Benin’s president, Patrice Talon, has been toppled by his army in a military coup in that West African country. Patrice Talon has been in power since 6 April 2016.
Before becoming president, Talon was a very successful businessman and one of the most influential figures in Benin’s private sector.
Benin, formerly Dahomey, experienced six successful military coups between 1963 and 1972, as well as two unsuccessful attempts. The country became independent from France on 1 August 1960.
At this moment, there are four West African countries under military rule, namely Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Guinea. Benin becomes the fifth after today’s coup.
In 1997, exhausted by conflict, Liberians voted Taylor into the presidency.
He ruled with terror. Yet some allege he remained on the CIA payroll.
Then The second civil war would soon follow.
This is how Liberia fell.
From American experiment to blood-soaked conflict.
A tiny elite, foreign interests, and secret deals set the stage.
And a man educated in Massachusetts returned to reshape an entire nation with fire and steel.
Charles Taylor: president, warlord, product of America’s complicity.
The second civil war would soon follow.
By 1999, Liberia was again engulfed in chaos.
Taylor’s first rule had fractured into new factions, each led by warlords hungry for power.
Rival armies clashed, civilians were targeted, and child soldiers continued to march with guns in their hands.
Blood diamonds and timber fueled the conflict, enriching warlords while ordinary Liberians starved and fled.
The United States, once so invested in Liberia, largely stepped back.
Washington imposed sanctions and condemned abuses publicly, but behind closed doors, Taylor’s ties to intelligence networks and regional maneuvering allowed him to maintain influence.
American companies like Firestone quietly continued business, indirectly propping up Taylor’s operations.
Liberia had become a testing ground for outside interests, where strategic and economic motives outweighed human cost.
By 2003, Taylor was forced to resign under mounting international pressure and the advance of rebel forces backed by West African peacekeepers.
He fled to Nigeria, eventually facing trial at the Special Court for Sierra Leone for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
His trial revealed the depth of atrocities committed, the networks that supplied him, and the global complicity that allowed his reign to thrive.
Today, Liberia remains scarred.
The population struggles with the legacy of two brutal wars, ethnic divisions, and disrupted institutions.
Charles Taylor is behind bars, but the systems that enabled exploitation and foreign interference continue to shape the country.
The lessons are stark: unchecked power, foreign intervention, and economic exploitation can destroy a nation from within.
Liberia’s story is a warning for Africa, and the world that development without justice leaves nations vulnerable to collapse.
And as a Pan-Africanist, I always remind myself that the fate of one African nation affects us all,
and that true freedom and progress can only come when we protect our people from both internal betrayal and external manipulation.
Schreiber pulls Palestinian visa exemption amid 153-passenger entry irregularities
The government of South Africa has revoked the 90-day visa-exemption previously granted to holders of ordinary Palestinian passports, following what officials say was a deliberate abuse of the system.
The decision comes after the arrival last month of 153 Palestinians in Johannesburg on a chartered flight from Kenya.
The charter flight landed at O.R. Tambo International Airport on 13 November 2025, carrying passengers who reportedly lacked key travel documentations including exit stamps from Israel, onward or return tickets, and full accommodation or destination details. At first, the group was denied entry and held on the plane for some 12 hours.
Initially, parts of the group were eventually allowed to enter on humanitarian grounds after intervention by a local aid organisation.
However, a joint investigation by immigration authorities, national intelligence and South Africa’s security cluster concluded the flight was not a normal tourist charter. Instead, they determined it was part of a “systematic abuse” of the visa-waiver regime allegedly orchestrated by intermediaries working with Israeli-linked actors to relocate Palestinians from Gaza under the guise of short-term travel.
As a result, Department of Home Affairs, led by Minister Leon Schreiber, announced the withdrawal of the visa waiver for Palestinian passport holders, saying any future applications will be treated as standard visa requests especially for short-stay or tourist travel.
In a statement, Schreiber said the decision was necessary to prevent further exploitation of vulnerable people, adding that many of the recent arrivals had one-way tickets, were not permitted luggage and were offered only minimal personal items raising concerns they might be left destitute upon arrival.
With the waiver rescinded, bona fide Palestinian travellers will now need to apply for visas under regular procedures a significant policy shift that underscores growing scrutiny over forced or irregular migration.
Moses Mpofu Apologises to President Mnangagwa, Nation Over Failed Goat Scheme
Businessman Moses Mpofu extended a heartfelt apology to President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the nation during a pre-sentencing inquiry over the collapsed Presidential Goat Scheme.
Facing a verdict that could seal his fate, Mpofu admitted that his actions had contributed to the failure of a programme designed to support vulnerable Zimbabweans.
“I want to express my deepest regrets to President Mnangagwa and the entire nation for my missteps. My actions contributed to the failure of a noble initiative aimed at supporting our people ,” he told the court, adding that the scheme’s shortcomings weighed heavily on him.
Direct Apology to the People of Zimbabwe According to The Herald, later in the proceedings, Mpofu expressed regret over the Presidential Goat scheme’s failure.
“To the people of Zimbabwe, I am truly sorry. Each day, I regret that the Presidential Goat Scheme did not fulfil its promise. As a proud local business figure, I believe in the potential of Government initiatives.”
Moses Mpofu Deflects Blame to Blackdeck While acknowledging his role in the scheme’s failure, Mpofu pointed to Blackdeck, the company involved, as largely responsible for the oversight.
He claimed that its directors failed to conduct proper due diligence.
“Had they been vigilant, they could have exposed the fraudulent documents before it spiralled into this chaos,” he said.
Co-Convict Chimombe’s Defence Pleads for Leniency Meanwhile, co-convict Mike Chimombe also faced sentencing, with his lawyer, Asheal Mugiya, urging the court to consider mitigating factors.
Professor Lovemore Madhuku argued that Chimombe was wrongly implicated as a principal actor and highlighted systemic failures within the government tender process that enabled the fraud to occur.
“The court identified him merely as a co-perpetrator,” Prof Madhuku said, pointing to oversights by the tender committee that allowed the fraud to go undetected.
He called on the court to acknowledge that accountability extended beyond the two men to those entrusted with safeguarding public resources.
Fraud Leaves Beneficiaries in Despair Both Mpofu and Chimombe were convicted last month for orchestrating a scheme that siphoned off US$7.7 million intended for the nation’s goats. Of the promised 85,000 goats, only 4,000 ever reached beneficiaries, leaving countless rural families in despair.
Prosecutor Whisper Mabhaudi however, maintained that the men’s moral culpability was significant.
“They enriched themselves at the expense of the fragile and vulnerable, undermining a project meant for the poorest citizens,” he said, calling for a firm sentence that would affirm justice and protect the interests of Zimbabweans.
Marital Drama As Husband Has Wife Arrested Over US$700 A husband made the dramatic decision to have his own wife arrested after she blew a large sum of his money on gambling. The incident, which culminated in a Bulawayo courtroom this week, saw Simeleni Dube sentenced for spending the US$700 (approx. R13,300) that her husband had entrusted to her for safekeeping.
The case has laid bare a domestic dispute where trust was broken, and the law was invoked, resulting in an unexpected plea for mercy from the very man who called the police. The court heard how money meant for security was lost on card games in town.
The Betrayal That Led To A Police Report The chain of events began on October 14, according to the prosecution. Tawanda Mugodhi, 43, gave his wife US$700 to keep safe at their home in the Nketa 8 suburb. Merely four days later, when he asked for the money back, Dube failed to produce it.
Prosecutor Mandrela Chisiiwa told the court that Dube first claimed she had lent the cash to someone else. However, the truth soon surfaced. According to the account in The Chronicle, when Mugodhi realised his wife could not return the money, his response was decisive.
When Mugodhi realised his wife could not return the money, he reported the matter to the police, leading to her arrest.
This action led to Dube being charged with the unreasonable disposal of property, setting the stage for a remarkable courtroom scene.
A Courtroom Confession And An Unlikely Plea Facing Western Commonage magistrate Mehluli Moyo, Simeleni Dube pleaded guilty to the charge. Under questioning from the magistrate, she abandoned her initial story and confessed what had really happened to the family’s savings.
During the trial, Mr Moyo asked Dube where the money had gone. She then admitted that she had used it to gamble on cards in town and lost everything.
Despite being the complainant who initiated the legal process, Mugodhi then addressed the court with a request that surprised many. He expressed forgiveness and intervened on his wife’s behalf regarding the consequences of her actions.
In a surprising turn, Mugodhi told the court that he forgives his wife and requested that she should not be ordered to repay the money, explaining that she does not have the funds and that he is the one who provides for her.
Community Service Ordered By The Magistrate Magistrate Mehluli Moyo delivered the sentence on December 6, 2025. He sentenced Dube to six months in prison, but suspended three months for five years on condition of good behaviour. The remaining prison time was set aside on a specific condition.
The remaining three months were suspended on condition that she completes 105 hours of community service at Manondwane Primary School, starting Friday, and finishes within four weeks.
This verdict means Dube will avoid jail, provided she fulfils the community service order promptly.
Mo Salah says NEXT WEEK could be his final Liverpool game and accuses the club of ‘throwing him under the bus’: “It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That’s how I feel it. Someone wants me to get all the blame. The club promised me a lot in summer. Now I’m on bench so I can say they haven’t kept those promises.
“I used to have a good relationship [with Arne Slot]. Now we don’t have any relationship and I don’t know why. Seems like someone does not want me in the club. I am just going to be at Anfield and say goodbye to the fans before the African Cup of Nations, because I don’t know what is going to happen when I am there.
“It’s not acceptable to me to be fair. If I was somewhere else, every club would protect its players. Now it’s: ‘Throw Mo under the bus because he is a problem in a team’.”
Footage caught the moment two people dressed up as two Santa Claus found themselves in a heated row inside a supermarket.
Onlookers were left in shock when both Santas started pushing and shoving each other by the fruit and vegetable section.
Both were dressed in the Russian Father Christmas tradition – known as Ded Moroz, or Grandfather Frost, complete with iconic white beards. One was in red, resembling the more popular Western Santa, while the other was clad in white.
Stunned shoppers watched the Santa showdown at the Megastore supermarket, in Baku, Azerbaija
They were said to be fighting over a territorial dispute for spreading Christmas cheer to kids.
Fruit and a small Christmas tree were sent flying during the scuffle.
One Father Christmas took a tumble before getting back up to continue the fight. In the end, it took two burly security staff dressed in black to separate the quarrelling pair.
Sources in Baku said: “Fortunately, no one was seriously injured.”
One onlooker said: “This was more like a mafia-style territorial dispute, over who gets which patch”.
Police later questioned the Santas about the public disagreement.
Dalindyebo blasts ANC and media after Israel visit
Buyelekhaya Zwelibanzi Dalindyebo, king of the AbaThembu, has ignited a firestorm of debate after leading a delegation on a recent visit to Israel and upon return unleashing a blistering attack on his own government’s foreign policy and the South African media.
The visit, hosted by Israel’s Foreign Affairs Minister Gideon Sa’ar, saw the king and his delegation meet with officials in Jerusalem and reportedly visit sites near the Gaza border including the site of the Nova Festival and a kibbutz attacked during the October 7, 2023 events.
At a heated press conference upon his return on 5 December, Dalindyebo said his visit was motivated by a desire to “love Israel” asserting that there should be “someone who loves Israel” amid what he described as a prevailing anti-Israel atmosphere in South Africa.
He did not shy away from targeting African National Congress (ANC) and mainstream media:
“If ANC has a policy, then it can f**ck off with its policy,” Dalindyebo said. “You are taking sides in your questions … If you treat me like a lumpen, I will treat you like a sl***t,” he told journalists, accusing them of being “prostitutes of the ANC.”
Defending his refusal to visit Gaza or meet Palestinians, he declared his views on the militant group Hamas were finalised by what he saw in Israel:
“I would not go to Gaza… Hamas is a club of criminals that hides behind politics and religious beliefs,” he said.
Dalindyebo argued that as a traditional leader, and not just a ceremonial figure, his institution should have been consulted on foreign-policy matters.
The reaction was swift and divided. While some praised the king’s boldness in acting independently, others saw the trip and his remarks as a betrayal of South Africa’s long-standing support for Palestine. Critics, including political figures and civil-society activists, condemned the profanity, personal attacks, and what they described as damage to the country’s diplomatic integrity.
As calls mount for clarity on what the delegation achieved and whether any formal agreements were signed the bigger question looms, what is the role of traditional leadership in
Diddy allegedly wh00p£d and sl@pped his own mother.
Bad Boy Records co-founder Kirk Burrowes accused Diddy of sl@pping his mother, Janice Combs — the woman who gave birth to him.
In the new Netflix documentary, Kirk Burrowes became emotional and recounted the incident.
He said: “I saw Janice questioning Diddy. He had just left college to go full-time into the music business, and right after Biggie’s de@th, this extreme tragedy had occurred. She was like, ‘Did he make the right decision?’”
“Then I saw Diddy put his hands on her, call her a b*tch, and sl@p her. He didn’t even look back.”
DRONES OVER NUKES AND PRESIDENTS: EUROPE’S UNWELCOME FLYING VISITORS
First, 5 drones showed up over France’s top-secret nuclear submarine base.
Then, a military-grade drone reportedly got uncomfortably close to Zelensky’s plane as it landed in Ireland.
Europe is on edge, and with good reason.
The French defense minister confirmed the incident at Île Longue, where the country’s nuclear subs are parked.
Soldiers fired jammers to block the drones.
No one knows who sent them or why, but in a country that’s been dealing with everything from rail sabotage to cement coffins by the Eiffel Tower, people are understandably twitchy.
In Ireland, authorities are investigating the near miss with Zelensky’s plane.
The country, which spends the least on defence in the EU, has no radar, sonar or high-level comms systems.
It also doesn’t have much in the way of drone countermeasures.
Analysts say these incidents expose serious gaps in Europe’s security at a time of heightened tension with Russia.
Whether or not the Kremlin is behind this, someone is clearly testing limits and finding soft spots.
Is the EU Losing Its Credibility? Orban’s Accusation and Elon Musk’s Shockwave
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has sparked fresh controversy by claiming the European Union is “drowning in corruption,” pointing to ongoing investigations involving EU officials and institutions.
He argues that Brussels criticizes corruption in Ukraine while ignoring scandals inside its own system, and accuses both Brussels and Kyiv of protecting each other instead of confronting the truth.
The issue escalated when Elon Musk sharply attacked the EU after his platform X was fined €120 million under the Digital Services Act. Musk responded by saying the EU should be abolished and power should return to individual nations, accusing the bloc of becoming an overreaching bureaucracy that harms free expression and innovation.
As criticism grows from both Orban and Musk, the debate over the EU’s future is intensifying. Do you agree with Elon Musk’s opinion, or do you believe the EU remains essential for Europe’s stability and cooperation?
Witness D had pledged to expose state ties to corrupt mining networks
In the hours before he was killed, whistleblower and security operative Marius “Vlam” van der Merwe reached out with what may have been his final act, a voice note expressing intent to expose deeper networks behind South Africa’s illegal mining crisis.
Van der Merwe, 41, was fatally shot in Brakpan on Friday evening. Earlier that day, he contacted anti-crime activist Yusuf Abramjee, sharing a 62-second recording in which he expressed readiness to go public with information about alleged state-linked role players in illegal mining.
“I’d like to get my story out in public in terms of the role players from the state facilitating illegal mining,” he said in the recording. “I’ve got all the intelligence on that.”
But those alleged state links were not the only explosive thread surrounding Van der Merwe’s work.
The QRF Task Team head, had recently testified under the name “Witness D” at the Madlanga Commission, where he levelled serious allegations of corruption within the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD). His testimony forms part of an already tense and high-stakes inquiry into the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System.
Abramjee confirmed that Van der Merwe had also been seeking a sit-down interview with eNCA to reveal identities and evidence related to both illegal mining syndicates and police involvement.
“He said he was ready to identify himself and feared he could be killed soon,” Abramjee said.
Investigators are now probing whether his murder may be linked to his testimony at the commission, his knowledge of illegal mining networks, or another unknown factor entirely. No motive has been officially confirmed.
The killing has reignited urgent calls for stronger protection of whistleblowers and commission witnesses, a recurring and painful concern in South Africa’s fight against organised crime.
ANC to confront GNU tensions at crucial NGC meeting
The ANC heads into a high-stakes National General Council (NGC) meeting in Boksburg tomorrow, where its decision to govern in a national unity arrangement with the DA and eight other parties will come under the spotlight.
It is the party’s first major review since losing its parliamentary majority in 2024, a defeat that forced it into an unprecedented coalition to retain power.
The Government of National Unity (GNU), formed last year and backed by ten parties commanding over 70% of parliament, was initially hailed as a stabilising breakthrough.
Support for the ANC recovered to 63%, according to a 2025 survey, with President Cyril Ramaphosa also enjoying renewed public confidence.
Underneath the veneer of cooperation, tensions have repeatedly surfaced. Disputes over land reform, National Health Insurance, and budget policy have strained relations, while Ramaphosa’s dismissal of DA deputy minister Andrew Whitfield triggered a public fallout.
The DA has also continued to challenge government decisions in court, a sign of its ongoing struggle to govern and oppose simultaneously.
This week’s NGC will be the clearest measure yet of how committed the ANC remains to the GNU project. While party leaders insist the coalition is necessary for stability and future growth, many grassroots members favour alignment with left-leaning parties such as the EFF instead.
For now, however, neither the ANC nor the DA appears ready to risk a collapse that could backfire ahead of the 2026 local elections.
As delegates convene, South Africa’s coalition experiment faces a defining test, one that could determine whether unity holds or fractures under ideological strain.
HOW EU BUREAUCRACY IS SLOWLY STRANGLING EUROPE’S ECONOMY TO DEATH
Between 2019 and 2024, the EU enacted approximately 13,000 laws.
The United States passed 3,000.
And somehow, America’s economy is growing at 2.5% while Europe limps along at 1.1%.
Coincidence? Absolutely not.
The EU has perfected the art of killing economic growth through paperwork.
While American companies like SpaceX revolutionize space travel with reusable rockets, the EU spent years crafting regulations for tethered bottle caps.
Cost to comply? Between €2.7 and €8.5 billion. Environmental benefit? Actually increased plastic use.
That’s EU bureaucracy in a nutshell: expensive, counterproductive, and completely detached from reality.
Over 60% of European companies say excessive regulation is their biggest barrier to investment.
Germany alone faces €65 billion annually in direct compliance costs, with another €146 billion lost in unrealized economic potential.
German businesses spend 218 hours per year on tax compliance.
Swedish businesses spend 122 hours. Guess which country is more competitive?
The EU’s latest masterpiece is the European Sustainability Reporting Standards: 400 pages, 1,444 data points that companies must track and report.
Because nothing says “competitive economy” like forcing businesses to fill out forms instead of innovating.
Meanwhile, 30% of Europe’s unicorn startups have fled to America since 2008. Young talent is following them.
European AI developers can’t compete with lighter American regulations or Chinese state support, so they’re building elsewhere.
The message from Brussels is clear: if you want to innovate, do it somewhere else.
ExxonMobil CEO called EU methane rules “the worst, most irresponsible piece of legislation I’ve ever seen passed anywhere in the world.”
He’s closing European operations. So are others.
Ineos, British chemical companies, American manufacturers.
They’re all leaving or downsizing because operating in Europe costs too much and delivers too little.
The EU promised this decade to make Europe “the most competitive, knowledge-based economy in the world.” That was 2010.
Today, US GDP is 42% higher than the EU’s, up from just 23% higher in 2008.
Europe isn’t catching up. It’s falling further behind. Brussels’ response? More regulations.
The AI Act imposes documentation and risk management requirements so burdensome that startups are told: innovate somewhere else. Europe was first to regulate AI.
It will be last to develop it.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz recently criticized Brussels as “a regulatory leviathan, a bureaucratic mold suffocating economic processes.”
He’s right. But Germany itself built a bloated administrative apparatus that mirrors EU excess.
National bureaucracy plus EU bureaucracy equals economic suicide.
The pattern is consistent: EU drafts complicated rules, member states add their own layers, compliance costs explode, businesses either leave or never start, and European consumers pay higher prices for fewer choices while bureaucrats in Brussels pat themselves on the back for “protecting” people.
From whom? Innovation? Competition? Economic growth?
Europe’s economy isn’t stagnating by accident. It’s being deliberately smothered by people who think 400-page reporting standards create prosperity.
They don’t. They create consultants, compliance officers, and economic decline.
The EU recognizes the problem and promises to cut reporting obligations by 25%. But they’ve promised to reduce bureaucracy before. In 2015. In 2017.
Every time, new regulations outpaced old ones being removed. There’s no reason to believe this time is different.
Europe has trapped itself in centrally planned eco-socialism where political power concentrates in unelected Brussels officials who regulate every aspect of economic activity regardless of market competition or consumer benefit.
The explicit goal: more centralization, more control, more Brussels, less sovereignty.
While Europe writes rules, America and China write code.
While European startups drown in compliance requirements, American and Chinese companies scale globally.
While European energy costs run three times higher than competitors, manufacturers pack up and leave.
The EU calls itself a “regulatory superpower.”
It’s more accurate to call it a cautionary tale about what happens when bureaucrats run economies.
You get lots of rules, little growth, and a continent slowly suffocating under paperwork while the world moves on without it.
Sources: BusinessEurope, Brussels Reports, Consumer Choice Center, Mises Institute, Modern Diplomacy, ECIPE, Meta
President Mnangagwa Hands Over Vehicles and Funds to ZANU PF Women’s League and Young Women 4ED
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has announced a major donation of vehicles and financial support to the ZANU PF Women’s League and the Young Women 4ED affiliate.
He said the gesture aims to strengthen mobilisation and development work across the country.
In a post on X, the President said the support was made possible through the contribution of businessman Wicknell Chivayo.
21 Vehicles for Women’s League President Mnangagwa said he presided over the handover ceremony of 21 vehicles dedicated to enhancing the work of the Women’s League.
The fleet includes six Toyota Land Cruiser 300 Series VXR vehicles allocated to the organisation’s top six leadership, as well as ten Toyota Hilux GD6 Double Cabs for the party’s ten provinces.
The Women’s League also received US$500,000, which he said will be shared equally among the provinces to boost development and empowerment initiatives.
Support for Young Women 4ED In line with the Second Republic’s philosophy of leaving “no one and no place behind”, Mnangagwa said five Toyota Hilux GD6 Double Cabs were also handed over to Young Women 4ED.
The youth-focused affiliate body, which supports government and party programmes, further received US$100,000 to facilitate mobilisation and empowerment activities.
Mnangagwa Praises Wicknell Chivayo The President credited the donations to businessman Wicknell Chivayo, whom he described as a patriotic young Zimbabwean committed to national development.
He applauded Chivayo’s philanthropy and encouraged other young entrepreneurs to follow his example in supporting national and party initiatives.
“These donations have been made possible through the generous support of a young patriotic businessman, Mr. Wicknell Chivayo,@wicknellchivayo whose philanthropy and charitable commitment to National development are exceptional. His dedication to our revolutionary mass Party, ZANU PF, and his deep belief in the empowerment of women and young people reflect the true spirit of our national philosophy that Nyika Inovakwa Nevene Vayo. I applaud him and encourage other young business people to emulate such outstanding patriotism and efforts to advance the developmental agenda of our beloved Nation.”
TRUMP WARNS OF “CIVILIZATIONAL ERASURE”: EUROPE HAS “NO FUTURE” IF MASS MIGRATION, CULTURAL SUPPRESSION AND CENSORSHIP CONTINUE
In his newly released National Security Strategy, Trump doesn’t just outline American priorities, he declares cultural war on the European status quo.
The document accuses the EU of accelerating a civilizational decline through mass migration, censorship, collapsing birthrates, and the erosion of national identity. Within 20 years, it warns, Europe could face “civilizational erasure.”
This isn’t just ideological posturing, it’s a strategic shift. By aligning the U.S. with Europe’s nationalist parties, Trump is signaling direct support for political movements seeking to dismantle EU authority from within.
It also reflects a worldview shaped by the “great replacement” narrative, the idea that Western nations are being demographically transformed by immigration, especially from Muslim-majority countries.
Geopolitically, the message is clear: America under Trump is done propping up liberal Europe. Aid, alliances, and diplomacy will increasingly be filtered through cultural and ideological loyalty, not treaties or traditions.
It’s a roadmap for a new kind of transatlantic orde, one that abandons the post-WWII consensus in favor of identity-driven, nationalist politics.
This is no longer just about America First, it’s America choosing who in Europe survives the next chapter.
RUSSIA POSTS UK NUKE STRIKE MAP AFTER EX-DEFENSE CHIEF SUGGESTS MAKING CRIMEA ‘UNINHABITABLE’
Moscow’s meltdown continues: ex-space boss turned Putin fanboy Dmitry Rogozin just posted a strike map of 23 UK defence sites, threatening missile attacks if London keeps backing Ukraine.
Triggered by former Defense Secretary Ben Wallace calling for Crimea to be “strangled,” Rogozin called the UK “deadly dangerous” and told Russian oligarchs to keep their kids out of British schools.
Russian state TV piled on, ranting about “destroying British targets first” and calling Wallace a “nobody.”
The map? It’s not even secret – they yanked it from a UK government policy paper.
Imagine threatening WW3 with screenshots from Google Docs.
ZELENSKY: RUSSIA LAUNCHES 650+ DRONES, 51 MISSILES IN MASSIVE CIVILIAN STRIKE
Ukraine faced one of the largest air assaults in recent months, with over 650 drones and 51 missiles targeting energy infrastructure and residential areas across at least 9 regions.
A drone strike burned down the main train station in Fastiv, a non-military target. Kyiv, Dnipro, Odesa, Lviv, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv, and Volyn also reported damage.
Zelensky called the attack “meaningless” militarily and accused Russia of aiming to maximize civilian suffering on St. Nicholas Day:
“The main targets of these strikes, once again, were energy facilities. Russia’s aim is to inflict suffering on millions of Ukrainians, and they stoop so low as to launch missiles at peaceful cities on St. Nicholas Day.
That is exactly why additional pressure is needed. Sanctions must work, and so must our air defenses, which means we must maintain support for those defending lives. I thank everyone working toward this.”
Witness D turned down protection, Justice Minister confirms
Marius van der Merwe , identified as Witness D, was shot dead outside his Brakpan home on Friday night, weeks after providing explosive testimony to the Madlanga Commission regarding alleged corruption and abuse within the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department.
Van der Merwe had reportedly declined an offer of state protection, believing his private security arrangements were sufficient, a decision that proved fatal.
Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi (left) confirmed on Saturday that the government had offered van der Merwe witness protection. She acknowledged the tragic outcome, saying it underscored the delicate balance between transparency in legal proceedings and the safety of whistle-blowers. “The government will urgently review how testimonies are handled to better protect future witnesses,” Kubayi said, adding, “Transparency must not come at the expense of safety.”
The minister’s comments come amid growing criticism of South Africa’s witness protection system, with advocates warning that van der Merwe’s murder sends a chilling message to others considering coming forward against powerful institutions.
Civil society leaders argue that without credible and robust protection, potential witnesses may remain silent, leaving corruption unchallenged.
Police have launched an intensive manhunt for the killers, while the Madlanga Commission faces the difficult task of continuing its investigation knowing that one of its key witnesses has been silenced. Minister Kubayi’s pledge to review protective measures signals a renewed focus on safeguarding those who risk everything to expose wrongdoing.
Madlanga Commission may end live broadcast of witness testimonies, after murder of key witness
The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry may stop live broadcasting of witnesses, following growing concerns over their safety.
The call comes after the assassination of “Witness D”, Marius van der Merwe who had recently testified publicly about alleged corruption and a police cover‑up within the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD).
At a briefing on 6 December 2025, Mmamoloko Kubayi, the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development urged the Commission to critically review how witnesses are presented, arguing that public identification of van der Merwe contributed to the fatal risk. “Public access should never come at the cost of someone’s life,” she said.
Until now, the Commission had adopted a mixed‑approach: some testimony was fully public, other sensitive testimony was delivered off‑camera or via intermediaries, with transcripts and exhibits shared later. But the murder has triggered a rethinking, questioning the balance between transparency and witness protection.
The killing has already prompted a security overhaul. The national police say they are working to protect remaining witnesses, and the National Commissioner Fannie Masemola will brief the Commission chair soon.
If implemented, a ban on live broadcasting could reduce public visibility of proceedings raising serious debates about accountability, transparency, and the safety of whistle‑blowers.
Many civil‑society and media‑freedom advocates may object, arguing that closed processes risk shielding wrongdoing.
“I have received a lot of backlashes from many people on social media after my video with my student went viral.
Many have blamed me for taking advantage of my young student who is just sixteen not ignoring the numerous messages I have received from men who hits my DM to tell me they will like to recreate what they saw with me.
For those who are quick to jump into conclusions, please I do not justify my actions as they are not intentional.
When he came over for his private lessons
Along the line, He asked me; Antyyy what is this? (Pointing at Opueh).
I politely answered him to divert his psychological attention while ignoring the fact that, I could see he was already a spoilt brat.
I jokingly told him… Well it is motor garage.
He smiled sheepishly and went further to ask me.
Antyyy please can I park my sports car inside your garage?
At that point I realize this boy was way beyond 16 intellectually and what happened just happened.
Please I beg on who ever saw the video to forgive me”
-Zimbabwe 33 years old Antyy begs the public for forgiveness on her arrest after receiving premium knacks from sweet 16
Diddy arranged the de@th of 2Pac — now allegedly confirmed by the new Netflix documentary.
It presents evidence that Diddy offered $1 million to g@ng members at a party to k!!LL Tupac and Suge Knight in 1995–1996.
It also shows Diddy wiring cash to shady contacts in Las Vegas right around the time of Tupac’s sh00-ting. Insiders claim this was hush money for the h!-tmen, tied to the Quad Studios bẽēf
At first they bla:med Suge Knight, and now it’s Diddy, the Baby Oil consumer… Who really did it❓
I have watched with shock and gripped with sadness racist remarks made by former Secretary General of the Patriotic Front, Hon. Davies Mwila when he apoeared on Diamond TV discussion program, “Diamond Live”with Andrew Mwansa.
The appalling and racist remarks made by Hon. Davies Mwila against PF Acting President, Hon. Given Lubinda are vile, unacceptable and criminal.
I’ve also learnt that the program was recorded during the day.
Therefore, it is the inescapable responsibility of the broadcast station to have prevented the airing of such racist remarks as it has an enduring duty of professional care and responsibility to prevent racist remarks to be aired on their station.
It is an act of carelessness and negligence that the particular and specific racist and offensive content was not removed by the Station especially that the program was recorded earlier and handled by a well-versed anchor, Andrew Mwansa.
It must be made very clear that Hon. Lubinda is suitably qualified to stand as President of the Patriotic Front and to stand as a candidate for President of the Republic of Zambia.
Article 100(1) of the Republican Constitution and the Electoral Process Act No. 35 of 2016 guide on who qualifies to stand as President and the ignorance displayed by Hon. Mwila is either deliberate and driven by malice or would display a low standard for a leader of such calibre, who served as Minister of Hone Affairs and was Chipili Member of Parliament for ten years.
In Zambia, besides other qualifications, one needs to be Zambian by birth or descent to qualify to stand.
The impugned attack on the heritage of Hon.Lubinda would have been a matter for debate if the obnoxious parentage clause was NOT removed from the Constitution in 2016.
In the case of Constitutional Amendment (1996): The MMD government, led by Dr. Frederick Chiluba, enacted a controversial amendment to the Constitution that introduced a new requirement for presidential candidates: that both parents had to be Zambian citizens by birth or descent.
Ironically, Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika challenged the election of President Frederick Chiluba in the 1996 General Elections based on the same law that the government of Chiluba had originally created to bar former President Frederick Kaunda.
Lewanika and his colleagues challenged Chiluba on the basis that he could not be president since his father “was not a Zambian by birth or descent”.
However, the Supreme Court Ruling (1998) ultimately ruled that the constitutional provision enacted in 1996 should be interpreted broadly.
It held that the requirement for parents to be “Zambian by birth or descent” applied to those who became Zambian citizens at independence on October 24, 1964, or who would have become citizens if still alive.
This interpretation allowed Dr. Chiluba and others born before independence to satisfy the requirement, effectively settling the matter in his favor at the time.
Further the decision of the court was cemented in the 2016 when the parentage clause was completely removed from the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Act, 2016 (Act No. 2 of 2016).
I therefore call upon Hon. Davies Mwila to immediately apologise for those remarks and behave as a leader befitting the positions he previously held and that both the Party and the country privileged him to hold.
Hon. Mwila’s remarks has offended the spirit, multicultural, multi-tribal promoted by both President Michael Sata and President Edgar Lungu who worked closely with Hon. Lubinda and such remarks may fracture the love, unity, and comradeship we have enjoyed as a family in the Patriotic Front.
It must be stated that racist remarks are an affront to the law and Hon. Mwila has also offended the law.
The Constitution of Zambia, the supreme law of the land and is binding on all persons in Zambia states in Article 4(3) among other things states that, the Republic is a multi-ethnic, multi-racial, multi-religious and multi-cultural.
Further, Article 11 guarantees the enjoyment of human rights without discrimination when it stipulates that “every person in Zambia has been and shall continue to be entitled to the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual, that is to say, the right, whatever his race, place of origin, political opinions, colour, creed, sex or marital status.”
To judge Hon. Lubinda on the basis of his perceived race or tribe is discriminatory and a cheap but unfortunate shot.
I am also concerned by recent remarks attributed to Hon. Mwila regarding the current state of the Party and its viability as we head forwards 2026 General Elections.
The Patriotic Front has faced serious challenges since 2021.
Prominent among the challenges include the sustained attacks perpetrated by President Hakainde Hichilema who has hijacked the Party and through the Registrar of Societies, placed stooges led by expelled Mafinga member of parliament, Robert Chabinga.
This is an attempt to steal, kill and destroy the Patriotic Front Party and deprive its members the fundamental right of association and freedom of choice.
Notwithstanding this, the internal wrangles and issue of holding the General Conference must be resolved urgently.
The outstanding issues regarding the leadership succession of the Party must be resolved without delay even in the environment and circumstances that we face a determined external enemy.
I call for unity and peace as the family of the Patriotic Front ride the current storms.
Technical Committee recommends 112 more members of parliament
The Technical Committee appointed by President Hakainde Hichilema on the amendments to the constitution has recommended parliamentary seats to be increased by 112, from the current 164 to 276.
The committee proposed to increase constituency held seats from 156 to 226, while the number for proportional representation has been proposed at 40 members of parliament, made up of 16 women, 12 youths and 12 for persons with disabilities, and the number of nominated MPs pegged at 10 from 8.
The justice Christopher Mushabati (retired) led committee also recommended for constitutional amendments to provide for the appointment of ministers from outside Parliament, subject to ratification.
The report dated November 25, 2025, suggested the establishment of a mixed member proportional representation system and increase in the number of constituencies.
Read details from the report here: https://dailyrevelationzambia.com/technical-committee-recommends-112-more-members-of-parliament/
CONSTITUTIONAL COURT SAYS PRESIDENT HICHILEMA CAN’T BE SUED DIRECTLY IN BILL 7 CASE
By: Zambia Daily mail
PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has been removed from a case in which politicians Brian Mundubile and Celestine Mukandila sued him, seeking to bar him from participating in future elections.
The Constitutional Court yesterday disjoined the head of State from the matter, ruling that the President cannot be sued directly and that the Attorney General is the proper party to represent him.
In the main petition, Mr Mundubile, a Patriotic Front presidential hopeful, and Mr Mukandila accuse President Hichilema of breaching the Constitution by initiating Bill 7 allegedly without public consultation.
They cited Mr Hichilema and Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha as respondents.
The petitioners argue that the President acted unilaterally in restarting a constitutional amendment process without broad consultation, a move previously declared unconstitutional by the ConCourt.
They referred to a June 2025 judgment which ruled that any future amendments “must be” people driven and led by independent experts.
They contend that by allowing the minister of Justice to proceed with drafting and preparing to table the bill in Parliament, the President ignored the directive, acted contrary to his constitutional duties, and breached his oath to protect and defend the Constitution.
The petitioners further claim this amounts to a violation of Article 8(c) and disqualifies him from holding or contesting the office of President.
However, Solicitor General Marshal Muchende, through a misjoinder application, asked the court to remove Mr Hichilema from the case, arguing that only the Attorney General can be sued in matters relating to the President’s executive functions.
He added that the Constitution prohibits civil proceedings against the President in matters executed in his private capacity. #SunFmTvNews
Miles Sampa can’t be trusted, that’s why I don’t talk to him – Davies Mwila
FORMER PF secretary general Davies Mwila says he cannot be friends with Boba TV boss Miles Sampa because the Matero lawmaker sold the party to the UPND.
Appearing on Diamond TV last night, Mwila said he could not even remember the last time he spoke to Sampa.
“It hurts me; that’s why I can’t be friends with Miles Sampa, because he sold the party to the UPND. After Lungu announced his return from politics in 2023, Miles went ahead and sold the party. He betrayed us,” he said.
“The reason we are convinced that the UPND had a hand in this is because there were 200 police officers deployed to protect Miles Sampa and his people. When Sampa chickened out, the party was handed over to Chabinga. So it’s the UPND.”
Mwila stated that the person to blame for the current confusion in the party was not Sampa alone but also Given Lubinda.
“We delayed conducting the general conference in 2023 because Given Lubinda did not express interest in contesting the presidency. He delayed the conference, which led to the chaos of Miles taking up the leadership,” he said.
The former PF boss also alleged that Lubinda was still trying to delay this year’s general conference for his own benefit.
“At the rate we are moving, he is not doing the right thing for the party. Lubinda wants to be president, so he is delaying because he has no support. Where can he even get the votes? He is not popular within the party,” lamented Mwila.
Harry Kalaba Calls for Reforms That End Load-Shedding and Ease Living Costs
He shared…..
Whenever a nation begins conversations about reform, the first question should always be whether those reforms speak to the real struggles its people face. At a time when citizens are dealing with the rising cost of living, persistent load-shedding and unresolved social tensions, it is important that national priorities align with the challenges affecting everyday life.
Many Zambians continue to feel the weight of economic pressure. Businesses and homes struggle under unreliable power supply. Communities still hope for greater unity and meaningful dialogue on issues that divide us. These are concerns that directly impact our wellbeing and deserve focused attention.
I believe our country’s energy should be directed toward creating industries, strengthening economic opportunities and empowering citizens to take part in building a stronger future. Zambia needs progress that can be felt at the household level and policies that reflect the realities people live through every day.
This is a moment for all leaders and stakeholders to place the nation’s interests first and ensure that development remains the central goal.
As always, my role is to offer checks and balances where necessary and contribute to the national conversation in good faith.
MINISTERS SHOULD BE APPOINTED FROM OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT
Parliament has not always produced enough competent human resource from which to pick ministers.
Consequently, Zambia has sometimes seen ministers who are not suitable for cabinet positions.
It’s painful to watch the country, 60yrs after independence, being served by clearly incompetent ministers.
And yet, the country has an immense pool of potentially competent individuals who can serve this country with flying colors.
If you have worked in government, you will understand the agony and pain of being served by a clearly incompetent minister.
In the current system, Zambia has ministers who are not capable of providing strategic direction in their assigned ministries.
They sit like ceremonial office bearers simply reading speeches they hardly understand.
In the end, taxpayers are paying a fellow adult for nothing.
Just listen to some ministers when they speak without reading speeches and you know why the current system of appointing them from within parliament is problematic.
Ministers are critical in national development. Their leadership in their assigned portfolios is indispensable to this endeavor.
This means the underdevelopment Zambia has faced since independence has a lot to do with them.
Presidents must be given a wider space to choose their cabinet from – the whole country.
If not, they will be pushing for an increase in nominated MPs so that they have this wider space.
But this will meet with resistance from opponents as it will increase the number of loyalists which might just turn parliament into the executive’s rubber stamp.
Now, this is not good for transparency and accountability.
Why pay Davido $100,000 while Zambian stars get peanuts? – OC
AMERICAN-based Zambian artiste O’Brien Siame alias OC Osiliation has sparked chaos online after calling out promoters for writing six-figure cheques for Davido while handing local artistes peanuts.
OC said Zambian music will remain stuck in the shadows as long as promoters continue worshipping international acts and overlook homegrown talent.
According to him, the real growth will only come when the country respects its own musicians and culture.
He questioned how promoters can comfortably pull out US$100,000 for Davido, yet struggle to pay even half of that amount to Zambian names like Yo Maps and Mampi, who dominate the local market.
OC argued that cash being sent to foreign acts should be used to build Zambia’s own stars into continental heavyweights.
“Instead of paying Davido US$100,000 why cant you pay Yo Maps and Mampi US$50,000 each? Stop the bullshit and start supporting your local artistes. If not, artistes need to boycott on performances. Let’s see if promoters will have money to bring international artists to every show,” he stated in his Facebook post.
He also urged his fellow artistes to refrain from accepting cheap gigs and free shows for exposure, stating that this is why promoters don’t take local artistes seriously.
Music, he said, is a business and bills must be paid, families must be fed, and artistes deserve rates that match their value.
“No one goes to work without getting paid. Music is a big business, and we deserve to earn from it not just treat it as entertainment or a hobby. Let’s value our craft so the industry can value us too. We must set standards for our brands so that promoters and companies respect us enough to pay what we are worth. Don’t be cheap,” he said.
The artiste even went as far as saying Zambia has talent capable of matching, and even surpassing celebrated names like Davido and Wizkid, but lack of support keeps local stars from reaching that level.
“Why not support them and make them as big as the ones you want to bring from other countries. I think it’s time we started thinking critically and constructively not always thinking like chickens,” wrote OC.
CUBAN OFFICIALS QUIETLY REACH OUT TO WASHINGTON AS VENEZUELA ENTERS THE ENDGAME
In a move nobody expected this soon – and Havana would never admit in daylight – elements inside the Cuban regime have opened discreet channels to U.S. officials to discuss what a post-Maduro Venezuela might look like.
The timing isn’t accidental.
The U.S. has surged military assets into the Caribbean, Maduro’s inner circle is rumored to be fracturing, and multiple intelligence services have picked up chatter that Caracas is testing the waters on an exit deal.
Recent reporting suggests Maduro himself has floated conditions for stepping down – a rare signal from a leader who spent a decade insisting he would die in office.
For Cuba, Venezuela is an economic lifeline.
Oil shipments, financial support, and political cover all flow from Caracas to Havana. If the Maduro era truly is wobbling, Cuba needs to know what comes next – and whether Washington is preparing a controlled transition or a fast break that leaves regional power vacuums.
The Trump administration, for its part, is playing its cards close. Officials aren’t confirming the outreach, but they’re not denying the strategic moment either.
With U.S. forces already operating in the region on counter-trafficking missions, Washington suddenly has leverage Havana hasn’t felt in years.
What this signals:
Cuba is hedging, not defecting – but hedging itself into the geopolitical conversation is telling.
Maduro’s grip may be softer than Caracas projects. Even trial balloons about stepping down would’ve been unthinkable 2 years ago.
The U.S. has momentum. Regional states are recalculating, military posture is shifting, and Havana doesn’t want to be caught flat-footed.
If these channels expand – even unofficially – we’re looking at the first quiet U.S.–Cuba strategic dialogue since the thaw years.
When regimes start planning for life after a strongman, it usually means they’ve already imagined the ending.
And this ending may be closer than anyone expected.
Adrian Davis, a former pastor at a Huntsville, Alabama church, is facing federal charges for allegedly spending more than $400,000 of church funds on personal luxuries like cars, entertainment, and credit card payments.
According to WTVM, court documents show that Davis once served as lead pastor and marketing consultant at All Nations Worship Assembly (ANWA). He was authorized to receive a salary and a housing allowance, but investigators say he went far beyond that, diverting church money for his own use.
Between 2018 and 2019, Davis allegedly bought several vehicles, including a 2016 GMC Yukon worth nearly $46,000. He also reportedly spent more than $35,000 on entertainment and retail purchases unrelated to church activities.
Investigators claim Davis used more than $24,000 to pay his mother’s mortgage and covered his personal credit card bills using church accounts. Records show he transferred about $117,000 to an American Express account and continued withdrawing funds from church accounts over several years.
The total misuse allegedly exceeded $400,000. Prosecutors also accuse Davis of filing a false tax return in 2021, reporting $138,621 in income while earning more than that.
Federal court documents confirm that Davis has entered a plea deal. Under the agreement, he will pay nearly $550,000 in restitution, including over $434,000 to ANWA and about $114,000 to the IRS.
If convicted, Davis faces up to 20 years in prison for wire fraud and up to three years for filing a false tax return.
In the grand opera of 21st century politics, Jair Messias Bolsonaro, once President of Brazil, strutted onto the stage like a conquering General.
Chest out, chin high, eyes sparkling with the intoxicating perfume of power — that rare cologne that convinces leaders they are immortal, irreplaceable, even divine.
But history has a cruel Landlord. Power is never freehold; it is rental. Even gods, when they overstay, receive eviction notices.
Bolsonaro basked in Presidential sunlight and glow, his alliance with POTUS Donald Trump shining like a bromance carved by Michelangelo.
He thundered, Trump applauded, and democracy trembled like a poorly fastened stage prop. For a while, the script worked. Then came the plot twist: elections.
In democracies, elections sneak up like assassins. Losing to Lula da Silva was, for Bolsonaro, the cosmic equivalent of slipping on a banana peel on live television. Instead of bowing out gracefully, he declared the peel illegal, the floor rigged, and gravity a leftist invention.
Cue the attempted power grab, the fleeing rumours, the beeping ankle monitor, and — the ultimate humiliation — a 27 year court ordered sabbatical in a Brazilian cell. A fall so spectacular even Shakespeare would rise from his grave to applaud.
Yet Bolsonaro’s descent is hardly original. It is a remix of hubris choreographed across continents.
Take Mobutu Sese Seko, the leopard skin demigod of Zaire, the King of kleptocracy. Once so powerful his PR claimed he could make rivers change direction, he ended up fleeing with a shrinking entourage, a collapsing kingdom, and sunglasses no longer able to mask despair.
Or Nicolas Sarkozy, full French regalia intact, once strutting through the Élysée Palace like a hyperactive Napoleon.
Today he is entangled in convictions for corruption and influence peddling, proving that even in the land of fine cheese, Champaign and finer revolutions, karma has a taste for former Presidents.
Africa, too, offers a buffet of cautionary tales. In Guinea Bissau, a leader who strutted with the swagger of destiny fled when the system he commanded decided exile suited him better than office.
In Madagascar, another tone deaf president recently discovered that citizens, like volcanoes, erupt when ignored. He fled too, leaving behind the ashes of a once imperial ego.
The pattern is clear. When power whispers sweet nothings into the ears of Presidents, they develop selective hearing. Voters become peasants. Opponents become enemies. Constitutions become optional. Accountability? A myth reserved for Scandinavian textbooks.
But here’s the newsflash: karma is not just real — it keeps receipts. Ask Bolsonaro. Ask Mobutu. Ask Sarkozy. Ask any leader who believed they were Jupiter reincarnate.
The lesson? When you orbit high above the people, remember to look down — not in contempt, but in humility.
The same voters who lift a leader to the clouds can, with one tick of a ballot, send them tumbling back to earth faster than the November rain on an Abuja or Gauteng afternoon.
So to every leader intoxicated by authority, here is your satirical sobriety test: be kind, be humble, greet your opponents and voters politely. You will meet them again on your way down.
As the French remind us: Rien ne dure éternellement. Nothing lasts forever — especially not borrowed power.
Amb. Anthony Mukwita Author & International Relations Analyst
NGOS AS DELIVERY UNITS – A CLOSER LOOK AT THE DECISION OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO CUT OFF NGOS
One of the rationales for the existence of NGOs is that they deliver services efficiently, effectively and quickly.
They do so because they are not huge and complex like governments are.
The layers of decision-making in government are multiple often affecting service delivery.
Effective, efficient and timely delivery of service costs money because it requires human resource with the requisite expertise.
To attract such expertise means giving them proper financial packages.
This is why the Singaporean government is one of the most effective and efficient in the world – the salaries of its civil servants are often higher than in the private sector.
Can’t the US meet its foreign policy goals if it uses NGOs to deliver goods and services or peddle its influence?
Of course it can and it has always done so with varying degrees of success.
It’s NGOs that USAID funded that spread democracy, a cornerstone of the US foreign policy, around the world.
And governments around the world felt the impact.
This approach was effective because USAID funded local NGOs thus keeping the US out of local politics and in the process avoiding the appearance of imperialism.
PRESIDENT HICHILEMA IS TAKING THE COUNTRY INTO CIVIL UNREST
Saturday 6th December 2025,
The recent serious post-election conflicts witnessed in the neighbouring states of Mozambique and Tanzania, saw wide-spread violence, looting and riots, needless loss of life, damage to public and private property, and the subsequent threats to the countries’ national peace, security, and stability, provide credible insights, fear and prediction to where Zambia is going into in 2026.
Sadly for the Sahel and parts of West Africa Region, we have recently witnessed grave turn of events where post-election conflicts and poor handling of the electoral process have led to military coups, often triggered by disputed results, lack of electoral credibility, insecurity, especially with legacy issues such economic hardships as seen in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Chad, Niger, Gabon, and Sudan
The seizure of power, using the excuse and citing failure to deliver democracy or credible elections and stability, have instead seen the worsening of human rights and governance and the installation of military dictatorships in these countries-the very serious issues that credible, democratic and transparent elections and fair electoral process are designed to cure and prevent.
The mishandling of pre-election issues and concerns have shown that they spawn deadly consequences and now threaten the democratization process that Zambia and Africa embarked on.
It must be stated without any fancy illusions or pretence, that President Hakainde Hichilema has been both methodical and systematic in setting up a dangerous stage for Zambia to degenerate into civil unrest.
He has embarked on a clear path to undermine and destroy democracy and the Rule of Law by attempting to steal, kill and destroy the largest Opposition party in Zambia-the Patriotic Front (PF).
This action alone has undermined the multi-party character of our democratic nation.
He has enacted extremely draconian laws, relived such archaic and anti-democratic laws such as seditious laws.
He recently hijacked legsilation against cyber security and cyber crimes to weaponise them against speech and freedom of expression.
Even mundane legislative amendments to laws such as ZNBC and IBA Acts have seen provisions placed on to undermine freedom of expression and freedom of the media.
From the onset, he appointed stooges, UPND loyal cadres to head both Parliament and the Electoral Commission of Zambia.
Wherever he found professional public workers such as the Chief Registrar of Societies, Thandiwe Phiri-Mhende, who attempted to prevent the breaking of the law, they were forcibly removed from their offices and positions to pave way for the lawlessness that occurred and prevails.
To control the Judiciary totally, President Hakainde Hichilema has appointed a significant number of judges, and by 2025, over 50 new judges across various superior courts (High Court, Court of Appeal, Constitutional Court) since he took office, including major batches like 20 in early 2023 and another large group of 27 in one instance, aiming to reshape Zambia’s judiciary.
The Judges did not go through a competitive and public process and many were poorly qualified to hold the positions.
The recent events surrounding Bill 7, a proposed law to extensively change the governance framework, including: Expansion of Parliament: Increasing the number of constituency-based seats in the National Assembly from 156 to 211,remove two-term limits for local government leaders, and revise nominations and electoral procedures.
These changes are dramatic and extensive and cannot be done without establishing a legal framework, engage in a broad consultative process and gain acceptance among key stakeholders.
Despite the Constitutional Court striking down this Bill 7, both Government and The Speaker of the National Assembly refused to comply with court orders and kept the Bill active on the floor of the House.
State House embarked on a hurried and what later became a sham process by appointing a motley group they purported was a Technical Committee on the constitution-making process, and without enacting supporting legal framework and giving the Committee an impossible deadline, were it was made to conduct what they purport were a consultative process.
Sadly both the Draft Constitution and Report emerging from this process has been discarded as the law required for the implementation would require fresh public gazette and notices. As stated by the Law Association of Zambia(LAZ) Bill 10 is dead and government has a duty to comply with court orders.
State House has abandoned talks and negotiations with the OASIS Forum, a key grouping representing the Church, civil society actors and the Law Association of Zambia.
It has become apparent that President Hichilema halted public demonstrations against the Bill and tricked the leadership of the OASIS Forum into talks destined to window-dress his masked intentions to enact Bill 7 into law.
To everyone’s horror, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Nelly Mutti appointed a Select Committee and ordered that it starts work and conduct hearings to prepare for Bill 7 to come up for second reading.
It is sad to witness Parliament continuing to act with utter contempt of court by hearing and conducting proceedings for Bill 7.
It must be noted that the Speaker of the National Assembly, her Deputies and members of Parliament have been cited for contempt for discussing a Bill that has been declared illegal and unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court.
On Friday 5th December Members of the Select Committee; Hon. Garry Nkombo (Mazabuka), Sibeso Sefulo (Mwandi), Brian Kambita (Zambezi East) Emmanuel Banda (Serenje), Sibongile Mwamba (Kasama Central), Mubita Anakoka (Luena), Jacqueline Sabao (Chikankanta), Stanley Kakubo (Kapiri Mposhi), Newton Samakayi (Mwinilunga), Simon Banda (Petauke), Wamunyima Imanga (Nalolo), Misheck Nyambose (Chasefu), Elias Daka( Msanzala), Davies Mungandu (Chama South), and George Kandafula (Serenje), began a hurried process to rush the process of finalizing the Bill before Parliament adjourns sine die.
It clear that President Hichilema is determined to enact and entrench a dictatorship, reverse the democratic dividends so far achieved and attempt to guarantee his rule over Zambia with or without the Will and Consent of Zambians.
This is a dangerous path for our country and well -meaning Zambians and institutions must stand and halt the perilous path President Hichilema is subjecting the country to.
With his detrimental actions against democracy so far witnessed, President Hichilema has become a sole danger to our democracy, is threatening our peace and his actions threaten the stability of our country.
It is also important for the international community, especially those invested in our country using their financial, human and technical resources, to take keen interest in Zambia’s pre-election instability brewing and help to prevent Zambia to be plunged into chaos as recently seen in Mozambique, Tanzania and other parts of Africa and to ensure that the country holds credible, democratic, free and fair elections so that our peace, security, stability and our sincere quest to promote sustainable development, is not disrupted or destroyed.
It is easier to manage pre-election political tensions and threats to peace than handle post-election conflict and violence.
Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba
Chairperson of Information and Publicity Member of the Central Committee PATRIOTIC FRONT
What do ministers in Hichilema’s Cabinet really stand for?
By Sishuwa Sishuwa
Isn’t there even just ONE minister in the current Cabinet of Zambia who can come out in the public to say, “I do not agree with Bill 7, and I am stepping down”? As the Parliamentary Select Committee that has been appointed by the Speaker of the National Assembly to scrutinise the outlawed Constitution of Zambia Amendment Bill Number 7 of 2025 starts its sittings today ahead of debate and voting next week Tuesday, my thoughts are drawn to the calibre of ministers the country has had in the past.
In the 1990s, Zambia had a vice-president and ministers – Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika, Baldwin Nkumbula, Ludwig Sondashi, Dipak Pael, Simon Zukas, Rodger Chongwe etc. – who all resigned on principle when Cabinet made decisions they did not agree with.
In the early 2000s, Zambia had a vice-president and ministers – Godfrey Miyanda, Edith Nawakwi, Vincent Malambo, Ackson Sejani, Wiliam Harrington, Dawson Lupunga, Suresh Desai, Samuel Miyanda, Syamukayumbu Syamujaye etc. – who openly differed with the president in defense of the Constitution from executive manipulation.
What has happened to our value system? Is the current crop of ministers so lacking in principle that none among them find anything wrong with Bill 7?
Or does their failure to openly support the Bill indicate their anxiety that they are about to create a monster but simply lack the courage to come out? Are they so dependent on these jobs that they cannot imagine a life outside a ministerial post? Are they so terrified by Hichilema that they cannot publicly express any view that that diverges from his position? This brings me to another point.
In nearly all previous cabinets, there were one or two ministers who were generally seen as capable replacements if anything happened
Given Lubinda is not Zambian but Scottish – Davies Mwila FORMER Patriotic Front (PF) secretary general Davies Mwila says party acting president Given Lubinda is not Zambian but Scottish.
Appearing on Diamond TV last night, Mwila said Lubinda cannot be president of Zambia, alleging that he is a white man whose origins within the country are unknown.
“How do you elect a white man as president? Where in Zambia have you seen that? His father is a white man. You don’t know. His father is Scottish. Do you know where he originally comes from? Hakainde Hichilema, we know he comes from Namwala, Bweengwa. Brian Mundubile is from Mporokoso. Chishimba Kambwili is from Mporokoso,” he said.
“Even if you say Lubinda is Zambian, he is not an indigenous Zambian. He is not different from Guy Scott. No one knows where he comes from.”
He stated that Lubinda cannot even be elected as PF president because he has no support and does not have the heart to unite people.
“I know Given Lubinda better than anyone. He can’t unite the party. He found me in PF in 2006. Sata and Lungu united the party. Given Lubinda just wakes up, he fires people, he cancels the general conference,” said Mwila. When asked whom he had endorsed for the PF presidency, Mwila said the right candidate was Mporokoso Member of Parliament Brian Mundubile.
“I’m going with Brian Mundubile, not Makebi. I have made it clear that I am for Mundubile. Brian Mundubile has support and he will bring the votes on the table. He is better than Lubinda,” he stated.
He also alleged that Lubinda was aware that he had no support within the party, hence the delay in conducting the general conference.
He warned that if the PF does not elect a presidential candidate this month, then it will definitely lose next year’s general election.
“We only have six months before we go to the general election. If we can’t choose a leader in December, I can tell you that we won’t win the election. Lubinda wants to use shortcuts for himself to be elected as president, but that will not work,” explained Mwila. By Catherine Pule Kalemba, December 6, 2025
BILL 7 WILL ‘HARM ZAMBIANS’ AND UPND WILL REGRET THE CONSEQUENCES, KAFWAYA WARNS
LUNTE Member of Parliament Hon Mutotwe Kafwaya has warned that the process that the UPND has adopted to enact the constitution through Constitution Amendment Bill no. 7 of 2025 (Bill 7) will harm a lot of people in future.
Hon Kafwaya states that the UPND is poised to regret their actions because they have refused to heed to the advice from critical stakeholders on Bill 7.
Speaking at a media briefing this afternoon, he noted that the controversial bill is a great danger to Zambia hence it has been widely rejected from both ordinary citizens to critical stakeholders.
Hon Kafwaya, who is also former Transport and Communications Minister, has expressed shock that the Ministry of Justice is submitting the same bill to the Select Committee for consideration in secrecy because they do not want anyone to know what is being submitted.
“This process must be stopped to avoid consequences in future because even innocent Zambians will be caught up if this bill was to pass,” the lawmaker warned.
And Hon Kafwaya says it is laughable that President Hakainde Hichilema can make serious recommendations that Bill 7, particularly the proposal to do away with by-elections will save money because by-elections are costly.
The Lunte MP says by-elections are not a mandate because typically, they can only occur when there is a case of death as the main and unavoidable reason.
“So if it was not for these malicious arrests and jailing of opposition and independent Members of Parliament such as Hon Munir Zulu, Hon Nixon Chilangwa and Hon Ronald Chitotela among others, Zambia was only going to have had one parliamentary by-election in Kabwata to replace the late Hon Levy Mkandawire who died after an accident” he explained.
Hon Kafwaya says the justification that Bill 7 among other things aims to cure the occurrence of unnecessary by-elections therefore does not hold water because all the parliamentary by-elections, except for Kabwata Constituency, had been triggered by the ruling party.
And the lawmaker has further wondered how the UPND can claim to be trying to reduce the use of public resources through by-elections yet the same controversial bill is proposing an addition of no less than 92 member of Parliament which will even be more expensive to maintain.
“Ba UPND, your thinking does not tally with your recommendations. Instead of adding 92 more MPs, stop bullying us and stop the political machinations that tends to trigger unnecessary by-elections,” Hon Kafwaya said.
He also states that it makes no sense for the UPND to claim that they are planning on curing costs to by-elections when even Councilors and Mayors do have by-elections.
Hon Kafwaya has therefore challenged the ruling party to get their facts and be more focused because Bill 7 remains a sham hence they should find another reason to amend the constitution but certainly not through Bill 7 which is a dead bill.
Meanwhile, Shiwang’andu Member of Parliament Hon Stephen Kampyongo has appealed to Technology and Science Minister Hon Felix Mutati, Lands Minister Hon Sylvia Masebo and agriculture Ministyer Hon Reuben Mtolo Phiri to provide guidance with courage through their experience constitutional amendment matters.
Hon Kampyongo states that the said ministers were part of the discussions that informed the consensus that was reached on the 2016 constitution.
“In 2016, we managed to reach consensus despite not having the required number to meet the two-thirds majority because we had effective dialogue with our colleagues from the MMD then and there were no difficulties,” he said.
He says lawmakers have seen both the success of the 2016 constitutional amendment and failure of Bill 10 in 2021 hence the said lawmakers must take responsibility and be helpful in the process because there is lack of wisdom being exhibited by the UPND administration leadership. #SmartEagles2025
SAKWIBA SIKOTA CHALLENGES PRESIDENT HICHILEMA TO LIVE DEBATE ON BILL 7
By Chamuka Shalubala
Opposition United Liberal Party-ULP President Sakwiba Sikota has challenged President Hakainde Hichilema to a live debate on the controversial Bill 7.
Speaking to Phoenix News in an interview, Mr. Sikota says he is ready to face President Hichilema in a one-on-one debate to outline and explain what he considers to be the dangers contained in the proposed legislation.
Mr. Sikota states that if President Hichilema is confident that Bill 7 is sound, he should accept the challenge and publicly defend it.
Meanwhile, Mr. Sikota has expressed surprise at what he described as the unusually fast pace at which the UPND administration is pushing to amend the Constitution, a move he believes carries sinister motives.
He has urged citizens to take keen interest in the ongoing constitutional debate, stressing that any amendment process must be transparent, inclusive, and free of political maneuvering to safeguard the country’s democratic values.
State House last Thursday challenged the opposition to specify which clauses in Bill 7 they object to.
CONCOURT DISMISSES LAWYER TRESFORD CHALI’S BID TO SAVE CHAWAMA SEAT
CONSTITUTIONAL Court Judge Martin Musaluke has dismissed an application by lawyer Tresford Chali to stay the decision declaring the Chawama parliamentary seat vacant and to allow the member to vote when Bill 7 is tabled before parliament.
In his ruling dated 4 December 2025, Judge Musaluke found that the stay application is procedurally flawed and declined to grant interlocutory relief on that basis, noting that the issues raised would require full consideration at the substantive hearing rather than by a single judge on an interlocutory application.
Mr. Chali in his application earlier this week, argued that the speaker relied on the house’s standing orders rather than a code of conduct prescribed by an act of parliament and that the impending vote on constitutional bill no. 7 risked depriving Chawama constituents of representation if area Member of Parliament Tasila Lungu is not allowed to vote.
The application relied on the argument that the speaker’s 28 November ruling is inconsistent with Article 72(2)(c) of the constitution and article 266’s definition of prescribed matters but the court found the contention that refusal of a stay would deny people of Chawama participation in the Bill 7 debate to be speculative.
Judge Musaluke also noted evidence that the Chawama lawmaker has been absent from parliament since June 2025 and that no concrete proof was offered that she will be available to vote adding to his holding that the urgency ground did not justify interrupting parliamentary business.
An interlocutory application is a request made to a court for a temporary order during an ongoing lawsuit, before a final judgment is reached.
The ruling means the Concourt will hear the main matter and Mr. Chali is this afternoon expected to appeal the ruling.
