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MUBITA NAWA FALLS

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mmanuel Mwamba writes:

MUBITA NAWA FALLS

INTERPOL Executive Committee selects Brazil’s Valdecy Urquiza as its candidate for next Secretary General

The Secretary General is appointed by the General Assembly upon a proposal of the Executive Committee.

Following a recruitment process, INTERPOL’s Executive Committee has chosen Valdecy Urquiza of Brazil as its proposed candidate to be the next Secretary General of the Organization.

In accordance with the Organization’s rules, this proposal will be put to INTERPOL’s General Assembly in November 2024, where delegates will vote on whether to appoint the proposed candidate as Secretary General.

HOW THE CANDIDATE IS SELECTED

The vote is carried out by secret ballot. The result is determined by a simple majority of the member countries who are present and who cast an affirmative or a negative vote.

The Secretary General of INTERPOL is the Organization’s chief official and is appointed for a five-year term in office, which can be renewed once for a second five-year term by the General Assembly.

The second term of the current INTERPOL Secretary General, Jürgen Stock, will finish at the end of the 92nd General Assembly in Glasgow, United Kingdom in November 2024, when he will hand over to the new Secretary General.

The selection process

The role and selection process of the Secretary General is determined by INTERPOL’s legal texts, including the Organization’s Constitution, the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly, the Rules of Procedure of the Executive Committee, the Organization’s General Regulations and its Staff Manual.

The process of selecting the next Secretary General began in July 2023 with a call for candidates sent to all INTERPOL member countries.

Following the application deadline of 31 January 2024, the Executive Committee reviewed all applications during its session in March 2024, and drew up a shortlist of candidates. The Executive Committee interviewed the shortlisted candidates at its session in June 2024, after which it made its recommendation.

The Committee will also submit a report to the General Assembly that attests to the integrity of the selection process and describes the successive stages that led to the Committee’s final choice, as well as the background of the proposed candidate.

A detailed explanatory note on the appointment of the INTERPOL Secretary General, along with the applicable legal provisions of INTERPOL’s legal texts, can be downloaded below.

Candidates for the post of Secretary General
Listed in alphabetical order:

Mr Stephen KAVANAGH
Country: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Current functions: INTERPOL Executive Director of Police Services

Mr Mubita NAWA
Country: Republic of Zambia

Current functions: Director – Administration, Zambia Police Service

Mr Faisal SHAHKAR
Country: Islamic Republic of Pakistan

Current functions: United Nations Police Advisor & Head of UN Police Division

Mr Valdecy URQUIZA
Country: Federative Republic of Brazil

Current functions: Director for International Cooperation, Brazilian Federal Police / INTERPOL Vice-President for the Americas

Impeached South African judge John Hlophe becomes MP for Zuma’s party

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June 25, 2024 marked a significant event in South African politics as the impeached judge John Hlophe assumed leadership of the UMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party caucus in Parliament.

The MK Party is expected to be the official opposition after the DA opted to join the ANC as part of the Government of National Unity. The MK Party’s 58 members of parliament were sworn into office on Tuesday in a move that reflects both continuity and change in the nations political landscape.

Hlophe is a prominent figure in South Africa’s legal sector, as he is known for his judicial career and significant contributions to the country’s legal system.

The 65-year-old is a former Judge President of the Western Cape Division of the High Court, a role he served for over two decades.

By his own admission, Hlophe shared during an African Legal Professionals Assocition event in Durban at the weekend, he had met with former president Jacob Zuma and they had agreed that the MKP would send its members to Parliament, led by Hlophe.

Hlophe studied law at the University of Natal, the University of Fort Hare and Cambridge University. He taught law at the University of Transkei before being appointed to the bench.

  • Hlophe went to Cambridge University in the UK in 1984 to pursue a Master of Laws (LLM) degree on a Livingstone Trust Scholarship
  • He became a temporary senior lecturer in the University of Zululand’s law faculty in 1984–1985
  • He was given the Africa Educational Trust scholarship in 1985 so that he could study for a doctorate at Cambridge
  • Hlophe began working as a law lecturer at the University of Natal in 1988
  • At the age of 31, he began working as a professor and public law head at the University of Transkei in 1990
  • Hlophe became the nation’s youngest high court judge when former president Nelson Mandela appointed him to the Cape Bench in 1995
  • At the age of 36, Hlophe became the first black judge to be appointed permanently to the Western Cape High Court when he was appointed as a judge in 1995. In addition, he was the first permanent academic employed as a High Court judge
  • In 1999, he was appointed by the Judicial Service Commission to the position of Deputy Judge President of the Cape Division
  • In 2000 Hlophe was appointed judge president of the Cape of Good Hope Provincial Division
  • In 2023, Hlophe, along with retired judge Nkola Motata became, were impeached by Parliament. He was impeached after the Judicial Services Commission found him guilty of gross misconduct. This was after an incident in 2008, where Hlophe was accused of attempting to influence the Constitutional Court’s decision on search and seizure raids carried out by the Scorpions on properties of Jacob Zuma and French arms manufacturing giant Thint.

Source:IOL

Impeached South African judge John Hlophe becomes MP for Zuma’s party

zamobserver
-
0

June 25, 2024 marked a significant event in South African politics as the impeached judge John Hlophe assumed leadership of the UMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party caucus in Parliament.

The MK Party is expected to be the official opposition after the DA opted to join the ANC as part of the Government of National Unity. The MK Party’s 58 members of parliament were sworn into office on Tuesday in a move that reflects both continuity and change in the nations political landscape.

Hlophe is a prominent figure in South Africa’s legal sector, as he is known for his judicial career and significant contributions to the country’s legal system.

The 65-year-old is a former Judge President of the Western Cape Division of the High Court, a role he served for over two decades.

By his own admission, Hlophe shared during an African Legal Professionals Assocition event in Durban at the weekend, he had met with former president Jacob Zuma and they had agreed that the MKP would send its members to Parliament, led by Hlophe.

Hlophe studied law at the University of Natal, the University of Fort Hare and Cambridge University. He taught law at the University of Transkei before being appointed to the bench.

  • Hlophe went to Cambridge University in the UK in 1984 to pursue a Master of Laws (LLM) degree on a Livingstone Trust Scholarship
  • He became a temporary senior lecturer in the University of Zululand’s law faculty in 1984–1985
  • He was given the Africa Educational Trust scholarship in 1985 so that he could study for a doctorate at Cambridge
  • Hlophe began working as a law lecturer at the University of Natal in 1988
  • At the age of 31, he began working as a professor and public law head at the University of Transkei in 1990
  • Hlophe became the nation’s youngest high court judge when former president Nelson Mandela appointed him to the Cape Bench in 1995
  • At the age of 36, Hlophe became the first black judge to be appointed permanently to the Western Cape High Court when he was appointed as a judge in 1995. In addition, he was the first permanent academic employed as a High Court judge
  • In 1999, he was appointed by the Judicial Service Commission to the position of Deputy Judge President of the Cape Division
  • In 2000 Hlophe was appointed judge president of the Cape of Good Hope Provincial Division
  • In 2023, Hlophe, along with retired judge Nkola Motata became, were impeached by Parliament. He was impeached after the Judicial Services Commission found him guilty of gross misconduct. This was after an incident in 2008, where Hlophe was accused of attempting to influence the Constitutional Court’s decision on search and seizure raids carried out by the Scorpions on properties of Jacob Zuma and French arms manufacturing giant Thint.

Source:IOL

I’m too young to stay without bedroom gymnastics Lusaka woman, 51, tells court

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I’m too young to stay without bedroom gymnastics Lusaka woman, 51, tells court

FULFILLING the lyrics of Zambian music act, Neo’s song ‘Bottle Pali Love’, a woman of 15 Miles area on the outskirts of Lusaka has chosen Chibuku over her husband that has kept her for one year and two months without using reproductive instrument in cultivating her garden of happiness.

Brandina Chingoma, 51, yesterday dragged her husband of 31 years to the Matero local court for divorce on grounds that he has managed to undress her entire clan, using his mouth, with no regard for anyone, not even her old mother.

The defendant in this matter was the father to her 13 children, Peter Banda,52 who she described as a mommy’s boy.

She said as though insulting her parents and ancestors was not enough, he even clobbered her late father before he died, with one of his freshest boxing victims being her aunt and brother.

“This man denied me a long time ago. He told me … he will end up killing me, he wakes up during the night, threatening to kill me, at some point he even beat me, even cutting my finger”

“He insults me a lot. And the problem is, he is not a secretive person, he insults me publicly in front of neighbours instead of the bedroom. So when he does so, I leave the house to drink Kachasu while he runs to his mother’s house were he has been staying for over a year now,” said Chingoma.

Meanwhile Banda said he was tired of throwing alcohol bottles in the house as she drank a lot of “Chibuku”.

He added that he was only going to reconsider returning back to his matrimonial home if Chingoma quits Kachasu, giving her an option to choose between him and the illegally brewed local alcohol.

But unlike Lot’s wife in the bible, Chingoma refused to look back.

“Let Kachaso marry me then, I have denied you, and even if he is saying I drink Kachasu a lot, for me, my beer is mostly eagle,” she clarified.

She bitterly complained of Banda’s failure to make her dance ‘ma hips Zingati in bed,’ to fulfill the ‘adults play’ a thing that hurt her way beyond the insults he showered on her parents.

“This man has troubled me a lot One year and two months is too long to stay without a man when he is busy sleeping with girls, I also want sex, I am still young to be starved, so let him go so that I can be free too,” said Chingoma.

However, Magistrate Lewis Mumba adjourned the matter to July 5 for judgment but urged the plaintiff to quit Kachasu.

By Buumba Mwitumwa

Kalemba June 26, 2024

I’m too young to stay without bedroom gymnastics Lusaka woman, 51, tells court

zamobserver
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0

I’m too young to stay without bedroom gymnastics Lusaka woman, 51, tells court

FULFILLING the lyrics of Zambian music act, Neo’s song ‘Bottle Pali Love’, a woman of 15 Miles area on the outskirts of Lusaka has chosen Chibuku over her husband that has kept her for one year and two months without using reproductive instrument in cultivating her garden of happiness.

Brandina Chingoma, 51, yesterday dragged her husband of 31 years to the Matero local court for divorce on grounds that he has managed to undress her entire clan, using his mouth, with no regard for anyone, not even her old mother.

The defendant in this matter was the father to her 13 children, Peter Banda,52 who she described as a mommy’s boy.

She said as though insulting her parents and ancestors was not enough, he even clobbered her late father before he died, with one of his freshest boxing victims being her aunt and brother.

“This man denied me a long time ago. He told me … he will end up killing me, he wakes up during the night, threatening to kill me, at some point he even beat me, even cutting my finger”

“He insults me a lot. And the problem is, he is not a secretive person, he insults me publicly in front of neighbours instead of the bedroom. So when he does so, I leave the house to drink Kachasu while he runs to his mother’s house were he has been staying for over a year now,” said Chingoma.

Meanwhile Banda said he was tired of throwing alcohol bottles in the house as she drank a lot of “Chibuku”.

He added that he was only going to reconsider returning back to his matrimonial home if Chingoma quits Kachasu, giving her an option to choose between him and the illegally brewed local alcohol.

But unlike Lot’s wife in the bible, Chingoma refused to look back.

“Let Kachaso marry me then, I have denied you, and even if he is saying I drink Kachasu a lot, for me, my beer is mostly eagle,” she clarified.

She bitterly complained of Banda’s failure to make her dance ‘ma hips Zingati in bed,’ to fulfill the ‘adults play’ a thing that hurt her way beyond the insults he showered on her parents.

“This man has troubled me a lot One year and two months is too long to stay without a man when he is busy sleeping with girls, I also want sex, I am still young to be starved, so let him go so that I can be free too,” said Chingoma.

However, Magistrate Lewis Mumba adjourned the matter to July 5 for judgment but urged the plaintiff to quit Kachasu.

By Buumba Mwitumwa

Kalemba June 26, 2024

Africa’s richest man Dangote says International Oil Companies are frustrating his refinery

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The Vice President of Oil and Gas at Dangote Industries Limited, Devakumar Edwin, has accused International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in Nigeria of sabotaging the Dangote Oil Refinery and Petrochemicals.

Edwin said the IOCs were deliberately frustrating the refinery’s efforts to buy local crude oil by imposing exorbitant premium prices.

This has forced the company to import crude from distant countries such as the United States, thus incurring additional costs, according to Billionaires.Africa.

Edwin delivered his remarks during a Dangote Group for Energy Editors training program, the platform noted.

Also, he expressed concerns over the activities of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), criticizing the regulator for indiscriminately granting licenses to marketers, allowing the import of dirty, refined products into Nigeria.

“The Federal Government issued 25 licenses to build refineries, and we are the only one that delivered on our promise. We deserve every support from the Government,” Edwin stated.

“From the start of production, more than 3.5 billion liters, which represents 90 percent of our output, have been exported. We call on the Federal Government and regulators to give us the necessary support to create jobs and prosperity for the nation,” he said.

Speaking about the challenges facing the refinery, Edwin claimed that the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) is seeking to allocate crude oil for the refinery, but that the IOCs are intentionally obstructing efforts to purchase local crude.

“The IOCs are either asking for ridiculous premiums or claiming that crude is unavailable. At some point, we paid $6 above the market price, forcing us to reduce our output and import crude from as far as the US, increasing our production costs,” Edwin lamented.

He noted that the IOC’s stance aims to maintain Nigeria’s reliance on the export of crude oil and the import of refined petroleum products.

“The IOCs export raw materials to their home countries, creating employment and wealth for themselves while dumping expensive refined products into Nigeria. This exploitation has led to unemployment and poverty in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa,” Edwin claimed.

In this regard, the Dangote Group has called on the Nigerian authorities to intervene and ensure the full implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) to protect Nigeria’s interests.

“The government of Ghana has banned the importation of highly contaminated diesel and PMS. It is regrettable that Nigeria continues to grant import licenses despite our capacity to produce nearly double the amount needed locally and export the surplus. ECOWAS regulations have prohibited the import of highly contaminated diesel since January 2021,” he said.

Five killed and parliament ablaze in Kenya tax protests

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t least five protesters have been shot dead by police in Kenya and a section of parliament has gone up in flames as demonstrations against new tax proposals escalate.

An angry crowd broke through police lines to storm parliament in the capital Nairobi before setting parts of it ablaze.

In an address on Tuesday evening, President William Ruto said all means would be deployed to “thwart any attempts by dangerous criminals to undermine the security and stability of our country”.

He has deployed the military to quell the protests.

Protests against an unpopular finance bill, which includes several tax rises, have been ongoing for days. But they escalated on Tuesday as MPs passed an amended bill.

Protesters broke into parliament, vandalising the interior and setting parts of the complex on fire. The ceremonial mace, symbolising the authority of the legislature, was stolen.

Police opened fire with live ammunition, killing at least five people according to the Kenya Medical Association. A BBC reporter at the scene reported seeing bodies lying on the street in pools of blood.

“There are some things that are hard to understand, like how can you impose 16% tax on bread? How can you tax sanitary pads?” 24-year-old Derrick Mwathu told the BBC, referring to some of the proposals contained in the original bill.

President Ruto pledged a tough response to what he called the “violence and anarchy”.

“It is not in order or even conceivable that criminals pretending to be peaceful protesters can reign terror against the people, their elected representatives and the institutions established under our constitution and expect to go scot-free,” Mr Ruto added.

Hundreds were reportedly injured, including with rubber bullets and tear gas. At a cathedral in Nairobi where a medical camp had been set up to tend to injured protesters, a BBC reporter witnessed doctors being forced out of the building by soldiers.

Another temporary unit was set up outside the emergency unit at Kenyatta National Hospital.

Former president Uhuru Kenyatta urged dialogue, saying Kenya’s leaders should “know that power and authority is donated to them by the people”.
Although the government has rowed back on some proposals in the original bill, protesters demanded that it be withdrawn in its entirety.

23-year-old Maureen Awuor said: “Our voice must be heard… We are the generation that is coming up, so they need to hear us.”

The protests have made headlines across Africa and other parts of the world.
Two of Africa’s leading anti-establishment figures, Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine and radical South African politician Julius Malema, have both expressed their support for the protesters.

Five killed and parliament ablaze in Kenya tax protests

zamobserver
-
0

t least five protesters have been shot dead by police in Kenya and a section of parliament has gone up in flames as demonstrations against new tax proposals escalate.

An angry crowd broke through police lines to storm parliament in the capital Nairobi before setting parts of it ablaze.

In an address on Tuesday evening, President William Ruto said all means would be deployed to “thwart any attempts by dangerous criminals to undermine the security and stability of our country”.

He has deployed the military to quell the protests.

Protests against an unpopular finance bill, which includes several tax rises, have been ongoing for days. But they escalated on Tuesday as MPs passed an amended bill.

Protesters broke into parliament, vandalising the interior and setting parts of the complex on fire. The ceremonial mace, symbolising the authority of the legislature, was stolen.

Police opened fire with live ammunition, killing at least five people according to the Kenya Medical Association. A BBC reporter at the scene reported seeing bodies lying on the street in pools of blood.

“There are some things that are hard to understand, like how can you impose 16% tax on bread? How can you tax sanitary pads?” 24-year-old Derrick Mwathu told the BBC, referring to some of the proposals contained in the original bill.

President Ruto pledged a tough response to what he called the “violence and anarchy”.

“It is not in order or even conceivable that criminals pretending to be peaceful protesters can reign terror against the people, their elected representatives and the institutions established under our constitution and expect to go scot-free,” Mr Ruto added.

Hundreds were reportedly injured, including with rubber bullets and tear gas. At a cathedral in Nairobi where a medical camp had been set up to tend to injured protesters, a BBC reporter witnessed doctors being forced out of the building by soldiers.

Another temporary unit was set up outside the emergency unit at Kenyatta National Hospital.

Former president Uhuru Kenyatta urged dialogue, saying Kenya’s leaders should “know that power and authority is donated to them by the people”.
Although the government has rowed back on some proposals in the original bill, protesters demanded that it be withdrawn in its entirety.

23-year-old Maureen Awuor said: “Our voice must be heard… We are the generation that is coming up, so they need to hear us.”

The protests have made headlines across Africa and other parts of the world.
Two of Africa’s leading anti-establishment figures, Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine and radical South African politician Julius Malema, have both expressed their support for the protesters.

DA’s control over justice ministry: A threat to equality and fairness

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The potential for the Democratic Alliance (DA) to take control of the Ministry of Justice has raised significant concerns about the future of equality and fairness in South Africa.

Critics argue that if the DA, often perceived as a party favouring white interests, oversees the justice system, it could result in a bias towards protecting white privileges at the expense of marginalized communities.

This scenario is deeply troubling for many South Africans who envision a just and inclusive society.

Historical context exacerbates these fears. The DA’s history and support base, predominantly white and affluent, raises alarms about their commitment to true justice and equality for all.

Skeptics worry that under DA leadership, the Ministry of Justice might prioritize the protection of white citizens, potentially undermining efforts to address systemic inequalities and past injustices.

The DA’s policies often emphasize individual merit and market-driven solutions, which some argue fail to address the deep-rooted structural disadvantages faced by the majority of Black South Africans.

Furthermore, the DA’s proposed policies and past actions suggest a focus on maintaining the status quo, which many argue disproportionately benefits the white minority.

This perceived bias could erode trust in the justice system, especially among Black South Africans who have long fought for equitable treatment under the law. Instances where the DA has opposed affirmative action and land reform highlight their reluctance to confront historical injustices head-on, reinforcing the fear that their control over the Justice Ministry would hinder progress toward genuine equality.

The DA’s approach to crime and justice also raises red flags. Critics argue that the party’s tough-on-crime stance often translates to harsher penalties for petty crimes, which disproportionately affect Black and poor communities, while white-collar crimes, more prevalent among the affluent, receive less attention.

This discrepancy could worsen under DA leadership, further entrenching racial and economic divides

In a country still grappling with the legacies of apartheid, the notion of the DA steering the justice system is troubling to those advocating for a more inclusive and equitable society.

The fear is that with the DA at the helm, justice could become skewed, favouring white interests and further entrenching racial divisions. The potential for increased racial profiling, discriminatory practices, and unequal application of the law is a significant concern.

The implications of such a shift in power are profound. A justice system perceived as biased can deepen societal fractures and diminish faith in democratic institutions. South Africa’s journey towards reconciliation and justice has been long and arduous, and any steps that threaten to reverse this progress must be scrutinized.

It is crucial for the integrity of South Africa’s democracy that the Ministry of Justice remains committed to fairness and impartiality, values that many fears might be compromised under DA leadership.

The prospect of the DA controlling the Justice Ministry calls for a broader conversation about the party’s vision for South Africa and its ability to represent all citizens fairly. The fears are not unfounded, given the DA’s track record and policy positions.

South Africans must consider the long-term implications of such a significant political shift and ensure that the principles of justice and equality are upheld in the nation’s highest legal institutions.

In conclusion, the potential DA takeover of the Ministry of Justice represents more than a simple cabinet reshuffle; it symbolizes a potential shift in the country’s commitment to addressing its historical injustices and ensuring equal treatment for all its citizens.

The fear of a justice system skewed in favor of white interests is not just speculative but grounded in the DA’s past and present policies. If the DA gains control of the Justice Department, it could indeed spell disaster for the country’s hard-won progress toward a fair and just society.

The very principles of equality and impartiality could be at risk, making it crucial to prevent such a takeover for the sake of South Africa’s democratic future.

DA’s control over justice ministry: A threat to equality and fairness

zamobserver
-
0

The potential for the Democratic Alliance (DA) to take control of the Ministry of Justice has raised significant concerns about the future of equality and fairness in South Africa.

Critics argue that if the DA, often perceived as a party favouring white interests, oversees the justice system, it could result in a bias towards protecting white privileges at the expense of marginalized communities.

This scenario is deeply troubling for many South Africans who envision a just and inclusive society.

Historical context exacerbates these fears. The DA’s history and support base, predominantly white and affluent, raises alarms about their commitment to true justice and equality for all.

Skeptics worry that under DA leadership, the Ministry of Justice might prioritize the protection of white citizens, potentially undermining efforts to address systemic inequalities and past injustices.

The DA’s policies often emphasize individual merit and market-driven solutions, which some argue fail to address the deep-rooted structural disadvantages faced by the majority of Black South Africans.

Furthermore, the DA’s proposed policies and past actions suggest a focus on maintaining the status quo, which many argue disproportionately benefits the white minority.

This perceived bias could erode trust in the justice system, especially among Black South Africans who have long fought for equitable treatment under the law. Instances where the DA has opposed affirmative action and land reform highlight their reluctance to confront historical injustices head-on, reinforcing the fear that their control over the Justice Ministry would hinder progress toward genuine equality.

The DA’s approach to crime and justice also raises red flags. Critics argue that the party’s tough-on-crime stance often translates to harsher penalties for petty crimes, which disproportionately affect Black and poor communities, while white-collar crimes, more prevalent among the affluent, receive less attention.

This discrepancy could worsen under DA leadership, further entrenching racial and economic divides

In a country still grappling with the legacies of apartheid, the notion of the DA steering the justice system is troubling to those advocating for a more inclusive and equitable society.

The fear is that with the DA at the helm, justice could become skewed, favouring white interests and further entrenching racial divisions. The potential for increased racial profiling, discriminatory practices, and unequal application of the law is a significant concern.

The implications of such a shift in power are profound. A justice system perceived as biased can deepen societal fractures and diminish faith in democratic institutions. South Africa’s journey towards reconciliation and justice has been long and arduous, and any steps that threaten to reverse this progress must be scrutinized.

It is crucial for the integrity of South Africa’s democracy that the Ministry of Justice remains committed to fairness and impartiality, values that many fears might be compromised under DA leadership.

The prospect of the DA controlling the Justice Ministry calls for a broader conversation about the party’s vision for South Africa and its ability to represent all citizens fairly. The fears are not unfounded, given the DA’s track record and policy positions.

South Africans must consider the long-term implications of such a significant political shift and ensure that the principles of justice and equality are upheld in the nation’s highest legal institutions.

In conclusion, the potential DA takeover of the Ministry of Justice represents more than a simple cabinet reshuffle; it symbolizes a potential shift in the country’s commitment to addressing its historical injustices and ensuring equal treatment for all its citizens.

The fear of a justice system skewed in favor of white interests is not just speculative but grounded in the DA’s past and present policies. If the DA gains control of the Justice Department, it could indeed spell disaster for the country’s hard-won progress toward a fair and just society.

The very principles of equality and impartiality could be at risk, making it crucial to prevent such a takeover for the sake of South Africa’s democratic future.

Kenya MPs pass punitive taxes as protesters, police clash

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Kenya’s parliament approved a contentious Finance Bill on Tuesday that pushes up taxes as police and protesters clashed in the streets of the capital Nairobi and other cities.

Police used tear gas and water cannon and also fired over the heads of demonstrators to disperse crowds, while some protesters hurled stones at security forces, witnesses said.

Riot police sealed off the parliament as lawmakers debated the tax bill, and State House, site of the president’s office and residence. The parliament approved the measures before adjourning as protesters swarmed outside the building.

The protesters oppose tax rises in a country already reeling from a cost-of-living crisis but many are also calling for President William Ruto to step down.

“This is my first protest,” said Sonia, 37, a digital marketer in Nairobi. “The other years I didn’t really feel a need to come out but it’s (taxes) really affecting my business.”

Ruto won an election almost two years ago on a platform of championing Kenya’s working poor, but has been caught between the competing demands of lenders such as the International Monetary Fund, which is urging the government to cut deficits to access more funding, and a hard-pressed population.

Kenyans have been struggling to cope with several economic shocks caused by the lingering impact of the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, two consecutive years of droughts and depreciation of the currency.

The finance bill aims to raise an additional $2.7 billion in taxes as part of an effort to lighten the heavy debt load, with interest payments alone consuming 37% of annual revenue.

The government has already made some concessions, promising to scrap proposed new taxes on bread, cooking oil, car ownership and financial transactions. But that has not been enough to satisfy protesters.

Tuesday’s protest began in a festival-like atmosphere but as crowds swelled, police fired tear gas in Nairobi’s Central Business District and the poor neighbourhood of Kibera. Protesters ducked for cover and threw stones at police lines, witnesses said.

Police fired live rounds over the heads of protesters, witnesses said.

Police also fired tear gas in Eldoret, Ruto’s hometown in western Kenya, where crowds of protesters filled the streets and may businesses were closed for fear of violence.

Clashes also broke out in the coastal city of Mombasa and demonstrations took place in Kisumu, on Lake Victoria, and Garissa in eastern Kenya, where police blocked the main road to Somalia’s port of Kismayu.

In Nairobi, people chanted “Ruto must go” and crowds sang in Swahili: “All can be possible without Ruto”. Music played from loudspeakers and protesters waved Kenyan flags and blew whistles.

Citizen TV showed one person, possibly injured, being carried away by other protesters. Police did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.

Thousands had taken to the streets of Nairobi and several other cities during two days of protests last week as an online, youth-led movement developed into a major headache for the government.

On Sunday, Ruto praised the protesters, saying they had been peaceful and that the government would engage with them on the way forward. But while protesters initially focused on the finance bill, their demands have broadened to demand Ruto’s resignation.

The opposition declined to participate in the vote, shouting “reject, reject” when the house went through them one by one. The bill will then be subjected to a third and final vote by acclamation on the floor of the house.

The finance ministry says the amendments would blow a 200 billion Kenyan shilling ($1.56 billion) hole in the 2024/25 budget, and compel the government to make spending cuts or raise taxes elsewhere.

“They are budgeting for corruption,” said protester Hussein Ali, 18. “We won’t relent. It’s the government that is going to back off. Not us.”

Kenya MPs pass punitive taxes as protesters, police clash

zamobserver
-
0

Kenya’s parliament approved a contentious Finance Bill on Tuesday that pushes up taxes as police and protesters clashed in the streets of the capital Nairobi and other cities.

Police used tear gas and water cannon and also fired over the heads of demonstrators to disperse crowds, while some protesters hurled stones at security forces, witnesses said.

Riot police sealed off the parliament as lawmakers debated the tax bill, and State House, site of the president’s office and residence. The parliament approved the measures before adjourning as protesters swarmed outside the building.

The protesters oppose tax rises in a country already reeling from a cost-of-living crisis but many are also calling for President William Ruto to step down.

“This is my first protest,” said Sonia, 37, a digital marketer in Nairobi. “The other years I didn’t really feel a need to come out but it’s (taxes) really affecting my business.”

Ruto won an election almost two years ago on a platform of championing Kenya’s working poor, but has been caught between the competing demands of lenders such as the International Monetary Fund, which is urging the government to cut deficits to access more funding, and a hard-pressed population.

Kenyans have been struggling to cope with several economic shocks caused by the lingering impact of the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, two consecutive years of droughts and depreciation of the currency.

The finance bill aims to raise an additional $2.7 billion in taxes as part of an effort to lighten the heavy debt load, with interest payments alone consuming 37% of annual revenue.

The government has already made some concessions, promising to scrap proposed new taxes on bread, cooking oil, car ownership and financial transactions. But that has not been enough to satisfy protesters.

Tuesday’s protest began in a festival-like atmosphere but as crowds swelled, police fired tear gas in Nairobi’s Central Business District and the poor neighbourhood of Kibera. Protesters ducked for cover and threw stones at police lines, witnesses said.

Police fired live rounds over the heads of protesters, witnesses said.

Police also fired tear gas in Eldoret, Ruto’s hometown in western Kenya, where crowds of protesters filled the streets and may businesses were closed for fear of violence.

Clashes also broke out in the coastal city of Mombasa and demonstrations took place in Kisumu, on Lake Victoria, and Garissa in eastern Kenya, where police blocked the main road to Somalia’s port of Kismayu.

In Nairobi, people chanted “Ruto must go” and crowds sang in Swahili: “All can be possible without Ruto”. Music played from loudspeakers and protesters waved Kenyan flags and blew whistles.

Citizen TV showed one person, possibly injured, being carried away by other protesters. Police did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.

Thousands had taken to the streets of Nairobi and several other cities during two days of protests last week as an online, youth-led movement developed into a major headache for the government.

On Sunday, Ruto praised the protesters, saying they had been peaceful and that the government would engage with them on the way forward. But while protesters initially focused on the finance bill, their demands have broadened to demand Ruto’s resignation.

The opposition declined to participate in the vote, shouting “reject, reject” when the house went through them one by one. The bill will then be subjected to a third and final vote by acclamation on the floor of the house.

The finance ministry says the amendments would blow a 200 billion Kenyan shilling ($1.56 billion) hole in the 2024/25 budget, and compel the government to make spending cuts or raise taxes elsewhere.

“They are budgeting for corruption,” said protester Hussein Ali, 18. “We won’t relent. It’s the government that is going to back off. Not us.”

Trump claims he was ‘tortured’ in Fulton County Jail when arrested last year

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Donald Trump’s campaign team has claimed the former US president was ‘tortured’ when he turned himself into a Georgia jail last August.

“I want you to remember what they did to me. They tortured me in the Fulton County Jail, and TOOK MY MUGSHOT. So guess what?” a new fundraising pitch from his camp said on Monday, June 24.

“I put it on a mug for the WHOLE WORLD TO SEE!”

The campaign team is offering fans the opportunity to purchase one of his “limited edition” coffee cups including t-shirts featuring the mugshot of Trump during his booking.

At the time, Trump was the first former US president to have his mugshot taken and be booked in jail for a criminal case. The scene took just over 20 minutes.

Initially, the republican politician was facing 13 counts for alleged 2020 election tampering in Georgia, but that number has since been winnowed to 10.

Immediately after his booking, Trump’s fundraising apparatus kicked into high gear and raised a whopping $4.18 million in the 24-hour period that followed. It sold T-shirts and other memorabilia based on the mugshot.

His team shattered that record last month when they made an eye-popping $53 million in the 24-hour period after his conviction in the Manhattan “hush money” case, according to his campaign.

The email writes: ‘I want you to remember what they did to me. They tortured me in the Fulton County Jail, and TOOK MY MUGSHOT. So guess what?’

He says that their response was to ‘put it on a mug for the WHOLE WORLD TO SEE’ complete with a photo of the mug.

The campaign is offering the item for a donation of $47 to Trump’s 2024 election effort.

A report in February from WinRed, Republican’s online fundraising platform, confirmed Trump raised a whopping $4.2 million the day after his mugshot was released.

Trump still faces sentencing in the Manhattan business fraud case, on which he was convicted for 34 counts of falsifying documents.

He is also under indictment for allegedly mishandling classified documents found at his Mar-a-Lago, Florida, home.

Trump claims he was ‘tortured’ in Fulton County Jail when arrested last year

zamobserver
-
0

Donald Trump’s campaign team has claimed the former US president was ‘tortured’ when he turned himself into a Georgia jail last August.

“I want you to remember what they did to me. They tortured me in the Fulton County Jail, and TOOK MY MUGSHOT. So guess what?” a new fundraising pitch from his camp said on Monday, June 24.

“I put it on a mug for the WHOLE WORLD TO SEE!”

The campaign team is offering fans the opportunity to purchase one of his “limited edition” coffee cups including t-shirts featuring the mugshot of Trump during his booking.

At the time, Trump was the first former US president to have his mugshot taken and be booked in jail for a criminal case. The scene took just over 20 minutes.

Initially, the republican politician was facing 13 counts for alleged 2020 election tampering in Georgia, but that number has since been winnowed to 10.

Immediately after his booking, Trump’s fundraising apparatus kicked into high gear and raised a whopping $4.18 million in the 24-hour period that followed. It sold T-shirts and other memorabilia based on the mugshot.

His team shattered that record last month when they made an eye-popping $53 million in the 24-hour period after his conviction in the Manhattan “hush money” case, according to his campaign.

The email writes: ‘I want you to remember what they did to me. They tortured me in the Fulton County Jail, and TOOK MY MUGSHOT. So guess what?’

He says that their response was to ‘put it on a mug for the WHOLE WORLD TO SEE’ complete with a photo of the mug.

The campaign is offering the item for a donation of $47 to Trump’s 2024 election effort.

A report in February from WinRed, Republican’s online fundraising platform, confirmed Trump raised a whopping $4.2 million the day after his mugshot was released.

Trump still faces sentencing in the Manhattan business fraud case, on which he was convicted for 34 counts of falsifying documents.

He is also under indictment for allegedly mishandling classified documents found at his Mar-a-Lago, Florida, home.

Bodies seen on the streets as Kenyan police fire live rounds at protesters

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Kenyan police fired live rounds at demonstrators in Nairobi Tuesday as outrage swelled against a controversial finance bill that has sparked widespread protests.

A CNN team witnessed the disturbing scenes and observed two bodies lying motionless on the ground. The ceremonial mace was also stolen from Kenya’s parliament as protesters stormed the assembly during anti-tax protests which turned violent.

The mace, as described on the Kenyan governmental website, “is a highly ornamented staff of metal, wood or other materials, carried by a Mace-bearer or placed before a sovereign or other high officials; in civic ceremonies or before a revered gathering to symbolize authority.”

Kenyan lawmakers who were at the parliament building escaped through an underground channel, CNN affiliate NTV Kenya reported.

According to NTV Kenya, lawmakers were evacuated as police went up against protesters, escaping to the nearby government building of Bunge Towers.

Earlier on Tuesday, Auma Obama, the half-sister of former United States President Barack Obama, was teargassed by police during an interview with CNN live on air, while protesting against the bill.

“I can’t even see anymore, we’re being teargassed,” Obama said in dramatic footage captured by a CNN team on the ground.

Obama, a Kenyan-British activist, was speaking to CNN’s Larry Madowo alongside a group of young protesters when the group was teargassed in Nairobi.

Kenya is in the grip of nationwide protests against proposed tax hikes, culminating in a planned “total shutdown” of the country.

The demonstrations, sparked by the Finance Bill 2024, have seen citizens rally under the banner of “7 Days of Rage,” as the nation faces more days of upheaval.

“I’m here because look at what’s happening. Young Kenyans are demonstrating for their rights. They are demonstrating with flags and banners,” Obama said.

President William Ruto has said he wants to have dialogue with the protesters and that he is “proud” of them. However, security forces have been accused of abducting prominent Kenyans, particularly those who have large social media followings.

Amnesty International Kenya says it is investigating the whereabouts of up to 12 people who were “abducted in the middle of the night” ahead of Tuesday’s planned protests.

The list includes bloggers, content creators, human rights defenders, a doctor, and a parliamentary staffer, Amnesty Kenya executive director Irũngũ Houghton told CNN.

“We are horrified by some of the testimonies we have heard over the last 24 hours. We have about 12 people unaccounted for who have been picked up, in many cases, by people who are uniformed or not uniformed,” Houghton said, adding that that they had not received legal assistance and their families didn’t know their whereabouts.

“We are now seeing not just abductions but disappearances,” he said.
CNN has reached out to the Kenyan police for comment.

The protests come as Kenya’s standing gains global prominence as US President Joe Biden designated the country a “major non-NATO ally” on Monday, marking the first time a sub-Saharan African nation has received this status.

In May, Biden announced his decision to elevate Kenya to this designation while hosting President Ruto at the White House for a grand state visit, celebrating 60 years of diplomatic relations between the two nations.

Bodies seen on the streets as Kenyan police fire live rounds at protesters

zamobserver
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0

Kenyan police fired live rounds at demonstrators in Nairobi Tuesday as outrage swelled against a controversial finance bill that has sparked widespread protests.

A CNN team witnessed the disturbing scenes and observed two bodies lying motionless on the ground. The ceremonial mace was also stolen from Kenya’s parliament as protesters stormed the assembly during anti-tax protests which turned violent.

The mace, as described on the Kenyan governmental website, “is a highly ornamented staff of metal, wood or other materials, carried by a Mace-bearer or placed before a sovereign or other high officials; in civic ceremonies or before a revered gathering to symbolize authority.”

Kenyan lawmakers who were at the parliament building escaped through an underground channel, CNN affiliate NTV Kenya reported.

According to NTV Kenya, lawmakers were evacuated as police went up against protesters, escaping to the nearby government building of Bunge Towers.

Earlier on Tuesday, Auma Obama, the half-sister of former United States President Barack Obama, was teargassed by police during an interview with CNN live on air, while protesting against the bill.

“I can’t even see anymore, we’re being teargassed,” Obama said in dramatic footage captured by a CNN team on the ground.

Obama, a Kenyan-British activist, was speaking to CNN’s Larry Madowo alongside a group of young protesters when the group was teargassed in Nairobi.

Kenya is in the grip of nationwide protests against proposed tax hikes, culminating in a planned “total shutdown” of the country.

The demonstrations, sparked by the Finance Bill 2024, have seen citizens rally under the banner of “7 Days of Rage,” as the nation faces more days of upheaval.

“I’m here because look at what’s happening. Young Kenyans are demonstrating for their rights. They are demonstrating with flags and banners,” Obama said.

President William Ruto has said he wants to have dialogue with the protesters and that he is “proud” of them. However, security forces have been accused of abducting prominent Kenyans, particularly those who have large social media followings.

Amnesty International Kenya says it is investigating the whereabouts of up to 12 people who were “abducted in the middle of the night” ahead of Tuesday’s planned protests.

The list includes bloggers, content creators, human rights defenders, a doctor, and a parliamentary staffer, Amnesty Kenya executive director Irũngũ Houghton told CNN.

“We are horrified by some of the testimonies we have heard over the last 24 hours. We have about 12 people unaccounted for who have been picked up, in many cases, by people who are uniformed or not uniformed,” Houghton said, adding that that they had not received legal assistance and their families didn’t know their whereabouts.

“We are now seeing not just abductions but disappearances,” he said.
CNN has reached out to the Kenyan police for comment.

The protests come as Kenya’s standing gains global prominence as US President Joe Biden designated the country a “major non-NATO ally” on Monday, marking the first time a sub-Saharan African nation has received this status.

In May, Biden announced his decision to elevate Kenya to this designation while hosting President Ruto at the White House for a grand state visit, celebrating 60 years of diplomatic relations between the two nations.

Celine Dion’s doctor explains what happened to the singer after she suffered muscle stiffness on camera

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Multiple award-winning singer, Céline Dion has been living with symptoms of stiff person syndrome for 17 years, a new documentary, “I Am: Céline Dion,” has revealed.

Detailing her life with the condition, her physician Dr. Amanda Piquet, director of the autoimmune neurology program at the University of Colorado School of Medicine Anschutz Medical Campus, revealed what really goes on with the singer when she suffers from the illness.

In one scene from the documentary, Dion was having a physical therapy session shortly after viewers see her recording a new song, “Love Again.”

She’s going through what appear to be standard exercises with her physical therapist, part of her treatment efforts to improve her health and hopefully perform again.

Then, she starts to experience cramping in one of her legs, and within minutes, her whole body is tensed up to the point where she cannot speak, move or even change her facial expression, as she winces in pain.

As her medial crisis continues, she sheds tears.

Her doctor then asks her to squeeze his hand if she can hear him. She remains motionless and curled up, but finds a way to show him that she’s aware of what’s happening to her.

During the scene, Dion receives a benzodiazepine nasal spray, Dr. Amanda Piquet, says it part of a class of depressant drugs that relieve anxiety and reduce muscle spasms.

Piquet says, “That anxiety, that panic, that continued spasm that was not breaking then very quickly triggered just a complete whole body spasm.”

“It’s not a seizure,” Piquet clarifies. “This is a spasm that is occurring, and patients are aware of what’s going on. There’s a lot of anxiety, there’s a lot of panic, your adrenaline’s rushing.”

The film’s director, Irene Taylor, recalled what it was like to witness this scene

"It was the most extraordinarily uncomfortable moment in my life, as a filmmaker but also as a mother, as a fellow human, because I didn’t know what was happening," Taylor said to TODAY's Hoda Kotb.



“I had this uncertainty whether to keep filming or not. But (Céline) gave me the strength to just keep going. We had been filming together for many months at that point, so she had really trained me, 'Just keep going. If I have to stop you, I’ll stop you.'”



"Her body was enduring something that was unimaginable, and I wasn’t sure if she was aware of it," Taylor continued. "I wasn’t sure if she was going to survive it. It’s really hard to even sit next to her and talk out loud about it because it was very intense."

Celine Dion’s doctor explains what happened to the singer after she suffered muscle stiffness on camera

zamobserver
-
0

Multiple award-winning singer, Céline Dion has been living with symptoms of stiff person syndrome for 17 years, a new documentary, “I Am: Céline Dion,” has revealed.

Detailing her life with the condition, her physician Dr. Amanda Piquet, director of the autoimmune neurology program at the University of Colorado School of Medicine Anschutz Medical Campus, revealed what really goes on with the singer when she suffers from the illness.

In one scene from the documentary, Dion was having a physical therapy session shortly after viewers see her recording a new song, “Love Again.”

She’s going through what appear to be standard exercises with her physical therapist, part of her treatment efforts to improve her health and hopefully perform again.

Then, she starts to experience cramping in one of her legs, and within minutes, her whole body is tensed up to the point where she cannot speak, move or even change her facial expression, as she winces in pain.

As her medial crisis continues, she sheds tears.

Her doctor then asks her to squeeze his hand if she can hear him. She remains motionless and curled up, but finds a way to show him that she’s aware of what’s happening to her.

During the scene, Dion receives a benzodiazepine nasal spray, Dr. Amanda Piquet, says it part of a class of depressant drugs that relieve anxiety and reduce muscle spasms.

Piquet says, “That anxiety, that panic, that continued spasm that was not breaking then very quickly triggered just a complete whole body spasm.”

“It’s not a seizure,” Piquet clarifies. “This is a spasm that is occurring, and patients are aware of what’s going on. There’s a lot of anxiety, there’s a lot of panic, your adrenaline’s rushing.”

The film’s director, Irene Taylor, recalled what it was like to witness this scene

"It was the most extraordinarily uncomfortable moment in my life, as a filmmaker but also as a mother, as a fellow human, because I didn’t know what was happening," Taylor said to TODAY's Hoda Kotb.



“I had this uncertainty whether to keep filming or not. But (Céline) gave me the strength to just keep going. We had been filming together for many months at that point, so she had really trained me, 'Just keep going. If I have to stop you, I’ll stop you.'”



"Her body was enduring something that was unimaginable, and I wasn’t sure if she was aware of it," Taylor continued. "I wasn’t sure if she was going to survive it. It’s really hard to even sit next to her and talk out loud about it because it was very intense."

ICC issues war crimes arrest warrants for Russia’s military chiefs Shoigu and Gerasimov

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The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for former Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and the Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov for alleged international crimes, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The court said Tuesday, June 25 that the pair were allegedly responsible for two war crimes: directing attacks at civilian objects and causing excessive incidental harm to civilians or damage to civilian objects. They are also accused of committing crimes against humanity.

Ukrainian officials welcomed the announcement on Tuesday. President Volodymyr Zelensky said the decision shows that “no military rank or cabinet door can shield Russian criminals from accountability.”

Ukraine’s human rights leader, Dmytro Lubinets said the ICC decision meant Ukraine was a step closer to getting justice.

“Sooner or later, a just punishment will overtake every war criminal!” he said in a statement posted on his Telegram.

Russian state news agency TASS quoted the Security Council of Russia, the government body currently headed by Shoigu, as calling the ICC decision “null and void.”

“It is meaningless, as the ICC’s jurisdiction does not extend to Russia, and [the decision] was made within the framework of the West’s hybrid war against our country,” TASS quoted the body as saying.

The two warrants bring the total number of top Russian officials wanted for war crimes to four as the ICC has previously issued arrest warrants for President Vladimir Putin and Russian official Maria Lvova-Belova for an alleged scheme to deport Ukrainian children to Russia.

Shoigu, a long-time close ally of Putin, was the country’s defense minister for 12 years.

The arrest warrants put Shoigu and Gerasimov on the ICC’s wanted list, although they might never stand trial.

The court does not conduct trials in absentia and it is unlikely they would be handed over by Moscow.

Located in The Hague, Netherlands, and created by a treaty called the Rome Statute, the ICC operates independently.

124 countries are parties to the treaty but the US, Russia and Ukraine are not .

ICC issues war crimes arrest warrants for Russia’s military chiefs Shoigu and Gerasimov

zamobserver
-
0

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for former Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and the Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov for alleged international crimes, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The court said Tuesday, June 25 that the pair were allegedly responsible for two war crimes: directing attacks at civilian objects and causing excessive incidental harm to civilians or damage to civilian objects. They are also accused of committing crimes against humanity.

Ukrainian officials welcomed the announcement on Tuesday. President Volodymyr Zelensky said the decision shows that “no military rank or cabinet door can shield Russian criminals from accountability.”

Ukraine’s human rights leader, Dmytro Lubinets said the ICC decision meant Ukraine was a step closer to getting justice.

“Sooner or later, a just punishment will overtake every war criminal!” he said in a statement posted on his Telegram.

Russian state news agency TASS quoted the Security Council of Russia, the government body currently headed by Shoigu, as calling the ICC decision “null and void.”

“It is meaningless, as the ICC’s jurisdiction does not extend to Russia, and [the decision] was made within the framework of the West’s hybrid war against our country,” TASS quoted the body as saying.

The two warrants bring the total number of top Russian officials wanted for war crimes to four as the ICC has previously issued arrest warrants for President Vladimir Putin and Russian official Maria Lvova-Belova for an alleged scheme to deport Ukrainian children to Russia.

Shoigu, a long-time close ally of Putin, was the country’s defense minister for 12 years.

The arrest warrants put Shoigu and Gerasimov on the ICC’s wanted list, although they might never stand trial.

The court does not conduct trials in absentia and it is unlikely they would be handed over by Moscow.

Located in The Hague, Netherlands, and created by a treaty called the Rome Statute, the ICC operates independently.

124 countries are parties to the treaty but the US, Russia and Ukraine are not .

Anthony Joshua on not wanting his son to box: ‘I don’t think it’s a wise decision’

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Anthony Joshua has made a surprising revelation about his future aspirations for his eight-year-old boy, JJ. He said he would want his son to crunch numbers rather than take up boxing.

The heavyweight champion, celebrated as one of the UK’s brightest sports icons, disclosed this during a candid interview on Desert Island Discs.

Joshua, 34, said: “I don’t think it’s a wise decision [to follow in my footsteps]…If I was to choose for him I’d ask him to probably look at accountancy because I think it’s good to understand numbers. So when you have that kind of insight you can now become an entrepreneur and invest in business. I want him to focus on business.”

The boxer contended that he did everything possible to be a father first and a fighter second. He said: “He is cool. He gets it. I have always kept boxing out…So he gets that. He knows that I’m just dad.”

Joshua revealed that he gained a deeper appreciation for family relationships after spending five days in a pitch-black dark room to escape the pressures of his career, according to Daily Mail.

He said: “I went in Monday and came out Friday…When I was in the dark room there was that feeling where I was like I just need to have a bit more meaningful conversation, a bit more time that I can spend with my mum, my dad, my aunty, uncle, sisters. ‘How are you?’ Not what is going on. How are you feeling? Lets go on a walk and catch up. It just kind of brought home what is important.”

Joshua mentioned he is considering retirement within the next couple of years, largely due to the inherent risks of boxing.

He said: “Someone asked me the other day when am I retiring and I was like in about two years. I was thinking to myself as a fighter you should say I don’t even think about retiring. I don’t think about my health. All I want to do is conquer. That’s the true warrior spirit. But naturally in your quiet moments in your dark room you have time to think. I do wonder and I do say to myself after all of this is said and done the one thing I would hope for the most is to keep my health in tact. Its your health that is the most important thing that you’re putting on the line.”

Joshua explained that fighters often avoid discussing the sport’s impact on their physical and mental well-being.

“None of us fighters talk about our health after. We can notice it in fighters when their health is deteriorating but we never actually talk about it amongst ourselves. All we focus on is winning.”

The star disclosed plans to open a care home for retired boxers in poor health after he retires from the sport.

He said: “That would be part of my boxing legacy that I gave something back to the sport that made me.”

Anthony Joshua on not wanting his son to box: ‘I don’t think it’s a wise decision’

zamobserver
-
0

Anthony Joshua has made a surprising revelation about his future aspirations for his eight-year-old boy, JJ. He said he would want his son to crunch numbers rather than take up boxing.

The heavyweight champion, celebrated as one of the UK’s brightest sports icons, disclosed this during a candid interview on Desert Island Discs.

Joshua, 34, said: “I don’t think it’s a wise decision [to follow in my footsteps]…If I was to choose for him I’d ask him to probably look at accountancy because I think it’s good to understand numbers. So when you have that kind of insight you can now become an entrepreneur and invest in business. I want him to focus on business.”

The boxer contended that he did everything possible to be a father first and a fighter second. He said: “He is cool. He gets it. I have always kept boxing out…So he gets that. He knows that I’m just dad.”

Joshua revealed that he gained a deeper appreciation for family relationships after spending five days in a pitch-black dark room to escape the pressures of his career, according to Daily Mail.

He said: “I went in Monday and came out Friday…When I was in the dark room there was that feeling where I was like I just need to have a bit more meaningful conversation, a bit more time that I can spend with my mum, my dad, my aunty, uncle, sisters. ‘How are you?’ Not what is going on. How are you feeling? Lets go on a walk and catch up. It just kind of brought home what is important.”

Joshua mentioned he is considering retirement within the next couple of years, largely due to the inherent risks of boxing.

He said: “Someone asked me the other day when am I retiring and I was like in about two years. I was thinking to myself as a fighter you should say I don’t even think about retiring. I don’t think about my health. All I want to do is conquer. That’s the true warrior spirit. But naturally in your quiet moments in your dark room you have time to think. I do wonder and I do say to myself after all of this is said and done the one thing I would hope for the most is to keep my health in tact. Its your health that is the most important thing that you’re putting on the line.”

Joshua explained that fighters often avoid discussing the sport’s impact on their physical and mental well-being.

“None of us fighters talk about our health after. We can notice it in fighters when their health is deteriorating but we never actually talk about it amongst ourselves. All we focus on is winning.”

The star disclosed plans to open a care home for retired boxers in poor health after he retires from the sport.

He said: “That would be part of my boxing legacy that I gave something back to the sport that made me.”

Woman confesses to trying to poison her veterinarian husband with his own supply of animal drugs

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A51-year-old Wisconsin woman is facing twelve and a half years in prison after she admitted to trying to poison her veterinarian husband with his own supply of animal euthanasia drugs. According to Fox News, the suspect, identified as Amanda Alicia Chapin, allegedly put the poison in her husband’s coffee on multiple occasions.

Police also said she committed the alleged acts not too long after she tied the knot with her husband Gary Chapin. Wisconsin Circuit Court records stated that Chapin entered a no-contest plea to a first-degree felony charge of reckless endangering the safety of her husband.

Chapin ultimately struck a plea deal with Lafayette County prosecutors, resulting in her charge being downgraded from first-degree attempted homicide. Authorities said that between July and August 2022, Chapin on three occasions allegedly spiked her husband’s coffee with barbituates she stole from him.

Chapin and her husband got married in March 2022, authorities said, adding that she then went ahead to falsify the signatures of one of her husband’s children on a power of attorney document.

The 51-year-old also allegedly urged her husband to amend his house’s deed to enable her to become the main owner of the property if he dies. Chapin is said to have started poisoning her husband’s coffee two weeks after the deed was amended, Fox News reported.

Per The Monroe Times, Chapin and her husband met online. But the criminal complaint revealed that their relationship was “fairly stormy from the beginning.” The victim’s family was also suspicious the 71-year-old was “just a ‘sugar daddy’ for Amanda.”

The victim is said to have gone into a coma for four days after Chapin spiked his coffee for the third and final time. It was ultimately established his condition was due to the consumption of the drugs in question.

Chapin also called 911 three hours after her husband became unresponsive. She accessed her husband’s email just a few hours after he went into the coma, authorities said, adding that she then began forwarding to herself correspondence the victim had with his attorney and children.

Authorities also said Chapin’s husband’s son filed a restraining order against her before authorities determined he had been poisoned with the drugs. Gary Chapin’s son filed the restraining order because he suspected the 51-year-old was behind his father’s health issue.

But Chapin went against that restraining order in September 2022 after she emailed her husband a suicide note. Chapin in the email said she was going to commit suicide because her husband’s children had aimed to “destroy” her.

“The only thing I am guilty of is loving you SOOOOOOOOOO MUCH,” she reportedly said in a portion of the email. Chapin was ultimately transported to the hospital after paramedics went to her house.

Her husband ultimately filed for divorce the following day.

‘You ain’t got to work no more’: Stephen A. Smith retired his mom after signing ESPN contract

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People widely regard ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith as the face of the channel because of his sharp and insightful analysis. He hosts “First Take,” but prior to that, he hosted “The Stephen A. Smith Show” on ESPN Radio from 2005 to 2008.

In a recent interview, he revealed that he retired his mother after signing a contract with the station. Speaking on “Hotboxin’ With Mike Tyson” podcast, Smith said he retired his mother when he signed a $1.3 million annual contract with ESPN to receive his own show called “Quite Frankly”.

Prior to retiring her, she was working at the Police Athletic League (PAL). This was after she had retired as a registered nurse working at Queens General Hospital in New York, NY, according to Afro Tech. Working with PAL was to help her fund her yearly vacations because she did not have additional earnings outside of her pension and savings.

“My proudest moment to this day was that I drove straight home, and I put it in my book straight shooter, I drove straight from Manhattan to Queens, New York. I walked right in that PAL and I grabbed her by the arm and I said ‘Let’s go,’” Smith expressed on the podcast.

“I looked at her boss, and I said ‘My mother’s not coming back,’ and I drove her back home three blocks away, and she was like ‘What’s going on?’ and I told her I signed this contract’… I said ‘The mortgage is paid.’ I said ‘and your vacation,’ and I handed her two tickets to a trip to Europe, and I said, ‘You ain’t got to work no more. Go and enjoy yourself. It’s my turn.’ And that to this day is the proudest moment of my life. There’s no other moment.”

Smith’s mother died in 2017. On the podcast, Smith mentioned that the rewards for his mother could have included her dream home but he couldn’t afford it because his contract was not sufficient for that at the time. In 2019, he signed a five-year, $60 million contract, according to the New York Post.

“To watch my mother struggle the way that she did all of those years trying to take care of us because my father was real negligent and didn’t do his part, to see her go through what she went through and for me to have that moment,” he stated.

“The only thing that would have been better was 2019 because that’s when I really did get the contract. That contract was excessively more than the one that I signed back in 2005. That contract would have enabled me to buy her a dream house in St. Thomas you know and take care of everything.”

Today, ESPN has reportedly offered Smith a five-year deal worth $18 million per year, which would make the host of First Take one of the highest-paid on the network.

‘You ain’t got to work no more’: Stephen A. Smith retired his mom after signing ESPN contract

zamobserver
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People widely regard ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith as the face of the channel because of his sharp and insightful analysis. He hosts “First Take,” but prior to that, he hosted “The Stephen A. Smith Show” on ESPN Radio from 2005 to 2008.

In a recent interview, he revealed that he retired his mother after signing a contract with the station. Speaking on “Hotboxin’ With Mike Tyson” podcast, Smith said he retired his mother when he signed a $1.3 million annual contract with ESPN to receive his own show called “Quite Frankly”.

Prior to retiring her, she was working at the Police Athletic League (PAL). This was after she had retired as a registered nurse working at Queens General Hospital in New York, NY, according to Afro Tech. Working with PAL was to help her fund her yearly vacations because she did not have additional earnings outside of her pension and savings.

“My proudest moment to this day was that I drove straight home, and I put it in my book straight shooter, I drove straight from Manhattan to Queens, New York. I walked right in that PAL and I grabbed her by the arm and I said ‘Let’s go,’” Smith expressed on the podcast.

“I looked at her boss, and I said ‘My mother’s not coming back,’ and I drove her back home three blocks away, and she was like ‘What’s going on?’ and I told her I signed this contract’… I said ‘The mortgage is paid.’ I said ‘and your vacation,’ and I handed her two tickets to a trip to Europe, and I said, ‘You ain’t got to work no more. Go and enjoy yourself. It’s my turn.’ And that to this day is the proudest moment of my life. There’s no other moment.”

Smith’s mother died in 2017. On the podcast, Smith mentioned that the rewards for his mother could have included her dream home but he couldn’t afford it because his contract was not sufficient for that at the time. In 2019, he signed a five-year, $60 million contract, according to the New York Post.

“To watch my mother struggle the way that she did all of those years trying to take care of us because my father was real negligent and didn’t do his part, to see her go through what she went through and for me to have that moment,” he stated.

“The only thing that would have been better was 2019 because that’s when I really did get the contract. That contract was excessively more than the one that I signed back in 2005. That contract would have enabled me to buy her a dream house in St. Thomas you know and take care of everything.”

Today, ESPN has reportedly offered Smith a five-year deal worth $18 million per year, which would make the host of First Take one of the highest-paid on the network.

Female rap legend Missy Elliott has opened up about her 16-year battle with Graves’ disease

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Female rap legend Missy Elliott has opened up about her 16-year battle with Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder.

According to Missy, she was diagnosed with Graves’ disease in 2008 which greatly impacted her and her career.

As part of this, Missy Elliot is preparing to embark on her first-ever headlining tour, the Out of This World Tour, Missy Elliott is getting ready.

The native of Virginia said that she is “blessed to be here” and that she has persevered despite the illness’s difficulties while using Graves’ medicine to “feel good.”

Missy also talks about how having the disease affected her morning routine and how it helped her come up with fresh ideas for the forthcoming tour.

“Every day I wake, I’m blessed to be here and in good health. I’m feeling so much better now. That was a run. Every now and then you get a little ache in the leg or the knee, but outside of that, I feel good. Listen, every morning my regimen is I get up, wash my face, brush my teeth, and walk,” she added. “I say my prayers as I’m walking, and then all of these ideas start coming to mind. I’ll call everybody like, ‘I want to swing from this,’ and they’re like, ‘Do you know how much that costs?’ she quizzed.

This year’s tour will be Missy’s first tour since 2004 when she toured around the country alongside Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, and Tamia for the Verizon Ladies First Tour. The Cookbook, Missy’s last album, was also released in 2005. Her condition from Graves’ disease was a contributing factor in her absence from the tour life.

But at last, the electrifying performer is back. In April, Missy revealed that she will be embarking on a new Out of This World Tour with Ciara and Busta Rhymes.

“This is an incredible time in my life as I am experiencing so many milestone ‘firsts.’ Being the FIRST female Hip Hop artist to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and now going out on my FIRST headline tour,” a statement from the rapper said.

Female rap legend Missy Elliott has opened up about her 16-year battle with Graves’ disease

zamobserver
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0

Female rap legend Missy Elliott has opened up about her 16-year battle with Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder.

According to Missy, she was diagnosed with Graves’ disease in 2008 which greatly impacted her and her career.

As part of this, Missy Elliot is preparing to embark on her first-ever headlining tour, the Out of This World Tour, Missy Elliott is getting ready.

The native of Virginia said that she is “blessed to be here” and that she has persevered despite the illness’s difficulties while using Graves’ medicine to “feel good.”

Missy also talks about how having the disease affected her morning routine and how it helped her come up with fresh ideas for the forthcoming tour.

“Every day I wake, I’m blessed to be here and in good health. I’m feeling so much better now. That was a run. Every now and then you get a little ache in the leg or the knee, but outside of that, I feel good. Listen, every morning my regimen is I get up, wash my face, brush my teeth, and walk,” she added. “I say my prayers as I’m walking, and then all of these ideas start coming to mind. I’ll call everybody like, ‘I want to swing from this,’ and they’re like, ‘Do you know how much that costs?’ she quizzed.

This year’s tour will be Missy’s first tour since 2004 when she toured around the country alongside Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, and Tamia for the Verizon Ladies First Tour. The Cookbook, Missy’s last album, was also released in 2005. Her condition from Graves’ disease was a contributing factor in her absence from the tour life.

But at last, the electrifying performer is back. In April, Missy revealed that she will be embarking on a new Out of This World Tour with Ciara and Busta Rhymes.

“This is an incredible time in my life as I am experiencing so many milestone ‘firsts.’ Being the FIRST female Hip Hop artist to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and now going out on my FIRST headline tour,” a statement from the rapper said.

Naomi Campbell Confirms Welcoming Two Kids Via Surrogate, Says They Don’t Need A Father

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A“single” Naomi Campbell is confirming that she welcomed her two kids via surrogate, adding that they don’t need a father because like her mother, who was a “single mom and had nothing,” she’s going to “make it work.”

While recently speaking with The Times UK, the iconic supermodel Naomi Campbell, 54, confirmed that she welcomed both of her children via gestational carriers.

In her interview, Campbell self-identified as a “single mom,” who has yet to reveal the names of her two babies (a daughter and son) which she welcomed in May 2021 (at 51) and June 2023 (at 53) respectively.

Before her interview with The Times UK, Campbell was previously asked about the conception of her eldest child, as the exact details around her arrival were unknown.

Naomi Campbell did, however, clarify that her daughter wasn’t adopted, but made no mention of a surrogate. Without providing any additional details at the time, Campbell told Vogue, “She wasn’t adopted – she’s my child.” She explained she was saving the rest of the details for her book, which she had yet to begin.

In that interview, she added, “I can count on one hand the number of people who knew that I was having her. But she is the biggest blessing I could ever imagine. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done.”

Speaking on her two small children and the anxiety she’s been facing, Campbell told The Times UK, “My babies are everything to me. It’s made me fear for the future.”

Despite her diverse dating history, Naomi Campbell told the publication that she was never looking for a father for her kids, adding, they don’t need one.

She said, “[I’m happy being] a single mother of a single mum.”

When asked if her children were born via surrogate, Naomi Campbell positively confirmed, explaining, “I did [have a surrogate]. I hope for a better world for my children. They are 110 percent my priority. I have to be there for them on their first day at school.”

Continuing to speak on her anxiety for her kids, Naomi Campbell said that she is worried that Gen Z has given up on having children and that it is shown by the plummeting birth rate.

She explained, “I have heard a lot of young girls saying that it is too expensive to have children and they may not want them, and I have said, ‘You will change your mind. You will want to be a mum.’ I understand economically it is tough. But my mum had nothing and she made it work. It’s worth it. It is so amazing.”

Campbell further stated that it must feel hard to be a part of Gen Z or even Gen Alpha in today’s times, adding, “We have to depend on the younger generation to change this world. I trust my children more than us to do the right thing.”

Mentioning mental health issues, she explained, “It’s great that the young have finally recognized and accepted mental health issues. Young people feel comfortable to come out and share that they have a problem. Before you were considered crazy or self-obsessed if you said, ‘I am going to see a psychologist or psychiatrist or a shrink.’ That is ignorant; there is nothing wrong in that, bettering your quality of life. There is nothing wrong in going to rehab to recover.”

Naomi Campbell even opened up about her own time in therapy, revealing, “I had therapy back in the day but I feel like being in the recovery program has been a good therapy for me. I never felt alone. I have a great group and we all uplift each other doing conference calls. I can get on that call and trust who is on that call. It’s got me through. It’s all I need now.”

Garry Nkombo has sued to intimidate me, I can’t pay him K40 million – Sean Tembo

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Nkombo has sued to intimidate me, I can’t pay him K40 million – Sean Tembo

LEADER of Patriots for Economic Progress Sean Tembo says he has no K40 million to give minister of Local Government and Rural Development Garry Nkombo, for alleging that he orchestrated the burning of Jean Chisenga’s house.

Tembo says the accusations he made against Nkombo were fair comment hence he can only give him the goose eggs he gathered in the 2021 poll and not the K40, 000, 000 he is demanding, as the legal battle drawn between the two is aimed at intimidating him.

In this case Nkombo has sued Tembo in the Lusaka High Court for defamation.

In his defense Tembo said his remarks are not defamatory but factual and constitute a fair comment, as they were made in full episode of the occurrence of events.

“As a matter of fact, Nkombo made very specific threats towards Jean Chisenga (Mambilima constituency member of parliament) where he was quoted by the media stating that Jean Chisenga will not go unpunished for calling President Hakainde Hichilema a liar in Parliament,” Tembo said.

He explained that it was on record that Chisenga was given a 30 day suspension from parliament and Nkombo made further threats which were published in the media.

“In the eyes of a reasonable man the words that the punishment was not enough meant that Chisenga deserved further punishment. When Chisenga’s house was gutted by fire, on or about May 20, 2024, the defendant and other leaders of opposition political parties visited the scene of the incident,”Tembo said.

“The defendant requested the Zambia Police to summon the plaintiff so that he could explain if the fire that burnt the house is the punishment that he meant . The remarks were covered by Diamond tv and posted on the station’s official Facebook page on May 22, 2024.”

He said his statement was a mere call for Nkombo to exonerate himself from the calamity that had befallen Chisenga.

“The defendant shall admit at trial that it is correct that he refused to retract his comments, render an apology or pay the damages of K40 million which Nkombo was demanding in his letter of demand dated May 30, because the defendant had at no time defamed the plaintiff and the plaintiff is not entitled to any retraction, apology or damages whatsoever,” Nkombo said .

He said the law suit instituted by Nkombo is a ploy to harass and intimidate him and prevent him from discharging his duties as an opposition political party leader, which duties include holding the government of the day accountable including Nkombo himself.

He prayed that the matter be dismissed with costs.

By Mwaka Ndawa

Kalemba June 25, 2024.

LUNGU LACKS WISDOM, HE SPEAKS LIKE JUNKIE NOT A STATEMAN – KANGOMBE

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LUNGU LACKS WISDOM, HE SPEAKS LIKE JUNKIE NOT A STATEMAN – KANGOMBE

The recently held rally where opposition leader Edgar Lungu was addressing children, was nothing but a competition of insults. We saw political junkies taking turns to insult the republican President as opposed to offering alternative solutions.

We expected former President Edgar Lungu to appreciate President Hakainde Hichilema’s effort in the debt restructuring process. Edgar Lungu and the Patriotic Front (PF) left a huge debt mountain which President Hichilema has been working tirelessly to resolve. Instead of appreciating, Lungu resorted to insulting and blaming the New Dawn Government for the problems he (Lungu) left. What a shame!

The UKA alliance is nothing but a group of bitter souls without any solution to the challenges that our country is facing.

If Former President Edgar Lungu was prudent in managing national resources acquired through debts, companies like ZESCO would not be limping today. Instead of investing in alternative power supply, Lungu used ZESCO as a cash cow for political activities. Resources from ZESCO were used to print party regalia and PF members were employed as ghost workers. Whilst girlfriends and nieces were swimming in million of dollars, ZESCO was dying and getting in more debt.

We expect Lungu to apologize for this and many other crimes he committed whilst he served as President. Edgar has no moral right to talk about the economy of this country.

Edgar Lungu denied our students meal allowances but instead shared the money with his ministers who stayed in office illegally. We expected him to use the rally to apologize to the students and the country at large for this act of broad daylight robbery.

I sympathize with political parties associating themselves with a dirty man like Edgar Lungu. They will all be soiled when the time for reckoning comes. It is a political blunder to get into an alliance with Edgar.

I also sympathize with young people like Binwell who are being used as disciples of confusion when at one time Lungu refused to adopt them on PF. Lungu believes young people like Munir, Binwell and JJ tools of confusion that’s why he never adopted them and continues to use them for dirty works.

President Hakainde Hichilema and statehouse should not waste time responding to criminals who ransacked economy of this country. The President should focus on finding solutions to the many challenges that Lungu and team left behind. We also appeal to the government to expedite the process of recovering stolen assets. Justice delayed is justice denied.

God bless you all

Romeo Kangombe
Sesheke Member of Parliament/ Deputy Chairperson Mobilisation and strategy

LUNGU LACKS WISDOM, HE SPEAKS LIKE JUNKIE NOT A STATEMAN – KANGOMBE

zamobserver
-
0

LUNGU LACKS WISDOM, HE SPEAKS LIKE JUNKIE NOT A STATEMAN – KANGOMBE

The recently held rally where opposition leader Edgar Lungu was addressing children, was nothing but a competition of insults. We saw political junkies taking turns to insult the republican President as opposed to offering alternative solutions.

We expected former President Edgar Lungu to appreciate President Hakainde Hichilema’s effort in the debt restructuring process. Edgar Lungu and the Patriotic Front (PF) left a huge debt mountain which President Hichilema has been working tirelessly to resolve. Instead of appreciating, Lungu resorted to insulting and blaming the New Dawn Government for the problems he (Lungu) left. What a shame!

The UKA alliance is nothing but a group of bitter souls without any solution to the challenges that our country is facing.

If Former President Edgar Lungu was prudent in managing national resources acquired through debts, companies like ZESCO would not be limping today. Instead of investing in alternative power supply, Lungu used ZESCO as a cash cow for political activities. Resources from ZESCO were used to print party regalia and PF members were employed as ghost workers. Whilst girlfriends and nieces were swimming in million of dollars, ZESCO was dying and getting in more debt.

We expect Lungu to apologize for this and many other crimes he committed whilst he served as President. Edgar has no moral right to talk about the economy of this country.

Edgar Lungu denied our students meal allowances but instead shared the money with his ministers who stayed in office illegally. We expected him to use the rally to apologize to the students and the country at large for this act of broad daylight robbery.

I sympathize with political parties associating themselves with a dirty man like Edgar Lungu. They will all be soiled when the time for reckoning comes. It is a political blunder to get into an alliance with Edgar.

I also sympathize with young people like Binwell who are being used as disciples of confusion when at one time Lungu refused to adopt them on PF. Lungu believes young people like Munir, Binwell and JJ tools of confusion that’s why he never adopted them and continues to use them for dirty works.

President Hakainde Hichilema and statehouse should not waste time responding to criminals who ransacked economy of this country. The President should focus on finding solutions to the many challenges that Lungu and team left behind. We also appeal to the government to expedite the process of recovering stolen assets. Justice delayed is justice denied.

God bless you all

Romeo Kangombe
Sesheke Member of Parliament/ Deputy Chairperson Mobilisation and strategy

The Holy Truth: 12 Reasons Why HH will continue receiving more A+ honorary doctorates from London, New York, Paris and Ottawa- Dr. Chris Zumani

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The Holy Truth: 12 Reasons Why HH will continue receiving more A+ honorary doctorates from London, New York, Paris and Ottawa

By Dr. Chris Zumani Zimba

Introduction

1. Why are universities abroad passionate about awarding HH with honorary doctorates?

2. What is the main motivation behind this scheme of baptizing HH with honorary degrees each year since 2022?

3. And why is HH so eager to receive and celebrate these new degrees while preaching “I don’t want to be called Dr HH but maintain Mr. President”?

4. What explanation do we have for overt silence from our local universities for failing to award HH in similar fashion?

5. While Zambians are taking HH for a political failure as well as father of liars, why are the British treating him as “one of the best African leaders”?

6. Besides many stories they telling us for honoring him, what is the holy truth behind these emerging honorary doctorates on HH’s shoulders?

In this article, I will briefly discuss 12 empirical and perceived facts as follows:

1. When President Robert Mugabe took over power in 1980 in Zimbabwe and agreed to secure and protect the interests of white settlers, he became the darling of London and Washington. In total, 14 honorary doctorates from UK, US, Canada, Australia and everywhere were showered on him. He was being rewarded for being their puppet. When he changed the land policy in 2000 and empowered his people, all Western universities withdrew their honorary degrees from him and thereby dying only as a mere Mr Robert Mugabe. Our President,

2. In 2021 when Jim Risch, a ranking member of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, first met Hakainde Hichilema, he praised him a good leader who “is working hard to curb China’s malign and predatory influence in Zambia as well as increase cooperation with the US”. Based on what he said or committed to do for them, these Americans signed on HH’s forehead as their best puppet in Africa in modern era against Chinese and Russian interests.

3. Despite knowing that all past Zambian presidents refused to accept the United States AFRICA COMMAND (AFRICOM) to set up a presence in the country, HH made a controversial decision to accept and host them. AFRICOM) is a combatant command of the U.S. military operations in fighting regional conflicts and other military cooperation overseas. Although SADC, AU and neighboring nations have opposed it, HH as the lead U.S. puppet has ignored everyone and moved on. This is why Bally is being rewarded as the Dr. HH for them and not us!

4. In December 2022, Zambia’s Dr. Sishuwa Sishuwa lamented that president HH “cut extremely generous tax concession deals with mining multinationals such as First Quantum Minerals (FQM), a Canadian firm that invested in Hichilema’s election as well as made sure the Zambian government relinquished its 20% shareholding stake in the FQM-run Kansanshi Mine in return for a paltry 3% royalty payment on revenue”. To date, Zambia is losing more than U$ 3 Billion Dollars in revenue annually due to the UPND’s tax holidays to foreign mining companies like FQM.

5. In December, 2023, the people of Mpika mourned angrily through their MP, Hon. Francis Kapyanga after discovering that HH had covertly betrayed them and their ancestors by selling over 120,000 hectares of land around Kanyelele gold rich area in their district to Canadian foreigners for mining purposes. Apart from being rich with gold and other precious minerals, this land is covering villages, grave yards and farms while traditional leaders and local people were never consulted. Thus, HH’s dealership touch here was both highly undemocratic and unpatriotic gesture.

6. According Socialist Party leader, Dr. Fred M’membe on 5th December, 2023, the UK’ Guardian Newspaper revealed that President HH so far has already sold 10% of Zambia’s forest land to UAE royalists for carbon credits. As nobody knows when and how much is involved, these seem to be secret deals between Bally and his foreigners. Surely, we need to expect more A+ honorary doctorates for HH from everywhere because of such treachery, unpatriotic acts and betrayal!

7. In April 2024, HH illegally sold Zambia’s most valuable copper mine to his business friends from Asia and thereby attracting nationwide condemnation. Even John Sangwa, one of the country’s renowned constitutional lawyers repeatedly protested that “while the Mopani mine deal looked fantastic, its sale to International Resource Holdings (IRH) was illegal and against the Zambian Constitution”. HH sold this huge national asset all by himself without parliamentary approval.

8. Mozambique founding father and Pan Africanists, Samora Machel once said, “If one day you hear whites (Europeans) speak good things about me, just know that I have betrayed you”. Zambians must know that HH is that African politician Samora Machel prophesied against-he is being rewarded with honorary doctorates as a messenger of imperialism, a sold out Western puppet of the highest order only stinking plutocracy and kleptocracy!

9. Last year, HH decreed visa free for all Western travelers coming into Zambia. This year, he has proposed to give citizenship to foreign investors after three years in Zambia. While “The intent of the Zambia National Lands Policy is to reduce the size of land allocated to foreign investors and shorten lease periods,” HH want’s his foreign investors to be getting 99years land lease like Zambians. So, HH has practically put Zambia for sale to the highest bidder.

10. Few days ago, Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) notoriously shocked the entire SADC region after announcing that a Vietnamese investor, a Mr Van Trong Tuy had pledged to invest U$72 billion in Zambia for 7 million hectares of farming land across three provinces with 99 years land lease. While this investment pledge was faked, so politically alarming and factually bogus, HH’s government moved in high gear to celebrate it as another honorary doctorate was smiling in Hanoi for Bally anytime.

11. When HH just became president, Tony Blair was the first high profiled foreign leader to visit him at State House on 29th September, 2021. In the 2024 Zambia’s budget, there is $1million (more than K25 million Kwacha) meant for our President’s foreign Advisory Services- the Tony Blair foundation is the major beneficiaries. This Tony Blair who is a lead global champion of homosexuality, celebrated and awarded in UK, Europe, North America, Australia and everywhere is HH’s foreign advisor. Now you understand why HH is getting honorary degrees in UK.

12. There is Greg Mills, a South African imperialist and Neo colonialist with his Brenthurst foundation mentoring HH at Community House. It is rumored that he is directly responsible for big business decisions favoring the West at State House such as hosting US military AFRICOM and giving big mines tax concessions. Since 2021 when HH came into power, Greg Mills is reported to be the most influential foreign advisor around the Zambian president who is more powerful than all his local aides combined. In return, these the capitalists engineering honorary doctorates around HH today.

Conclusion

On 12th August, 2021, 2.8 million Zambians voted in favour of UPND’s Hakainde Hichilema (HH) and blessed him into power to become Republican President. Three years in power, most of HH’s voters have regretted their decision after realizing that Bally is a sold out Western puppet, a catalyst of plutocracy, the worst imperial agent since independence and a true Judas Iscariot in state house today. That is why, next year, HH is expected to receive more honorary doctorates from universities in New York, Paris, Ottawa and Sydney while Zambians are wallowing in poverty, hunger, starvation, load shedding, high fuel prices, water rationing, high mealie meal prices, and general harsh and high cost of living.

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

The Holy Truth: 12 Reasons Why HH will continue receiving more A+ honorary doctorates from London, New York, Paris and Ottawa- Dr. Chris Zumani

zamobserver
-
0

The Holy Truth: 12 Reasons Why HH will continue receiving more A+ honorary doctorates from London, New York, Paris and Ottawa

By Dr. Chris Zumani Zimba

Introduction

1. Why are universities abroad passionate about awarding HH with honorary doctorates?

2. What is the main motivation behind this scheme of baptizing HH with honorary degrees each year since 2022?

3. And why is HH so eager to receive and celebrate these new degrees while preaching “I don’t want to be called Dr HH but maintain Mr. President”?

4. What explanation do we have for overt silence from our local universities for failing to award HH in similar fashion?

5. While Zambians are taking HH for a political failure as well as father of liars, why are the British treating him as “one of the best African leaders”?

6. Besides many stories they telling us for honoring him, what is the holy truth behind these emerging honorary doctorates on HH’s shoulders?

In this article, I will briefly discuss 12 empirical and perceived facts as follows:

1. When President Robert Mugabe took over power in 1980 in Zimbabwe and agreed to secure and protect the interests of white settlers, he became the darling of London and Washington. In total, 14 honorary doctorates from UK, US, Canada, Australia and everywhere were showered on him. He was being rewarded for being their puppet. When he changed the land policy in 2000 and empowered his people, all Western universities withdrew their honorary degrees from him and thereby dying only as a mere Mr Robert Mugabe. Our President,

2. In 2021 when Jim Risch, a ranking member of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, first met Hakainde Hichilema, he praised him a good leader who “is working hard to curb China’s malign and predatory influence in Zambia as well as increase cooperation with the US”. Based on what he said or committed to do for them, these Americans signed on HH’s forehead as their best puppet in Africa in modern era against Chinese and Russian interests.

3. Despite knowing that all past Zambian presidents refused to accept the United States AFRICA COMMAND (AFRICOM) to set up a presence in the country, HH made a controversial decision to accept and host them. AFRICOM) is a combatant command of the U.S. military operations in fighting regional conflicts and other military cooperation overseas. Although SADC, AU and neighboring nations have opposed it, HH as the lead U.S. puppet has ignored everyone and moved on. This is why Bally is being rewarded as the Dr. HH for them and not us!

4. In December 2022, Zambia’s Dr. Sishuwa Sishuwa lamented that president HH “cut extremely generous tax concession deals with mining multinationals such as First Quantum Minerals (FQM), a Canadian firm that invested in Hichilema’s election as well as made sure the Zambian government relinquished its 20% shareholding stake in the FQM-run Kansanshi Mine in return for a paltry 3% royalty payment on revenue”. To date, Zambia is losing more than U$ 3 Billion Dollars in revenue annually due to the UPND’s tax holidays to foreign mining companies like FQM.

5. In December, 2023, the people of Mpika mourned angrily through their MP, Hon. Francis Kapyanga after discovering that HH had covertly betrayed them and their ancestors by selling over 120,000 hectares of land around Kanyelele gold rich area in their district to Canadian foreigners for mining purposes. Apart from being rich with gold and other precious minerals, this land is covering villages, grave yards and farms while traditional leaders and local people were never consulted. Thus, HH’s dealership touch here was both highly undemocratic and unpatriotic gesture.

6. According Socialist Party leader, Dr. Fred M’membe on 5th December, 2023, the UK’ Guardian Newspaper revealed that President HH so far has already sold 10% of Zambia’s forest land to UAE royalists for carbon credits. As nobody knows when and how much is involved, these seem to be secret deals between Bally and his foreigners. Surely, we need to expect more A+ honorary doctorates for HH from everywhere because of such treachery, unpatriotic acts and betrayal!

7. In April 2024, HH illegally sold Zambia’s most valuable copper mine to his business friends from Asia and thereby attracting nationwide condemnation. Even John Sangwa, one of the country’s renowned constitutional lawyers repeatedly protested that “while the Mopani mine deal looked fantastic, its sale to International Resource Holdings (IRH) was illegal and against the Zambian Constitution”. HH sold this huge national asset all by himself without parliamentary approval.

8. Mozambique founding father and Pan Africanists, Samora Machel once said, “If one day you hear whites (Europeans) speak good things about me, just know that I have betrayed you”. Zambians must know that HH is that African politician Samora Machel prophesied against-he is being rewarded with honorary doctorates as a messenger of imperialism, a sold out Western puppet of the highest order only stinking plutocracy and kleptocracy!

9. Last year, HH decreed visa free for all Western travelers coming into Zambia. This year, he has proposed to give citizenship to foreign investors after three years in Zambia. While “The intent of the Zambia National Lands Policy is to reduce the size of land allocated to foreign investors and shorten lease periods,” HH want’s his foreign investors to be getting 99years land lease like Zambians. So, HH has practically put Zambia for sale to the highest bidder.

10. Few days ago, Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) notoriously shocked the entire SADC region after announcing that a Vietnamese investor, a Mr Van Trong Tuy had pledged to invest U$72 billion in Zambia for 7 million hectares of farming land across three provinces with 99 years land lease. While this investment pledge was faked, so politically alarming and factually bogus, HH’s government moved in high gear to celebrate it as another honorary doctorate was smiling in Hanoi for Bally anytime.

11. When HH just became president, Tony Blair was the first high profiled foreign leader to visit him at State House on 29th September, 2021. In the 2024 Zambia’s budget, there is $1million (more than K25 million Kwacha) meant for our President’s foreign Advisory Services- the Tony Blair foundation is the major beneficiaries. This Tony Blair who is a lead global champion of homosexuality, celebrated and awarded in UK, Europe, North America, Australia and everywhere is HH’s foreign advisor. Now you understand why HH is getting honorary degrees in UK.

12. There is Greg Mills, a South African imperialist and Neo colonialist with his Brenthurst foundation mentoring HH at Community House. It is rumored that he is directly responsible for big business decisions favoring the West at State House such as hosting US military AFRICOM and giving big mines tax concessions. Since 2021 when HH came into power, Greg Mills is reported to be the most influential foreign advisor around the Zambian president who is more powerful than all his local aides combined. In return, these the capitalists engineering honorary doctorates around HH today.

Conclusion

On 12th August, 2021, 2.8 million Zambians voted in favour of UPND’s Hakainde Hichilema (HH) and blessed him into power to become Republican President. Three years in power, most of HH’s voters have regretted their decision after realizing that Bally is a sold out Western puppet, a catalyst of plutocracy, the worst imperial agent since independence and a true Judas Iscariot in state house today. That is why, next year, HH is expected to receive more honorary doctorates from universities in New York, Paris, Ottawa and Sydney while Zambians are wallowing in poverty, hunger, starvation, load shedding, high fuel prices, water rationing, high mealie meal prices, and general harsh and high cost of living.

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

CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME, MUBITA NAWA CAN’T BE SECRETARY GENERAL FOR INTERPOL- Chilufya Tayali

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EEP President Chilufya Tayali

CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME, MUBITA NAWA CAN’T BE SECRETARY GENERAL FOR INTERPOL BECAUSE HE IS COMING FROM ONE OF THE MOST COMPROMISED POLICE FORCE IN THE WORLD

I am Zambian, but I will not support mediocrity at a high level of international security service such as INTERPOL.

Our Zambia police is so unprofessional, brutal and political. Our different regimes, especially the current Govt, have used the police to persecute and frustrate their opponents.

The police have also been used to cover corruption and other serious crimes of those in GOVT and big mafias.

Most of our senior police officers are promoted, not on merit, but how they compromise themselves to please those in power, or with big money.

It is logical to think that this Mubita Nawa must have risen through the ranks by being unprofessional, pleasing the big boys and girls in our Country.

Therefore, I am not surprised with these allegations below;

“LONDON; Interpol candidate accused of role in kidnap of Indian businessmen

…Interpol Candidate abducted us, assaulted us, sought to extort us….

Zambia’s Mubita Nawa, who is on shortlist for top job, is accused of involvement in an attempted extortion in 2022

A candidate to be the next head of Interpol has been accused of involvement in the kidnap, detention, assault and attempted extortion of two Indian businessmen.

Lawyers for Vinod and Uddit Sadhu have written to Interpol saying the allegations against Mubita Nawa, a deputy commissioner of police in Zambia, suggest he is “plainly unsuitable” to be its next secretary general.

Nawa, backed by African Union member states, is one of four people on the shortlist for the role, with the successful candidate expected to be announced imminently

A letter sent to Interpol by the UK-based law firm Leverets Group on behalf of the Sadhus states that its clients “have strong grounds to believe that Mr Nawa played a pivotal role in a conspiracy that led to their unlawful kidnap, detention, assault and attempted extortion” in September 2022, when he was a deputy director in the Zambian CID.

It says the Sadhus were “ambushed by assailants posing as duly authorised police officers and bundled into an unmarked van before being taken to a private residence in Lusaka at which they were subject to threats and coercion, before one of the captives managed to raise the alarm using a concealed mobile phone.

“Thereafter they were transferred to a police station where they continued to be subject to threats and coercion by new kidnappers, assailants and extortionists, including Mr Nawa.””

Though the police are refuting these allegations, but look at a similar case of Jay Jay Banda who was also abducted and now rotting in jail to cover up the story.

I am not speaking from soar grapes but what crime did I commit for Zambia Police to be agitating to place me on Red Alert of INTERPOL.

It is reasonable to think that Mubita Nawa will not be professional and impartial at INTERPOL because he is used to chicanery kind of police service.

As the saying goes, “Charity begins at home”.

TAYALI THE PUBLIC LAWYER OF THE PUBLIC COURT OF OPINIONS!!!

Of President Hichilema consulting Lungu; what a dumb suggestion!

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Over the weekend, the United Kwacha Alliance camouflaged in Harry Kalaba’s political outfit finally had its first rally in Kitwe’s Kwacha Township where the New Dawn Administration recently introduced waterborne toilets after many years of neglect

Ordinarily, one would’ve expected Edgar Lungu, the main speaker at the event and of course the potential Alliance’s presidential candidate in the 2026 general elections, to have unveiled his blueprint to what he considers the country’s socio-economic malaise.

But what transpired instead? We saw an entire former head of state, who seems still reeling from his shock defeat in the August 2021, not only becoming petty and personal, but going ballistic and desecrating the very sanctity of the institution of the Presidency – a citadel of authority in our motherland!

He went to town describing the President in the most unpalatable terms: “mambala (crook)”, “umwaiche wa chunsu (young man with an unkempt afro)” and “chimbwi no plan (hyena without a plan)”

Now, since Lungu is hell-bent on referring to his successor as mambala, which adverb is suitable to describe him since he’s on record “chewing” money for a widow that made the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) strip him off of his practising licence? A heartless kabwalala?

President Hichilema, you were wrong to hastily expunge the defamation of the President from our statutes. We’d have been the first ones to call at Police HQ to report Lungu for insulting the President!

The recent conduct on the part of Lungu is clear testimony that most of our politicians aren’t yet ready or mature enough to conduct their politics with respect and utmost civility! Next time the police are going to grant these characters a permit to have another rally and they resort to insults, we wouldn’t be surprised to see UPND cadres invading the venue to defend the President. No wonder Graphel Musamba, the hard working Inspector General of Police is reluctant to approve permits for political rallies; they’re a source of anarchy, we shouldn’t allow the so-called imperialists school us on democracy.

One of the most ridiculous suggestions Lungu made is that if HH was consulting him from time to time, our country wouldn’t find itself in the current crisis.

What sort of dumbest reasoning is this imwe faza? What you’re suggesting is akin to expecting Joe Biden in America consulting Donald Trump or indeed the Conservatives in England calling on the Labour party for advice; who does that?

UPND and PF are like water and oil; the two can’t mix! Whereas the former is a liberal social democratic party, the later is a social democratic party.

Lungu says the President should at least reduce the price of aka bungu to K100 without necessarily taking time to explain how this can be achieved. Considering where we’re coming from, he’s probably thinking of reckless borrowing to subsidize the cost of mealie meal so that he can plunge the country deep into another debt crisis!

Aikona man!

Prince Bill M Kaping’a
Polical/Social Analyst

Of President Hichilema consulting Lungu; what a dumb suggestion!

zamobserver
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0

Over the weekend, the United Kwacha Alliance camouflaged in Harry Kalaba’s political outfit finally had its first rally in Kitwe’s Kwacha Township where the New Dawn Administration recently introduced waterborne toilets after many years of neglect

Ordinarily, one would’ve expected Edgar Lungu, the main speaker at the event and of course the potential Alliance’s presidential candidate in the 2026 general elections, to have unveiled his blueprint to what he considers the country’s socio-economic malaise.

But what transpired instead? We saw an entire former head of state, who seems still reeling from his shock defeat in the August 2021, not only becoming petty and personal, but going ballistic and desecrating the very sanctity of the institution of the Presidency – a citadel of authority in our motherland!

He went to town describing the President in the most unpalatable terms: “mambala (crook)”, “umwaiche wa chunsu (young man with an unkempt afro)” and “chimbwi no plan (hyena without a plan)”

Now, since Lungu is hell-bent on referring to his successor as mambala, which adverb is suitable to describe him since he’s on record “chewing” money for a widow that made the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) strip him off of his practising licence? A heartless kabwalala?

President Hichilema, you were wrong to hastily expunge the defamation of the President from our statutes. We’d have been the first ones to call at Police HQ to report Lungu for insulting the President!

The recent conduct on the part of Lungu is clear testimony that most of our politicians aren’t yet ready or mature enough to conduct their politics with respect and utmost civility! Next time the police are going to grant these characters a permit to have another rally and they resort to insults, we wouldn’t be surprised to see UPND cadres invading the venue to defend the President. No wonder Graphel Musamba, the hard working Inspector General of Police is reluctant to approve permits for political rallies; they’re a source of anarchy, we shouldn’t allow the so-called imperialists school us on democracy.

One of the most ridiculous suggestions Lungu made is that if HH was consulting him from time to time, our country wouldn’t find itself in the current crisis.

What sort of dumbest reasoning is this imwe faza? What you’re suggesting is akin to expecting Joe Biden in America consulting Donald Trump or indeed the Conservatives in England calling on the Labour party for advice; who does that?

UPND and PF are like water and oil; the two can’t mix! Whereas the former is a liberal social democratic party, the later is a social democratic party.

Lungu says the President should at least reduce the price of aka bungu to K100 without necessarily taking time to explain how this can be achieved. Considering where we’re coming from, he’s probably thinking of reckless borrowing to subsidize the cost of mealie meal so that he can plunge the country deep into another debt crisis!

Aikona man!

Prince Bill M Kaping’a
Polical/Social Analyst

$72 billion Scandal Update: Viet-Zambia granted large-scale mining exploration licences in Central and Eastern Provinces

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VIET-ZAMBIA GRANTED LARGE-SCALE MINERAL EXPLORATION LICENCES

…the Ministry of Mines in January 2024, granted the corporation large-scale exploration mining licences in copper,gold, nickel and rare earth metals…

$72 billion Scandal Update; Viet-Zambia Diversified Development Corporation was in January 2024,granted large-scale mining exploration licences in Central (Serenje) and Eastern Provinces ( Nyimba and Petauke).

The exploration licences are for Copper, gold, sugelite, Iron Ore, manganese, nickel, quartz and rare earth elements!

This is according to the Zambia Mining Cadastre a department of the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development.

The core functions as enshrined in the Mines and Minerals Development Act, is the administration of mining and non- mining rights.

Viet-Zambia Diversified Development Corporation has been in the news when Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) held a status conference on the project to begin the process of effecting and actualizing a $72 billion Agriculture, real estate and agro processing project presented to chiefs, provincial ministers and their Permanent Secretaries from the targeted project provinces.

ZDA Director General, Albert Halwampa also announced that the Agency will effect an immediate implementation plan for the project by supporting a pilot project of 20,000 hectares of land.

The investor, Chairman and General Director, Van Trong Tuy, has requested for six million hectares of land in Luapula, Muchinga and Northern Provinces.

He has also submitted to the President of the Republic of Zambia and to ZDA, conditions and incentives for his investment that include 99-year titled land lease for six million hectares of land, citizenship for the founders, visa free for his team, and must be exempted from paying land rates, income and import duty taxes.

On Wednesday 26th June, 2024, Tuy is meeting all chiefs from Luapula Province in Mansa facilitated by both Viet-Zam and the ZDA.

$72 billion Scandal Update: Viet-Zambia granted large-scale mining exploration licences in Central and Eastern Provinces

zamobserver
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0

VIET-ZAMBIA GRANTED LARGE-SCALE MINERAL EXPLORATION LICENCES

…the Ministry of Mines in January 2024, granted the corporation large-scale exploration mining licences in copper,gold, nickel and rare earth metals…

$72 billion Scandal Update; Viet-Zambia Diversified Development Corporation was in January 2024,granted large-scale mining exploration licences in Central (Serenje) and Eastern Provinces ( Nyimba and Petauke).

The exploration licences are for Copper, gold, sugelite, Iron Ore, manganese, nickel, quartz and rare earth elements!

This is according to the Zambia Mining Cadastre a department of the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development.

The core functions as enshrined in the Mines and Minerals Development Act, is the administration of mining and non- mining rights.

Viet-Zambia Diversified Development Corporation has been in the news when Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) held a status conference on the project to begin the process of effecting and actualizing a $72 billion Agriculture, real estate and agro processing project presented to chiefs, provincial ministers and their Permanent Secretaries from the targeted project provinces.

ZDA Director General, Albert Halwampa also announced that the Agency will effect an immediate implementation plan for the project by supporting a pilot project of 20,000 hectares of land.

The investor, Chairman and General Director, Van Trong Tuy, has requested for six million hectares of land in Luapula, Muchinga and Northern Provinces.

He has also submitted to the President of the Republic of Zambia and to ZDA, conditions and incentives for his investment that include 99-year titled land lease for six million hectares of land, citizenship for the founders, visa free for his team, and must be exempted from paying land rates, income and import duty taxes.

On Wednesday 26th June, 2024, Tuy is meeting all chiefs from Luapula Province in Mansa facilitated by both Viet-Zam and the ZDA.

UPND has driven fuel debt from $400m as at August 2021 to $800m – Emmanuel Mwamba

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UPND has driven fuel debt from $400m as at August 2021 to $800m – Mwamba

By Thomas Ngala( The Mast)

PF national chairperson for information and publicity Emmanuel Mwamba has observed that while President Hakainde Hichilema pledged to deliver cheaper fuel he has done the opposite.

In a statement, Mwamba said Zambia is now suffering unprecedented high cost of fuel with no relief in sight.

“While founder president Dr Kenneth Kaunda built the TAZAMA and Indeni refinery as national strategic assets and as solutions to secure reliable fuel to a landlocked country, the new dawn government has abandoned plans to convert Indeni into a full-capacity refinery and have opted to turn the multimillion dollar Indeni Refinery infrastructure into a blender and an ordinary Oil Marketing Company,” he noted.

Mwamba said it is clear that the government has abandoned plans to import crude oil that guaranteed cheaper fuel and utilised both TAZAMA and Indeni to produce various petroleum products that included petrol, diesel, kerosene, heavy oils and bitumen.

He said the sector has been beset by corruption and massive confusion adding that it is now driven by illegal ad-hoc decisions.

“While the UPND blamed the Patriotic Front government for accumulating debt to OMCs, and claimed that fuel was cheaper because the government was not paying its debt, but this government has driven the debt from $400million as at August 2021 to $800million as at June 2024,” he said.

On electricity, Mwamba said when the PF came into power, they executed plans to uprate Zesco generation capacity.

He stated that the PF government invested in upgrading Kariba North Bank, Itezhi-Itezhi, and built a brand new power station, the 750 megawatts Kafue Gorge Lower.

Mwamba recalled that Zesco also upgraded smaller hydro stations such as Lunzua, Lusiwasi, Musonda and Chishimba Falls.

“[PF] government also promoted independent power producers such as Maamba Power Station and IDCs partnership with the private sector where Ngonye and Bangweulu solar companies produced solar power. Zambia’s installed capacity was upgraded from 1,600 megawatts to 3,500 megawatts by August 2021,” he explained. “However, this government has concentrated on signing new export agreements and in many cases detrimental to the development and economic well-being of our country. The recent drought exposed these schemes to an extent that Zambia is suffering the worst load-shedding and power cuts in decades yet Zesco has not halted the huge power exports.”

Mwamba said the damage to households and small and medium enterprises that the power cuts have caused are incalculable.

“Yet what we see from this government is rhetoric and continued poor decisions,” he said. “We also wish to express alarm at the recent Cabinet decision to unbundle Zesco and remove transmission and distribution network infrastructure from Zesco. The so-called Open Access policy will be detrimental to Zesco and to Zambia’s energy security.”

He said “the lie” that this will bring investment in the sector is a tired argument as “we have seen similar decisions made in sectors” as mining where the so-called policies are made to attract foreign investment but leave Zambia more vulnerable and at a loss than before.

“Similarly during the privatisation programme a strategic asset ZCCM’s Power Division was literally given to private entities without proper consideration to public interest. We saw ZCCM’S prized electricity generation, transmission, distribution and supply company, Power Division, sold to the private sector instead of leaving it under the newly created state-owned investment company, ZCCM-IH. This careless decision made for such a strategic asset went to benefit local and foreign individuals but robbed ZCCM-IH of a key strategic investment, future earnings,” said Mwamba. “We therefore call for broad and adequate consultations before any attempts are made to unbundle Zesco. Further, the government has become notorious at ignoring the provisions of Article 210 of the Republican Constitution which requires that any sale, transfer or change of a state-owned company or key strategic national assets, parliament grants two-thirds majority.”

Politics has overtaken our humanity, TODAY IT’S JAY JAY, MAILO KAYA…we leave everything to God who will one day reveal the truth – Sipalo

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Politics has overtaken our humanity, TODAY IT’S JAY JAY, MAILO KAYA…we leave everything to God who will one day reveal the truth – Sipalo

By Kholiwe Miti(The Mast)

LERO ni JAY JAY mailo kaya, warns Thomas Sipalo.

Sipalo, who is United Kwacha Alliance national youth chairperson, is disheartened by the continued detention of Petauke Independent member of parliament Emmanuel Jay Jay Banda by Zambia Police.

Banda was recently abducted and once he was found he has been between hospital and police.

Sipalo said the UPND government’s interest and “haste in this matter raises questions”.

“LERO NI JAY JAY MAILO KAYA (today it’s Jay Jay, we don’t know who is next)! Akulu andzelu amati, “Chaona mzako chapita mawa chili paiwe (the wise say that what has befallen your friend today will tomorrow be on you)”. It’s disheartening that politics has overtaken our humanity, and we’ve lost empathy for one another as Zambians. It’s inhuman to wish someone bad simply because you don’t share similar political beliefs and ideologies.

Hon. Jay Jay’s health is suffering, yet some people are mocking and celebrating his illness simply because they disagree with his political beliefs,” Sipalo noted. “Where is our compassion as a society? Some people are mocking his sickness and making jokes out of him fainting without asking themselves these questions, if the claim by police that he’s fit hence the discharge from Maina Soka [Military Hospital], why was he readmitted at Sikanze Police Hospital instead of being detained? Simple logic will tell you that he was simply transferred from Maina Soko to Sikanze. What’s the urgency in his case that can’t wait for his recovery? As a lawmaker with a fixed address, he’s not a flight risk. So why treat him like a dangerous criminal? Isn’t his case bondable? Anyways we leave everything to God, who will one day reveal the truth.”

Banda was discharged from Maina Soko on Wednesday and taken to Sikanze under police custody where he was questioned for an offence he committed in 2021.

On Thursday, police arrested Banda in connection with “serious criminal offences”. “Honourable Banda has been arrested for the offences of aggravated robbery contrary to section 294 and attempted murder contrary to section 215 of the penal code Act chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia. The alleged crimes were committed on December 14, 2015, at approximately 15:00 hours at Mzigawa Primary School in Vubwi district of Eastern Province,” said Zambia Police public relations officer Rae Hamoonga. “The incident involved the theft of property valued at K12,000, broken down as follows: A Canon Camera valued at K10,000, spectacles valued at K1,800, two ATM cards [and] cash amounting to K200. The victim of this incident is Mr Peter Sukwa Muchelenga.

Honourable Banda has been remanded in custody at Chipata Central Police Station. He is scheduled to appear in court soon to face these charges. The Zambia Police Service reiterates its commitment to upholding the rule of law and ensuring that justice is served regardless of the status or position of the individuals involved. We urge the public to remain calm and allow the judicial process to take its course.”

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