I come from because you must have a base where you are coming from,” Moonga said. “What value am I adding to become a running mate as chairman of Lusaka Province? Whether ba Lungu likes me, whether I qualify or am very intelligent, capable with a capacity, but voting pattern now has changed. My colleagues in Southern Province where I come from they are voting on tribal lines, you can see the margins.”

Moonga said even the vote margins from where the President came from in Eastern Province could not be likened to Southern Province, where opposition UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema originates from.

“Meanwhile Luapula, Muchinga he’s (President Lungu) given a better share,” Moonga said. “So we should be very realistic, our colleagues who are giving us so much votes what do we do?”

Moonga said the PF could not be selfish against the people of the three Northern Bemba-speaking provinces, saying he had nothing against any tribe but was just being realistic.

“If you put ba (Richard) Kapita he’s a good man, qualified accountant, very intelligent from North WesternProvince, (do) you think he would add more value? The answer is no. What about those people giving more votes?” Moonga said. “A child whom you send all the time, go and bring this, even when there is left over food you call this child. Even the voting pattern should be the same.”

Moonga said if he were President Lungu, he would not look beyond those three provinces.

“And this time around I am talking about a male. Any male. All the good male candidates. I have nothing against the gender issues, I am looking at a person who would run the race. This country is 762,000 square kilometers,” Moonga said. “Somebody strong enough to hit the ground all over the 10,000 polling stations. We have got over 10,000 polling stations to go round and check every thing. That’s a strong man. Not just a man, a strong physically fit and mentally fit. Mentally stable. That’s a man I am looking at from those three provinces if I was Edgar Chagwa Lungu.”

Asked if he would contest the Lusaka provincial chairmanship now that the central committee had announced that they would finalise elections in Lusaka and other provinces before the general conference, Moonga said he was appointed by the President to superintendent over the Province.

“So it’s either I will continue as chairman or I will continue as member of central committee. How can a member of central committee go in the constituency, districts to go and subject yourself ati vote for me? I am above that. Yes,” Moonga said. “Because at the provincial conference members will be dissolved, I can’t be dissolved as member of the central committee. It’s up to the system whether Moonga should continue, because I am holding two positions, or I should give up to somebody else, it’s up to the party.”

Moonga said even last time the people were contesting for the position, he was not contesting.

“The time they were calling for elections did you see me go and campaign? I am a member of the central committee and it was made very clear in the central committee provincial chairmen are not members of central committee they are exofficials. I am saying me I am a member of the central committee, how can a grade 12 write grade 7 exams? It will be up to the system to say whether I will contest or not, or say this position we have maintained,” said Moonga. “They can do that there is a provision. But there is no way I can sink so low to go to Luangwa, I will be standing as provincial chairperson, what nonsense? Please come and vote for me, how? I was appointed by the President to superintendent over Lusaka Province. It’s up to the system to say continue or not or allow people to say ba Moonga you have done your work, let other people now to continue in this position because this position now is vacant.”

PRINCIPAL resident magistrate Mwaka Mikalile has warned the State that she will discharge Chishimba Kambwili and his co-accused so that the State can take back the matter to court whenever it is ready to prosecute.

This is in a matter where Kambwili, his son Mwamba, two Zambia Revenue Authority officials Lukwesa Musonda and Mulenga Kapilima and Mwamona Engineering and Technical Services Limited are facing charges of possessing more than K6 million, preparing a false document, obtaining pecuniary advantage and uttering a false document.

The warning is owing to the absence of State prosecutors of the Anti-Corruption Commission before court.

When the matter came up, the state prosecutors were absent to which Kambwili’s lawyer Christopher Mundia raised concern that there was no reason advanced to them with regards to the absence of the State before court.

“You will note on record that two and half years of commencement of this matter, only six witnesses have testified. The matter has been characterised by lack of progress. It’s unacceptable that there is absolutely no appetite to prosecute this matter. The least the State would have done is to send an emissary to give proper reasons as to why they must not proceed today,” Mundia said. “Three of the accused are ordinarily residents of the Copperbelt Province and they have to travel to be present before court. The same way the State is entitled to justice is the same way the accused are entitled to justice through a speedy and fair trial. We leave it to the court’s wisdom to guide.”

Magistrate Mikalile, who was angered by the State’s behaviour, urged both parties to take the matter seriously.

“I’m abhorred by the behaviour of the prosecution’s counsel. We have not made any progress. This matter commenced on March 26, 2018. It is unacceptable that only six witnesses have testified. But the cause of adjournments is from both sides,” magistrate Mikalile said. “I expect both sides to be serious and take this matter with the seriousness it deserves. I will not hesitate to invoke section 199 of the CPC so that the State may restart the matter when they are ready.”

She further warned the accused that she would curtail their freedom if any of them absconds court sessions in future.

“If any of the accused stay away, I will issue a warrant of arrest. The matter is adjourned to Friday for mention and fixing of trial date,” said magistrate Mikalile.

Mr Raphael Nakacinda has dragged the opposition MMD to the Lusaka High Court over his purported expulsion from the party on June 20, 2020.

According to a statement of claim filed in the Lusaka High Court, Mr Nakacinda, a nominated member of parliament, is seeking a declaration that his expulsion was invalid and void.

He stated that he wanted the court to declare that his purported expulsion from the MMD was illegal by reason of procedural impropriety and absolute defiance of the established rules of natural justice.

Mr Nakacinda is further seeking an order of interim injunction restraining MMD national secretary Elizabeth Chitika either by herself, agents, servant or otherwise, from continuing to interfere with his membership in the MMD.

The complainant stated that in a letter dated June 22, 2020, Ms Chitika informed him that he had been expelled from the party on allegation of arrogance, insubordination and disregard for the party leadership.

He stated that Ms Chitika claimed, in the said letter, that the party was unable to save him a letter requesting him to attend a disciplinary hearing on November 15, 2019.

Mr Nakacinda alleged that the move was based on an exculpatory letter he rendered sometime in 2016 and by their own admission, the party proceeded to consider its failure to notify him of the then pending disciplinary hearing to amount to arrogance, insubordination and disregard for party leadership.

He stated that Ms Chitika accused him of holding meetings in Lusaka, Chipata, Luangwa and other places in the country and that he continued to bring the name of the MMD party into disrepute and slander, thereby injuring the name of the party and abrogating sections of the MMD constitution.

Mr Nakacinda stated that he was alleged to have failed to adhere to the conditions of his suspension restraining him, his agents and servants from having any dealings and contact whatsoever with party structures during the period of his suspension.

He stated that in the said letter, the party, through its national executive committee, using their supposed coherent powers purported to be vested in them by Article 52(2) and 19 (N) of the MMD party constitution, resolved to expel him with immediate effect from June 20, 2020.

He stated that he only became aware of the purported alleged offences against him on June 22, 2020, the date he was informed of his wrongful purported expulsion from the MMD.

Mr Nakacinda stated that the allegations levelled against him were never communicated to him prior to his wrongful purported expulsion from the party and that no formal charge of any purported misconduct was ever prepared against him or the same was not communicated to him.

He stated that by reason of the aforesaid, he has suffered loss, damage and inconvenience.

“The loss I continue to suffer at the hands of the defendant will be irreparable unless the defendant is restrained. No prejudice will be occasioned to the defendant by the grant of an injunction but the interest of justice will be saved. I undertake to abide by the conditions which may be imposed by the court as to damages should this injunction be deemed to have been erroneously obtained,” Mr Nakacinda stated, and is seeking any other reliefs the court may deem fit plus costs.

NDC presidential spokesperson Edward Mumbi says it is stupid for principal resident magistrate David Simusamba to refuse to adjourn the matter in which Chishimba Kambwili is facing charges of forgery, uttering a false document and giving false information to a public officer when he knows that his lawyer is appearing before superior courts.

Mumbi said he did not wish to be insolent towards the Judiciary but some officers like magistrate Simusamba were an embarrassment to the institution.

“We respect the Judiciary and have always done that but some of these judicial officers are an embarrassment to the point that we may sound contemptuous to the behaviour of the magistrate,” Mumbi said on Monday.

“The lawyer is trying to raise a point that it will be difficult for his client to appear on July 29 and July 31 as he (Keith Mweemba) is supposed to appear before higher courts and the date is taken by the higher court.”

Mumbi charged that magistrate Simusamba should have courtesy for higher courts and those superior to his court.

“For God’s sake, he (magistrate Simusamba) should respect the higher courts, because where does a judicial officer like a lawyer get the first priority of appearance between him and the higher court? We find it very strange that Simusamba should behave like this, his behaviour is very personal,” Mumbi charged.

“You can’t have a magistrate sitting when the accused is supposed to appear in other courts where dates have already [been] taken before him like honourable Mikalile and Kaoma. We expect Simusamba to respect other courts because they gave their dates before he pronounced his dates.”

Mumbi challenged magistrate Simusamba to hang his gloves in the employ of the Judiciary and join politics instead hiding behind his job as an adjudicator.

“We do not want to be insulting the Judiciary, if he (magistrate Simusamba) is trying to be political, he should leave that bench so that he comes in the political field then we actually meet him on the political battle because that is stupid, actually very stupid that he cannot respect other courts because it is documented,” he said.

“And you can not disrespect a defence counsel, a senior counsel, an officer of the court is showing him the diary, he completely ignores it! It is very sad, we don’t want to insult the judiciary but certain judicial officers are an embarrassment like Simusamba.”

Earlier in court, Kambwili’s mother-in-law Godfridah Katemba confirmed that the accused is married to her daughter, Carol Chansa Chipande, and that the couple had a son named Mwamba.

The 76-year-old told magistrate Simusamba that Mwamba is her grandson and was born in Chingola on October 20, 1993 at Nchanga South Hospital.

“When Mwamba was born, we named him Mwamba Chishimba Kambwili,” Katemba said.

During cross-examination by state prosecutor Margaret Chitundu, Ketemba affirmed that Kambwili is dear to her and she would not want him to go to prison.

And Friday Ng’ona, a journalist, told the court that according to the Bemba tradition, there was no strictness on names as one could be Mulenga Chanda and choose to use Chanda Mulenga.

In cross-examination, the 72-year-old, who is the nephew of former clerk of the National Assembly the late Ng’ona Chibesakunda, confirmed that he was an expert when it comes to the use of Bemba names.

When asked how he became an expert, Ngona explained that he was an expert in the use of Bemba names due to the number of years he has lived on earth and being conversant with the Bemba tradition.

“According to the Bemba tradition, it is up to an individual to choose which names you can use among those you have been named. Bembas manage consistency in names depending on which name the family agrees to use,” Ngona said.

At this point, Mweemba made an application for an adjournment to a letter dated but magistrate Simusamba declined saying that at the last sitting he adjourned the matter to July 27 and urged the defense to ensure that they avail all the defense witnesses before court.

Mweemba tried to explain that he was operating under instructions of state counsel Musa Mwenye as he had indicated that the accused would call a minimum of five witnesses.

However, magistrate Simusamba interrupted Mweemba, maintaining that he had directed the defences to ensure that all the remaining defense witnesses were availed before court but to no avail and imposed July 29, 30 and 31 for continued defense.

EDITORIAL COMMENT
-Tue-28-07-20-Lusaka

CHITIMUKULU’S INSTINCTIVE HOSTILITY TOWARDS PEOPLE OF ANOTHER TRIBE NOW VISIBLE
…..it will be very difficult for people who were taught to accept diversity to reserve love and respect for him.
•••••••••••••••••••••••
THE ACCUSATIONS by Chitimukulu that the United Party for National Development (UPND) president, Hakainde Hichilema, intends to dethrone him as paramount chief are just a mere political propaganda. By now, Zambians know about this thing. It’s known that when people realize their failure to command a following on the basis of principle, they rush back to their tribes and use them as a major tool in mobilization.

To start with, it’s in public domain that Hakainde fought the PF government with all his tenacity to have him installed as paramount chief Chitimukulu at a time when the PF wanted to install a Bisa chief who is a relative to Nkandu Luo who was then a Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs. The government through Edgar Lungu who was the Home Affairs Minister then deployed over 500 police officers to prevent Sosala’s ascension to the throne. When Hakainde spoke against the government’s bullying of the Bemba Royal Establishment, he was asked by president Sata, MHSRIP, that he should install Kanyanta Sosala as his Chief somewhere not in the Bemba land.

Now the question that us and many others who ardently followed that adventure are asking is that; is this how the Chitimukulu can reward Hakainde for standing solidly behind him at a time when the powers that be fought him? The Chitimukulu’s instinctive hostility towards Hakainde on the basis of tribe makes sad reading. The Chitimukulu should be very careful with the marriage he has entered into with Richard Sakala and Sunday Chanda because it will be very difficult for people who were taught to accept diversity by their parents to give him respect and love.

What Richard Sakala, Sunday Chanda and the Chitimukulu including their sponsor who we understand gave the Chitimukulu K 2 million for this propaganda should know is that our One Zambia One Nation motto blended Zambians together through marriages such that even our colour is now a rainbow. We can no longer see or identify ourselves as members of a tribe but as citizens working towards a common purpose.

If the Chitimukulu needs respect from his subjects, he should immediately end his marriage with Richard and Sunday because he will be hurt terribly. He will come out of all this as a disabled person because people won’t take him lightly.

We are saying so because most of the people who were taught to accept diversity can never be embarrassed or apologetic if they insult a chief who disparages their tribe as this compose their identity and they can never runaway from it. To disparage others by attacking them on the basis of tribe amounts to disrespecting and insulting their existence. When that happens, people don’t reserve any degree of respect and love for anyone because their identity is their pride.

The Chitimukulu should not impart a notion that people must now start going round while wearing their necklaces in their neck indicating their tribes. This is abhorrent and for him to advocate for this at his age only goes to suggests that he belongs to the late maturing variety.
The Red Square – Zambia Copyright © 2020

By Patson Chilemba

Zambia’s High Commissioner to Australia Frank Bwalya, and his wife Joyce have finally sent their female-Zambian chef packing after protracted quarrels which eventually involved the Australian government to resolve them.

Well placed sources have told Daily Revelation that the Zambian chef, bana Chanda finally left the High Commissioner’s residence in Canberra over the weekend for Sydney where she will fly to South Africa and eventually Zambia during this very week, via Ethiopian Airlines.

The sources said the Australian government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) resolved to cancel bana Chanda’s visa, after High Commissioner Bwalya, his wife and staff from the Embassy ganged up to dismiss her side of the story, that she was being mistreated by Joyce.

The sources have disclosed that a Philippine women would for now take up the cooking duties until a permanent replacement was found.

Sources have said bana Chanda was finally fired from her job at the residence over allegations bordering on the use of charms, after Bwalya’s wife found a snail in the cup.

There are allegations that bana Chanda was viewed to be jealousy of the Bwalya’s marriage, something the chef has rejected as simply an excuse to get rid of her, on reports that Joyce had never liked her since she moved into the residence.

“To bring you up to speed, yes the chef has been complaining about the alleged mistreatment by the madam, but what sort of broke the camel’s back was a situation where bana Chanda was called to the kitchen by the madam, as she was holding a cup that had a snail in it. She told bana Chanda that she had called her to show her the snail she found in the cup so she would not refuse once she showed the same to High Commissioner,” the sources said. “Of course the chef has been arguing during the meetings, wondering how a snail could have gotten from outside, onto the tray and finally into the cup.”

The sources said bana Chanda had been insistent during the meetings on her position that High Commissioner Bwalya cautioned her about his wife, to be careful as she could create a situation which was going to lead him to fire her.

Well placed sources familiar with the matter told Daily Revelation that there have been serious problems between the Bwalya’s and bana Chanda who was employed by the Zambian government and attached to the High Commissioner as chef at the envoy’s residence.

Sources said the alleged mistreatment of bana Chanda eventually led to the termination of her employment.

January 7, 2014,Daily Nation Reporter
President Michael Sata has described UPND president Hakainde Hichilema advise to amicably resolve the stand-off between government and Paramount Chief Chitimukulu of the Bemba speaking people of Northern Province as useless and unconstructive.
In a response letter to Hichilema dated December, 30, 2013 obtained by the Daily Nation, President Sata acknowledged Hichilema’s letter saying it was useless and unconstructive.

“REF: Chiefs and Traditional Affairs. We acknowledge receipt of your useless, unconstructive letter dated 27th December, 2013, and we don’t owe anybody an apology for your useless actions,” President Sata said.

He said told Hichilema that all Chiefs fall under the President and not under Hichilema or the UPND, therefore, “we are not going to be reckless on the appointment of Paramount Chief Chitimukulu of the Bemba speaking people.”

President Sata told Hichilema that he was free to appoint Henry Kanyanta Sosala as his Paramount Chief.
“I sympathise and feel sorry for you as you have never been nominated or elected as a councillor nor have you ever been nominated or elected as a Member of Parliament, therefore, your leadership is more of guess work than anything else,” President Sata said.
In his letter Hichilema reminded President Sata not to interfere with the traditional leadership and stop ridiculing traditional leaders in the manner he was doing.

Hichilema said that the current stand-off between the President and the Bemba Kingdom was working against government and it was therefore important to have the matter resolved in the soonest possible time for the benefit of the people of Zambia.
“We again write regarding your administration’s misguided decision to ridicule chiefs and interfere in the internal traditional process of chiefdoms. There is a growing national chorus of voices expressing deep disappointment and even outrage at what this strange behaviour communicates,” he said.

Hichilema advised President Sata to consider reflecting on his past conduct where he had ultimately ridiculed traditional leaders, creating avoidable misunderstandings with the traditional leadership.

“Consider the following events that have happened in the last two years of your Presidency, you publicly denounced the Litunga of the Lozi people by alleging that he stole land from other chiefs and gave it to the white people in exchange for an admiral’s uniform. You threatened that you would degazette Chief Nzamane and Chief Madzimawe for merely holding a view different from yours and you equally threatened Chief Jumbe and told him that you were aware of the happenings in his private bedroom and more recently you degazetted Chief Mwamba of the Bemba people,” he highlighted.

Hichilema said that such conduct was acrimonious to the governance of the country,”more recently, after Chief Mwamba was chosen by the Bashilubemba to become the Chitimukulu, you stopped his ascension to the Chitimukulu throne by deploying Policemen at the Palace. In short, your administration has embraced a policy that is bringing the presidency into public odium and disrepute. The presidency is an institution representing more than 13 million Zambians and is not just for Patriotic Front.”

He urged President Sata to let the will of Bashilubemba prevail without hindrance over the Chitimukulu matter

By Watch Reporter

The Lusaka City Council has with immediate effect suspended wheelbarrow levy it imposed on Zambians.

This is after mounting pressure from Lusaka residents and the subsequent suspensions of the local authority by Minister in Charge.

More in the statement below

MEDIA STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE USE

LCC SUSPENDS REGISTRATION OF MODIFIED WHEELBARROWS IN MARKETS

Lusaka – Monday, 27th July, 2020

Lusaka City Council (LCC) has suspended the registration of modified wheelbarrows in its major markets to pave way for further consultation with all stakeholders.

The decision has been made following several concerns from some stakeholders over the Council resolution.

LCC has taken into consideration all concerns raised by various stakeholders and decided suspend the exercise until consensus is reached.

Consultations will now be extended to wheelbarrow owners, pushers, market committees, traders and relevant government departments, among others.

Modified wheelbarrows are a common feature in major markets of Lusaka and are hired by some traders to transport “bulk” merchandise within markets and other destinations.

The Council at its First Ordinary Meeting held on 26th May, 2020 approved the proposal to compel owners of modified wheelbarrows to clearly label each wheelbarrow with a unique identification number and the list be given to the market managements before they can access the trading areas.

The decision arose from the fact that LCC has been receiving complainants from some traders that hire wheelbarrows that some wheelbarrow pushers disappear with the merchandise and tracking them becomes difficult because wheelbarrows have no unique identification numbers.

The Council learnt that when traders hire wheelbarrow pushers to transport their merchandise from major markets, owners of the merchandise use buses to go and wait for goods at the agreed location.

However, some unscrupulous wheelbarrow pushers decide not to deliver the merchandise as agreed and instead disappear with the merchandise.

So, the decision was meant to protect traders who use this form of transport from losing their goods.

Some traders opt to hire modified wheelbarrows to transport merchandise from major markets where they order them to their trading places because it is relatively cheaper compared to hiring a van (vehicle).

LCC Management therefore started engaging the Wheelbarrows Association of Zambia to explain the rationale behind the Council resolution to their members.

While the association was was in agreement with the resolution, LCC has leant that many other stakeholders were left out during the consultation process hence the need to involve them and come up the general consensus before implementing the resolution.

Issued by:
George Sichimba
Public Relations Manager

By Merlyn Mwanza

There will be a fight in PF should President Lungu be allowed to content next year’s general elections, vows ruling party aspiring candidate Kelvin Bwalya Fube.

And Fube said he does not recognise the current PF central committee because most of them do not have mandate as their tenure of office had already expired.

Featuring on Muvi TV’s Assignment programme last evening, Fube, fondly known as KBF asked President Edgar Lungu to step aside and pave way for him to lead the party in next year’s tripartite elections.

KBF wondered why some PF officials and cadres were still pushing for President Lungu to content next year’s election when they know he is not eligible to do so.

“It will be an illegality if president Lungu is allowed to contest. We fought a sitting president against a third term (in reference to the late Frederick Chiluba). I can’t be part of an illegality. There will be a fight in the party, legal fight,” the charismatic PF presidential aspirant vowed during the programme monitored by Daily Revelation. “I appear to be alone, but am not alone. Shili neka. True greens, tuli abengi. Don’t see me talking here and think I am alone. Western province, Lusaka, Central, Copperbelt, Northern, (etc) Tuli abengi. We have people everywhere. The current president is not qualified to stand.”

KBF explained that currently the Patriotic Front is embroid in serious problems which require someone like himself to address.

“The party (PF) now has got problems, we are being labelled corrupt, failed leadership, we are called all sorts of names. So, do you think those people (in leadership) can turn the tables around?” KBF asked. “Can they convince the undecided voters; those who are sitting on the fence? It will require a bull dozer. And I can assure you when it comes to organising,…you are talking to a strategist, we have a plan. We can turn this thing around. And what I am asking for is that the President step aside. He is my elder brother, we shall look after him.”

And KBF said he could not accept PF central committee’s expulsion of him because he does not recognise the body as its mandate had already expired.

He said as far as he was concerned, he was still a genuine member of the ruling party and ready to be the next party presidential candidate for next year’s general elections.

“Currently, there is no central committee. There are (only) five genuine members of the central committee, the rest are illegally occupying the offices, they have no power, no mandate to make any decision on behalf of the central committee,” said KBF.

Below is the letter written to President Michael Sata by Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, in DEFENSE of Henry Sosala – the current Chitimukulu

By Anthony Bwalya.

PS: If we cannot use our brains on this issue, we have no chance of rebuilding this country…and we wouldn’t deserve it, for a total lack of exercise of common sense.

Mr. Michael Chilufya Sata
Republican President
State House
Lusaka

Dear President Sata,

PRESIDENTIAL MISCONDUCT IN CHIEF’S AND TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS

The above captioned subject matter refers.

We again write regarding your administration’s misguided decision to ridicule chiefs and interfere in the internal traditional process of chiefdoms.

There is a growing national chorus of voices expressing deep disappointment and even outrage at what this strange behavior communicates.

Consider the following events that have happened in the last two years of your Presidency:

• You publicly denounced the Litunga of the Lozi people by alleging that he stole land from other chiefs and gave it to the white people in exchange for an admiral’s uniform;

• You threatened that you would degazette Chief Nzamane and Chief Madzimawe for merely holding a view different from yours;

• Equally you threatened Chief Jumbe and told him that you were aware of the happenings in his private bedroom and more recently

• You degazetted Chief Mwamba of the Bemba people. More recently, after Chief Mwamba was chosen by the Bashilubemba to become the Chitimukulu, you stopped his ascension to the Chitimukulu throne by deploying Policemen at the Palace.

In short, your administration has embraced a policy that is bringing the presidency into public odium and disrepute. The presidency is an institution representing more than 13 million Zambians and is not just for Patriotic Front.

Our advice is that your administration should not interfere in traditional matters but let traditional structures deal with traditional matters. In the case of the Chitimukulu, we advise that let the will of Bashilubemba prevail without hindrance.

Yours sincerely,

Hakainde Hichilema
UPND PRESIDENT

THE PATRIOTIC FRONT (PF) CENTRAL COMMITTEE IS ILLEGAL – KFB.

2021 Presidential Candidate Kelvin Fube Bwalya- KBF last night made serious revelations when he appeared on the Assignment TV interview on MuviTV saying the ruling Patriotic Front highest body, the Central Committee was an illigal body and doesn’t have any authority or mandate to expel him.

Mr Bwalya who read from the PF constitution through out his interview wondered where the Republican President was drawing his authority to appoint member to the PF central committee, while insisting that President Lungu only had powers to appoint three(3) members to the central committee. Which provision in the Patriotic Front constitution he is using to appoint members of the central committee he asked. According to the constitution of the party members of the central committee shall only be elected by the general conference every five(5) years.

Below is a list of the Patriotic Front Appointed Members of Central Committee –

1. Dr Edgar Changwa Lungu (President)
2. Inonge Wina ( VP)
3. Samuel Mukupa (NC)
4. Davies Chama (DNC)
5. Davis Mwila DG
6. Mumbi Phiri DSG
7. Elizabeth Phiri
8. Given Lubinda
9. Charles Banda
10. Paul Moonga
11. Jean Kapata
12. Syacheye Madyenkuku
13. Margaret Mwanakatwe
14. Joyce Simukoko
15. Richard Kapita.
16. Stephen Kampyongo
17. Alexander Chikwanda
18. Nkandu Luo
19. Dora Siliya
20. Emerine Kabanshi
21. Brian Mundubile
22. Kelvin Sampa
23. Vincent Mwale
24. Paul Moonga
25. Freedom Sikazwe
26. John Chisanga
27. Peter Kazhila
28. Mwendapole
29. Kebby Mbewe
30. Ngosa Simbyakula

EXTRACT-PATRIOTIC FRONT CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE 51
THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE
(1) There shall be a Central Committee of the Party, which shall consist of thirty(30)

Members as follows:
(a) The President of the Party;
(b) The Secretary General of the Party; appointed by the President of the
Party from amongst the members of the Central Committee;
(c) twenty-five (25) members elected by the General Conference;
(d) Three members appointed by the President of the Party.
(2) The quorum of the Central Committee shall be 50% of the total number of members.
(6) The voting at the General Conference shall be by secret ballot.

14 ARTICLE 46
GENERAL CONFERENCE
(1) The supreme policy-making organ of the Party is the General Conference.
(2 The General Conference shall meet ordinarily every five (5) years but
extraordinary session when convened as provided in this Constitution.
May meet III
(3) An extraordinary General Conference shall have the same powers as the ordinary General
Conference.
(4) The General Conference shall be attended by:
(a) All members of the National Council; and
(b) Up to 500 delegates from each province selected in accordance with rules made by the Central
Committee.
(5) The General Conference shall have the following functions:
(a) To elect the President of the Party and Members of the Central Committee;
(b) to formulate and revise Party policies and programmers;
(c) To amend, approve or adopt Party Constitution;
(d) To define and orientate general policies for the nation’s development. (e)
To consider and approve National Development Plans.
(6) The voting at the General Conference shall be by secret ballot.

Throwback….

HH asks President Sata to stop bullying and tormenting the Bemba speaking people
By editor – June 10, 2014 96

Opposition UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema arrives to attend a court case at the magistrate’s court complex in Lusaka
Opposition UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema

Opposition UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema arrives to attend a court case at the magistrate’s court complex in Lusaka
Opposition UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema
United Party for National Development (UPND) President Hakainde Hichilema has told President Michael Sata to stop bullying and tormenting the Bemba speaking people who have willingly chosen their own Paramount Chief Chitimukulu using their traditional council.

In a statement released to the media today, the UPND Leader said that UPND is fully aware that there are no disputes regarding the choice of Henry Kanyanta Sosala as the new Paramount Chief Chitimukulu of the Bemba speaking people and government must never interfere in the people’s choice.

Below is the full statement

OFFICIAL STATEMENT
For Immediate Release
Hakainde Hichilema

The PF and the Chitimukulu

The PF government continued overstepping and interference into traditional leadership of the country must stop forthwith.

The case in point is where President Michael Sata and his PF administration have continued to bully and torment the Bemba speaking people who have willingly chosen their own Paramount Chief Chitimukulu using their traditional council.

As UPND, we are fully aware that there are no disputes regarding the choice of Henry Kanyanta Sosala as the new Paramount Chief Chitimukulu of the Bemba speaking people and government must never interfere in the people’s choice.

We in UPND want to recognize Mr. Sosala as the duly chosen Paramount Chief Chitimukulu and must be allowed to settle and serve his people and the people of Zambia.

The UPND stance on such issues is that we will respect the choices and processes of various traditional leadership as the law clearly states, unless there is an impasse within the family, which can also still be resolved through courts of law.

As UPND, we believe this is a totally none political and straight forward matter, which the PF and Mr. Sata are just being dictatorial about, just like they do with other issues of national importance.

Hakainde Hichilema
UPND President

PRESS STATEMENT

27 TH JULY 2020

AKONI KEKALA PAMUSAMBO KATEMENWE

There are desperate attempts to poison the good relationship that exist between Bembas and Tongas. Chief Chitimukulu saw nothing wrong when his subjects in PF, including his Malole MP started disparaging Tongas. When President Lungu said out of 10 Bembas 6 are thieves, Paramount Chief Chitimukulu was amused and saw nothing wrong. When the helicopter carrying HH was almost brought down in Shiwangandu, Paramount Chief Chitimukulu again saw nothing wrong. As if this is not enough, now it’s the Paramount Chief Chitimukulu himself leading the assault on HH. Your role is to unite people and not dividing them. Is Chief Chitimukulu in support of people calling for blood of HH in his chiefdom? Kanabesa, please do not drag Bembas into genocide or civil war in this Country

AKONI KEKALA PAMUSAMBO KATEMENWE. Let the Bembas choose their leader without intimidations. Leave Bembas out of politics of hatred and name calling. Bembas are not insulated from the terrible economic hardships PF has brought in this Country. Bembas are not blind to see that in PF there are more thieves and crooks than politicians. There are no special shops for Bembas. How do you now want to sway Bembas to vote for self confessed PF thieves?

Is this how you can reward a person who stood by you when the same PF you are supporting now deployed armed security personnel to block you from entering the palace? If there was such a scheme in UPND of dethroning Mwine Lubema when UPND comes to power, we should have been the first ones to condemn such a move. The truth of the matter is that there has never been such a thing, HH is innocent. The statement from our Paramount Chief is meant to divide Bembas. There is honor in eating quietly with thieves than showing off.

Kanabesa please keep away from politics. Remember that a lot of your subjects are married to other tribes including Tongas. You are our custodian of One Zambia One Nation. You cannot have it both as a Chief and a politician. We have so much respect for you as our Chief. UBUFUMU BUCHINDIKA ABENE. Where is this bitterness coming from?

Percy Chanda

UPND – Chairman for Mines and Freedom Fighter

THE Civil Society Constitution Agenda (CiSCA) says everyone now knows that the only purpose of Bill 10 is to perpetuate the PF’s stay in power.

CiSCA vice – chairperson Judith Mulenga said if the PF government was serious about empowering women and youth as they want people to believe, the President would not have appointed another man, “with all due respect, Masiye Wilfred Banda, as Ministry of Home Affairs permanent secretary, hardly a week after the burial of the late Dr Chileshe Mulenga”.

She said President Edgar Lungu squandered a golden opportunity to demonstrate his political will on empowerment of women, youth and persons living with disabilities.

“And now they want to hide behind Bill 10. We are not naïve. In fact, Bill 10 does not even provide for appointment of women or provision of safe seats for women, youths, people living with disability and other marginalised groups. Bill 10 only mentions that the electoral system will be changed from a first-past the-post to mixed member representation, and the mixed member representation will be as prescribed in subsidiary legislation,” Mulenga said. “We contend that Mr Lubinda is pushing Bill 10 in his own personal interest. As far as we are concerned, passing Bill 10 by any means necessary is the only helpline for Lubinda to remain relevant in Zambia beyond 2021. Everyone now knows that the only purpose of Bill 10 is to perpetuate the PF’s stay in power. It has nothing to do with advancing the interests of women, youths, persons with disability, or any other citizens.”

Mulenga called on justice minister Given Lubinda to just come out and confirm what everyone all knows, that the Patriotic Front, as usual, were determined and would do everything to abuse their power and use unlawful means to reintroduce Bill 10 during the next parliamentary session.

She said as far as CiSCA was concerned, passing Bill 10 by any means necessary is the only helpline for Lubinda to remain relevant in Zambia beyond 2021.

“A few days ago, Lubinda stated that Bill 10 will be re-tabled in Parliament during the next session. He also cast aspersions on lawmakers and other citizens who are against Bill 10. As if his unlawful re-gazetting of an already gazetted Bill 10 in May this year was not enough, the justice minister wants to follow that up with another unlawful act of re-introducing an expired bill contrary to parliamentary regulations. In preparing for his unlawful act he wants first to test waters by casting aspersions on the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, a personable and credible lawmaker like Hon. Jack Mwiimbu who commands more public respect than he does. From their viewpoints any reasonable person can see that Hon. Mwiimbu is following and quoting the letter of the Standing Orders while Mr Lubinda has lamentably failed to do so,” she said in a statement. “Mr Lubinda describes those of us opposed to Bill 10 as desperately wanting to remain relevant is a classical example of projecting his own desperation to have Bill 10 enacted against the supremacy of the Zambian people’s will. We challenge Mr Lubinda to state in whose interest he is still pushing the public rejected Bill 10. We want to ask Mr Lubinda how in his frame of mind can claim that the many civil society organisations, political parties, traditional leaders, religious groupings, artistes, youths, lawyers, trade unions, eminent constitutional lawyers and professors at law can all be irrelevant in Zambia except him and other proponents of Bill 10.”

She said as a justice minister, it was shameful that Lubinda was in the forefront of driving a wedge among citizens instead of listening and bringing Zambians of divergent views together, building consensus.

“We wonder how a serious lawmaker guided by parliamentary rules and regulations can make an analogy of a baby crying while its caregiver is cooking and the caregiver stopping to attend to the baby to the circumstance of Bill 10’s journey. The two are totally incomparable,” said Mulenga.

ZAMBIA CAN LEARN LESSONS FROM MALAWI’S ELECTION, HH EXPLAINS

UPND Leader Hakainde Hichilema has suggested that Zambian political parties can learn important electoral campaign lessons from Malawi’s most recent presidential election. Last month, the democratic Tonse Alliance party stormed to victory in an historic election, toppling the former regime.

Speaking as part of the GAP webinar series, Mr Hichilema described President Lungu’s regime as a “dictatorship under the veil of democracy”.

Malawi’s recent election result has given Mr Hichilema a new lease of hope, however, for the potential for democracy in Zambia.

He said, “In Zambia, learning from Malawi, we need to allow the will of the people to prevail. The Malawians were strong when they felt their elections were not free and fair, they exercised their rights, their freedoms.”

Mr Hichilema also suggested that major changes needed to be made to electoral practice for Zambia to hold free and fair elections. The violence endemic in the election campaigns by “party thugs” must be removed, he argued, as well as “the militarisation of civilian lives and spaces.”

Mr Hichilema was noticeably critical of role the international community has played in supporting President Lungu’s government through foreign investment and perceived “indifference” to the perversion of human rights.

The opposition leader was particularly damning of international election monitors, accusing them of “staying in hotels and sipping tea” whilst President Lungu carried out corrupt electoral practices.

When asked about China’s particular involvement with Zambia in recent years, Mr Hichilema responded in more measured terms: “Without democracy, without rule of law, without respect for human rights, without removal of corruption, any money coming from donors; bilateral or indeed soft loans from multilaterals, will never yield their intended results in terms of uplifting the economy.”

Mr Hichilema closed his interview with a notably pointed attack on South Africa’s current policy towards Zambia.

He said, “South Africa cannot afford to be indifferent to what’s happening in the SADC region. We supported South Africa during apartheid, if we took the stance they’re now taking and did not support them it would have led to untold pain, like their indifference today will.”

By Dr. Chishimba Kambwili

FOOD HAS BECOME UNAFFORDABLE IN ZAMBIA DUE TO INFLATION CAUSED BY BAD GOVERNMENT POLICY
Good afternoon fellow Zambians,
A few days ago, I conducted a tour of Shoprite at Lewanika Mall to look at prevailing prices of essential household goods.
I have to say that I’m shocked at the prices of basic goods.

A tray of eggs is now selling for K47, just four months ago a tray of eggs was K28.
A small 750 Ml bottle of cooking oil is now selling for K29 when it was only K12 last year.
A KG of fish is now selling for K37, three months ago the price was K28 per kilo.
A 1 litre of milk is now K18, four months ago it was K10.

Mealie meal is still expensive, upwards of K115 for 25 KG.
Bread is now K14, when it was only K8 five months ago.
A fully grown chicken is selling for over K60, up from K40 just six months ago.
Based on my survey, I have concluded that the cost of essential household commodities has increased by over 40% between January 2020 and July 2020, this is just over a six month period.

This increase in the cost of essential household goods comes just off the back of a 200% increment in electricity units and a 60% increase in the cost of fuel in December 2019.

The vast majority of households in Zambia can’t afford these prices, more especially in the rural areas where the hunger situation is still unresolved.
It’s worth noting that the PF government only awarded civil servants a 4% salary increment, of which 1% is deducted as payment to NHIMA.

So in real terms, civil servants only got a 3% salary increment.
Of what value is a 3% increment when the cost of food has gone up 40%?
The hyperinflation we’re witnessing in Zambia today is being fueled by ;
1: Loadshedding because local manufacturing companies and retailers are having to use generators to manufacture and sell their products. They are using expensive fuel to manage production.

2: The high cost of electricity after the 200% price increase is now being factored into the production cost of essential household goods.
3: The high cost of fuel has increased production and distribution costs for manufacturers, which is now being factored into pricing.
4: The cost of agricultural inputs has dramatically increased because of a weak kwacha on imported inputs, and middlemen in the procurement process of agricultural inputs.

As NDC we have sound agricultural policies enshrined in our manifesto that will ensure that the cost of essential household goods and food are kept low so that the masses of Zambians can afford to have a decent standard of living.

We will lower the taxes on fuel, we will cut out middlemen in the procurement of fuel and agricultural inputs, we will embark on development of several solar, thermal and wind power plants to end load shedding once and for all, we will provide more subsidies on agricultural inputs and we will ensure that there’s a substantial increase in agricultural output that will lower the prices of agricultural products.

Press statement for immediate release from Senior Chief Mukuni of the Leya people

26th July 2020

IT’S BILL 10 THAT SEEKS TO DETRONE CHITIMUKULU AND NOT HH.

I have agonisingly followed the debate by His Majesty Paramount Chief Chitimukulu of the Bemba people, in which he makes startling claims that UPND President Hakainde Hichilema harbours intentions of wanting to dethrone him. I wish to state from the outset that I am making my statement reluctantly and with a heavy heart for various reasons, one of which is on the basis of the mutual respect and solidarity that the institution of traditional leadership invests on itself in Zambia.

The solemn culture of royal etiquette by its nature normally prohibits public debate between Chief and Chief and naturally and more critically between Chief and subjects. But the circumstances in which the accusations are being made can longer be termed as ordinary. It therefore calls for any peace loving Zambian, royalty or ordinary citizen to correct the adverse climate that could degenerate into unnecessary misunderstandings, that have the potential to endanger national security, if left unchecked.

I therefore find the effort to drag Mr Hakainde Hichilema and Hon Milupi into the Bemba royal family in – fighting by His Majesty the Mwine Lubemba unfortunate, unfair, unnecessary,overbearing and without a solid, sound basis and legal or moral justification. The evidence available and very much in the public domain is that Mr Hichilema has never exulted in the dethroning of His Majesty, but, contrary has on various occasions commiserated with him with unwavering support.

The perception that is being lavishly portrayed on media that ‘the Chitimukulu responds to Mr Hichilema’, is grossly misleading, because a response can only be sought for and originated by an exhibition of specific and viable evidence which in this case is lacking. The Chitimukulu appears to overwhelmingly depend on mere hearsay to find Mr Hichilema guilty by association, which by the law of natural justice is unjust and unacceptable and draws a dangerous precedent for future discourses.

In as far as I am concerned, what endangers His Majesty’s throne is Bill 10 which he tragically appears to be a proponent of. The monstrous Bill 10 advocates to remove traditional Chiefs from their thrones at the behest of the Republican President. When I last checked, Mr Hichilema vehemently opposed this Bill while the Republican President supports its enactment into law. Who between the two is a danger to His Majesty’s rule in an unlikely event that the evil Bill is made into law? It’s definitely not Mr Hichilema.

Further, let me state that I find a lot of inconsistencies in the Mwine Lubemba’s statement. Among many is His Majesty’s assertions that ‘the Bemba had no problem voting for other tribes, like they did for Kenneth Kaunda, Frederick Chiluba, Levy Mwanawasa, Rupiah Banda and Michael Sata’.

The apparent characterization of late Presidents Fredrick Chiluba and Michael Sata in His Majesty’s statement, as outsiders of the Bemba Kingdom is succinctly clear and categorical, but also brings to the fore the level of divisiveness the Chitimukulu’s debate brings to the unitary nature of the Zambian statehood, which by our constitution is blind to ethnicity and other artificial boundaries.

Would it therefore be far fetched to view the above argument as arising from the fact the Tongas overwhelmingly voted for President Chiluba in 1991 and 1996, that he therefore can’t make the Bemba qualification coupled with his Luapula origins? Was President Sata not Bemba enough because he originatef from Mpika, and because he ordered his then Home Affairs Minister, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu to deploy a battalion of Police Commandos to prevent His Majesty from ascending to the throne?

If indeed the two late Presidents are inconsequentially non Bemba, how does His Majesty then reconcile his usual claims that 21% of Zambians are Bembas if Luapula and Muchinga Provinces appear to be excluded as he seems to suggest.These questions and many more are not intended to embarrass His Majesty, but they underscore the reason why ethnic gerrymandering by traditional leadership can be a source of division and a danger to national security.

I also take keen interest on the unwarranted claims and sustained effort by a group of Bemba royal highnesses over the perennial false and politically charged claims that Bembas were attacked and their property vandalised in Namwala post 2016 elections, and that the Tongas remained mute over the matter. How could there have been a response over a matter that never took place, against the backdrop of a massive propaganda campaign sponsored by the state and a political party to falsify an impression that it happened?

The lightening speed with which ‘relief’ supplies and the erection of temporary shelter was carried out by the state and surrogate NGOs, testified to the highest desperation in which an institution was attempting to drive a false and malicious agenda against the Tonga people, for political gain and to bring them into disrepute but most tragically, to promote a possible atmosphere for genocide.

To that effect, I communicated to His Majesty Chitimukulu, of my personal offer to meet the costs of the Lubemba Chiefs to travel to Southern Province on a fact finding mission inorder to verify for themselves, that this was a heavily sponsored and politicized agenda by a political party. The offer to clear the air as expected was declined and graciously splashed across government controlled media and the ‘Mast Newspaper’.

Finally, I wish to state that I find it remarkable that His Majesty believes that the Tongas would want to fight the Bembas when the one who wields the political power is not Bemba but an Easterner, who is currently being challenged by the provisions of constitutional democracy that allows for elections by political parties every five years.

There’s absolutely nothing that the Tongas would want to wrestle from their Bemba brothers and sisters with whom they have long historical cooperation with, since pre independence times. His Royal Highness must not rewrite history and attempt to conceal the fraternal and cordial relationship between these two tribes who additionally, according to some credible statistics are involved in more inter marriages between them, than any other ethnic group in the country. Tongas and Bembas have unequivocal and solid historical symbiotic relationships which unfortunately is in danger of being distorted by power politics.

Let the Mwine Lubemba retreat into his respectable and majestic domain and unite the Zambian people than separate them, because the consequences of setting tribe and against tribe has telling ramifications that have caused wars in nations like Nigeria in the Biafran question, and the Rwandan genocide, which the latter country has incidentally made claims that appear to accuse our President’s involvement in its internal affairs. It’s incumbent upon all of us as traditional leaders to unite the country because our subjects belong to a spectrum of political affiliations.

God bless the Republic,

Senior Chief Mukuni
of the Leya people of Kazungula, Livingstone and Zimba Districts and all the Bene Mukuni

By Agness Changala-Katongo

UPND Monze Central member of Parliament Jack Mwiimbu has charged that Bill 10 is the PF’s ventilator and will not do without it.

Mwiimbu who is also leader of the opposition in Parliament however, said with or without Bill 10, PF will go because there are many problems that Zambians are experiencing under them.

Yesterday, Eastern Province minister Makebi Zulu insisted to Daily Revelation that Bill 10 is not dead following the adjournment of Parliament on Tuesday.

Zulu who is Malambo PF member of Parliament said Bill 10 would be on the order paper whenever Parliament resumes sitting.

He said Mwiimbu and others opposed to Bill 10 lost a case in court which was filed two weeks ago in an attempt to stop the process.

Mwiimbu sought judicial review in the High Court to halt Bill 10 debate as it lapsed on June 4, 2020.

However, High Court judge Sharon Newa dismissed his application on the basis that it was not fit for investigation among other reasons.

Mwiimbu has since refreshed his application in the Court of Appeal to ensure that the debate on the Constitutional Amendment Bill number 10 of 2019 is discontinued.

Reacting to Zulu’s insistence that Bill 10 is not dead, Mwiimbu said the bill is dead and was cremated on Tuesday when Parliament adjourned.

“This bill died on June 4, and it was cremated on Tuesday. As far as UPND is concerned there is no Bill 10,” Mwiimbu said.

Mwiimbu said the PF wanted Bill 10 because of Article 52 which prohibits anyone from challenging the nomination of a candidate.

“They believe that if article 52 is put into law, President Edgar Lungu will be protected,” he said.

He said whatever the PF would do, Bill 10 is a dead issue which should be forgotten.

Mwiimbu said he was not giving up on challenging Bill 10 saying if the Court of Appeal does not does not make a ruling in his favour, he would go all the way to the Supreme Court.

He said despite the High Court dismissing his case, he still had confidence in the courts of law.

By Patson Chilemba

Tutwa Ngulube wants Tasila Lungu to be given a second chance so that she can commit another offence, says ruling PF member Colonel Panji Kaunda.

Speaking with Daily Revelation, on deputy government chief whip Ngulube’s statement that President Lungu’s daughter, Tasila, was a young girl who deserves a second chance and that Col Panji was a bitter man for attacking her because President Lungu did not give him a job, Col Panji said he was very bitter, but the bitterness emanated from the rampant corruption that now defined the President’s government.

He wondered why Ngulube was attacking him since he was agreeing that a crime was committed and that Tasila should be given a second chance. He said all he wanted was for the government to give him the chance to be heard in court over his complaint against the President’s daughter.

“Until that is done, we shall continue fighting. We shall not stop fighting corruption, whether it involves the President and his family,” Col Panji said, adding that government leaders recently caused the arrest of a young man Chellah Tukuta, without considering his youthfulness. “Why didn’t they give him a second chance? The Ministry of Lands should do us a favour by taking us to court (taking matter involving Tasila to court).”

Col Panji said he would not stand by and watch the country torn to shreds by the corrupt. He said he was not motivated by things like jobs as he told President Lungu in 2016, in the presence of his former political advisor Kaizar Zulu, that he was not available for public office.

“Honourable Ngulube is a lawyer who should know that you are not guilty until proven guilty, so the best thing he can do to Miss Tasila Lungu is to go and defend her in court and prove her not guilty,” said Col Panji. “He wants her to be given a second chance. To do what? To go and commit another offence?”

Ngulube said Tasila was a good girl who deserves a second chance.

Ngulube said one did not need to be the President’s daughter to enjoy the provision where they could have their criminal matters resolved, in the same manner the Ministry of Lands was discussing to resolve Tasila’s offence. Tasila fenced the approximately 3790 hectares Forest Number 70, popularly known as Chimutengo in Sunday’s, Eastern Province.

He said it was unfortunate that Tasila, who is a private citizen, should be punished and suffer all prejudices just because her father was the Head of State.

“I think let us be fair with Tasila she is a very good girl. I don’t think she is one of those presidents daughters we heard in the past who were breaking the law. I think Tasila for me deserves a second chance if at all she committed that offence,” Ngulube said. “She is not one person you can say we have to punish. No. Tasila is a very good girl. We have seen presidents daughters in the past who used to willfully break the law.”

Dr. Henry Kanyanta Sosala, Paramount Chitimukulu, Says Mr. Hichilema Lacks Self-contentment And Self-confidence.

In March 2018, Mwine Lubemba, wrote an article in which he had alleged that Patrick Mucheleka, a senior member of UPND Management Committee had told Kangwa Mucheleka of Ndola, a member of the Bemba royal family that after the UPND party gets into power in 2021, Dr. Sosalawould be disposed since he is not a genuine member of the Bemba royal family because his great-great grandmother was not the genuine person who was later brought back after the primitive Ngoni savages kidnapped her.

The Paramount Chief in his latest write-up has responded not only to clarify the aforementioned misinformation but equally to the insults that were levelled at him by the Opposition Alliance spokesperson Lukuku. He has insisted that there is a deliberate, malicious, unjustified and sustained effort to assassinate his character and damage his reputation or credibility by the three partners of the Opposition Alliance namely, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema of the United Party for National Development (UPND); Mr. Charles Milupi of the Alliance for National Development (ADD) and Mr. James Lukuku of the Progressive Party (PP).

James Kasanda Lukuku, the Opposition Alliance spokesperson issued a joint statement that had been made by himself with Messrs. Hichilema and Milupi.

“It is irresponsibility of the highest order for the Chitimukulu to publish sectarianism, regionalism and tribalism on a radio programme from a radio station called Mano in Kasama. Being a chief is not a passport for segregating our people away from the spirit of One Zambian, One Nation, and neither is it a passport for him not to expect to be challenged,” he stated.

He went on to claim that Paramount Chief Chitimukulu was a PF cadre who was on the party’s payroll.

“We have swallowed enough of the PF oriented Chief Chitimukulu. He must realize that in most East African countries there is nothing like chiefs and he is purely existing on the discretion of we the Bemba people. We can rise up one day and say to hell with chiefs and he can have no platform to preach divisional, segregative and tribal politics,” he continued.

The Alliance spokesperson did not spare the Head of State either.

“Twakana. Lekeni HH alubule ichalo na mano yakwe no butungulushi bwakwe. (We refuse. Let HH rule us with his acquired knowledge). How honestly can Chitimukulu support a hypothetical Christian, a dictator and drunkard, at a time our country is in ICU? Every moment State House hosts chiefs and the Chitimukulu, what follows are tribal remarks either from Chitimukulu or his surrogates. Why? that is why Sata was opposed to the ordination of this Sosala as a Paramount chief of us the Bembas. Sata knew this Sosala has questionable morals and principles and has questionable values,” he said.

He went on to claim that Bembas have a wrong and misplaced chief. And that the Chitimukulu is corrupt as he is the same chief who is reportedly selling land to the Chinese and sharing all the proceeds with his own children without regard for his subjects who are lacking salt in their homes.

While Mr. Chishimba Kambili of NDC, though being a member of the Opposition Alliance, distanced himself from the damaging statement, with Mr. Steve Nyirenda of NAREP; Andyford of PAC and Sean Tembo of PeP having already left the alliance, Messrs Hichilema and Milupi remained mute, meaning that indeed they were behind the statement.

The Paramount Chief has lamented that it is very unfortunate that the three party presidents are accusing chiefs of being cadres when they are supposed to know better.

“The role of a chief continues to be extremely challenging because he occupies an integral position within the authority structure of society: in one set of relations, he is a tribal leader and in another set of relations, he is in the hierarchy of the government administration,” the Chitimukulu stated.

“The problem of Messrs. Hichilema, Milupi and Lukuku arises mainly from lack of self-contentment and self-confidence since they see more in me than in themselves which translates into uncontrollable envy. This can actually be clearly drawn from their unreasonable response to the critical issue of voters’ apathy which I had raised on Radio Mano,” the Mwine Lubemba emphasised.

The Mwine Lubemba explained that what upset the trio was his discussing of the voter apathy in his chiefdoms which had no tribal connotations whatsoever but was meant to teach his people to understand their civic responsibilities of taking part in governance issues for that helps to shape the direction of political decisions that eventually affect everyone.

“What I was speaking about was voter apathy, referring to statistics in the 2016 presidential elections. Experts usually say that human beings think in circles and our thought-patterns can easily be identified no matter how cleverly we might try to twist the frame of our language, since our motives hidden in our sub-conscience mind will betray us. And the hatred was clearly revealed in their responses,” he stated.

And Senior Chief Mukuni had strongly condemned the trio for intentionally choosing to misunderstand the message by the Paramount Chief.

“The Chitimukulu expressed displeasure at his subjects who were not critically using the power of the vote in choosing quality and responsible leadership that would bring development to his Chiefdom, and that they were usually duped by empty promises made by politicians. That’s a cry of every traditional leader who wishes to see economic and social advancement for his or her people,” he started.

“The Paramount Chief therefore merely counseled the Bena Lubemba to emulate the Southerners better known as the people of Chuundu, who recognize the importance of voting than follow the false fantasies of politicians. He actually never cited any political party in which his subjects must particularly identify themselves with. As a matter of fact, he encouraged them to make their own choices, but based on quality leadership that would deliver and also protect their interests,” he continued.

Senior Chief Mukuni went on to describe Paramount Chief Chitimukulu as an intellectual and an accomplished historian who appreciates the established norms and resolve of Southerners in using the vote, to resoundingly register a grievance against any unjust establishment.

By Sishuwa Sishuwa

In April 1952, a 26-year old man stood before the Northern Rhodesia Chief Justice, who had been asked by the Attorney General to consider whether this young man was ‘a danger to peace and good order’ and whether he had been ‘inciting Africans against Europeans’. The judge was further asked to consider whether he found grounds to recommend to the Governor that the man should be deported. Following two days of court hearings, the young man was solemnly declared to be ‘a danger to peace and good order’, and, after a fruitless appeal to the High Court and eight months in jail in Livingstone, he was deported to England, a country he had previously neither visited nor lived in. That young man was one of the few white men to stand up against white supremacy in Northern Rhodesia. He was a member of Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula’s African National Congress (ANC), and is one of the heroes of Zambia’s struggle for independence. His name is Simon Ber Zukas. He is still living with us today and turns 95 years this month. Who is Zukas and how did he end up in prison?

Born 31 July 1925 in Ukmerge, Lithuania, Zukas came to Zambia on 26 July 1938 to join his father, a Jewish settler who had earlier migrated to the industrial Copperbelt and established himself as a successful trader. After completing his secondary education in Luanshya and colonial Zimbabwe and serving briefly in the armed forces during the Second World War, Zukas went to South Africa to read for a degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Cape Town in 1947. His time in South Africa, coinciding with the inauguration of apartheid, thrust him into radical student politics where he distinguished himself as a shrewd operator and rehearsed his later confrontations with the African colonial apparatus.

Upon graduation in December 1950, the young engineer returned to Zambia where he learnt of the colonial government’s plans to federate the country with Zimbabwe (then Southern Rhodesia) and Malawi (Nyasaland). Arguing that this would serve the interests of the white settler minority, further disadvantaging the black majority and delaying the attainment of independence, Zukas put aside his professional and personal considerations to join the ANC, the main nationalist movement at the time. Though constituting a risk to his own life, his decision to confront those who perpetuated injustice and become an active participant in the struggle for independence was a statement of his commitment to equality and was in sharp contrast to most whites at the time, whose support for African causes was limited to hushed statements from the safety and comfort of home.

When white settlers and the colonial regime intensified their campaign for the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Zukas – alongside other young, militant nationalists like Justin Chimba, Reuben Kamanga, Jonathan Chivunga, Nephas Tembo and Abner Kazunga – formed, in April 1951, the Anti-Federation Action Committee, of which he became secretary, and began rallying thousands of Zambians, especially those on the influential Copperbelt, to resist the proposed plans. Noting his growing influence in the nationalist movement, the colonial authorities ordered him to abandon his opposition to the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland and, when he defied the directive, sent him to prison in April 1952. He remained in detention until December that year, when he was deported. But Zukas never turned his back on Zambia. He remained a hugely significant political figure in the nationalist movement, rendering support from London in the form of strategic advice, mobilising considerable resources and serving as the crucial link between the African nationalists in Zambia and their backers abroad.

Upon independence in October 1964, the new government led by President Kenneth Kaunda and his United National Independence Party (UNIP) invited Zukas to return to Zambia. Despite running a successful engineering consulting firm in England, he came back to Lusaka and, in a unique manifestation of patriotism, took Zambian citizenship in October 1965. While he was close to Zambia’s political leadership in the First and Second Republics, Zukas devoted much of his time during this period to establishing and leading his engineering consultancy firms. He offered the young country his professional expertise and was responsible for the structural designs and supervision of major public constructions such as Parliament, State Lodge, University of Zambia (UNZA) School of Mines and the flyover bridge on the Great East Road. The UNIP leadership also regularly consulted him on a variety of subjects and his advice was greatly valued. Further national involvement was expressed through his board membership to state institutions such as Industrial Development Corporation, Zambia National Building Society, National Council for Scientific Research and UNZA Council, on which he served from 1966 to 1990.

After his efforts to persuade President Kaunda and UNIP to abandon the one-party state failed, Zukas, like many Zambians, broke ranks with his friends and joined the drive towards multi-party politics. He attended the Garden House Conference that resulted in the creation of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) in July 1990, was elected as the party’s first Vice-National Chairperson at its inaugural convention in February 1991 and played a leading role in the political revolution that followed. In the founding general elections following the re-introduction of multiparty politics, Zukas easily won a parliamentary seat in Sikongo constituency, Western Province. That he, a white Zambian, achieved that feat in one of the country’s most conservative regions, where he had no roots whatsoever, speaks to Zukas’ nationalist credentials as well as his political skill and ability to convince people of the need for change.

Between 1991 and 1996, under President Frederick Chiluba’s government, Zukas held several ministerial positions and history shows that he stood by his principles, was never afraid to speak his mind, and championed the interests of the poor and disadvantaged. He frequently cautioned his colleagues not to lose sight of the reasons why the MMD was formed and had been given an overwhelming mandate by the electorate. Zukas despised political sycophancy and hero-worshipping leaders. He was almost always guided by pragmatism, his conscience and respect for human dignity. Thus, when the Chiluba government passed the 1996 Constitution, which, among other things, barred Kaunda and Lozi Senior Chief Inyambo Yeta from contesting the 1996 general elections, Zukas, as did Dipak Patel, quit his Cabinet position in protest. His resignation signified that there could be civility in politics and that the principle of collective responsibility could not be sustained when the government was doing wrong. He remains one of very few politicians to voluntarily resign their lucrative ministerial positions in the Third Republic, along with Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika, Baldwin Nkumbula, Ludwig Sondashi, Rodger Chongwe and Vice-President Levy Mwanawasa.

When Chiluba hatched plans, towards the end of his second term, to amend the constitution of Zambia and seek an unconstitutional third term of office, Zukas joined hands with other progressive forces to oppose the President’s bid. He travelled abroad extensively to canvass support for the Oasis Forum, the grouping of civic associations that championed the campaign against the third term. When Chiluba finally succumbed to political pressure and shelved his plans in early 2001, Zukas was among those who formed the Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) and became its first National Chairperson. He remained active in politics until 2005 when he retired and voluntarily stepped down as FDD chairperson at the age of 80.

Over the past fifteen years, Zukas has continued to speak out periodically on matters of national importance, stressing the need to fight corruption, uphold peace, promote national unity, support media freedom, protect democracy, improve the delivery of social services, reduce (rural) poverty, and scale down the high rate of unemployment. More recently, worried about the negative turn that the country has taken, he joined hands with other concerned citizens to form the appropriately named Our Civic Duty Association, an organisation that seeks to foster good governance, encourage effective management of the economy, and serve as a platform for robust discussion of the most salient policy and national issues.

A teetotal non-smoker who exercises daily and a man utterly at ease with himself, his personal life speaks of temperance, mental and physical discipline and the presence of an equal partner – Cynthia Robinson, whom he married on 30 January 1954 and with whom he has two sons – that has helped him reach such a grand age in an era when lifespans and marriages are increasingly short.

As a genuine and dedicated cadre of progressive change, a defender of principle and the public good, and a porter of a moral power earned from selfless service as a foot soldier for freedom, development, democracy, equality and justice, Zukas evinces true citizenship. Ever on the right side of history, he shows us that to live is a state of continual consciousness. While highly approachable and humble, he holds strong political beliefs for which he is prepared to sacrifice privilege. As he attains 95, the young generation of political activists should look to him for wisdom and counsel. He has seen it all in his long and distinguished political career.

In a world in which many are driven to show off not just their wealth and power but also their heroism, the numerous sacrifices they had to make and the grand battles they had to fight, Zukas refuses to beat his own drum, repeatedly praising the work of others rather than himself, and he remains extraordinarily modest about his considerable achievements. Zambia has great need of such patriots and active citizens as Zukas, who understand that the essence of life is service. It was as if he was spurred by the words of the Chilean poet and revolutionary, Pablo Neruda, who, in the poem “So is my life” wrote:

“My duty moves along with my song: I am I am not: that is my destiny. I exist not if I do not attend to the pain of those who suffer: they are my pains. For I cannot be without existing for all, for all who are silent and oppressed I come from the people and I sing for them: My poetry is song and punishment. I am told: you belong to darkness. Perhaps, perhaps, but I walk toward the light. I am the man of bread and fish and you will not find me among books But with women and men: They have taught me the infinite”.

May we all attend to the pain of those who suffer, exist for the silent and oppressed, walk towards the light and learn, from Zukas’ life, the infinite! And as he turns 95 this monthend, may we take a moment to pay a courtesy call on him and unite in singing ‘Happy Birthday, Simon’!

Credit: Diggers Newspaper

Chitimukulu & Politics

By Malama Katulwende

I am getting very concerned that Mwina Lubemba, His Highness the Paramount Chief Chitimukulu of Bemba speaking people, is becoming embroidered in petty politics.

In yesterday’s Daily Nation, I read an alarming headline, which declared that a named opposition political party has plans to dethrone him. I think this is ridiculous.

In November, 2013 the ruling Patriotic Front under the late President Michael C. Sata, and Home Affairs Minister, the incumbent President Edgar Chagwa Lungu sent 500 police officers to Mungwi, Kasama, to prevent the installation of Mr. Sosala as Chief Chitimukulu. The Patriotic Front (PF) and Government officially did not want Sosala to become the paramount chief of the Bemba.

Interestingly, it were opposition leaders and people of Southern province, who supported Mr. Sosala, by condemning President Sata for undermining the chief. The members of the Patriotic Front – all of them, including most Bemba speaking people, were quiet and subdued. So how can it be that opposition political members, who fought Sata in supoort of Sosala, would plot to dethrone Chitimukulu? And now – the Patriotic Front are darlings of the chief?

Country men and women, the recent “dethroning” events have happened on the backdrop of a sustained campaign to banish a named political party and leader, from visiting Muchinga, Luapula, Northern and Copperbelt provinces, actions which are totally unconstitutional and unjust.

As a human being, a Zambian, and a reasonable person, I will not support acts of injustice and persecution against some Zambians who want to exercise their civic rights in the political space.

This is not the Zambia which we must build. I think we should all embrace inclusiveness, distributive justice, the rule of law and and good governance. If we consciously act to exclude others from participating in the politics of their country, by using institutions such as the police and judiciary against them, then what country are we creating?

I do hope that His Royal Highness Chitimukulu, will exercise restraint and refuse to be drawn into trivial politics. If he shiuld speak at all, let him speak through an official spokes person. As a traditional leader, Paramount Chief Chitimukulu is a father to every citizen of this nation, and he should therefore NOT support any political party, except advise his subjects fairly in their exercise of constitutional rights.

Please Kanabesa, leave politics alone and unite this country…

And to my Bemba-speaking citizens; so much injustice, persecution and crime is being committed in your “name”. It is time to stand up and refuse to be used in things which don’t make sense.

We are one Zambia one nation.

Sesheke UPND member of parliament Romeo Kang’ombe says the PF government and Inspector General of Police have reduced the police service to a playground for cadres.

Kang’ombe in a statement said the ruling PF are a curse to the people of Zambia.

The lawmaker said police officers should not despair as their hope should be in change of government next year.

“Better days are coming. We shall restore the dignity and respect for our men and women in uniform. Since the coming of the Patriotic Front (PF) into power, we have seen very important institutions of governance being reduced to play grounds for political party cadres, key among them is the Zambia Police Service,” he said.

“The Police Inspector General Kakoma Kanganja working with the PF have taken away the powers, respect and dignity that our men and women in uniform deserve to an extent of receiving orders and bowing before an ordinary cadre with the police chief not seeing anything wrong with that. Unfortunately, even the President who is the Commander-In-Chief is also comfortable with this threat to national security.”

Kang’ombe wondered how a government can be so careless to legalise lawlessness in the name of politics.

“The PF itself will be devoured by this monster they have created. Remember these cadres started by attacking opposition members, then they went for a cabinet minister and now they have started attacking the police right at police stations. Next they will start attacking judges in their chambers and when there is no one to attack they will go for the President himself. This is how much we have compromised our national security. Our markets have been turned into barracks for cadres. Surely this PF leadership is a curse to our country,” he said. “I want to put it on record that we, as UPND, stands with our men and women in uniform as they pass through this persecution from the police IG and his minions. We are assuring our officers that better days are coming when they will be allowed to execute their duties without any interference. Days are coming when their respect and dignity shall be restored.”

Kang’ombe urged officers to remain strong and resolute during this period.

“As we head towards general elections, police officers and many other institutions should remember that it’s not only voting time but also the time to liberate themselves from PF cadres. Our first priority when in government is to clean up the public service and restore professionalism. We shall get rid of all the ghost PF workers who are draining our country’s treasury. We shall also restore order in the local councils. You cannot develop a nation using lawlessness and disorder. This is what PF has done and we shall avoid it,” said Kang’ombe. “We shall make sure that our youths are given formal employment and business opportunities so that they can contribute to the development of our country. We shall also harness the God given talents and potential of our people. No one will be left behind; everyone will participate in rebuilding the economy of our country regardless of political affiliation, tribe and status in society.”

Recently, PF cadres stormed the Lusaka Central Police Station where they allegedly beat up officers and stole money belonging to an officer on duty.

STOP BEING CRY BABIES, GO AND MOBILIZE YOUR PARTY- KAMPYONGO TELLS UPND.

…… Says it was a Constitutional Court Ruling that allowed Correctional Service inmates to vote in the coming election not the PF and its Government as suggested by the UPND.

HOME Affairs Minister Hon Stephen Kampyongo has questioned the intelligence and seriousness of United Party for National Development UPND Secretary General Steven Katuka and his party who claim to have written to the European Union and the Electoral Commission of Zambia over the decision to allow Inmates to vote.

Speaking at a media briefing held in Lusaka to give an update on the security situation in the country today, Hon Kampyongo said that it is unfortunate that the entire Secretary General of a political party can accuse government of trying to rig elections by allowing inmates to vote.

Hon Kampyongo reiterated that the subject of allowing Inmates to vote was not a decision by government but by civil society organizations such as PRISCA and others through a constitutional court ruling.

“You all do recall that in 2017, a Mr Malembeka representing an organization called PRISCA went to the Constitutional Court where it was ruled that correctional service inmates be allowed to vote in future elections, it was not ourselves as government that went to court and the UPND Secretary General will do well to work with facts unlike concocting things for political expediency” Hon Kampyongo said.

The Minister said the Opposition Party Secretary General Steven Katuka is free to petition the Concourt against the ruling it passed in 2017 in Favor of Mr Malembeka and his Organization.

“The naivety of the Secretary General of the UPND is perturbing really that instead of going on the ground to mobilize votes for his party he has instead as usual opted to start crying like a small baby even to a point of going to write to the European Union who are well aware of the origin of this decision to allow inmates formerly known as prisoners to vote” Hon Kampyongo said.

He said it is now becoming absurd that the UPND should always rush to making accusations of vote rigging even when a normal and routine exercise such as mobile voter registration is conducted.

Meanwhile the Home Affairs Minister has commended the Zambia Police Command in Muchinga Led by Provincial Commissioner Eng Joel Njase for adequately dealing with the Matter of an indisciplined officer who deserted the service through social media.

CHITIMUKULU RESPONDS TO HH

Alleged UPND plot against Chitimukulu: Kalulu Tapusuka Mipya Ibili – Part 3

July 24, 2020

By Dr. Henry Kanyanta Sosala

Kalulu Tapusuka Mipya Ibili, this saying can be translated as: ‘’The hare does not escape the burning plains twice.’’ The actual lesson is that no one should take his lucky for granted or push one’s lucky star too far.

As regards, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema and UPND, In March 2018 I wrote an article in which I alleged that Patrick Mucheleka, a senior member of UPND Management Committee had told Kangwa Mucheleka of Ndola, a member of the Bemba royal family that after the UPND party gets into power in 2021, I would be disposed since I am not a genuine member of the Bemba royal family because my great-great grandmother was not the genuine person who was later brought back after the primitive Ngoni savages kidnapped her.

In 1938, W.V. Brelsford in ‘’The Succession of Bemba Chiefs’’ wrote: ‘’Chimbabantu had been captured when she was very young, about 12-14 years of age, by the Ngoni during the raid. She was sold by the Ngoni to a Fungwe native who married her. Some years later greetings and messages began to come through from her by way of ivory traders. Kafola, the son of Mukukamfumu III was told to make enquiries and he discovered where she was and so she was finally brought back about 1890 with her Fungwe husband. He was given ivory and he went away leaving Chimbabantu and her two children Musenga and his sister Chabili. The two children are now Chief Nkolemfumu VI and Chieftainess Chandamukulu IV. The former will probably become Paramount and the latter’s sons too perhaps. After her return home Chimbabantu (now Chandamukulu III) successfully married three Bemba and had two girls and a son, one child by each husband. These three are Kasonde, Mubanga and Mutale Nshika (currently chief Mpepo IV).’’

And indeed as predicted by Mr. Brelsford, twenty-eight years later, Mr. Ntelwa Musenga became Chitimukulu number 34. He became Chitimukulu even though his father was a primitive Ngoni tribesman because we are matrilineal and therefore our successions depend on our mothers and even in some patrilineal chiefdoms, the son has to be born while his father was on the throne in order to avoid wrong children to ascend to chiefly thrones. And Kasonde who was one of the three children born when Chilobelobe ha returned to Lubemba was my maternal grand-mother.

On 18th March 2020, The Daily Nation came out with the headline: UPND PLOTTING TO DETHRONE CHITIMUKULU and went on: Bemba chiefs have accused UPND of planning to dethrone Henry Kanyanta Sosala as Chitimukulu if they form government in 2021. This follows continued attacks on Paramount Chief Chitimukulu by UPND deputy secretary-general Patrick Mucheleka. In a statement signed by chiefs Mumpolokoso, Mukwikile, Shibwalya Kapila, Mubanga, Chipalo, Luchembe and Chikwanda, the traditional leaders said the continued attacks by a senior member of the UPND confirmed that indeed the party intended to dispose Henry Kanyanta Sosala as Chitimukulu in 2021.

The Chiefs went on, ‘’We wish to make it clear that we are now fed up with the utterances and all demeaning remarks by one of your senior members of the UPND management committee… when you fight the Paramount Chief, you fight the entire Bemba tribe, we shall therefore explain to all our village headmen about the UPND intentions.’’ They also pointed out that after the 2016 presidential and general elections, Bembas were beaten and their houses vandalized and the entire UPND remained mute over the issue and we strongly believe that it was a deliberate policy.

And indeed this is UPND’s deliberate policy to provoke the Bemba because Mucheleka himself confided into someone that the Bemba chiefs would never be answered ’’because the UPND Management Committee gives me hefty allowances to travel to Kasama to attack Chitimukulu.’’ And true to his word, there has never to-date been a comment from UPND.

In this article you will read about the dangerous and dirty politics that are being played by the three partners of the Opposition Alliance namely, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema of the United Party for National Development (UPND); Mr. Charles Milupi of the Alliance for National Development (ADD) and Mr. James Lukuku of the Progressive Party (PP).They have a deliberate, malicious, unjustified and sustained effort to assassinate my character and damage my reputation or credibility.

Let me quote what I said in my broadcast on Radio Mano from what Silumesi Malumo reported and see if there is any tone of tribalism anywhere throughout my radio address: ‘’Paramount Chief Chitimukulu has warned Bemba-speaking people to vote en mass and ensure they choose the right person, failure to which they would cry and know Jesus. Mwinelubemba said Bembas had a 21 percent majority which should be used for the right leader otherwise they would regret not doing so. The chief spoke against voter apathy and explained that Southern Province people knew how to vote while Bembas were a useless majority. The Bemba had no problem voting for other tribes, like they voted for Kaunda, Chiluba, Mwanawasa, Rupiah Banda and Sata. He said Bembas were content to vote for others, though not a bad thing, but they should also push for development. He also spoke against Bembas who join or form political parties just to insult their tribe because of money they were being given. He emphasized that Bembas must use their majority to vote for the right people to develop their area. He warned against vote apathy in Muchinga, Northern and Luapula provinces, saying that Southern province people did better than three provinces because they knew what they were doing….. Southerners know what they are doing but Bembas are too nonchalant and just want to be led and don’t mind voting for other tribes …’’

What I was speaking was about vote apathy in Northern, Luapula, Muchinga and Southern Provinces I was referring to statistics in the 2016 presidential elections which were as follows: In NP, the total registered voters was 557,225, the total votes cast was 298,751 and turnout was 53.61%. In LP, the total registered voters was 510,467, the total votes cast was 258,751 and the turnout was 50.6%. In MP, the total registered voters was 349,231, the total votes cast was 196,302 and the turnout was 56.21%. In SP, the total registered voters were 810,077, the total votes cast was 585,343 and the turnout was 72.26%.

On apathy the figures were as follows: 1.Southern Province 27.74%: 2. North-western Province 38.72%: 3. Western Province 42.76%: 4. Lusaka Province 43.31%; 5. Muchinga Province 48.75%: 6. Northern Province 46.39%: 7.Copperbelt Province 46.47%: 8. Central Province 48.66%: 9. Eastern Province 49.26%: 10. Luapula Province 49.40%.

Experts usually say that human beings think in circles and our thought-patterns can easily be identified no matter how cleverly we might try to twist the frame of our language, since our motives hidden in our sub-conscience mind will betray us. And the hatred was clearly revealed in this response:

James Kasanda Lukuku, the Opposition Alliance spokesperson issued a joint statement that had been made by himself with Messrs. Hichilema and Milupi: ‘’It is irresponsibility of the highest order for the Chitimukulu to publish sectarianism, regionalism and tribalism on a radio programme from a radio station called Mano in Kasama. Being a chief is not a passport for segregating our people away from the spirit of One Zambian, One Nation, and neither is it a passport for you not to expect to be challenged.’’
He went on to claim that Paramount Chief Chitimukulu was a PF cadre who was on the party’s payroll. ‘’We have swallowed enough of our PF oriented Chief Chitimukulu. He must realize that in most East African countries there is nothing like chiefs and he is purely existing on the discretion of we the Bemba people. We can rise up one day and say to hell with chiefs and he can have no platform to preach divisional, segregative and tribal politics.’’

The Alliance spokesperson did not spare the Head of State either. ‘’Twakana. Lekeni HH alubule ichalo na mano yakwe no butungulushi bwakwe. (We refuse. Let HH rule us with his acquired knowledge). How honestly can Chitimukulu support a hypothetical Christian, a dictator and drunkard, at a time our country is in ICU? Every moment state House hosts chiefs and the Chitimukulu, what follows are tribal remarks either from Chitimukulu or his surrogates. Why? that is why Sata was opposed to the ordination of this Sosala as a Paramount chief of us the Bembas. Sata knew this Sosala has questionable morals and principles and has questionable values.’’
He went on to claim that Bembas have a wrong and misplaced chief. And that the Chitimukulu is corrupt as he is the same chief who is reportedly selling land to the Chinese and sharing all the proceeds with his own children without regard for his subjects who are lacking salt in their homes.’’

I was very skeptical as well as many others who were advising Mr. Hichilema to distance himself from such a statement because in the first, it is completely out of place and second it depicts a very low caliber of thinking for the authors. In this respect, Mr. Ngande Mwananjiti wrote: ‘’Those who resort to unpalatable language and insults are just not capable of dealing with issues at hand in a reasonable manner. It is not any different from the case of war lords or terrorists who measure success by the number and level of destruction.’’(Daily Nation 1st July 2015).

On the other hand, Mr. Chishimba Kambili of NDC though being a member of the Opposition Alliance has denied to have been a part to the damaging statement. And Steve Nyirenda of NAREP; Andyford of PAC and Sean Tembo of PeP had already left the alliance.
But it is very unfortunate that the three party presidents are accusing chiefs of being cadres when they are supposed to know better. However, the role of a chief continues to be extremely challenging because he occupies an integral position within the authority structure of society: in one set of relations, he is a tribal leader and in another set of relations, he is in the hierarchy of the government administration.

And as to the wild false claim that I have obtained money from Chinese investors which I have shared with my children, but to the contrary we have Ulubemba Investments which is a sustainable developmental strategy that is mandated to oversee the harnessing of the vast resources for the benefit of the populace in Ulubemba. And we have no Chinese investors in Ulubemba except those working on road constructions.

Mr. Hichilema and his colleagues claimed that Bembas have a wrong and misplaced chief. But to the contrary my leadership abilities and my higher level of intellectual output have even been recognized far beyond outside our borders. The board members of Africa Opportunity Co-ordination Organization (AOCO) based in Nairobi sent me the following letter of appointment through Dr. Wang: ‘’ With your royal position and high level of traditional knowledge and experience of the traditional norms and culture in Zambia, Africa AOCO board has appointed you to spearhead the formation of Pan African Development Committee in chiefdoms not only in Zambia, but in Africa as a whole.’’ And as I stated in Part I, President Sata became irritated and decided to destroy my character and integrity internationally, by referring to me as ‘’fake chief,’’ and he de-gazetted me.

The University of New Mexico was established around 1898 and I was in 2019, the sixth to be awarded with a honourary degree just because the university maintains high standards of criteria. And I was awarded a degree in philosophy. And the dictionary defines philosophy as the use of reason in understanding such things as the nature of reality and existence; the use and limits of knowledge and the principles that govern and influence moral judgement.

And to my best knowledge none of the three, i.e., Messrs. Hichilema, Milupi and Lukuku has ever been recognized anywhere outside Zambia for leadership abilities or for outstanding intellectual output. Their problem arises mainly from lack of self-contentment and self-confidence since they see more in me than in themselves which translates into uncontrollable envy. This can actually be clearly drawn from their unreasonable response to the critical issue of voters’ apathy which I had raised on Radio Mano. Eckhart Tolle wrote: ‘’Whatever you fight, you ignite and strengthen and whatever you resist persists.’’ (TO BE CONTINUED)

UPND HAS NO QUARREL WITH PARAMOUNT CHIEF CHITIMUKULU

As Provincial Chairman for UPND in Northern Province Iam appalled at how some people can be so desperate as to drive a wedge between our Supreme Bemba Chief and the leader of UPND PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema whom Iam privileged to have come to know as a humble person and a gentleman too, whom I can vouch for and doubt whether he’s even capable of uttering such abominable words from his mouth.

As Chairman of the Province under him , if that was the official position of the Party, I would be the first one to oppose that detestable stance but In all fairness I verily believe that HH cannot adopt such a stance , far from it

Let me assure the Paramount Chief MWINE LUBEMBA that as his sons and daughters in UPND we’ll continue to accord that which is due to him and enjoy our cordial relationship with him especially in my case which I value so much….for me Iam like a son to him and he knows I cannot succumb to such abomination.

Hakainde Hichilema is his subject and son whom I believe has no issues to settle with him as was the case when he rose to the occasion during the time he was blocked from ascending to the throne.He made sure he marshalled enough support among the UPND Mps and the general membership to oppose what the MWINE LUBEMBA was subjected to until under pressure the power that posed a threat to the Paramount Chieftainship succumbed and he eventually ascended to the throne to which HH can claim a stake for having put up a vigorous campaign to achieve and that is still the position.

He holds him in high esteem and he’s confided in me as such…..Nothing has changed and nobody should even contemplate doing that which is retrogressive…I stand to be the witness.

Let me also take this opportunity to advise my fellow citizens to be level headed as they comment on this issue which they don’t even understand its genesis.

Nathan Ilunga
UPND Chairman
Northern Province.

By Agness Changala-Katongo

Makebi Zulu says the set back suffered on the Constitutional Amendment Bill Number 10, following the adjournment of Parliament on Tuesday, is not a defeat on President Edgar Lungu.

And Zulu, who is Eastern Province minister has insisted that Bill 10 will be on the order paper whenever Parliament resumes sitting.

Speaking with Daily Revelation, Zulu was asked if the setback was a defeat on President Lungu, in response, Zulu said Bill 10 was not dead and those celebrating are doing it prematurely.

“Bill is not dead. It’s not dead. We have adjourned. We have business of the House which we will finish when we re-open. The celebration is premature. The circumstances themselves are justifiable enough for the Bill to continue,” Zulu said.

Asked on the arguments by those opposed to the Bill that it’s time to be debated lapsed, Zulu said there was no rule that talks about tile frame.

“There is no rule that talks about time frame. You see we set our own rules in the Standing Orders Committee, okay. There is nothing in the standing orders that provides for the time frame.The same manner that we chose to adjourn now, before the end of the session is the same way we are going to deal with Bill 10 because the reason why we have not debated Bill 10 this time and last time is the same,” he said.

“It is not anybody’s wanting that things should go this way. It is not anybody who made it happen this way so that won’t work.”

He said those opposed to Bill 10 were jittery and scared that it was more likely to pass.

“It is just fear that Bill 10 is more likely than not, to pass and that is really making them jittery. Bill 10 will pass and we will debate it when we re-open Parliament and that I can assure you,” Zulu said.

He said assuming that National Assembly does not open this year, and only opens in January next year, Bill 10 will still be on the order paper.

Zulu said the PF was still on Bill 10 because it was in the best interest of Zambians that it is debated and passes.

He added that those opposing Bill 10 just lost a case in court which was filed two weeks ago in an attempt to stop the process.

Asked who he was refering to, Zulu said he was referring to Jack Mwiimbu.

Mwiimbu is the UPND Monze Central member of Parliament and leader of the opposition in Parliament who sought judicial review in the High Court to halt Bill 10 debate as it lapsed on June 4, 2020.

However, High Court judge Sharon Newa dismissed his application on the basis that it was not fit for investigation among other reasons.

Mwiimbu has since refreshed his application in the Court of Appeal to ensure that the debate on the Constitutional Amendment bill number 10 of 2019 is discontinued.

Zulu said Mwiimbu filed his case two weeks ago and lost it a week ago.

He said the judgement was very clear that the court could not interfere with the internal process of National Assembly.

“He filed a case two weeks ago and he lost it a week ago and the judgment of the court is very clear. In short they can’t interfere with the internal processes of the National Assembly. We set our own rules and abiding by those rules,” said Zulu.

He said what opposers of Bill 10 were doing was an attempt to sway people’s from it.

Zulu said those celebrating that Bill 10 was over can enjoy their momentary celebration but they would have to go back to their senses at some point, debate the issues in Bill 10, debate properly, level headedly and make the people of Zambia understand.

By Patson Chilemba

Tasila Lungu is a good girl who deserves a second chance, says deputy government chief whip Tutwa Ngulube.

And Ngulube has warned his fellow ruling PF member Colonel Panji Kaunda not to push his luck too far, saying it has been too much of him attacking President Edgar Lungu’s daughter Tasila.

Speaking with Daily Revelation, Ngulube said one did not need to be the President’s daughter to enjoy the provision where they could have their criminal matters resolved, in the same manner the Ministry of Lands was discussing to resolve Tasila’s offence. Tasila fenced the approximately 3790 hectares Forest Number 70, popularly known as Chimutengo in Sinda’s, Eastern Province.

He said it was unfortunate that Tasila, who is a private citizen, should be punished and suffer all prejudices just because her father was the Head of State.

“I think let us be fair with Tasila she is a very good girl. I don’t think she is one of those presidents daughters we heard in the past who were breaking the law. I think Tasila for me deserves a second chance if at all she committed that offence,” Ngulube said. “She is not one person you can say we have to punish. No. Tasila is a very good girl. We have seen presidents daughters in the past who used to willfully break the law.”

Asked to mention which previous presidents daughters he was referring to who were willfully breaking the law, Ngulube refused to mention names as history will judge, immediately channeling his attention towards attacking Col Panji.

“Well I don’t want to mention names because history will judge itself but I know that Colonel Panji Kaunda is a very bitter man. Okay. And we know that although he claims to be PF he’s actually been campaigning for the UPND and his language shows that he’s in the opposition,” Ngulube said. “So we just want to warn him that he can enjoy his peace without insulting the President’s daughter or everybody else. We have heard of forests being degazetted and we are also aware that the Ministry of Lands through the Forestry Department can even give you permission to occupy a forest. So it’s not unheard of.”

Ngulube said one could even be given a concession in a forest, and could do all sorts of things except chopping down trees, although there was no record of Tasila having been issued with such privileges, as was made clear by Lands permanent secretary Ndashe Yumba’s that she committed a criminal offence.

“So Col Panji Kaunda should not push his luck too far I think it’s been too long now he’s been attacking an innocent girl Tasila who qualifies to be his granddaughter and as a senior citizen I think he can do better than what he is trying to do,” Ngulube said, adding that words coming from the Colonel’s mouth showed that he was angry with something. “He was a nominated member of parliament when president Sata was there so I think when President Lungu became president and his nomination was not sustained that hatred came in. At least he should remember that Zambian is for all of us and different people should serve at different times.”

Asked on Col Panji’s stated position, that he made it known to the President in the presence of former political advisor Kaizar Zulu, that he was not available for public office but was, however, going to campaign for the President in the 2016 elections, Ngulube said he did not think so, accusing the Colonel of being power hungry.

“Col Panji Kaunda is not one person who can refuse an appointment. We know him, we know his background. We know his past. Even when president Sata appointed him he didn’t even have a trousers to wear at State House. You know so we know what we are talking about,” he argued.

Asked if there was a provision in the law to discuss matters of a criminal nature, Ngulube said there was nothing wrong with doing so, as the Forestry Act provided for an option of a fine, adding that it was not just about going around punishing people who might have been mistaken. He said the offence Tasila is alleged to have committed was more of a civil nature, although it was a crime.

“You know when you buy a piece of land and someone tells you it is traditional land, you might not know it is actually in the forest so there is that option of saying okay why don’t we do this? why don’t you remove the fence, or move this side? We normally have areas that are bordering forests and such offences are very common,” said Ngulube. “So we don’t see anything wrong because the impact, that is more of a civil nature although it is a crime punishable by an offence or payment of a fine, the people should not politicise it. Yah infact if you look at the criminal procedure code section 8 provides for people to negotiate criminal offences.”

Ngulube argued that was why in cases like assault and other offences, which were of a private nature, the law encouraged people to reconcile outside court.

CiSCA Statement on Justice Minister Given Lubinda’s Plans to Reintroduce Bill 10 in Next Parliamentary Session

Lusaka, 24 July 2020:

The Civil Society Constitution Agenda (CiSCA) calls on Justice Minister Given Lubinda to just come out and confirm what we all know: that the Patriotic Front, as usual, are determined and will do everything to abuse their power and use unlawful means to reintroduce Bill 10 during the next Parliamentary session.

A few days ago, Lubinda stated that Bill 10 will be re-tabled in Parliament during the next session. He also cast aspersions on lawmakers and other citizens who are against Bill 10.

As if his unlawful re-gazetting of an already gazetted Bill 10 in May this year was not enough, the Justice Minister wants to follow that up with another unlawful act of re-introducing an expired Bill contrary to Parliamentary Regulations. In preparing for his unlawful act he wants first to test waters by casting aspersions on the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, a personable and credible lawmaker like Hon. Jack Mwimbu who commands more public respect than he does. From their viewpoints any reasonable person can see that Hon. Mwimbu is following and quoting the letter of the Standing Orders while Mr. Lubinda has lamentably failed to do so.

Mr. Lubinda describes those of us opposed to Bill 10 as desperately wanting to remain relevant is a classical example of projecting his own desperation to have Bill 10 enacted against the supremacy of the Zambian people’s will. We challenge Mr. Lubinda to state in whose interest he is still pushing the public rejected Bill 10. We want to ask Mr. Lubinda how in his frame of mind can claim that the many civil society organisations, political parties, traditional leaders, religious groupings, artistes, youths, lawyers, trade unions, eminent constitutional lawyers and professors at law can all be irrelevant in Zambia except him and other proponents of Bill 10. As a Justice Minister, it is shameful that Mr. Lubinda is in the forefront of driving a wedge among citizens instead of listening and bringing Zambians of divergent views together, building consensus, other than being the champion of driving a wedge among us.

We wonder how a serious lawmaker guided by Parliamentary rules and regulations can make an analogy of a baby crying while its caregiver is cooking and the caregiver stopping to attend to the baby to the circumstance of Bill 10’s journey. The two are totally incomparable.

If the PF government was serious about empowering women and youth as they want us to believe, the President would not have appointed another man, with all due respect, Mr. Masiye Wilfred Banda, as Ministry of Home Affairs Permanent Secretary, hardly a week after the burial of the late Dr Chileshe Mulenga.

The President squandered a golden opportunity to demonstrate his political will on empowerment of women, youth and persons living with disabilities, and now they want to hide behind Bill 10. We are not naïve. In fact, Bill 10 does not even provide for appointment of women or provision of safe seats for women, youths, people living with disability and other marginalized groups. Bill 10 only mentions that the electoral system will be changed from a first past the post to mixed member representation, and the mixed member representation will be as prescribed in subsidiary legislation.

We contend that Mr. Lubinda is pushing Bill 10 in his own personal interest. As far as we are concerned, passing Bill 10 by any means necessary is the only helpline for Lubinda to remain relevant in Zambia beyond 2021. Everyone now knows that the only purpose of Bill 10 is to perpetuate the PF’s stay in power. It has nothing to do with advancing the interests of women, youths, persons with disability, or any other citizens.

Issued by:

Judith Mulenga
CiSCA Vice Chairperson

PRESS STATEMENT

24 TH JULY 2020

UPND WILL NOT EMBARK ON FIRING PEOPLE ONCE IN POWER

We want assure all the workers that as UPND we will not embark on firing workers once we form Government in 2021. HH and the UPND appreciate that Human capital is the key driver to any meaningful national development. Instead UPND will motivate workers by improving their conditions of service, to boost productivity and achieve the middle income status. Our main focus once we form Government is to fight corruption and improve the quality of life of the Zambian people. UPND will not tolerate employers that abuse Zambian workers as the case is under the PF regime. All employers will be required to obey the Zambian labour Laws.

Zambians must ignore toxic statements suggesting that UPND will fire certain workers once we form Government. The problem with the PF regime is that, they think UPND will take the route they have taken of stealing and throwing Zambians into abject poverty. There is no way that UPND can envy and continue torturing Zambians. It’s shameful to find ourselves in such a mess under the PF regime. UPND will never engage itself in self destructive schemes of firing people on tribal lines and closing companies like Prime TV.

UPND would like to assure all workers both from the private and public sector that they will be treated as partners in development and not mere tools of production as the case is under PF. There is just too much abuse of workers under PF. UPND will promote the equal pay for equal work across the Country. We have already identified the weak link in the Ministry Labour; currently the labour industry is facing so many challenges because of this weak link. We will fix all the issues concerning the labour force. Our men and women in uniform deserve respect too.

PF has failed to bring sanity to the Zambian workforce because of corruption. Zambian workers are treated like slaves because PF receive kick backs from these employers. Imagine even a pizza is enough to shut the mouth of very senior PF officials. Ba PF your failures are self inflicted, just prepare to be booted out. Zambians have had enough of you. Dragging HH and UPND in your own problems will not save you in any way.

Percy Chanda

UPND – Acting Chairman for Labour and Social Security.