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I DIDN’T INVESTIGATE MALANJI’S COMPANIES IN LUBUMBANSHI-KABOZYA

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I DIDN’T INVESTIGATE MALANJI’S COMPANIES IN LUBUMBANSHI-KABOZYA

…I relied on documents given to me by the Zambian Consulate in Lubumbashi…

…Here we have a case of an innocent person who has not been heard or has not been brought to a court of law…

The People Vs Fredson Yamba and Joseph Malanji before Magistrate Hon. Ireen Wishimanga

CROSS EXAMINATION

MAKEBI ZULU- Witness, tell us your qualifications.

Charles Kabozya-I studied law at the University in DRC. it was one of the 3 public universities.

Makebi Zulu- how long have you worked in the Public Service.

Charles Kabozya- since 1999.

Makebi Zulu -the DRC practices an inquisitorial system where the Magistrate investigates and prosecute?

Charles Kabozya- Yes. But there are sensitive cases that require the Prosecutor General to intervene.

Makebi Zulu-When did you become aware of the matter?

Witness allowed to refer to a submitted report.

Charles Kabozya- The letter from the High Court since 21st December, 2022.

Makebi Zulu – Let us go through the Report. Go to Page 6 of P42. Read the letter.

Charles Kabozya- it’s not a letter. It’s a PV.
Witness reads the document.

3rd day
August 2023, I Charles Kabozya Lwanga, from the Public Ministry and the Advocate of the Court of Appeal of Katanga…

Makebi Zulu- Is this is you introducing yourself?

Charles Kabozya- witness continues to read… Mukelabai Kwaleyela a Zambian citizen,

Makebi Zulu- you stated that you received a Zambian national, born on 18th October 1973, is that what you are saying in the Report?

Charles Kabozya- Yes. Mukelabai Kwaleyela. He was born on 18th October, 1983, born in Gwembe, son of Godfrey Simwenda Kwaleyela, who has passed on, and Esnart Hantontola. His professional is that of a Senior Assistant Police Commissioner, Anti-Money Laundering Investigations Unit.

The passport number is ZN…issued in Lusaka on 9th January, 2019, which is valid for ten years. He was residing at Sky Lodge Hotel in Lubumbashi and in Zambia he resides at Plot no.26/60, Mumbwa Road, Garden House, Lusaka.

He is on phone number,+260965861186 and he made the declarations in English.

His English to French was translated by Mr. Charles Mukupa from the Zambian Consulate who also gave his number as 09951888467.

Charles Kabozya- I asked Mr. Kwaleyela: “Kindly confirm if you were sent by the government of Zambia concerning a matter regarding Mr. Joseph Malanji?”

Makebi Zulu -Let’s go to question two.

Charles Kabozya- I asked him. Are you the one who has brought to us the free photo copies, which the case no RI0066.
He answered yes. I asked him: “Who is Joseph Malanji?”

Ans; He is a Zambian national, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs under the former regime of President Edgar Lungu.

Makebi Zulu -I’m happy with the manner the procedure has taken.

Makebi Zulu- Who signed the documents? Who signed the Report?

Charles Kabozya- I signed it.

Makebi Zulu- so this document was generated by you and Mr. Mukelabai?

Charles Kabozya- yes.

Makebi Zulu- Confirm that this information in the PV is all the communication given to you to investigate the matter? You were given copies.

Charles Kabozya- your question is complex. Even the bible has copies.

Makebi Zulu- Where you given information or documents to investigate Gibson Power Systems?

Charles Kabozya- I don’t know that Company. You are asking me the questions and you are not allowing me to explain.

Makebi Zulu- Simply answer the questions.

Makebi Zulu- Let us go to the report. Page 1 starts with identity of the accused? What is the identity of the accused person according to your Report.

Charles Kabozya- the accused is Joseph Malanji, former Minister of Foreign Affairs in Zambia.

Makebi Zulu- in your report you are telling us you were investigating Joseph Malanji.

Tell us in Congo do you arrest then investigate or investigate then arrest?

Charles Kabozya- We investigate first. But I need time to explain.

Makebi Zulu- Just answer yes or no. Have you met Mr. Malanji before?

Charles Kabozya- I have never met Mr. Joseph Malanji.

Makebi Zulu- you said you were investigating the case of money laundering?

You were investigating Hon. Malanji on this matter?

Charles Kabozya- yes.

Makebi Zulu- What was the objective?

Charles Kabozya- this was a response from the DEC Anti-Money Laundering Investigations Unit.

Makebi Zulu- Is this matter being dealt with in the courts of law in Congo…Reads court case number.

Now tell us in the statement that the delegation comprising Wankumbu Nalalwamba and Mukelabai Kwaleyela?

Read the paragraph referring to this matter.

Charles Kabozya- Under guidance from the Prosecutor General, through his letter number …..the Zambian delegation represented by Mukelabai Kwaleyela and Wankumbu Nalalwamba, was opened at the General Court under the High Court of Katanga in order to recover certain elements related to incrimination under the defendant, Zambian Joseph Malanji.

Makebi Zulu- You agree that the case that was opened in Congo related to Joseph Malanji?

In this letter you are saying, Mr. Malanji became extremely wealthy through the acquisition of great material value.

What assets of material value are these?

Charles Kabozya- allow me to explain. When the case is written RI, it is a case to be subjected to investigations. It has not been investigated yet.

I want to explain our procedures. Allow me to explain.

Makebi Zulu- Witness, answer the question. The procedure is for you to answer the question.

Magistrate Ireen Wishimanga guides – Witness, kindly answer the questions. We understand your procedures are different. But our procedures are that you answer the question that are being out to you. There is an opportunity for you to come and explain in re-examination.

Charles Kabozya- I want to say something Your Honour. In Congo someone who is accused is different and has not been condemned. Here we have a case of an innocent person who has not been heard or has not been brought to court.

Makebi Zulu- I like the Congo system. After Hon. Malanji was in Office, former Minister of Foreign Affairs became extremely wealthy through the visible acquisition of certain material of great value. And I asked the question.Whatvare those goods?

Charles Kabozya- I cannot say yes, I don’t know what to say as I’m representing my country.

Makebi Zulu- What are these goods of great value?

Charles Kabozya- I want to explain. I didn’t come to Zambia to investigate these matters. A delegation came from Zambia. They said to me that this man has a mine and mining company and the money that was in the bank in DRC.

Makebi Zulu- So you were told. Tell us in your investigations did you establish if Mr. Malanji has a mine?

Charles Kabozya- they merely submitted documents. I haven’t mentioned Mr. Malanji. I have not spoken to him as an investigator. Malanji was never interviewed or investigated in our country.

Makebi Zulu- did you find that he has a bank account with a lot of money?

Charles Kabozya- According to these documents, No. I never interviewed him to establish if he has bank accounts in DRC.

Charles Kabozya- reads another paragraph; After being interrogated, the accused Joseph Malanji, let me explain..the interrogations were done by Zambia and not by Congo.

Makebi Zulu- You are saying that the documents came from the Zambian courts? Which documents are you referring to?

Charles Kabozya- you have to ask the delegation that came from Zambia, as I don’t know where the documents came from.

Makebi Zulu- so the information was merely given to you by Mr. Kwaleyela and Ms Nalalwamba?

Let me go to the set of documents. I want us to deal with P43.

As you are looking at P43. Look at Page 4.

Makebi Zulu -instructions were given to you on what exactly you were expected to do. For context, kindly read the sentence starting with “Request Joseph Malanji”.

Charles Kabozya- Kindly refer to the above matter. As you may be aware, two officers from the DEC Anti-Money Laundering Unit visited your office where they requested for assistance to investigate the matter.

This is after the Attorney General, there was need to establish that some documents referred to information from the Bank.

We therefore request that you may request from the bank the following;
1. officially confirm the nine payments group were issued by the bank.

2. Providee mandate file for China Civil Engineering and provide directors and address.

3. Provide mandate files for Mass Investment Group and business address.

Makebi Zulu-These were your terms of reference?

Charles Kabozya- that is you conclusion.

Makebi Zulu- what is this letter is asking you to do?

Charles Kabozya- this letter was written to the Prosecutor General by the Zambia Embassy in Lubumbashi.

Makebi Zulu- so this was the mandate? Was this your mandate?

Charles Kabozya- I only had documents from the Zambian Embassy. I cannot receive instructions from the Zambian authorities. We advised that they went to the Foreign Affairs Ministries and the Minister would instruct our Prosecutor General. This is what was supposed to be followed for the task to be followed up or investigated.

Makebi Zulu-this is your report. Answer my question. How did this letter come in your possession? It is in your report.

Charles Kabozya- the Prosecutor General gave me the letter. It is written REF….

Makebi Zulu- It is the Prosecutor General who gave you the letter?

Charles Kabozya- begins to read the letter. I want to explain. I was merely acting on instructions. The Prosecutor General put this letter in the file.

Makebi Zulu- According to the letter in the dossier, what is it you were directed to do?

Charles Kabozya- this letter came from the Zambian authorities. It cannot direct me to do anything.

Makebi Zulu- Witness, you will be on the stand for a long time.

Magistrate Wishimanga- may be Counsel, rephrase the question.

Makebi Zulu-Your Honour, let me go around it differently. Witness where are the instructions from the Prosecutor General?

Charles Kabozya- I couldn’t move with these documents. The reality is that according to this letter. Can you truly believe that a letter from Congo Embassy in Zambia can give instructions to the Judiciary or Prosecutor in Zambia?

It is just out of respect that the letter from Zambian authorities is in my report.

Makebi Zulu- So other than the letter from Zambia, you have no instructions from the Prosecutor General to investigate this matter?

Charles Kabozya- no.

Makebi Zulu- Does Mass Investments exist in Congo?

Charles Kabozya- Yes.

Makebi Zulu- Does China Civil Engineering exist in Congo?

Charles Kabozya- Yes.

Makebi Zulu- Raw Bank?
Charles Kabozya- Yes.

Makebi Zulu- But you said in your earlier statement that the Company Registrar couldn’t confirm the existence of these companies.

Charles Kabozya- the process would have taken a long time as the office of the Department of Registrar of Companies, is in Kinshasa.

Makebi Zulu- So you didn’t get the documents from the Registrar of Companies? Do you know when Mas Group was registered?

Charles Kabozya- we said the life of the company was confirmed by the Bank.

Makebi Zulu- Do you know when the company was registered?

Charles Kabozya- no I don’t know. But the Bank confirmed.

Makebi Zulu- is Mas Group company a mining company?

Charles Kabozya- I don’t know. I didn’t say it was a mining company. You can request the Court here to ask from DRC.

Makebi Zulu- do you know if Mas Company is a mining company?

Charles Kabozya- I’m a Magistrate who receives information for investigations. I do not register companies.

Makebi Zulu- do you remember that you said for a mining company to operate in Congo it needs to be registered?

Makebi Zulu produces the copy of registration of the company and gives it to the Witness.

Charles Kabozya- the document is unclear. Switches on the torch of his phone to read.

Makebi Zulu- what is the document saying?

Charles Kabozya- declaration of the constitution of a moral person or of opening a secondary establishment or of opening of an office of the moral person from a foreign country.

Makebi Zulu- this document demonstrates the registration of different companies in DRC.

Charles Kabozya- I don’t want to pronounce myself on the document that has not come from me.

Makebi Zulu- what is the status of the document.

Charles Kabozya- is it because I’m coming from Congo that I should pronounce on every document from Congo. I want to be sincere and what I know. I’m not here to satisfy.

Makebi Zulu- do you see the name Mass Investment?

Charles Kabozya- Can he ask me about this?

Magistrate Wishimanga; Yes he can ask you.

Charles Kabozya- I request this court to protect me. I’m a witness. I have been sent by the DRC Government.

Makebi Zulu- Please answer.

Charles Kabozya- I can withdrawal my testimony. I can go to the DRC Embassy. The questions you asking me are for the accused persons. I’m not the accused person.

Makebi Zulu- Yes it’s your option.

Magistrate Wishimanga; Ask him if he can read the document. Maybe ask him if he is aware.

Makebi Zulu- my question on behalf of the accused. Are you aware that Mas Investment was incorporated in DRC on 19th November 2015.

Charles Kabozya- I don’t know. I don’t want to know.

Makebi Zulu- do you know the directors of Mas Investment.

Charles Kabozya- No I don’t know, I didn’t search.

Charles Kabozya- DRC has got so many companies that I can’t know the directors and shareholders of the companies.

BLIND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LEADING…ignorance is a serious disease in this country, so how do you develop – HH

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BLIND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LEADING
…ignorance is a serious disease in this
country, so how do you develop – HH

By Thomas Ngala(The Mast)

BLIND people have been trying to, have been leading people, says President Hakainde Hichilema.

Addressing the press yesterday at State House, President Hichilema who described himself as a hard worker said “ignorance is a serious disease in this country”.

He said given the drought that has caused electricity shortage his government has accelerated the construction of the Tanzania-Zambia interconnector so that the country can access power from East Africa.

While he could not give technical and financing modalities, President Hichilema said what is necessary for now is just to inform the public that construction has been accelerated to less than two years.

“Ignorance is a serious disease in this country.

You generate it (power) you can’t keep it in a storeroom. You can’t lock it up. Other than the lithium battery we are looking at storage, currently hydro you generate it you must sell it. Otherwise it is called stranded power. It is called isolated power. That is what is in Angola, in Tanzania. So that is why that interconnector is important. We have put in place a programme now to accelerate the construction of the interconnector. It is supposed to be a two-year project, under us, not those others. Those I can’t speak for them (in reference to PF). I can only speak for the UPND new dawn government. So we had a two-year programme, we are saying no it is too far. Can we accelerate it. Hence the unit that has been created in Zesco to accelerate the construction,” he said. “We are accelerating the work on the construction of the Tanzania-Zambia Interconnector so that we can access the power. It doesn’t matter whether it is 400, 200 megawatts. At least we will be able to trade to and from. Today there is a lot of rains in Tanzania, next year there may be a drought and they will be looking at the same interconnector to buy power from us. So sometimes I listen to these arguments and I say so now blind people are trying to lead the people, how does it work? Blind people have been trying to, have been leading people. So how does it work? I don’t mean physical blindness. I am talking about ignorance. Ignorance leads in people. How do you develop? That’s what is going on. Sometimes we must reserve our comments. If you are not sure of the facts or technicalities, reserve your comment. Don’t make it because you will just expose… but God works in His own ways. He allows people to expose themselves and people can make a judgment.”

President Hichilema called on citizens to “roll our sleeves, let’s stop complaining.”

He advised Zambians to stop spending six, seven hours of the day, valuable hours on social media.

President Hichilema also extended an invitation to the United Kwacha Alliance (UKA) members to invest in the country’s power sector.

“Organise yourselves, 10 of you, create a unit, a business unit, then approach the platform… talking about how you can invest. It doesn’t matter whether you are an opposition politician or you are a civil servant. Or you are a farmer or you are what. What the country needs now is to encourage you to invest in energy generation. Small, medium, large,” he said. “No one should complain, no one should say no, me I am left out. Come forward, even the UKWA (UKA) guys, come, come and invest and make genuine money, not nipping money from public coffers. That is a no go area. Why do you guys want to steal from the poor and then you start making so much noise, unnecessary noise? Do things that should help the community. This is the opportunity.”

He said after 5th of June press conference, “we were grappling with 300 megawatts of power at Maamba phase two”.

“Since we met colleagues, I called a meeting here of pension funds, right in the cabinet room there, banks in this country. We sat there, and I ran them through the challenges the drought has brought about and the need to generate diversified power, not just hydro. And I gave an example of Maamba phase two. It’s a $400 million ticket, cost, to generate 300MW, and by that time that we met we were short of $80 or $85 million… people are not active in this country on numbers. Somehow, people fear numbers. Numbers make life easy. You cannot cheat with numbers. Words you can play around and if you speak nicely you can cheat people and get away with it. Numbers you don’t cheat anybody, because they expose you… they will find an $80 million within a week or so to lend, not to give for free,” he said. “By 20:00 hours that day, we had raised $90 million, in this country, to support these measures. And today, Maamba phase two, I believe will be signed in a few days from now, financial closure will be achieved. I have rolled my sleeves. This President works, whether you like it or not, this President works. And I expect cabinet ministers to work, expect permanent secretaries to work. Procurement to work, every citizen must work. We became a lazy country over the years. We must replace laziness with hard work, smart work.”

President Hichilema said those in procurement must continue to rationalise the resources amid the effects of dry spells.

He said what the drought has shown to the public sector, even the citizens, is that Zambians have been wasting money for many years.

“We have been extravagant in this country. This will not continue under this leadership. For me, it actually confirmed my suspicions when I was in the opposition that the country was wasteful. That is why we are not growing as much as we should have grown. So this drought is a slap in the face to accelerate the work we should have been doing 40 years back, which we didn’t, including just the concept of water harvesting,” he said. “The energy team has been working day and night, including me. We work weekends, even when we are out, on duty out there, we work because technology allows us to be working on the same assignments at the same time, even late in the night. That is the work culture this country needs. Measures meant to ensure uninterrupted power supply, unlike what is going on now, to the hospitals, key installations, that is what we are working on now, quite advanced… as much power must be available within the context of the shortage to hospitals. Imagine a situation that there is an operation going on in a hospital, and there is load shedding, power goes off, and someone is on the operating table, will that person survive? Imagine a premature child on the oxygen machine…and there is load shedding, that child will die.”

President Hichilema also said that if there is no water in the locations people live, there will be new problems.

He said his administration is working on “what we are defining now as lifeline power supply” for small businesses.

“In the compounds for example, they consume very little power. Should they suffer the load shedding as others who are consuming more power? And can afford? The answer is no. So we are looking at lifeline power supply for small businesses that are negatively impacted by this energy insecurity occasioned by the drought. We need to address the energy generation side. The measures that have been taken on recalling some of the power we are exporting, yes, we have done already. I heard people three days ago talking about it. The government has done it already. I think you heard of a 100MW, also, what we are importing should come at a right price so we don’t inject an increase in the cost of doing business, therefore the higher cost of living, therefore the inflationary pressure,” he said. “We are conscious of balancing these variables. That is why we are working very hard. And we invite suggestions from citizens, from anywhere, it’s a global community now. When it was assumed that investing in electricity was for the rich people and the rich people only, this measure now will allow anyone of you here to generate power on your rooftop through solar panels as an example.”

He explained that citizens will be able to sell excess power to the national grid.

“We also expect the solar companies to bring down the price down of solar (panel). Why? We have removed the taxes… so we don’t wish to see a situation where the government has removed the tax which adds on to the price, the price remains the same or goes up when some of the cost has been brought down,” said President Hichilema.

HICHILEMA’S WRONG CONCLUSIONS FROM CORRECT BIBLICAL PREMISES- Fred M’membe

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HICHILEMA’S WRONG CONCLUSIONS FROM CORRECT BIBLICAL PREMISES

It was unbelievable that Mr Hakainde Hichilema could try to justify the current hunger using the biblical story of seven years of drought and hunger followed by another seven years of plenty. This is a clear matter of wrong conclusions from correct biblical promises (see video)

What crass ignorance is this?

What does Genesis 41:53 mean?
Another confirmation of Joseph’s God-given ability to interpret dreams (Genesis 41:14–16) comes now. Joseph told Pharaoh that seven years of abundance would be followed by seven years of famine (Genesis 41:28–32). After seven years, the amazing prosperity in Egypt’s fields comes to an end. The famine has begun.

That’s bad news for the region, but it proves God’s faithfulness to and through Joseph once more. God is ever trustworthy even while providing through dark and difficult times. Now, the stockpiles that Joseph has built up will save many people from starvation (Genesis 47:13–26).

We read in Genesis 41 that Joseph was called to interpret some vivid dreams of the Pharaoh.
Joseph, who was in prison at the time, was called to interpret some vivid dreams of the Pharaoh. His explanation of what God was saying through these dreams was so convincing that Pharaoh put him in charge of Egypt. Joseph organised the storage of all surplus grain during the seven years of good harvests. He asked that one-fifth of each year’s harvest should be required from farmers and stored on behalf of the government. The grain was stored in warehouses in nearby cities.

At the beginning of the drought, the warehouses were opened, and people allowed to buy grain. As the situation got worse, livestock, labour and land were accepted in exchange for grain (Genesis 47:13-21).

At the end of the seven years of drought, Joseph gave seed to people for planting. Because all the land in Egypt now belonged to Pharaoh, Joseph asked that a tax of one-fifth of the crops produced should be given to Pharaoh. The remaining four fifths of the harvest belonged to the people.

Joseph had the skills of good management. He was guided by God and so able to plan carefully and to predict what was likely to happen. In order to carry out his clear planning, he needed authority and power. Anyone put in charge of a disaster management programme also needs authority to make and carry out quick decisions that others will respect and obey.
Joseph’s plan seemed good to Pharaoh and all his officials (Genesis 41:37). The local leadership accepted and trusted his plans. Joseph had the trust of all the people. In emergency situations, there needs to be that trust in the leadership. People are under great strain and need a leader they can trust.
One-fifth of the harvest was taken from the farmer for a food reserve. Joseph developed a new pattern of land use. Certain things that are developed in an emergency can become regular patterns of life.
The way in which the grain was stored and distributed spread the work and responsibility all around the country. Instead of having one huge centre, Joseph encouraged each region to set up warehouses.
Egypt was the only land that was prepared for the famine in the Middle East. It met its own needs as well as those of neighbouring countries. Good disaster planning can have far-reaching benefits.
No indication was given that this drought was a judgement from God on Pharaoh and Egypt. It appears to have been a natural calamity. But God used the disaster relief project to save Jacob’s family and the future nation of Israel. Disaster planning can be used by God to do good and achieve his purposes in the world.

How much can be learnt from Joseph’s management skills that could help us today?

What changes could we make in order to prepare our nation to meet any possible difficulty or disaster?

Fred M’membe
President of the Socialist Party

HICHILEMA’S WRONG CONCLUSIONS FROM CORRECT BIBLICAL PREMISES- Fred M’membe

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HICHILEMA’S WRONG CONCLUSIONS FROM CORRECT BIBLICAL PREMISES

It was unbelievable that Mr Hakainde Hichilema could try to justify the current hunger using the biblical story of seven years of drought and hunger followed by another seven years of plenty. This is a clear matter of wrong conclusions from correct biblical promises (see video)

What crass ignorance is this?

What does Genesis 41:53 mean?
Another confirmation of Joseph’s God-given ability to interpret dreams (Genesis 41:14–16) comes now. Joseph told Pharaoh that seven years of abundance would be followed by seven years of famine (Genesis 41:28–32). After seven years, the amazing prosperity in Egypt’s fields comes to an end. The famine has begun.

That’s bad news for the region, but it proves God’s faithfulness to and through Joseph once more. God is ever trustworthy even while providing through dark and difficult times. Now, the stockpiles that Joseph has built up will save many people from starvation (Genesis 47:13–26).

We read in Genesis 41 that Joseph was called to interpret some vivid dreams of the Pharaoh.
Joseph, who was in prison at the time, was called to interpret some vivid dreams of the Pharaoh. His explanation of what God was saying through these dreams was so convincing that Pharaoh put him in charge of Egypt. Joseph organised the storage of all surplus grain during the seven years of good harvests. He asked that one-fifth of each year’s harvest should be required from farmers and stored on behalf of the government. The grain was stored in warehouses in nearby cities.

At the beginning of the drought, the warehouses were opened, and people allowed to buy grain. As the situation got worse, livestock, labour and land were accepted in exchange for grain (Genesis 47:13-21).

At the end of the seven years of drought, Joseph gave seed to people for planting. Because all the land in Egypt now belonged to Pharaoh, Joseph asked that a tax of one-fifth of the crops produced should be given to Pharaoh. The remaining four fifths of the harvest belonged to the people.

Joseph had the skills of good management. He was guided by God and so able to plan carefully and to predict what was likely to happen. In order to carry out his clear planning, he needed authority and power. Anyone put in charge of a disaster management programme also needs authority to make and carry out quick decisions that others will respect and obey.
Joseph’s plan seemed good to Pharaoh and all his officials (Genesis 41:37). The local leadership accepted and trusted his plans. Joseph had the trust of all the people. In emergency situations, there needs to be that trust in the leadership. People are under great strain and need a leader they can trust.
One-fifth of the harvest was taken from the farmer for a food reserve. Joseph developed a new pattern of land use. Certain things that are developed in an emergency can become regular patterns of life.
The way in which the grain was stored and distributed spread the work and responsibility all around the country. Instead of having one huge centre, Joseph encouraged each region to set up warehouses.
Egypt was the only land that was prepared for the famine in the Middle East. It met its own needs as well as those of neighbouring countries. Good disaster planning can have far-reaching benefits.
No indication was given that this drought was a judgement from God on Pharaoh and Egypt. It appears to have been a natural calamity. But God used the disaster relief project to save Jacob’s family and the future nation of Israel. Disaster planning can be used by God to do good and achieve his purposes in the world.

How much can be learnt from Joseph’s management skills that could help us today?

What changes could we make in order to prepare our nation to meet any possible difficulty or disaster?

Fred M’membe
President of the Socialist Party

UKA rally success exposes fear that has gripped UPND ahead of 2026 – Ng’uni

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UKA rally success exposes fear that has gripped UPND ahead of 2026 – Ng’uni

By Rhoda Nthara (The Mast)

FORMER deputy finance minister Newton Ng’uni says current fuzzy and hazy economic policies have to achieve the grand scheme of handing control of Zambia to foreign interests.

He says Zambia Development Agency director general Albert Halwampa has no clue of Zambia needs and that his lack of capacity is simply legendary.

Ng’uni also argues that the success of the Citizens First Party rally in Kitwe to which UKA (United Kwacha Alliance) members were invited “exposes the fear that has gripped our current leadership ahead of the 2026 elections”.

“Zambians you surprise me! I am surprised that most Zambians are surprised that ZDA and the Zambian government want to ridiculously give six million hectares of land to a Vietnamese on equally ridiculous conditions. But why are we surprised? Haven’t we just given back KCM (Konkola Copper Mines) to Vedanta and Mopani Copper Mines to Delta without much thought? Haven’t we just given up rights in Kansanshi Mine? Didn’t our ZCCM-IH Board just abandon the quest to recover millions of dollars literally stolen by FQM (First Quantum Minerals) to develop their (since abandoned) Panama asset while begging the IMF (International Monetary Fund) to lend us a lesser amount? Etc. Aren’t we doing this at the time when copper price and that of other strategic minerals are going through the roof?” wrote Ng’uni on his Facebook wall. “Zambians let us accept that: (1) our current fuzzy and hazy economic policies have to achieve the grand scheme of handing the control of this country to foreign interests. (2) The current political governance procedures are aimed on exacting vengeance on those political opponents who were involved in oppressing current leaders when they were in opposition. The success of the Citizens First Party rally in Kitwe to which UKA members were invited exposes the fear that has gripped our current leadership ahead of the 2026 elections. DG of ZDA has no clue of Zambia needs. His lack of capacity is simply legendary. Remember the announcement he made not long ago about the billions of dollars that had come into Zambia without providing any evidence!”

MPs should demand Musokotwane gives clear roadmap on ballooning domestic debt – M’membe

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MPs should demand Musokotwane gives clear roadmap on ballooning domestic debt – M’membe

By Rhoda Nthara (The Mast)

SOCIALIST Party president Fred M’membe warns that should government default on domestic debt that will be the end of our economy.

Dr M’membe noted that the current ceiling of government securities approved by parliament is around K300 billion.

“At the rate the government is borrowing very soon, Treasury will be going to parliament to revise this ceiling upwards. We urge our legislators not to support this as it will increase the default risk on domestic debt,” he wrote on his Facebook wall yesterday. “If anything, our legislators should be taking to task the Minister of Finance to give a clear roadmap on ever ballooning domestic debt. Zambians should take this as a serious forward warning. Should government default on domestic debt that will be the end of our economy.”

Dr M’membe observed that the nation seems to have focused more on external debt restructuring to the extent that “we are not interrogating the local market”.

He said the scenario at the moment with regard to budget financing “is inwards focused on raising funding through issuance of government securities and Developing Financial Institutions (DFIs) such as IMF, World Bank, and African Development Bank”.

“This is because given our junk credit rating we cannot raise funds on the international capital markets. Consequently, the government has been pushed to raise money through the issuance of government securities on the open market. Most recently, the government has also issued government securities through private placement. This is where individual investors buy government securities outside the open bidding process,” he explained. “Now, this has resulted in a significant increase in domestic debt believed to be in the region of K250 billion. This upward build-up in domestic debt, which will continue to increase for as long as we do not have new revenue streams coming on board, creates a huge domestic debt default risk.

As government securities mature, they create two risks: Maturity risk – meaning government’s ability to pay the investors their principal investment plus interest for those investors that wish to exit the securities market. Foreign currency repatriation risk –

this relates to foreign investors who have invested in government securities and wish to exit and repatriate their investment back to their home countries. As an example, it is believed that our current international reserves estimated $3 billion would be wiped out if all foreign investors exited the securities market upon their investment maturing. It also creates a serious exchange rate risk as we do not have sufficient dollars to pay should there be a run of foreign government securities holders pulling out for one reason or the other.”

Dr M’membe said political stability is critical in this regard as any perceived form of instability would trigger a pull out.

“We therefore need the Treasury to explain to Zambians how these risks are being managed currently to avoid waking up and finding that we have defaulted on local debt. It happened in November 2020 on external debt, so what can stop the same happening on local debt. Let’s learn from experience. Praise Singers will say you are not offering solutions,” said Dr M’membe. “The solution is simply decelerating on the issuance of government bonds and starting to wind the current portfolio downwards. To achieve this, you need to up your revenue mobilisation measures. One clear measure we have advised over and over again is the sub optimal collections of tax revenues from the mining houses. We have gold all over Zambia, and we don’t even know where it’s going to once mined. Increase tax compliance, open up new industries, and I can go on and on.”

Wife poisons husband for not appreciating the 50th birthday party she planned for him

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A woman who planned her husband’s 50th birthday party, allegedly turned the occasion into a nightmare after sensing he was ungrateful.

Michelle Peters, 47, is accused of poisoning her spouse’s Mountain Dew with Round Up weed killer because he was “not appreciative” of the festivities she planned, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by Law & Crime.

Her husband contacted the Laclede County Sheriff’s Office on Monday to report that he believed he was being poisoned by his wife.

He said his Mountain Dew tasted “odd” and “weird” and that he got sick shortly after drinking it. He did not think much of it initially, but after two weeks began coughing up brown or yellow mucus, and had a sore throat, vomiting and diarrhoea, he told detectives.

The man said that Mountain Dew drinks he had outside of their home in Missouri had a regular taste, but that the two-litre bottles of the drink in his garage tasted off.

That led him to pull CCTV footage and he saw his wife allegedly mixing Mountain Dew bottles with Roundup and returning the tampered drink to the garage fridge.

The husband “said that every time he put a new bottle in the refrigerator, Michelle would put Roundup in it,” states the affidavit.

He gave a bottle of the mixed liquid and the videotape to someone as evidence “in case he died from being poisoned”.

Peters when questioned said she was mixing them to make “weed killer that she saw on Pinterest” but eventually admitted that she “should have just divorced” him.

“Michelle said she was mad at (her husband) because she had thrown him a 50th birthday party and he was not appreciative,” police said, according to the affidavit.

Michelle Peters has been charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action. She is being held at Laclede County Detention Center with no bond and is set to make a court appearance on July 2.

Her husband said he suspects his wife poisoned him to get his $500,000 life insurance payout or because she might be having an affair.

Wife poisons husband for not appreciating the 50th birthday party she planned for him

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A woman who planned her husband’s 50th birthday party, allegedly turned the occasion into a nightmare after sensing he was ungrateful.

Michelle Peters, 47, is accused of poisoning her spouse’s Mountain Dew with Round Up weed killer because he was “not appreciative” of the festivities she planned, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by Law & Crime.

Her husband contacted the Laclede County Sheriff’s Office on Monday to report that he believed he was being poisoned by his wife.

He said his Mountain Dew tasted “odd” and “weird” and that he got sick shortly after drinking it. He did not think much of it initially, but after two weeks began coughing up brown or yellow mucus, and had a sore throat, vomiting and diarrhoea, he told detectives.

The man said that Mountain Dew drinks he had outside of their home in Missouri had a regular taste, but that the two-litre bottles of the drink in his garage tasted off.

That led him to pull CCTV footage and he saw his wife allegedly mixing Mountain Dew bottles with Roundup and returning the tampered drink to the garage fridge.

The husband “said that every time he put a new bottle in the refrigerator, Michelle would put Roundup in it,” states the affidavit.

He gave a bottle of the mixed liquid and the videotape to someone as evidence “in case he died from being poisoned”.

Peters when questioned said she was mixing them to make “weed killer that she saw on Pinterest” but eventually admitted that she “should have just divorced” him.

“Michelle said she was mad at (her husband) because she had thrown him a 50th birthday party and he was not appreciative,” police said, according to the affidavit.

Michelle Peters has been charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action. She is being held at Laclede County Detention Center with no bond and is set to make a court appearance on July 2.

Her husband said he suspects his wife poisoned him to get his $500,000 life insurance payout or because she might be having an affair.

Democratic strategist Theryn Bond has called for the party to replace Joe Biden and named three potential alternatives

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A Democratic strategist, Theryn Bond has called for the party to replace Joe Biden and named three potential alternatives.

The call comes after Biden’s poor showing in the Thursday night debate with former US president Donald Trump.

Joe Biden is three years and seven months older than former President Donald Trump but in the debate, the gap between the 81-year-old incumbent and his 78-year-old challenger seemed much larger as he made gaffes continuously in the debate.

Theryn Bond said California governor Gavin Newsom and Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer could be candidates, but the “mostly likely replacement” is Vice President Kamala Harris.

But the strategist said Harris could not deliver a victory for the party because the US was “not ready” for a Black woman to be president.

“Unfortunately as much as I want the US to be ready for a Black woman to be president, they are not ready,” she said to Sky News.

“This country is not ready. This country is too divisive, unfortunately, we’re just not there. I don’t think she would be the one to take the Democratic Party to victory.”

‘’Without a replacement, the country will be forced to choose between a convicted felon and “somebody in mental decline”, she said.

She added: “What we saw was mental acuity being diminished in real time and that’s very sad when you know what someone’s professional trajectory looks like and then you see a decline in real time.”

When asked at the debate whether he would urge Joe Biden to end his campaign, Newsom said no, appearing to rule out a challenge.

David Axelrod, a key adviser behind Barack Obama’s successful presidential campaigns, said Biden wouldn’t be inclined to leave the race.

“This is a guy with a lot of pride… who believes in himself,” he told CNN.

Biden allies have dismissed the idea of change, with a potential alternative, Governor Gavin Newsom, rejecting the idea the president should end the campaign.

But, some Democrats expect calls to oust Biden to grow.

“The chatter of replacement is absolutely going to explode,” a veteran Democratic strategist told NBC.

“There is no coming back from this disaster.”

 Michael Jackson was in $500 million debts at time of his death

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Michael Jackson was in over $500 million debt at the time of his death in 2009.

According to People, the King of Pop owed money to more than 65 creditors when he died at age 50 from cardiac arrest, according to court documents filed on Friday, June 21.

The documents include a petition from estate executors seeking back pay from 2018, relating to the late singer’s now $2 billion estate.

The reimbursement includes ‘legal, negotiating and various other operating expenses’ over the last six years, according to the outlet.

The new petition comes after executors’ attorney John Branca asserted that Jackson’s estate was burdened with debt and nearly bankrupt at the time of his death in a March court filing.

The Thriller hitmaker had ‘more than half a dozen lawsuits pending worldwide’ and more than ’65 creditors’ claims were filed in the Estate spawning additional lawsuits, of which several resulted in litigation,’ the petition reads, per the outlet.

‘The Executors were able to renegotiate and restructure financing arrangements that existed at the time of Michael’s death, at substantially reduced interest rates, enabling the Estate to avoid the loss of any assets to the lenders and ultimately to satisfy the encumbrances that existed at the time of Michael’s death,’ the petition continues.

As stipulated by the agreement with Michael Jackson’s children, Paris, Prince, and Bigi, who are the beneficiaries of his estate, the probate court oversees the estate’s financial matters.

The new filing states that every six months, the attorneys managing the estate must seek court approval to receive 30% of their compensation, while they retain the remaining 70%.

From July 1 to Dec. 31, 2018, several firms collectively sought over $3.5 million in legal fees dating back six years through the petition.

‘Although the Executors have eliminated the Estate’s debt, have resolved virtually all of the creditors’ claims and litigation, and have successfully solidified the MJJ business as a significant entity in the music industry, there remain challenging business, tax and legal issues that the Executors and their counsel continue to deal with,’ the petition reads, per People.

The petition follows a peak in the Jackson family’s dispute over Michael’s $2 billion estate in March.

Jackson’s son, Bigi, aka Blanket, 22, prevented his grandmother, Katherine Jackson, 93, from using the family’s money to fight an ongoing legal battle.

According to a report from TMZ, the pair recently battled an undisclosed issue in court.

Céline Dion has donated $2 million to help find the cure for stiff-person syndrome

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Céline Dion has donated $2 million to help find the cure for stiff-person syndrome while battling the rare condition.

The Canadian singer, 56, made the huge donation to the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, where Dr. Amanda Piquet is treating her for the rare condition.

‘I am just incredibly honoured to receive this recognition to move the field forward with this research,’ said Dr Piquet, director of Autoimmune Neurology at CU Anschutz, in an interview with CBS News.

‘Stiff person syndrome is a progressive autoimmune neurological disorder that is characterized by two cardinal features – muscle spasms and stiffness,’ she explained.

Dr Piquet, who is leading the way on SPS research, explained that the condition can ‘take years to get a diagnosis,’ adding: ‘The average time frame is seven years.’

She also recalled how Dion came into her care. ‘She happened to find us, and it was a great relationship, and we worked really hard with her managing those symptoms, getting her on a good treatment pathway,’ said Dr Piquet.

‘There are no FDA-approved therapies for this disease. We often use immune therapies, and symptomatic therapies to manage the disease.

‘We will also do things like physical therapy, massage therapy, and in Celine’s case vocal therapy to help manage the symptoms,’ she added.

Dion previously praised Dr. Piquet at the world premiere of her new documentary I Am: Celine Dion. ‘She has replaced my fear with hope,’ she said.

The ‘My Heart Will Go On’ artist explored her journey with the diagnosis in the doc, which includes footage of a 10-minute seizure she suffered.

She announced her SPS diagnosis in December 2022 after ‘dealing with problems with my health for a long time,’ writing: ‘It has been really difficult for me to face my challenges and to talk about everything that I’ve been going through.

‘Recently, I’ve been diagnosed with a very rare neurological disorder called the stiff person syndrome, which affects one in a million people.
‘While we’re still learning about this rare condition, we now know this is what’s been causing all the spasms I’ve been having,’ she continued.

Dion detailed the condition, ‘Unfortunately, these spasms affect every aspect of my daily life, sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I’m used to.’

This month, Dion explained why she decided to share her diagnosis after 17 years. ‘Lying for me was… The burden was too much,’ she said on Today.

‘Lying to the people who got me to where I am today, I could not do it anymore,’ added Dion. ‘I could not do this anymore.’

Spanish model who ‘bit off her boyfriend’s tongue when he broke up with her is arrested after going on the run in Thailand

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A Spanish model who bit off her boyfriend’s tongue after he ended their relationship has been arrested after going on the run.

Adaia Lopez vanished after her horror attack on her boyfriend in June 2016 and jetted to Thailand.

The 26-year-old beauty was caught on Thursday night, June 27, after being tracked down to a squat in the Costa Brava resort of Sant Antoni de Calonge north of Barcelona.

According to Mail Online, Police nabbed her after an anonymous tip-off.

Lopez, who left her victim with speech and taste problems, is set to be hauled to prison after appearing before a judge so she can begin a six-year jail sentence for her violent revenge assault.

Adaia, who went on the run last year, was ordered to pay £50,000 compensation and given 15 days to enter prison after being convicted of wounding her partner, 22 years older than her and identified only by his first name of Aaron, following a lengthy legal process.

Spanish model who
She made herself a fugitive by disobeying the court order and failing to show up at the prison gates before her 15 days were up.

Adaia, who met her ex on the Internet, defended herself during her trial and claimed she had acted in self-defence after suffering domestic violence which included an attempt to drown her.

But she was found guilty of using her teeth as ‘pincers’ to rip out part of Aaron’s tongue before spitting it out on the ground after begging him for a ‘last kiss’ when he tried to break off their relationship.

He reportedly needed professional help to improve his speech problems and is said to have lost his sense of taste and the ability to differentiate between salty and sweet foods.

The tongue attack happened on June 26 2016 at a house the former couple were sharing in Vilanova i Geltru near Barcelona, when Aaron was 40 and his then-girlfriend just 18.

The damage he suffered has been described as ‘irreversible.’

The victim’s lawyer Pepe Rey claimed last year after Adaia lost appeals against her conviction and sentence while she was on bail that social media pictures showed she had been enjoying holidays in Thailand.

He added: ‘Here we have a lady who committed a serious crime, left someone without their tongue and right now is not where she should be which is in the hands of justice despite the fact she has a prison sentence hanging over her head.’

MINISTER OF COMMERCE DEFENDS VIET-ZAMBIA AND ZDA

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CHIPOKA MULENGA DEFENDS VIET-ZAMBIA AND ZDA

USD72 BILLION PROPOSED INVESTMENT BY VIET-ZAM
DIVERSIFIED COOPERATION LIMITED

BY

HONOURABLE CHIPOKA MULENGA, MP

MINISTER OF COMMERCE, TRADE AND INDUSTRY

JUNE, 2024

• Madam Speaker
I stand here today to address you on a matter that has generated a lot of public interest and debate. This is the issue of USD72billion proposed investment in rice production in Luapula, Northern and Muchinga Provinces by Viet-Zam Diversified Cooperation Limited. I wish to take this opportunity to provide some clarifications and more information, which hopefully will put this matter to bed.

• Madam Speaker
As Honourable Members of Parliament maybe aware, the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry is responsible for administering policies as well as regulating activities in the trade and industrial sectors in order to enhance the sector’s contribution to sustainable social economic growth and development for the benefit of the people of Zambia. One of the specific functions that the Ministry is responsible for, as contained in the Government Gazette Notice Number 1123 of 2021, is the Investment Policy.

In this regard, the Ministry, through the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA), which is the sole agency of Government responsible for promoting and facilitating trade and investment in Zambia, receives investment proposals from a broad range of local and foreign investors. When these investment proposals are submitted, they are appraised to determine whether they can be granted investment licences in their proposed investment area based on established investment criteria.

• Madam Speaker
The Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) received an unsolicited application by Viet-Zam Diversified Cooperation Limited that offered to invest USD72 billion over a period of 20 years and requested to be granted land to the extent of 6 million hectares. The investor offered to invest USD12,000 dollars per hectare totalling 6 million hectares over a period of 20 years. This is what translates to the USD72 billion. Further, the investor requested for a number of concessions including tax breaks.

• Madam Speaker
In view of the significance of the proposal, it was necessary for ZDA to consult key stakeholders. In this regard, ZDA brought together key stakeholders who included traditional leaders namely; Chief Matipa from Northern Province and Chief Chisunka from Luapula Province, to consult on the matter on 18th June, 2024. Other key stakeholders invited for the meeting included those from within Government.

Iam informed that during the meeting, it was made clear to the investor that granting such an amount of land by Government was not tenable. To this end, the investor was guided to apply for a smaller piece of land in line with the already existing farm block concept where a domestic or foreign investor could apply for up to 20,000 hectares of land for their project. The guidance provided was not in any way an approval to grant 6 million hectares of land.

• Madam Speaker
I must emphasise here that ZDA has no legal mandate to allocate land of any size let alone the purported 6 million hectares. It was a proposal to which a final conclusion has not been reached. There is no agreement that has been signed neither has Government approved any of the other requests that the Company was making. Government is well aware of the risks associated with allocating such huge tracks of land to a single investor and hence the guidance to the investor to consider applying for a smaller parcel of land.

I wish to reiterate that there was no pronouncement on the part of Government to confirm such an allocation of such a huge tract of land or any amount of land for that matter.

• Madam Speaker
As I conclude my statement, I wish to indicate there has been increased interest to invest in Zambia from both local and foreign investors. Consequently, we have been receiving a lot of investment requests. Our role, through the ZDA, is to receive these proposals and assess their suitability.
I wish to assure you Honourable Members that where necessary we request other Government agencies to conduct Due Diligence on proposed investments.
I wish to state as follows:
(a) The USD72billion was a mere proposal and no agreement has been signed; and
(b) There is no land that has been allocated to the investor and neither has Government approved any of the requests that the investor was making such as tax breaks, lease fee waiver and citizenship.
I wish to seize this opportunity to express our gratitude to the public for the feedback that we have received on this matter. This shows the importance we attach to our valuable resource, our land. I wish to assure the public that as we promote investment, we remain guided by the laws of the land.
Madam Speaker, I thank you!

THE BENEFITS OF PROMOTING AND PROJECTING ECL AS THE “OFFICIAL OPPOSITION CANDIDATE” FOR 2026: THE PULE, NAWAKWI, M’MEMBE AND KBF WISDOM- Chris Zumani Zimba

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THE BENEFITS OF PROMOTING AND PROJECTING ECL AS THE “OFFICIAL OPPOSITION CANDIDATE” FOR 2026: THE PULE, NAWAKWI, M’MEMBE AND KBF WISDOM

By Dr. Chris Zumani Zimba

1. Introduction

At the first UKA public rally in Kitwe this month, Former President, Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu (ECL) said “I am back, yes I am back and better because I bring experience and a new team of intelligent and competent UKA comrades to redeem Zambia”. In the eyes of most adult voters, ECL is the US’s Donald Trump, Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu, Brazil’s Lura De Silva, South Africa’s Nelson Mandela or Jacob Zuma because he is the only one who has been president before, and delivered while the incumbent has impotently failed. Yes, when HH is compared to Lungu’s leadership, Bally is politically an impotent dwarf without any debate!

Ironically, all his maids, garden boys, cleaners, chefs, drivers, guards, rats, cuts, dogs and lizards in King Nebuchadnezzar’s Community House now know that the “most powerful king” inside that Babylon Palace is ECL and not HH. Look, Bally is impulsively and instinctively so afraid of the name Lungu like the way demons terribly fear and run away at the mention of the name and blood of Jesus Christ.

And if the opposition coalition is to win 2026, this spiritual perspective and “ECL Factor” is too important in order to comprehend and defeat HH’s mingalato politics. In this summary article, I present 12 standard points to just my aforementioned title as follows:

1. ECL is the most popular opposition figure in Zambian politics today confirmed by President Hakainde Hichilema (HH), Cornelius Mweetwa, Thabo Kawana, Jack Mwiimbu, Koswe, ZW, Nevers Mumba, Enock Kabivindele, Miles Sampa and most informed political stakeholders in the country. So, Lungu is the most powerful political force to challenge and easily unseat Dr. HH in 2026.

2. Ever since he became President in August 2021, HH has never started and ended a single press briefing without being tortured by the thought of mentioning Edgar Lungu. To HH, the only politician who make him lose appetite or sleep when he speaks or moves is ECL. Bally is totally blind and deaf to the rest! So, Lungu matters most here!

3. In Christianity, we cast out demons by pitting them against the blood and name of Jesus Christ. In 2026, the opposition coalition must pit HH against his most feared name, ECL if they are serious about winning. Once they do that, HH will be cast out of State House with easy without calling for Vladimir Putin, Emmerson Mnangagwa, Julius Malema or Donald Trump. The ECL factor is too crucial in Zambia’s fight against our “Failed Bally and Liar HH”.

4. In Proverbs 18:10, the Bible says “The name of the LORD is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe”. The name of Lungu is strong enough to officially defeat UPND and unseat HH in 2026. In Mark 16:17-18, Jesus Christ said, “And these signs shall follow them whom in my name believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them”.

5. This is how to approach and defeat HH in 2026, to use the most powerful and feared name among opposition leaders. Today, HH has raped PF through Miles Sampa and has equally blocked the registration of UKA simply because he is deadly scared of one name-ECL. Once you remove Lungu from both PF and UKA, HH becomes less interested because the real political threat from both evaporates immediately. Look, Elephants don’t fight with impalas; even sick lions refuse to fight with monkeys!

6. Only Lungu makes political sense to HH. Therefore, such a feared name- ECL by HH must be unanimously promoted and projected as the official opposition leader for any coalition winning formula without any discussion if political maturity is to be applied. When Lungu wins in 2026, everyone in the opposition wins and will rule with him. That must be their collective thinking! In Lungu, PF, UKA and everyone wins.

7. HH has only double T (Tried and Tested) but Bally does not have the last T, the most important one (Trusted). He had it in 2021 but has totally lost it because he is a liar and has completely failed. Among the living politicians in Zambia, only Lungu has the complete triple T-Tried, Tested and Trusted (TTT) which sets him apart, becomes highly marketable and easy to defeat HH in 2026. Thus, Lungu is the only sure winning candidate for the opposition coalition when we discuss pragmatic politics, not wishful thinking or cheap rhetoric!

8. Therefore, let everyone in PF, UKA and generally in the opposition begin to promote and project Lungu as their “political savior candidate for 2026” against HH. Bally is and must be treated as the common enemy here! I have heard such progressive political wisdom from Fred M’membe, Dan Pule, Edith Nawakwi and Peter Chanda so far. So is KFB and most initial PF presidential candidates.This thinking is the only winning formula. Once again, defeating HH in 2026 in the name of ECL will be like casting out demons in the name of Jesus Christ. It’s vital to use the most powerful and feared name-Lungu.

9. We must commend Dr. Fred M’membe, President of the Socialist Party (SP) for demanding that “HH must hand over PF to Lungu”. It is political maturity and wisdom for SP leader to openly demand that “Concourt can’t justly take away Lungu from the ballot”. Dr M’membe is rightly and wisely promoting and projecting ECL as the 2026 opposition candidate, not his rival or competitor I presume!

10. It take business competence, experience and wisdom to know what products are sellable and profitable on the market. In the same vein, it is unwarranted and unwise for either legitimate or bustard children of the king to start fighting for the throne when their father is still healthy, energetic, alive and on the throne. When Lungu declares interest to contest, wisdom and maturity demands that his political children bow down and fold their tails instantly and everywhere.

11. The opposition coalition has a candidate who is defined and known at State House-one name. A candidate who is feared by HH himself. Wisdom demands that such a candidate is promoted and projected by everyone for the benefits of all and Zambians. Lungu is the name and ECL is that opposition coalition candidate those who are wise must promote and project everywhere. Lungu is the only sure redemption against HH in 2026. Don’t be cheated or fooled by anyone!

12. Why should Lungu be trusted than anyone besides his popularity? Lungu has a noble heart to forgive and embrace everyone including his former vicious enemies. Ask CK, GBM, Harry Kalaba, Lucky Mulusa, etc. He is just a good man to trust and work with. He is not like the SDA church elder in HH who is eternally bitter, angry, vengeful and cruel. So, it should not be difficult for Fred M’membe, KBF, Winter Kabimba, John Sangwa, etc to join UKA and work under Lungu. He is the forgiving, loving and caring political father for Zambia as well as the remaining God Father for everyone.

Conclusion

In a presidential system like ours, citizens vote for a person on the ballot and not a party. To date, few both in UPND, PF and UKA understand the science behind our voting system. So, HH is more important to voters than UPND. And ECL is more important to voters than PF or UKA. This is free technical consultancy on voting patterns!

Given the overt failures of President HH, ECL is more politically popular and powerful today than either PF or UKA as institutions combined. This is a naked fact! Here, it is giving Caesar what is due to Caesar!

My appeal is for Dr. Fred M’membe, KBF, Mwenda Kasonde, Winter Kabimba, Andford Banda, Nason Msoni, John Sangwa, and everyone to join UKA and rally behind the triple T (Tried, Tested and Trusted). That way, everyone will win in 2026. And let UKA members open their door widely for everyone to come in and enter.

Let the lead political mentor of UKA be made to meet, kiss and embrace everyone! In John 14:2, Jesus Christ said “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you…” In UKA, Lungu is the father and rooms are too plenty in this opposition coalition to accommodate everyone in the next government.

Dr Chris ZUMANI Zimba is a Political Scientist, Researcher, Author & Consultant specialized in Comparative Global Governance and Democratic Theories. He holds a PhD, MA, BA and Cert in Political Science. Zimba was President Lungu’s Political Advisor from December 2019 to August 2021. By philosophical approach, Dr. Zimba is a Pan Africanist as well as Afro-Christian by religion.
Email:chriszumaniZimba.cz@gmail.com

Is it time to subject Hichilema to a psychiatric evaluation?-Sishuwa Sishuwa

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By Sishuwa Sishuwa

Responding to the growing complaints of debilitating hunger from starving ordinary Zambians during his recent press conference , President Hichilema justified the hunger as an act of God, claiming that ‘hunger is Biblical’. Given that he seemed genuinely serious when saying this, Hichilema’s response suggests one of two possibilities.

The first is that Hichilema may have lost his marbles – the implication of which is the need to take mental health seriously, including when it manifests its symptoms in public leaders whom we often think are immune from such illnesses. We may be dealing with a president who needs help, not ridicule. A careful examination of some of his recent public speeches reveals a worrying series of irrational and uncoordinated statements. Even at the same presser, Hichilema accused himself of “working hard” at a time when the country is sinking with major crises. This includes crippling power outages lasting as long as 20 consecutive hours a day.

He also inflicted praise on himself for being the first president of Zambia to meet King Charles III, the British traditional leader who ascended to the throne a year after Hichilema’s election. Hichilema, who appears to consider this meeting as an achievement, is overlooking the point that if Zambia’s previous presidents did not meet Charles or his predecessor, it may be because Charles was not yet King, or that they did not suffer from elements of inferiority complex that appear to emerge from his excitement about meeting the British monarchy – an excitement that he, perhaps without much awareness, openly exhibits whenever he meets white people. The only conclusive way we can rule out the possibility that Hichilema has lost his marbles is to subject him to a psychiatric evaluation that will establish if he is mentally sound and simply remarkably out of touch.
The second possibility is that Hichilema, in claiming that hunger is Biblical, may have been trying to conceal his administration’s policy failures by formulating a false narrative on the subject – that a natural disaster has caused hunger, electricity and water shortages, not the ruling party in general and its hard-working president in particular – and using the media to induce the public to accept it. We live in a world where, increasingly, what counts most is no longer recognising the “concrete reality” but building “narratives” around the actual reality. For inept liberal leaders and their supporters, winning this war of “narratives” requires hoodwinking ordinary people by manufacturing false public consciousness around the challenges that confront them.

By claiming that hunger is Biblical and a result of supernatural forces, Hichilema is (ab)using faith to shield himself from blame and completely divert people’s attention from the concrete reality that hunger is a human-made challenge, and that its occurrence, specifically in this case, is a consequence of the persistent failure of the government to plan better, ensure food security, and provide affordable food. The obvious fact of the matter is that the present government has been hugely negligent in relation to food security. In pursuit, recklessly, of the policy of liberalisation of maize trade, the Hichilema administration sold over one million tonnes of maize and mealie meal – all from the sufficient stock that was left behind by the previous administration – to other African countries when both commodities were already out of reach for Zambia’s starving population. He has also presided over a chaotic distribution of farming inputs that has badly affected agricultural production in recent years. Hichilema knows all this and his claim that the current hunger is an act of God is a result of either wilful and unforgivable dishonesty or a futile attempt to escape responsibility for his government’s policy failures – and whichever it is, neither is acceptable since it does not resolve the hunger problem.

I must concede that the warped and depressing thinking that human challenges like hunger are acts of God or nature is not restricted to Hichilema alone; it is a belief that is prevalent among Zambians today. I do not know if it is the dominant and degraded Christian theology and practice (which is largely pacifist) or a history of personalised rule, or perhaps both, that seem to have disrupted ideas of cause and effect among many Zambians. People do not attribute outcomes to their likely causes, but often to supernatural phenomena. They do not recognise their own agency and the agency of those around them. In removing human agency from the actual causes of hunger, Hichilema is exploiting the current national psyche and character structure of the ‘typical Zambian’: unquestioning, passive, cowardly, zombie-like, easy to manipulate, naive, superstitious, and worshipful of authority. I am curious to know if Hichilema thinks that countries elsewhere in the southern Africa region that also experienced drought but remain food secure are much more in God’s favour than Zambia.

There are times when I feel that Zambia must kill God, if we are to make progress. When God dies, we will take His place – our success or failure resting squarely on our shoulders. For the reality is that as long as our lives and how they turn out remain God’s will, we abdicate responsibility for changing our plight to that God. It also means our leadership, in our minds at least, is God’s choosing. So if that God gives us a Hichilema, we cannot question His wisdom, notwithstanding Hichilema’s obvious poverty of anything remotely resembling the virtue to be associated with a benevolent deity.

Source: https://x.com/ssishuwa/status/1806326349511971094

Why Secretary to Cabinet Must Process Presidential Pronouncements through Cabinet Meetings- Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba

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Why Secretary to Cabinet Must Process Presidential Pronouncements through Cabinet Meetings

Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba

Two weeks ago, President Hakainde Hichilema held a Press Conference at which he raised matters regarding national unity, rule of law, corruption and responses to the disaster.

He directed the Secretary to Cabinet, Patrick Kangwa, to ensure that his pronouncements were actualized into directives and programmes.

He said this was to ensure that unnecessary expenditure was curtailed.

Kangwa proceeded to hold a press conference and announced a ban on among other things, out-of-town workshops and directed that all government vehicles be parked by 18:00 hours to curb abuse and worst. He also proceeded to suspend driving competence certificates for civil servants.

The trouble with this approach was the procedural impropriety taken by the Secretary to Cabinet.

The Secretary to Cabinet required that the presidential pronouncements were processed through Cabinet Meetings so that the subsequent authority given, resulted in official policy.

It is at this stage that the Secretary to Cabinet was expected to communicate and convey the Cabinet Decisions.

Further, some of the measures the Secretary to Cabinet announced required the action to be occasioned by the Secretary to Treasury, Felix Nkulukusa, who the Constitution and the Public Finance Management Act No. 1 of 2018, designates to control revenue, expenditure and supervision of Controlling Officers.

And the matter regarding the withdrawal of driving competence certificates was a matter that hinged on condition of service and could not be withdrawn willy-nilly.

By jumping this process, Mr. Kangwa risked exactly what has happened to him.

At another Press Conference, now held this week, President Hichilema chose to override the pronouncement made by Secretary to Cabinet, over the use of Government vehicles.

He said civil servants must have access to transport 24/7 for efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery.

Yet Kangwa’s actions implemented and arose from President Hichilema’s own earlier instructions.

It therefore became very clear that Kangwa was thrown under the bus and publicly humiliated.

To avoid such embarrassments in future and to protect the Office if the Secretary to Cabinet, especially that we have a President whose rhetoric is extremely shifty like desert sand, it’s imperative that his pronouncements are processed and subjected through Cabinet Memorandum and subsequently, authority is obtained from Cabinet Meetings.

Although the Secretary to Cabinet is head of the public service and he is also responsible for the attainment of the general efficiency and effectiveness of the Public Service, deriving his mandate from Article (176) of the Constitution of Zambia Act No. 2 of 2016, he must remember that his role is that of, literally, a Secretary to Cabinet!

SHAME ON YOU HH, LUNGU BOOTLICKERS…we can’t be hearing of HH, Lungu fights when we are faced with a lot of problems – Bwalya

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SHAME ON YOU HH, LUNGU BOOTLICKERS

…we can’t be hearing of HH, Lungu fights when

we are faced with a lot of problems – Bwalya

By Isaac Zulu(The Mast)

ADVOCATES for People’s Prosperity member of central committee Felix Bwalya has urged President Hakainde Hichilema and his predecessor Edgar Lungu to engage each other and reconcile.

In an interview, Bwalya said President Hichilema and Lungu should engage in genuine and serious dialogue if they mean well for the Zambian people.

“I wish to air my views on the current happenings between our current President Hakainde Hichilema and former president Edgar Lungu. These two have been exchanging bitter words in public, which is not good for our country. And I wonder if they realise that their fights can cause serious damage to our country,” he said. “I would like to advise the current President, His Excellency President Hakainde Hichilema to call upon the former president his excellency Edgar Chagwa Lungu to have a proper and genuine dialogue if they really mean well for the wellbeing of Zambians. These two leaders have potential to cause serious chaos in the country. And it’s important that they put the country first before their personal gains or interests.”

Bwalya called on the duo to put its political differences aside and help heal the nation.

He urged them to focus on addressing the numerous challenges affecting citizens instead of engaging in personal attacks.

“President Hakainde Hichilema should realise that the country’s peace and development depends on him and also on Edgar Chagwa Lungu who is our former president and he is still enjoying immunity and support from a big section of Zambians. Therefore, if truly both are national leaders and they have a heart for Zambia and the poor Zambians, please let them reconcile and unite the country,” he said. “We can’t continue living like people who don’t know the purpose of their existence. We have a lot of issues that need our leaders to sit down and solve than them being on each other’s neck. Zambians are suffering today. We have electricity problems which has disadvantaged our young people who are doing barbershop, welding, salons… We have fuel issues and the high prices of commodities, etc. Why can’t these two leaders unite and focus on these issues that are affecting us than their personal attacks?”

Bwalya further urged the church and civil society to initiate dialogue between Lungu and President Hichilema.

“I also call upon the Church, civil society organisations and all stakeholders in this country to push for a much needed reconciliation between President Hakainde Hichilema and Edgar Chagwa Lungu without fail because their differences are affecting us as a nation. To all the bootlickers of President HH and ECL, shame on you because I know that you are benefitting from this. But God is watching you and it shall never be well with you as long as the majority Zambians are suffering. President HH and ECL should stop listening to their advisors because they don’t mean well for Zambia except their pockets,” said Bwalya. “Enough of these sagas and it’s time to focus on uniting the nation. And it has to start with our President and his predecessor because their fights in public is really denying us the much needed peace and development, and we can’t live like this in this country. It’s really unfair to the poor majority voters and I wonder as a country if we can just be hearing about HH and ECL fights when we are faced with a lot of issues.”

HH is a habitual and pathological liar- Azwell Banda

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“Democracy” is not a luxury to be “enjoyed” only when there is economic success!

By Azwell Banda(The Mast)

Last Tuesday the 11th of June 2024, Hakainde Hichilema met with outgoing British High Commissioner Nicholas Woolley at State House. Thomas Ngala of The Mast faithfully reported some of the conversation between these two, in The Mast newspaper, on Wednesday the 12th. I was struck by some of the things Hakainde Hichilema said to Nicholas Woolley. Specifically, I was shocked at the revelation Hakainde made about how he understands “democracy” and when best this “democracy” can be sustained.

First things first: Part 1, article 1 of our Constitution, sub section (1) says the following: “This Constitution is the supreme law of the Republic of Zambia and any other written law, customary law and customary practice that is inconsistent with its provisions is void to the extent of the inconsistency.” Subsection (2) says, simply: “An act or omission that contravenes this Constitution is illegal.”

Article 4 (1) of Part 1 of our Constitution says Zambia is a sovereign Republic under a constitutional form of governance.

Outgoing Patriotic Front government president Edgar Chagwa Lungu had declared Tuesday, 24 August 2021 as a public holiday to allow for Zambians to observe the inauguration of incoming United Party for National Development president Hakainde Hichilema to be properly inaugurated and sworn in, as the 7th Zambian President. While initially the event was billed to be by invitation only because of fears of spreading  pandemic, this restriction was done away with, and Heroes Stadium was packed to capacity, on 24 August, 2021. Millions of Zambians throughout the country waited with bated breath, excited, and extremely hopeful that their plight would be dealt with by the new President, a supposedly “democrat”, champion of our Constitution, defender of “the rule of law” and essentially “Mr Fix it” of all our national challenges and problems.

Edgar Chagwa Lungu cut a lonely pathetic sight when he walked onto the presidential dais to perform his last public presidential ritual: the public gathered in Heroes Stadium booed Edgar Chagwa Lungu who had been successfully character assassinated, demonised, painted corrupt, a thief, incompetent, a constitutional delinquent, authoritarian, dictator, law vandaliser and promoter of violent politics and criminal rule, liar and corrupt among many supposed bad things. Of course there was more than a grain of truth in most of the accusations and demonisation Hichilema and his UPND cooked up, against Lungu.

Edgar Chagwa Lungu and his PF have in fact since apologised to the Zambian people, and Lungu himself has openly confessed there were bad things which happened during his terms of office. But we are now far much wise than we were on Tuesday the 24th of August 2021: it has since become extremely hard to judge which of the two men is worse at all the evil and criminal things Hichilema accused Lungu of doing, especially that, as they say, “time heals, and many people forget the past very easily.”

“I, Hakainde Hichilema,” with the Holy Bible raised in his right hand, boomed Hichilema’s voice throughout the stadium, as he took his oath of office: “having been constitutionally elected to the Office of President of the Republic of Zambia, do swear that I will faithfully and diligently discharge my duties and perform my functions in this high office; that I will uphold and maintain the Constitution and Laws of Zambia and that I will dedicate my abilities to the service and welfare of the people of Zambia without fear, favour or ill will.”

And then he called upon God to help him in his work, as President of Zambia. The stadium erupted into delirious joy at this spectacle, the peaceful handover of power, and the inauguration of a supposedly economic genius who would fix our problems, defend and advance constitutional, lawful and democratic rule, in Zambia.

Almost three years down the line, we all know Hakainde Hichilema actually lied to Zambians and God forbid, to God upon whom he swore, when he took his oath of office! We now know he is a habitual and pathological liar. In his handling of the copper mines on the Copperbelt, we know Zambian assets have been sold to foreigners without parliamentary oversight and approval. His government discriminates against his political opponents and critics, in the application of the laws of Zambia. The shocking extent of this abuse of our laws is actually traumatising some of his loudest praise singers, those with still some conscience.

His government is the most incompetent, cold, insensitive, most insulting and demonstrates undying contempt for the majority of Zambians concerning their urgent crises such as the high cost of living, extremely high prices of fuels and electricity, crippling electricity and water “load shedding”, mass hunger, the national disastrous unemployment burden, extreme poverty, rising political violence and all crimes and so on.

Rather than attend to the needs and welfare of Zambians, Hichilema’s government preaches about hard work, our laziness, our wrong mindset, our inability to save and invest, our inability to see and grasp “the many opportunities” his hopelessly corrupt government claims to have created, and he now wishes we were Japanese – quite a self-hate, racist and actual hate speech jab at us, by a man who not only promised us heaven on earth when he was in the opposition, but also swore to dedicate his abilities to the service and welfare of the people of Zambia without fear, favour or ill will!

His newly appointed Minister of Justice says we Zambians must demand constitutional reforms and the Hichilema government, upon our begging them, may respond to our pleas. How pathetic! The UPND promised to embark upon comprehensive constitutional reforms including completing the unfinished business of our hopeless and thoroughly useless Bill of Rights, to the majority of hungry and poor Zambians. Even before the good lady warms her office chair, she is already embarked upon the classic UPND political behaviour: obfuscating, prevaricating, secrecy, and breaking election promises, and busloads of lies.

Hichilema and his government have now become serial constitutional delinquents themselves, they deploy illegal means of dealing with their opposition and critics, and, without mass protests countrywide, are quite happy to persist in sustaining their unconstitutional ban, now almost three years in place, of opposition rallies and other public activities. Their phobia and hatred of Edgar Chagwa Lungu has now taken them to criminally and unconstitutionally invading places of worship and priests’ offices where Lungu may or may not be. The United Kwacha Alliance (UKA) has also become a target of criminal and unconstitutional police behaviour. The Socialist Party is their punching bag.

It is so pathetic, childishly imbecilic, some of the extreme forms of moronic constitutional violation of our and the rights of the opposition by Hichilema’s government: one moment advice is given not to go ahead with a rally, another moment the rally must go ahead, people start gathering at the venue for the rally and they find large contingents of armed police who inform them they are not to proceed with the rally. Does Hichilema think he will be in government for ever? The UPND government and Hakainde have broken our Constitution and laws so many times that it will be extremely hard to decide which combination of criminal offences to get them locked up for, for good.

Meanwhile, there is the ongoing cruel circus of government serially violating the right to privacy, property, and fair trial, especially of PF leaders. Our legal system is being tempered with to accommodate the pathological hatred and craving for vengeance burning very hot, in the hearts and lungs of UPND leaders in general, and Hakainde’s chest in particular. We are now being threatened with criminalisation of free speech as Hakainde is set to pass new laws to “criminalise tribalism and hate speech”. Every Zambian with a half brain still alive knows which Zambians are being targeted, and who will be protected, by the proposed new laws.

Zambia is a sovereign and constitutional democracy. Every single act, big or small, Hakainde and his minions in government carry out outside the Constitution and our laws is illegal and they sink deeper into their criminality. They will answer for each and every act, when their hour of reckoning will dawn. Barely three years in office and Hakainde and his UPND choir in government are so politically disfigured they are unrecognisable from the fake constitutionalists, rule of law and democracy lovers, and anti-corruption fighters they faked to be, when they were in the opposition.

Now, Part 1, article 2 sub sections (a) and (b) of our Constitution give every Zambian the right and duty to defend the Constitution; and to resist or prevent a person from overthrowing, suspending or illegally abrogating the Constitution. Barely three years in office, Hakainde Hichilema and his UPND in government have long passed the constitutional and legal thresholds for violating our Constitution, and breaking our laws, that their stay in government now actually amounts to effectively overthrowing, suspending and illegally abrogating our Constitution. It is time for Zambians to assume their right and duty to defend the Constitution, and prevent its being rendered totally worthless, by Hakainde Hichilema and his UPND choir in government.

When speaking to outgoing British High Commissioner Nicholas Woolley at State House last Tuesday, Hakainde Hichilema actually horrifyingly revealed why he has imposed, effectively, an unconstitutional and illegal “State of Emergency” in Zambia and suspended some of our constitutionally guaranteed rights: he will only do so when the economy can sustain such political and democratic rights! This is the clearest evidence that Hichilema has imposed, unilaterally, unconstitutionally and illegally, a state of emergency in Zambia. We are effectively a one party state too.

Now that we know exactly how Hichilema and his choir in government are breaking Zambian laws and violating our Constitution in order for them to secure their economic interests and those of their foreign masters. The question is, when are we, all the Zambian people, going to stop being accomplices in the crimes the UPND government is committing and start behaving constitutionally and claim our right and carry out our duty to defend our Constitution and laws, against Hichilema and his criminal gang in government? This is our challenge, all Zambians irrespective of political affiliations. Otherwise, God save us all!

Send comments to: banda.azwell@gmail.com

Was it logical for UPND govt to export maize and reimport, asks Kampyongo

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Was it logical for UPND govt to export maize and reimport, asks Kampyongo

By Rhoda Nthara

WAS it logical for government to export large quantities of maize and reimport the same maize, asks Shiwang’andu PF member of parliament Stephen Kampyongo.

In a follow-up question on acting commerce minister Elias Mubanga, Kampyongo noted that the UPND would be importing 650,000 metric tonnes of maize this year.

“Mr Speaker I was saying between the Minister of Agriculture and the Minister of Trade, Commerce and Industry, the people of Zambia have had many assurances through this august House and also that those assurances culminated into the Leader of Government Business in the House [Vice-President Mutale Nalumango] equally making further assurances because we were usually told that we were food secure and therefore there was no need for us as honourable members of parliament, people’s representatives, to be worried when we questioned aspects of government exporting the maize stocks. More than one million metric tonns and I did state that all the matters are on record. That the Leader of Government Business, honourable minister in your heart of hearts what would you say now that you’ve said you are going to import 650,000 metric tonnes of maize?” asked Kampyongo. “Would you say there was logic and the people of Zambia should be able to still trust you even when you assured them that they were food secure, that there was no need for them to be worried? For you to first of all export maize and now you want to import in the similar way, increasing prices in order to reduce, so whether it was export in order to import? Was it logical for your government to export those large quantities of maize and now you are stressing the Ministry of Finance to find forex through the supplementary budget to reimport the same maize that was exported by yourselves?”

In response Mubanga said when a country is going through a drought it means there will be no production of “our staple food which is maize”.

“Right now if there was no drought Mr [Second deputy] Speaker [Moses Moyo], we could have not gone to import 660,000 metric tonnes of maize. Now because of what we are undergoing Mr Speaker, this is why we’ve gone to import,” said Mubanga. “But furthermore I am saying even in the midst of these challenges we have government is not sitting down. We do have winter maize coming on line. Early maize coming on line. Soon we will pass what we are talking about.”

Was it logical for UPND govt to export maize and reimport, asks Kampyongo

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Was it logical for UPND govt to export maize and reimport, asks Kampyongo

By Rhoda Nthara

WAS it logical for government to export large quantities of maize and reimport the same maize, asks Shiwang’andu PF member of parliament Stephen Kampyongo.

In a follow-up question on acting commerce minister Elias Mubanga, Kampyongo noted that the UPND would be importing 650,000 metric tonnes of maize this year.

“Mr Speaker I was saying between the Minister of Agriculture and the Minister of Trade, Commerce and Industry, the people of Zambia have had many assurances through this august House and also that those assurances culminated into the Leader of Government Business in the House [Vice-President Mutale Nalumango] equally making further assurances because we were usually told that we were food secure and therefore there was no need for us as honourable members of parliament, people’s representatives, to be worried when we questioned aspects of government exporting the maize stocks. More than one million metric tonns and I did state that all the matters are on record. That the Leader of Government Business, honourable minister in your heart of hearts what would you say now that you’ve said you are going to import 650,000 metric tonnes of maize?” asked Kampyongo. “Would you say there was logic and the people of Zambia should be able to still trust you even when you assured them that they were food secure, that there was no need for them to be worried? For you to first of all export maize and now you want to import in the similar way, increasing prices in order to reduce, so whether it was export in order to import? Was it logical for your government to export those large quantities of maize and now you are stressing the Ministry of Finance to find forex through the supplementary budget to reimport the same maize that was exported by yourselves?”

In response Mubanga said when a country is going through a drought it means there will be no production of “our staple food which is maize”.

“Right now if there was no drought Mr [Second deputy] Speaker [Moses Moyo], we could have not gone to import 660,000 metric tonnes of maize. Now because of what we are undergoing Mr Speaker, this is why we’ve gone to import,” said Mubanga. “But furthermore I am saying even in the midst of these challenges we have government is not sitting down. We do have winter maize coming on line. Early maize coming on line. Soon we will pass what we are talking about.”

BANKER CITED FOR CONTEMPT IN STARDY MWALE CASE….after lying in the Lusaka Magistrate Court regarding custody of a bank documents

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BANKER CITED FOR CONTEMPT IN STARDY MWALE CASE

….after lying in the Lusaka Magistrate Court regarding custody of a bank documents

Lusaka…Thursday, June 27, 2024

A 31-year-old First National Bank (FNB) Banker Chawezi Nyirenda has been cited for contempt after lying in the Lusaka Magistrate Court regarding custody of bank documents.

In this matter, former defense Permanent Secretary, Stardy Mwale and others are accused of corrupt practices.

When the matter came up for trial today, Mr Nyirenda said sometime in 2020, the bank’s compliance department received a warrant requesting information on one of the clients whose names are Simonga Farms Limited.

He said he extracted one Dollar account and another Kwacha account adding that on the Kwacha copy, the amount was K2.5 million while $200,000 was the amount on the dollar account.

Mr Nyirenda claimed that he had the documents in his custody, “which I now wish to render before court as part of my evidence.”

However, during cross examination, the witness disclosed that the copies he claimed to have had in his custody was instead in ACC’s custody and was merely given to him by the Commission during interviews.

He also confirmed that he had never been stationed at FNB Mazabuka branch adding that the account he was referring to has specialized managers.

Mr Nyirenda also confirmed that the account was classified as an agribusiness account.

When asked if the person managing the account as relationship’s manager should be one with agribusiness bias, the witness said “not entirely.”

When the defense asked for clarity on what he meant by “not entirely,” the witness said “what I mean is that throughout the process of managing an account, the relationship manager can differ depending on the growth of that company as well as the nature of that company’s business.”

The witness revealed that as of 18th April, 2017, he was nowhere near FNB.

Asked about the year 2018, he said “I was in the bank but not managing these accounts.”

He added that as such, he had no interaction with any of the directors or managers of Simonga Farms Limited.

A similar matter where a witness told the court of officers from either DEC or ACC of getting statements that were not supposed to be presented before the court of law occurred in the case of Hon Joseph Malanji, the former foreign affairs minister.

In this case, Hon Malanji and former Secretary to Treasury Fredson Yamba are charged with 10 counts of willful failure to comply with laid down procedures and possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime.

Regarding the same matter, a Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) senior tax inspector Chilala Hakalima told the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court on the 20th of this month that the witness statement he gave to Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) against former foreign affairs minister Joseph Malanji cannot be tendered into evidence in court because it might contain lies.

WHEELBARROW PUSHER, 2 OTHERS CONVICTED FOR TRAFFICKING STEP DAUGHTER

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WHEELBARROW PUSHER, 2 OTHERS CONVICTED FOR TRAFFICKING STEP DAUGHTER

A LUSAKA-based male trio consisting of a wheelbarrow pusher and two of his criminal colleagues are readying themselves for a two-decade stay behind bars following their foiled attempt to sell a four-year old girl.

Simon Silomba aged 30 of Misisi Compound recruited Martin Sichalwe 41, a security guard and Kennedy Sichweza 30 a businessman both hailing from the same compound to help him sell his stepdaughter.

The trio was yesterday committed to the High Court for sentencing on a charge of child trafficking which they readily admitted and will soon be enjoying their favourite delicacy, beans and maybe mixed okra.

Facts are that on march 21, 2024 around 17: 00 hours Silomba’s wife returned from a house of mourning in the neighborhood, when she found him in a meeting with his accomplices, little did she know that they were plotting to kidnap her daughter.

Brenda Mkandawire had informed law enforcement officers that she greeted her husband’s friends including her daughter who was playing outside and entered the house to get a broom so that she could clean the surrounding.

She said when she went out of the house she noticed that her husband and his friends had disappeared together with her four-year old daughter.

Mkandawire said she got worried and decided to call her husband but his mobile phone went unanswered and was later switched off prompting her to report the matter to the police.

She later received a call informimg her that the child was at Kanyama police and the convicts had attempted to sell her at K90, 000.

According to the child, her father lured her into following him when he gave her a coin and promised to buy her more candy and snacks at a Mr Mweemba’s shop which was near their home.

She said upon reaching the shop Silomba and his friends booked a taxi enroute to the buyer in Makeni.

According to the investigations officer detective sergeant Mwale, he received a report from Henry Silumbe of Makeni Villa who informed him that the convicts had approached him with intentions to sell him the little human at K150, 000 cash and told him to use her for whatever purpose.

Silumbe was prompted to snitch on the trio to the police.

Silomba and his friends were busted by the police on March 21, 2024 and slapped with the subject offense which the voluntarily admitted to having committed under warn and caution.

The child was later placed in a safe home by Social Welfare child inspectors.

Asked if the facts were correct Silomba, Sichalwe and Sichweza responded in the affirmative.

Magistrate Mutinta Mwenya convicted the trio based on its own admission of guilt and committed it to the High Court for sentencing.

“I won’t proceed to receive mitigation and sentence because I do not have jurisdiction.

In line with section 217 of the CPC( Criminal Procedure Code), I now commit you to the High Court for mitigation and sentence.
You will remain remanded in custody,” said magistrate Mwenya.

By Mwaka Ndawa
Kalemba

WHEELBARROW PUSHER, 2 OTHERS CONVICTED FOR TRAFFICKING STEP DAUGHTER

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WHEELBARROW PUSHER, 2 OTHERS CONVICTED FOR TRAFFICKING STEP DAUGHTER

A LUSAKA-based male trio consisting of a wheelbarrow pusher and two of his criminal colleagues are readying themselves for a two-decade stay behind bars following their foiled attempt to sell a four-year old girl.

Simon Silomba aged 30 of Misisi Compound recruited Martin Sichalwe 41, a security guard and Kennedy Sichweza 30 a businessman both hailing from the same compound to help him sell his stepdaughter.

The trio was yesterday committed to the High Court for sentencing on a charge of child trafficking which they readily admitted and will soon be enjoying their favourite delicacy, beans and maybe mixed okra.

Facts are that on march 21, 2024 around 17: 00 hours Silomba’s wife returned from a house of mourning in the neighborhood, when she found him in a meeting with his accomplices, little did she know that they were plotting to kidnap her daughter.

Brenda Mkandawire had informed law enforcement officers that she greeted her husband’s friends including her daughter who was playing outside and entered the house to get a broom so that she could clean the surrounding.

She said when she went out of the house she noticed that her husband and his friends had disappeared together with her four-year old daughter.

Mkandawire said she got worried and decided to call her husband but his mobile phone went unanswered and was later switched off prompting her to report the matter to the police.

She later received a call informimg her that the child was at Kanyama police and the convicts had attempted to sell her at K90, 000.

According to the child, her father lured her into following him when he gave her a coin and promised to buy her more candy and snacks at a Mr Mweemba’s shop which was near their home.

She said upon reaching the shop Silomba and his friends booked a taxi enroute to the buyer in Makeni.

According to the investigations officer detective sergeant Mwale, he received a report from Henry Silumbe of Makeni Villa who informed him that the convicts had approached him with intentions to sell him the little human at K150, 000 cash and told him to use her for whatever purpose.

Silumbe was prompted to snitch on the trio to the police.

Silomba and his friends were busted by the police on March 21, 2024 and slapped with the subject offense which the voluntarily admitted to having committed under warn and caution.

The child was later placed in a safe home by Social Welfare child inspectors.

Asked if the facts were correct Silomba, Sichalwe and Sichweza responded in the affirmative.

Magistrate Mutinta Mwenya convicted the trio based on its own admission of guilt and committed it to the High Court for sentencing.

“I won’t proceed to receive mitigation and sentence because I do not have jurisdiction.

In line with section 217 of the CPC( Criminal Procedure Code), I now commit you to the High Court for mitigation and sentence.
You will remain remanded in custody,” said magistrate Mwenya.

By Mwaka Ndawa
Kalemba

FPI COMMENDS UPND GOVERNMENT FOR OPERATIONALIZING THE ACCESS TO INFORMATION LAW

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FPI COMMENDS UPND GOVERNMENT FOR OPERATIONALIZING THE ACCESS TO INFORMATION LAW

PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

26th June 2024

Lusaka, Zambia – The Free Press Initiative (FPI) warmly commends the Government of the Republic of Zambia, particularly the Ministry of Information and Media, for the signing of Statutory Instrument (SI) No. 35 of 2024, which brings into effect the Access to Information (ATI) Law.

This landmark achievement represents a pivotal move towards enhancing transparency, accountability, and good governance in Zambia. The enactment of the ATI Law empowers citizens with the right to access critical information on public matters, thereby fostering a culture of informed decision-making and active civic engagement.

FPI has long championed the necessity of an ATI law, recognizing it as a cornerstone for democracy and sustainable development. The operationalization of this law underscores the government’s dedication to safeguarding the fundamental right to information, a right that is indispensable for the protection and realization of other human rights and freedoms.

The benefits of the ATI Law are manifold:

Transparency and Accountability: By opening up governmental actions to public scrutiny, the law minimizes opportunities for corruption and mismanagement of public resources.

Civic Participation: Citizens can now more effectively participate in governance processes and hold public officials accountable.

Media Freedom: Journalists and media practitioners gain a robust legal framework to seek and disseminate information, bolstering investigative journalism and ensuring the free flow of information.

FPI, which works tirelessly to defend press freedom, freedom of expression, and build the capacity of journalists in Zambia, urges civil society organizations (CSOs), media practitioners, and the general public to actively utilize this law to ensure its successful implementation.It is only through collective effort and engagement that we can realize the full potential of this significant legislation.
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FPI remains steadfast in its commitment to collaborating with the government, CSOs, and all stakeholders to advance and protect media freedoms and the right to information. We firmly believe that the operationalization of the ATI Law is a significant stride towards a more transparent, accountable, and democratic Zambia.

Issued by: Joan Chirwa FPI Founder and Executive Director.

MULTICHOICE DECLARES 57.5 MILLION DIVIDENDS TO ZNBC

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MULTICHOICE DECLARES 57.5 MILLION DIVIDENDS TO ZNBC

Highlights from the handover ceremony of dividends to the Zambia National Broadcasting Cooperation (ZNBC) by Multichoice witnessed by the Minister of Information and Media and Chief Government Spokesperson Hon. Cornelius Mweetwa.

✅ MultiChoice Zambia has declared a dividend of ZMW 57.5 million to the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) after a board approval.

✅ MultiChoice Zambia approved dividends payable to ZNBC; from DStv it has paid a tune of Ten million, eight hundred fifty-seven thousand eight hundred and fifty-four (K10,857,854) and;

✅from GOtv a total of Forty-six million, seven hundred twenty-seven thousand and sixty-six (K46,727,66).

✅ This dividend declaration underscores multi choice’s commitment to providing attractive returns to its shareholders and affirms the partnership with the Zambian Government through ZNBC.

✅ MultiChoice remains committed to reinvesting in products and services to foster sustainable growth and customer satisfaction.

✅ Investment in digital transformation, streaming services and interactive platforms are initiatives that are designed to strengthen market position and drive long-term value.

✅ The Chief Government Spokesperson was thrilled to witness the historic announcement by Multichoice of a 57.5 million dividend to ZNBC.

✅ ZNBC and MultiChoice’s partnership aligns with Government policy to foster public-private partnerships.

✅ Government remains consistent in promoting a favourable business environment and an attractive regulatory legal climate which protects investment.

✅ Government is aware that the drought has affected many businesses not only in Zambia but the entire SADC region and has negatively affected the broadcasting and media fraternity because they depend on electricity to florish.

✅ Government has put in place various measures to respond to the drought effects and these include; the recall of 195 of Megawatts from the export market, the restart of 105 Megawatts at Ndola Energy Power Plant among others.

✅ Additionally, Government in a few days will announce the financial closure to the mobilisation of about $300 million towards the construction of Mamba Collieries Phase II.

✅ Meanwhile, the SADC has resolved to use any available means to generate power such the utilisation of coal, with emphasis on the use of clean energy.

✅ Government anticipates an improved economic performance by 2025, therefore, citizens and the business community should not despair for there is hope.

✅ The Minister has since urged ZNBC to utilise the funds prudently by bettering the service it offers to the citizens.

ZNS MAKES PROGRESS ON DAM CONSTRUCTION COUNTRYWIDE

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ZNS MAKES PROGRESS ON DAM CONSTRUCTION COUNTRYWIDE

The Zambia National Service has made progress on dam construction countrywide following its contraction by Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation (MWDS) to construct 11 dams in Central, Eastern, Muchinga, Northern and Southern Provinces at a cost of K 92,535,973.00.

The move is aimed at increasing water harvesting to mitigate the devastating impact of drought and its subsequent effect on the nation’s productivity and food security. The community dams will be used for irrigation, animal watering and domestic purposes.

The works are at various stages with Chuundwe Dam in Zimba District almost nearing completion with 70 per cent of the works already done.

Speaking in an interview, Deputy Chief of Land Development Branch (LDB) Colonel Stephen Mofu said the dam projects that started this year are being fast-tracked for completion before the start of the rainy season to allow for optimal water collection and irrigation capabilities.

He said once completed, the dams will improve water availability, enhance irrigation capabilities, and contribute to safeguarding the nation’s food security, ultimately mitigating the adverse effects of drought on the agricultural sector.

“It worth noting that the works are being conducted with meticulous attention to detail and adherence to safety and quality standards,” Col Mofu said.

Adding that “the construction of Chuundwe Dam comes as a relief to a region that has been severely affected by drought, where locals have had to resort to scooping water from small holes dug in the sand of the stream channel to meet their basic water needs,”.

He indicated that ZNS LDB Branch will continue to position itself to play a pivotal role in shaping the physical infrastructure landscape of the nation.

Col Mofu added that the Service would remain relentless in its quest to enhance the capacity of its Engineering Wing as evidenced by the recently procured 10 additional tipper trucks at a cost of over 16 million kwacha in order to be responsive to both private and public demands for earth works.

He further asserted ZNS’s relentless efforts in developing capacity that would see the Institution embark on construction of bituminous standard roads, which would save the country the much needed resources as ZNS is cost efficient.

The Deputy Chief said with improved manpower levels, following the recent passouts, the Service stood ready to be deployed on any project of national interest with cost-effectiveness while assuring quality and durability.

(Credit: Zambia National Service)

MANSA HEAD TEACHER ADMITTED AFTER BEING BEATEN BY NEW TEACHER

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MANSA HEAD TEACHER ADMITTED AFTER BEING BEATEN BY NEW TEACHER

Mansa recorded a sad story today. It is alleged that a renowned head teacher at a named secondary school in Mansa was in the early hours of today brutally beaten by a new teacher after a spat which started as a joke.

According to information available, a man identified as Jackson Siwale, 33, a new teacher, and Malama Kennedy, 52, head teacher at the school in question fought amidst the morning briefing.

The turn out of teachers was so poor, the matter that propelled the head teacher to call for a short briefing specifically to urge teachers to take work seriously. The briefing was unfolding well and considering the fact that few teachers were in school, the diplomats found it very convenient and aired their grievances to the head teacher.

Mostly, they were asking for stationery as they prepare for mock exams. The head teacher looked unconcerned and advised them to prepare tests which they shall manage to write on the board as the school has no money.

This was when Mr. Siwale, who once taught at a Convent School and later joined a new college as lecturer until he was deployed last year said the school needed to be serious.

“You cannot joke with exams, that is why learners fail terribly here,” he added.

The head teacher just looked at him and said, “The joke is your suit. You do not know your size? Just keep quiet and wait for your confirmation.”

The teachers in the meeting turned to look at Mr. Siwale, for sure, the jacket and trousers were modified to fit the tiny body. The shoes appeared to be oversize too. No one could hold the laughter. Everyone laughed irritably including the head teacher.

It was a cold wind that stopped the laughter. The head teacher was on the floor. Mr. Siwale, who is believed to be a martial art instructor, span on the table and gifted the head teacher the legendary kick.

Teachers rose and reached for the head teacher. But the angry Siwale did not let anyone stand in the way. He grabbed one teacher, headbutted him and gave another two punches until they left the head teacher alone.

The head teacher was then on his feet………………..

Tompo Daily Stories © June 27, 2024

Disney sued by Village People for more than $20 MILLION

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A lawsuit has been filed against Disney alleging the company subjected the Village People to a hostile work environment and banned the iconic 70s group.

The wife of the Village People star, Victor Willis, initiated the legal move that seeks $20 million in compensation for a litany of claimed wrongs.

Karen Willis, the wife of lead singer and co-founder Victor Willis, and the manager of the group’s trademark for live performances filed a lawsuit against Disney late last year on behalf of Victor and the group, according to documents obtained by TMZ, and they are requesting more than $20 million in damages.

Her husband Victor Willis is the sole original member of the group who still performs under the Village People name, and he co-wrote and sang lead on most of the group’s classic albums and hit singles, including Y.M.C.A., Macho Man, and In The Navy.

Karen says that the Village People were booked for a performance at Walt Disney World in Florida in 2018, following about a decade of annual performances at the theme park.

But she alleges that the performance during the two-day job went poorly for the first time in years.

According to Karen Willis, she tried to enter the front-of-house sound booth to make sure that the audio was as good as possible during the Village People’s show, but Disney employees allegedly blocked her from entering and then ushered her away. It’s unclear if she had previously been allowed by Disney to assist the band in that capacity.

She claims that later during the band’s time at Disney World, she and Victor were attacked by a group of ‘overzealous fans,’ who she claims were ‘planted’ at the park by a group of feuding ex-Village People members.

In a complicated twist, Willis, who left the Village People after the group’s early success but returned to live performances in 2017, had sued the group’s record label and production company to reinstate himself and give him the right to perform with a new group under the Village People name.

The group that had been performing as the Village People for decades at that point, which included several dancing and singing members of the Village People that were formed to back up Willis’ lead vocals — then had its rights to perform under the name revoked.

Karen Willis claims in her suit that the members who were cast out of the Village People were feuding with her husband, and so they planted the dangerous fans at Disney World who attacked her and Victor, though it’s unclear if she has any evidence of that alleged conspiracy.

She says the Village People’s contract stipulates that they be given extra security, but she accuses Disney of not providing that required security when they were in the park.

But the biggest issue with the 2018 performance revolved around the group’s payment or lack thereof.

Although Disney sent out checks for the show, they were allegedly made out to the wrong people or groups, so Victor and the Village People couldn’t get the money they were owed.

Karen alleges that when she and Victor alerted Disney to the payment issue, they were brushed off. It’s unclear if proper payments were ever made, and if so how long it took before the proper checks were sent out.

Following the performance fiasco, the lawsuit accuses Disney of not booking the Village People in the six years since the 2018 show, despite having booked the group annually for years before that.

Karen Willis says in the Village People’s suit that she believes the House of Mouse is intentionally not booking the group, possibly as retaliation for the response to the allegedly substandard performances surrounding the 2018 show in Disney World.

In response, Disney filed a motion to have the case dismissed, as it said it had a right not to rehire the Village People, though it’s unclear if it gave a reason why the invitations ceased after 2018.

However, Disney’s motion was recently rejected, so the Village People’s lawsuit will be able to continue.

Disney sued by Village People for more than $20 MILLION

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0

A lawsuit has been filed against Disney alleging the company subjected the Village People to a hostile work environment and banned the iconic 70s group.

The wife of the Village People star, Victor Willis, initiated the legal move that seeks $20 million in compensation for a litany of claimed wrongs.

Karen Willis, the wife of lead singer and co-founder Victor Willis, and the manager of the group’s trademark for live performances filed a lawsuit against Disney late last year on behalf of Victor and the group, according to documents obtained by TMZ, and they are requesting more than $20 million in damages.

Her husband Victor Willis is the sole original member of the group who still performs under the Village People name, and he co-wrote and sang lead on most of the group’s classic albums and hit singles, including Y.M.C.A., Macho Man, and In The Navy.

Karen says that the Village People were booked for a performance at Walt Disney World in Florida in 2018, following about a decade of annual performances at the theme park.

But she alleges that the performance during the two-day job went poorly for the first time in years.

According to Karen Willis, she tried to enter the front-of-house sound booth to make sure that the audio was as good as possible during the Village People’s show, but Disney employees allegedly blocked her from entering and then ushered her away. It’s unclear if she had previously been allowed by Disney to assist the band in that capacity.

She claims that later during the band’s time at Disney World, she and Victor were attacked by a group of ‘overzealous fans,’ who she claims were ‘planted’ at the park by a group of feuding ex-Village People members.

In a complicated twist, Willis, who left the Village People after the group’s early success but returned to live performances in 2017, had sued the group’s record label and production company to reinstate himself and give him the right to perform with a new group under the Village People name.

The group that had been performing as the Village People for decades at that point, which included several dancing and singing members of the Village People that were formed to back up Willis’ lead vocals — then had its rights to perform under the name revoked.

Karen Willis claims in her suit that the members who were cast out of the Village People were feuding with her husband, and so they planted the dangerous fans at Disney World who attacked her and Victor, though it’s unclear if she has any evidence of that alleged conspiracy.

She says the Village People’s contract stipulates that they be given extra security, but she accuses Disney of not providing that required security when they were in the park.

But the biggest issue with the 2018 performance revolved around the group’s payment or lack thereof.

Although Disney sent out checks for the show, they were allegedly made out to the wrong people or groups, so Victor and the Village People couldn’t get the money they were owed.

Karen alleges that when she and Victor alerted Disney to the payment issue, they were brushed off. It’s unclear if proper payments were ever made, and if so how long it took before the proper checks were sent out.

Following the performance fiasco, the lawsuit accuses Disney of not booking the Village People in the six years since the 2018 show, despite having booked the group annually for years before that.

Karen Willis says in the Village People’s suit that she believes the House of Mouse is intentionally not booking the group, possibly as retaliation for the response to the allegedly substandard performances surrounding the 2018 show in Disney World.

In response, Disney filed a motion to have the case dismissed, as it said it had a right not to rehire the Village People, though it’s unclear if it gave a reason why the invitations ceased after 2018.

However, Disney’s motion was recently rejected, so the Village People’s lawsuit will be able to continue.

Coco Gauff speaks about mystery boyfriend and when fans can finally see them together

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Coco Gauff has revealed she is no longer single and revealed plans with her mysterious boyfriend ahead of Wimbledon next month. The 20-year-old American, who has yet to advance past the fourth round at Wimbledon, intends to spend the summer engaged in a childhood hobby she shares with her partner.

“It started because I loved reading as a kid and I kind of lost it when I got older,” Gauff said during her media day at the German Open in Berlin this week. “So at first my goal was to read 12 books, one per month. Then my boyfriend has this thing where he reads the amount of books as the year we’re in, so 24 in 2024, 23 in 2023.”

Gauff, the 2023 US Open champion, viewed her boyfriend’s daily activity as a personal challenge she wanted to tackle, according to Daily Mail.

“So when he said he was going to read 24, I got super competitive and I doubled my goal to match his and I like trying to finish faster than him,” she continued. “I’m two books ahead, so I’m winning right now.”

Gauff’s reading list features titles like “Daisy Jones & the Six” by Taylor Jenkins Reid, “The New Jim Crow” by Michelle Alexander, “After Dark” by Haruki Murakami, and Viola Davis’ memoir “Finding Me.”

Her boyfriend, Jalen, resides in Atlanta, and they’ve been dating for about a year, as Gauff revealed to Time magazine in April.

“This is my first real relationship,” the tennis star pointed out, adding: “To just have someone to talk to who is not involved in tennis at all gives me a fresh perspective.”

Jalen has successfully impressed a key figure in Gauff’s life: her mother, Candi.

“My mom always said, if they’re bad in school, they’re probably bad adults,” Candi told Time. “He’s always been a smart, nice kid.”

Despite their relationship, Gauff has no plans to move in with her boyfriend, Jalen, and continues to live with her parents in their Florida home.

In an interview with People, the tennis star announced that her boyfriend will begin to appear at some tournaments within the U.S.

“My boyfriend, he’ll probably come to maybe some tournaments in the U.S,” Gauff said. “It’s just a little bit easier than coming to Europe.”

Female prison officer has been jailed for 4 years for smuggling drugs in braids of her hair for a convicted rapist she fell in love with

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A female prison officer has been jailed for four years for smuggling drugs in braids of her hair for a convicted rapist she fell in love with.

The woman, Hannah Angwaba broke down into tears as she was handed the sentence after trying to smuggle cocaine, cannabis, miniature mobile phones, and tobacco hidden in the braids of her hair as she arrived for a shift at HMP Forest Bank, Salford.

Female prison officer bags 4 years in jail for smuggling drugs in braids of her hair for a convicted rapist she fell in love with

The 30-year-old had been ‘exploited’ by Anton McPherson, 34, who ‘love bombed’ her in a bid to win her affection after she started working at the prison, according to Mail Online.

Hannah was the subject to intelligence reports within the prison due to her over-familiarity with the two inmates and the pair’s cell was searched in January 2020.

Officers found a Zanco-style small mobile phone, a USB charger piece, a number of SIM cards wrapped in cling film, and a piece of paper with Angwaba’s bank details on it.

A professional standards meeting was scheduled for January 22, 2020, and Angwaba was pulled aside by the senior anti-corruption officer at the prison as she arrived for her shift that day.

During the meeting the prison officer realised the ‘game was up’ and admitted she had a package of contraband in her hair, the court was told.

It contained two small mobile phones, a charging cable, two SIM cards, two USB memory sticks, two cling-film wraps of cocaine, five cling-film wraps of cannabis, two cling-film wraps of tobacco, and cigarette papers.

Drugs have a value of around ten times higher in prison than on the street, Edward Steele, prosecuting, said.

There were 27.76 grams of cocaine with a purity of 79 per cent and an estimated value inside of between £22,208 and £27,760. There was a total of 77 grams of cannabis with an estimated prison value of £7,700.

Angwaba also admitted bringing in three previous packages, saying she had been paid nothing for the first two but £300 for the third. She said she was due to be paid £500 for the package that was discovered.

Mr. Steele said text messages during the early part of the conspiracy show ‘a degree of protest from Hannah Angwaba’ and a mission from Anton McPherson to go ‘from a quasi-relationship into using her as a vehicle to bring contraband into prison.’

The prison officer then discovered McPherson was in a relationship with a woman outside the prison at which point Marshall took on the role of ‘bringing her back from the brink’ of dropping out of the January 22 smuggle.

One message to her from him read: ‘It’s not just his, it’s mine as well.’ Whilst Angwaba said in interview that Marshall had told her over the phone, ‘If you’re not gonna do it for Anton do it for me.’

‘In short, Anton McPherson and Julius Marshall were the masterminds of the plan, working in conjunction with one another from their shared cell,’ Mr Steele said.

‘Hannah Angwaba was the naïve, so she thought ‘loved up’, new prison officer, manipulated by the two prison inmates to do their dirty work and bring drugs into prison.’ The judge said there was an ‘element of love-bombing’ from McPherson.

The prison officer denied that any of the previous packages contained drugs and said she did not know about the drugs in the package that was seized.

She and Marshall pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to supply class A and class B drugs but were found guilty after a trial.

Angwaba admitted misconduct in public office, conveying a list B article (mobile phones) and a list C article (tobacco) into prison. Marshall admitted unauthorised possession of a mobile phone.

McPherson, now of HMP Parkhurst on the Isle of Wight, admitted conspiracy to supply class A and class B drugs, and unauthorised possession of a mobile phone.

Andrew Scott, defending Angwaba, said she had had a ‘traumatic upbringing’ and had now been diagnosed with emotionally unstable personality disorder (EUPD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety, which ‘will have a trigger which has led to the commission of these offences.’

He said she was otherwise an ‘intelligent, industrious, and ambitious young woman.’ ‘I invite your honour to pass a sentence which will offer Miss Angwaba a glimmer of light in what will be a long and dark tunnel,’ he added.

Aubrey Sampson, representing McPherson, said his client had now been moved to HMP Parkhurst on the Isle of Wight and had only been able to see his family once in three years due to the geographical distances. Marshall’s barrister, Stuart Duke, said there should be a ‘clear distinction’ between his client’s role and that of McPherson.

‘She still went ahead with bringing in the drugs’

Angwaba, of Leng Road, Newton Heath, shed tears and sat with her head in her hands as she was handed a four-and-a-half-year jail sentence.

Judge Jonathan Seely, said: ‘This is case is very seriously aggravated by the fact she took part in the conspiracy as a prison officer. It represents a significant breach of trust.

‘There must be deterrent sentences for offending of this sort by prison officers. It strikes at the very heart of the criminal justice system. From my assessment of the evidence, Hannah Angwaba was exploited by two male defendants, seasoned criminals both of them.

‘She was exploited as a young woman with her own vulnerabilities, a very inexperienced prison officer. She was romantically exploited. That was a morally repugnant thing to do. But this is not a court of morals.

‘She was duped but as far as she’s concerned, things are not that straightforward. The evidence is that the night before January 22 it became clear the purported romance with McPherson was a sham she still went ahead with bringing in the drugs.

‘Perhaps pressured and persuaded by Marshall. If she wasn’t doing it for love, she was doing it for money as she was receiving payment for bringing in the drugs.’

He added: ‘Yes it’s right Mr McPherson adopted the role of sham lover, and Marshall didn’t, but it makes little difference to the real issue of this case which is bringing into one of His Majesty’s prisons high-value drugs.’

McPherson, of no fixed abode, was given a five-year term which will run consecutively to his current sentence. While Marshall, of Edgemoor Road, Crosby in Liverpool, who has a previous conviction for possession with intent to supply heroin, was handed a seven-year sentence.

Female prison officer has been jailed for 4 years for smuggling drugs in braids of her hair for a convicted rapist she fell in love with

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A female prison officer has been jailed for four years for smuggling drugs in braids of her hair for a convicted rapist she fell in love with.

The woman, Hannah Angwaba broke down into tears as she was handed the sentence after trying to smuggle cocaine, cannabis, miniature mobile phones, and tobacco hidden in the braids of her hair as she arrived for a shift at HMP Forest Bank, Salford.

Female prison officer bags 4 years in jail for smuggling drugs in braids of her hair for a convicted rapist she fell in love with

The 30-year-old had been ‘exploited’ by Anton McPherson, 34, who ‘love bombed’ her in a bid to win her affection after she started working at the prison, according to Mail Online.

Hannah was the subject to intelligence reports within the prison due to her over-familiarity with the two inmates and the pair’s cell was searched in January 2020.

Officers found a Zanco-style small mobile phone, a USB charger piece, a number of SIM cards wrapped in cling film, and a piece of paper with Angwaba’s bank details on it.

A professional standards meeting was scheduled for January 22, 2020, and Angwaba was pulled aside by the senior anti-corruption officer at the prison as she arrived for her shift that day.

During the meeting the prison officer realised the ‘game was up’ and admitted she had a package of contraband in her hair, the court was told.

It contained two small mobile phones, a charging cable, two SIM cards, two USB memory sticks, two cling-film wraps of cocaine, five cling-film wraps of cannabis, two cling-film wraps of tobacco, and cigarette papers.

Drugs have a value of around ten times higher in prison than on the street, Edward Steele, prosecuting, said.

There were 27.76 grams of cocaine with a purity of 79 per cent and an estimated value inside of between £22,208 and £27,760. There was a total of 77 grams of cannabis with an estimated prison value of £7,700.

Angwaba also admitted bringing in three previous packages, saying she had been paid nothing for the first two but £300 for the third. She said she was due to be paid £500 for the package that was discovered.

Mr. Steele said text messages during the early part of the conspiracy show ‘a degree of protest from Hannah Angwaba’ and a mission from Anton McPherson to go ‘from a quasi-relationship into using her as a vehicle to bring contraband into prison.’

The prison officer then discovered McPherson was in a relationship with a woman outside the prison at which point Marshall took on the role of ‘bringing her back from the brink’ of dropping out of the January 22 smuggle.

One message to her from him read: ‘It’s not just his, it’s mine as well.’ Whilst Angwaba said in interview that Marshall had told her over the phone, ‘If you’re not gonna do it for Anton do it for me.’

‘In short, Anton McPherson and Julius Marshall were the masterminds of the plan, working in conjunction with one another from their shared cell,’ Mr Steele said.

‘Hannah Angwaba was the naïve, so she thought ‘loved up’, new prison officer, manipulated by the two prison inmates to do their dirty work and bring drugs into prison.’ The judge said there was an ‘element of love-bombing’ from McPherson.

The prison officer denied that any of the previous packages contained drugs and said she did not know about the drugs in the package that was seized.

She and Marshall pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to supply class A and class B drugs but were found guilty after a trial.

Angwaba admitted misconduct in public office, conveying a list B article (mobile phones) and a list C article (tobacco) into prison. Marshall admitted unauthorised possession of a mobile phone.

McPherson, now of HMP Parkhurst on the Isle of Wight, admitted conspiracy to supply class A and class B drugs, and unauthorised possession of a mobile phone.

Andrew Scott, defending Angwaba, said she had had a ‘traumatic upbringing’ and had now been diagnosed with emotionally unstable personality disorder (EUPD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety, which ‘will have a trigger which has led to the commission of these offences.’

He said she was otherwise an ‘intelligent, industrious, and ambitious young woman.’ ‘I invite your honour to pass a sentence which will offer Miss Angwaba a glimmer of light in what will be a long and dark tunnel,’ he added.

Aubrey Sampson, representing McPherson, said his client had now been moved to HMP Parkhurst on the Isle of Wight and had only been able to see his family once in three years due to the geographical distances. Marshall’s barrister, Stuart Duke, said there should be a ‘clear distinction’ between his client’s role and that of McPherson.

‘She still went ahead with bringing in the drugs’

Angwaba, of Leng Road, Newton Heath, shed tears and sat with her head in her hands as she was handed a four-and-a-half-year jail sentence.

Judge Jonathan Seely, said: ‘This is case is very seriously aggravated by the fact she took part in the conspiracy as a prison officer. It represents a significant breach of trust.

‘There must be deterrent sentences for offending of this sort by prison officers. It strikes at the very heart of the criminal justice system. From my assessment of the evidence, Hannah Angwaba was exploited by two male defendants, seasoned criminals both of them.

‘She was exploited as a young woman with her own vulnerabilities, a very inexperienced prison officer. She was romantically exploited. That was a morally repugnant thing to do. But this is not a court of morals.

‘She was duped but as far as she’s concerned, things are not that straightforward. The evidence is that the night before January 22 it became clear the purported romance with McPherson was a sham she still went ahead with bringing in the drugs.

‘Perhaps pressured and persuaded by Marshall. If she wasn’t doing it for love, she was doing it for money as she was receiving payment for bringing in the drugs.’

He added: ‘Yes it’s right Mr McPherson adopted the role of sham lover, and Marshall didn’t, but it makes little difference to the real issue of this case which is bringing into one of His Majesty’s prisons high-value drugs.’

McPherson, of no fixed abode, was given a five-year term which will run consecutively to his current sentence. While Marshall, of Edgemoor Road, Crosby in Liverpool, who has a previous conviction for possession with intent to supply heroin, was handed a seven-year sentence.

‘Making fun of my weight was national sport for 25 years’ – Oprah tears up discussing weight loss struggles

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Oprah Winfrey has revealed the emotional details of her weight loss journey on Jamie Kern Lima’s podcast, admitting she has used medication to maintain her figure. Tearing up, Winfrey, 70, discussed her lifelong struggle with body image and the moment she understood it was beyond her control.

“I was like whoa it’s not even my fault – all these years, all those diets, all those times I tried, I came back and I tried again and I lost it. I’m climbing up the mountain I’m suffering, I’m starving,” she described, wiping away a tear.

“I’m not my fault,” Winfrey, who has previously admitted to using weight loss drugs, simply said. “That was the moment and that was 2023.”

Winfrey recounted a pivotal moment when a doctor informed her that obesity is a disease, as reported by Daily Mail. This revelation shifted her perspective, helping her understand that her struggle to lose weight was not due to a lack of willpower.

“I’ve done hundreds of shows about weight loss and had I can’t even tell you how many conversations about it but still carry my own shame,” she admitted. “I had a big revelation on that State of Weight on Oprah Daily [in 2023] when [I had] one doctor after another doctor saying obesity is a disease – and I was like ‘I didn’t get that memo.’”

“What I understood from the State of Weight [discussion] that I had not understood for the past 48 years of battling my weight, is that there’s something in the brain that allows people – like myself – to metabolize fat differently than other people,” she explained.

“No matter what I do I’m always going to go back to the set point that my brain thinks it needs to hold the weight.”

She recounted the extreme measures she took to lose weight, including a 1988 segment where she displayed a cart with 67 pounds of fat after using Optifast and not eating so much of a “morsel” of food for five months. She admitted that the weight returned afterward.

“Three days [after the show] I was five pounds heavier and a week later I was 10 pounds heavier,” she recalled.

Just two and a half weeks after her weight loss, Winfrey revealed she gained over 10 pounds. Embarrassed by the rapid weight gain, she avoided holiday parties to avoid being seen.

“I wouldn’t go because I thought I was too fat to go,” she bluntly recalled. “I’d gone from 145 [pounds] on the day of the show and I think I was 157 in the course of like a week and a half or two – and the shame started again,” the author anguished.

She candidly shared a heartbreaking moment when she landed at the bottom of a worst-dressed list in TV Guide, appearing on the cover with a headline highlighting her fashion misstep reading: “Bumpy, lumpy and downright dumpy.”

“I was so proud of myself because I’d won the Bob Hope Award and they took the picture from that and it was ‘bumpy, lumpy and downright dumpy’ and it was on the cover of all the magazines,” she recalled.

She admitted that she became accustomed to people using her weight as a punch line. “I accepted that this thing that people have labeled me with: being fat, being overweight, being unable to control my willpower, not having any willpower,” Winfrey recalled.

“For 25 years, every single week in one form or another there was a tabloid story or some exploitation of my weight – making fun of my weight was national sport for 25 years,” she continued morosely.

“Comedians did it. The best comedians did it, the highest comedians did it – people with their shows did it. It was just accepted that you could make fun of me and my weight.”

Upon turning 70, Winfrey decided to no longer carry the burden of others making fun of her weight into the next decade. She also discussed the enormous pressure she faced to avoid weight loss drugs and to prove she could lose weight through diet and exercise.

“I was judgmental [about people using weight loss drugs] because I have been so judged,” the TV mogul admitted.

Financial statements of Malanji’s company were signed by a fictitious person – Witness

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Financial statements of Malanji’s company were signed by a fictitious person – Witness

THE Congolese witness says the person who imprinted an emblem of the Judicial Brigade of the Haut-Katanga on Joseph Malanji’s fake business transactions purporting to show that they were real, is fictitious.

Charles Lwanga Kabozya who is a magistrate in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo told the Economic and Financial Crimes Court that Mukalai Kalonje is being pursued for an arrest by Congolese authorities as he had capacity to speak to financial matters.

“The initials on the stamp were not known by the Judicial Brigade of Katanga, the logo on the document is different from that used by the Judicial Brigade of The Haut-Katanga,”Kabozya said.

“The false documents are different from the ones used by the Judicial Brigade. The document entitled declaration under oath is not authentic and the signatory is not known at the Judicial Brigade of Katanga.

Mukalai Kalonje is a fictitious person at the judicial brigade.”

He said in his 25 years of service as a magistrate and chief of the Judicial Brigade, he has never known the man in question.

“If Mukalai Kalonje existed we could have arrested him. He did not the capacity to issue a financial statement. We have been looking for him in Congo,” Kabozya said.

He insisted that according to the information given to him by Raw Bank, relating to Mass Investment Group Sarl the movement of funds from the accounts of the said company to Gibson Power Systems does not appear on the financial records.

“The bank said the transactions between Mass Investment Group Sarl and Gibson Power Systems do not exist. There’s no operations mentioned in the withdrawal slip,” said Kabozya.

In cross examination by Makebi Zulu, the witness said he investigated Malanji for money laundering following a request from the Drug Enforcement Commission.

When asked to explain the wealth that Malanji illegally acquired, Kabozya said he could not divulge information as he would land himself in trouble back home.

He said it was alleged that Malanji owns a mine and lucrative businesses in Congo but when he probed into the allegations he established that it was all fake.

Kabozya said Malanji was interviewed by Zambian law enforcement officers whom he gave the fake documents claiming he amassed wealth from his businesses in Congo.

When asked about the objectives of Mass Investment Group Sarl, the witness protested to speak to a document he did not have knowledge about and sought the Court’s protection.

“I seek this court to protect me, I’m a witness and not an accused. This question is reserved for the accused. I can withdraw myself and go to the embassy and return home,” threatened the tired and irritated Kabozya.

When asked to confirm the date on which Mass Investment Group Sarl was incorporated, the magistrate maintained that he did not want to pronounce himself on the company registration documents.

In this matter Malanji is accused of possessing property suspected to be proceeds of crime. He is jointly charged with former secretary to the treasury Fredson Yamba who is accused of willfully failing to follow procedure in the management of public resources.

Cross examination is still underway.

By Mwaka Ndawa

Kalemba June 27, 2024

Constitutional Court dismisses Petition by the nine PF MPs as it lacks jurisdiction on the matters that were raised

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NO BY-ELECTIONS

Read Below

UPDATE;LATEST CONSTITUTIONAL COURT RULING

… Constitutional Court dismisses Petition by the nine MPs as it lacks jurisdiction on the matters that were raised..

Lusaka-Thursday, June 27th 2024

We have noted a judgement rendered by the full bench of the Constitutional Court regarding the matter of; Robert Kaoma Chitotela, Nickson Chilangwa, Musonda Mpankanta, Remember Mutale, Brian Mundubile, Stephen Kampyongo, Mulenga and Mutotwe Kafwaya Vs Miles Sampa, Morgan Ng’ona and the Attorney General.

In this matter the nine Members of Parliament were challenging their illegal expulsion from the Patriotic Front by Miles Sampa and his purported Secretary General.

On 27th December, 2023, Miles Sampa’s lawyers raised a preliminary matter that the matter was incompetently before the Constitutional Court as issues and action of the Registrar of Societies and the purpoted Extra-Ordinary Conference held on 24th October 2024, were matters that ought to be heard before lower courts and NOT Constitutional Court.

The Constitution Court has therefore upheld the preliminary issue and dismissed the main petition of the nine Members of Parliament stating that the Constitutional Court lacks jurisdiction or authority to hear the matter.

Below is the findings of the Constitutional Court;

“In view of our finding that the Court has no jurisdiction to determine the Petition as it does not disclose any constitutional issue, it follows that the rest of the issues raised have been rendered otiose.”

15.0 Orders

[15.1] “We accordingly make the following orders:

[15.2] The 1st and 2nd Respondents’ application (Miles Sampa and Morgan Ng’ona) to dismiss the Petition for want of jurisdiction is upheld.”

This was a Ruling on a preliminary application by Miles Sampa and Morgan Ng’ona who raised preliminary issues on a point of law.

The background to this application is that the members of Parliament commenced this action by way of Petition on 8th December, 2023 against the Sampa, Ng’ona and the Attorney General alleging breach of Article 60(2) of the Constitution and several articles of the Patriotic Front (PF) party constitution.

Following this Ruling we are studying the matter and will consider the various options available before us including taking the matter to a court of competent jurisdiction as clearly guided by the Constitutional Court which says has no authority on the matter.

Issued by:
Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba
Chairperson of Information and Publicity
Member of the Central Committee
PATRIOTIC FRONT

We are in this food crisis mainly because UPND Govt exported all our emergency food stocks –  Edgar  Lungu

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Fellow Citizens,

On Monday morning, I watched our President, Dr Hakainde Hichilema invoke the Bible when he said, “hunger is biblical and that he was not a Magician who can end poverty with a magic word”. The Zambian leader likened the current hunger disaster to the proverbial Egyptian famine that lasted seven years as espoused in Genesis 41: 46-57.

From that perspective, President Hichilema openly acknowledged the problem at hand we face-a national famine and indirectly, he exposed his leadership inadequacies to feed and manage the nation by misinterpreting our good biblical scriptures. I feel profoundly sorry for him and remain deeply touched by over 6 million Zambians threatened with hunger due to HH’s poor leadership and bad government policies.

There are things President HH can learn from the past PF administration and myself in terms of policy and political leadership in the agricultural sector. Like the story of Egypt’s ancient Prime Minister, Joseph he cited in the Bible, my government had sound policy direction, leadership, foresight, preparedness and effective governance personnel to grow, feed and stock surplus maize, wheat, soya beans, groundnuts, fish, cassava, rice, and other crops in times of plenty to rely on and use in times of drought. In the Bible story, Joseph had seven years of plenty which saved the next seven years of scarcity and hunger. This was the policy style of my government.

Honestly, droughts should never be used as an excuse for bad leadership and poor policies.
In 2018, after experiencing a crippling drought, I put together a competent team and gave it one major task—“grow our maize reserve and food security to an extent that Zambians would not starve during any future drought”. From 300,000 tons of maize in 2018, we increased the harvest to 433,000 tons in 2019 and kept increasing the harvest to more than 3 million tons by 2020.

Clearly it was our distinguished political leadership that made a huge difference. When we left office in August 2021, our maize strategic reserves record stood at over 2 million tons, ensuring Zambia´s food security for the next two years or more in case of drought. I remain proud of this record as former President. Had I been in power today, Zambia would have still been feeding from our own strategic maize reserves and the price of mealie meal would have been much lower than the current K380 or K420 depending on where you are buying the commodity from.

How did we achieve national food security with strategic reserves? My government decided to increase and double maize production countrywide. We increased our national budget for the agriculture sector. Importation of Agricultural equipment was made tax free; we decisively ensured that the distribution of seed and fertilizer was timely everywhere. FRA was funded to buy farming outputs on time. We partnered with traditional leaders, farmers unions, women cooperatives and everyone.
In short, we worked smart and strategically, planned for both years of plenty and years of scarcity. We made honest and practical policy decisions. We didn’t just talk; we walked the talk.

As a President, my team ensured national food security was a reality, regardless of the rainfall pattern. I want to advise Mr. Hichilema to avoid getting into ´denial mode´ regarding the food crisis that has been worsened by his own poor leadership. The Zambian government was foretold about this drought in 2022 when we had strategic stocks of maize left by my administration. Records show that our president rejected timely expert advice not to export maize due to his arrogance and ‘know it all’ attitude. Yes, he reject expert advice!

We are in this food crisis mainly because the current administration exported all our emergency food stocks, leaving no reserves for our people to feed on in times of drought like these today. During the press briefing, Mr Hichilema missed an opportunity to expressly apologize to Zambians for exporting our maize reserves abroad and intentionally starving our citizens who had huge maize reserves in stock. It was extremely wrong and ethically inhumane to prioritize commerce over human life!

When he addressed the nation, our president needed to share with Zambians practical solutions to the current food crisis and disastrous drought. Instead, he chose rhetoric and empty promises again. Regrettably, while six million Zambians face starvation for the first time in almost sixty years, their own president (HH) is dramatizing everything before the eyes of poor, helpless and hungry citizens by ´mocking’ that he is not a magician to feed them. Again, this is a gesture of cruelty and so unacceptable especially for a man who condemned our every effort to produce enough food for our people and made huge empty promises in 2021.

In 2026, Zambians must bring back leaders who do not only care for them, but also respect human life and possess experience to ensure food security and availability is a reality. Leaders who made sure that basic commodities such as mealie meal, sugar, salt, tomato, electricity, water, cooking oil, petrol were cheaper and affordable.

Soon or later, PF and our comrades in UKA will seek to offer a tested, trusted, honest, united and reliable leadership for our people. ‘UKAN’ Zambians!

God bless you all.

H.E Edgar Chagwa Lungu.
Sixth President of Zambia
President of Patriotic Front (PF)
United Kwacha Alliance (UKA) Member

We are in this food crisis mainly because UPND Govt exported all our emergency food stocks –  Edgar  Lungu

zamobserver
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0

Fellow Citizens,

On Monday morning, I watched our President, Dr Hakainde Hichilema invoke the Bible when he said, “hunger is biblical and that he was not a Magician who can end poverty with a magic word”. The Zambian leader likened the current hunger disaster to the proverbial Egyptian famine that lasted seven years as espoused in Genesis 41: 46-57.

From that perspective, President Hichilema openly acknowledged the problem at hand we face-a national famine and indirectly, he exposed his leadership inadequacies to feed and manage the nation by misinterpreting our good biblical scriptures. I feel profoundly sorry for him and remain deeply touched by over 6 million Zambians threatened with hunger due to HH’s poor leadership and bad government policies.

There are things President HH can learn from the past PF administration and myself in terms of policy and political leadership in the agricultural sector. Like the story of Egypt’s ancient Prime Minister, Joseph he cited in the Bible, my government had sound policy direction, leadership, foresight, preparedness and effective governance personnel to grow, feed and stock surplus maize, wheat, soya beans, groundnuts, fish, cassava, rice, and other crops in times of plenty to rely on and use in times of drought. In the Bible story, Joseph had seven years of plenty which saved the next seven years of scarcity and hunger. This was the policy style of my government.

Honestly, droughts should never be used as an excuse for bad leadership and poor policies.
In 2018, after experiencing a crippling drought, I put together a competent team and gave it one major task—“grow our maize reserve and food security to an extent that Zambians would not starve during any future drought”. From 300,000 tons of maize in 2018, we increased the harvest to 433,000 tons in 2019 and kept increasing the harvest to more than 3 million tons by 2020.

Clearly it was our distinguished political leadership that made a huge difference. When we left office in August 2021, our maize strategic reserves record stood at over 2 million tons, ensuring Zambia´s food security for the next two years or more in case of drought. I remain proud of this record as former President. Had I been in power today, Zambia would have still been feeding from our own strategic maize reserves and the price of mealie meal would have been much lower than the current K380 or K420 depending on where you are buying the commodity from.

How did we achieve national food security with strategic reserves? My government decided to increase and double maize production countrywide. We increased our national budget for the agriculture sector. Importation of Agricultural equipment was made tax free; we decisively ensured that the distribution of seed and fertilizer was timely everywhere. FRA was funded to buy farming outputs on time. We partnered with traditional leaders, farmers unions, women cooperatives and everyone.
In short, we worked smart and strategically, planned for both years of plenty and years of scarcity. We made honest and practical policy decisions. We didn’t just talk; we walked the talk.

As a President, my team ensured national food security was a reality, regardless of the rainfall pattern. I want to advise Mr. Hichilema to avoid getting into ´denial mode´ regarding the food crisis that has been worsened by his own poor leadership. The Zambian government was foretold about this drought in 2022 when we had strategic stocks of maize left by my administration. Records show that our president rejected timely expert advice not to export maize due to his arrogance and ‘know it all’ attitude. Yes, he reject expert advice!

We are in this food crisis mainly because the current administration exported all our emergency food stocks, leaving no reserves for our people to feed on in times of drought like these today. During the press briefing, Mr Hichilema missed an opportunity to expressly apologize to Zambians for exporting our maize reserves abroad and intentionally starving our citizens who had huge maize reserves in stock. It was extremely wrong and ethically inhumane to prioritize commerce over human life!

When he addressed the nation, our president needed to share with Zambians practical solutions to the current food crisis and disastrous drought. Instead, he chose rhetoric and empty promises again. Regrettably, while six million Zambians face starvation for the first time in almost sixty years, their own president (HH) is dramatizing everything before the eyes of poor, helpless and hungry citizens by ´mocking’ that he is not a magician to feed them. Again, this is a gesture of cruelty and so unacceptable especially for a man who condemned our every effort to produce enough food for our people and made huge empty promises in 2021.

In 2026, Zambians must bring back leaders who do not only care for them, but also respect human life and possess experience to ensure food security and availability is a reality. Leaders who made sure that basic commodities such as mealie meal, sugar, salt, tomato, electricity, water, cooking oil, petrol were cheaper and affordable.

Soon or later, PF and our comrades in UKA will seek to offer a tested, trusted, honest, united and reliable leadership for our people. ‘UKAN’ Zambians!

God bless you all.

H.E Edgar Chagwa Lungu.
Sixth President of Zambia
President of Patriotic Front (PF)
United Kwacha Alliance (UKA) Member

MAKEBI ZULU: I Want To Go Back To DRC, Witness Cries In Malanji’s Case

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I WANT TO GO BACK TO DRC, WITNESS CRIES IN MALANJI’S CASE

Lusaka- Thursday, 27th June 2024

Charles Kabozya a witness from DRC broke under the piercing Makebi Zulu’s cross examination.

Kabozya offered to abandon his testimony in court and told Hon. Ireen Wishimanga that he wished to return to the DRC Embassy and go back home to Congo.

Mr. Charles Kabozya investigations magistrate from Kinshasa Congo, also told the court that he has does not know Malanji and that he has never met him before.

He further told the court that the two companies namely China Civil Engineering Corporation and Mass Investment Group SARL exit in Congo.

Kabozya further informed the court that he does not know and never met Malanji.

This is in a matter in which Malanji and former secretary to treasury Fredson Yamba are charged with 10 counts of willful failure to comply with laid down procedures and possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime.

Yamba is charged with two counts of willful failure to comply with laid down procedures while Malanji is facing eight counts of being in possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime.

During cross-examination, defence lawyer Makebi Zulu presented unmarked document to the witness and asked whether the document looks at the opening of different kinds of companies, Kabozya said he cannot pronounce himself to the document that is not coming from him.

“I don’t want to pronounce myself over a document that is not coming from me. It’s not because I’m Congolese that you will have to ask me on every document that are coming from Congo. I don’t want to comment on the document I know nothing about,” he said.

And asked to mention the name on the documents, the witness reserved himself from responding.

“I cannot pronounce myself on the document, I reserve myself before the court of law, I’m not here to satisfy anyone,” he added.

Further asked if he was able to see what was listed as objectives on the named document, Kabozya requested for the courts protection.

“I seek this court to protect me, I’m a witness and not an accused. This question is reserved for the accused. I was sent here by the Congo government, I’m a free citizen. I request the court to protect me. I can withdraw myself and go to the embassy and return home,” said Kabozya.

Cross-examination continues this morning

Don’t compare policy failure to the Egyptian Famine – Former President Lungu tells President Hichilema

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Don’t compare policy failure to the Egyptian Famine – Former President Lungu tells President Hichilema

Lusaka, 27th June, 2024

Former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu has issued a stern critique of President Hakainde Hichilema’s handling of the current hunger crisis in Zambia, highlighting what he perceives as leadership inadequacies and a misinterpretation of biblical scriptures. In a compelling statement, President Lungu emphasizes the need for effective agricultural policies and strategic planning to combat the national famine threatening over six million Zambians.

President Lungu’s commentary was sparked by President Hichilema’s recent remarks likening the hunger disaster to the seven-year Egyptian famine described in Genesis 41: 46-57.

President Hichilema’s statement, which included the assertion that he is “not a magician who can end poverty with a magic word,” was met with criticism from the former president, who saw it as an acknowledgment of the administration’s failure to manage the crisis effectively.

Reflecting on his tenure, President Lungu highlighted the successful agricultural policies implemented during his administration. Drawing a parallel to the biblical story of Joseph, Lungu recalled how his government ensured food security through meticulous planning and robust policy execution.

“Like the story of Egypt’s ancient Prime Minister, Joseph, my government had sound policy direction, leadership, foresight, preparedness, and effective governance personnel,” President Lungu stated.

He noted that his administration had increased the maize reserves significantly, from 300,000 tons in 2018 to over 3 million tons by 2020, ensuring Zambia’s food security.

President Lungu attributed the current crisis to poor leadership and policy decisions by the Hichilema administration, particularly the export of maize reserves despite warnings of an impending drought.

“We are in this food crisis mainly because the current administration exported all our emergency food stocks, leaving no reserves for our people to feed on in times of drought,” Lungu asserted.

He says President Hichilema has prioritized commerce over human life and has called for practical solutions to the food crisis.

President Lungu also advised the current president to learn from the past administration’s strategies, which involved increasing the national budget for agriculture, making agricultural equipment importation tax-free, and ensuring timely distribution of seeds and fertilizers.

He has underscored the importance of collaboration with traditional leaders, farmers’ unions, and women cooperatives to achieve national food security.

As Zambia faces one of its most severe food crises in recent history, President Lungu’s message resonates with many citizens who recall the relative stability of basic commodity prices during his tenure. He urged Zambians to consider leadership that prioritizes food security and respects human life in future elections.

“Zambians must bring back leaders who do not only care for them but also respect human life and possess the experience to ensure food security and availability is a reality,” President Lungu concluded. He reaffirmed his commitment to offering a “tested, trusted, honest, united, and reliable leadership” through the Patriotic Front (PF) and the United Kwacha Alliance (UKA).

The former president’s address has sparked a national conversation about the current administration’s agricultural policies and the urgent need for effective strategies to mitigate the hunger crisis.

As the nation looks ahead to the 2026 elections, President Lungu’s critique serves as a call to action for leaders to prioritize the well-being of all Zambians.

Don’t compare policy failure to the Egyptian Famine – Former President Lungu tells President Hichilema

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Don’t compare policy failure to the Egyptian Famine – Former President Lungu tells President Hichilema

Lusaka, 27th June, 2024

Former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu has issued a stern critique of President Hakainde Hichilema’s handling of the current hunger crisis in Zambia, highlighting what he perceives as leadership inadequacies and a misinterpretation of biblical scriptures. In a compelling statement, President Lungu emphasizes the need for effective agricultural policies and strategic planning to combat the national famine threatening over six million Zambians.

President Lungu’s commentary was sparked by President Hichilema’s recent remarks likening the hunger disaster to the seven-year Egyptian famine described in Genesis 41: 46-57.

President Hichilema’s statement, which included the assertion that he is “not a magician who can end poverty with a magic word,” was met with criticism from the former president, who saw it as an acknowledgment of the administration’s failure to manage the crisis effectively.

Reflecting on his tenure, President Lungu highlighted the successful agricultural policies implemented during his administration. Drawing a parallel to the biblical story of Joseph, Lungu recalled how his government ensured food security through meticulous planning and robust policy execution.

“Like the story of Egypt’s ancient Prime Minister, Joseph, my government had sound policy direction, leadership, foresight, preparedness, and effective governance personnel,” President Lungu stated.

He noted that his administration had increased the maize reserves significantly, from 300,000 tons in 2018 to over 3 million tons by 2020, ensuring Zambia’s food security.

President Lungu attributed the current crisis to poor leadership and policy decisions by the Hichilema administration, particularly the export of maize reserves despite warnings of an impending drought.

“We are in this food crisis mainly because the current administration exported all our emergency food stocks, leaving no reserves for our people to feed on in times of drought,” Lungu asserted.

He says President Hichilema has prioritized commerce over human life and has called for practical solutions to the food crisis.

President Lungu also advised the current president to learn from the past administration’s strategies, which involved increasing the national budget for agriculture, making agricultural equipment importation tax-free, and ensuring timely distribution of seeds and fertilizers.

He has underscored the importance of collaboration with traditional leaders, farmers’ unions, and women cooperatives to achieve national food security.

As Zambia faces one of its most severe food crises in recent history, President Lungu’s message resonates with many citizens who recall the relative stability of basic commodity prices during his tenure. He urged Zambians to consider leadership that prioritizes food security and respects human life in future elections.

“Zambians must bring back leaders who do not only care for them but also respect human life and possess the experience to ensure food security and availability is a reality,” President Lungu concluded. He reaffirmed his commitment to offering a “tested, trusted, honest, united, and reliable leadership” through the Patriotic Front (PF) and the United Kwacha Alliance (UKA).

The former president’s address has sparked a national conversation about the current administration’s agricultural policies and the urgent need for effective strategies to mitigate the hunger crisis.

As the nation looks ahead to the 2026 elections, President Lungu’s critique serves as a call to action for leaders to prioritize the well-being of all Zambians.

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