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BOBI WINE CLEARED TO CHALLENGE MUSEVENI

BOBI WINE CLEARED TO CHALLENGE MUSEVENI

The Uganda Electoral Commission has cleared singer turned politician Robert Kyagulanyi (aged 43), widely known as Bobi Wine, to run in the upcoming presidential election.

Representing the National Unity Platform (NUP), Bobi Wine and six other candidates are challenging incumbent president Yoweri Museveni (aged 81), who is seeking a seventh term.

Museveni has led Uganda since 1986. The presidential election is scheduled for 12 January 2026.

Bobi wine writes:

OUR SPEECH UPON BEING NOMINATED TO CONTEST FOR PRESIDENT OF UGANDA 2026 – 2031:

Fellow Ugandans and comrades in the struggle,

I am deeply humbled and profoundly honored to accept your nomination to be the next President of the Republic of Uganda.


Thank you for the trust you have continued to place in me since I first offered myself for the presidential office in 2021. Today, my heart is filled with a deep sense of responsibility to deliver on that trust.

Together, we have been everywhere preaching the message of a New Uganda. And today, with this nomination, we start the final phase in our mission to freedom and true independence.

Since our nation was born in 1962, every change of leadership has been written in blood. The blood and sacrifice of ordinary citizens of Uganda and yet the leaders who promise liberation have always delivered oppression.



For 40 long years, one man and a small group of relatives and friends have ruled our country on gunpoint.

They have looted the nation and turned every institution of government into a tool of oppression.

They have reduced the citizens of Uganda into slaves on their own land. They have turned our poverty into a weapon of control.


         
And yet, Uganda is not poor, Uganda is rich.
Our land is fertile.
Our people are hardworking and enterprising.
We are rich in talent and creativity.
We are resourceful, we’re energetic, we’re young and promising.
Our country is one of the richest countries in terms of natural resources. So our problem is not lack of wealth.  Our problem is LACK OF LEADERSHIP. Leadership that serves the people instead of exploiting them. Leadership that seeks to uplift citizens instead of enslaving them.

Sisters and brothers, this is not the first time that we stand before you with a dream of a New Uganda. We made our first attempt five years ago in 2021.
Hundreds of our comrades were illegally arrested and many are still in prison as we speak now. Many were tortured, many were killed while others went missing to the present day. And yet we refuse to give up!


        

I know some of you are already asking:
Why vote again after what happened in 2021?
Why do we risk it, the teargas, the bullets, the prisons, the torture chambers and even death which is awaiting for us? My answer to you is this:

We risk it all because the alternative is giving up and that’s 10 times worse.

If we give up now; we shall have no moral authority to complain about what happens next.
If we surrender now, that means that the fighting spirit Ritah Nabukenya, of Frank Senteza, of Yasin Kauma and many others has been defeated.
It means they died in vain.
It means betrayal of our comrades who have spent years in prison counting on us who are still ‘free’ to continue fighting for their freedom too.



Therefore, No matter what happens, we must keep moving forward. Even if someone says the chance of winning is only 1% , WE MUST TAKE THE CHANCE and fight!

We have always been telling you about the PROTEST VOTE and today, let me explain it in more detail.
We have voted before, we have won before and we have been rigged before.
But this election is not going to be your usual election. 
We are going into this election as a way of protesting against all the injustice that has happened to us for 40years. We are protesting and that that protest begins NOW!
We must use this to election season to rally the people of Uganda to express their anger and their hope in the ballot box! We are going in this election to protest legally, constitutionally and NON VIOLENTLY.
We must mobize the people of Uganda to come out vote in very large numbers; numbers too big to rig.
We must lay different strategies and make different plans to ensure that we, the people of Uganda free ourselves in this season.



To the Ugandans in the diaspora:

You who send more than two billion dollars to Uganda every year, you’re Uganda’s biggest investors.
We know that many of you fear to return home until things change.
You fear because some of those who have come back, they have suffered the regime’s brutality.

We know that Sam Mugumya had just returned to Uganda after spending years in a Congolese jail when he was abducted from. Mbarara several weeks ago. He remains missing to date.

We know Robert Kayingo Lujja, a lawyer who was recently abducted from the airport, held incommunicado for a month, before being forced back into exile without even stepping foot in his home. And there are many other example


      
But I tell you my friends;
We’re fighting so that you can return home to your families in freedom and dignity.
To be received with flowers, not handcuffs

We fight so that in Uganda, your children can get the opportunities that you never got.
That’s why we fight.

To Gen Museveni:



I know you don’t like to listen to young people, but atleast listen to your friend Gen. Kahinda Otafire.

Uganda was here before you, and Uganda will remain long after you are gone.
You don’t have to burn it down on your way out.



The best guarantee for your legacy and for your security, and for what you and your people have earned in the last 40 years is to allow a peaceful and democratic transition.

That opportunity is available and we are not a vengeful people. We still believe in peace, we believe in justice and we believe in reconciliation.

All we want is a FREE AND FAIR ELECTION, no military violence, no police brutality.
Let this be an election, not a military operation.



Over the last five years, your regime has done everything to break our spirit; tried to silence us but we’re even louder. We are not giving up and you cannot defeat people who do not give up.

Fellow Ugandans, I don’t need to tell you that the 2026 election is already not fair.

You have seen Museveni’s son who is also head of the military promising to kill our people to guarantee 80% of the vote to his father.

He also said that during these presidential campaigns, we will be forcefully guarded by his private militia, the SFC. The same SFC that is responsible for abducting  and torturing our supporters.



So, as we go for this campaign, it’s like walking into the valley of the shadow of death.
But I say this to you comrades, fear no evil for the Almighty God is with us. We shall walk but not get tired, will suffer but we shall not die. It will be painful, but we shall win in the end.

We shall reach in a New Uganda.

A Uganda where you will move in town and not see guns on the streets.
A Uganda where security will protect the  people, not terrorize them.
A Uganda where teachers, soldiers and health workers are paid decently and promptly.
A Uganda where the farmer earns fair income for their produce.
A uganda where traders do not suffocate under an exploitative tax regime.
A Uganda where citizens can demonstrate on the streets about injustice and the response of the Government will be to listen to their grievances, not shooting them dead.


A Uganda where jobs are not for the connected few, but for all those qualified and willing to work.
A Uganda where leaders serve the people, and not the other way round.

In the coming days, we shall unpack the details of that New Uganda in our Manifesto and we shall paint a clear picture of what Uganda will become, starting from January next year. But I can tell you my friends, that that New Uganda is possible in our lifetime.

As the National Unity Platform, even with the little resources we have had in the last four and a half years, wehave already demonstrated that we are able to use less to achieve more.
We have managed to acquire the biggest political party headquarters in Uganda.
We launched the first Leadership School of its kind and we have groomed leaders at no cost to them; leaders that will uphold our values and offer leadership to the next generation.
We have supported the families of political prisoners and missing comrades.
We have refused to compromise our principles even when that has come at great personal cost.
We have pursued and secured sanctions against those who steal from, and oppress our people.



We have kept the struggle alive and we are only growing stronger.

To the international community:

Uganda’s freedom is not only for Ugandans.
If Ugandans are not safe, neither are our neighbors nor the western countries that receive us as asylum seekers.

A free Uganda is a stable East Africa and a prosperous Africa. A free Uganda is an asset to the international community but Uganda under dictatorship is a liability to all nations.
So, please, stand with us as we stand for democracy and human rights.

To our senior comrade Dr. Kizza Besigye;

To comrades Alex Waiswa Mufumbiro, Bobi Young, Eddie Mutwe, Achileo, Machete, Gadafi, and all political prisoners;

WE HONOR YOU.

To your families, and every other Ugandan affected by this struggle: please do not lose hope. Your suffering will never be in vain.

And, finally to the comrades I will be moving with during our campaigns; the foot soldiers and the ordinary citizens who have nothing else to offer to their country but themselves:

First of all, I want to thank you. From day one, we have stood together. Through tear gas, through bullets, through beatings, through abductions, through courts, through prisons walls, And through funerals. You have been my shield, my eyes, my ears, my courage, my strength. You have been my friends, my real friends!

Today, as we go into what is likely to be an even more violent campaign, I will rely on you more than ever. We are embarking on a long walk to freedom.
Whatever lies ahead of us, is going to test everything we are and everything we stand for.
But freedom has never comes easily.

Our grandparents shed blood for independence 62 years ago.
Our parents shed blood for what they thought was a liberation 40years ago.
Our comrades, in this generation, are in prison for this very struggle; they have shed blood for this struggle. Many of them are missing and they don’t even have graves, for this struggle.
Let us carry on their mission. The same courage and discipline that have kept us going since 2017 until today, should carry us through this campaign.

Your duty in this campaign will not be to protect me. 
It will be to protect yourselves.
To protect each other.
To protect the people who will come for our rallies.
You must be vigilant in every village we shall enter and at every rally we shall hold.

Be very solid and be very sober.
Hope for the best but prepare for the worst.
Be careful but never show fear. Fear is the weapon the dictator wants to use against us.

And, please, understand what we are fighting for:
We are fighting for a better country.
We are fighting for the farmers, for the boda boda riders, for the young graduates without jobs, for the ghetto youth whose future is being taken away in exchange for a few shillings, for the children growing up to an empty future.

We are fighting for that police officer who is ordered to brutalise you because you’re fighting for their children’s future and afterwards they have to return to their uniport without any health insurance for their family. Please don’t see them as enemies, they’re victims too and deep inside, they also wish that things can change some day.

If we succeed, this country will finally be free and things will never be the same again.
Unfortunately, if we don’t succeed, not one will believe that we did our very best, which means we will be condemning our children to more slavery.

Therefore, comrade brothers and sisters, failure is not an option. We must get our freedom or die trying to get our freedom.

I don’t know how much danger is awaiting us on the campaign trail, but I know that we shall have to keep moving forward with hope and faith. We’re carrying the hope of our entire generation and this is a historical responsibility.

So prepare yourselves, hug your loved ones one final time and tell them that we are going to war.
A war we never chose but was imposed on us by our oppressors.

We’re facing an enemy armed to the teeth but we are bare-handed. Only armed with the truth and God.
 
We’re fighting for our God-given right to live like full human beings in our country.

We will never give up until we are free.
And we shall be free in the end.

We shall be in charge of our country and we shall be the ones to determine our destiny. This is not a question of “if,” but a question of”when”.

Let us be strong and keep the hope alive. In the end, everything will be alright and if everything is not alright, the it will not be the end.

People Power-Our Power!

24.09.2025

Self-proclaimed Prophetess arrested with bucket of human body parts

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A self-proclaimed prophetess has been arrested in Harare, Zimbabwe, after police discovered a bucket filled with human body parts at her residence, following a home birth that ended in tragedy.

The woman, identified as Rumbidzayi Sanyamvura and known to her followers as Madzimai Rumbi, was taken into custody after the death of a 36-year-old woman, Ms Misoya, who had sought her assistance to deliver a baby. Authorities said the incident occurred last Tuesday, but police were only alerted this past Saturday.

Harare provincial police spokesperson Inspector Luckmore Chakanza confirmed the arrest and revealed disturbing details of the discovery. “We were informed of a suspicious death following a childbirth at the suspect’s residence. Upon our arrival and initial inquiries, the suspect led us to a bucket which she had stored on the premises,” he said.

The container, police reported, held a collection of remains including teeth, intestinal matter, an umbilical cord, and a quantity of blood. Sanyamvura allegedly told investigators that all the contents were linked to the deceased woman.

Police immediately ordered the suspension of Ms Misoya’s burial, pending further forensic investigation. Inspector Chakanza said the body, along with the bucket and its contents, had been transported to Sally Mugabe Central Hospital for post-mortem and DNA analysis.

An initial examination suggested that Ms Misoya died from complications linked to high blood pressure. However, the grisly evidence has prompted authorities to conduct a more comprehensive inquiry into the exact cause of death and the origin of the body parts.

It remains unclear whether the newborn survived. Officials have not released further details, as forensic specialists continue their work at the hospital.

The case has shocked the local community, raising fresh concerns about unregulated spiritual practices in Zimbabwe.

Elon Musk’s Father Errol Accused of Decades-Long Sexual Abuse by His Children and Stepchildren

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Allegations of sexual abuse have resurfaced against Errol Musk, father of billionaire Elon Musk, painting a troubling picture of alleged misconduct spanning decades.

According to documents obtained by The New York Times, five of Errol’s children and stepchildren have accused him of abuse in both South Africa, where he currently resides, and California, where some incidents reportedly took place.

Early Allegations Involving Stepdaughter Jana Bezuidenhout
The earliest accusation reportedly dates back to 1993, when Musk’s then 4-year-old stepdaughter, Jana Bezuidenhout, allegedly told relatives that he had touched her inappropriately. A decade later, she claimed she caught him sniffing her dirty underwear. Years later, Errol revealed that he and Jana had a child together, following his divorce from her mother, Heide Bezuidenhout, in 2004.

Family Accusations and Police Investigations
According to the Times, relatives have also accused Musk of abusing two of his daughters and a stepson.

In 2023, concerns were again raised when his 5-year-old son told a family member and a social worker that Errol had groped him. Three separate police investigations were opened over the years, though two were eventually closed. The outcome of the third remains unclear, and Errol has not been convicted of any crimes.

Errol Musk Responds to Allegations
In a statement to The New York Times, Errol rejected the claims, saying:

“the reports are false and nonsense in the extreme.” He further alleged that family members were fabricating stories in an attempt to obtain money from Elon Musk, accusing them of “putting the children up to say false things.”

In an email response, he maintained that he was only aware of a single abuse allegation but, according to the outlet, went on to “offer explanations for the circumstances around two others.”

Elon Musk’s Position and Family Fallout
The allegations have deepened tensions within the Musk family. At one point, relatives appealed directly to Elon Musk, his eldest son, for support. Around 2010, a family member wrote him a five-page letter outlining some of the claims and asking him to intervene.

“We really need your advice, help and guidance in these matters because we daily see these children suffer,” the letter read.

Although Elon Musk did not take part in police inquiries in South Africa, he has provided financial assistance to his stepfamily and half-siblings.

Reports indicate that he once attempted to relocate some family members to California to distance them from Errol.

Cardi B claims Offset wants her to pay his taxes and hand over a property before he divorces her

Cardi B recently opened up about her ongoing divorce, claiming that her estranged husband, Offset, is stalling the proceedings because he wants her to pay his taxes and hand over one of her properties to him.

The 32-year-old, however, emphasized that she was not going to fold. Per Complex, Cardi, born Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar, provided the update during a livestream on X Spaces on Monday.

“The only reason why I’m still married is because somebody wants me to pay for their taxes,” the Grammy-winning rapper stated without mentioning Offset’s name. “Y’all wanna know the tea? The only way I can get out of my marriage is if I pay for somebody else’s taxes, even though I pay for my own, and give them one of my properties. I’mma fight for that. This is not no love shit. I’m not gonna stop living my life.”

Cardi is said to have started the Spaces to address the backlash that came her way after she recently announced that she and her boyfriend, Stefon Diggs, are expecting their first child. Cardi already shares three children with Offset, whose real name is Kiari Kendrell Cephus.

The Read podcast co-host, Crissle West, was one of the people who registered their displeasure with Cardi, saying that kids “need parents who are very mindful and deliberate about bringing [them] into the world choosing to guide you into adulthood.”

“Yo mama out here giving her pussy to whoever the fck she wants to and keeping whatever y’all drop off in her fkng uterus is crazy,” West added, per Complex.

But Cardi on her Spaces told her critics to “stop trying to make it seem like I got a hundred gazillion baby daddies.” The Am I the Drama? rapper also emphasized that she has “three kids with one man that I got married with.”

“Yes, I’m having a baby with somebody else. So what that happens, it’s life,” she added. “Let me tell you something, I did things the correct way the first time. I fell in love. I got two rings in my finger. I lasted seven years, seven years that I didn’t have to last with somebody with. I lasted seven years in a marriage. Stop saying, oh, but you’re still married. No, I’m legally separated.”

Cardi also revealed that her relationship with Offset negatively impacted her, and she even had to go to a hospital for treatment.

“Y’all don’t know half of the sht,” she stated. “I had to go to a fkng hospital because I couldn’t take it no more … When your management and your label is getting together because they are concerned, it’s time to go. When it’s affecting your work and you can’t even record, it’s time to go. And I left. Goddamn.”

As previously reported by Face2Face Africa, Offset, 33, filed an amended divorce petition in May seeking spousal support from Cardi.

Per TMZ, Offset, however, did not include the exact amount he was seeking. The other requests largely remained the same, and they included Offset maintaining his stance on having joint custody of their three children and asking for the minors’ primary residence to be Cardi’s abode.

Cardi filed for divorce from Offset in 2024. The pair became romantically involved in 2017 before they got engaged and married secretly that same year. The former couple have, however, largely been at odds following their separation, and they have repeatedly traded jabs on social media.

Former stylist for Diddy accuses him of s£xual abuse and violence in new lawsuit

A former stylist for Sean “Diddy” Combs, who testified against the disgraced music mogul in his federal criminal trial earlier this year, filed a lawsuit Wednesday, September 24, accusing Combs of s£xual abuse and violence while he was in Combs’ employ.

The 37-page lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on behalf of Deonte Nash against Combs and Combs’ label, Bad Boy Entertainment, also accuses Combs of s£xual battery, human trafficking and false imprisonment.

According to the lawsuit, Nash said he was hired to be Combs’ stylist around 2008, at the age of 21, and worked for him until about 2018. Nash said that during that time period, he also worked as a stylist and creative director for Combs’ then-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassandra Ventura, who also accused Combs of s£xual abuse in a 2023 lawsuit and gave graphic testimony against him in his trial.

“Nash personally experienced s£xual, physical, mental, and emotional abuse at the hands of Defendants during his ten-year employment,” including “forced tests of loyalty and manipulation, s£xual harassment and s£xual assaults, physical violence and manhandling, labor trafficking, threats of harm, and threats of death,” the lawsuit against Combs reads.

The lawsuit alleges that Nash was s£xually assaulted by Combs on “multiple occasions.”

Nash said the alleged abuse prompted him to resign in 2018, but Combs “continued to threaten Mr. Nash after his employment ended.”

In one incident that Nash claims occurred in 2013 or 2014, Combs discovered that Nash and Ventura had gone out to dinner in L.A. without Combs’ permission. The following day, the lawsuit states, Combs “threw” Nash “onto the car and violently str@ngled him.”

On another occasion in 2014, Combs and his security team allegedly entered Nash’s home without permission, during which they “confiscated Mr. Nash’s keys and phone while they forcibly searched the house” for Ventura, the lawsuit says.

“After enduring years of abuse, I finally found the courage during the criminal trial, and I am now ready to take action,” Nash said in a statement.

“Sean Combs has never taken accountability for the years of harm he inflicted on me and so many others.”

In July, following a lengthy trial, the 55-year-old Combs was found guilty of two counts of prostitution-related charges, but acquitted on more serious charges of racketeering conspiracy and s£x trafficking.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 3.

During the trial, Ventura testified that she was repeatedly physically and s£xually abused by Combs over the course of their relationship. She testified about a 2016 incident, which was caught on surveillance video, that showed Combs violently assaulting her in the hallway of a California hotel.

Nash also testified in the trial that Combs threatened Ventura and that he “would beat her.”

Nash testified about a time when Combs allegedly grabbed a sleeping Ventura by the hair and started hitting her “pretty hard.” Nash said Ventura’s head hit a bed frame and started bleeding, and Combs then told her, Nash and an assistant, “Look what y’all made me do.”

Nash testified he dialed 911 but was told to hang up. He said he feared retaliation but told some of Combs’ employees about the alleged abuse and told jurors Combs got physical with him a few times.

Rapper Cardi B addresses rumour of being an industry plant

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Cardi B has pushed back against a long-standing rumor that she was introduced into the music industry as part of a scheme to replace Nicki Minaj at the top of hip hop.

Speaking on Wednesday’s episode of Call Her Daddy, the Grammy-winning rapper said she was “destined” for fame and success in music, insisting that no one signed her with the purpose of taking down another artist. While she avoided naming Nicki directly, the context of her remarks pointed squarely at the speculation that has followed her career for years.

The rumor intensified after a leaked clip of Ye surfaced in which he claimed Cardi was “a plant by the Illuminati” designed to replace Minaj. Since then, the theory has circulated widely among fans, often fueling speculation about the two stars’ rivalry.

Cardi addressed the perception of ongoing animosity, saying that conflicts in the industry can sometimes happen without hidden agendas. “Sometimes people just don’t get along with each other,” she said, stressing that differences should not be interpreted as an attempt to sabotage another artist’s career.

Her feud with Nicki Minaj has been highly publicized, most notably in 2018 when a confrontation at New York Fashion Week escalated into a physical altercation in which Cardi threw a shoe at Minaj.

Scientist predicted when the end of the world would actually happen on a specific date in 2026

A scientist once revealed the exact date he thought the world would end as he predicted that future generations would be ‘squeezed to death’ on a specific day next year.

There are some people who seem obsessed with the end of the world to the point that they’re preparing for it.

Some of these folks are taking practical measures in case society should collapse, while others think the nature of the end of the world means they’ll be going on to a better place and leaving everyone behind.

Recently, a number of people sold their homes, possessions and started getting ready for the end of the world in the form of the ‘rapture’, which they thought would be coming either today (24 September) or yesterday (23 September).

However, the end of the world either failed to materialise or those hailing its imminent arrival weren’t quite such good Christians as they thought themselves, and this latest purported ‘end of the world’ joins the myriad other predictions of doom which have been and gone with neither bang nor whimper.

However, there’s another prediction for the end of the world which claims we haven’t yet reached the exact date, though we’re getting closer as it’s meant to be next year.

The doomsday equation
In 1960, Austrian scientist Heinz von Foerster had a study published which claimed to contain the ‘doomsday equation’ which would pinpoint the moment humanity went extinct and the world would end, or our existence in it at least.

He did this by predicting rates of population growth, assuming we weren’t wiped out by a disaster, whether natural or man-made, with an indication that in the coming decades there would be billions more humans to put a strain on the planet’s ability to sustain them.

“Our great-great-grandchildren will not starve to death,” the scientist said of his claims, “They will be squeezed to death.”

von Foerster predicted that the world would end when it reached ‘2026.9’, otherwise known as 13 November 2026.

He reckoned that this was the time ‘the clever population annihilates itself’ as there are so many people that we will eventually reach infinite levels of humanity.

On that day, the human population will hit the ‘demographic singularity’ and go from its highest level to zilch.

That all sounds quite gloomy, though we’re just over a year out from his prediction and the idea that there will basically be infinite humans leaving no space for each other doesn’t seem like it’s quite here.

While his predictions about the end of the world may be off, his ‘doomsday equation’ on population growth managed to be pretty darn accurate at tracking a rise in global population throughout the 20th century.

Man Collapses In Court And Dies Moments Before Sentencing

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A Rusape man collapses in court and dies whilst in police custody before his sentencing. Blessing Kalatala, who had previously entered a guilty plea to a charge of negligent driving, fell ill during his appearance last Friday. The incident occurred as Magistrate Babra Mateko prepared to deliver the sentence.

Court officials confirmed that Kalatala was swiftly transported to the Rusape Remand Prison for medical attention, where he tragically passed away later that same evening.

The case originated from a traffic incident that occurred on the Harare-Mutare Road last year. According to the official court record presented by Prosecutor Faith Mutukwa, Kalatala’s actions led to a collision that injured three individuals.

Details of the Fatal Road Accident Emerge
Providing a detailed account of the event, Prosecutor Mutukwa outlined the sequence of events that led to the charges.

“On the afternoon of October 31, 2024, the accused was operating a Toyota Hiace minibus along the Harare-Mutare Road,” she stated. “As he reached the 192-kilometre peg near Nyazura, he executed a right-hand turn directly into the path of an oncoming Nissan AD Van.”

The prosecutor confirmed that the driver of the Nissan, Linah Makufa, had been travelling in the opposite direction with three passengers onboard at the time of the collision. The force of the impact caused significant damage to both vehicles and left multiple people requiring medical treatment.

The aftermath of the crash saw emergency services rush to the scene.

“All three passengers in the Nissan van, namely Estela Salina Sadombo and Lonah Madlayo, sustained injuries and were later medically examined,” Mutukwa confirmed.

The Vehicle Inspection Department was tasked with assessing the extent of the damage to both the Toyota Hiace, which suffered damage to its left front passenger door, and the Nissan van, which sustained frontal damage. These reports formed a key part of the evidence against Kalatala.

A Sudden End to a Legal Proceeding
The unexpected turn of events in the courtroom has left the legal proceedings in a state of abeyance. A court official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, expressed the shock felt by all present.

“It was a very distressing situation. One moment, the court was in session; the next, there was a medical emergency. Our immediate priority was to ensure he received care,” the official said.

The matter has now been referred to the relevant authorities for further investigation into the precise cause of Kalatala’s sudden death, as the community grapples with the tragic outcome of a case that will now never see a formal conclusion.

Lawyer claims Ghana sent back 11 U.S.-deported migrants despite risk concerns

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Agroup of West African migrants who were deported from the United States to Ghana have now been sent on to their home countries, despite earlier assurances they would remain in Ghana, their lawyer told a court on Tuesday.

The U.S. had flown 14 migrants to Accra under a disputed deportation program. While authorities initially claimed all had been transferred to their respective countries, the deportees and their legal team later said 11 were being held at a military facility in Ghana.

Those 11 men, including four Nigerians, three Togolese, two Malians, and one each from Gambia and Liberia, filed a lawsuit last week demanding release. Eight of them argued they faced serious risks if returned home, citing “the risk of torture, persecution or inhumane treatment.”

But their lawyer, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, told the court at a virtual hearing that their fears had already materialized.

“We have to inform the court that the persons whose human rights we are seeking to enforce were all deported over the weekend,” he reportedly told the court. “This is precisely the injury we were trying to prevent.”

The deportations come as the Trump administration intensifies efforts to expel immigrants, including those difficult to repatriate due to safety concerns. Human rights advocates have condemned the policy, warning that asylum-seekers are not being properly screened before removal.

Barker-Vormawor accused Ghanaian officials of rushing the deportations to block the case, adding that the migrants were not given access to legal counsel. He said some of his clients have since gone into hiding in their home countries.

Recently, the U.S. government has relied on third-country agreements to circumvent legal barriers on returning migrants to their homelands. Ghana, along with Eswatini, Rwanda, and South Sudan, has accepted deportees from the U.S. under these arrangements.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Justice told a federal court it cannot control how other governments treat deportees, emphasizing that Ghana had pledged not to return them to their home countries.

Jimmy Kimmel breaks down in emotional return after suspension

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel returned to his show Tuesday night after serving a six-day suspension that followed backlash over remarks he made about the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Kimmel walked out to loud applause as the studio audience stood on their feet chanting his name. But the tone quickly shifted as he fought back tears, making it clear he never intended to joke about a young man’s death.

“I want you to understand that it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” he said, holding back tears. “I don’t think there’s anything funny about it… I sent love to his family then, and I still mean it now.”

The comedian also stressed that he wasn’t blaming any group for the killing, insisting his words had been twisted.

Despite his return, nearly 70 ABC stations refused to air the episode, as groups like Sinclair and Nexstar preempted the broadcast, saying Kimmel’s comments had made the show irrelevant to their audiences.

Still, the embattled host used the moment to thank both his supporters and even those who disagreed with him but respected his right to speak. He also addressed the threats he and his family have faced over his political jokes, before closing his monologue with a jab at Donald Trump — who once claimed Kimmel had “no ratings.”

“I do tonight,” Kimmel said, drawing cheers from his audience.

Police Minister Mchunu ‘furious’ as Task Team keeps making arrests, Masemola tells commission

Police Minister Mchunu ‘furious’ as Task Team keeps making arrests, Masemola tells commission

National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola has revealed that Police Minister Senzo Mchunu was left furious after learning that the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) continued making arrests despite his order to disband it.



Testifying before the Madlanga Judicial Commission of Inquiry, Masemola said Mchunu’s anger was sparked in March when the task team made progress in a high-profile case linking suspects to the murder of ANC councillor Phendukani Mabhida in KwaZulu-Natal.



Masemola described the minister’s reaction as “strange,” noting it was unusual for a political head to be upset over police successfully solving cases.



He added that Mchunu never provided clear reasons for his decision to dissolve the PKTT, which had been established in 2018 to tackle politically motivated killings.


The commissioner told the inquiry he had requested a phased winding down of the unit to safeguard ongoing investigations, but the minister remained adamant about disbanding it.



Mchunu has since been suspended, while the commission continues probing allegations of political interference in police operations.

Masemola says Mchunu told him Ramaphosa backed Task Team disbandment

Masemola says Mchunu told him Ramaphosa backed Task Team disbandment



National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola has told the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry that suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu told him President Cyril Ramaphosa supported his decision to disband the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT).


Masemola said Mchunu insisted the president had agreed with the move, but when he later briefed Ramaphosa on the matter, the president appeared surprised and questioned the lack of justification for dissolving the team.



According to Masemola, Ramaphosa said he would engage directly with Mchunu, but the outcome of that discussion was never communicated.



The PKTT was established in 2018 after the Moerane Commission exposed widespread political killings in KwaZulu-Natal. Its abrupt disbandment earlier this year has been met with criticism, with Masemola arguing the directive undermined the operational independence of the police service.

Patriotic Alliance threatens to leave GNU if Kenny Kunene is not reinstated as Johannesburg MMC

Patriotic Alliance threatens to leave GNU if Kenny Kunene is not reinstated as Johannesburg MMC



Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Gayton McKenzie has given the GNU a seven-day deadline to reinstate Kenny Kunene as Johannesburg’s Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Transport. Failure to comply will result in the PA withdrawing from the Government of National Unity.


The demand follows the release of a forensic report by Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, which cleared Kunene of any wrongdoing related to his visit to the Sandton home of murder-accused Katiso “TK” Molefe.



The investigation found no evidence linking Kunene to criminal activities, confirming his account that he was accompanying a journalist for an interview.


Despite the exoneration, Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero has not reinstated Kunene, leading to tensions within the coalition.



As the deadline approaches, the ANC faces mounting pressure to resolve the issue and maintain the stability of its coalitions.

ANCWL slams DA’s nomination of Helen Zille as Johannesburg mayoral candidate

ANCWL slams DA’s nomination of Helen Zille as Johannesburg mayoral candidate


The African National Congress Women’s League (ANCWL) has strongly condemned the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) decision to nominate Helen Zille as its mayoral candidate for the City of Johannesburg in next year’s local government elections.



In a statement released on Tuesday, the ANCWL accused Zille of promoting exclusionary policies during her tenure as Premier of the Western Cape in 2012, citing her remarks calling for the deportation of Eastern Cape residents who relocated to the province. The league argued that her appointment reflects the DA’s alleged prejudice and disregard for Black South Africans.



The ANCWL also criticized Zille’s promises to improve basic services in Johannesburg, including water, electricity, and refuse collection, calling them “disingenuous” and highlighting what they describe as her poor track record in Cape Town’s townships.



The league concluded that the DA and its mayoral candidate are hypocritical in their pledge of service delivery, labeling their political approach as rooted in protecting White privilege and maintaining systemic inequalities.

Controversial ex-DA MP Renaldo Gouws joins Freedom Front Plus

Controversial ex-DA MP Renaldo Gouws joins Freedom Front Plus

Former Democratic Alliance MP Renaldo Gouws has officially joined the Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus), nearly a year after being expelled from the DA over a racism scandal.



The announcement was made on Tuesday, signalling Gouws’s return to formal politics and sparking debate over redemption and minority rights in South Africa.



Gouws, who gained notoriety on social media with over 400,000 followers, was expelled from the DA in September 2024 after a historic video surfaced showing him using a racial slur while criticising affirmative action policies.



The DA cited the footage as a violation of its constitution, ending his parliamentary career after only months in office. The South African Human Rights Commission later resolved a related complaint, with Gouws issuing a public apology in May 2025.



In his statement, Gouws called the past year “a difficult but clarifying period” and said VF Plus’s focus on freedom, self-determination, and minority rights aligns with his own beliefs. VF Plus spokesperson Herman Mulder described Gouws as an “industrial psychologist with extensive political experience” and welcomed him to the party.



The VF Plus, known for advocating Afrikaner interests and minority protections, views Gouws’s large online following as a potential asset ahead of future elections. Gouws previously served as a councillor in Nelson Mandela Bay, bringing local government experience to his new role.



Critics, however, warn that VF Plus risks being seen as a platform for rehabilitating racists. Gouws, undeterred, posted a video on YouTube titled “Why I Joined The Freedom Front Plus, and Why You Should Too,” urging supporters to back the party’s vision.



As South Africa’s political landscape continues to shift post-election, Gouws’s move highlights the fluidity of party allegiances and the ongoing debate over political redemption.

Russia to raise tax to finance war 

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Russia’s Finance Ministry announced on Wednesday, September 24, that it plans to raise the country’s value-added tax (VAT) to help finance the ongoing war in Ukraine, signalling another shift in economic policy as military spending continues to dominate the state budget.

According to the draft 2026 budget proposal, the VAT rate would rise to 22 percent from the current 20 percent. The ministry stressed that the government would still uphold its social policy commitments but identified defence, security, and support for soldiers and their families as “strategic priorities.”

Military and security expenditure already accounts for around 40 percent of total government spending in the 2025 budget, according to official estimates. Large state contracts for the defence industry, combined with substantial payments to troops and their families, have driven short-term growth in Russia’s war economy.

However, pressure is mounting on civilian sectors, where signs of strain are increasingly visible. Inflation has eroded household purchasing power, raising concerns about the sustainability of the Kremlin’s wartime economic strategy.

The Finance Ministry said the lower 10 percent VAT rate on essential goods, including food, medicines, and children’s products, would remain unchanged.

President Vladimir Putin’s government has been waging a full-scale war on Ukraine for more than three and a half years, with no clear end in sight. The proposed budget underscores the extent to which the conflict has reshaped Russia’s fiscal priorities, tilting resources heavily toward sustaining its military campaign.

The draft proposal still requires parliamentary approval, though in Russia the step is largely considered a formality. If passed, the increase would represent one of the clearest signs yet of how deeply the war is reshaping both the economy and everyday life in the country.

Paracetamol use during pregnancy does not cause autism – World Health Organisation counters Trump

The World Health Organisation (WHO) stressed on Wednesday, September 24, that there is no conclusive scientific evidence linking autism to the use of acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol, during pregnancy.

In a statement on its website, WHO highlighted that around 62 million people worldwide, or one in every 127 individuals, live with autism spectrum disorder, a diverse set of conditions associated with brain development. The organisation said that while awareness and diagnosis have improved in recent years, the precise causes of autism remain unclear and are believed to involve multiple factors.

“Extensive research has been undertaken over the past decade, including large-scale studies, looking into links between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism. At this time, no consistent association has been established,” WHO said.

The agency advised that all medicines during pregnancy should be used cautiously and only under medical guidance, particularly in the first trimester. It reaffirmed that women should continue to follow the advice of their doctors or health workers when considering treatments.

WHO also reiterated that vaccines do not cause autism, pushing back against claims that have fuelled misinformation campaigns for decades. “A robust, extensive evidence base exists showing childhood vaccines do not cause autism. Large, high-quality studies from many countries have all reached the same conclusion,” it said. Original studies that claimed a connection, WHO added, were flawed and have since been discredited. Since 1999, independent experts advising WHO have repeatedly confirmed that vaccines, including those containing thiomersal or aluminium, do not cause autism or other developmental disorders.

The organisation noted that national childhood vaccine schedules, designed in consultation with global experts, have been adopted worldwide and saved at least 154 million lives over the past 50 years. “These schedules have continually evolved with science and now safeguard children, adolescents, and adults against 30 infectious diseases,” WHO explained, stressing that any disruption to immunisation significantly raises infection risks for vulnerable groups.

Autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions are among the priority issues being discussed this week at the fourth United Nations High-Level Meeting on non-communicable diseases and mental health. WHO emphasised that global efforts must intensify to better understand the causes of autism and to expand support for autistic people and their families.

“WHO is committed to advancing this goal, working together with partners, including autistic-led organisations and other organisations representing persons with lived experience. WHO also stands with people who are living with autism and their families, a dignified community entitled to evidence-based considerations free of stigma,” the organisation said.

The clarification comes just days after US President Donald Trump reignited controversy by suggesting that pregnant women should avoid Tylenol due to an unproven link to autism, and by calling for major changes to infant vaccine schedules. WHO officials rejected those claims, with spokesman Tarik Jasarevic noting that while some observational studies had suggested a possible association between prenatal paracetamol use and autism, such studies lacked control groups and were not sufficient to establish causality.

Medical groups worldwide continue to describe paracetamol as one of the safest painkillers for use during pregnancy.

Man apologises for promoting South African pastor’s failed rapture prophecy

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A South African man has apologised to his followers after publicly promoting Pastor Joshua Mhlakela’s prophecy that rapture would happen on September 23 and 24, 2025.

The man admitted the date wasn’t given to him directly, saying he only believed what Pastor Mhlakela claimed — that Jesus told him the exact day rapture would take place.

Hundreds of South Africans had reportedly gathered in the woods on Tuesday, praying and watching the skies in expectation. But when nothing happened, the group quietly dispersed.

Meanwhile, Pastor Mhlakela has now told his congregation that the rapture is still on the way. He said if it didn’t happen on the 23rd, it would happen on the 24th — “because of time difference.”

Elon Musk’s dad Errol accused of child sexual abuse

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Elon Musk’s dad Errol has been accused of child sexual abuse.

The Tesla CEO, 54, has been estranged from his father for many years and previously described him as a ‘terrible human being’.

He claimed that Errol had done ‘almost every evil thing you could possibly think of’ in an emotional interview with Rolling Stone in 2017, while revealing he does not communicate with his dad in a 2023 biography.

And a newly published investigation has found that the pair’s damaged relationship stems from accusations against Errol of child sex abuse.

The New York Times found that allegations against him involve five of his children and step children.

According to police and court records, ‘personal correspondence, social workers and interviews with family members’, Errol was accused of abusing them in South Africa and California.

Errol, the patriarch of the Musk family, is said to have at least nine children and stepchildren.

The earliest accusation against him dates back to 1993, when his stepdaughter – who was four years old at the time – allegedly told her relatives that he had touched her at the family home.

More recently, in 2023, family members and a social worker tried to intervene after one of his sons – who was five at the time of the alleged abuse – said his dad had groped his buttocks.

In response to questions from the outlet, Errol said that ‘the reports are false and nonsense in the extreme’, he also added that he and Elon have a good relationship and are ‘very close’.

The South African businessman claimed that the ‘accusations were concocted by family members who were putting the children up to say false things’.

Opening up about his childhood, Elon previously explained that after his parents divorced, all of the children lived with their mother and so he felt sorry for his ‘lonely’ father – but soon learned ‘what kind of person he was’ after moving in with him.

The billionaire said he learned that living with Errol was ‘not a good idea’, and in his biography said that being around his father was ‘mental torture’ as Errol ‘sure knew how to make anything terrible’.

Man found guilty of trying to assassinate Donald Trump on golf course

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Ryan Routh has been found guilty of trying to assassinate Donald Trump on his West Palm Beach golf course last year.

The man now faces life imprisonment as the jury in Fort Pierce, Florida, found him guilty on all charges after two hours of deliberation.

He was charged by the government with five criminal counts including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, assaulting a federal officer, possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon, and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number.

Routh had pleaded not guilty to the chargers and chose to defend himself in court.

Prosecutors said he spent weeks plotting to kill Trump before aiming a rifle through shrubbery while the then candidate played golf on 15 September 2024.

During his closing argument, Routh said he didn’t intend to kill anyone. “It’s hard for me to believe that a crime occurred if the trigger was never pulled,” he said.

Shortly after he was found guilty, the 59-year-old tried to stab himself in the neck with a pen as officers quickly swarmed and dragged him out of the courthouse.

His daughter, Sara Routh, screamed: “Dad, I love you, don’t do anything. I’ll get you out. He didn’t hurt anybody.”

NASA announces first crewed mission to the Moon in 50 years and it’s very soon

NASA has announced that a team of astronauts are set to head on a trip around the Moon early next year.

In what would be the first crewed lunar mission in five decades, four space cadets are scheduled to jet off as soon as February for the 10-day mission.

The crew will climb onboard the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket, which is described as a super heavy-lift rocket which provides ‘the foundation for human exploration beyond Earth orbit’, for a test flight.

It’s all part of the plan to help make future landings on the Moon easier, as well as possible missions to Mars.

Lakiesha Hawkins, an acting deputy associate administrator at NASA, highlighted the significance of next year’s mission – known as Artemis II – in a conference on Tuesday (23 September).

“We together have a front row seat to history,” she said. “The launch window could open as early as the fifth of February, but we want to emphasise that safety is our top priority.”

The mission’s launch director, Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, said that the SLS rocket was ‘pretty much stacked and ready to go’, explaining there are only a few more steps left to complete.

Experts must complete the crew capsule connected to SLS – known as the Orion spacecraft – and carry out ground tests.

NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch will be joined by Canada’s Jeremy Hansen on the landmark mission to the Moon.

Although they won’t touch down on it during the ten-day trip, it is still a pivotal feat, given that the foursome will be the first people to head there since Apollo 17 in 1972.

Sharing some details of the Artemis II mission, flight director Jeff Radigan told reporters: “They’re going at least 5,000 nautical miles (9,200Km) past the Moon, which is much higher than previous missions have gone.”

Wiseman, Glover, Koch and Hansen will call the Orion capsule home for the entirety of the mission.

NASA previously said of next year’s Artemis II test flight: “Astronauts on their first flight aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft will confirm all of the spacecraft’s systems operate as designed with crew aboard in the actual environment of deep space. Through the Artemis campaign, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars – for the benefit of all.

“The unique Artemis II mission profile will build upon the uncrewed Artemis I flight test by demonstrating a broad range of SLS and Orion capabilities needed on deep space missions.

“This mission will prove Orion’s critical life support systems are ready to sustain our astronauts on longer duration missions ahead and allow the crew to practice operations essential to the success of Artemis III and beyond.”

The plan is that after the mission is complete, Orion and its crew will head back to the moon again – and next time, astronauts will hopefully walk on the lunar surface.

Alexa, get Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon on repeat for these astronauts, please.

It comes as reports emerged claiming that NASA is considering trialling a new defence strategy to prevent a giant asteroid hurtling towards the Moon, which would pose a huge risk to space cadets.

Donald Trump says ‘time is now’ to take back Ukrainian territory as he prepares to send weapons

US President Donald Trump has made one of his strongest statements in support of Ukraine regarding the Russian invasion of the country.

The man claimed he could sort out Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in just 24 hours, an assertion which shattered on contact with reality, and his support for the besieged nation has often been less than hoped for.

Earlier this year, he temporarily suspended military aid to Ukraine and insulted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a White House visit.

He’s often seemed quite pally with Vladimir Putin, though he recently said the Russian leader ‘really let me down’ over efforts to end the invasion.

Trying to get Trump to pick a lane and stay consistent has been a diplomatic challenge, but he has now voiced some stronger support for Ukraine.

Taking to Truth Social, the US president declared that he finally understood the situation and thought Ukraine had a chance to repel the Russian invaders.

He added that he thought Ukraine would get ‘all of Ukraine back in its original form’, which would mean the reclamation of Crimea that Russia took in 2014.

He said: “After getting to know and fully understand the Ukraine/Russia Military and Economic situation and, after seeing the Economic trouble it is causing Russia, I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form.

“With time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, NATO, the original Borders from where this War started, is very much an option. Why not?”

He added that he would ‘supply weapons to NATO for NATO to do what they want with them’, which, given his words on the EU supporting Ukraine, sounds like he expects them to buy American weapons and pass them along to the Ukrainians.

Trump also reiterated his demands that European countries stop buying Russian oil, and Zelenskyy praised the new words from the US president as a ‘big shift’ in his position.

Calling Russia ‘a paper tiger’ for failing to conquer Ukraine for the past three-and-a-half years, Trump said that ‘Putin and Russia are in BIG Economic trouble’ as he indicated the fuel crisis going on in Putin’s country.

According to the FT, Russia has had to cut down on oil exports as Ukraine has been striking oil refineries, having hit 16 of Russia’s 38 since the start of August.

Disrupting Russia’s oil production means they’ve got less to export to fund their war efforts and less to sell domestically, pushing up fuel prices for Russians and possibly making them less content with the war.

Trump also said that NATO countries should shoot down Russian aircraft which violate their airspace, and that he would know in a month’s time whether or not he still trusted Putin.

That’s his position for now, let’s see if he sticks with it.

Elsewhere at the United Nations, Trump gave a 56-minute speech during which he complained about a ‘bad escalator and a bad teleprompter’, then told European countries they were ‘going to hell’ over immigration.

‘Truth’ behind Coldplay kiss cam couple scandal revealed as source claims there was ‘no affair’

A source claiming to be in the know has said the ‘Coldplay couple’ weren’t having an affair.

Former Astronomer employees Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot went viral on social media after they were spotted together at Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres concert back in July.

During the band’s kiss-cam segment, the pair were seen embracing on the jumbo screen at the Gillette Stadium near Boston before they quickly ducked and hid.

Lead singer Chris Martin then joked to the crowd: “Either they’re having an affair, or they’re just very shy.”

CEO Byron, 51, was said to be married at the time, while Cabot, 52, filed for divorce from her husband, Andrew Cabot, a month later.

Andrew’s spokeswoman said they had ‘privately and amicably separated several weeks before the Coldplay concert’.

“Their decision to divorce was already underway prior to that evening,” they told People.

However, the video uploaded by Grace Springer, from New Jersey, went crazy viral and is currently on over 130 million views on her TikTok alone.

Following an investigation by Astronomer, Byron resigned the next day, and HR exec Cabot stepped down from the AI company a week later.

Neither Cabot nor Byron has ever addressed the incident publicly, yet months later on a source has claimed that the pair were never having an affair.

“Kristin and Andy [Byron] had an excellent working relationship, a great friendship. There was no affair,” a source told People.

“It was inappropriate to be hugging your boss at a concert, and she accepts full responsibility for it.

“But the scandal, the downfall, the loss of the job — all of that is unfair.”

The source, who has worked in advertising for 22 years, insisted that the concert wasn’t a work night out.

“There was no company box. It was a night with a big group of friends and an inappropriate moment,” they added.

Cabot has been publicly humiliated, suggests the source, who claims that ‘it’s been hard for her to leave the house’.

“She’s been prioritising her family. Her kids have been through a lot,” they said.

Russia issues brutal response to Donald Trump’s Ukraine comments as war tensions heighten

Russia has issued a brutal response after Donald Trump shared his thoughts on Ukraine’s chances in the war.

The US president shifted his views about the fight in Ukraine in a message posted on Truth Social on Tuesday (23 September).

Previously, the 79-year-old said both Russia and its counterpart would have to give up land to end the conflict.

But his latest suggestion is that Ukraine is in a great position to ‘win’.

“After getting to know and fully understand the Ukraine/Russia Military and Economic situation and, after seeing the Economic trouble it is causing Russia, I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form,” he wrote.

“With time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, NATO, the original Borders from where this War started, is very much an option. Why not?”

Trump said ‘Russia has been fighting aimlessly for three and a half years’ and a ‘real military power’ would have taken ‘less than a week to win’.

“This is not distinguishing Russia. In fact, it is very much making them look like ‘a paper tiger’,” the Republican leader added.

As reported by AFP News Agency, the Kremlin issued a response to Trump’s comments, saying that his idea is ‘deeply mistaken’.

They pushed back on his views, reiterating that their mission is ‘not an aimless war’ and their relationship with the US is not what they thought it would be at this stage.

Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told RBC radio that ‘this track is sluggish, very sluggish’ and ‘the effectiveness there… close to zero’.

“We are continuing our special military operation to ensure our interests and achieve the goals,” Peskov said.

Also in his message, Trump went on to write that ‘Putin and Russia are in BIG Economic trouble, and this is the time for Ukraine to act’.

“We will continue to supply weapons to NATO for NATO to do what they want with them. Good luck to all!” he insisted.

The president’s comments came after talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, following the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.

Zelenskyy praised Trump for the ‘big shift’ in his position, saying that the administration was also willing to give Ukraine security guarantees ‘after the war is finished’.

“I think the fact that Putin was lying to President Trump so many times also made a difference between us,” he told Fox News.

Trump and Putin have spoken many times on the phone and held ‘excellent’ face-to-face talks on 15 August at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska.

Russian propagandist issues chilling threat to drop nuclear bombs on two major UK cities

An ally of Vladimir Putin has spoken out and threatened that the Kremlin could well bomb the UK, with two cities targeted in particular.

He’s gone as far as claiming that it would be a ‘terrible sin’ if Russia didn’t bomb Britain along with the rest of Europe.

Sergei Karaganov, 73, has previously stated that the UK ‘should be nuked off the map’, so his new comments about weapons of mass destruction aren’t exactly out of the blue.

Known also as Professor Doomsday, he has voiced out in favour of a nuclear escalation in relation to the conflict in Ukraine.

He recently noted: “The use of nuclear weapons, in extreme cases, in the most dreadful case, is a terrible sin,” which sounds like it makes sense – until he takes a wild left turn.

Speaking on Russian state television, he added: “But not using them and condemning your people and the world to a major war is an even greater sin. That is an even more terrible sin.”

Another leading Russian propagandist in Vladimir Solovyov, who agrees with Karaganov in many ways, claimed on the same TV programme that particular two cities in the UK must be bombed.

Apparently, Oxford and Cambridge should be targeted so the ‘British elite’ and their universities can be destroyed.

He even called those in the government ‘morons’ and claimed that neither them nor the Royal Family control the country, but a bizarre ‘establishment’.

“Who really governs Great Britain?” He asked.

Solovyov went on: “Seriously speaking, we’ve never analysed this issue… We can’t seriously think that the bunch of idiots who actually hold power there, pretending to be prime ministers, are actually in charge.

“We understand perfectly well that the Royal Family shouldn’t be allowed within cannon shot of feeding the birds.”

Karaganov further reiterated the belief shared by much the Kremlin that there is a supposed threat coming from the West and NATO.

“We must abandon some of the foolish ideas devised by our predecessors who still say that a nuclear war shouldn’t happen and that it can never be won,” he continued.

He went on: “This is absolute nonsense. A nuclear war can be won, God forbid it happens. We must first break the will of the European elites.

“What I call breaking the back of Europe, in the hope that… normal, healthy forces can rise again in Europe. I fear that if we are not prepared to use the most decisive measures, the most terrible weapons.”

He urged people to ‘not abandon the complacent notion that a nuclear war cannot be won’, calling Europe ‘still-rich’ and hinting that they may soon be in a ‘very long, attritional war’ with them.

Claiming that the whole of humanity may get involved, he urged: “This European contagion must be eradicated. We need to prepare to strike, or at least make them understand that we are ready. It won’t necessarily be a nuclear strike… but we must prepare.”

Brenda Biya breaks down in tears after getting to see party supporters using a portrait of her dad who couldn’t come out for campaign, convincing the electorate

Daddy, what joy do you find in watching your countrymen use your portrait for a campaign you cannot attend?



Please, step aside for someone capable of engaging with the people of Cameroon and addressing their needs based on the challenges they face.


We are in a digital era, and the people need a leader with a digital mindset to manage their affairs effectively”.


-Brenda Biya breaks down in tears after getting to see party supporters using a portrait of her dad who couldn’t come out for campaign, convincing the electorate

 MUTHARIKA DECLARED WINNER OF MALAWI’S 2025 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

MUTHARIKA DECLARED WINNER OF MALAWI’S 2025 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

By: Thomas Afroman Mwale

The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has declared Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate, Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, as the winner of the 2025 presidential election.



MEC Chairperson Justice Annabel Mtalimanja announced  at a Press Conference  Monitored by Sun FM TV  News that Prof. Mutharika secured 3,035,249 votes, representing 56.8 percent of the total valid votes.



His victory makes him Malawi’s 7th Republican President, returning to the office he previously held as  Malawi’s  5th Republican President from 2014 to  2020.



Incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera earlier conceded defeat and pledged to ensure a smooth transition of power, marking the end of his tenure.


Justice Mtalimanja has however revealed that the Commission  received election related complaints from the former Ruling Party MCP and  other Political parties


She said the grievances will be reviewed thoroughly, and official responses will be provided in writing to the concerned parties with findings  published in accordance with electoral laws.



MEC official presidential election results

MEC Chairperson Justice Annabel Mtalimanja has announced that out of 7,203,390 registered voters, a total of 5,502,982 turned out to vote on September 16—representing 76.4% turnout.



There were 155,225 void votes (2.8%), leaving 5,347,757 valid votes distributed as follows:

1️⃣ Dr. Joyce Hilda Banda (PP) – 86,106 (1.6%)
2️⃣ Thokozani Manyika Banda (Independent) – 22,614 (0.4%)
3️⃣ Akwame Bandawe (AAA) – 40,052 (0.7%)


4️⃣ Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera (MCP) – 1,765,170 (33.0%)
5️⃣ Kamuzu Chibambo (PETRA) – 17,274 (0.3%)
6️⃣ Adil James Chilungo (Independent) – 8,462 (0.2%)
7️⃣ Cosmas Felix Chipojola (Independent) – 8,638 (0.2%)


8️⃣ Dr. Dalitso Kabambe (UTM) – 211,413 (4.0%)
9️⃣ Atupele Austin Muluzi (UDF) – 102,744 (1.9%)
 Prof. Arthur Peter Mutharika (DPP) – 3,035,249 (56.8%)
1️⃣1️⃣ Phunziro Mvula (Independent) – 9,378 (0.2%)
1️⃣2️⃣ Frank Tumpale Mwenifumbo (NDP) – 5,354 (0.1%)


1️⃣3️⃣ Dr. Kondwani Nankhumwa (PDP) – 12,251 (0.2%)
1️⃣4️⃣ Jordan Sauti (PCP) – 2,196 (0.04%)
1️⃣5️⃣ Smart Mulumbe Swira (Independent) – 1,848 (0.03%)
1️⃣6️⃣ Milward Tobias (Independent) – 2,086 (0.04%)
1️⃣7️⃣ Dr. Michael Bizwick Usi (Odya Zake) – 16,922 (0.3%)



Prof. Arthur Peter Mutharika of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is declared the winner with 56.8% of valid votes.

Can Willah Joseph Mudolo Be the Next President of PF — and Eventually, the Republic of Zambia?

A Zambian national based in South Africa says he wants to Challenge President Hakainde Hichilema



 Can Willah Joseph Mudolo Be the Next President of PF — and Eventually, the Republic of Zambia?



✍ By Rev. Dr. Kelvin Mugala

️ A New Political Chapter for a Changing Zambia



As Zambia moves toward the 2026 general elections, the Patriotic Front (PF) faces a defining moment. The party must rebuild — not only structurally, but spiritually. One emerging figure gaining national attention is Willah Joseph Mudolo: an accomplished businessman, philanthropist, and a leader whose vision, competence, and inclusivity may provide the new direction Zambia seeks.



 Proven Capacity Rooted in Experience

Willah Mudolo is not a recycled name from the political corridors. He is a self-made international businessman whose experience spans mining, finance, real estate, and energy. Through his W.J. Mudolo Foundation, he has improved lives across Zambia by investing in education, health, and youth empowerment.



 Academic Excellence:

MBA in Finance and Sustainability – University of Cumbria (UK)

MBA in Strategic Business – Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University (UK)



Master’s Degree in Finance and Accounting – University of Salford (UK)

These achievements make him one of the most academically prepared leaders in Zambia’s political space today.



 From Mafinga to the Nation — A Bridge Builder

Mudolo hails from Mafinga District in Zambia’s north-east — a remote and often overlooked part of the country. He belongs to one of Zambia’s minority tribes, and rather than dividing, this background uniquely positions him as a bridge-builder.


In a country too often defined by tribal voting patterns, Mudolo’s identity allows him to rise above regional alignments, bringing together urban and rural, north and south, minority and majority — in the spirit of national unity.



 Why He Might Be the Right Leader — Now

Zambians are calling for:

Development-oriented leadership

Clean governance and accountability

Economic competence and vision



Leaders who unite, not divide

Mudolo’s business acumen, global connections, and community impact align perfectly with these aspirations.

He understands both the real economy and the dream of national transformation. And crucially, he has no political baggage — allowing him to stand as a true outsider with insider understanding.


️ A Real Path to State House?

This is not a question of qualifications. Mudolo is more than ready.

The real question is:
Can the PF — and Zambia — embrace a leader who offers both vision and values?

If PF wants to be a viable force in 2026, it must embrace fresh, unifying leadership — and Willah Joseph Mudolo offers just that.



️ A Message of Hope and Possibility

Mudolo’s rise from Mafinga to the global stage is more than personal success — it is a symbol of what’s possible for any Zambian.



✅ The education is there
✅ The business record is proven
✅ The national mood is shifting
✅ The opportunity is real



Can Willah Joseph Mudolo be the next President of PF — and perhaps the Republic of Zambia?
Yes — if we are bold enough to choose unity over division, and vision over fear.



✍ Rev. Dr. Kelvin Mugala
Leadership Advocate | Governance Reformer | Founder – Nyika Trust

#WillahMudolo2026 #ZambiaDecides #PF2026 #InclusiveLeadership #MafingaRising #UnityAndProgress #NextGenLeadership #ZambiaFirst

Reflections on Chakwera’s Fall: Five Lessons from Malawi’s Electoral Earthquake
‎A reflection  by Rev Walter Mwambazi

‎Reflections on Chakwera’s Fall: Five Lessons from Malawi’s Electoral Earthquake
‎A reflection  by Rev Walter Mwambazi



‎President Lazarus Chakwera’s concession in Malawi’s 2025 general elections marks more than just a political transition – it is a sobering verdict on leadership, trust, and the weight of unmet expectations. His defeat to former President Arthur Peter Mutharika is not merely a swing of the electoral pendulum; it is a referendum on broken promises, fractured alliances, and the economic pain felt in every household.



‎里 Five Major Factors Behind Chakwera’s Defeat

‎✍ 1. The Rift with Saulos Chilima and His Tragic Death


‎The deterioration of Chakwera’s alliance with Vice President Saulos Chilima—once a charismatic pillar of the Alliance—left a vacuum in both leadership and public trust. Chilima’s untimely death in a plane crash only deepened public suspicion and grief. While no evidence implicates foul play, the timing and political tensions surrounding his demise fueled conspiracy theories and eroded confidence in the incumbent’s moral authority.



‎✍ 2. Persistent Economic Hardships

‎For three consecutive years, Malawians endured inflation above 20%, chronic fuel shortages, and a deepening cost-of-living crisis. Cyclone Freddy in 2023 exacerbated the situation, but even before the disaster, the administration’s sluggish response to hunger, forex scarcity, and agricultural decline had already alienated the electorate. The economy became the campaign message that needed no messenger – it was felt in every home.



‎Sound familiar?

‎✍ 3. Collapse of the Alliance and UTM’s Influence

‎The Alliance, once a symbol of unity and reform, fractured under the weight of internal discord. Chilima’s party, the United Transformation Movement (UTM), lost its spark after his death, and his successor failed to connect with grassroots concerns. Without Chilima’s charisma, the alliance lost its northern swing vote and urban youth support.



‎For me this is the second biggest factor behind the loss. The first being a protest vote after unmet expectations and “lame” excuses.



‎✍ 4. Perceived Corruption and Nepotism

‎Chakwera’s administration faced mounting accusations of corruption, nepotism, and misuse of public resources. Even loyalists within the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) criticized the leadership for taking citizens for granted and failing to uphold transparency. The perception of a government more concerned with consolidating power than serving the people proved politically fatal.



‎This right here is the biggest reason for their loss.

‎✍ 5. Electoral Missteps and Overconfidence

‎The MCP’s attempt to block the announcement of election results through court injunctions was seen by many as desperation. Overconfidence in the Malawi Electoral Commission’s loyalty backfired, especially when the High Court dismissed their injunction and allowed results to be released. This eroded the party’s credibility and reinforced the narrative of a leadership out of touch with democratic norms.



‎ Lessons for Regional Leaders: Kenya, Botswana, Zambia

‎The fall of Chakwera offers a cautionary tale for leaders across Southern and Eastern Africa. Presidents William Ruto (Kenya), Duma Gideon Boko (Botswana), and Hakainde Hichilema (Zambia) would do well to heed these lessons:



‎️ Guard Coalitions with Integrity

‎Alliances are fragile. When built on convenience rather than shared vision, they collapse under pressure. Leaders must nurture trust and transparency within their coalitions, especially when navigating succession politics.


‎️ Prioritize Economic Justice Over Political Optics

‎Infrastructure projects and macroeconomic jargon mean little when citizens can’t afford food or fuel. Bread-and-butter issues must remain central, and economic recovery must be felt – not just announced.



‎Here in Zambia the Patriotic Front were far better at PR than even the current (apologies for Jito’s brilliant videos) yet they lost! The majority grassroots don’t care about elaborate videos with great editing, they care about their daily needs.



‎✍ Respect Democratic Institutions

‎Attempts to manipulate electoral processes or silence dissent erode legitimacy. Upholding judicial independence and electoral transparency is not just ethical – it’s strategic.



‎✍ Avoid Personality Cults and Power Consolidation

‎Leadership must be distributed, not hoarded. When one figure dominates, the system becomes brittle. Empowering capable deputies and fostering institutional resilience is key.



‎✍ Stay Close to the People

‎Symbolic gestures and speeches are no substitute for proximity. Leaders must remain accessible, responsive, and humble – especially in times of crisis.

https://youtu.be/Yp0O6qMICJI?si=9NYnhpxZl2yHkzwW



‎President Chakwera’s fall was not inevitable – but it is instructive. It reminds us that leadership is not merely about winning elections; it’s about sustaining trust, delivering justice, and walking humbly with the people. For those still in power, the message is clear: govern wisely, or the people will choose otherwise.

Democracy Rising Under African Skies: Malawi’s Graceful Turn Signals a Continental Awakening

Democracy Rising Under African Skies: Malawi’s Graceful Turn Signals a Continental Awakening

Amb. Anthony Mukwita wrote-

24 Sept 25.

On September 16, 2025, Malawians queued under the warm sun to cast ballots in a presidential election that would echo far beyond its borders. The result? A seismic shift.

Former president Peter Arthur Mutharika, 85, of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), surged to victory with 2,954,553 votes (71.2%), defeating incumbent Lazarus Chakwera, 70, of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), who garnered 990,872 votes (23.9%). Dalitso Kabambe, 52, of the United Transformation Movement (UTM), trailed with 204,271 votes (4.9%).

Yet the true story isn’t the numbers, it’s the nobility. Chakwera, a theologian-turned-president, conceded with grace, declaring, “It is only right that I concede defeat out of respect for your will as citizens and out of respect for the constitution”.

His exit mirrors Zambia’s sixth President Edgar Lungu in 2021, who bowed out with dignity, and Botswana’s Ian Khama in 2018, who handed over power without drama, later Mogwetsi to Duma Gideon Boko. Ghana, too, has seen peaceful transitions since the comeback of President John Dramani.

But beneath the democratic dazzle lies voter fatigue. Across the region, citizens are weary of promises unkept—Malawi’s inflation has hovered above 20%, fuel queues snake through cities, and over 70% of Malawians live below the poverty line.

Ghana’s youth unemployment and Botswana’s inequality equally stirred similar discontent. The electorate in Africa is no longer enchanted by slogans—they demand delivery, jobs and affordable food, electricity and fuel.

The campaign trail was shadowed by tragedy: Vice President Saulos Chilima’s untimely death in a plane crash weeks before the vote. His widow, Mary Chilima, stepped into the fray, rallying voters with poise and pain, a symbol of resilience in mourning.

Chakwera’s legacy, however, is not defeat—it’s statesmanship. He refused to drag Malawi into the dark past of disputed polls, like Kenya 2007 or Zimbabwe 2008.

Instead, he joins Zambia’s Kenneth Kaunda, who in 1991 accepted defeat to Frederick Chiluba, setting a precedent for peaceful transitions in Zambia and beyond.

The message to incumbents? Voters are watching. Democracy is no longer a borrowed garment—it’s tailored to African aspirations.


The ballot is sharper than the bullet, and the continent is learning that power is lent, not owned.

From Lilongwe to Lusaka, Accra to Gaborone, the winds of democracy are rising. And under African skies, they carry not just ballots—but hope.

Amb. Anthony Mukwita is an Author & International Relations Analyst.

Bashi NONO  LOSES  ZWW  ELECTIONS  as  the  ZWW  PRESIDENT  RACE  is  now  between  ERNEST  MWANSA  vs  KAPEMBWA  SIMBAO

shi NONO  LOSES  ZWW  ELECTIONS  as  the  ZWW  PRESIDENT  RACE  is  now  between  ERNEST  MWANSA  vs  KAPEMBWA  SIMBAO



ZWW  PRESIDENTIAL  ELECTION  HEADS  TO  A  RE-RUN

By Brian Matambo – Lusaka, Zambia

The Zambia We Want (ZWW) Party held its presidential elections today, 23 September 2025, at Lieutembm University in Lusaka. Five candidates entered the race: Ernest Mwansa, Dr Auxilia Bupe Ponga, Richewell Siamunene, Robert “Bob” Sichinga, and Kapembwa Simbao.



After hours of ballots and counting, the outcome stunned the hall. No candidate managed the required 50+1 majority. The field has now narrowed to two: Ernest Mwansa and Kapembwa Simbao. A rerun has been declared to decide who will lead ZWW into the future.



THE CONTESTANTS WHO STEPPED FORWARD
Each candidate brought weight and pedigree. Ernest Mwansa leaned on a track record that stretched from rural electrification to parliamentary reforms. Dr Ponga drew on a lifetime of civil service and global partnerships. Richewell Siamunene projected the grit of a field organiser and unifier. Robert Sichinga, ever the economist, warned that Zambia was “in intensive care” and needed surgery, not slogans. Kapembwa Simbao stood like an engineer on the factory floor, insisting governance be stripped and rebuilt for quality.



It was not noise. It was not pageantry. It was democracy at its most disciplined.

A DIFFERENT KIND OF ELECTION
The elections were preceded by a peer review session on 22 September, where aspirants faced their colleagues with manifestos, scorecards, and scrutiny. This two-stage process, peer review then election, is a model rarely seen in Zambian politics. It stripped away the theatre and forced candidates to stand on character, record, and policy.


By the time votes were cast, members knew not just the promises but the histories, the failures, and the strategies of each contender. That depth made today’s results more than just numbers, it made them a verdict on ideas.



WHY MWANSA AND SIMBAO
The runoff between Ernest Mwansa and Kapembwa Simbao is telling. Mwansa represents the reformer’s tradition, a politician whose legacy lies in reforms, institutional change, and tangible delivery. Simbao represents the systems engineer, a leader who diagnoses dysfunction and proposes structural fixes, from judicial independence to energy generation and industrial policy.



Both men embody seriousness. Both speak in solutions, not slogans. In a political culture too often dominated by noise, the ZWW members chose to elevate two men who can spar with the incumbent on substance, not just rhetoric.



A TEMPLATE FOR ZAMBIA
What happened at Lieutembm University is not just a ZWW story. It is a message to every political party ahead of 2026. Elections can be open. They can be orderly. They can be idea-driven. They can elevate competence instead of charisma, evidence instead of improvisation.


ZWW has offered Zambia a rare spectacle: internal democracy that is transparent, competitive, and respectful. Where UPND and PF have stumbled through factionalism and imposition, ZWW has produced a disciplined race that ended in a real contest, not a coronation.



THE ROAD AHEAD
Now the suspense sharpens. Mwansa and Simbao will face off in a rerun. The winner will not simply be ZWW’s president. He will be the flagbearer of a new kind of politics, where manifestos are prescriptions, not brochures, where facts lead, not fables.



Zambia is watching. And after today, one thing is clear: the Zambia We Want has set a standard the whole nation desperately needs.

OPPOSITION LEADERS VISIT MWEMBESHI PRISON…pledge solidarity with incarcerated colleagues

OPPOSITION LEADERS VISIT MWEMBESHI PRISON

…..pledge solidarity with incarcerated colleagues

Lusaka… Wednesday September 24, 2025



Opposition leaders yesterday paid a solidarity visit to Mwembeshi Prison, where several senior figures, including Hon. Davies Chama, Hon. Bowman Lusambo, Hon. Munir Zulu, and Mr. Mushota, are being held.


The delegation included Hon. Greyford Monde, PF Chairman for Mobilization, Vice Chairman Danny Yenga, Tonse National Youth Chairman Celestine Mukandila, and SASYDA President General Ibrahim Kabwe Mwamba, among other opposition members.



The team said the opposition was determined to remain united and to fight against what they described as unjust actions by the government.



“We came here today to stand with our brothers who are imprisoned for simply holding a different political view. This is not just about them—it is about the future of democracy in Zambia. We want them to know that they are not forgotten, and that we, as the opposition, will continue to fight for their freedom,” they stated.



The team further accused the current administration of using state institutions to suppress dissent.

https://youtu.be/Yp0O6qMICJI?si=9NYnhpxZl2yHkzwW



“The government must understand that democracy cannot thrive where the opposition is intimidated and silenced. We urge President Hakainde Hichilema to respect the rule of law and allow justice to prevail,” the team stated.



The opposition leaders vowed to continue organizing and speaking out until their colleagues are released, emphasizing that the struggle for justice and democracy in Zambia is far from over.

Njobvu calls for a reduction of parliamentary term

Njobvu calls for a reduction of parliamentary term

By Francis Chipalo

Democratic Union President Ackim Antony Njobvu has proposed the need to limit tenure of office for members of parliament to five years.



This is amidst competition between long serving MPs, and aspiring parliamenterians ahead of the 2026 general elections.



Some MPs in certain constituencies have been in the office for over 20 years and have since indicated that they still want to contest in next year’s elections.



Last week, UPND deputy secretary general Getrude Imenda advised long – serving MPs to consider stepping aside for new persons, but had her appeal counter reacted by her senior Batuke Imenda.


And speaking Wednesday morning on Power FM, President Njobvu observed that certain constituencies had lagged behind in terms of development due to leaders having overstayed in office.


“The danger in that is that you outlive your usefulness and become too comfortable. That is the reason some constituency are lacking development because leaders have overstayed,” Njobvu said.



Njobvu who recently said two years would be enough for him to transform Zambia added that five years should be enough for an MP to deliver to the electorates.



The outspoken leader has since proposed that Zambia begins looking at limiting the term for MPs.



He called on young people to rise to the occasion and prove that they are capable of taking over from recycled politicians that have been clinging to office even when they have failed to deliver.

GEORGE IS USING SICK PEOPLE FOR POLITICAL MILEAGE SAYS THANDIWE NGOMA

GEORGE IS USING SICK PEOPLE FOR POLITICAL MILEAGE SAYS THANDIWE NGOMA



George Mtonga’s Misstep: Crossing Boundaries While Trying to Help Esther Ilunga


By Thandiwe Ketiš Ngoma

Inviting a sick and frail young woman like 25-year-old Esther Ilunga, who is battling diabetes and struggling to manage her health, to sit on his lap was unethical.



While offering financial support to help Esther access proper food and medical care is commendable and truly meaningful, George did not need to cross physical boundaries to show his concern.



Esther’s age, health condition, and vulnerability create a clear power imbalance, making such an intimate gesture inappropriate and potentially exploitative even if he believed it was comforting.


Care, compassion, and respect should always be demonstrated through actions that protect dignity.

NEW DAWN SHAMEFUL ACHIEVEMENTS- Fred M’membe

NEW DAWN SHAMEFUL ACHIEVEMENTS

Listening to the Minister of Energy happily announcing a shift of electricity supply from 3 hours to 10 hrs in a day is sad and disheartening. Celebrating supplying less than 50% of citizens’ needs in a 24-hour day is by no means an achievement. How can a country develop when the performance bar is set so low?



The next question is we are exporting at the same time importing. What logic is this by any standard? One would expect importing to cover a deficit and exporting to release surplus. This is clearly reverse thinking.



Lastly, what’s the price per KWh for imports and the same for exports to check sanity on pricing parity? We are probably exporting at a lower price than we are importing. Please, Minister of Energy, provide details.



Fred M’membe
President of the Socialist Party

The Unpruned Tree: Why Zambia’s Rural Heartland Feeds a Nation but Starves for Development

*The Unpruned Tree: Why Zambia’s Rural Heartland Feeds a Nation but Starves for Development:


24th September 2025

[LUSAKA, Zambia] – Today, Citizens First draws national attention to a profound and enduring injustice at the heart of our nation’s prosperity: the systemic neglect of Zambia’s rural areas, which form the very backbone of our food security yet remain trapped in a cycle of underdevelopment.



It is the farmers in our rural communities who till the land, plant the seeds, and bring in the bumper harvests that feed our nation. From the maize fields of Muchinga and southern province, rice in western province, pineapples in northwestern province, groundnuts in eastern province, cassava in luapula province and Northern Province to the soybean plots of the Central Province, the wealth of our nation is cultivated in these areas. However, this immense contribution has not translated into tangible development for the areas of production. This is not just an oversight; it is a fundamental failure that stifles our national potential.



The Paradox of the Bumper Harvest

We are confronted with a stark paradox: how can the source of our national breadbasket itself lack the basic amenities of modern life? The current model is akin to a farmer who expects a bountiful yield from an orange tree but refuses to prune it or nourish the soil. We are harvesting the fruit of our rural areas’ labour without investing in the roots that sustain it.



This approach is unsustainable and unjust. It extracts wealth from rural communities and transfers it to urban centers, leaving behind poverty, poor infrastructure, and limited opportunities for the very people who power our agricultural sector.



A ‘Citizens First’ Call for Value Addition at the Source

The Citizens First philosophy demands a fundamental shift. It means putting the needs and potential of our people ahead of outdated, centralized models. The solution is clear, logical, and long overdue: we must establish production industries that add value to crops in the very areas where they are produced. Why should a district that produces tonnes of raw maize see its wealth leave on a truck, only to buy packaged mealie-meal from a factory in another province? This model exports jobs and economic potential along with the raw commodities.



Let us consider Mafinga District as a prime example. Mafinga produces vast quantities of maize, soya beans, beans, and local bananas. Yet, where are the maize mills, the soybean processing plants, the packaging facilities for beans, or the fruit ripening and packaging houses? By processing these goods in Mafinga, we would put citizens first by:


· Creating sustainable local employment for the youth who currently see no future in agriculture.
· Boosting local incomes and ensuring wealth remains within the community that created it.
· Reducing post-harvest losses, directly benefiting the farmer’s livelihood.
· Sparking natural, community-driven development of local infrastructure.



Our Commitment, Under President Harry Kalaba’s Leadership

As championed by our leader, President Harry Kalaba, we call upon the  private sector, and development partners to join us in a new national commitment rooted in the Citizens First principle. We must pivot from a policy of mere extraction to one of integrated, localized development that empowers communities. It is time to prune the tree so that it may yield even more abundantly for everyone.


The development of rural Zambia is not a charitable act; it is the most strategic investment we can make in our nation’s future. A developed rural area, where citizens are the primary beneficiaries of their own labour, means a wealthier, more food-secure, and more equitable Zambia for all.



About Citizens First: Citizens First is a political movement led by President Harry Kalaba,committed to placing the welfare, potential, and aspirations of the Zambian people at the center of national policy and development.

Faith Munthali
National Chairlady
Citizens first.

Malawi’s Lazarus Chakwera has conceded defeat, commits to facilitate for the smooth hand over

“From those official results it was clear that my main rival, , had already secured a surmountable lead. For this reason, a moment ago, I called Professor Mutharika to congratulate him for this historic win,”



HE Dr Laz Chakwera  23.09.2025

BREAKING NEWS: MALAWI’S PRESIDENT CHAKWERA CONCEDES ELECTION DEFEAT

September 24, 202512:28 PM GMT+2 Updated 3 mins ago



LILONGWE, Sept 24 (Reuters)

Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera on Wednesday conceded defeat in this month’s presidential election.

https://youtu.be/Yp0O6qMICJI?si=5PH_B3QuotUohgOM



“It is only right that I concede defeat out of respect for your will as citizens and out of respect for the constitution,” Chakwera said in an address to the nation.



Malawi’s electoral commission is due to release the presidential election result at a briefing starting around 1200 GMT. Official results released so far show ex-president Peter Mutharika has built a commanding lead over Chakwera.



Reporting by Frank Phiri; Writing by Alexander Winning; Editing by Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo

Soondo Blasts Sean  Tembo, Zumani Zimba Over ‘Illegal’ Tonse Alliance Meeting Call

Watch Sean Tembo and Zumani, they will har Alliance- Soondo

Soondo Blasts Tembo, Zumani Over ‘Illegal’ Tonse Alliance Meeting Call



LUSAKA — United for Better Zambia (UBZ) Party President Apostle Hector Soondo has come out strongly against Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) President Sean Tembo and Zumani Zimba, accusing them of sowing confusion by calling for a Tonse Alliance council of leaders meeting without authority.



Speaking to Hot Information Newspaper on Tuesday, Soondo categorically distanced himself and his party from what he described as an “illegal, disorderly, and self-serving attempt” to hijack the Tonse Alliance leadership structure.



“The Tonse Alliance has clearly defined leadership. Only two people are mandated to call for a council of leaders meeting — President Given Lubinda, who is acting Chairperson of the alliance and acting President of the Patriotic Front, and Secretary General Raphael Nakachinda. Any other individual who attempts to convene such a meeting is acting outside the law of the alliance,” Soondo said.



He charged that Tembo and Zumani’s call was a calculated attempt to destabilize the opposition coalition at a critical time when unity is most needed.



“This is not about ambition or personal glory,” Soondo declared. “If Sean Tembo and Zumani Zimba want to be relevant, they must respect the structures that exist. You cannot wake up and decide to impose yourself on Tonse Alliance followers. That is indiscipline, and it will not be tolerated.”


The UBZ leader emphasized that the opposition cannot afford to be distracted by “illegal gatherings” and “parallel structures” when the real task ahead is mobilizing and presenting a credible challenge to the ruling UPND in 2026.



“Zambians are watching, and what they expect from us is unity, discipline, and leadership. Not confusion. Not illegality,” he said. “Anyone who truly believes in the Tonse Alliance will know that no council meeting is legitimate unless it is called by President Lubinda or Secretary General Nakachinda.”



Soondo further warned that such unauthorized moves risk undermining the very foundation of the alliance, which was built on collective respect for agreed leadership protocols.



“If you claim to be Tonse but you disregard the leadership, then you are working against the alliance, not for it,” Soondo added. “Those who want to lead should follow procedure. Otherwise, their actions are nothing but noise.”



The statement by Soondo is the latest in a series of exchanges that point to growing internal tension within the Tonse Alliance. While some parties have raised concerns about the dominance of the Patriotic Front in decision-making, others like Soondo argue that discipline and order must take precedence if the coalition is to stand a chance in the upcoming elections.

PLEASE GIVE ME CHANCE TO RULE… our ward victory shows that we are not a party of zeros – KALABA

PLEASE GIVE ME CHANCE TO RULE – KALABA
… our ward victory shows that we are not a party of zeros



Citizens First (CF) leader Harry Kalaba says his party will no longer be identified with zeros because it has backed up its work by defeating the ruling UPND in the Mufili ward elections.



In an interview with Daily Revelation over the weekend, Kalaba said his party had been mocked for a long time by the ruling UPND for getting “zeros” in several by-elections held across the country, and yet CF was leaving a presence through such participations in elections resulting in them being identified by the masses overtime.



He said their hard work had now started to reap

https://dailyrevelationzambia.com/please-give-me-chance-to-rule-kalaba-our-ward-victory-shows-that-we-are-not-a-party-of-zeros/

Simeza, Sangwa write to JSC against proceeding to recruit judges

Simeza, Sangwa write to JSC against proceeding to recruit judges



Simeza and Sangwa Associates has written the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) over the constitutionality of the current and imminent recruitment process for judges of the superior courts on grounds that they do not comply with the constitutional requirements of transparency, merit, inclusivity, accountability, independence and impartiality.



In a letter addressed to the Service chairperson dated September 21, 2025, Simeza and Sangwa argued that the terms they referred to were set out in Articles 1,2, 118(2), 140, 173, 216, 219-220, 259 and 267 of the constitution (as amended by Act No.2 of 2016), and with the broader constitutional architecture governing judicial appointments.



“We enclose, for your ease of reference, a copy of a Petition to be filed before the Constitutional Court. The petition challenges the constitutionality of the current and imminent recruitment processes for the of the superior courts on grounds that they do not comply with constitutional requirements of transparency, merit, inclusivity, accountability, independence and impartiality,” Simeza and Sangwa stated.



They stated that the petition addressed matters including the March/April 2025 advertisement for 20 judicial posts issued under the repealed Superior Courts (Number of Judges) Act, 2016, which remain pending, with interview dates not publicly disclosed but widely reported to commence Monday, 22 September 2025.



Other matters the petition addressed included the newly crafted positions under the Superior Courts (Number of Judges) Act No.12 of 2025n(effective 19 August 2025), for which no constitutionally compliant, transparent process had yet been initiated.


They identified that the Supreme Court was said to be operating with only five judges, a state of affairs that undermined and risked infringing litigants enjoyment

https://dailyrevelationzambia.com/simeza-sangwa-write-to-jsc-against-proceeding-to-recruit-judges/