Home Blog Page 684

Euro 2024: Experts say Mbappe may require surgery as broken nose could change his looks forever 

zamobserver
-
0

French professional footballer Kylian Mbappe, who plays for Real Madrid and captains the France national team, suffered a broken nose during a collision with Austria’s Kevin Danso in Monday night’s Euro 2024 match.

Despite initial concerns, 25-year-old Mbappe will not require surgery for now following his injury in the Austria-France match in Düsseldorf. Medics had initially estimated he could be sidelined for at least ten days.

“Ultimately if he can breathe it is not a functional injury,” London-based NHS plastics surgeon Mark Mikhail told MailOnline. Dr. Mikhail noted that while Mbappe might not need immediate surgery for his facial trauma, any cosmetic adjustments should be made within three weeks to avoid undesirable results.

He suggests that Mbappe’s nose may have been realigned shortly after the match, potentially eliminating the need for immediate surgery.

“When a break is really fresh like that because he is playing football and there is loads of adrenaline, they may have had enough mobility to nudge his nose back in place,” he said. “The surgery for a broken nose is often just done a few days later with a local anesthetic, rather than full-blown surgery and they just nudge it back into place,” he added.

Journalist Julien Laurens reported early Tuesday that Mbappe will not require surgery on his nose. French outlet L’Equipe confirmed he left a Düsseldorf hospital late Monday after various tests. The French Football Federation stated the tests were reassuring, indicating no need for surgery.

The French Football Federation also said he has returned to France’s team hotel, where he will be closely monitored by medical staff over the next few days.

In a statement, the federation said: “Kylian Mbappe suffered a broken nose during the second part of the Austria-France held this Monday in Dusseldorf.

“The captain of France was treated first by the medical staff and Dr. Franck Le Gall, who diagnosed him with a nose fracture. Mbappe will receive treatment in the next few days, but he will not undergo surgery in the immediate future.

“A mask will be made for him so that the number 10 of the French national team can prepare for his return to the competition after a period dedicated to treatment.”

The NHS recommends avoiding sports for at least six weeks if there’s a risk of facial impact. However, athletes might opt to wear specialized plastic face and nose guards to return to play sooner while minimizing further injury, according to Dr. Mikhail.

“If the nasal bones are broken, then it will obviously be fragile. Even if the bone is sat in the right place you want to keep it there, so you will want to protect it from further injury,” Dr Mikhail said.

“[A mask] is slightly different to a post operative splint, which is trying to hold it in place, instead this would just try and protect the nose,’ he added.

In most cases, surgery doesn’t happen immediately after a break because the face is very swollen.

“You generally wait for the swelling to settle down before assessing it and seeing if anything needs to be done,” Dr Mikhail said.

“After the swelling has died down you can also work out whether there is a breathing problem or a deviation that will have a significant cosmetic outcome.”

‘Bling bishop’ who made headlines after $1M jewelry heist sentenced to nine years

zamobserver
-
0

Lamor Whitehead, a New York pastor who earned the nickname “Bling bishop” for his flamboyant lifestyle, was sentenced Monday to nine years in prison for schemes that included preying on the bank account of one of his followers, the BBC reported.

Prosecutors argued that Whitehead, 45, used his position as a religious leader to scam people to fund his lavish lifestyle. According to the BBC, he was found guilty in March of wire fraud, attempted wire fraud, attempted extortion and making false statements to federal investigators.

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, described Whitehead as a “con man” and said the sentence ended his “various schemes”.

“Lamor Whitehead is a con man who stole millions of dollars in a string of financial frauds and even stole from one of his own parishioners,” USA Today quoted him as saying. “He lied to federal agents, and again to the Court at his trial. Today’s sentence puts an end to Whitehead’s various schemes and reflects this Office’s commitment to bring accountability to those who abuse their positions of trust.”

It will be recalled that in 2022, pastor Whiteland was robbed of an estimated $1 million worth of jewelry during a live-streamed sermon. In an interview with CBS News, Whitehead said he believes the armed robbers targeted him.

The unidentified men entered the church about five to ten minutes after the sermon started. Whitehead’s wife was also robbed. He was also slapped with a lawsuit from a congregant who alleged that the Bishop stole $90,000 from her.

According to the New York Post, the lawsuit against Whitehead was filed in 2021. The plaintiff, identified as 56-year-old Pauline Anderson, alleges Whitehead persuaded her to pay him $90,000 so he could use the funds to purchase and renovate a home for her.

Anderson said the liquidated $90,000 “investment” was her life savings, adding that she paid Whitehead the money in November 2020. Anderson also alleges Whitehead reneged on a promise to pay her $100 a month since the aforementioned funds she gave him were her only source of livelihood, The City reported.

The suit also alleged that Whitehead rather used Anderson’s funds as a down payment for a $4.4 million New Jersey home he wanted to purchase. Anderson said she only got to know about that home after the pastor mistakenly sent her son an email about the property, adding that it was her son who introduced her to Whitehead.

And though Whitehead was unable to purchase the New Jersey home, he ended up buying a $4.5 million residential property in Connecticut, The City reported.

Anderson claims that Whitehead offered to help her after she was told her bad credit would prevent her from getting a mortgage. And, although she had “reservations” about paying Whitehead the money, she ended up giving Whitehead the benefit of the doubt “because he was a supposed man of the cloth and had previously helped her own son secure housing for himself,” the lawsuit states.

Whitehead, after failing to honor his promise, would later inform Anderson that he did not intend to refund the money as he was going to invest it in his company. “Ms. Anderson was instead left with nothing but a vague promise by Mr. Whitehead to pay the funds back in the future followed by an assertion that he had no further obligation to do so,” the lawsuit alleges.

Anderson said at the time that she wants the court to award her $1 million in damages for the pastor’s “morally reprehensible acts” and for “losing her entire life savings”, per the lawsuit.

‘Bling bishop’ who made headlines after $1M jewelry heist sentenced to nine years

zamobserver
-
0

Lamor Whitehead, a New York pastor who earned the nickname “Bling bishop” for his flamboyant lifestyle, was sentenced Monday to nine years in prison for schemes that included preying on the bank account of one of his followers, the BBC reported.

Prosecutors argued that Whitehead, 45, used his position as a religious leader to scam people to fund his lavish lifestyle. According to the BBC, he was found guilty in March of wire fraud, attempted wire fraud, attempted extortion and making false statements to federal investigators.

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, described Whitehead as a “con man” and said the sentence ended his “various schemes”.

“Lamor Whitehead is a con man who stole millions of dollars in a string of financial frauds and even stole from one of his own parishioners,” USA Today quoted him as saying. “He lied to federal agents, and again to the Court at his trial. Today’s sentence puts an end to Whitehead’s various schemes and reflects this Office’s commitment to bring accountability to those who abuse their positions of trust.”

It will be recalled that in 2022, pastor Whiteland was robbed of an estimated $1 million worth of jewelry during a live-streamed sermon. In an interview with CBS News, Whitehead said he believes the armed robbers targeted him.

The unidentified men entered the church about five to ten minutes after the sermon started. Whitehead’s wife was also robbed. He was also slapped with a lawsuit from a congregant who alleged that the Bishop stole $90,000 from her.

According to the New York Post, the lawsuit against Whitehead was filed in 2021. The plaintiff, identified as 56-year-old Pauline Anderson, alleges Whitehead persuaded her to pay him $90,000 so he could use the funds to purchase and renovate a home for her.

Anderson said the liquidated $90,000 “investment” was her life savings, adding that she paid Whitehead the money in November 2020. Anderson also alleges Whitehead reneged on a promise to pay her $100 a month since the aforementioned funds she gave him were her only source of livelihood, The City reported.

The suit also alleged that Whitehead rather used Anderson’s funds as a down payment for a $4.4 million New Jersey home he wanted to purchase. Anderson said she only got to know about that home after the pastor mistakenly sent her son an email about the property, adding that it was her son who introduced her to Whitehead.

And though Whitehead was unable to purchase the New Jersey home, he ended up buying a $4.5 million residential property in Connecticut, The City reported.

Anderson claims that Whitehead offered to help her after she was told her bad credit would prevent her from getting a mortgage. And, although she had “reservations” about paying Whitehead the money, she ended up giving Whitehead the benefit of the doubt “because he was a supposed man of the cloth and had previously helped her own son secure housing for himself,” the lawsuit states.

Whitehead, after failing to honor his promise, would later inform Anderson that he did not intend to refund the money as he was going to invest it in his company. “Ms. Anderson was instead left with nothing but a vague promise by Mr. Whitehead to pay the funds back in the future followed by an assertion that he had no further obligation to do so,” the lawsuit alleges.

Anderson said at the time that she wants the court to award her $1 million in damages for the pastor’s “morally reprehensible acts” and for “losing her entire life savings”, per the lawsuit.

Jennifer Hudson makes surprising revelation about her father having 27 children

zamobserver
-
0

inger and actress Jennifer Hudson has made an interesting revelation about her family. Speaking on the finale episode of the podcast “Your Mama’s Kitchen: Conversations from the Heart of the Home,” she disclosed that her father had 27 children.

Host Michelle Norris highlighted the issue of Hudson’s father’s vibrant personality and the discovery of numerous siblings, to which Hudson admitted, “Yes, a lot of us. Apparently, he had 27 children.”

Norris expressed astonishment at the revelation, prompting Hudson to share more about her unique family history. Hudson recounted discovering her extensive family at 16, a moment that ignited her dream of bringing everyone together, as reported by The Statesman.

“I envisioned us all at a grand Thanksgiving or Christmas table, sharing a meal—that was my goal at 16,” she explained.

Despite not having met all her siblings, Hudson revealed she has connected with several, including Jason and Julia, whom she grew up with. “We found quite a few of us,” she noted. “And I’m the youngest of all of them.”

Her father’s side of the family played a crucial role in this reunion. Hudson recounted, “When my grandma on his side passed, my siblings over there said, ‘Y’all got a sister that can really sing, you should meet her.’ And eventually, we all came together.”

Hudson opened up about her role as a mother to 14-year-old David Daniel Otunga Jr., her son with ex-partner David Otunga. Stressing the importance of cultural exposure, Hudson shared that she took her son to the White House for Juneteenth last year.

“I want my son to be a part of those things—and his cousins and friends,” she said. “Little David has a really big heart, and he always wants to include them.”

Reflecting on her efforts to keep her son connected to family, Hudson explained her decision to move back to Chicago before settling in Los Angeles.

“I love to try to make sure he has the closest thing to him… just making sure he has his cousins’ circle and that base and foundation,” she said. Now in L.A., Hudson maintains their family bond through regular Sunday dinners, emphasizing, “That’s one thing that’s very important.”

Jennifer Hudson makes surprising revelation about her father having 27 children

zamobserver
-
0

inger and actress Jennifer Hudson has made an interesting revelation about her family. Speaking on the finale episode of the podcast “Your Mama’s Kitchen: Conversations from the Heart of the Home,” she disclosed that her father had 27 children.

Host Michelle Norris highlighted the issue of Hudson’s father’s vibrant personality and the discovery of numerous siblings, to which Hudson admitted, “Yes, a lot of us. Apparently, he had 27 children.”

Norris expressed astonishment at the revelation, prompting Hudson to share more about her unique family history. Hudson recounted discovering her extensive family at 16, a moment that ignited her dream of bringing everyone together, as reported by The Statesman.

“I envisioned us all at a grand Thanksgiving or Christmas table, sharing a meal—that was my goal at 16,” she explained.

Despite not having met all her siblings, Hudson revealed she has connected with several, including Jason and Julia, whom she grew up with. “We found quite a few of us,” she noted. “And I’m the youngest of all of them.”

Her father’s side of the family played a crucial role in this reunion. Hudson recounted, “When my grandma on his side passed, my siblings over there said, ‘Y’all got a sister that can really sing, you should meet her.’ And eventually, we all came together.”

Hudson opened up about her role as a mother to 14-year-old David Daniel Otunga Jr., her son with ex-partner David Otunga. Stressing the importance of cultural exposure, Hudson shared that she took her son to the White House for Juneteenth last year.

“I want my son to be a part of those things—and his cousins and friends,” she said. “Little David has a really big heart, and he always wants to include them.”

Reflecting on her efforts to keep her son connected to family, Hudson explained her decision to move back to Chicago before settling in Los Angeles.

“I love to try to make sure he has the closest thing to him… just making sure he has his cousins’ circle and that base and foundation,” she said. Now in L.A., Hudson maintains their family bond through regular Sunday dinners, emphasizing, “That’s one thing that’s very important.”

Lewis Hamilton’s earnings jump to $69 million despite his worst start to a season

zamobserver
-
0

Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time Formula One champion and entrepreneur, has seen a massive jump in his fortune despite a career low. The British racer emerged as one of the highest-paid athletes globally, with earnings totaling $69 million over the past 12 months.

His earnings surpassed the $55 million he made in 2023. As per Forbes, he made $57 million in on-field earnings and $12 million from endorsements and other ventures, making him one of the most marketable athletes in the world. This earnings ranks him 21st on Forbes’ The World’s Highest-Paid Athletes for 2024.

Hamilton is undoubtedly one of the biggest celebrities in Formula One in contemporary times. He has won seven world championships but analysts are now wondering whether he has lost his F1 edge due to his worst start to a season.

As Autosport reported on Thursday, Hamilton sits in eighth place in the championship behind George Russell and is still without a win since December 2021. In February, he announced that he would join Ferrari after the 2024 season. Now in his final season with Mercedes, many believe that his deal with Ferrari is affecting his performance.

He first debuted in 2007 with McLaren. The following year, he declared his intention to the world after winning his first World Championship. Hamilton moved to Mercedes in 2013 and changed the fortunes of the team.

In 2018, he signed a two-year contract with Mercedes worth $100 million, giving him a base salary of $30 million annually and bonuses that will see his total comp from Mercedes push to $50 million. Also, he ranked 13th on Forbes world’s highest-paid athlete in 2020 with an annual salary of $42 million.

His popularity also makes him attractive to global brands. In 2018, he went into a collaboration with Tommy Hilfiger to promote its line of menswear, underwear, and swimwear. He also came to have endorsement deals from Monster Energy, Puma, IWC, Sony, Bose, Bell Helmets, MV Agusta Motorcycles, and Vodafone.

Aside from his endorsement deals, he is also an entrepreneur. He invested in the NFL’s Denver Broncos in 2022. He is also the co-founder of the world’s inaugural distilled non-alcoholic blue agave spirit called Almave. He co-founded the brand alongside agave expert and Casa Lumbre Co-Founder & Master Distiller Iván Saldaña.

Almave is the only non-alcoholic product to use the coveted Blue Agave. Similar to tequila, Almave is made from the same raw materials in the same part of Mexico but without the fermentation process where the liquid becomes alcohol.

Hamilton, like many celebrities, loves to spend on luxurious estates. In 2017, he bought a New York penthouse for $43.9 million. He, however, listed the property for $57 million. He also owns a four-story mansion with six bedrooms in Kensington, West London that was built in 1860 and is worth $25 million. The Mercedes driver also owns apartments in Nyon, a suburb of Geneva, Switzerland, and Monaco, according to reports.

Lewis Hamilton’s earnings jump to $69 million despite his worst start to a season

zamobserver
-
0

Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time Formula One champion and entrepreneur, has seen a massive jump in his fortune despite a career low. The British racer emerged as one of the highest-paid athletes globally, with earnings totaling $69 million over the past 12 months.

His earnings surpassed the $55 million he made in 2023. As per Forbes, he made $57 million in on-field earnings and $12 million from endorsements and other ventures, making him one of the most marketable athletes in the world. This earnings ranks him 21st on Forbes’ The World’s Highest-Paid Athletes for 2024.

Hamilton is undoubtedly one of the biggest celebrities in Formula One in contemporary times. He has won seven world championships but analysts are now wondering whether he has lost his F1 edge due to his worst start to a season.

As Autosport reported on Thursday, Hamilton sits in eighth place in the championship behind George Russell and is still without a win since December 2021. In February, he announced that he would join Ferrari after the 2024 season. Now in his final season with Mercedes, many believe that his deal with Ferrari is affecting his performance.

He first debuted in 2007 with McLaren. The following year, he declared his intention to the world after winning his first World Championship. Hamilton moved to Mercedes in 2013 and changed the fortunes of the team.

In 2018, he signed a two-year contract with Mercedes worth $100 million, giving him a base salary of $30 million annually and bonuses that will see his total comp from Mercedes push to $50 million. Also, he ranked 13th on Forbes world’s highest-paid athlete in 2020 with an annual salary of $42 million.

His popularity also makes him attractive to global brands. In 2018, he went into a collaboration with Tommy Hilfiger to promote its line of menswear, underwear, and swimwear. He also came to have endorsement deals from Monster Energy, Puma, IWC, Sony, Bose, Bell Helmets, MV Agusta Motorcycles, and Vodafone.

Aside from his endorsement deals, he is also an entrepreneur. He invested in the NFL’s Denver Broncos in 2022. He is also the co-founder of the world’s inaugural distilled non-alcoholic blue agave spirit called Almave. He co-founded the brand alongside agave expert and Casa Lumbre Co-Founder & Master Distiller Iván Saldaña.

Almave is the only non-alcoholic product to use the coveted Blue Agave. Similar to tequila, Almave is made from the same raw materials in the same part of Mexico but without the fermentation process where the liquid becomes alcohol.

Hamilton, like many celebrities, loves to spend on luxurious estates. In 2017, he bought a New York penthouse for $43.9 million. He, however, listed the property for $57 million. He also owns a four-story mansion with six bedrooms in Kensington, West London that was built in 1860 and is worth $25 million. The Mercedes driver also owns apartments in Nyon, a suburb of Geneva, Switzerland, and Monaco, according to reports.

NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON REFUTES TERRANCE HOWARD’S ATTEMPT TO ‘REINVENT MATHEMATICS & PHYSICS’

zamobserver
-
0

Neil deGrasse Tyson has set the record straight regarding his interaction with Terrance Howard, who claims the astrophysicist snubbed him years ago for proposing an alternate take on the established laws of science.

The Hustle & Flow star recently made an appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, during which he recalled sending the 65-year-old an outline of his ideas and having them shut down in return.

In a clip shared to his StarTalk channel on Thursday (June 13), the veteran scientist shared his side of the story while breaking down the actor and singer’s vision.

“Eight years ago, he sent me a 36-page treatise — so this is Terrance Howard attempting to reinvent mathematics and physics,” he said. “I actually spent time reading every line of all 36 pages […] I thought, out of respect for him, what I should do is give him my most informed critical analysis that I can. In my field, we call that a peer review.

“What can happen is if you’re a fan of a subject, let’s say — a hobbyist, let’s call it — it’s possible to know enough about that subject to think you’re right, but not enough about that subject to know that you’re wrong, and so there’s this sort of valley of false confidence in there. This has been studied by others, and it’s called the Dunning–Krueger Effect. It’s the phenomenon where a little bit of knowledge [makes] you overassess how much of that subject you actually know.”

He went on to dissect said paper, which is titled “One Times One Equals Two.”

“This is an ambitious work that is a clear indication of a restless, active mind,” the Cosmos presenter read aloud his feedback notes from years ago. “Within these pages, however, there are many assumptions and statements that are under-informed, misinformed or simply false, thereby compromising or nullifying many of the subsequent conclusions you have drawn.”

He then turned his attention to the following claim made by the Chicago native: “It can never occur, that the square root of a given number when added to itself is greater than the initial number squared? For that would expose a loose thread within a fabric of our Understanding.”

Rwandan President Kagame accuses West of double standards on democracy

zamobserver
-
0

Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Monday accused Western countries of adopting “double standards” on democracy, ahead of next month’s general elections in the country.

Mr Kagame, who has been President of Rwanda since 2000, was responding to a question about critics who accuse him of clinging to power.

“Democracy is about freedom of choice. If that is the case unless the definition has changed over time, I have never known of any place where democracy has succeeded when principles and ideals have been dictated from the outside,” Mr Kagame said, speaking in an interview on national television.

“They say you have been there too long, but that is none of their business … Rwandans are the ones to make those choices. They have the freedom to do it. But you find that in most cases, the complaints are from outside. These are double standards; it’s even arrogance,” he said.

President Kagame’s comments came days after the country’s National Electoral Commission cleared him and two other candidates to run in the presidential election next month.

Mr Kagame is a candidate of the ruling Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF). His two challengers are Frank Habineza of the opposition Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, and Philippe Mpayimana, an independent candidate.

President Kagame pointed out that the political context of every country matters in politics, adding that lines of thinking are going to be different from one place to another, wondering whether the democracy being practised in Rwanda is the opposite of the description of democracy.

“Some of these countries have strict rules, and they don’t want anybody to interfere in their politics, but they find it easy to get involved in other people’s politics. What sense does it make?”

”If interfering in other people’s affairs is wrong, what gives you the right to go and get involved in other people’s affairs … Some of them are leaders of their own countries in spite of their very low ratings. But that is democracy I’m told,” he added.

Rwandans will go to the polls to elect the president and members of parliament on July 15.

Khartoum and UAE envoys clash at UN Security Council over Sudan civil war

zamobserver
-
0

Sudan and the United Arab Emirates clashed at the UN Security Council on Tuesday over accusations by the army-aligned Sudanese government that the UAE is providing weapons and support to a rival warring party in the country’s 14-month-long conflict.

Sitting next to each other at the Security Council table, UAE UN Ambassador Mohamed Abushahab said Sudan’s UN Ambassador Al-Harith Idriss Al-Harith Mohamed had made “ludicrous” and false allegations designed to distract from “grave violations that are happening on the ground.”

War erupted in April last year between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) over a transition to free elections. The UN says nearly 25 million people – half Sudan’s population – need aid, famine is looming and some eight million people have fled their homes.

“The military aggression launched by the Rapid Support militia, supported with weapons by the Emirates, is deliberately and systematically targeting the villages and cities,” Mohamed told the Security Council.

UN sanctions monitors have described as “credible” accusations that the UAE had provided military support to the RSF. The UAE has denied involvement in military support to any of Sudan’s warring parties.

Without naming any countries, the Security Council adopted a resolution last week that urged countries “to refrain from external interference which seeks to foment conflict and instability” and reminded “member states who facilitate the transfers of arms and military material to Darfur of their obligations to comply with the arms embargo measures.”

The United States says the warring parties have committed war crimes and the RSF and allied militias have also committed crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing.

Abushahab turned to his Sudanese counterpart at the Security Council table and said: “If they seek an end to the conflict and civilian suffering, then why won’t they come to the Jeddah talks? Why are they blocking aid? What are you waiting for?”

“You should stop grandstanding in international fora such as this and instead, take responsibility for ending the conflict you started,” Abushahab added.

Late last month Sudan’s army rejected a call to return to peace talks with the RSF in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Mohamed responded angrily to Abushahab: “Whoever wants to create peace in Sudan must first come with pure intentions and the United Arab Emirates is the state that is sponsoring terrorism.”

Kenya police use tear gas, water cannon as hundreds protest over tax hikes

zamobserver
-
0

Police in Kenya have fired tear gas and used water cannon to disperse protesters gathering near parliament in the capital to demonstrate against planned tax hikes that many fear will worsen the cost-of-living crisis.

Tense scenes played out in Nairobi on Thursday as hundreds took to the streets in opposition to a finance bill, which proposes introducing new taxes and levies that would increase the price of basic goods.

The tax increases were projected to raise 346.7 billion shillings ($2.7bn), equivalent to 1.9 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), and reduce the budget deficit from 5.7 percent to 3.3 percent of GDP.

The cash-strapped government of President William Ruto agreed to make concessions on Tuesday, watering down the bill after hundreds of mostly young protesters clashed with police.

But the government will still go ahead with some tax increases and has defended the proposed hikes as necessary for filling its coffers and cutting reliance on external borrowing.

Protesters have decided to stage demonstrations across the country, including in the Indian Ocean city of Mombasa and the lakeside city of Kisumu, both opposition bastions.

In Nairobi, lawmakers were debating the bill on Thursday in its second reading before parliament. The final version must pass before June 30. Meanwhile, authorities blocked several roads near parliament and made a heavy police deployment.

Reporting from Nairobi’s city centre, Al Jazeera’s Malcolm Webb said demonstrators outnumbered the police in the streets.

“Police are firing a lot of tear gas here this morning … and there is a thick smell of tear gas in the air where we are,” he said. Around him, some people chanted: “Ruto must go!”

“A lot of protesters here are young people, social media users. It looks very different from the kinds of protests that we saw in Kenya just over a year ago called for by the political opposition also about the rising cost of living,” Webb said. “The cost of living has been going up, on and off, since the global pandemic.”

‘Targeting the poor’

Kenyans are “fed up of the increased taxation”, Stella Agara, a Kenyan tax justice activist, told Al Jazeera, adding it “especially increased austerity measures that keep on targeting the poorest of citizens and is becoming very uncomfortable for most of them”.

“But there is now a very interesting group that has been brought to the fore, which is Generation Z … They have been extremely disinterested in the elections, in voting, etc. But for some reason, this time they are very keen and are the ones on the streets protesting increased taxation – especially because of some of the taxes that are going to be imposed on digital content creation, which is a space that they dominate.”

Agara said younger Kenyans have also seen their parents’ financial struggles under “a government that is completely insensitive to their needs”, which is also causing them to react this way.

The presidency announced on Tuesday the removal of proposed levies on bread purchases, car ownership as well as financial and mobile services, prompting a warning from the treasury of a 200-billion-shilling ($1.5bn) shortfall as a result of the budget cuts.

The government has now decided to increase fuel prices and export taxes to fill the void left by the changes, a move critics say will make life more expensive in a country already battling high inflation.

The East African economic powerhouse relies heavily on diesel for transport, power generation and agriculture, while kerosene is used by many households for cooking and lighting.

Tuesday’s protest was largely peaceful, although police also fired volleys of tear gas. At least 335 people were arrested, according to a consortium of lobby groups, including the human rights commission KNCHR and Amnesty Kenya.

Tensions were high in the Kenyan capital as hundreds took to the streets in opposition to a finance bill, in Nairobi, Kenya, on June 20, 2024

Kenya police use tear gas, water cannon as hundreds protest over tax hikes

zamobserver
-
0

Police in Kenya have fired tear gas and used water cannon to disperse protesters gathering near parliament in the capital to demonstrate against planned tax hikes that many fear will worsen the cost-of-living crisis.

Tense scenes played out in Nairobi on Thursday as hundreds took to the streets in opposition to a finance bill, which proposes introducing new taxes and levies that would increase the price of basic goods.

The tax increases were projected to raise 346.7 billion shillings ($2.7bn), equivalent to 1.9 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), and reduce the budget deficit from 5.7 percent to 3.3 percent of GDP.

The cash-strapped government of President William Ruto agreed to make concessions on Tuesday, watering down the bill after hundreds of mostly young protesters clashed with police.

But the government will still go ahead with some tax increases and has defended the proposed hikes as necessary for filling its coffers and cutting reliance on external borrowing.

Protesters have decided to stage demonstrations across the country, including in the Indian Ocean city of Mombasa and the lakeside city of Kisumu, both opposition bastions.

In Nairobi, lawmakers were debating the bill on Thursday in its second reading before parliament. The final version must pass before June 30. Meanwhile, authorities blocked several roads near parliament and made a heavy police deployment.

Reporting from Nairobi’s city centre, Al Jazeera’s Malcolm Webb said demonstrators outnumbered the police in the streets.

“Police are firing a lot of tear gas here this morning … and there is a thick smell of tear gas in the air where we are,” he said. Around him, some people chanted: “Ruto must go!”

“A lot of protesters here are young people, social media users. It looks very different from the kinds of protests that we saw in Kenya just over a year ago called for by the political opposition also about the rising cost of living,” Webb said. “The cost of living has been going up, on and off, since the global pandemic.”

‘Targeting the poor’

Kenyans are “fed up of the increased taxation”, Stella Agara, a Kenyan tax justice activist, told Al Jazeera, adding it “especially increased austerity measures that keep on targeting the poorest of citizens and is becoming very uncomfortable for most of them”.

“But there is now a very interesting group that has been brought to the fore, which is Generation Z … They have been extremely disinterested in the elections, in voting, etc. But for some reason, this time they are very keen and are the ones on the streets protesting increased taxation – especially because of some of the taxes that are going to be imposed on digital content creation, which is a space that they dominate.”

Agara said younger Kenyans have also seen their parents’ financial struggles under “a government that is completely insensitive to their needs”, which is also causing them to react this way.

The presidency announced on Tuesday the removal of proposed levies on bread purchases, car ownership as well as financial and mobile services, prompting a warning from the treasury of a 200-billion-shilling ($1.5bn) shortfall as a result of the budget cuts.

The government has now decided to increase fuel prices and export taxes to fill the void left by the changes, a move critics say will make life more expensive in a country already battling high inflation.

The East African economic powerhouse relies heavily on diesel for transport, power generation and agriculture, while kerosene is used by many households for cooking and lighting.

Tuesday’s protest was largely peaceful, although police also fired volleys of tear gas. At least 335 people were arrested, according to a consortium of lobby groups, including the human rights commission KNCHR and Amnesty Kenya.

Tensions were high in the Kenyan capital as hundreds took to the streets in opposition to a finance bill, in Nairobi, Kenya, on June 20, 2024

South African MP suspended for racist language

zamobserver
-
0

A South African lawmaker has been suspended by his party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), after a series of old clips resurfaced online of him spewing violent racist language against black people.

Renaldo Gouws initially insinuated one of the videos was doctored and denied it but a statement issued by the DA on Thursday said it was “genuine and not a fake”.

In the video Mr Gouws, who was sworn into parliament last week, uses a local slur typically reserved for Black Africans repeatedly along with the n-word, and calls for black people to be killed.

This could hardly have come at a worse time for President Cyril Ramaphosa as he thrashes out a new coalition government with the DA.

After being sworn in for a second full term as president on Wednesday, he now has to agreed on the distribution of ministerial posts between his own African National Congress (ANC) and the DA, along with three smaller parties.

The ANC failed to win a majority in last month’s election for the first time since the end of the racist system of apartheid in 1994.

The centre-right DA the country’s second-biggest party, has faced accusations of racism from critics who say the party wants to protect the interests of the white-minority population – a charge it denies.

The DA has said Mr Gouws will face “disciplinary charges”.
Earlier this week, another old video clip re-emerged, in which Mr Gouws makes racially charged remarks.

In the video he implied that white people were subject to reverse apartheid.

He said: “If Africa had to disappear off the face of the earth, no one would [expletive] notice”.

More than 40,000 people have signed an online petition calling for his removal as an MP.

On Monday, after the first clip came out, the 41-year-old claimed he wasn’t racist and apologised on X, saying he had spoken in a “crass” and “hostile” way.

“I refute any claims of racism or being a racist. I can however see how my message was distorted in the way it was delivered by me and I take full responsibility for the actions of my younger and immature self,” he said.

DA leader John Steenhuisen previously defended Mr Gouws, but it is unclear if he has seen the latest video where Mr Gouws calls for black people to be killed.

Senior DA official and former party leader Helen Zille on Wednesday told local media: “Such language is unjustifiable and unacceptable. I don’t see how such offensive language can be justified.”

Mr Gouws is a former councillor in Nelson Mandela Bay’s ward two and popular figure on social media, who has been known to stir controversy.

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) said it would take legal action against Mr Gouws “for the alleged racial utterances relating to online media posts”.

In a statement shared on X, the SAHRC concluded that the comments made by the suspended MP “constitute hate speech and/or harassment”.

“Given Mr Gouw’s position as a Member of Parliament, his alleged actions carry even greater weight and responsibility.”

The coalition between long-time rivals the ANC and DA, officially called a Government of National Unity, has been harshly criticised by some since it was announced last week.

Julius Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), who formed the party after he left the ANC in 2013, lambasted the agreement.

“We do not agree to this marriage of convenience, to consolidate the white monopoly power over the economy and the means of production in South Africa.”
Former President Jacob Zuma and founder of uMkhonto weSizwe (MK), which came third in the recent election, shared the same sentiments.

He said there was no government of national unity in South Africa and described the partnership as a “white-led unholy alliance between the DA and the ANC of Ramaphosa”.

South Africa’s business community has broadly welcomed the coalition government, hoping it will provide economic stability.

In his inauguration speech, President Ramaphosa vowed to deliver economic growth, provide jobs and reduce inequality in the country.

South African MP suspended for racist language

zamobserver
-
0

A South African lawmaker has been suspended by his party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), after a series of old clips resurfaced online of him spewing violent racist language against black people.

Renaldo Gouws initially insinuated one of the videos was doctored and denied it but a statement issued by the DA on Thursday said it was “genuine and not a fake”.

In the video Mr Gouws, who was sworn into parliament last week, uses a local slur typically reserved for Black Africans repeatedly along with the n-word, and calls for black people to be killed.

This could hardly have come at a worse time for President Cyril Ramaphosa as he thrashes out a new coalition government with the DA.

After being sworn in for a second full term as president on Wednesday, he now has to agreed on the distribution of ministerial posts between his own African National Congress (ANC) and the DA, along with three smaller parties.

The ANC failed to win a majority in last month’s election for the first time since the end of the racist system of apartheid in 1994.

The centre-right DA the country’s second-biggest party, has faced accusations of racism from critics who say the party wants to protect the interests of the white-minority population – a charge it denies.

The DA has said Mr Gouws will face “disciplinary charges”.
Earlier this week, another old video clip re-emerged, in which Mr Gouws makes racially charged remarks.

In the video he implied that white people were subject to reverse apartheid.

He said: “If Africa had to disappear off the face of the earth, no one would [expletive] notice”.

More than 40,000 people have signed an online petition calling for his removal as an MP.

On Monday, after the first clip came out, the 41-year-old claimed he wasn’t racist and apologised on X, saying he had spoken in a “crass” and “hostile” way.

“I refute any claims of racism or being a racist. I can however see how my message was distorted in the way it was delivered by me and I take full responsibility for the actions of my younger and immature self,” he said.

DA leader John Steenhuisen previously defended Mr Gouws, but it is unclear if he has seen the latest video where Mr Gouws calls for black people to be killed.

Senior DA official and former party leader Helen Zille on Wednesday told local media: “Such language is unjustifiable and unacceptable. I don’t see how such offensive language can be justified.”

Mr Gouws is a former councillor in Nelson Mandela Bay’s ward two and popular figure on social media, who has been known to stir controversy.

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) said it would take legal action against Mr Gouws “for the alleged racial utterances relating to online media posts”.

In a statement shared on X, the SAHRC concluded that the comments made by the suspended MP “constitute hate speech and/or harassment”.

“Given Mr Gouw’s position as a Member of Parliament, his alleged actions carry even greater weight and responsibility.”

The coalition between long-time rivals the ANC and DA, officially called a Government of National Unity, has been harshly criticised by some since it was announced last week.

Julius Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), who formed the party after he left the ANC in 2013, lambasted the agreement.

“We do not agree to this marriage of convenience, to consolidate the white monopoly power over the economy and the means of production in South Africa.”
Former President Jacob Zuma and founder of uMkhonto weSizwe (MK), which came third in the recent election, shared the same sentiments.

He said there was no government of national unity in South Africa and described the partnership as a “white-led unholy alliance between the DA and the ANC of Ramaphosa”.

South Africa’s business community has broadly welcomed the coalition government, hoping it will provide economic stability.

In his inauguration speech, President Ramaphosa vowed to deliver economic growth, provide jobs and reduce inequality in the country.

Billy Ray Cyrus hit back at his estranged wife Firerose after she accused him of psychologically abusing her

zamobserver
-
0

Billy Ray Cyrus hit back at his estranged wife Firerose after she accused him of psychologically abusing her and leaving her one day before her planned double mastectomy.

The country singer, 62, filed new legal documents amid her claims, alleging that she misled him on who she was or her real last name, per TMZ.

Billy said he grew suspicious of her background and the last name she gave him, and his attorneys then found her previous divorce that she never told him about, and her legal surname.

He also alleged that Firerose isolated him from one of his daughters – but doesn’t name which one – and that she got involved in his personal affairs with ill intentions.

Cyrus filed for divorce from Firerose, 37, following just seven months of marriage on May 23. He cited ‘irreconcilable differences’ and ‘inappropriate marital conduct’ as what led to their split.

Billy claims that Firerose tried to use his name to further her own musical career.

She had alleged that he submitted her to verbal and emotional abuse after she told him she had to get a double mastectomy and that he changed his behaviour toward her, per TMZ.

Firerose claimed that Billy said he would pay for it and she had to scramble after he filed for divorce.

She claimed in the weeks leading up to her preventative double mastectomy and reconstruction surgery, recommended by her doctor in March, were ‘chaos.’

The performer, who is a carrier of the BRCA1 gene mutation, also alleged that her spouse ‘continuously launched verbal assaults’ at her and placed her ‘into an emotional and psychological prison.’

‘When Wife would attempt to voice certain concerns, Husband would often call her a ‘selfish fking bch’ and continually alleged that she was using him,’ the complaint read.

Firerose claims that less than 24 hours before she was supposed to undergo surgery, he filed for divorce, and that ‘Cyrus’s brother and sister-in-law banged on her bedroom door for three-and-a-half hours that day demanding she leave their shared home.’

She said she did and made the decision to postpone her surgery ‘indefinitely’ as she no longer has a permanent residence and ‘was allegedly relying on Cyrus’ health insurance and previous promises to pay for her surgery.’

Firerose, who is requesting alimony from Cyrus, proceeded to accuse Cyrus of intentionally trying to sabotage her career ‘in retaliation.’

‘The accumulation of years of verbal, emotional, and psychological abuse, combined with the fact that Husband has had a direct hand in restricting Wife’s access to income and future opportunities, Wife has developed severe emotional distress from Husband’s actions,’ the complaint read.

‘Wife has had to seek psychological treatment from her therapist for emergency sessions on more than one occasion.’

Cyrus’s attorneys denied Firerose’s claims.

‘We regret that Ms. Hodges has chosen to litigate this 7-month marriage in the press and has left Mr. Cyrus with no recourse but to set the record straight,’ his lawyers said in a statement. ‘The allegations that Ms. Hodges states in her answer and counter-complaint are especially confusing and suspicious in its veracity since she begged Mr. Cyrus to forgive her and take her back only 2 days after he filed his pleadings to dissolve his marriage.’

Cyrus’s representatives went on to claim that when ‘Mr. Cyrus returned to his home 2 days after Ms. Hodges was required, by Court Order, to vacate his residence of over 25 years and allowed him to return, he discovered a handwritten note from Ms. Hodges professing her love and need to be with Mr. Cyrus.’

Cyrus’ attorneys concluded: ‘If Mr. Cyrus was truly guilty of the allegations that Ms. Hodges alleges in her pleadings, then it is mindboggling to try and explain why she would want to return to live with him. Furthermore, she was pleading with him to give her a chance to explain everything to him.’

Firerose’s claims ‘are especially confusing and suspicious in its veracity since she begged Cyrus to forgive her and take her back only two days after he filed his pleadings to dissolve his marriage,’ reps for Billy Ray Cyrus said in a statement to DailyMail.com Tuesday.

Billy Ray Cyrus hit back at his estranged wife Firerose after she accused him of psychologically abusing her

zamobserver
-
0

Billy Ray Cyrus hit back at his estranged wife Firerose after she accused him of psychologically abusing her and leaving her one day before her planned double mastectomy.

The country singer, 62, filed new legal documents amid her claims, alleging that she misled him on who she was or her real last name, per TMZ.

Billy said he grew suspicious of her background and the last name she gave him, and his attorneys then found her previous divorce that she never told him about, and her legal surname.

He also alleged that Firerose isolated him from one of his daughters – but doesn’t name which one – and that she got involved in his personal affairs with ill intentions.

Cyrus filed for divorce from Firerose, 37, following just seven months of marriage on May 23. He cited ‘irreconcilable differences’ and ‘inappropriate marital conduct’ as what led to their split.

Billy claims that Firerose tried to use his name to further her own musical career.

She had alleged that he submitted her to verbal and emotional abuse after she told him she had to get a double mastectomy and that he changed his behaviour toward her, per TMZ.

Firerose claimed that Billy said he would pay for it and she had to scramble after he filed for divorce.

She claimed in the weeks leading up to her preventative double mastectomy and reconstruction surgery, recommended by her doctor in March, were ‘chaos.’

The performer, who is a carrier of the BRCA1 gene mutation, also alleged that her spouse ‘continuously launched verbal assaults’ at her and placed her ‘into an emotional and psychological prison.’

‘When Wife would attempt to voice certain concerns, Husband would often call her a ‘selfish fking bch’ and continually alleged that she was using him,’ the complaint read.

Firerose claims that less than 24 hours before she was supposed to undergo surgery, he filed for divorce, and that ‘Cyrus’s brother and sister-in-law banged on her bedroom door for three-and-a-half hours that day demanding she leave their shared home.’

She said she did and made the decision to postpone her surgery ‘indefinitely’ as she no longer has a permanent residence and ‘was allegedly relying on Cyrus’ health insurance and previous promises to pay for her surgery.’

Firerose, who is requesting alimony from Cyrus, proceeded to accuse Cyrus of intentionally trying to sabotage her career ‘in retaliation.’

‘The accumulation of years of verbal, emotional, and psychological abuse, combined with the fact that Husband has had a direct hand in restricting Wife’s access to income and future opportunities, Wife has developed severe emotional distress from Husband’s actions,’ the complaint read.

‘Wife has had to seek psychological treatment from her therapist for emergency sessions on more than one occasion.’

Cyrus’s attorneys denied Firerose’s claims.

‘We regret that Ms. Hodges has chosen to litigate this 7-month marriage in the press and has left Mr. Cyrus with no recourse but to set the record straight,’ his lawyers said in a statement. ‘The allegations that Ms. Hodges states in her answer and counter-complaint are especially confusing and suspicious in its veracity since she begged Mr. Cyrus to forgive her and take her back only 2 days after he filed his pleadings to dissolve his marriage.’

Cyrus’s representatives went on to claim that when ‘Mr. Cyrus returned to his home 2 days after Ms. Hodges was required, by Court Order, to vacate his residence of over 25 years and allowed him to return, he discovered a handwritten note from Ms. Hodges professing her love and need to be with Mr. Cyrus.’

Cyrus’ attorneys concluded: ‘If Mr. Cyrus was truly guilty of the allegations that Ms. Hodges alleges in her pleadings, then it is mindboggling to try and explain why she would want to return to live with him. Furthermore, she was pleading with him to give her a chance to explain everything to him.’

Firerose’s claims ‘are especially confusing and suspicious in its veracity since she begged Cyrus to forgive her and take her back only two days after he filed his pleadings to dissolve his marriage,’ reps for Billy Ray Cyrus said in a statement to DailyMail.com Tuesday.

Alec Baldwin once fired a blank round at a crew member on the set of “Rust,” prosecutors alleged in new court papers

zamobserver
-
0

Alec Baldwin once fired a blank round at a crew member on the set of “Rust,” prosecutors alleged in new court papers, as they accused the actor of being reckless with firearms while filming.

Prosecutors in the New Mexico involuntary manslaughter case against the “30 Rock” star said they plan to bring evidence at his trial — slated to begin on July 9 showing that Baldwin had a history of flouting safety protocols on set, which led to Halyna Hutchins’ tragic shooting death in 2021.

One such reckless moment came when Baldwin, 66, pointed his gun and fired “a blank round at a crew member” while he held the person target in his line of sight, prosecutors alleged in the filing.

Other examples of Baldwin ignoring safety procedures between Oct. 12, 2021 up until the day of the shooting included him using his gun as a pointer; firing the weapon after filming was over in violation of safety rules; holding his finger on the trigger in scenes that didn’t require it; rushing armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed to reload his gun faster; and being on FaceTime with his family and making videos for them during firearms training, the court papers claimed.

And before filming even started, Baldwin who is one of the producers and the leading actor in the movie — “asked to be assigned the ‘biggest’ gun available,” the filing alleged.


Prosecutors said they have photos and videos of Baldwin acting carefree on set, that they plan to show a jury.

In one clip, he “can be seen engaging in horseplay with his gun and pulling his gun when the scene did not call for the pulling of his gun,” the papers claimed. “When he pulls his gun the muzzle of the gun is pointed directly at another actor.”

Prosecutors said many clips show an angry and aggressive Baldwin, who can also be seen halting filming to yell and swear at the crew.

“Mr. Baldwin can be seen screaming intermittently throughout the attempts at filming the scene,” the filing claimed. “He exercises complete control over the set by stopping the acting sequence, cursing loudly and rushing the other cast and crew.”

When pieced up, this “intrinsic evidence” of Baldwin’s “other acts” leading up to Hutchins’ death shows that the incident wasn’t an “accident or mistake” — as Baldwin has maintained all along, prosecutors said.

During a rehearsal on the set of the Western film, Baldwin aimed his revolver in the direction of cinematographer Hutchins when it fired, killing her and wounding director Joel Souza.

Baldwin pleaded not guilty and faces up to 1 and 1/2 years if convicted.

The film’s Armorer Gutierrez-Reed, 26, was sentenced to 18 months behind bars in April after her conviction on the same charge Baldwin now faces.

Scientists have found microplastics in human p3n!ses for the first time

zamobserver
-
0

Scientists have found microplastics in human penises for the first time, as concerns over the tiny particles’ proliferation and potential health effects continue to pile up.

Microplastics are polymer fragments that can range from less than 0.2 inches (5 millimetres) down to 1/25,000th of an inch (1 micrometre). Anything smaller is a nanoplastic that must be measured in billionths of a meter. They form when larger plastics break down, either by chemically degrading or physically wearing them down into smaller pieces.

Seven different kinds of microplastics were found in four out of five samples of penis tissue taken from five different men as part of a study published in IJIR: Your Sexual Medicine Journal on Wednesday, June 19.

Some minuscule particles can invade individual cells and tissues in major organs, experts say, and evidence is mounting that they are increasingly present in our bodies.

Study lead author, Ranjith Ramasamy, working at the University of Miami said that he used a previous study that found evidence of microplastics in the human heart as a basis for his research.

Ramasamy said he wasn’t surprised to find microplastics in the penis, as it is a “very vascular organ,” like the heart.

The samples were taken from study participants who had been diagnosed with erectile dysfunction (ED) and were in the hospital to undergo surgery for penile implants to treat the condition at the University of Miami between August and September 2023.

The samples were then analyzed using chemical imaging, which revealed that four of the five men had microplastics in their penile tissue.

Seven different types of microplastics were detected, with polyethene terephthalate (PET) and polypropylene (PP) being the most prevalent, according to the study.

“We need to identify whether microplastics are linked to ED and if there is a level beyond which it causes pathology and what types of microplastics are pathologic,” he said to CNN.

As for the wider implications of the findings, Ramasamy said he hoped the study would “create more awareness about the presence of foreign bodies within human organs and foster more research surrounding this topic.”

In the past, research has found that one liter of bottled water, the equivalent of two standard-size bottled waters contained an average of 240,000 plastic particles.

“I think we need to be mindful about consuming water and food from plastic bottles and containers and try and limit the use until more research is done to identify levels that could cause pathology,” Ramasamy said.

Toxicologist Matthew J. Campen added;

“As we are trying to understand the potential health effects of plastics, this is another concerning paper,” said Campen, a regents’ professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, who wasn’t involved in the research.


“Plastics are generally non-reactive with the cells and chemicals of our bodies, but they could be physically disruptive to the many processes our bodies undertake for normal function, including functions related to erection and sperm production.”

Scientists have found microplastics in human p3n!ses for the first time

zamobserver
-
0

Scientists have found microplastics in human penises for the first time, as concerns over the tiny particles’ proliferation and potential health effects continue to pile up.

Microplastics are polymer fragments that can range from less than 0.2 inches (5 millimetres) down to 1/25,000th of an inch (1 micrometre). Anything smaller is a nanoplastic that must be measured in billionths of a meter. They form when larger plastics break down, either by chemically degrading or physically wearing them down into smaller pieces.

Seven different kinds of microplastics were found in four out of five samples of penis tissue taken from five different men as part of a study published in IJIR: Your Sexual Medicine Journal on Wednesday, June 19.

Some minuscule particles can invade individual cells and tissues in major organs, experts say, and evidence is mounting that they are increasingly present in our bodies.

Study lead author, Ranjith Ramasamy, working at the University of Miami said that he used a previous study that found evidence of microplastics in the human heart as a basis for his research.

Ramasamy said he wasn’t surprised to find microplastics in the penis, as it is a “very vascular organ,” like the heart.

The samples were taken from study participants who had been diagnosed with erectile dysfunction (ED) and were in the hospital to undergo surgery for penile implants to treat the condition at the University of Miami between August and September 2023.

The samples were then analyzed using chemical imaging, which revealed that four of the five men had microplastics in their penile tissue.

Seven different types of microplastics were detected, with polyethene terephthalate (PET) and polypropylene (PP) being the most prevalent, according to the study.

“We need to identify whether microplastics are linked to ED and if there is a level beyond which it causes pathology and what types of microplastics are pathologic,” he said to CNN.

As for the wider implications of the findings, Ramasamy said he hoped the study would “create more awareness about the presence of foreign bodies within human organs and foster more research surrounding this topic.”

In the past, research has found that one liter of bottled water, the equivalent of two standard-size bottled waters contained an average of 240,000 plastic particles.

“I think we need to be mindful about consuming water and food from plastic bottles and containers and try and limit the use until more research is done to identify levels that could cause pathology,” Ramasamy said.

Toxicologist Matthew J. Campen added;

“As we are trying to understand the potential health effects of plastics, this is another concerning paper,” said Campen, a regents’ professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, who wasn’t involved in the research.


“Plastics are generally non-reactive with the cells and chemicals of our bodies, but they could be physically disruptive to the many processes our bodies undertake for normal function, including functions related to erection and sperm production.”

102-year-old Holocaust survivor stars on the cover of Vogue Germany

zamobserver
-
0

A 102-year-old Holocaust survivor whose family was murdered at Auschwitz during World War II is the cover star for the July/August edition of Vogue Germany.

Margot Friedländer, née Bendheim, was born in Berlin in 1921.

According to a brief bio on the website of Berlin’s Jewish Museum,Friedländer spent the early part of the war with her mother and younger brother Ralph after her parents separated. They had plans to flee Germany but in 1943 her brother was arrested by the Gestapo.

Her mother confronted the Gestapo, leading to her deportation to Auschwitz with her son, where they were both murdered.

Before her deportation to Auschwitz, the mum left behind a message for her then 21-year-old daughter that read: “Try to make your life.”

102-year-old Holocaust survivor stars on the cover of Vogue Germany (photos)

Friedländer, went into hiding but was ultimately betrayed by “catchers” and was sent to Theresienstadt camp in the then-Nazi occupied Czechoslovakia in 1944, according to the museum.

In her interview with Vogue Germany, Friedländer said: “I am grateful. Grateful that I made it. For being able to fulfill my mother’s wish. That I have made my life.”

Vogue Germany said they’d met with Friedländer four times in 2024 and that the cover pictures were shot in April at the Botanical Garden in Berlin.

Friedländer met her future husband, Adolf, while in the Nazi concentration camp, and married him soon after liberation.

The pair emigrated to the US in 1946 and lived in New York for more than six decades. But in 2010, following her husband’s death aged 88, Friedländer moved back to Berlin.

Kerstin Weng, head of editorial content at Vovue, said that the theme of the issue was love, featuring their “favorite pieces, favorite people.” The front of the collector’s issue includes the word “love” written by Friedländer, as well as her signature.

Weng said: “The most positive person I know is on this issue’s cover: Margot Friedländer. To many she is known as a Holocaust survivor. But she not only survived the Nazis, she also overcame betrayal and loss. She would have all reason to be bitter, but remains open-minded and refuses to take sides. She stands up against forgetting and for humanity and togetherness.

“At 102, she seeks to engage with the younger generation and proves that dialogue is still possible.”

102-year-old Holocaust survivor stars on the cover of Vogue Germany

zamobserver
-
0

A 102-year-old Holocaust survivor whose family was murdered at Auschwitz during World War II is the cover star for the July/August edition of Vogue Germany.

Margot Friedländer, née Bendheim, was born in Berlin in 1921.

According to a brief bio on the website of Berlin’s Jewish Museum,Friedländer spent the early part of the war with her mother and younger brother Ralph after her parents separated. They had plans to flee Germany but in 1943 her brother was arrested by the Gestapo.

Her mother confronted the Gestapo, leading to her deportation to Auschwitz with her son, where they were both murdered.

Before her deportation to Auschwitz, the mum left behind a message for her then 21-year-old daughter that read: “Try to make your life.”

102-year-old Holocaust survivor stars on the cover of Vogue Germany (photos)

Friedländer, went into hiding but was ultimately betrayed by “catchers” and was sent to Theresienstadt camp in the then-Nazi occupied Czechoslovakia in 1944, according to the museum.

In her interview with Vogue Germany, Friedländer said: “I am grateful. Grateful that I made it. For being able to fulfill my mother’s wish. That I have made my life.”

Vogue Germany said they’d met with Friedländer four times in 2024 and that the cover pictures were shot in April at the Botanical Garden in Berlin.

Friedländer met her future husband, Adolf, while in the Nazi concentration camp, and married him soon after liberation.

The pair emigrated to the US in 1946 and lived in New York for more than six decades. But in 2010, following her husband’s death aged 88, Friedländer moved back to Berlin.

Kerstin Weng, head of editorial content at Vovue, said that the theme of the issue was love, featuring their “favorite pieces, favorite people.” The front of the collector’s issue includes the word “love” written by Friedländer, as well as her signature.

Weng said: “The most positive person I know is on this issue’s cover: Margot Friedländer. To many she is known as a Holocaust survivor. But she not only survived the Nazis, she also overcame betrayal and loss. She would have all reason to be bitter, but remains open-minded and refuses to take sides. She stands up against forgetting and for humanity and togetherness.

“At 102, she seeks to engage with the younger generation and proves that dialogue is still possible.”

HH’s Reward to incriminate Lungu for any Capital Offense is “paradise”: My Offer to become a State Witness against ECL in the Gassing Case was “milk and honey eternally”- Dr. Chris Zumani

zamobserver
-
0

POLICE TORTURED US

HH’s Reward to incriminate Lungu for any Capital Offense is “paradise”: My Offer to become a State Witness against ECL in the Gassing Case was “milk and honey eternally”

By Dr. Chris Zumani Zimba

…..When I was taken to Woodlands police station for questioning in May 2023, l was interested to know why. Upon arrival, the officers from “Crime One-Police HQ” were instructed to charge me for “Possession of terrorist articles”. My lawyers asked if I was searched on my body, car or house and found with such articles. I was equally shocked because there was no point in my entire life I ever possessed terrorist or harmful chemicals….

1. I was detained immediately and left to sleep in the cold. The following day, l was jointly and officially arrested on the same charges and made news headlines everywhere. The police issued statements and ZNBC, Koswe, Zambia Watchdog, Prime TV, Kalemba, etc classified me as “The Master Minder of Gassing” in Zambia. But in all these stupid noise in the media, God said “do not be afraid, fear not”. Everyone who visited me was shocked that I was so relaxed and at peace-I knew I was as clean as KK’s white hand cloth.

2. Out of the three co-accused, I only knew one person-the other two were total strangers to me. I only met them at Woodlands police on the day we were jointly arrested. They introduced themselves to me and immediately started to tell me how much they were being forced to implicate me in their charges and as an offer to set them free. The wicked Dr. Zimba they were asked to “just implicate” was totally different from the sober and Christian Zimba they now met and were talking to in terms of stature, behavior and personality.

3. “I am humbled to meet you gentlemen. As for me, it is well and only pray for heaven to expose and defeat this political nonsense as soon as possible”, l calmly responded to them. Many people came through to offer Christian prayers, political solidarity and others with traditional juju solutions of course. But I always told my lawyers, family and close friends that “here, only God through prayer and fasting will defeat and expose King Nebuchadnezzar, nothing else. Only light fights and defeats darkness”.

4. Note that, a month before I was arrested, State House and UPND folks amended the 2018 terrorism law to make terrorist offenses non bailable and with the sentence of life imprisonment because they were specifically targeting Lungu. And foolishly, PF MPs seconded and approved it out of ignorance. So, things were changing very fast and the devil was so happy thinking he was winning against heaven. This either never moved me! I was sure that “my God reigns and will powerfully scatter Satan into shameful pieces”.

5. During my first one month detention when I was illegally moved from police to prison and back to police without appearing before any judge or magistrate, my co accused told me many stories about their ‘state offers’ to implicate me and win big. Even some of their close family members were talked to with offers to convince them. But they all refused to run with falsehoods. “How can we go to court and say false things against an innocent person before intelligent lawyers, journalists and the public?”, they said.

6. “If you agree to become a state witness against Zimba, you will be free and will become rich. Just say he used to give us a lot of money to gass people and you will be free and compensated heavily afterwards”, they told me such were promises offered to them. But they all refused to accept becoming false state witnesses against a person they never met in 2020 or before May 2024. As I said, apart from one person, the rest were total strangers to me!

7. One of a former state house staff who was attached to my office equally suffered similar mistreatment last year. He was brutally arrested and kept in custody at “command center” for interrogations. They tried everything to persuade him to agree that I used to give him money to go and gas people. He totally refused as nothing of that nature ever happened during my time at state house. Thereafter, he was released but consequently removed from State House to work from very far as punishment. Today, he is an outcast in civil service!

8. In like manner, one of my co accused was even heavily tortured during initial interrogations at “Command Center” just to mention my name as well as the former president in his charges. They even openly told him that “we are not after you, we are after Zimba and Lungu through you. This project is high profile and highly funded”, he reported to me when we meet in custody.

9. Whilst at Woodlands police station, l was visited by some trusted relative openly associated with UPND. He asked me if I was willing to help myself and be free because my children were too young. So, l agreed to hear the story or any suggestions. He explained that l was not the target but my former boss. He offered that if I agree to turn as a state witness against ECL and only say he was funding gassing, then l will not just be free, but that I will live outside Zambia anywhere with properties and businesses in many countries. Politely, I said “before God and man, I am not for sale”. I found the idea so humanly wicked that I didn’t want any discussion.

10. So, after 30 days in detention, they proceeded to present me before the magistrate court for mention and committed to the high court for trial. After some months when l was in prison at Mwembeshi, another elderly relative engaged me again in a company of someone I didn’t know. Sadly, the story and offer was the same. Again, I made my position clear, “if they want to fix ECL, let them find someone else to use. I cannot crucify an innocent person for the sake of wealth-try next door”. End of discussion, I walked out and left them.

11. Despite knowing that they had zero evidence against me, the state maliciously kept on detaining me in prison and dragging the case before the court by gambling to secure an “accidental conviction”. Now I knew that I was being punished for refusing to cooperate in helping the state to fix Lungu. But by God’s grace, on 1st December, 2023, l was acquitted by the Lusaka High Court alongside my co-accused of all the malicious charges and set free to liberty for Heaven’s testimony!

12. Throughput my trial, I was assured by God’s words in Isaiah 55:8-9. The Bible says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts”. For me, God’s word such as the captioned was more important in my life than whatever any human being said or whatever any media reported! So, all these malicious political charges didn’t shake or intimidate at all.

Hence, every time I think of my seven months traumatic experience of being maliciously arrested, detained and kept in prison last year, my only conclusion is HH’s Reward to incriminate Lungu for any Capital Offense is “paradise” itself. The offers I was given if I accepted to become a State Witness against ECL in the Gassing Case was like “milk and honey eternally”. It shows as well as explains the extent to which UPND and State House politically hates and fears Lungu to appear on the ballot against HH in 2026.

If HH is to find anyone who is going to incriminate Lungu on any serious charge that sends the former president to jail and consequently disqualifies ECL from contesting the 2026 presidential elections, Bally may be willing to give such a person the highest reward in Zambia with any other expensive gift one can think of. Throughout that seven months prison experience of 2023, I fully realized that my malicious arrest was purely designed to get to Lungu, imprison and block him politically so that Bally has a clear path for himself. To me, it was political vengeance, anger and hatred at its best and worst between Bally and Lungu!

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

HH’s Reward to incriminate Lungu for any Capital Offense is “paradise”: My Offer to become a State Witness against ECL in the Gassing Case was “milk and honey eternally”- Dr. Chris Zumani

zamobserver
-
0

POLICE TORTURED US

HH’s Reward to incriminate Lungu for any Capital Offense is “paradise”: My Offer to become a State Witness against ECL in the Gassing Case was “milk and honey eternally”

By Dr. Chris Zumani Zimba

…..When I was taken to Woodlands police station for questioning in May 2023, l was interested to know why. Upon arrival, the officers from “Crime One-Police HQ” were instructed to charge me for “Possession of terrorist articles”. My lawyers asked if I was searched on my body, car or house and found with such articles. I was equally shocked because there was no point in my entire life I ever possessed terrorist or harmful chemicals….

1. I was detained immediately and left to sleep in the cold. The following day, l was jointly and officially arrested on the same charges and made news headlines everywhere. The police issued statements and ZNBC, Koswe, Zambia Watchdog, Prime TV, Kalemba, etc classified me as “The Master Minder of Gassing” in Zambia. But in all these stupid noise in the media, God said “do not be afraid, fear not”. Everyone who visited me was shocked that I was so relaxed and at peace-I knew I was as clean as KK’s white hand cloth.

2. Out of the three co-accused, I only knew one person-the other two were total strangers to me. I only met them at Woodlands police on the day we were jointly arrested. They introduced themselves to me and immediately started to tell me how much they were being forced to implicate me in their charges and as an offer to set them free. The wicked Dr. Zimba they were asked to “just implicate” was totally different from the sober and Christian Zimba they now met and were talking to in terms of stature, behavior and personality.

3. “I am humbled to meet you gentlemen. As for me, it is well and only pray for heaven to expose and defeat this political nonsense as soon as possible”, l calmly responded to them. Many people came through to offer Christian prayers, political solidarity and others with traditional juju solutions of course. But I always told my lawyers, family and close friends that “here, only God through prayer and fasting will defeat and expose King Nebuchadnezzar, nothing else. Only light fights and defeats darkness”.

4. Note that, a month before I was arrested, State House and UPND folks amended the 2018 terrorism law to make terrorist offenses non bailable and with the sentence of life imprisonment because they were specifically targeting Lungu. And foolishly, PF MPs seconded and approved it out of ignorance. So, things were changing very fast and the devil was so happy thinking he was winning against heaven. This either never moved me! I was sure that “my God reigns and will powerfully scatter Satan into shameful pieces”.

5. During my first one month detention when I was illegally moved from police to prison and back to police without appearing before any judge or magistrate, my co accused told me many stories about their ‘state offers’ to implicate me and win big. Even some of their close family members were talked to with offers to convince them. But they all refused to run with falsehoods. “How can we go to court and say false things against an innocent person before intelligent lawyers, journalists and the public?”, they said.

6. “If you agree to become a state witness against Zimba, you will be free and will become rich. Just say he used to give us a lot of money to gass people and you will be free and compensated heavily afterwards”, they told me such were promises offered to them. But they all refused to accept becoming false state witnesses against a person they never met in 2020 or before May 2024. As I said, apart from one person, the rest were total strangers to me!

7. One of a former state house staff who was attached to my office equally suffered similar mistreatment last year. He was brutally arrested and kept in custody at “command center” for interrogations. They tried everything to persuade him to agree that I used to give him money to go and gas people. He totally refused as nothing of that nature ever happened during my time at state house. Thereafter, he was released but consequently removed from State House to work from very far as punishment. Today, he is an outcast in civil service!

8. In like manner, one of my co accused was even heavily tortured during initial interrogations at “Command Center” just to mention my name as well as the former president in his charges. They even openly told him that “we are not after you, we are after Zimba and Lungu through you. This project is high profile and highly funded”, he reported to me when we meet in custody.

9. Whilst at Woodlands police station, l was visited by some trusted relative openly associated with UPND. He asked me if I was willing to help myself and be free because my children were too young. So, l agreed to hear the story or any suggestions. He explained that l was not the target but my former boss. He offered that if I agree to turn as a state witness against ECL and only say he was funding gassing, then l will not just be free, but that I will live outside Zambia anywhere with properties and businesses in many countries. Politely, I said “before God and man, I am not for sale”. I found the idea so humanly wicked that I didn’t want any discussion.

10. So, after 30 days in detention, they proceeded to present me before the magistrate court for mention and committed to the high court for trial. After some months when l was in prison at Mwembeshi, another elderly relative engaged me again in a company of someone I didn’t know. Sadly, the story and offer was the same. Again, I made my position clear, “if they want to fix ECL, let them find someone else to use. I cannot crucify an innocent person for the sake of wealth-try next door”. End of discussion, I walked out and left them.

11. Despite knowing that they had zero evidence against me, the state maliciously kept on detaining me in prison and dragging the case before the court by gambling to secure an “accidental conviction”. Now I knew that I was being punished for refusing to cooperate in helping the state to fix Lungu. But by God’s grace, on 1st December, 2023, l was acquitted by the Lusaka High Court alongside my co-accused of all the malicious charges and set free to liberty for Heaven’s testimony!

12. Throughput my trial, I was assured by God’s words in Isaiah 55:8-9. The Bible says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts”. For me, God’s word such as the captioned was more important in my life than whatever any human being said or whatever any media reported! So, all these malicious political charges didn’t shake or intimidate at all.

Hence, every time I think of my seven months traumatic experience of being maliciously arrested, detained and kept in prison last year, my only conclusion is HH’s Reward to incriminate Lungu for any Capital Offense is “paradise” itself. The offers I was given if I accepted to become a State Witness against ECL in the Gassing Case was like “milk and honey eternally”. It shows as well as explains the extent to which UPND and State House politically hates and fears Lungu to appear on the ballot against HH in 2026.

If HH is to find anyone who is going to incriminate Lungu on any serious charge that sends the former president to jail and consequently disqualifies ECL from contesting the 2026 presidential elections, Bally may be willing to give such a person the highest reward in Zambia with any other expensive gift one can think of. Throughout that seven months prison experience of 2023, I fully realized that my malicious arrest was purely designed to get to Lungu, imprison and block him politically so that Bally has a clear path for himself. To me, it was political vengeance, anger and hatred at its best and worst between Bally and Lungu!

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

HICHILEMA IS NOT WORTHY OF OCCUPYING THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT – NAKACINDA

zamobserver
-
0

HICHILEMA IS NOT WORTHY OF OCCUPYING THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT – NAKACINDA

Thur. Jun 20, 2024/ Smart Eagles

….says HH is a full-blown dictator and a sadist who thrives on people’s misery…

Patriotic Front Secretary General Hon. Raphael Nakacinda has described President Hakainde Hichilema as a sadist who relishes in the agony of others .

Nakacinda said real leadership rejoices in the happiness of others and that Zambia’s 7th President was the exact opposite of what true leadership stands for because instead of being empathetic to the plight of others , he enjoyed seeing people suffer.

Nakacinda said the curious case of Petauke Lawmaker, Hon. JJ Banda had exposed President Hichilema as a man incapable of empathy.

Nakacinda said this on Hot FMs, the hot seat, where he featured this morning

He said Zambians had now woken up to the reality of a full-blown dictator in State House with the intention of killing Zambia’s democracy in cold blood.

He said the 3 years of President Hichilema in State House constituted of the President heaping self praise on himself in the typical manner of those that a narcissist. He said President Hichilema had failed to fulfil even just one of his campaign promises yet spent all his time heaping praises on himself on zero delivery.

He stated that the peaceful and democratic credentials that Zambia had boasted over the years had now been put to the ultimate test and would be lost under President Hichilema.

Nakacinda bemoaned that the rule of law that President Hichilema went boasting about was selective and only favoured the people from his political party, whereas the rest of the citizens, especially those in opposition suffered injustice .

” The sooner we accept that we have in state House a scared full-blown dictator with no capacity to contribute to the flourishing of democracy in this nation, the better for us.” He said

“I challenge President Hichilema to call for the reopening of the case that took place in 2012, where Mwaliteta beat up Garry Nkombo . I challenge President Hichilema to seriously look into the case of murdered Jackson Kungo . For President Hichilema to put his focus on the case of JJ Banda, which was concluded in 2016, is rather regrettable,” he said .

Smarteagles2024

HH TOLD TO RESPECT PREVIOUS COURT RULING ON LUNGU’S ELIGIBILITY

zamobserver
-
0

HH TOLD TO RESPECT PREVIOUS COURT RULING ON LUNGU’S ELIGIBILITY

…As Socialist Party President Dr. Fred M’membe calls for respect of court judgments, despite disagreements

Lusaka, Zambia—Socialist Party President Dr. Fred M’membe, has urged government to respect court judgments, even when they disagree with them.

Speaking at a recent press briefing, Dr. M’membe highlighted the importance of upholding the rule of law and the decisions of the judiciary, citing his own disagreements with past rulings.

“The judgments are there; they were published in the media. They were not secret judgments. It’s the same thing with the eligibility of President Edgar Lungu,” Dr. M’membe stated.

He expressed his discontent with the constitutional court’s decision on Lungu’s eligibility, labeling it a “bad judgment.” However, he acknowledged that the decision is final and must be respected.

“I did not agree with that judgment. To this day, I don’t agree with it. But it’s a judgment of an apex court. It’s a judgment of the constitutional court. There’s no court above it where you can appeal. We have to live with that judgment. We have to respect that judgment,” he explained.

Dr. M’membe emphasized that respecting judicial decisions is crucial, regardless of personal opinions.

He reminded President Hakainde Hichilema that courts exist to provide finality in legal disputes, and their rulings must be honored.

“We will not agree with all the judgments of the courts. But we are required to respect the judgments that come from those courts if they are final,” he asserted.

Dr. M’membe also called on government to focus on delivering on their promises rather than disputing settled legal matters. “Let them stick to the principles of law. Again, it’s a case of res judicata. Whether you like Mr. Lungu or you don’t like him, he is eligible. The constitutional court decided so. Give him his judgment. If you want to defeat him, simply organize in a better way. Deliver to our people the things you promised them you would deliver. Give them a better life,” he said .

HH TOLD TO RESPECT PREVIOUS COURT RULING ON LUNGU’S ELIGIBILITY

zamobserver
-
0

HH TOLD TO RESPECT PREVIOUS COURT RULING ON LUNGU’S ELIGIBILITY

…As Socialist Party President Dr. Fred M’membe calls for respect of court judgments, despite disagreements

Lusaka, Zambia—Socialist Party President Dr. Fred M’membe, has urged government to respect court judgments, even when they disagree with them.

Speaking at a recent press briefing, Dr. M’membe highlighted the importance of upholding the rule of law and the decisions of the judiciary, citing his own disagreements with past rulings.

“The judgments are there; they were published in the media. They were not secret judgments. It’s the same thing with the eligibility of President Edgar Lungu,” Dr. M’membe stated.

He expressed his discontent with the constitutional court’s decision on Lungu’s eligibility, labeling it a “bad judgment.” However, he acknowledged that the decision is final and must be respected.

“I did not agree with that judgment. To this day, I don’t agree with it. But it’s a judgment of an apex court. It’s a judgment of the constitutional court. There’s no court above it where you can appeal. We have to live with that judgment. We have to respect that judgment,” he explained.

Dr. M’membe emphasized that respecting judicial decisions is crucial, regardless of personal opinions.

He reminded President Hakainde Hichilema that courts exist to provide finality in legal disputes, and their rulings must be honored.

“We will not agree with all the judgments of the courts. But we are required to respect the judgments that come from those courts if they are final,” he asserted.

Dr. M’membe also called on government to focus on delivering on their promises rather than disputing settled legal matters. “Let them stick to the principles of law. Again, it’s a case of res judicata. Whether you like Mr. Lungu or you don’t like him, he is eligible. The constitutional court decided so. Give him his judgment. If you want to defeat him, simply organize in a better way. Deliver to our people the things you promised them you would deliver. Give them a better life,” he said .

HH is wearing a jacket of hypocrisy from head to bottom – Nakacinda

zamobserver
-
0

HH is wearing a jacket of hypocrisy from head to bottom – Nakacinda

By Rhoda Nthara( The Mast)

THIS President is so insecure that he is suspicious of everybody, says PF secretary general Raphael Nakacinda.

He accused President Hakainde Hichilema of wearing a jacket of hypocrisy from head to bottom.

“He’s suspicious of everyone and you can’t have a president who is insecure the way this one is because he is dangerous. A president must be relaxed, settled, look at his citizens as his brothers and sisters,” Nakacinda says. “You know the mistake that Mr Hakainde Hichilema is making is that he is using everything as a reward process. There are certain institutions that you don’t have to appoint people as a way of rewarding them for what they did in politics. The police is one of them. You have to have people rise to higher ranks on merit and applaud them and honour them for being professional.”

He said former inspector general of police Lemmy Kajoba tried to be professional but that after him they “went and brought now a grandfather from ancient days”.

“He (IG Graphel Musamba) has even forgotten the code of conduct and everything. He was just a pure farmer and politician, now he can even go to the media proudly and tell us ‘we will not allow the opposition to have any rally because the UPND are ready to attack!’ A very nonsensical statement and we are here celebrating and the President comes instead of dealing with that situation now says now ‘I am going to [bring] the army’. He now wants to finish the army the way he has finished the police?” wondered Nakacinda when he featured on KBN Television recently.

Nakacinda stressed the importance of professionalism in running institutions.

“And I want to encourage everybody running these institutions remain professional. …You have somebody charged with the responsibility of being DG (Director General) but your aides are going to ask whether that DG is meeting the opposition or the former president. What kind of nonsense is that? Why can’t President Hakainde Hichilema go and consult others [on] the role of that institution? That institution is supposed to interact with every Zambian for the benefit of the President. I know there’s no interaction between that DG they are trying to maliciously accuse with anybody. Not even the former president but in principle those who have occupied that office they allow that institution to operate freely so that every detail of what’s happening in the country the President is aware and it will require that they are able to interact with everybody including the enemies of the President. But because of lack of understanding on how government operates, they are suspicious of everyone,” he said. “This President is so insecure that he is suspicious of everybody. He is suspicious of his Vice-President. He’s suspicious of his aides that’s how come they are desperate now and getting involved in things because they want to be relevant. He’s suspicious of everyone and you can’t have a president who is insecure the way this one is because he is dangerous. Look at everybody as stakeholders, even those that are highly critical. You must have your ear open, listen to them. Interact with them where you can, you may just benefit. The Office of President is the epitome, the symbol of our sovereignty. Those who occupy it must be mature enough like [Levy] Mwanawasa said he had developed a thick skin to absorb all manner of criticism even from those who were so critical that even when they are talking about you you are shifting in your chair but you must rise up… Let me tell you if we have a very strong, robust justice system in the country, we have a strong judicial system, you can even have a mad president they will be regulated because they won’t be allowed to abrogate the law.”

Nakacinda said President Hichilema has abrogated the law “every now and then and he is not being held accountable”.

“Matters have gone before court to challenge hate speech by officers in government, by the President, he has not even been held accountable. No pronouncements has been made to call him to order. That’s why the President can go to Southern Province and say ‘Tongas you vote for me, your own, because you remember when you spoke Tonga in Intercity Bus Terminals, you were beaten’. That is hate speech, that’s tribal talk. There’s no Tonga speaking person that was beaten in Intercity. We do admit as Patriotic Front [that] there may have been cadres there that misconducted themselves politically at Intercity and other places. We have said sorry to the Zambian people for those actions but there is no Zambian that was harassed at Intercity or anywhere else because they spoke Tonga. That’s a lie,” said Nakacinda. “But that propaganda has been sponsored to a point where for the first time in the history of this country tribal talk has been heightened under this government. [Dr Kenneth] Kaunda’s action when tribalism emerged was not for him to start punishing people. Kaunda… decided to wash his hands if this country is going to degenerate into tribalism – ‘I am not going to be part of it’. But not this government. Youths, leaders of UPND, are making tribal pronouncements declaring that certain provinces like mine Southern Province they will make it difficult for other politicians to go there. They are let scot free. Another person responds in Munir Zulu to say if that’s what you are going to do then just be sure that we are also going to retaliate you arrest Munir, you leave the proposer. That’s hypocrisy. Mr Hakainde Hichilema is wearing a jacket of hypocrisy from head to bottom and it’s a shame. The things that he was complaining about in opposition, the things that he promised to deal with in opposition, he has actually done worse than what he found at the time. 2026 is coming and the Zambian people you have compared. You have seen what Mr Fixer has done. He has fixed you. You may not like my vibrance, you may not like my robust way of engagement, but I mean well. This is who I am. I am passionate about what I believe in. I say it with passion and I will say it as straight forward as it is and I go to sleep peacefully because I have no hidden agenda or malice.”

HH is wearing a jacket of hypocrisy from head to bottom – Nakacinda

zamobserver
-
0

HH is wearing a jacket of hypocrisy from head to bottom – Nakacinda

By Rhoda Nthara( The Mast)

THIS President is so insecure that he is suspicious of everybody, says PF secretary general Raphael Nakacinda.

He accused President Hakainde Hichilema of wearing a jacket of hypocrisy from head to bottom.

“He’s suspicious of everyone and you can’t have a president who is insecure the way this one is because he is dangerous. A president must be relaxed, settled, look at his citizens as his brothers and sisters,” Nakacinda says. “You know the mistake that Mr Hakainde Hichilema is making is that he is using everything as a reward process. There are certain institutions that you don’t have to appoint people as a way of rewarding them for what they did in politics. The police is one of them. You have to have people rise to higher ranks on merit and applaud them and honour them for being professional.”

He said former inspector general of police Lemmy Kajoba tried to be professional but that after him they “went and brought now a grandfather from ancient days”.

“He (IG Graphel Musamba) has even forgotten the code of conduct and everything. He was just a pure farmer and politician, now he can even go to the media proudly and tell us ‘we will not allow the opposition to have any rally because the UPND are ready to attack!’ A very nonsensical statement and we are here celebrating and the President comes instead of dealing with that situation now says now ‘I am going to [bring] the army’. He now wants to finish the army the way he has finished the police?” wondered Nakacinda when he featured on KBN Television recently.

Nakacinda stressed the importance of professionalism in running institutions.

“And I want to encourage everybody running these institutions remain professional. …You have somebody charged with the responsibility of being DG (Director General) but your aides are going to ask whether that DG is meeting the opposition or the former president. What kind of nonsense is that? Why can’t President Hakainde Hichilema go and consult others [on] the role of that institution? That institution is supposed to interact with every Zambian for the benefit of the President. I know there’s no interaction between that DG they are trying to maliciously accuse with anybody. Not even the former president but in principle those who have occupied that office they allow that institution to operate freely so that every detail of what’s happening in the country the President is aware and it will require that they are able to interact with everybody including the enemies of the President. But because of lack of understanding on how government operates, they are suspicious of everyone,” he said. “This President is so insecure that he is suspicious of everybody. He is suspicious of his Vice-President. He’s suspicious of his aides that’s how come they are desperate now and getting involved in things because they want to be relevant. He’s suspicious of everyone and you can’t have a president who is insecure the way this one is because he is dangerous. Look at everybody as stakeholders, even those that are highly critical. You must have your ear open, listen to them. Interact with them where you can, you may just benefit. The Office of President is the epitome, the symbol of our sovereignty. Those who occupy it must be mature enough like [Levy] Mwanawasa said he had developed a thick skin to absorb all manner of criticism even from those who were so critical that even when they are talking about you you are shifting in your chair but you must rise up… Let me tell you if we have a very strong, robust justice system in the country, we have a strong judicial system, you can even have a mad president they will be regulated because they won’t be allowed to abrogate the law.”

Nakacinda said President Hichilema has abrogated the law “every now and then and he is not being held accountable”.

“Matters have gone before court to challenge hate speech by officers in government, by the President, he has not even been held accountable. No pronouncements has been made to call him to order. That’s why the President can go to Southern Province and say ‘Tongas you vote for me, your own, because you remember when you spoke Tonga in Intercity Bus Terminals, you were beaten’. That is hate speech, that’s tribal talk. There’s no Tonga speaking person that was beaten in Intercity. We do admit as Patriotic Front [that] there may have been cadres there that misconducted themselves politically at Intercity and other places. We have said sorry to the Zambian people for those actions but there is no Zambian that was harassed at Intercity or anywhere else because they spoke Tonga. That’s a lie,” said Nakacinda. “But that propaganda has been sponsored to a point where for the first time in the history of this country tribal talk has been heightened under this government. [Dr Kenneth] Kaunda’s action when tribalism emerged was not for him to start punishing people. Kaunda… decided to wash his hands if this country is going to degenerate into tribalism – ‘I am not going to be part of it’. But not this government. Youths, leaders of UPND, are making tribal pronouncements declaring that certain provinces like mine Southern Province they will make it difficult for other politicians to go there. They are let scot free. Another person responds in Munir Zulu to say if that’s what you are going to do then just be sure that we are also going to retaliate you arrest Munir, you leave the proposer. That’s hypocrisy. Mr Hakainde Hichilema is wearing a jacket of hypocrisy from head to bottom and it’s a shame. The things that he was complaining about in opposition, the things that he promised to deal with in opposition, he has actually done worse than what he found at the time. 2026 is coming and the Zambian people you have compared. You have seen what Mr Fixer has done. He has fixed you. You may not like my vibrance, you may not like my robust way of engagement, but I mean well. This is who I am. I am passionate about what I believe in. I say it with passion and I will say it as straight forward as it is and I go to sleep peacefully because I have no hidden agenda or malice.”

UPND TRIPLES DEBT TO K230BN…it’s like a drug addict entering rehab whiledoubling consumption of illicit drugs –  Sean Tembo

zamobserver
-
0

UPND TRIPLES DEBT TO K230BN
…it’s like a drug addict entering rehab while
doubling consumption of illicit drugs – Tembo

By Thomas Ngala( The Mast)

PATRIOTS for Economic Progress (PeP) leader Sean Tembo has charged that the country currently has a government that appears to be allergic to telling citizens the truth.

“When the UPND took over in August of 2021, our domestic debt was standing at about K87 billion, and three years later, our domestic debt is currently standing at about K230 billion. It has multiplied by about three times in three years!” he says. “To talk about debt restructuring while you continue to recklessly contract debt at this rate is like a drug addict entering rehab while at the same time doubling his consumption of illicit drugs.”

In a statement yesterday, Tembo said the UPND government thrives on twisting facts.

“It is in the business of manipulating the media fraternity so that there is a media blackout on their maladministration and an overemphasis on their minor successes,” he noted.

Tembo said it is a government whose sole objective is not to deliver actual progress for Zambians, but to deliver an illusion of progress.

“A government that tries so hard to convince the masses that they have a full stomach when in fact the masses are hungry. Almost everything that the UPND administration has ever done in the past three years or so, is for purposes of propaganda,” he said.

Tembo recalled that when the access to information Act (ATI) was passed into law, some pundits claimed that it would enhance the transparency of the government and the ability of the public to hold it accountable.

“But the UPND administration has refused to begin implementing this law. Their excuse is that they are waiting for the minister to gazette the implementation date. The question is, why enact a law which you are now refusing to implement? It’s confusing right? Well, for some of us who fully understand how the UPND government operates, we are not confused and neither are we surprised,” he said.

Tembo said the reason for passing the Act was simply to create a false perception, “an illusion that it is a transparent and accountable government when in fact not”.

“As soon as the applause and cheers from their blind supporters died down, the UPND government had no further use of the ATI and so they shelved it. The apparent enactment of a progressive law had achieved its propaganda purpose. It was done and dusted. The illusion was complete. On to the next one,” he said.

On debt restructuring, Tembo said the whole idea of restructuring one’s debt is that you previously over-borrowed and now you want to turn the corner and go on a path of debt sustainability.

“A path where you can afford to service your debts. When you talk about debt restructuring, you are essentially talking about varying one or more terms of a debt agreement, which may be the tenor of the debt, the interest rate applicable, the payment installments etcetera,” he said.

Tembo however argued that there are two things which do not add up in the current debt restructuring.

“The first issue is the question of why they are keeping the debt restructuring agreement secret and away from the scrutiny of the Zambia people. If the debt restructuring was genuine, wouldn’t the government have allowed the public to have access to the agreement so that we can read for ourselves how the renegotiated loan terms are beneficial to our country? Why should the Minister of Finance be preaching to us that the debt restructuring agreement is in the best interests of the country when we can read for ourselves, if the agreement was made public, and determine whether indeed it is in the best interests of the nation? By the way, the entire list of Zambia’s creditors and the amounts we owe each one of them was published by the Ministry of Finance some time in 2022. So where is the problem with publishing the debt restructuring agreement which essentially renegotiated each of those loans? Why the secrecy? Is it that the renegotiated loan terms impose more onerous obligations on the Zambian people than the original terms? If not, then why is the debt restructuring agreement being kept secret?” he wondered.

Tembo said the second issue that does not add up is that while the government is talking about restructuring debt and making it sustainable in terms of the ability to repay, they are, on the other hand, borrowing at a much faster rate than the PF administration.

“When the UPND took over the government in 2021, our foreign debt was about US $11 billion compared to the current US $16 billion, three years later. It is worth noting that the PF found Zambia’s foreign debt at about US $4 billion when they took over from MMD in 2011. So they borrowed about US $7 billion over 10 years, which now appears somewhat reasonable when you compare with the UPND’s US $5 billion within three years. Personally, I never thought a day would come when PF’s rate of borrowing would appear more reasonable compared to that of the current regime. But here we are,” he said. “When you talk about domestic debt, it’s even worse. When the UPND took over in August of 2021, our domestic debt was standing at about K87 billion, and three years later, our domestic debt is currently standing at about K230 billion. It has multiplied by about three times in three years! To talk about debt restructuring while you continue to recklessly contract debt at this rate, is like a drug addict entering rehab while at the same time doubling his consumption of illicit drugs. Can’t work, right? Am sure at this point you are confused. Why would the UPND government keep talking about debt restructuring when they are recklessly contracting additional debt and therefore, clearly do not have any intentions of making our national debt to become sustainable so that we can be able to afford to repay it? The answer is simple. Propaganda! Because the more the UPND government talks about debt restructuring, the more they remind the Zambian people that the previous PF regime over-borrowed, thereby masking their own current over borrowing, which is by far worse.”

Tembo said the examples of the government’s propaganda range from the CDF scam to failure to deliver farming inputs to some regions of the country while attacking traditional leaders who publicly complained about such non-delivery of farming inputs.

“Other cases of the UPND government’s propaganda include the one-sided fight against hate speech whereby it’s okay for UPND supporters to publicly insult former president Edgar Chagwa Lungu, but it is hate speech if you complain about the insults. Other examples include the abduction of Honourable Emmanuel ‘Jay Jay’ Banda and the subsequent lies from government officials and the police that followed,” he said.

Tembo also said that the problem with peddling lies and propaganda is that eventually “you’ll end up being caught up in your own web of lies”.

“That is because when you lie, a few days later, it is difficult to remember what you said. That is why Judge Judy likes to say that if you tell the truth, you do not need to have a good memory,” said Tembo.

I don’t see UPND winning 2026 – Phiri

zamobserver
-
0

I don’t see UPND winning 2026 – Phiri

By Richard Luo in Sinda(The Mast)

SINDA PF official Boston Phiri says it’s difficult for the current government to win the 2026 general election if they continue with the same trajectory.

In a press statement, Phiri who is district information and publicity secretary for mobilisation observed that President Hakainde Hichilema might have good plans on how to govern the nation but the people around him don’t tell him the truth.

He said as a result the ground has become so bad for UPND.

“Only few people around UPND can say good about it. I think the people surrounding the President are very bad. The President is not being told the truth. The way it happened to us when we were in power is the same thing happening now where the President’s advisors are not doing their job well. The President can have good plans but his people are not telling him the truth as a result I don’t see UPND winning 2026,” Phiri said. “The ground is very bad. Food is not there, money scarcity and many things are not going on well. I have really not seen any good since 2021 because our friends the UPND promised cheap things but things are expensive. They promised no load shedding but we still see the same thing. I wouldn’t understand for them to say there is no enough water in Kariba when they were champions to say they can create canals from Kafue to Kariba but all those plans are gone. They promised K250 per bag of fertilizer but now it’s at K1,000. On education, we agree if they can say free school fees and not education because parents still pay a lot of money like boarding fees, meal allowances, and many things are on the hands of the parents. So what free education are they talking about?”

He noted that there are a lot of challenges on the ground that “will pollute the reign of the UPND government like failing to provide three meals per day”.

“As we are talking people are sleeping without food and yet our friends campaigned for three decent meals. Meaning breakfast, lunch and supper but now we can’t afford these things,” he said.

Phiri warned the UPND that people on the ground are not happy because of hunger.

He said the government failed to listen and ended up selling maize “so Zambians are not happy”.

“They need their promises to prevail. The ground for UPND is very bad because people are not happy,” he stressed.

Phiri, who once served as Eastern Province Rainbow chairperson, said the biggest opposition the UPND will face in 2026 are the Zambian people and not a political party of any kind.

“UPND has a very strong opposition than what any previous government ever faced in the history of Zambia. It’s not about politician ABC or political party this or that that will unseat UPND, no! All the Zambians who are suffering today are the strong opposition for UPND because not even one person can speak good about UPND. And this is the reason why the Zambian people will cook what will be found in the kitchen in 2026,” warned Phiri.

THE RISE AND FALL OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM IN ZAMBIA

zamobserver
-
0

THE RISE AND FALL OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM IN ZAMBIA

Watching the then Lusaka District Governor the late Mr Michael Chilufya Sata on television with the late Charles Mando was but an interesting interview.
The show was live on our local broadcaster, the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation, at around 20 hours, soon after the main news and I watched from Ndola whilst on holiday as a school boy from the Munali Boys Secondary School.
It must have been in 1986, if not 1987, precisely, as Sata bragged, about the Lusaka City Council being the richest Council in Africa.

Sata, in my serious view, was Zambias’ most well informed President and remains so even in death because of his great abilities to gather information following his background in security.
This is a story for another day.

History records that the LCC had heavily invested in various areas besides getting grants from the national treasury.
The council had housing units doted across the nation in many several townships which they had put on rent.

The Council had buses for picking up workers to and from work as well as for business purposes.
Our local government equally had bars and taverns all over the nation, which enabled citizens to go and patronise at will.
The council had halls that were for hire .
These acted as supplements to the income generated from land rates and water bills and from the sale of building materials from designated sites and service areas of the councils.

As if the above were not enough, the Council had proper swimming pools they controlled at reasonable fees in cities within our nation.
Markets were on board as traders paid some fees to the Council cashiers who came either on a daily basis or after a few days with a receipt book.
Personal levies were yet other supplements to beef up revenue.
With the above sources of income surly Sata was in order to brag about our local government that time in front of the television .

Salaries were paid in full and in time to all employees as opposed to what we are seeing today .
Council workers have in the recent past gone to over 12 months of unpaid salaries, yet they are made to report for work.
They don’t have uniforms anymore. Deceased musician Yandikani Lungu once sung about the council uniforms in his song titled Amalume alemela, literally translated to mean my uncle has gotten rich.

The Kenneth Kaunda Administration had a deliberate and sound policy on local government.
It was one of the best in the African continent without doubt.

Roads in townships were maintained frequently with the equipment the council had procured for such purposes.
Lusaka and other cities and towns around Zambia were clean because the councils operated in full swing and capacity.
Every week, gabbage was collected for free by the council using their own gabbage collection vehicles.
You would not see dirty in drainages or roads, not even dead cats or dogs, for more than 1 hour on the roads as is the case from 1991 to date.
Today, gabbage is thrown in drainages, roads,open areas ,incomplete buildings, and back yards.

Our councils were very smart and systematic in their operations.
Site and service plots had plans for clinics, schools, roads,drainages, markets,water systems,police, etc .
Our morden Zambia has failed to give such services to her citizens, and we have failed to improve on the Kenneth Kaunda local government policies .
Places like Chalala,Kamwala South,Libala South, New Lilayi, Madido, Obama, and Ranchdale, among several others, are not council designated areas for settlement hence challenges in getting better services by their door steps.

Our nation is extremely dirty, to say the least. Our untidiness caused a female doctor friend of mine from Tanzania to decline a job opportunity years back after reading in a certain magazine on how dirty Zambia is?
We spend much time defending people we like as opposed to defending the right things around us.
The current 30.6 million Kwacha given to constituencies in Zambia is more than enough to start collecting gabbage and dirty from every household for free.
The Constituency Development Fund is not for any other purposes apart from identifying need and urgent minor projects in our areas so that we fix them.
It’s for cleaning up our societies in our weaker areas.
The drainage system in Kanyama,Chibolya,Soweto,Kuku,Chawama,JohnLaing, John Howard,Chalala,Kamwala South, and several other areas is pretty bad.
Let’s use our CDFs for such emergencies, or else people will continue to die in numbers due to complicated waterborne diseases around us.

The falling of our local government system started soon after the 1991 elections and went on right into 2001 during the Movement for Multiparty Democracy, MMD reign.
What the councils enjoyed as sources of income were sold or just disappeared in thin air.

All council houses were sold to sitting tenants at giveaway prices .
The creation of the Lusaka Water and Sanitation Company made people to be paying water bills to this new company as opposed to the council in Lusaka, for example.
This was the case across the nation.

Councils no longer give planned settlement areas as political cadres enjoy the powers to apportion bare lands to their benefits in most cases.

I don’t know what has become of the bars and taverns that the councils had ?
At least the halls are there, but we are yet to establish the truth about the swimming pools.
The council libraries are yet another serious concern at hand. How we wish they could be rented out ?
Whatever happened to the playparks??

The workers’ conditions of service have deteriorated with time,very pathetic indeed.
They are made to wait for many months before they ever see their salaries as witnessed in the recent past. This is inhuman and very shameful for an institution that was a high performer.

In conclusion, we challenge all those entrusted with the handling of the CDF funds to look into urgent matters like drainages and gabbage collection before lives are lost.Let gabbage be collected for free across the nation.
The CDF funds availed to constituencies are more than enough to deal with this important exercise.
Let someone swallow their pride and do the right thing for Mother Zambia for once.

The Harry Kalaba led government will ensure that sanity gets back to the local government and uplift the conditions of service of the council workers across the nation.

Kalaba and his team will thrive to make sure that the old good days of the Kaunda Administration of councils are brought back coupled with new other methods from our manifesto to benefit our people.

Dr Cephas Mukuka
Deputy Secretary General / Politics and Operations.
Citizens First,
Member of UKA.
20.06.24

LUNGU BENEFIT FROM VIOLENCE, EMBRACED IT AND CONTINUE TO ATTRACT IT- SIKAILE SIKAILE

zamobserver
-
0

LUNGU BENEFIT FROM VIOLENCE, EMBRACED IT AND CONTINUE TO ATTRACT IT

In August 2020, I questioned and warned both the NPA and PF about choosing a misdemeanor charge instead of aggravated charges and other felonies charges in trying to clear JJ Bandas name. It seemed useless at the time, and I was insulted, but the issue has resurfaced.

The laws of Zambia are clear: if you omit important charges, you will be re-investigated and brought to the book. Ask Makebi Zulu if you think I’m lying. The PF set him up from the beginning. Which is the same problem that some former ministers who were cleansed of corruption are likely to face.

Some of you may not know about these ugly political incidents because you were not victims but beneficiaries of the violence together with president Edgar Lungu.

Anyone who goes to parliament should be subjected to public scrutiny. A lawmaker enabling foreigners to obtain national identity documents, and a journalist being subjected to inhumane treatment such as urinating in his mouth and pouring diesel on his body—this is not politics. Just use your common sense please! how many of you today can withstand the trauma of seeing someone inserting their manhood in your mouth? Mr. Thomas Sipalo Komboni president can you allow me to do that and you will be smiling?

I see many of you ignorantly defending foolishness here. There is no politics in this. Personally and in the public interest, I made inquiries to the police, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Justice, the Chief Justice, and the DPP even before the alleged abduction. Because the victim Sukwa asked for support. The video is there.

To those defending such injustices, are you aware that Peter Sukwa is in court petitioning the Vubwi subordinate court ruling based on minor charges? Please don’t come to social media and show your ignorance. Stay in your lane.

It is on record, and some of us were too honest. Just like Shebby Chilekwa was kept in the State House by our former president after murdering Lawrence Banda, JJ Banda escaped these crimes. Imagine you are a police officer saluting an MP who beat you up like that when you were discharging your duties. Let us be fair, and serious on national issues.

When Lawrence Banda was killed, former President Edgar Lungu did not care, and we all know why he did not instruct police to arrest the killer. On the other hand few days ago, Hakainde Hichilema, breathed fire and told police to arrest those UPND thugs who were inconvienancing the general public. They did not kill anyone, but they were immediately brought to book, this is how some of us judge Lungu and Hakainde. We do comparative analysis.

Another incident to remind those who benefited from the lawlessness is the death of Glayzia Matapa in Mtendere. The gentleman cried day and night on Muvi TV, identifying the PF thugs who were after his life, but no one helped until he was killed. President Edgar Lungu claimed it was beer that killed Matapa. Those thugs were convicted, maybe they are even out.

Fellow citizens, this is why it is shocking to see Mr. Lungu and the likes of JJ Banda gallivanting around, reopening old wounds. Mr. Lungu is the reason boys like JJ Banda committed such crimes and escaped justice. He is why it took a new government to find and prosecute Shebby Chilekwa. Is this what you call Politics? Criminals need to be brought to book and we all have to learn something.

If it weren’t for the change of government, Chilekwa would still be working in the State House. Are you defending these people because none of your relatives or friends were murdered? What is the rationale behind your reasoning?

If you feel smart enough, go to court and ask to be added to these cases when trials begin. Even my brother Makebi Zulu knows what I’m talking about and the consequences.

It is clear to everyone in UKA and unrepentant PF that escaping these crimes is not easy. Young people, embrace education—charisma and money alone don’t make you intelligent.

SIKAILE C SIKAILE
GOOD GOVERNANCE AND HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST

THINGS AT ZESCO ARE GETTING FROM WORSE TO WORST- Peter Sinkamba

zamobserver
-
0

By Peter Sinkamba

THINGS AT ZESCO ARE GETTING FROM WORSE TO WORST

The announcement this afternoon by ZESCO that the company will now switch from “loadshedding” to “emergency loadshedding” is not surprising. Technical staff at ZESCO warned two months ago that if measures were not taken to reverse the over-consumption, the nation was going to experience total blackout by August. And it appears, from the ZESCO statement, that the total blackout from Kariba Dam has dawned ‘ahead of schedule’.

Over the years, Zambia is known to have rationed its water consumption at Kariba Dam more carefully than Zimbabwe. The current scenario is therefore an indication that there is a fundamental problem that has emerged at ZESCO that lays bare the deepening economic crisis in the country.

In the case of Zimbabwe, on 28 November 2022, ZESA stopped generating electricity at the South Power Station of the Kariba Dam (Kariba South).

In 2016, NASA documented the decline of Lake Kariba due to increasingly potent episodes of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation.

The UN International Panel on Climate Change concluded years back that, as a result of climate change, Southern Africa will be experiencing significantly higher-than-average increases in surface-level temperature and decreases in mean levels of precipitation, while simultaneously having to confront occasional extreme flooding.

Furthermore, from ZRA data, it is clear that the reservoir behind the Kariba Dam has not been at full capacity since 2011 and may only fill up again under rare circumstances.

The decision to suspend generation at Kariba North Bank has come amidst power outages that have already crippled the country’s basic industrial, economic, agricultural and domestic activities.

Ironically, this could leave Zambia to be significantly reliant on coal-fired power plants while increasing the risk of illegal logging and deforestation by the poor for cooking and other domestic and commercial needs.

But today’s crisis goes far beyond what the ZRA could address through safety protocols and engineering at Kariba Dam. While the shutdown at Kariba is the result of local environmental factors, the crisis is bad news because there have been offers from Russian infrastructure developers for low-carbon electricity hydropower generation in Luapula province, as well as nuclear.

Elsewhere in Africa, power generation has made a spectacular comeback with massive hydro and nuclear projects. Some hydro power projects have been initiated and nearing completion in Ghana, Liberia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Sudan and elsewhere. This has been fueled through a combination of financial assistance and technical expertise offered by BRICS members, especially China, India, Brazil and Russia. The Gulf States have also taken interest to fund some projects.

Unless, and until Zambia thinks out of the box, and joins the BRICS, it is unlikely that the power crisis will be resolved in the near future.

A $72 Billion Pledge: Separating Fact from Fiction- Dr Mwelwa

zamobserver
-
0

A $72 Billion Pledge: Separating Fact from Fiction

By Dr Mwelwa

The recent announcement of a $72 billion investment pledge from a Vietnamese investor in Zambia’s agricultural sector has certainly grabbed headlines. However, as the old adage goes, the devil is in the details. This colossal pledge raises serious red flags that the government must address with the utmost caution and scrutiny.

Firstly, the sheer scale of the proposed investment – $72 billion over 20 years – is simply staggering, even for an economic powerhouse like Vietnam. To put this in perspective, Vietnam’s entire GDP in 2022 was estimated at around $366 billion. Can a single Vietnamese investor realistically commit nearly a fifth of their country’s entire economic output to a project in Zambia? The skepticism is warranted.

Secondly, the lack of information on the investor’s background and track record is highly concerning. While the company, “Viet-Zam Diversified Development Company Limited,” is said to be registered in Zambia, its history, financial strength, and proven ability to execute projects of this magnitude are conspicuously absent. Relying on a pledge from an unknown entity with no proven track record is a recipe for disappointment, if not outright disaster.

Moreover, the sheer scale of the land allocation – 7 million hectares across three provinces – raises further questions. Is the Zambian government certain that it can legally and ethically allocate such a vast expanse of land to a single investor, especially one without a proven track record? The potential for land disputes, environmental damage, and the displacement of local communities is palpable.

Perhaps most alarmingly, the government’s own figures seem to contradict the lofty claims made about this investment. According to the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry, the total committed investments in Zambia have increased from $3 billion in 2021 to $40 billion in 2023. If that is the case, how can a single $72 billion pledge from a Vietnamese investor suddenly account for a significant portion of the total?

The government must exercise extreme caution in vetting this investment proposal and resist the temptation to make grand proclamations without solid evidence. Zambians deserve transparency, accountability, and a commitment to sustainable development that truly benefits the local population, not just the interests of foreign investors.

In conclusion, while the promise of 300,000 jobs and significant economic growth is enticing, the government must resist the urge to embrace this investment without rigorous due diligence. The Zambian people cannot afford to be let down by another unfulfilled pledge or, worse, a well-orchestrated scam. The stakes are too high, and the government must prioritize the country’s long-term interests over short-term headlines.

MY WITNESS STATEMENT IN MALANJI CASE MIGHT CONTAIN LIES, STATE WITNESS TELLS COURT…DEC officer never told me that my statement will be used in court

zamobserver
-
0

MY WITNESS STATEMENT IN MALANJI CASE MIGHT CONTAIN LIES, STATE WITNESS TELLS COURT

…DEC officer never told me that my statement will be used in court

Lusaka… Thursday, June 20, 2024

A Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) senior tax inspector Chilala Hakalima has told the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court that the witness statement he gave to Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) against former foreign affairs minister Joseph Malanji cannot be tendered into evidence in court because it might contain some lies.

And a former Development Bank of Zambian (DBZ) senior portfolio management officer Lawrence Mainza also told the court that former Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Malanji never got a loan from DBZ.

The duo where testifying in a matter in which former foreign minister Joseph Malanji and former secretary to the treasury, Fredson Yamba are charged with 10 counts of willful failure to comply with laid down procedures and possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime.

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

When the matter came up for continued trial, Wednesday, Mr Hakalima who is an inspector under the investigations unity narrated to the court that when he was giving his witness statement with a named DEC officer, he was not told that it will be used in court.

Asked by defence counsel Makebi Zulu if the witness recalled giving a witness statement to any DEC officer, the witness responded in affirmative.

And asked if the said witness statement can be tendered into evidence, Hakalima responded in the negative.

Further asked why, the witness statement cannot be tendered into evidence, the witness explained that at the time the statement was taken, the officer never mentioned that it will be used in court.

“Why don’t you want your statement to be part of evidence?,” asked Zulu.

“It was taken by Mr Mukelebai, he never mentioned to me that it will be used in court,” responded the witness.

Asked further if he had a conversation with Mr Mukelebai, Mr Hakalima responded in the negative saying, “no, he just mentioned to me that let me take your findings in a statement form,” responded the witness.

And asked if the witness statement contained lies, the witness responded saying it might.

“Does it contain lies?,” asked Zulu.

“It might,” said the witness.

And earlier, a former DBZ officer Lawrence Mainza informed the court that Malanji never got a loan from their bank.

Mainza also told the court that there were no any irregularities in the loan that was given to Royal Gibson Hotel.

The matter comes up today for continued trial.

MY WITNESS STATEMENT IN MALANJI CASE MIGHT CONTAIN LIES, STATE WITNESS TELLS COURT…DEC officer never told me that my statement will be used in court

zamobserver
-
0

MY WITNESS STATEMENT IN MALANJI CASE MIGHT CONTAIN LIES, STATE WITNESS TELLS COURT

…DEC officer never told me that my statement will be used in court

Lusaka… Thursday, June 20, 2024

A Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) senior tax inspector Chilala Hakalima has told the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court that the witness statement he gave to Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) against former foreign affairs minister Joseph Malanji cannot be tendered into evidence in court because it might contain some lies.

And a former Development Bank of Zambian (DBZ) senior portfolio management officer Lawrence Mainza also told the court that former Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Malanji never got a loan from DBZ.

The duo where testifying in a matter in which former foreign minister Joseph Malanji and former secretary to the treasury, Fredson Yamba are charged with 10 counts of willful failure to comply with laid down procedures and possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime.

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

When the matter came up for continued trial, Wednesday, Mr Hakalima who is an inspector under the investigations unity narrated to the court that when he was giving his witness statement with a named DEC officer, he was not told that it will be used in court.

Asked by defence counsel Makebi Zulu if the witness recalled giving a witness statement to any DEC officer, the witness responded in affirmative.

And asked if the said witness statement can be tendered into evidence, Hakalima responded in the negative.

Further asked why, the witness statement cannot be tendered into evidence, the witness explained that at the time the statement was taken, the officer never mentioned that it will be used in court.

“Why don’t you want your statement to be part of evidence?,” asked Zulu.

“It was taken by Mr Mukelebai, he never mentioned to me that it will be used in court,” responded the witness.

Asked further if he had a conversation with Mr Mukelebai, Mr Hakalima responded in the negative saying, “no, he just mentioned to me that let me take your findings in a statement form,” responded the witness.

And asked if the witness statement contained lies, the witness responded saying it might.

“Does it contain lies?,” asked Zulu.

“It might,” said the witness.

And earlier, a former DBZ officer Lawrence Mainza informed the court that Malanji never got a loan from their bank.

Mainza also told the court that there were no any irregularities in the loan that was given to Royal Gibson Hotel.

The matter comes up today for continued trial.

UPND IS Killing Zambia –SP

zamobserver
-
0

Socialist Party (SP) Copperbelt Provincial spokesperson Reagan Kashinga says the UPND Government is killing Zambians and businesses over its failure to fix the electricity crisis compounded by prolonged hours of Zesco load shedding.

Mr. Kashinga said it was regrettable that load shedding was getting out of hand without the Government enforcing short-, medium- and long-term solutions to the national power deficit.

He charged that if the UPND regime was wise it would have quickly invested people’s money in alternative sources of energy amid the power deficit.

“As Socialist Party in the Copperbelt Province we wish to express our grave concern over the issue of prolonged hours of Zesco load shedding which is getting out of hand and negatively affecting the people of Zambia. Load shedding has been with us for some months without any signs of ending any time soon. What is more unfortunate is that Zesco has continued to cut power at will and without following the schedule they themselves made. We won’t develop as a nation with these long hours of load shedding that are not only killing businesses but people as well,” Mr. Kashinga said from Mufulira.

“Production of goods and services has drastically gone down with many of our people losing jobs especially among the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises. What kind of leadership is the UPND regime providing when it is failing to provide for its people? The UPND has failed to fix the power problems which is contrary to its campaign promises. Zambians are regretting voting for leaders who are just good at talking without being pragmatic,” he said.

Mr. Kashinga noted that the UPND Government has not prioritized the power deficit problem which has negatively affected productivity.

“As Socialist Party in the Copperbelt Province we regret the failure by the UPND to quickly invest people’s money in alternative sources of energy amid the power deficit. We have not heard Government highlight short-, medium- or long-term solutions to the challenge of load shedding. Load shedding has exposed UPND leadership that it is a bunch of failures. UPND has not prioritized the power deficit problem. We remind the Government to think about the people. People voted for development which they have not seen,” he said.

Mr. Kashinga declared that capitalism which the UPND champions has failed to work in Zambia.

“We warned the people of Zambia that capitalists will fail them. Time is ripe to try Socialism. As Socialists we put people at the centre of development. We believe in Zambians first and a more humane society,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, to address the ongoing electricity challenges, the UPND government has announced its decision to recall at least 100 megawatts (MW) of power currently being exported.

This decision was revealed during a media engagement held by the Minister of Information and Media and Chief Government Spokesperson, Hon. Cornelius Mweetwa, alongside the Minister of Energy, Hon. Peter Kapala.

KASUNE BIDS FAREWELL TO CENTRAL PROVINCE AHEAD OF HER APPOINTMENT AS NEW MINISTER OF JUSTICE

zamobserver
-
0

KASUNE BIDS FAREWELL TO CENTRAL PROVINCE AHEAD OF HER APPOINTMENT AS NEW MINISTER OF JUSTICE

Princess Kasune, the former minister of Central Province in Zambia, has bid farewell to the province as she begins her new role as the Justice Minister. Her new appointment by His Excellency, President of Zambia, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, marks a significant step in her career as she takes on the responsibility of ensuring justice prevails at all levels in the country.

During her send-off party at Stephen Luwisha Secondary School, Princess Kasune expressed her gratitude and shared her commitment to serving the people of Central Province and the nation as a whole in her new position. Known for her advocacy for human rights, women’s empowerment, and good governance, Kasune brought together various local leaders and officials to bid her farewell.

Notably, she chose to hold her farewell party at Stephen Luwisha Secondary School, owned by the Catholic Church, as a symbol of appreciation for the church’s role in governance and its support during her tenure as the Central Province Minister. She extended special recognition to His Lordship of Kabwe Diocese, Clement Mulenga SDB, for his impartial service to the community.

In addition to acknowledging the contributions of local businesses and individuals, Kasune highlighted the efforts of Mr. Mathew Mohan, a prominent business figure, for creating employment opportunities in the region, especially during challenging economic times. Reflecting on her new role, she emphasized the importance of collaboration between government entities, businesses, and the community for the overall development of the country.

The farewell party was attended by various dignitaries, including Central Province Permanent Secretary who described Minister Kasune as a just and principled leader. He lauded her for her commitment to development and her unwavering dedication to serving the people.

In light of her historic appointment as Zambia’s first female Justice Minister, Princess Kasune’s influence as an inspirational figure for women and the youth in Zambian politics continues to be recognized. Her dedication to promoting fairness, justice, and socio-economic development places her as a pivotal figure in the nation’s political landscape.

UPND MT

KASUNE BIDS FAREWELL TO CENTRAL PROVINCE AHEAD OF HER APPOINTMENT AS NEW MINISTER OF JUSTICE

zamobserver
-
0

KASUNE BIDS FAREWELL TO CENTRAL PROVINCE AHEAD OF HER APPOINTMENT AS NEW MINISTER OF JUSTICE

Princess Kasune, the former minister of Central Province in Zambia, has bid farewell to the province as she begins her new role as the Justice Minister. Her new appointment by His Excellency, President of Zambia, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, marks a significant step in her career as she takes on the responsibility of ensuring justice prevails at all levels in the country.

During her send-off party at Stephen Luwisha Secondary School, Princess Kasune expressed her gratitude and shared her commitment to serving the people of Central Province and the nation as a whole in her new position. Known for her advocacy for human rights, women’s empowerment, and good governance, Kasune brought together various local leaders and officials to bid her farewell.

Notably, she chose to hold her farewell party at Stephen Luwisha Secondary School, owned by the Catholic Church, as a symbol of appreciation for the church’s role in governance and its support during her tenure as the Central Province Minister. She extended special recognition to His Lordship of Kabwe Diocese, Clement Mulenga SDB, for his impartial service to the community.

In addition to acknowledging the contributions of local businesses and individuals, Kasune highlighted the efforts of Mr. Mathew Mohan, a prominent business figure, for creating employment opportunities in the region, especially during challenging economic times. Reflecting on her new role, she emphasized the importance of collaboration between government entities, businesses, and the community for the overall development of the country.

The farewell party was attended by various dignitaries, including Central Province Permanent Secretary who described Minister Kasune as a just and principled leader. He lauded her for her commitment to development and her unwavering dedication to serving the people.

In light of her historic appointment as Zambia’s first female Justice Minister, Princess Kasune’s influence as an inspirational figure for women and the youth in Zambian politics continues to be recognized. Her dedication to promoting fairness, justice, and socio-economic development places her as a pivotal figure in the nation’s political landscape.

UPND MT

POLICE NAB FEMALE SCAMMER OVER FAKE “FAST LOANS”

zamobserver
-
0

POLICE NAB FEMALE SCAMMER OVER FAKE “FAST LOANS”

WHAT seemed like a dream of financial relief turned into a digital nightmare for James Banda, who fell victim to a cunning online loan scam carefully planned by Ugandan female crook.

But thanks to the swift action of the Cyber Security Task Force, the suspect behind the scheme may soon face the music.

According to police sources between March and May, the national Cybersecurity Task Force received a total of 82 reports of obtaining money by false pretense from a fraudulent Facebook account called ‘Fast Loan.’

Victims reported that an unknown female, using cellphone number 0774686253, obtained money during the loan application process through a scheme known as a security deposit service.

In this scheme, victims were made to pay 10 percent of the loan amount they were applying for.

Once payments were made, the woman would request the victims’ national ID and then block them, preventing any further contact.

Subsequently, the scammer would use the victims’ identities to apply for legitimate loans from different lending institutions without the victims’ knowledge.

Banda was one of the victims and reported the incident on May 31, alleging that an unknown woman phoned him promising a loan but demanding a “service charge” of K1,720 upfront.

Blinded by the promise of financial aid, Banda paid the fee, only to be left empty-handed. The loan turned out to be a cruel mirage.

After the matter was reported, undeterred, the Task Force sprang into action, following the digital trail left by the suspect’s phone number, they obtained call detail records that pointed towards a location in Lusaka’s Matero township.

Armed with this information, they swooped down and apprehended a female suspect identified as Harriet Nsubuga Lwanga, a 39-year-old Ugandan national.

Lwanga’s alleged arsenal of deception included four Itel cellphones, an Airtel SIM card believed to be the one used in the scam, and a stash of 10 MTN SIM cards, hinting at potentially wider operations.

All the seized items were secured under the watchful eye of Section 121(1) of the Zambian Criminal Procedure Code.

Currently detained at Lusaka Central Police Station, the woman from Kampala awaits transfer to the Copperbelt Division Headquarters, where the crime originated.

CAPTION: Lwanga pleads for mercy before being led into detention.

By Moses Makwaya
Kalemba June 19, 2024

1...683684685...1,148Page 684 of 1,148