ZCCM-IH MINORITY SHAREHOLDERS THREATEN LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEGAL SUIT AGAINST CHANGES AND LOOTING OCCURRING AT ZCCM-IH

Via a sens announcement this day, we have just learned of the dismissal of Mr Moses S
Nyrienda, Non-Executive Director of ZCCM-IH, appointed by IDC on 13 December 2021.

I would request you to kindly inform the minority shareholders of the reasons that led to Mr.Nyrienda’s dismissal at a time when the entire Board and Management of ZCCM-IH are working satisfactorily to turn the company around.

Your silence, or a response that is not substantiated, will lead us to believe that this
dismissal is suspicious.

After the ousting of competent people like General Councel Yadika Mkandawire, the
resignation of former Chairperson Dolika Banda and now the dismissal of Director Moses Nyrenda, this is a lot..!!

These Words will probably seem incongruous or even inappropriate to you, when we are
minority shareholders. But as a reminder, we are full stakeholders of ZCCM-IH. Every bad
decision, every bad interference, every bad investment has had an impact on our company and our investment and has prevented it from becoming the Zambian First Quantum.

It is therefore entirely legitimate for us to strongly denounce decisions that are going in the wrong direction for our company ant to praise them in the right way.

Especially as we are fully aware of what is happening in Zambia.

High-ranking Zambians, disgusted by a number of actions contrary to the country’s
interests, have informed us that a new clique is being installed in strategic positions in
ministries and SOEs, sacking upright people who refuse to accept their dirty tricks.

Its sole objective is their own personal interest. We are seen as the watchdogs of Zambia’s jewel ZCCM-IH, and these patriotic people do not want to see the shenanigans that have left ZCCM-IH and the country in exsanguination in past years reappear.

Kapiri Glass,Investrust bank, Mushe Milling, the political vicissitudes of KCM and Mopani, Ndola Lime have been dramatic for our company.

Regarding Ndola Lime, US$120 million went up in smoke in this scandal.

The Committee of parastatal Bodies has explicitly requested IDC to initiate the necessary prosecutions and bring the crooks to justice. Nothing has been done, even though I sent the information to all IDC managers in 2021.

As CEO of IDC which is the main shareholder
of ZCCM-IH, it is your duty to protect the interests of our company and I urge you to follow the recommendations of the Committee of parastatal Bodies.

Any investment in new shady lame ducks and any suspicious dismissals will be brought to
the attention of the Zambian people, and denounced to the international Bodies that
believe that Zambia is back on the right track.

The minority shareholders will always remain vigilant to ensure that their interests,
which are the same as those of the Zambian people, are protected.

Finally, in the light of the latest developments, I would like to inform you that our group of
shareholders is going to formalise a defence association which will have the power to take
legal action not only in Zambia but internationally, beyond the ZCCM-IH framework.

Yours sincerely,

HICHILEMA’S FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION HAS COLLAPSED

The revelations by Dr O’Brien Kaaba, member of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) board that Mr Hakainde Hichilema has dissolved without explanation, show clearly what we have been saying all along that Mr Hichilema is not fighting corruption per se. He is simply fighting Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu and those perceived to be close to him and other political opponents.

We have said it over and over before that the real fight against corruption must start with Mr Hichilema himself and his corrupt league. We are seeing how he is protecting members of his inner circle from corruption prosecution. Those accused of corruption, who are close to him, are just being shuffled around like cards without being thrown out.

The ACC board Mr Hichilema dissolved has also confirmed that there is corruption in his league that is not being prosecuted. This cannot be said to be a fight against corruption. It’s simply a fight against Mr Lungu and those around him. In saying this, we are not saying there was no corruption in the PF government, there was but this is not the way to fight corruption. This amounts to nothing but vengeance, and vengeance has never been a legitimate tool for any just cause.

Even the fast-track courts Mr Hichilema has created are nothing but a tool for quick retribution, for quick fixing of those who surrounded Mr Lungu. It is not a tool for the fast prosecution of all economic crimes. So far, there is no single person outside those close to Mr Lungu who has been taken to those courts. This is not by accident. It was the intended purpose of those courts. They’re meant to speed up the persecution of those Mr Hichilema doesn’t like – his political opponents.

But this will backfire very badly. The Zambian people are seeing through all these schemes. No clear minded person today in Zambia believes Mr Hichilema is genuinely fighting corruption. He is just fighting Mr Lungu and other political opponents, and not corruption, but vengeance and retribution.

Mr Hichilema’s fight against corruption has totally collapsed, and he it is today being seen for what it is – a scheme of vengeance and retribution against Mr Lungu and his team, and other political opponents. It is a waste of public resources and time. It’s a sham!

Fred M’membe
President of the Socialist Party

Munir didn’t say that people of Bweengwa are dull – Police Officer

A Police Officer says it is demeaning to refer to someone as blockhead but Lumezi member of parliament Munir Zulu did not mention that the people of Bweengwa are dull in an interview he gave to the media.

He said the witnesses who reported the matter to the police expressed displeasure with the utterances by the law maker that the people of Lumezi were more quick-witted than those from Bweengwa.

In this matter Zulu is charged with expressing hatred, ridicule or contempt for people because of race or color.

Detective inspector Brian Chipango told magistrate Amy Masoja that on March 30, 2024, he was assigned to investigate Zulu’s case for the subject offense.

He said he checked for his interview with the journalists on various media platforms among them the PF page.

Brian Chipango detective inspector said on March 30, 2023, he was allocated a case to handle which was bearing the subject offense of expressing or showing hatred, ridicule, contempt for persons because of race or color.

“I perused through the docket I noted that there was a complaint against honorable Munir Zulu who was captured on camera whilst giving interviews to journalists. The video was circulated on social media platforms notable among the PF.

“When I watched the video I heard honorable Munir Zulu saying; “ It’s been an interesting fight, it has moved from being an ACC issue to a police matter I won’t say much for now, we have been released on police bond. I want to tell you something am a villager from Lumezi but villagers from Lumezi are more intelligent than villagers from Bweengwa, thank you”

“Upon finishing I pressed for a preservation order through the Facebook law enforcement portal. I wrote to digital forensic laboratory at force headquarters to request them to extract the video from the Facebook page using the legal cyber tools.”

He said he interviewed five witnesses among them Prince Bill Kapinga who said they were not pleased with Zulu’s utterances.

“I went to the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to acquaint myself with the support the accused received in his constituency, the votes he gathered. I interviewed Bob Musenga He told the accused gathered 12, 929 votes,” Chipango said.

He told the Court that during warn and caution, Zulu gave him a savorless explanation to which he made up his mind to arrest him and charge him with the said offense.

During Cross examination by Mcqueen Zaza the witness said It wasn’t part of his duty to establish the number of tribes in Bweengwa.

Asked about the race of the people living in Bweengwa, the witness said they are negroid.

Asked if there is a tribe called Bweengwa, Chipango denied.

He said less intelligent and less dull are not the same

Asked if he established the numbers of people who live in Bweengwa and whether he interviewed them regarding the remarks the witness said he did not interview anyone or establish the number of people.

“I didn’t investigate how many people live in Bweengwa it would have required many resources it would have been more like doing census. It was not necessary for me to get the number at Central Satistical Office (CSO),”he said.

Chipango said it is demeaning to tell someone that they l are dull.

Asked if Zulu said he hates the people of Bweengwa, the witness denied.

“The ingredients of the offense is the place of origin. He (Zulu) referred to the people of Bweengwa as dull but not in the video, the second element is the place of origin he compared the people of Lumezi to the people of Bweengwa,”Chipango said.

“The place of origin and nationality are different.
My nationality is Zambian and the people of Bweengwa are Zambian.”

When cross examined by Nkhula Botha Chipango said the charge sheet does not have the word dull.

Asked if he interview experts of English, the witness denied.

Magistrate Masoja adjourned the case to August 20 for mention and fixing of a date for ruling after the State indicated that it had closed its case.

By Mwaka Ndawa

Kalemba July 24, 2024.

LAURA MITI SPITS AGAIN

She writes…

Yesterday, I had a chat with a friend who is a deep PFer. We agree on a lot about what ails this country, but, as you can imagine, our views are dimetrically opposed on who is responsible for what, and who can, and should have the right to, lead us out of it.

Our intriguing conversations usually crumble on the EL question. My mind spins that one so intelligent, informed and all round analytical would be so insistent that EL made mistakes, but was not so bad a President. That, given another chance, he would do well for this country.

That was the trajectory he was on, again, yesterday.

Of course, I disagreed. Mr PF did, however, make a point that I found instructive.

It was that, like President Lungu seemed to find it impossible to deal with cadre anarchy, which was one of the biggest citizen unhappinesses under his presidency, President Hichilema is refusing to address a huge cancer around him.

The point was advanced, that I could not dispute, that President H, seems, by degrees, reluctant, scared or unable to get rid of some Ministers and other actors, who are nothing but trouble.

Thinking about it on my own later, I concluded that, yes, President Hichilema is carrying with him some people who he probably, erroneously, thinks are politcally central to his survival in office.

Just like ELwas convinced that, if he touched cadres, he would be dismantling a, negative and destructive, yes, but necessary-to-keep-him-in-office force, HH is making political expedient decisions about who he keeps in jobs.

Take his recent decision to transfer, rather than fire, Minister Sylvia Masebo, under whom troubling levels of alleged corruption in medical supplies took place.

She is moved to Lands, another Ministry that is a magnet for corruption.

What is the thinking behind keeping Ms Masebo, if it’s not that the President finds her politically untouchable?

By the way, this is not to say Ms Masebo is corrupt. It is about perception, which, most will know can be more destructive than fact. What is not in dispute is that on the performance front, Ministry of Health hs been a mess recently. No medicines in hospitals, medicine which is given to us for free by donors, then systemayically stolen😢.

There are other people even closer to the President, than even Ministers, about whom hairy stuff has been said, for years.

I keep wondering, does the President not hear the rumours flying around about the filth some of his own advisors are involved in?

Now, again, I have no way of knowing if what people are routinely accused of is true. I just know that you can’t have people believed to be enriching themselves, the way some presidential advisors are said to be, so close to the presidency.

In his position, the President can easily carry out a lifestyle audit for everyone close to him. He does mot need to wonder what is true.

But like my PF mate said – when Presidents are in office, they choose who to listen to, and many times hear only from people in a self-preserving bubble that tell him – without us you are nothing.

How a president who won by a million votes can be so threatened, I don’t know, though.

All I do know is that this government needs a major clean up.

SPITS AGAIN

She writes…

Yesterday, I had a chat with a friend who is a deep PFer. We agree on a lot about what ails this country, but, as you can imagine, our views are dimetrically opposed on who is responsible for what, and who can, and should have the right to, lead us out of it.

Our intriguing conversations usually crumble on the EL question. My mind spins that one so intelligent, informed and all round analytical would be so insistent that EL made mistakes, but was not so bad a President. That, given another chance, he would do well for this country.

That was the trajectory he was on, again, yesterday.

Of course, I disagreed. Mr PF did, however, make a point that I found instructive.

It was that, like President Lungu seemed to find it impossible to deal with cadre anarchy, which was one of the biggest citizen unhappinesses under his presidency, President Hichilema is refusing to address a huge cancer around him.

The point was advanced, that I could not dispute, that President H, seems, by degrees, reluctant, scared or unable to get rid of some Ministers and other actors, who are nothing but trouble.

Thinking about it on my own later, I concluded that, yes, President Hichilema is carrying with him some people who he probably, erroneously, thinks are politcally central to his survival in office.

Just like ELwas convinced that, if he touched cadres, he would be dismantling a, negative and destructive, yes, but necessary-to-keep-him-in-office force, HH is making political expedient decisions about who he keeps in jobs.

Take his recent decision to transfer, rather than fire, Minister Sylvia Masebo, under whom troubling levels of alleged corruption in medical supplies took place.

She is moved to Lands, another Ministry that is a magnet for corruption.

What is the thinking behind keeping Ms Masebo, if it’s not that the President finds her politically untouchable?

By the way, this is not to say Ms Masebo is corrupt. It is about perception, which, most will know can be more destructive than fact. What is not in dispute is that on the performance front, Ministry of Health hs been a mess recently. No medicines in hospitals, medicine which is given to us for free by donors, then systemayically stolen😢.

There are other people even closer to the President, than even Ministers, about whom hairy stuff has been said, for years.

I keep wondering, does the President not hear the rumours flying around about the filth some of his own advisors are involved in?

Now, again, I have no way of knowing if what people are routinely accused of is true. I just know that you can’t have people believed to be enriching themselves, the way some presidential advisors are said to be, so close to the presidency.

In his position, the President can easily carry out a lifestyle audit for everyone close to him. He does mot need to wonder what is true.

But like my PF mate said – when Presidents are in office, they choose who to listen to, and many times hear only from people in a self-preserving bubble that tell him – without us you are nothing.

How a president who won by a million votes can be so threatened, I don’t know, though.

All I do know is that this government needs a major clean up.

By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba

FRA; K29million worth of maize collected and unaccounted for by Golden Manela Investments

iii. Questionable Collection of Maize by Golden Manela Investments Limited –
K29,033,240.

The Controlling Officer explained that the Agency received an application from Golden
Manila on 28thJune; 2022.

Further, the Agency’s first transaction with the Company was on 7th July, 2022 as the first offer of 400 metric tons of maize. The Controlling Officer further informed the Committee that the background to the maize export programme, as documented
in the records made available to the Auditor General, was that on 11th October, 2021, the
Secretary to the Treasury and the Minister of Agriculture, granted authority for the Agency to sell surplus maize intended for export, to any persons, company or business entity that had sufficient funds.

Additionally, on 5th December, 2021, the Agency published an advertisement in the Times of Zambia Newspaper, regarding the sale of maize for export.

In order to be eligible for the maize sales export program, prospective buyers were only required to submit the registration/incorporation from the Patents and Companies Registration Agency (PACRA)
(company, partnership, sole trader, cooperative etc.); the ZRA Tax Clearance Certificate and proof of payment of K1,500.00 as a participation fee.

The Controlling Officer further explained that, the Minister of Agriculture, in a letter dated 1st February, 2022, guided the Agency to reduce bureaucratic delays in the maize export program.

The Controlling Officer also submitted that despite the fact that Golden Manela Limited was based in Chamba Valley in Lusaka, this did not disqualify the Company from collecting the commodity from any district
of its choice.

The Controlling Officer further clarified that the total number of offers/contracts made to
Golden Manela were eight as highlighted in the table below.

Committee’s Observations and Recommendations

The Committee is of the view that the omission of the six maize sales contracts for Golden Manela Investment Limited from the list of contracts provided to the auditors during the audit, may have been done on purpose, in an attempt to deceive or conceal this information from the auditors.

Therefore the Committee urges the Controlling Officer to investigate these
contracts further and if the contracts were mismanaged, appropriate action, including a report on the matter to the relevant law enforcement agencies, should be undertaken.

FTOM; The Report of the Auditor General on the Accounts of Parastatal Bodies and Other Statutory Institutions for the Financial Year ended 31st December, 2022. The Report covers the Financial Year ended 31st December, 2022.

You are lucky to have a President who is a headman like me – Hichilema

President Hakainde Hichilema has emphasised the importance of direct community engagement through traditional leaders, noting that his role as a headman facilitates easier collaboration.

He told traditional leaders that they are fortunate to have a president like him who is also a headman noting that working with the community is easier that way.

Speaking when he met six traditional leaders from Mumbwa District at Amatheon Agri Farms in Mumbwa yesterday, President Hichilema stated that his Government continues to work with the community directly through traditional leaders like headmen.

“We continue working with the community through the riyal highness through the headman like me, you are lucky to have a president who is a headman like me,” stated Hichilema.

The President expressed displeasure with how the distribution of maize has been done within Mumbwa district.

He said Government is committed to ensuring that the 84 districts affected by the drought are supported through the Disaster Management Mitigation Unit (DMMU).

“I’m not happy about the distribution of food, we can do better, we need to checklist, I’m not happy about the way we are managing the grain bank into the buying tables. I do get feedback. I sat with the chiefs they gave me feedback in there and I have suggested that after today we checklist the challenges that we are facing and resolve them,” he stated.

“All of us in the DMMU, can we deal with those issues so that we are a bit more efficient….That food distribution for the people is not going well, we don’t want our people to suffer we must use our wisdom to take care of people.”

President Hichilema further directed the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to pay farmers in time by prioritising Zambians before foreigners.

He added that Government workers should also be willing to work with the private sector in order for development to take place.

“People in government resist to work with [the] private sector.. [but] you are funded by the private sector, your salaries are funded by the private sector. I am from the private sector myself so why don’t you resit the president?” questioned Hichilema.

Credit @Kalemba

The Mail & Guardian

Hakainde Hichilema’s facade of fighting corruption in Zambia is slipping

THOUGHT LEADER / 23 JULY 2024

Hakainde Hichilema’s facade of fighting corruption in Zambia is slipping

By Aaron Ng’ambi

It is evident that ‘HH’ is either implicated in corruption or outright complicit because he has done almost nothing about the allegations of graft made against his cabinet ministers, some of his staff at state house and even his private associates.

The government of the United Party for National Development (UPND), and its alliance partners in Zambia, began its mandate in August 2021, after winning the general elections with a landslide.

President Hakainde Hichilema, popularly known as HH, was a longtime critic of corruption in the previous regimes.

He spent 15 years as opposition leader, using anti-corruption rhetoric to gain political mileage.

Over time, this strategy paid off as he successfully convinced millions of Zambians that his predecessor, Edgar Lungu, and his party the Patriotic Front (PF) were corrupt to the core and should be voted out of power.

Hence, by 2020, Hichilema was vowing that, if elected to office as the seventh democratic president of Zambia, he would be different from the PF, and that he would put the fight against corruption at the centre stage of his presidency and government.

Unfortunately, time has revealed that HH is no different from any other average African politician who says one thing and does the opposite.

The man used propaganda and high-level, sophisticated local and international public relations experts to project an image of him as a “political saint”, a near-perfect figure who would free Zambia from the shackles of corruption.

The ploy was believable and he fooled a lot of people.

But, sadly, President HH’s mask, worn for a very long time, is coming off. And his alleged fight against graft is crumbling before our eyes.

It is evident that he is either implicated in corruption or outright complicit because he has done almost nothing about the allegations of corruption made against his cabinet ministers, some of his staff at state house and even his private associates. 

Nonetheless, a recent report by the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) has shaken up the UPND government.

This report, for the year 2023, indicates that corruption and the plunder of national resources has increased drastically under Hichilema and his “new dawn” government in Zambia.

In fact, the same report shows that the value of suspected illicit financial transactions rose by about 132%, from 5.8 billion Zambian kwacha in 2022 to 13.58 billion, in 2023.

This is unprecedented, so much so that it provoked an immediate cosmetic response from Hichilema himself.

He issued a statement on 10 July, saying that the findings would be investigated.

On the other hand, vice president Mutale Nalumango is on record failing to answer straightforward questions in parliament over the report, a clear sign that the regime is in disarray concerning corruption.

To make matters worse, just a few days after the release of the report, another scandal, at the ministry of health, was exposed.

It was established that the ministry, through the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZMMSA), had engaged the Unified Procurement Authority of Egypt for the supply of medicines and other medical supplies, pegged at $65 million, in August 2023.

However, out of the scheduled delivery of 74 containers of supplies, only about 13 reached the agency’s central warehouse.

The remaining 61 containers were diverted to a secret location in the capital Lusaka, the exposé showed.

Meanwhile, hospitals and clinics have experienced drug and supplies shortages since HH and his government won the elections three years ago.

This is absurd and shows gross misconduct on the part of the government.

Because of this huge embarrassment, the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency’s director general has been suspended by the board, pending investigations.

Arguably, the same institution now wants to claim that the amount spent on this messy procurement was only $24 million, not the reported $65 million.

It is utter nonsense for the health minister Sylvia Masebo, and her permanent secretary, to claim ignorance over the undelivered drugs and supplies of such a high-level transaction.

Masebo made a statement in parliament during which she took no responsibility for this huge corruption scandal.

This is because she knew that her boss, HH, would do nothing about it, except pay lip service by promising that a forensic audit of the transaction would be carried out.

And sure enough, President HH has not fired Masebo, after this scandal — but has since transferred her to the ministry of lands.

In any civilised society, especially in a functional democracy, the president would have fired the minister of health, and everyone else involved in the scandal, without waiting for a so-called forensic audit, even simply because lives have been lost due to the “lack” of drugs in hospitals and clinics countrywide. But the president is incompetent and cannot act because he is either protecting himself or someone close to him.

Furthermore, the Anti-Corruption Commission, which is supposed to be an institution that fights past, present and future corruption, has been compromised in the three years of Hichilema’s rule. Whistleblower O’Brien Kaaba, a courageous commissioner, spoke out about the corruption of the now disgraced director general, who has since resigned, due to public pressure.

The revelations coming from Kaaba focus on corruption at state chambers (the attorney general, solicitor general and director of public prosecutions), not just the Anti-Corruption Commission. The nation has been informed that certain individuals in the state chambers are cutting corrupt deals and facilitating graft.

This has put law-enforcement agencies in an awkward position as the state chambers ought to be an ally in fighting corruption. No serious crusade against corruption can work when the heart of the legal machinery for government is contaminated.

Kaaba indicated that state chambers are also active in looking for litigants to sue the government and pre-agree to settle or enter consent orders involving huge sums of money for them to get kickbacks. The scheme has been perfected to the extent that some orders are now signed using judges outside Lusaka to avoid public scrutiny and media attention in the capital.

This explains the instances where UPND cadres who accused the previous government of illegal detention have now been given fast and fat settlements.

If Hichilema was serious about the fight against corruption, he should have dismissed his senior legal advisors and either set up a commission of inquiry or authorised a special audit into all the high-value payments authorised by state chambers over the past three years. But, of course, the man is either incompetent, compromised or complicit in these crimes.

Kaaba cited specific examples and named individuals, such as the solicitor general, as being involved in such schemes. It is alleged that the current solicitor general received a bribe amounting to $500 000 from a named company. He denies the allegations and has since sued Kaaba for defamation.

When these revelations were made public by Kaaba, the Anti-Corruption Commission’s director general was not fired by HH but resigned. Unfortunately, the board had to pay the price as the president dissolved it immediately — a senseless and unjustified move. Just before it was dissolved, the commission issued a statement confirming that they are, and had been, investigating the solicitor general.

This is interesting because the commission has refused to inform the public if this is true or not. Moreover, why is this same solici tor general still in office, if indeed the Anti-Corruption Commission is investigating him?

HH is silent over the conduct — or rather misconduct — of the solicitor general. But the commission board, which was doing the right thing, had to be dismantled. This is suspicious and the actions, or inaction, of the president raise more questions than answers. Who is he protecting by shielding the solicitor general? If anything, HH should be on the side of the whistleblower Kaaba, a university lecturer who until recently served as commissioner at the now dissolved Anti-Corruption Commission.

In the final analysis, Hichilema might have been a good opposition leader for 15 years but he’s definitely not an impressive president. Just after winning the elections of 2021, HH told the BBC he would appoint people of good character to public office. It took him two or three months to name his cabinet, claiming that he was doing things “methodically”.

The biggest problem with Hichilema’s appointments is patronage because a number of people in key positions happen to be his former personal lawyers, such as the minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security, the Director of Public Prosecution and the Solicitor General. The attorney general is the first lady’s cousin, while the president’s legal advisor is there on account of his late father who worked with HH. Thus, there are no checks and balances in a system where the key appointees are drawn from a small pool of party confidants, all of whom are considered out of their depth.

Perhaps this is part of the reason the president lacks the guts to fire any of his appointees. Instead, he asks them to resign, as was the case with the disgruntled former minister of foreign affairs.

The same scenario played out with the former director general of the Anti-Corruption Commission, who could not be saved, even by his boss, after the corruption scandals at the commission were leaked. All Hichilema did was to politely ask this fellow to resign and then accept his resignation.

In a nutshell, to take root, the fight against corruption in Zambia needs genuine and honest leadership. It is impossible for any leader or president to claim that they are fighting corruption when their own means of wealth accumulation remains a mystery. Also, for the sake of transparency, integrity and accountability, HH should have declared his assets upon assuming office, as prescribed by law.

Finally, we have to recount that on March 31, 2023, US Vice President Kamala Harris, visited Zambia and pledged $16 million for the fight against corruption. Regrettably, now we know, from an insider at the dissolved commission, that those HH entrusted to fight corruption are corrupt themselves.  How will this government account for the money from the US government for fighting graft? 

These are fundamental issues that all well-meaning Zambians should be concerned with. Otherwise, we are likely to see many more corruption scandals in the Hichilema administration.

Aaron Ng’ambi is a geopolitical analyst and newspaper columnist, leadership instructor and a social entrepreneur.

UNRULY AND RIOTOUS BEHAVIOR OF SOME COPPERBELT UNIVERSITY STUDENTS WILL NOT GO UNPUNISHED – KITWE DC

Kitwe D.C writes…

It was not necessary for students to riot over lack of water in the university which resulted in the looting of shops in the nearby area.

Firstly, it is with utmost displeasure that we express disappointment in the unruly behavior of our intellectuals who are meant to spearhead our nation and serve as epitomes of knowledge in our societies.

In the event that caused this unruly behavior by the said group of students, there was an electrical fault on the transformers at Bulangililo Water Treatment Plant and it affected water supply to the Northern part of Kitwe. However, both Nkana Water and Zesco technical teams were on site to resolve the problem. The affected areas included: Kamatipa, Racecourse Garneton, Riverside, Parklands, Bulangililo, Kwacha East, East of Kwacha, Old Kwacha, Chimwemwe and Kawama including CBU itself.

The fault occurred yesterday in the afternoon and the combined technical team from Nkana Water and Zesco had been on site since then to resolve the problem. Due to the technical requirements of the installation and maintenance of these transformers, there was no water the whole day but was reconnected by 21:00hrs yesterday to which surprisingly, the rioting happened at 22:00hrs when water was already running.

Nkana water Co. even sent water bowsers to cushion the impact of this water outage in the institution but students still opted to riot and loot nearby shops. The big question is when the university is closed and these students are home, do they riot because of water problems in their residential areas? If No, then why at the expense of the institution and other innocent citizens?

It is then in conclusion of our investigating team,0 that this unruly behavior was carried out by students who were not ready for exams, which are to be held in a few weeks time and was a rather planned move that took advantage of the water crisis to loot shops for money and food which was not in genuine relation to the said water problem. Why should innocent citizens outside the University suffer such severe loses for an internal problem the institution?

It has also been discovered that those who incited this riot did it on political driven grounds. Let us not put the country in disarray because of political affiliation. The university is for learning  and broadening one’s intellectual capabilities and not a political play ground.

We have therefore concluded that the identified culprits must be punished accordingly and expelled from the University with immediate effect. We urge all parents to offer caution and Counsel to their children in these universities about moral and social behavior to avoid such eventualities that may even result in loss of lives.

Lawrence Mwanza,
Kitwe District Commissioner.

CHIPATA DUO ADMIT HAVING SEX CHARMS TO CLEAR HUMAN BUSH OF FEMALES IN THEIR SLEEP

A CHILLING tale of witchcraft and sexual predation has unfolded in the quiet community of Kagunda in Eastern Province once more as some men admit using charms to sleep with female teachers.

What seemed like a far fetched story from Nollywood stories or Zambian folktales is now just a stone throw distance away in Chipata as female teachers at the local primary school found themselves trapped in a living nightmare, their peaceful slumber shattered by invisible assailants.

Last month, female teachers of Kagunda Primary School were at the verge of running away from the school, after they were severally raped by unknown people, who used charms to sleep with them at night.

A specific incident of one of the teachers ended up calling for prayers.

One morning, she woke up to the biggest shock and surprise of her life, she had found her private parts smooth and clean, shaved by ‘good Samaritans’ while she was asleep.

But that’s not it, the people who also helped her shave her private parts also helped themselves by also having sex with her, leaving their semen on her, as proof that they were there.

This forced the area Chief, Chief Chinyaku of the Ngoni to call for exorcism prayers at the school last month, which were led by New Hope Baptist Church reverend, Johnathan Banda.

And if the prayers failed, the chief said he would call for a witch finder to locate the culprits.

The prayers were attended by the entire village and also neighbouring villages, who gathered in one place to shame and stamp on the devil with the ‘Inshalalala’ tongues.

And it was not long before the prayers were answered.

Before the reverend could even say ‘Amen’ the perpetrators had already availed themselves.

Two young men, possessed with the spirit of horniness confessed of being the lawn mowers clearing the bushes of their victims.

The two men who asked the man of God to hide their identities said they had charms that would enable them to have sex with women in their sleep.

“They asked me to burn their charms because they did not want to be embarrassed as the chief was planning to call a witch finder after teachers at the school started complaining about people having sex with them at night,” reverend Banda said.

“The two men pleaded that I [should not] disclose their identity to the Chief for fear of being sent away from his territory. One of the men confessed that he would put the charms under the doormat before having access to the women.”

And the traditional leader warned his subjects against engaging themselves in activities that harass government workers.

“Anyone found engaging in witchcraft will be banished from my Chiefdom. I am happy those two decided to surrender their charms on their own,” he said.

Copperbelt Province Minister Hon. Elisha Matambo writes…

Beloved Citizens,

THOSE BEHIND RIOTOUS BEHAVIOR AT CBU, THEIR DAYS ARE NUMBERED

Last night, some students at The Copperbelt University in Kitwe ran amok damaging properties, looting and disturbing peace of the  innocent citizens simply  because there was disruption of water supply at the campus due to the fault that Nkana Water & Sanitation Company experienced  few days ago.

Our Republican President Mr Hakainde Hichilema not too long ago donated three commercial boleholes at CBU to help resolve water challenges at the highest learning institution.The three (3) boleholes that our Head of State Mr Hakainde Hichilema donated were sunk and installed with complete pumping system with 10,000 litres water tank each which comes to 30,000 litre in  total.

As we are talking students are able to draw water from the said boleholes .What is  remaining is to reticulate the  water into the hostels and other areas and CBU Management is working on the same issue.

On top of that,according to our investigation by the time the students were rioting Nkana Water & Sanitation Company had already restored the supply of water at the campus ,so the question really is what was the point of rioting and damaging properties?

Additionally,The Copperbelt University Management  also brought in a water bowelser to cushion the water challenges as a short term interventions during the period. Like we said,there was no need for some of our students resorting to destroying innocent people’s properties.

As Government,we never expected to see what we have witnessed from our students who are our future leaders.Going forward, we don’t want to see what we saw last night,such behaviour is not good and we will not encourage it because it is detrimental to development.

We are also aware that,there are some external forces trying to incite our students and  those behind such acts ,their days are numbered.We urge the police to get down to the matter as quickly as possible and avail the information to the general public what could have happened.

The New Dawn Government under President Hakainde Hichilema believes in dialogue and not resorting to riotous behaviours whenever an issue arises.We really sympathize with our innocent citizens whose properties got  destroyed during the fracas.

Hon Elisha Matambo
Copperbelt Province Minister

Mwenye cannot be celebrated as a hero in fighting corruption says lawyer Simon Mwila

SOCIALIST party legal chairman Simon Mulenga Mwila says it is wicked for former Anti-Corruption Commission board chairman Musa Mwenye to make revelations that the fight against corruption was choosy, after being  axed.

Mwila says Mwenye cannot portray himself as a man of courage in the fight against corruption when he comfortably managed a board for an institution he claims is plagued by graft, yet he failed to provide solutions to stop the rot apart from demanding for lifestyle audits of public officials.

Last week the ACC board was dissolved by President Hakainde Hichilema after a former board member Dr O’Brien Kaaba ignited a tumult when he claimed that State chambers was enmeshed in corruption.

However on Sunday July 21, Mwenye penned down a mirthless article on his Facebook page reflecting on his time in office at the Anti-graft body saying those in authority failed to arrest erring government officials.

He said the push for arrests of government officials involved in corruption caused a discord between the ACC board and decision makers.

“Successive governments have manipulated the operations of the ACC by appointing a strong board to give a veneer of respectability but appointing management that is ‘user friendly’. But I am proud that the board I served refused to be intimidated, remained in position and demanded internally and publicly, both as a board and in our individual capacities, that the right thing be done,”said Mwenye

However Mwila says Mwenye has failed the integrity test.

“His revelations have come too late, if he noticed these irregularities, all he would have done is of course is told the President,”Mwila said.

“He’s not exhibited anything he’s just trying to show a that he’s a hero with some level of integrity which I feel he doesn’t have.”

He wondered why Mwenye found it complacent in a scandal-plagued institution and did not jump ship and had to wait for a board member to expose the ‘skeletons in the cupboard’.

“Why did it have to take him so long? did it have to take Dr Kaaba to make those revelations on how the board and management of ACC have been operating ? I don’t think so,”Mwila said.

“He should have done a very good service to this country the way Dr Henry Mbushi did he resigned when he noticed that this fight against corruption is not a fight against corruption actually, it’s a way of persecuting people that you perceive as your enemies and a way to cripple your political opponents.”

Mwila charged that Mwenye cannot be crowned the man of the moment in the fight against graft when he is neck deep in the waters, charging that his revelations were out of frustration.

“There’s no righteousness in what State counsel has done we respect him as our mentor but the manner in which he has come out he should have found a better way of airing his grievances,”he said.

“We will just take it that he’s done it out of frustration and it lacks any integrity, to me it doesn’t stand.”

The lawyer added that upon noticing frictions between the board and management Mwenye should have sought audience with the President if he felt he was not offered an ear within the institution.

“When he realized that the board and management are not in good terms or, they are not able to discharge the functions of the ACC that’s fighting corruption that President Hichilema has been singing about from the time he took office, I think he (Mwenye) should have alerted either the members of the public or written to the President and shown us a copy but he was quiet all along,”

“Now out of frustration he decides to be a hero and a saint that to me doesn’t pass the integrity test and I totally disagree with the manner he is doing things,” said Mwila.

By Mwaka Ndawa

Kalemba July 23, 2024.

HON. BINWELL MPUNDU CRIES OUT FOR JUSTICE, AS I SAY, NOUSHALIMO AKABAMO
===================
Some of you may think you are safe, but in Bemba we say, “Umulandu Mume, baukumpulafye”, one day, you will face and injustice but it will be too late for you to fight it.

By Hon Binwell Mpundu

When we call out on injustices dont think we are foolish or are not thinking ala one day those injustices will meet you and we will not be there to help you out.

Have you forgotten i was almost being condemned to Prison on foolish allegations that i sent our young people to go and steal scrap at KCM .Some of you even called me a criminal…

Jay Jay is abducted by state house officials and the president is fully aware of that make no mistake,Jay is now in prison over fake charges and propaganda and you are busy shouting crucify him???
You have even participated in pushing the propaganda that Jay Jay urinated in someone’s mouth and when it has downed on you that it was propaganda you have all gone mute yet you have the courage to talk about Justice.

Tayali was almost killed at his house by men carrying military weapons and he was turned from a victim to a criminal and today you are still shouting crucify him and you wanted him to face the courts for Justice you said????

Why-Me is still rotting in Jail over an exchange of insults with a known UPND cadre and they only arrest him for months now without bond or bail over insults but the other character is free and yet you have the courage to come here to talk about justice being served ??

Rizwani and friend are rotting in Jail 8 months now over allegations yet they cant even take him to court and you are here talking about Justice being served??

Do you want me to go on and on about the injustices people are being subjected to??

Meanwhile the real criminals stealing your money meant for drugs and to end load shedding are are just being moved from one assignment to the next and yet you have the audacity to come to my page to talk about Justice???

YOU REALLY NEED TO THINK TWICE WHEN YOU COMENT ON MY POSTS.

PeP STATEMENT ON THE CONTINUED INCARCERATION WITHOUT TRIAL OF MR. SHADRECK KASANDA AT MUKOBEKO MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON

Liberty House, 23rd July 2024

1. As Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) we wish to challenge President Hakainde Hichilema to explain to the nation why, out of the six Gold Scandal suspects that were initially arrested, only Mr. Shadreck Kasanda still remains incarcerated at Mukobeko Maximum Security Prison in Kabwe, without trial, 11 months later.

2. The six Zambian suspects that were initially arrested regarding the Gold Scandal are Mr. Jim Belemu, Mr. Patrick Kawanu, Mr. Oswald Diangamo, Mr. Francis Mateyo, Mr. Robson Moonga and Mr. Shadreck Kasanda. It is worth noting that apart from Mr. Shadreck Kasanda who hails from Luapula Province, the other five suspects either hail from Southern Province or one of the Zambezi Provinces. It is also worth noting that despite the six named suspects having been together during the said Gold Scandal, the other five suspects that hail from Southern Province have long been released and they have subsequently not appeared before any Court of Law. In other words, the Gold Scandal cases relating to the five suspects that come from Southern and other Zambezi Provinces appear to have mysteriously fizzled out.

3. On the other hand, Mr. Shadreck Kasanda, who is the only one out of the six Gold Scandal suspects who hails from a non-Zambezi province, being Luapula, has been incarcerated for the past 11 months at Mukobeko Maximum Security Prison, without trial and without access to any relative or friend except his lawyer. Additionally, Mr. Kasanda’s house in Ibex Hill area was seized by the State without trial, together with all his bank accounts and household items including his personal clothes and shoes. To the contrary, none of the other five Gold Scandal suspects that come from Southern and other Zambezi provinces had their houses, bank accounts or any property seized by the State.

4. As Patriots for Economic Progress, we wish to challenge President Hakainde Hichilema to tell the nation whether his Government has a deliberate policy for selective prosecution, specifically aimed at locking up as many people from non-Zambezi provinces as possible, while shielding individuals that hail from Southern and other Zambezi Provinces from criminal activity?

5. We have found it necessary to ask the President this unfortunate question because the case of Mr. Shadreck Kasanda is not the only one. We have cases of Hon. Mumbi Phiri, Dr. Chris Zumani Zimba and others who hail from non-Zambezi provinces, who were incarcerated for prolonged periods of time on very flimsy grounds. On the other hand, we have cases of Batuke Imenda and Hon. Douglas Syakalima who hail from Southern and other Zambezi provinces where the State has refused to grant consent for their prosecution for clear criminal offenses of hate speech.

6. Therefore, it is very important that President Hakainde Hichilema answers our question as to whether his Government has a deliberate policy of unduly incarcerating as many Zambians that hail from non-Zambezi provinces as possible, while at the same time shielding individuals that hail from Southern and other Zambezi provinces from criminal activity? We look forward to the President’s answer to our question as soon as possible.

///END

ISSUED BY:

SEAN E. TEMBO (SET)
PARTY PRESIDENT
PATRIOTS FOR ECONOMIC PROGRESS (PeP)

PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Lusaka, Zambia, 23rd July 2024

CURRENT ECZ CAN’T CONDUCT GENERAL ELECTIONS

We call on  all stakeholders to reject the Electoral Commission of Zambia’s (ECZ) roadmap to the 2026 General Elections due to multiple irregularities compromising the integrity of the electoral process.

In its current form, the ECZ lacks the credibility to conduct free and fair ELECTIONS, Infact it may play a part to rigging. The Commission is composed of UPND card-carrying members who have failed to meet the minimum requirements for ECZ membership. The ECZ has consistently demonstrated partisanship, imposing unnecessary requirements on political parties during by-elections and disregarding court rulings.

The Kwacha and Kabushi by-elections were marred by irregularities, and the ECZ’s failure to address these issues raises serious concerns about the legitimacy of the 2026 General Elections. Furthermore, the ECZ’s decision to proceed with the Kapamba ward by-election in Mpika District despite the withdrawal of the NCP candidate contradicts the Zambian Constitution, which mandates fresh nominations in such cases.

Additionally, the ECZ has imposed instructions on political parties regarding who should sign adoption certificates for candidates. There is no law that provides for such imposition; it is up to individual parties to make that decision themselves. This overreach is a clear interference in internal party matters.

Despite a tribunal ruling indicating the electoral officer’s error in disqualifying the Patriotic Front candidate in Mpika’s Kapamba ward, the ECZ failed to act, further eroding confidence in the electoral process. Moreover, the presence of ministers with large amounts of cash on election days to buy votes has been ignored by the ECZ, compromising the integrity of the electoral process. Reports indicate that ministers have been moving with trunks and bags of money, paying K1000 per vote, which is unacceptable.

In light of these irregularities, we call for the rejection of the ECZ’s decisions, roadmap, actions, and composition in totality. We demand the constitution of a new electoral body to ensure credibility and fairness in the 2026 General Elections. Stakeholders should demand the disbanding of the current ECZ which is controlled by UPND to ensure free and fair elections in 2026 and preserve the democracy of the country.

Issued by:

Francis Robert Kapyanga
Provincial Youth Chairperson
Patriotic Front
Muchinga Province

Contact:
UPND Media Director Ruth Dante
Phone: 0976503165 / 0975704808
Email: upndhq@gmail.com


PRESS RELEASE

ZAMBIANS APPLAUD HH’S VALIANT FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION

Lusaka, (23 July 2024 )– President Hakainde Hichilema’s recent measures display his steadfast dedication to eliminating corruption in Zambia, marking a significant turning point in the United Party for National Development’s (UPND) anti-corruption campaign.

President Hichilema’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption contrasts sharply with the previous administration’s approach.

Under the PF administration, the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) faced intense opposition and criticism after exposing major corruption and misappropriation of public funds in 2018 and 2019 Trend Reports. Notably, then-Director General Mary Chirwa and other FIC officials were attacked, leading to a decline in the FIC’s effectiveness and morale. The PF administration mocked the FIC’s efforts and accused it of producing incomplete data.

The FIC’s 2018 report revealed financial crimes costing K6.1 billion, while the 2020 report showed corruption costing K2.2 billion. Due to the PF’s attacks,  FIC was forced to operate more quietly, facing intense scrutiny and criticism. The former president and other government entities, including the Ministries of Finance and Information, undermined FIC’s goals and demoralized its personnel.

In contrast, President Hichilema has taken decisive actions to restore integrity and transparency in the FIC’s operations.

He relieved the Director General of the Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority (ZAMMSA) of his duties and dissolved the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to bring fresh ideas and energy to these crucial areas.

He also made cabinet changes, including swapping the Minister of Health with the Minister of Lands.

These actions reflect President Hichilema’s determination to tackle corruption head-on and revitalize the institutions tasked with fighting it.

Unlike the PF administration, which undermined the FIC through government interference, President Hichilema’s policies promote accountability and transparency.

He has vowed to wage an unrelenting war on corruption, stating, “You are on your own,” to anyone involved in corrupt practices, regardless of their political affiliation.

President Hichilema’s commitment to fighting corruption is also evident in his dedication to ACC reform and ensuring the timely release of the 2023 FIC report.

With the departure of the ACC Director General and the extension of the agency’s mandate, a new chapter in the fight against corruption has begun. These firm actions are expected to reduce corruption in Zambia and rebuild confidence in the government.

As the UPND, we applaud President Hichilema for his unwavering opposition to corruption and his efforts to ensure the independence of the FIC and ACC.

While the fight against corruption is challenging, we are hopeful that President Hichilema’s commitment and decisive actions will have a significant impact on Zambia’s anti-corruption crusade.

UPND Media Team

Hichilema is slowly building a coalition of opposition against himself

By Sishuwa Sishuwa

What has largely determined the legacy of successive presidents of Zambia – except Kenneth Kaunda’s – is their attitude towards corruption.

Zambians love, trust, and respect a national leader who shows clear or demonstrable will to fight past and especially present corruption, to deal decisively with the corruption of their officials or associates including those in the inner circle. This is what sets Levy Patrick Mwanawasa apart.

As I stated on Sunday on Diamond TV (for a recorded version of the programme, please click on this link: https://youtube.com/watch?v=XrPgZN4l5fE), Levy was so decisive when it came to fighting corruption that officials, including Cabinet ministers, accused of graft were dismissed long before the public complained and subsequently prosecuted. This is the leadership that President Hichilema should demonstrate if his crumbling fight against corruption is to be taken seriously.

As it stands, it would be fair to say that Hichilema’s anti-corruption fight is failing because he lacks the political will to fight corruption. This may be because the President is either involved in corrupt activities, is too close to some of his officials who are corrupt – thereby impairing his judgement and making it difficult for him to act against them – or is a captive of a network of both private and public actors who, for whatever reason, seem to be tightly holding his balls (figuratively speaking). The situation is not helped by Hichilema’s tendency to listen to only those he likes. In other words, the President has shown a rigid unwillingness to listen to even reasonable advice, especially if that advice comes from people outside his inner circle or whom he thinks do not support him.

What a pity because Hichilema, following his historic election, had a golden opportunity to wage a genuine and faceless fight against corruption, unite citizens across ethnic and regional identities and coalesce their energies for nation building, restore Zambia’s democracy, resuscitate its economy, develop a culture of meritocracy especially in the civil service by appointing competent men and women to key formal institutions, and work towards building a truly functioning country that works for everyone. Sadly, Hichilema is steadily building a coalition of opposition against himself, largely emanating from how he has handled these key issues.

Once again, I appeal to President Hichilema to reassess his priorities, place public interest above personal relationships, change course for the better, and rescue his failing presidency. Or else, this African proverb shall come to pass: “A fly that does not heed advice gets buried with the corpse”.

PATROTIC Front (PF) acting president Robert Chabinga has submitted in court that Miles Sampa should be removed as a defendant in the lawsuit because the former is the correct person to be sued as party leader.

However, Mr Sampa has argued that he is the correct person to be cited as defendant in the case, contending that he is the rightful PF president and his tenure runs upto 2028.

This is in a case PF secretary general Morgan Ng’ona has sued Mr Sampa over his decision to dissolve the party central committee.

Mr Ng’ona, who cited Mr Sampa as defendant, wants the court to declare as illegal Mr Sampa’s decision because he does not wield such powers since he was expelled from the party.

He is also seeking a court order staying Mr Sampa’s decision until his matter is fully determined.

But Mr Chabinga later applied to be joined to the lawsuit commenced by Mr Ng’ona as an intended defendant and has since filed summons for alteration of parties.

In the summons for alteration of parties, Mr Chabinga submits that the lawsuit in issue was commenced by Ng’ona against Mr Sampa in his capacity as PF president.

He submits that on July 3, 2024, the central committee of the PF convened a meeting at which it was resolved that Sampa be removed from his position as president and replaced with Chabinga.

“I believe true that following the change in the position of presidency, I am the proper defendant having assumed the role and function of the office of the president of the PF,” Mr Chabinga submits.

But Mr Sampa has opposed Mr Chabinga’s summons for alteration of parties insisting that he is the correct defendant because the lawsuit was commenced by Mr Ng’ona who sued him in his capacity as PF president.

“The record indicates in the statement of claim filed by the plaintiff, it was stated at all material times I was the president of the Patriotic Front party”.

Mr Sampa submits that he appointed Mr Chabinga as member of PF central committee and as leader of opposition in Parliament, October 2023.

“On June 30, 2024, I exercised my authority as president of the PF as provided under the party’s constitution to remove the intended defendant from his position as leader of opposition in Parliament”.

The Matero PF lawmaker submits that in removing Mr Chabinga from his position, he merely exercised the constitutional powers vested in him as PF president.

“The intended defendant is not the president of the PF party. That I am the president of PF elected on October 24, 2023 at an extraordinary conference in Lusaka.

“As per terms of the PF constitution, my term runs for a period of five years, commencing from the 24 October, 2023, to the 24 October, 2028”.

Mr Sampa adds that the PF constitution has no provision to remove an elected president and appoint an acting one through a purported central committee meeting.

(Mwebantu, Monday, July 22nd, 2024)