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It’s heartbreaking to swallow the bitter pill that HH has failed-Chilangwa

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It’s heartbreaking to swallow the bitter pill that HH has failed-Chilangwa

It’s heartbreaking to swallow the bitter pill that HH has failed, says Chilangwa

By Thomas Ngala(The Mast)

IT is heartbreaking for those who believed in President Hakainde that he is a miracle man, says Kawambwa PF member of parliament Nickson Chilangwa

“And it is heartbreaking to swallow the bitter pill that the President has failed. He has failed you, his hard earned supporters. He has failed all of us. If President Hakainde had performed to expectations, we would not be talking. We would be clapping, all of us,” he said on Wednesday. “But unfortunately, our President has failed. And those of you waiting that there is still a chance, there is no chance. This man has failed. How can you be talking about the same bailout from the IMF for two years? The man said he has got global connections, mwalilaba (have you forgotten)?”

Chilangwa said President Hichilema is going the wrong direction.

He said there are things preoccupying President Hichilema, “not the things that the Zambian people elected you for.”

Chilangwa said Zambians elected for President Hichilema because they believed he could make a difference.

“You can make a difference in the governance of this country, you can make a difference in the provision of the basic rights of our people. You can make a difference in improving their livelihoods,” he said. “You could make a difference by uniting Zambia. You could make a difference by ensuring that the rule of law is upheld. Those are some of the reasons the Zambian people voted for you. President Hakainde you were not voted for by the Zambian people so that you can be … flyer, keep on flying… even going to meetings which have been cancelled.”

Chilangwa called on President Hichilema to cut down on the trips he takes.

“How can you go to Dubai three times in less than two months? What’s so special about Dubai? What is it that the eye is not seeing? President Hakainde Hichilema, you need to cut down on your delegations. You need to cut down on the number of trips that you make. How can you fly from Lusaka to Kasama to go and commission a runway and come back to Lusaka? And the following day you fly to Mansa to go and have a three-hour meeting, to go and look at Mansa Trades, the project that I started when I was provincial minister of rehabilitating desks at Mansa Trades…” he said. “That is what you went to see. That should have been a project that should have been overseen by a provincial minister for Luapula. Is it that your minister for Luapula Province has got no capacity to do what you went to do?”

Chilangwa said in his time as provincial minister and MP, he never commissioned a borehole “because that is the job for my councillors.”

“I cannot commission a borehole. If I, Nixon Chilangwa member of parliament will be commissioning boreholes, what will be the councillor be doing? My template is very clear about what we did and what we achieved in Luapula Province. President Hakainde Hichilema, you don’t have to take the national template of how we can achieve things. You just take the Luapula template from 2016 to 2021,” he said.

Chilangwa said the Luapula template by “Nickson Chilangwa, President Hakainde will tell you what are dos and what are donts. How you can get to another level, how you can get this country to another level”. “President Hakainde Hichilema you are a president, your presidency has an expiry period. Like DPP, his ascendance to that particular position is not for his own good, it is for the good of Zambians,” he said.

On the issue of the factions in the PF, he said “now, this nonsense around Miles, is it for the common good of Zambia?”

“Or is it for the good of two or three individuals? Our people are looking for help, they are looking for salvation and they see that hope and salvation in the Patriotic Front. Unfortunately, that is the brutal truth. People will keep on singing on high hills to say ‘no PF was voted out of power’. Yes we were voted out of power in 2021 and we agree. And they voted for UPND to go into power… after two years the Zambia people are saying PF is better,” he said. “That is what people are saying everywhere I go. But they stand on the floor of parliament and say no they have done extremely well.”

Chilangwa said the UPND government has performed well in a negative way.

“Extremely well! Yes they have done extremely well in increasing the price of mealie meal, in increasing the cost of fuel, in taking the exchange rate to unseen levels, in ensuring that fertiliser is as chaotic as ever, in ensuring that we do not have maize in stocks. They have all been exported…You have performed so well in a negative way. And we need to clap for you kaili you want to be clapped for. President Hakainde listen, when Zambians are talking on radio you need to pay attention. Very soon Zambians will stop talking. The reason why they will stop talking is because they will make a decision that nimwe ba chintomfwa tamumfwa (you’re stubborn, you don’t listen), ba UPND,” said Chilangwa. “When the Zambians are talking that the price of mealie is too high, please listen. Stop moving all over like you’re the only person who enjoys travelling. Please listen, stop persecuting and prosecuting your opponents like Nickson Chilangwa and others. Please listen. I was told that a statement alluded to him said Nickson Chilangwa needs to be taught a lesson. What lesson? Come on. You are the Head of State. Why do you have to bother about Nickson Chilangwa? Why do you have to bother about Raphael [Nakacinda]? Mr President, is that the reason Zambians voted for you? I want to send this message to the Zambian people. Please remain steadfast, the writing is on the wall, uyu aleya (This one is going). UPND, kuyabebele. I will speak this message from inside parliament and outside parliament, from inside prison and outside prison. We have reached a level colleagues where you Zambians must not be cowards.”

Govt has sold out 10% of the country’s forestry – M’membe

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Govt has sold out 10% of the country’s forestry – M’membe

Govt has sold out 10% of the country’s forestry – M’membe

By Thomas Ngala(The Mast)

IS this the best we can live given the resources God has given us, wonders opposition Socialist Party president Fred M’membe.

And Dr M’membe says the government has sold out 10 per cent of the country’s forestry.

“We are hearing it from outside, from the people they are dealing with. I don’t think they are lying. It must be the truth,” he said in reference to carbon credits.

According to The Guardian, the rights over vast tracts of African forest are being sold off in a series of huge carbon offsetting deals that cover an area of land larger than the UK.

The deals, made by a little-known member of Dubai’s ruling royal family, encompass up to 20 per cent of the countries concerned – and have raised concerns about a new “scramble for Africa” and the continent’s carbon resources.

Such deals can deny the rights of people living on the land to make use of it for their own purposes while providing unclear benefits to the environment. As chairman of the company Blue Carbon, which is barely a year old, Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook al-Maktoum has announced several exploratory deals with African states that are home to crucial wildlife havens and biodiversity hotspots, for land that represents billions of dollars in potential offsetting revenue. The sheikh has no previous experience in nature conservation projects. So far, the deals cover a fifth of Zimbabwe, 10 per cent of Liberia, 10 per cent of Zambia and eight per cent of Tanzania, amounting to a total area the size of the UK. In October, Blue Carbon signed its latest deal for “millions” of hectares of forest in Kenya. The company said it was also working on an agreement with Pakistan. More deals are expected in the coming months. The carbon assets associated with the deals could be bought up by major polluters and used towards their own targets under the Paris agreement. Blue Carbon is based in the UAE, host of the ongoing COP28 summit.

The company hopes credits from the schemes will be traded as country-level contributions to the 2015 Paris agreement, it said in a statement.

CNN also reported that Blue Carbon has secured forested land nearly equivalent to the size of the UK across five African nations to run projects to conserve forests that might otherwise be logged, preventing huge amounts of planet-heating carbon dioxide, or CO2, from entering the atmosphere.

But according to several analysts and climate advocates CNN spoke with, these conservation deals are the latest attempt by the petrostate to use green initiatives as a smokescreen for its plans to continue pumping fossil fuels.

At the same time, the UAE has said it plans to extract its very last barrel of oil 50 years from now, when its reserves are projected to dry up – decades beyond when scientists say society needs to be done with fossil fuel.

Featuring on Prime TV’s Oxygen of Democracy on Monday, Dr M’membe lamented that the cost of living is beyond most of people’s reach.

“Even the middle class are starting to feel it. They can’t run away from it. We are at a crossroads. But a crossroads is not a resting place. When you are at a crossroads you have to find which way to go. Either you go back to where you are coming from or you go right in front of you, or you go to your right or you left,” he said. “A crossroads is a time for initiatives. New initiatives are needed. New ideas are needed. New principles are needed. Not that there are no ideas or there are no principles but situations like this call for more and more strong principles.”

Dr M’membe said the country needs new direction.

He said the path that the country has been on before and after 1964 has failed citizens.

“…more and more better ideas. Where are these ideas going to come from? They will come from all our political thinkers. They will come from our religious thinkers. All authentic religions, not religions created for someone to make some money. They will come from all our philosophers and they will come from the experiences of our people,” Dr M’membe said. “It is very clear, this system of governance has not worked for us and it will not work for us no matter how much we try to cling to it. What have we been subjected to from the time we started this system of governance? We moved away from our traditional system of governance… our destiny is still being decided by other people. Our way of life is still being decided by other people.”

He said Zambians don’t realise that every path is different.

“We don’t even realise that each path is different. We are taking paths that are being dictated to us by others. Or if not dictated, manipulated. We are manipulated to take certain ways, certain paths. In life, you have to be clear about things. It is very important. In life you need to know where you are coming from to understand where you are going,” he said. “Is this the best life we can live? God has been very generous with us, very kind with us. So much resources. So much of minerals. So much of good soils, water and everything that you need to develop, to live better.”

Dr M’membe said Arabs, with minerals not as diverse as Zambia live way much better than Zambians.

He also said the government has sold out 10 per cent of the country’s forestry.

“But look at the conditions of our lives compared to the Arabs who were given very little? Deserts, no water. Only oil. Look at what they are doing with oil or what they have done with the oil. That is nowhere near the immense resources we have. Today they are coming back with the money they have earned from oil to buy huge percentages of our forests. 10 per cent gone,” he said. “We are hearing it from outside, from the people they are dealing with. I don’t think they are lying. It must be the truth. We have a problem that we need to recognise… the statistics from last year’s census show us that poverty is not reducing in this country. It is increasing.”

During the Leaders’ Event on Carbon Markets hosted by the European Union at the COP28, President Hichilema emphasised the importance of the EU’s support to Zambia in terms of institutional and technical capacity in aligning with the Paris initiative on carbon markets.

“We shared that Zambia has implemented a national climate adaptation policy, promoting carbon market development. Additionally, we highlighted ongoing efforts to draft legislation on climate change, incorporating provisions for the advancement of carbon markets,” wrote President Hichilema on his Facebook wall. “We emphasised that rural communities, dependant on natural resources, can actively engage in carbon projects only when the benefits of carbon markets are clearly demonstrated and defined to make it easy for them to participate. We will continue our engagements here (Dubai) for the benefit of our fellow citizens.”

HH appointees should refrain from seeking additional compensation – Sikaile Sikaile

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HH appointees should refrain from seeking additional compensation – Sikaile Sikaile

HH appointees should refrain from seeking additional compensation – Sikaile

By Thomas Ngala(The Mast)

WHILE acknowledging the importance of compensating victims of political brutality, we must also scrutinise the methodologies employed in combating corruption to ensure long-term sustainability and efficacy, says Sikaile Sikaile.

He says it is crucial for individuals appointed by President Hakainde Hichilema to exhibit restraint and refrain from seeking additional compensation.

In a statement, Sikaile, a good governance and human rights activist, said the commendable decision to freeze compensation in the aftermath of political brutality should not eclipse the urgent need for a robust and transparent anti-corruption strategy.

“In navigating the intricate landscape of compensation and the fight against corruption, it is imperative to champion a comprehensive and transparent approach that upholds the tenets of good governance. Although the current approach is well-intentioned, it lacks the necessary transparency leaving citizens uninformed about the restitution process for stolen public resources,” he said. “To fortify the fight against corruption, we advocate the introduction of more transparent mechanisms, including televised court proceedings for corruption cases. This not only serves as a potent tool for accountability but also ensures that citizens are well-informed about the identities of individuals responsible for financial malfeasance thereby reinforcing our commitment to rooting out corruption within the legal framework.”

Sikaile stressed that it was crucial for individuals appointed by President Hakainde Hichilema to exhibit restraint and refrain from seeking additional compensation.

He said while appointments themselves serve as a form of indirect compensation, those in government positions must consider the broader impact on public perception and prioritise the greater good.

Sikaile said the approach he suggested not only demonstrates leadership but also safeguards the President’s image and mitigating any perception of opportunism.

“Illustrating this need for responsible leadership, we draw attention to the case of Minister [of Transport and Logistics Frank] Tayali. While acknowledging the legitimate grievances stemming from political brutality under the PF administration, it is disconcerting to witness figures like Minister Tayali actively pursuing additional compensation. Having received a governmental appointment, Minister Tayali has already been indirectly compensated through the trust bestowed upon him by the President. The rush for further compensation raises questions about the necessity of such claims and the optics surrounding those in positions of authority,” he said. “This situation underscores the critical importance of leadership and moral responsibility. Minister Tayali, as a public figure, holds a significant role in championing the cause of underprivileged families who endured similar injustices. Individuals in positions of influence must consider the broader societal impact and exhibit empathy, refraining from excessive claims that may be perceived as self-serving.”

He said while Tayali may have a legitimate case for compensation, it is imperative for public officials to weigh their personal interests against the greater good.

Sikaile said the allocation of compensation should prioritise those who suffered morally and economically, especially families who lost loved ones during the oppressive PF administration.

“In urging Minister Tayali and others in similar positions to exercise prudence and restraint, we emphasise the need for leaders to set an example and prioritise the well-being of the wider community. This approach contributes not only to the preservation of public trust but also aligns with the principles of fairness and justice,” he said.

And Sikaile said the current stance by Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) director general Nason Banda suggesting that returning properties is a sufficient remedy without accompanying legal consequences, undermines the gravity of the losses suffered by the nation.

“Additionally, we express deep concern over the assertion that individuals are making restitution behind closed doors without transparent information on whether these funds include accrued interest or an estimation of the potential profits lost by the government. As concerned citizens, we demand a comprehensive understanding of the magnitude of losses incurred by the nation due to corruption, fostering a sense of accountability and transparency,” he said.

Sikaile urged the government to reconsider its approach to fighting corruption.

“This underscores the urgency for legislation mandating not only the return of ill-gotten gains but also legal repercussions for those found guilty of corruption. Such legislation would reinforce the deterrence effect and ensure justice is not only served but seen to be served,” said Sikaile. “… we emphasise the need for more comprehensive measures that include public scrutiny, legal consequences, and the recovery of stolen assets with accrued interest. This proactive stance will not only bolster public confidence but also serve as a potent deterrent to potential offenders, marking a resolute commitment to upholding justice, fairness, and good governance.”- The Mast

DPP COMPROMISED…he’s become partisan, has betrayed himself – Changala

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DPP COMPROMISED…he’s become partisan, has betrayed himself – Changala

DPP COMPROMISED…he’s become partisan, has betrayed himself – Changala

By Ernest Chanda(The Mast)

GOVERNANCE activist Brebner Changala has advised Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Gilbert Phiri against being partisan in the matter involving Miles Sampa and the PF.

Phiri has rejected a request by PF lawyer Makebi Zulu to conduct a private prosecution in a criminal matter involving Matero PF member of parliament Miles Sampa who has changed names of office bearers in the former ruling party’s register at the Registrar of Societies.

When the matter came up in the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court yesterday, the DPP chambers availed a letter authored by Phiri, which stopped the case.

This is the second time Phiri has rejected a private prosecution this year.

A few months ago, Socialist Party leader Fred M’membe applied to the DPP chambers to have Inspector General of Police Graphael Musamba prosecuted.

This is in a matter where Dr M’membe sued Musamba for criminal defamation.

“Dear Sirs,

RE: PERMISSION TO CONDUCT A PRIVATE PROSECUTION – THE PEOPLE VS MILES BWALYA SAMPA AND MORGAN NGONA

I refer to your letter dated 28th November, 2023 regarding the above captioned matter. The contents are therein duly noted,” wrote Phiri. “Upon careful perusal of your request including documents enclosed, I regret to advise that consent to prosecute this matter cannot be granted because of current civil proceedings in the High Court of judicature of Zambia bearing on the same subject matter. This office is ever so mindful of the need to maintain the integrity of the judicial system and the need to prevent and avoid abuse of the legal process. Kindly be accordingly informed.”

But Changala said the letter itself from the DPP reveals something strange.

“It says he cannot prosecute that matter because there’s a civil matter in the High Court. Now, when did civil matters and criminal matters operate at the same trajectory? He has betrayed himself there. If what was in court today was a civil matter it would make sense. But what was in court today was a criminal matter, which was forgery. What is in the High Court is a civil matter, which is a dispute. So, he can’t use the one in the High Court as the basis of discontinuing a criminal matter,” Changala argued. “The DPP does not prosecute civil matters. So he cannot attach himself to a civil matter. Something doesn’t add up. But it also shows you that the DPP is compromised, and he has joined the Executive and he’s being controlled by the Executive. He’s not an impartial DPP. And in any case, how did the DPP come to know about the civil matter in the High Court? Was anything raised? And more ss, the magistrate had subpoenaed the former registrar and the current Registrar who had come to court because the magistrate knows this is a criminal matter. So the DPP is acting on instructions of the Executive who are so much embroiled in the PF wrangles because this is a criminal matter. Now, the question is, who is supposed to prosecute this criminal act of forgery? Because it’s a criminal matter! And the DPP is like he’s more interested in prosecuting criminal matters that involve the opposition. You can imagine if this forgery was done by an opposition leader, he was going to celebrate. Now that it’s an allegation towards an agent of the Executive, the DPP jumps in. This DPP is compromised. As we all know he has been a life lawyer for the current Head of State. The DPP is a lifetime lawyer for the current President no wonder things are happening in a manner… This is a man who celebrates prosecuting the opposition while protecting the Executive.”

Changala warned that if Phiri continues on this trajectory, he will be removed like others before him when UPND loses power.

“The current DPP as a former personal lawyer of President Hakainde Hichilema has become partisan and political. He has been stopping the prosecution of criminal matters which involve the opposition. He’s quick to prosecute all criminal matters that involve the opposition. The same DPP authorised the prosecution of Saboi Imboela in a private matter where [State House chief communications specialist Clayson] Hamasaka sued Saboi for alleged criminal defamation. This shows you that he is a UPND cadre. He is prosecuting Saboi write now in a private matter involving Hamasaka,” Changala said yesterday. “Now, that is not the way an independent office of DPP operates. The DPP is supposed to bring cases that favour the State as well as cases that do not favour the State. He’s supposed to be impartial and independent. And DPP Gilbert Phiri has clearly decided to continue the abuse of the DPP chambers. And should there be a regime change he will be hounded out like a common criminal like it has happened to others because he’s willingly laying the ground for his removal at an appropriate time.”

He contended that by Zambian law criminal matters take priority over civil matters, hence Phiri’s argument cannot stand.

“It is undebatable and unwritten law that criminal matters take precedence over civil matters. And the matters involving Miles Sampa and PF are highly contentious. And by blocking the only available legal means in trying to resolve these issues he’ll be abating civil disobedience and diluting the very essence of the judicial process and the Constitution that he swore to uphold and protect,” Changala said. “And this abuse of State power will in no time consume him and those who are using him like a mop to destroy the judicial system. He’s biased and a danger to criminal justice system. My appeal to Mr Gilbert Phiri is to stay away from politics. We know his appointment was a favour and a payment for all the jobs that he did for UPND and Mr Hakainde in particular. But to use a state institution to abate injustice is a serious criminal matter in itself. And the day to account shall indeed dawn, and he will just run away himself because Zambians are keeping a record.”

He charged that Phiri’s behaviour has confirmed that the State is behind what he termed the PF project.

He said the government is scared because of the witnesses Zulu subpoenaed in the matter.

“So far, the Patriotic Front have failed to resolve their matters legally as per the law established because there are many ropes on the judicial highway where the chambers of the DPP are just one of them. But I must put it on record that what has scared them is the subpoena of the former registrar of societies [Thandiwe Mhende] and the current [acting] Registrar of Societies,” said Changala. “But what the DPP has firmly confirmed is that the Miles Sampa project is State inspired. And it has the full support of the Executive and to some extent the judicial arm of government but fully recognised in this mess by the Legislature. But there will be a time to account for all those who are abating this criminality because this whole thing is a criminal project planned and inspired by the Executive which has lost the true legitimacy to hold on to power.”

SEARCH FOR TRAPPED MINERS TO CONTINUE – HH

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SEARCH FOR TRAPPED MINERS TO CONTINUE – HH

SEARCH FOR TRAPPED MINERS TO CONTINUE – HH

CHINGOLA – President HAKAINDE HICHILEMA says government and other rescue teams will not abandon the ongoing search to retrieve the remaining trapped miners at Senseli Open Pit Mine in Chingola district, Copperbelt Province.

President Hichilema says all risky areas at the mine will be assessed carefully so that the search operation continues in order to retrieve all the miners still trapped.

The Head of State says government will ensure safety in mining operations so that such a tragedy does not reoccur.

The President was speaking at the mass burial for 9 of the Senseli Mine accident victims at Chingola Town Cemetery this afternoon.

Government has provided equipment needed to help with the rescue mission to ensure that trapped miners at Senseli Open Pit Mine in Chingola are retrieved as quickly as possible.

GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES VALIDATION OF THE 2023 EDUCATION CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK

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GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES VALIDATION OF THE 2023 EDUCATION CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK

GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES VALIDATION OF THE 2023 EDUCATION CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK

THE Ministry of Education has launched the validation of the 2023 Zambia Education Curriculum Framework which is aimed at reforming the country’s education curriculum.

Speaking during the launch of the 2023 validation framework, Minister of Education Permanent Secretary Education Services Joel Kamoko said the 2023 curriculum framework contains a number of progressive reforms that should be supported by all stakeholders.

Mr. Kamoko noted that among the reforms contained in the 2023 curriculum, is the structural adjustment of the education system which will now be aligned with the global world.

ZANIS reports that the Permanent Secretary explained that one of the proposals contained in the curriculum is having Zambians write their school certificate examination at the end of form four.

Mr. Kamoko stated that the automatic progression from primary to secondary school has been abolished together with junior secondary school.

He said aligning the curriculum will position the country to become an education hub and consequently a center of excellence.

Mr. Kamoko stressed that he has no doubt that the 2023 Education Curriculum Framework, which is a subject of validation, will facilitate learners with knowledge and values that will help in the development of the country.

“I must state that this validation workshop we are all attending today has proposals that were made by different stakeholders and the ministry just guided and helped in putting the views into one document”, Mr Kamoko noted.

Mr. Kamoko noted that President Hakainde Hichilema recognises the role that the education sector play, hence his directive to reform the education curriculum.

He said the validation workshop being held today is a testament of the presidential directive.

Mr. Kamoko stated that prior to the drafting of the curriculum, a number of activities were held such as review, evaluation and consultative meetings among others.

The PS has since called on stakeholders to work with government and help develop the curriculum that will spur the social and economic development of the country.

And speaking at the same event, Ministry of Education Director Curriculum Development Charles Ndakala said about 280 institutions made their submissions towards the development of the 2023 Zambia Education Curriculum Framework.

Dr. Ndakala stated that after receiving submissions, a consolidated framework was developed and soft copies were distributed hence the validation workshop being held today.

The validation of the 2023 Zambia Education Curriculum Framework has been held under the theme: “Reforming the Zambia Education Curriculum towards Education for Sustainability.”

MISA CONDEMNS THE HARASSMENT OF JOURNALISTS IN KITWE BY ZAMBIA POLICE

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MISA CONDEMNS THE HARASSMENT OF JOURNALISTS IN KITWE BY ZAMBIA POLICE

MISA CONDEMNS THE HARASSMENT OF JOURNALISTS IN KITWE BY ZAMBIA POLICE

LUSAKA – MISA Zambia has received with sadness, the report of harassment of journalists during the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) press briefing which was held in Kitwe this morning.

Information reaching MISA Zambia indicates that armed Police officers harassed the journalists who were covering the EFF press briefing by forcing them to delete the pictures and videos they took while other journalists had their gadgets like phones and cameras confiscated citing that the press briefing was an illegal meeting because the EFF party leader did not obtain a permit to hold the gathering.

MISA Zambia has found this to be uncalled-for act as intimidating and hindering Freedom of speech which is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation.

In a democratic country like Zambia, democracy allows the people a voice in charting the course of their government and their future. Therefore, as an organization that advocates for media freedom and Freedom of expression, we would like to remind all government leaders, police officers, and political cadres that, freedom of expression gives anyone, the right to hold their own opinions and to express themselves freely without interference.

However, when contacted for a comment, Zambia police spokesperson Rea Hamoonga informed MISA Zambia that all gargets that were confiscated were given back to the journalists after the screening.

MISA Zambia holds the media in high esteem as it is the fourth estate that provides checks and balances in the country hence, the Zambia Police is urged to treat them as a stakeholder in the development of the nation.

We therefore call on Police to desist from carrying out acts of censorship and intimidation against the media. Police are supposed to uphold human rights including freedom of expression, especially that it is enshrined in the Constitution. We understand that it is the duty of police to maintain law and order but they should not prevent citizens and the media from enjoying their democratic rights while doing so.

Issued by
Mrs. Lorraine Mwanza Chisanga
Chairperson – MISA Zambia

BUS, TAXI DRIVERS HAIL PRESIDENT HICHILEMA

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BUS, TAXI DRIVERS HAIL PRESIDENT HICHILEMA

BUS, TAXI DRIVERS HAIL PRESIDENT HICHILEMA

December 11th, 2023

Bus and Taxi drivers have hailed President HAKAINDE HICHILEMA for creating the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprise Development dedicated to matters concerning the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in Zambia.

This came to light today when Manja Pamodzi Bus and Taxi Drivers Association led by the Chairperson James Chama paid a courtesy call on Minister of Small and Medium Enterprise Development Elias Mubanga at his office today.

Mr. Chama commended President Hichilema for the unwavering support towards small and medium enterprises in the country.

Mr. Chama said his association which holds membership from all towns of the Copperbelt stands ready to support the UPND New Dawn Government’s agenda of bringing sanity in all bus stations and markets.

He acknowledged government efforts in empowering marketers across the country through the Marketer Booster Loans under the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC).

Mr. Chama appealed to government to extend the loan facility to the transport sector adding that his association is aware of the President’s call for people to participate in the economic recovery agenda and would want to participate once such empowerment initiatives are made available.

And Minister of Small and Medium Enterprise Development Elias Mubanga said government is in receipt of huge numbers of requests for empowerment funds and is working round the clock to ensure viable businesses are supported.

Mr. Mubanga said plans are underway for the transport sector to be empowered with a wide range of vehicles.

He assured the association of government support and called for concerted efforts from the association for effective economic recovery to take place.

© THE FALCON

Startlingly as Zimbabwe’s finance minister rated as best in Africa

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Startlingly as Zimbabwe’s finance minister rated as best in Africa

A lot of people in Zimbabwe are surprised that Mthuli Ncube was chosen as the “Best African Finance Minister of the Year” because the country’s economy is struggling.

One person on X, which used to be called Twitter, said the award was like praising a captain for steering a ship into an iceberg.

Another person said it was the funniest joke of the past ten years.

Zimbabwe has a very high unemployment rate, as high as 85%, according to experts.

According to Reuters, most transactions are done in US dollars because people don’t trust their local currency.

Reputation Poll International is a company that gives awards for good reputation. They gave Mr Ncube an award on Sunday.

The minister, chosen by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in 2018, told the Herald newspaper that he was happy to get the honor.

He said that the recognition was for the work he and the Treasury team did to lead the transformation of the economy.

But, activist Hopewell Chin’ono said that the award was a “disrespect” to Zimbabweans.

He was very surprised, especially after Mr. Ncube’s new budget, when Mr. Chin’ono called it “the worst budget for the people that Zimbabwe has ever had”.

Taxes will go up and the cost of a passport will increase to $200 (£160) from $120, which will make it the most expensive in the region.

Mr Chin’ono said that Mr Ncube is running the worst economy in the world because of his bad and dishonest decisions.

Zimbabwe’s economy has been having a difficult time for many years. The Zimbabwe dollar was stopped being used in 2009 because prices were going up really fast – even by the hour – due to very high inflation.

Critics say the ruling Zanu-PF party, led first by Robert Mugabe and then by Mr Mnangagwa, did not manage things well. They say that the Western countries’ sanctions are the reason for their problems.

Zimbabwe had by-elections on the weekend because some MPs from the main opposition party were removed.

Zanu-PF candidates won 7 out of 9 by-elections, but they still need 3 more seats to have enough power to change the constitution.

Niger Junta opposes agreement to release overthrown president

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Niger Junta opposes agreement to release overthrown president

The person in charge of Niger’s military has said no to letting the former president go free in return for lifting the sanctions on the country.

Ecowas, a group of countries in West Africa, offered to help after a meeting on Sunday.

It has asked many times for Mohamed Bazoum to be let go since he was put on house arrest in late July.

His family says they haven’t heard from him since he tried to escape from detention on 19 October.

On Sunday, leaders from Ecowas met to talk about the problems in the region. There have been military takeovers in Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea in the past year, and there have been two attempted coups in other places recently.

Ecowas keeps asking Niger’s military leaders to bring back civilian government as soon as they can. The group said they would send soldiers and stop trading with the country, but it didn’t work.

On Sunday, the alliance joined with local and international partners to ask the junta to let Mr. Bazoum go

It also asked the military leaders to make the change to civilian rule happen faster. Right now, they plan for it to take three years.

Ecowas did not say how long a transition period should be.

Later today, the military leader of Niger, Gen Abdourahamane Tchiani, told the state broadcaster RTN that Mr Bazoum will not be set free.

Gen Tchiani agreed to make the change happen faster, but didn’t say how much faster.

Ecowas said it will keep its penalties in place for Niger after the general spoke.

However, it said it would make a group to work with Niger’s military leaders on figuring out a plan for change. Depending on how those discussions go, the restrictions would slowly be lifted.

On October 19, Mr. Bazoum and his family, along with some other people, tried to use a helicopter to escape from being confined, but they were not successful.

Relatives said they last spoke to him the day before he planned to escape.

Since the takeover, the family members have talked about the “cruel” way they have been treated by the new military government.

Wicknell Chivayo spoils himself with US$500k G Wagon on his birthday

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Wicknell Chivayo spoils himself with US$500k G Wagon on his birthday

While he is still celebrating his victory in the Supreme Court 10 days ago, which brought to an end a five-year battle with the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC), flamboyant businessman Wicknell Chivayo spoiled himself with another luxury vehicle, this time a Mercedes Benz G Wagon worth US$500 000.

Chivayo, who has been on a spending spree recently, shelling out gifts to everyone from comedians to Zanu-PF supporters, did not forget to reward himself on his special day, purchasing a brand new Mercedes Benz G 63 Brabus.

Posting on X, formerly Twitter, Wicknell wrote:

“Thank you for all the wonderful birthday messages last week, the love was overwhelming and i felt really special. To add on to your love I decided to spoil myself and buy this beautiful birthday present for 500k USD a BRAND SPANKING & STINKING NEW 2023 BENZ G 63 BRABUS.”

Wicknell Chivayo spoils himself with US$500k G Wagon on his birthday (Picture via Facebook – Sir Wicknell)

Wicknell Chivayo spoils himself with US$500k G Wagon on his birthday (Picture via Facebook – Sir Wicknell)

Wicknell Chivayo spoils himself with US$500k G Wagon on his birthday (Picture via Facebook – Sir Wicknell)

Wicknell Chivayo spoils himself with US$500k G Wagon on his birthday (Picture via Facebook – Sir Wicknell)

According to Benzinsider.com, Wicknell’s new toy, described by the Benz enthusiasts as “masterpiece of engineering, requires even the wealthy to dig deep in their pockets as it comes at quite a cost.

Chivayo has hogged the limelight recently, as his long-running case against ZPC reached its climax.

In early December, the tycoon and his company Intratrek Zimbabwe (PVT) LTD won a case at the Supreme Court which the ZPC had filed an appeal against his earlier victory.

Justice Lavender Makoni sitting with Justice Joseph Musakwa and George Chiweshe all unanimously concurred and dismissed the ZPC appeal for lack of merit and upheld the High Court judgement by Justice Paul Siyabonga Msithu handed down in January this year after a fully contested trial in September 2022.

While the businessman is certainly not holding back on buying luxury vehicles, many are now putting pressure on him and his company to deliver on the Gwanda Solar Project, whose contract was the subject of the court case in the first place.

Chamisa’s CCC vows to challenge ‘judicial coup’ that promises Zanu-PF a supermajority

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Chamisa’s CCC vows to challenge ‘judicial coup’ that promises Zanu-PF a supermajority

Zimbabwe opposition on Sunday said it would challenge the results of “sham” weekend by-elections, which could give the ruling party enough of a majority to change the constitution.

The southern African country was due to hold nine by-elections on Saturday, but most opposition candidates were taken off electoral lists by courts in a chaotic runup to the vote.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s party, ZANU-PF, is just 10 seats away from securing a two-thirds majority in parliament that would allow it to change the constitution.

“The ill fated by-elections are a sham,” the main opposition party, the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), said in a statement on Sunday, describing it as “a judicial coup” and “an undeniable affront against the constitution of Zimbabwe”.

“Accordingly, we will be filing a formal complaint to the judicial service commission,” it said.

A nationwide election in August saw the 81-year-old Mnangagwa seal a new term and his ZANU-PF secure 177 of the 280 national assembly seats, with the CCC taking 104.

But two months later, 14 CCC lawmakers were kicked out of parliament and nine by-elections ordered. The other five seats are decided by proportional representation.

An obscure political figure, Sengezo Tshabangu, declared himself the CCC’s “interim secretary general” and said that the 14 were no longer party members and could not keep their seats.

CCC leader Nelson Chamisa, a former preacher, protested that Tshabangu was not a party member and that no expulsions had been agreed.

But the parliament speaker from ZANU-PF still ordered new elections.

Courts ruled last week, confirmed by the Harare High Court on Saturday, that the opposition candidates could not stand again in their old seats.

The CCC has accused ZANU-PF of using Tshabangu in a “nefarious” campaign to remove opposition candidates from ballot papers. The ruling party has denied any role in Tshabangu’s activities.

Results of the vote are due to be announced in the coming days.

Observers say ZANU-PF wants to scrap a limit on presidents serving more than two terms, that would allow 81-year-old Mnangagwa to extend his rule.

Mnangagwa came to power on the back of a 2017 coup that toppled the country’s longtime ruler Robert Mugabe.

Source – AFP

Nikki Haley makes her case for challenging President Trump

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Nikki Haley makes her case for challenging President Trump

While making campaign appearances in Iowa, Nikki Haley shares her personal music with tiny but gathering crowds.

Fans are treated to songs by Queen, Abba, and Pat Benatar while they wait for her to make an appearance.

The music is in the middle, it’s easy to listen to, and it creates a certain mood. Ms Haley is trying to appeal to a large group of people by presenting herself as a moderate and traditional conservative candidate.

The Iowa caucuses will happen in five weeks and will be the first test of how popular the Republican candidates are.

The Iowa caucuses are a way for each state to choose who they want to be their party nominee in the election. The main winner is officially declared at the Republican National Convention (RNC) – a major political event in July 2024.

The results in Iowa can either make or break political campaigns. Haley, along with other Republicans running for office, is traveling across the state to talk to as many voters as she can.

She wants to give tax breaks to small businesses and people who are middle class. She says she will make the government smaller and reduce the amount of money it owes. And she is saying that it would put America’s safety at risk to lessen help for either Israel or Ukraine.

It’s clear to see how this campaign could have helped her win the nomination in the past.

Can it win in a Republican Party changed by Donald Trump. The people Trump has attracted to the party hate the type of politics Haley is promoting.

At a “Faith and Family” event at Dordt University, she was joined on stage by her 23-year-old daughter Rena. Other candidates had their husbands or wives with them, but Ms. Haley’s husband is away in Africa with the National Guard for a whole year.

The local Republican congressman, Randy Feenstra, interviewed Ms. Haley on stage. Haley said that we can’t beat Democratic disorder with Republican disorder, and that’s what Donald Trump brings.

The university auditorium was crowded on a very cold Saturday morning. Iowa voters are the first to vote and take it very seriously. Many want to see each candidate in person before deciding who to vote for.

Many people I talked to later were impressed with Ms. Haley’s past job as governor of South Carolina and her calm, professional behavior.

Braeden Nydim said he couldn’t decide between Ms. Haley and Ron DeSantis. He said he thinks Ms. Haley is very calm and confident. His wife, Emma Nydim, believes that Ms Haley is good at being fair and not taking sides with any political party.

Stacey Harmelink voted for Mr Trump in 2016 and 2020, but after meeting Ms Haley at a local event, she decided to become a volunteer for her campaign. “I notice that she brings people together, and I think our country doesn’t need more division with Donald Trump. ”

But those are the opinions of people who are searching for a different option instead of Mr. Only a small number of his followers showed up, and they still have the same opinions as before.

Doyle Turner said he thinks Ms Haley is too much like the people already in power. I don’t think the same as her about Ukraine or the environment. Please simplify the following text: “The car’s intricate system of gears and pistons ensures that the engine operates smoothly and efficiently. ”

Ms Haley’s campaign got a big boost from important donors who want to move on from Mr. The group called Americans for Prosperity Action, which was started by Charles and David Koch, is giving her a lot of money to try to make her the only candidate against Trump.

Emily Seidel, a top adviser to Americans for Prosperity Action, said that Ms. Haley would get votes from independent and moderate people that Trump can’t get. She also said that the country is being torn apart by extreme views on both sides.

She said that we need a leader with experience and good judgment to save our country from a crisis. Nikki Haley is the leader.

A new survey in the Wall Street Journal said that in a one-on-one competition, Ms. Haley would win over Joe Biden by 17 points.

Other surveys say that people might be more likely to vote for her than Mr Trump in the upcoming election in November. However, when Republican voters decide who they want as their presidential candidate, the polls indicate that the former president is far ahead of Ms. Haley and all other contenders.

As Haley takes pictures with happy fans after a small meeting in Clear Lake, Iowa, it seems like she is doing really well in the competition for second place.

The little girls who are getting their pictures taken with her really want to believe that she will become the first female president of America. The song “Don’t You Think it’s Time We Put a Woman in the White House” by Sheryl Crow is playing loudly as encouragement. But it seems like a very unlikely possibility.

But Trump has to go to court for many criminal cases, so we don’t know if people will still support him. If he decides to leave the race, Ms. Haley is in a good position to take his place and be chosen by her party.

Ukraine’s hopes for counter-offensive ‘didn’t come true’

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Ukraine’s hopes for counter-offensive ‘didn’t come true’

Ukraine tried to fight back, but it didn’t work out as planned, a top security official admitted.

But Oleksiy Danilov, who leads the country’s war team, said: “That doesn’t mean we won’t win. ”

Kyiv is working to get more help from Western countries, especially the US.

Mr Danilov thinks that some money for the military will definitely be approved.

In May, before the counter-attack, he said that the next few months would be a very important chance for us.

Thinking back on those words, he said: “In May, everyone in our country wanted the war to finish fast. ”

“There were expectations, but they were not met. ”

“We have been protecting our country for two years, which is a great accomplishment. ”

The Ukrainian forces wanted to regain the land that Russia took in February 2022 and stop Russia from getting supplies to Crimea.

However, they don’t have control of the air and are dealing with strong Russian defenses, so their progress has stopped as winter arrives.

Mr Danilov admitted that they had been too optimistic.

“Sometimes people make mistakes. ” “You can’t always be the best in class,” he said.

He said that the situation on the frontline is really hard and thinks that old war textbooks, even Nato ones, should be put away.

People are arguing about who is to blame for what happened in Ukraine recently. They are pointing fingers at outside allies and advisors or Ukraine’s own armed forces.

Mr Danilov didn’t want to say when a new attempt to take back territory could happen.

“I’m confident that we will keep going,” he said. “We will keep fighting for our freedom and independence. ”

Ukraine is focusing on making its defense stronger for the coming winter.

Russia is trying to surround the town of Avdiivka and gain full control of the nearby town of Marinka in the Donetsk region.

Delay in US aid is not a tragedy.

Mr Danilov was very sure that the US would agree to help with Ukraine’s defense, even though he didn’t say exactly how much money Ukraine might receive.

A $60 billion plan is caught up in politics within our country, and there’s not much time left before Congress takes a break for Christmas.

Some US Republican lawmakers are unsure about sending more money.

“If we get a present before Christmas, we will be happy. ”

He said, “If it happens later, it shouldn’t be made into a big problem. ”

When he was asked if Ukraine would lose the war if the US stopped giving them help, he said he didn’t want to think about that possibility. He believes that they have the truth on their side.

Will Putin hurt us in front of everyone. Will he harm our children, women, and elderly men. And will the whole world just ignore it.

So, the question is, what kind of world do we live in.

MrDanilov said there is no tension between President Zelensky and Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief, Valeriy Zaluzhny.

“I don’t believe the things the media is saying are true. “

Alexei Navalny: leader of Russian opposition’removed from penitentiary colony’

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Alexei Navalny: leader of Russian opposition’removed from penitentiary colony’

The Russian government took Alexei Navalny out of the prison where he was and now no one knows where he is. His spokesperson shared this information.

Kira Yarmysh wrote on social media that the officials from the Melekhovo prison said he was no longer listed there.

The White House expressed serious worry about the reports.

Mr Navalny’s helpers thought he would be sent to a more strict prison after his sentence was made longer.

They say his vanishing is connected to the new information about the elections.

On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he wants to run for president again next March.

In August, Mr. Navalny was accused of starting and financing a group that the government thinks is dangerous. He says he didn’t do it, but he was given 19 more years in prison.

He was already given a nine-year sentence for breaking the rules of his release from prison, committing fraud, and disrespecting the court. Many people think that the accusations against him are driven by politics.

He was told he would have to stay in a special kind of prison called a “special regime colony. ” These prisons are usually for very serious criminals, repeat offenders, and those who have been sentenced to life in prison.

Mr Navalny’s friends said earlier today that they hadn’t heard from him in six days.

He missed some recent court appearances that he usually attended through video. The prison authorities said that the missing people were because of problems with the colony’s technology.

Ms Yarmysh said that the lawyers who were waiting for news outside Melekhovo and a nearby colony were told that he was not registered in either place.

His assistant, Leonid Volkov, said that it is not a coincidence at all and that the Kremlin is directly controlling everything.

Putin knows who his main opponent is in these ‘elections’, it’s not a secret.

He wants to stop Navalny from speaking. Each of us needs to speak up for Navalny.

For over ten years, Mr. Navalny tried to uncover corruption within the Russian government. His videos have been seen by tens of millions of people online.

He was a very likeable leader who could get a lot of people in Russia to join protests against the government.

But in 2020, he was poisoned in Siberia by a nerve agent confirmed by Western labs.

A new report by Bellingcat and The Insider said that some FSB agents were involved in the attack.

After Navalny got better from the attack, he went back to Russia in 2021 even though he was warned that he might get arrested. He got arrested as soon as he got to an airport in Moscow.

Donald Tusk to take over as prime minister of Poland

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Donald Tusk to take over as prime minister of Poland

Donald Tusk is going to be the new leader of Poland because the current leader, Mateusz Morawiecki, lost an important vote in parliament on Monday.

Mr Morawiecki’s Law and Justice party did not get enough votes to win the election in October.

President Andrzej Duda, who is from the PiS party, chose Mr Morawiecki to be in charge of the government.

His inability to win support opens the door for Mr Tusk to become the Prime Minister.

In total, 190 members of parliament supported Mr. Morawiecki’s government, while 266 were against it.

In October’s elections, Mr. Tusk’s group won the most seats in the Sejm, which is the country’s parliament. More than 70% of people voted, which was a record turnout.

The grouping includes three parties: Mr. Tusk’s Civic Coalition (KO), the Third Way, and the Left.

Mr Morawiecki’s party, PiS, won the most seats in the election but other parties didn’t want to work with them, so they couldn’t get enough support to have control in parliament.

Mr Duda chose Mr. Morawiecki to be the leader of the country, which caused the new government to be put on hold for a few weeks.

Mr Tusk used to be the leader of Poland from 2007 to 2014, and then he became the president of the European Council.

The new leader of the country will show his team on Tuesday. Some people think Radoslaw Sikorski will be chosen. He used to be the country’s foreign minister when Mr Tusk was in charge.

People have high hopes for the new coalition. Tusk promised to take steps to fix the problems caused by eight years of PiS rule.

The new government promised to make sure that the courts can make decisions on their own again. They said that the previous governments had made it hard for the courts to do that.

“We are trying to come up with a bunch of rules that will bring back the law as much as we can,” said Mr.

He promised to release €36bn (£30bn) of EU money for Poland, which Brussels has refused to give because of worries about the way the country is being ruled.

A decision from 2020 that stopped almost all abortions will be changed, and the rights of LGBT people will be made stronger.

But Mr Tusk might have trouble doing what he wants to do. Duda chose Mr. Morawiecki to lead the government even though he knows they probably won’t win a vote of confidence. This shows that the president, who will be in office until 2025, wants to stop Mr. Tusk’s plans

In order to become a law, bills that are approved by parliament need to be signed by Mr. Duda He also has the power to reject them. Tusk’s group of politicians doesn’t have enough people to say no to a decision by the president.

Zelensky travels to US in an attempt to save $60 billion deal

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Zelensky travels to US in an attempt to save $60 billion deal

Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, is going to Washington DC to try to save a threatened US military aid package to Kyiv that is worth billions of dollars.

The help has got mixed up in American domestic politics that are divided by different groups.

Mr Zelensky will visit the US for the third time since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

This is an important week for Ukraine because the European Union will decide if it can start talking about joining the EU.

Hungarian leader Viktor Orban says he doesn’t agree with the plan and can stop it.

Mr Orban and Mr Zelensky talked a lot when they met on Sunday at the ceremony for Argentina’s new president. They have not told anyone what they talked about.

The president of Ukraine will come to Washington on Monday. He will meet with President Biden and Speaker Johnson, and then speak to the Senate on Tuesday morning.

The White House said in a statement on Sunday that Mr Zelensky’s visit was to show the United States’ strong support for Ukraine as they defend themselves against Russia’s invasion.

The $60 billion military aid plan for the US is on hold in Congress because some Republicans think more money should be spent on keeping the US-Mexico border safe.

Last week, the Senate voted to stop a package that included money for something.

Mr Biden is asking lawmakers to agree to the money. Last Wednesday, he spoke passionately on TV and said the package needed to be done right away. He also warned that Russia won’t stop at winning against Ukraine.

Although Ukraine was able to defend itself against Russia’s first attack, its powerful counter-attack this year has slowed down and some of the Western countries that were helping Ukraine have shown signs of getting tired.

After the Senate vote, the wife of the Ukrainian president, Olena Zelenska, told the BBC that Ukrainians would be in serious danger if Western countries stopped helping them.

We really need help. In other words, we can’t afford to get tired of this situation, because if we do, we’ll die,” she said.

“If the world gets tired, they will just let us die. “

Break at Salt mine in Brazil raises fears of collapse

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Break at Salt mine in Brazil raises fears of collapse

A break at a rock salt mine in north-eastern Brazil has made people more worried that the whole mine might collapse soon.

A video taken by the civil defence authority showed dirty water bubbling up in the Mundaú lagoon near the city of Maceió, where the mine is located.

The mine was closed and it belonged to a big company from Brazil called Braskem.

In the last 40 years, many people have been forced to leave their homes because the rock salt mining has caused a lot of damage.

The break in the mine happened at 13:15 local time (16:15 GMT) on Sunday, which let water from the lagoon get inside.

The mayor said the area impacted was 60 meters wide.

Braskem said that cameras watching the area around Mine 18 saw something strange happening with the water in the lagoon’s ground.

The mayor of Maceió, João Henrique Caldas, flew in a helicopter to look at the damage in the lagoon.

He said there was a break in the ground about 60 meters (200 feet) wide, but it didn’t put anyone in danger because the people who lived nearby had already left.

He said that the mine was supposed to become stable.

However, people who live in the city are worried about how quickly the ground above the mine is sinking.

The ground sank 2. 35 meters between November 30th and December 10th, according to official measurements.

Maceió’s civil defence office said on November 29th that Mine 18 might collapse soon, but the city has had issues with rock salt mining for a long time.

In 2018, cracks started to appear in the buildings and roads of five neighborhoods. In the past five years, more than 14,000 buildings had to be emptied, and about 60,000 people were affected.

The damage was first thought to be caused by strong rain and shaking of the ground. In 2020, a government study found that Braskem’s rock salt mining caused cracks and the ground to sink.

For many years, the Brazilian petrochemical company has run many mines in the area.

Rock salt is taken from deep underground and used to make PVC. When it’s removed, it can leave holes that make the soil sink.

Braskem disagreed with the results of the study done by experts from the Brazilian Geological Service, saying they were not accurate.

However, the company shut down its mines in Maceió in 2019 and recently agreed to pay the city 1. 7 billion reias ($343 million; £273 million) for damages caused by land sinking and relocation.

The town leaders want to talk to the company about paying for more things if the mine collapses.

Here is the list of so called Easterners who have allegedly formed the regional and tribal grouping named UMODZI KUM’MAWA

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Here is the list of so called Easterners who have allegedly formed the regional and tribal grouping named UMODZI KUM’MAWA

COME OUT IN THE OPEN AND FORM A POLITICAL PARTY INSTEAD OF HIDING IN THE REGIONAL AND TRIBAL POLITICS.

**Dec 11, 2023 @4:20pm

Here is the list of so called Easterners who have allegedly formed the regional and tribal grouping named UMODZI KUM’MAWA, whether true or false this is shocking considering some of the prominent names appearing on the list notable among them ,LAZ President Lungisani Zulu, **FAZ President Mr. Andrew N. Kamanga, former Banker and Permanent secretary Ms. Sherry Thole, Nc’wala organizing committee chairperson Ms. Mkwinda Sakala etc are people of respected personality in our Province.

And when you look at this line up below, it is clear that this is a defacto political party whose sponsors are scared to come out in the open but soon they will come out and we will gladly welcome them in the political arena.

Why are you scared just follow the law and submit these names as office bearers to the registrar of Societies so that you get registered as a political party and please don’t think we don’t know the person behind this in the background.

Issued by

Yosi Miti
PF Deputy Media Director
Cc. All media houses and social media platforms

Chairperson

  1. Muhabi Lungu

2) Vice Chairperson
Mr. Lungusani Zulu

3) Hon.Secretary
Dr. Rodgers Lubilo

4) Vice. Hon. Secretary
Mr. Phiri Patrick

5) Treasurer
Mr. Tobias Sakala

6) Vice Treasurer
Mr. Joseph Mbewe

7) Publicity Secretary
Mr. Chanoda F Ngwira

8) Vice Publicity Secretary
a) Pastor Enerst Banda

9) Youth Chairperson
Mr. Chembe Daka

10) Vice youth Chairperson
a) ?

11) Women league Chairperson
Ms. Dorothy Phiri

12) Vice women league Chairperson
Ms. Delphister Lungu

13) 5 committee members
i) Dr. Joseph Zulu
ii) Ms. Mkwinda Sakala
iii)
iv) Mr. Henry S Tembo
v) Mr. Anthony Mbewe

7 COUNCIL OF ELDERS
(Equivalent of Board Members)
i) Ms. Sherry Thole
ii) Hon. Angela Chifire
iii) Hon. Major FKK Kamanga
iv) Hon. Maxwell Mwale
v) Hon. Salatiel Tembo
vi) Hon. Lucas Phiri
vii) Mr. Andrew N. Kamanga

AKAFUMBA’S NDC MEETING ENDS,ELECTS NYIRENDA AS PRESIDENT

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AKAFUMBA’S NDC MEETING ENDS,ELECTS NYIRENDA AS PRESIDENT

AKAFUMBA’S NDC MEETING ENDS,ELECTS NYIRENDA AS PRESIDENT

AKAFUMBA’S NDC faction ratifies appointment of Nyirenda, Sensele as president and vice-president respectively

THE NDC General Conference that was heabily guarded by the Police has elected interim president, Sam Nyirenda.

A few months before the August 12, 2021 general election, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) split into two factions after its founder Chishimba Kambwili rejoined the PF.

Vice-president Josephs Akafumba led a favtion to UPND while Kambwili handed over to Saboi Imboela.

But after being appointed permanent secretary in charge of administration in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security, Akafumba handed over the NDC presidency to Mwenya Musenge.

But Musenge was ‘overthrown’ by George Sichula.

However, about three weeks ago, Sichula also resigned after President Hakainde Hichilema appointed him trade and economic secretary at the Zambian High Commission in Nigeria.

He too handed over to Nyirenda who was his vice-president.

When Nyirenda became “president”, Paul Sensele who was member of the central committee in charge of tourism took over as “vice-president”.

The Kabwe meeting was therefore meant to “ratify the appointment of the two”.

In a statement after successfully holding the meeting at another venue as the original venue VK Motel was under heavy police surveillance, Nyirenda declared that the NDC will support the UPND so as help develop the nation.

Legitimate NDC Presidence Saboi Imboela said there was no meeting in Kabwe.

“We have heard from social media accusing us that we have a soft spot for Chishimba Kambwili, but that issue is not there. We have nothing to do with CK, as NDC we have moved on and we have nothing to do with the PF. We only have one alliance and that is the UPND-Alliance,” Nyirenda said.

He thanked President Hakainde Hichilema and his leadership for trying to economically stabilise the nation.

Nyirenda said inflation has greatly impacted on the lives of Zambians but praised the UPND for using the Zambia National Service to stabilise the cost of mealie meal.

“We want the nation to be united and we don’t see why some of our colleagues seem to celebrate when we have not concluded the debt restructuring…we know that with debt burden our fiscal space is limited,” said Nyirenda.

Cardi B Declares She’s Single, Responds To Offset & Chrisean Rock Rumors

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Cardi B Declares She’s Single, Responds To Offset & Chrisean Rock Rumors

Cardi B is easily one of the biggest artists in rap right now, and her husband Offset is too. However, there has been some trouble in paradise as of late for the two. Last week, it was reported that the two had unfollowed each other on social media. Furthermore, over the weekend, Blueface came out and said that Offset had sex with Chrisean Rock recently. Overall, this was a pretty wild rumor to find out about. Fans could not believe it, and it led to a whole lot of chatter throughout social media.

Offset and Chrisean Rock were quick to deny the rumors. However, a lot of fans wanted to hear from Cardi B. After all, she is the one who would be getting cheated on here. Well, this morning, the artist went on Instagram Live where she addressed her fans, and the rumors themselves. As you can see in the video below, she makes a pretty large revelation here. She is now single. Yes, that is right. Cardi B and Offset have broken up, and Cardi now sees herself as a single woman.

Cardi B And Offset Are No More

As for the rumors themselves, Cardi said that she does not believe it is true. However, she doesn’t really care whether or not it is true, and that is because she is single. Furthermore, she said that she never made an announcement pertaining to all of this because she doesn’t really know how to approach it at the moment. That said, with Blueface blowing things wide open, she figured now would be as good of a time as ever to just come clean with what is going on. In the The Neighborhood Talk post above, you can also see that Offset himself liked the original report of Cardi being single. Needless to say, he is confirming the news as well.

This is a developing story, so stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will always be sure to keep you informed. Furthermore, let us know what you think of all of this, in the comments section.

Lungu, we are also ready for you – Mampa

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Lungu, we are also ready for you – Mampa

Lungu, we are also ready for you – Mampa

By Oliver Chisenga

A MEMBER of the ruling UPND says former president Edgar Lungu should be ashamed to talk about the country’s democratic space which he failed to give the Zambian people during his tenure.

Happy Mampa has accused the former president of being bitter and having “selective amnesia’’.

During a press briefing in Lusaka recently, Lungu called out President Hakainde Hichilema for what he described as attempts to eliminate democracy in the country.

Lungu reiterated that his return to active politics had been necessitated by President Hichilema and the ruling party’s undertaking to ‘kill’ the Patriotic Front.

Lungu claimed that there has been an “assault on democracy” which has become much more vivid when the victim, the PF, is being treated as a villain.

“So we are called upon, as a country, to wage another vicious war to liberate ourselves. It will not be easy but this is a fight we are determined to win,” said Lungu.

But Mampa recalled that Lungu as president declared a threatened state of emergency in 2017 and the Church in Zambia warned that the country was “not far from dictatorship”.

“ECL should not have amnesia. His regime was the most brutal and for him to cry over what he calls shrinking democracy does not make sense. Just like Wynter Kabimba said, his rule can only be compared to hell,’’ Mampa said. ‘’ECL is just a bitter man [and] because of his bitterness he now wants to challenge the government. Let him do it within the confines of the law than incite citizens. If they are not happy with the freedom he has, let him go to court, he should not take the law into his own hands.”

He said it was during President Hichilema’s administration that the ‘Defamation of the President’ clause was removed from the Penal Code.

Mampa said if President Hichilema was not keen on allowing democracy to flourish, he would have not removed the clause which criminalised criticism of the presidency.

“[Lungu] lost by a margin of over 1 million votes, Zambians rejected him. We don’t know why, maybe because his ego has been bruised and now wants to return to threaten the peace of the country and start sponsoring the terror we saw under his reign. That shall not happen, not [on] our watch,’’ said Mampa. ‘’President Lungu, we are also ready for you. You dare start any confusion and you will see that indeed the country is now of laws rather than men.”-The Mast

K11.6 Billion Released For Developmental Programmes, Public Service Delivery, Debt Service, Arrears & Wages

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K11.6 Billion Released For Developmental Programmes, Public Service Delivery, Debt Service, Arrears & Wages

K11.6 BILLION RELEASED FOR DEVELOPMENTAL PROGRAMMES, PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY, DEBT SERVICE, ARREARS & WAGES

In November, 2023, the Ministry of Finance and National Planning released K11.6 billion to finance developmental programmes, public service delivery, debt service and wages. Of this amount, K2.6 billion was released for transfers, subsidies and social benefits, K874.3 million for implementation of developmental programmes and general operations, and K998.9 million for capital expenditure. Furthermore, K3.9 billion was released for the public service wage bill, while K3.3 billion went towards payment of both domestic and external debt.

As indicated above, K2.6 billion was released for transfers and subsidies, of which:

1) K941.4 million was for the Constituency Development Fund (CDF). Out of this, K795.5 million went to Community Development Projects and K145.8 million to Youth and Women Empowerment Programmes;

2) K395.2 million, Social Cash Transfer;

3) K278.1 million for the operations of Public Hospitals and Grant Aided Institutions (GAIs);

4) K16.2 million to the Public Service Pension Funds as funding gap and operation grant;

5) K115.1 million for operation of public universities and student loans and scholarships. Next year, the allocation for Higher Education Loan Student Board will be increased to ensure that MORE vulnerable students are supported with loans and meal allowances under the scheme – See Budget Speech: https://www.mofnp.gov.zm/?wpdmpro=2024-budget-speech;

6) K111.6 million to the Local Government Equalization Fund; and,

7) K315.6 million as grant to ZRA to support operations and resource mobilisation.

In addition, K450 million was released for the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP). We will continue to assert the agriculture sector as a key driver of our economy, therefore, the sector will receive our sustained support to increase productivity, enhance value addition, and strengthen market linkages.

Through the Comprehensive Agriculture Support Programme (CASP), services such as extension support, access to finance, irrigation development, support to value addition, and storage and logistics, will be encompassed.

K874.3 million to facilitate implementation of programmes and other general operations under various government institutions, was also released in November, 2023. Furthermore, a sum of K998.9 million was released for capital expenditure. Notable items under this category include the K385.7 million for road infrastructure and K613.2 million which was disbursed for various projects in Ministries, Provinces and Agencies.

In line with the Government’s commitment to reduce indebtedness and attain sustainability, a sum of K3.3 billion was released last month for payment of both domestic and external debt obligations. We take this opportunity to reiterate that in 2024, domestic and external financing will be mobilised in accordance with the Annual Borrowing Plan approved by Parliament. This will help us close the financing gap in the coming Budget and facilitate implementation of various programmes and projects which we would not be able to implement from general revenues alone.

Related to wages (personal emoluments) for public service workers, the Government spent a total of K3.9 billion in the month under review. Gladly, we have continued to ensure that wages are timely paid. The total monthly figure will increase next year when we recruit 10,400 additional public service workers in an effort to improve staffing levels in needy sectors. 5,400 will be recruited in the education sector, among whom 4,200 will be teachers and 1,200 non-teaching staff. The Government will also recruit 4,000 health personnel. The remaining 1,000 employees will be recruited across other sectors.

Despite the achievements being recorded, we remain aware of lagging challenges related to the pace of job creation, cost of living, and infrastructure development. We are also alive to challenges such as the high cost of living and are working towards addressing the issue through multi-sectoral economic transformation programmes with the methodical zeal and commitment.

We are confident that small-scale businesses will continue to be busy as the Government keeps pace with their needed support, through various empowerment programmes. From the agriculture sector, jobs and value chain opportunities will arise as we produce food for ourselves and export the surplus to neighbouring countries and the rest of the world.

Finally, we encourage fellow citizens to take up business opportunities through constituency level support programmes and the country-wide empowerment programmes under different Ministries. As we grow local businesses, we are also embracing growth opportunities through Foreign Direct Investments and Public Private Partnerships. We appeal to fellow public officials ensure that as a team, we continue to efficient, transparent and quick in facilitating private sector investments.

Ministry of Finance and National Planning

Kenyan man traveled to U.S. and tried hiring hitman to kill wife: authorities

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Kenyan man traveled to U.S. and tried hiring hitman to kill wife: authorities

Authorities in Connecticut said a 52-year-old Kenyan man traveled to the United States and tried to hire a hitman to kill his estranged wife after she fled to the country with their children. According to Law & Crime, the accused, identified as Leonard Thuo Mwithiga, previously had his wife locked up in a mental health facility in Kenya when she attempted to flee from him with their children.

After entering the United States, Mwithiga is said to have solicited the services of an Uber driver – also named as confidential informant (CI) in the documents – in his attempt to hire a hit man who could fatally inject his wife with “a cancer”, authorities said.

Between September 9 and December 1, the Connecticut State Police said the CI rendered services to Mwithiga on several occasions. During the rides, Mwithiga touched on his divorce and described his wife as “evil.” He is said to have also asked the CI to get him a hitman to kill his wife. The 52-year-old also said he preferred the hitman injecting his wife “with something to make her very sick, ‘Like a cancer,’” so that she dies slowly, police said.

“[The witness] stated that eventually, Mwithiga would set up rides via personal text, outside of the ‘Uber’ platform,” police said, adding that the CI started recording conversations during the rides. The recorded conversations included the suspect pondering over “harming his wife.”

During a November 1 trip, the documents stated that Mwithiga told the CI to drive to a home at Thompson, Ct. to “look for his wife and kids,” Law & Crime reported. “During this trip, Mwithiga asked [the witness] if he knew anyone who could ‘hit’ his wife, that he wanted someone to ‘finish her,’” authorities said.

Mwithiga and the CI also met at a motel on December 1. During that meeting, he described his wife as “evil” and also said he was ready to “fight evil with evil.” “Mwithiga asked [the witness] to hire a ‘hitman’ to kill his wife,” the documents stated, adding that Mwithiga reiterated he wanted his wife to die slowly.

Police said Mwithiga handed the CI $100 as payment for “his time” and the two later exchanged messages on WhatsApp. When the CI asked Mwithiga the amount of money he was willing to pay for him to look for a hitman, the defendant “told EDMC CI they could negotiate,” police said.

During an interview with the police, the victim said she and Mwithiga had been together for 22 years in Kenya. But she said she fled with their children in September last year because her husband had been physically abusing her and had also threatened to kill her and their children, Law & Crime reported.

Police said that when the victim attempted to escape the year prior, Mwithiga had her sent to a mental hospital. “Victim #1 attempted to leave the country with her children, but was stopped by police at the airport because Mwithiga had filed a police report. Victim #1 was then committed to a mental health facility by the police at the direction of her husband for being ‘mentally disturbed,’” the documents stated. “Once Victim #1 was released from the hospital, Mwithiga apologized for sending her to the hospital and they reconciled.”

Despite the reconciliation, Mwithiga continued to be physically abusive. The victim and their children ultimately fled.

Mwithiga was ultimately arrested on December 4 after he met with the Uber driver and an undercover agent at the Connecticut motel he was lodging. During the meeting before his eventual arrest, Mwithiga paid the undercover cop and the Uber driver $300 and $100 respectively after they agreed the supposed hitman and his wife would go on a date and make her snort “pure fentanyl” – which would be presented as cocaine, authorities said.

“Mwithiga asked the undercover to research a slow death for Victim #1, but ultimately he agreed that the hitman could kill the victim in any manner,” the documents added.

Mwithiga is said to have told the undercover cop to carry out the hit on his wife between January 28 and February 3 as he would be back in Kenya during that period, per Law & Crime. The suspect also agreed to send the Uber driver $4,000 via Western Union as payment to the hitman after his wife’s death was confirmed.

Mwithiga has since been charged with criminal attempt murder with special circumstances, conspiracy, and witness intimidation. He is being held on a $5,000,000 bond.

HH WANTS WASTE RECYCLING, BUT WE’RE IGNORED – NEWTECH

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HH WANTS WASTE RECYCLING, BUT WE’RE IGNORED – NEWTECH

HH WANTS WASTE RECYCLING, BUT WE’RE IGNORED – NEWTECH

Chongwe, Monday (December 11, 2023)

Zambian youths involved in plastic waste recycling are worried that recycling remains a forgotten sub sector despite President Hakainde Hichilema’s desire to see growth in the area.

Newtech Recycling Limited Managing Director Castro Shanobe says President Hichilema in July this year visited a recycling plant in Ghana which is doing exactly what Newtech is doing in Chongwe.

Shanobe said his firm has off take agreements with companies in South Africa and Morocco to supply a minimum combined total of 230 000 kilograms plastic flakes but that no Government official is interested in the potentially profitable venture.

He said Newtech’s goal is to find a solution to indiscriminate waste disposal in Zambia by buying waste plastic bottles from vulnerable people in society in order to produce things such as desks, fencing poles and construction materials.

The Recycling Advocate said the firm has recorded some level of success as it has managed to gain traction from organisations such as Musika which donated most of the equipment, the Swedish, the Finish and the US Embassies.

He said Musika, Swedish, Finish and the US Embassies helped Newtech to set up a pilot recycling plant in Chongwe which is helping to showcase some of the products.

“Now that we have proved the concept, the vision is to expand the business in order to get more materials, employ more people and address the problem of waste disposal. The challenge is access to finance. We have written to different organisations but it is very difficult to get support in this sector. We appeal to Government to look at this forgotten sector,” he said.

The Newtech Managing Director said recycling has huge potential to employ the vulnerable youths in society.

“We have the potential to capture all the waste that society is complaining about to convert it into progressive products and employ people that desperately need jobs. We appeal to Government to visit us in order to appreciate our innovations and efforts for us to address the problem of waste,” he said.

Shanobe appealed to Minister of Green Economy and Environment Collins Nzovu, Science and Technology Minister Felix Mutati and the Minister of Health Sylvia Masebo being Chongwe Member of Parliament to visit the firm to appreciate what they are doing.

“Demand is huge for our recycled products. Currently, we have two off take agreements from one company in South Africa and the other in Morocco to buy our products but the biggest problem is that we lack capacity. The products that have off take agreements in Morocco and South Africa are plastic flakes. Plastic flakes involves washing plastic bottles then shred it professionally. One organization is looking for 90 000 kilograms per month and the other one is looking for 140 000 kilograms per month. This is the minimum that they can buy from us meaning that they can buy more tons if we have more capacity,” he said.

Shanobe said if supported, Newtech would increase production from the current 200 kilograms per hour because clients want the firm to produce at least one ton per hour.

“President Hakainde Hichilema has always talked about recycling. In July this year, President Hichilema visited a recycling plant in Ghana which is doing exactly what we are doing here in Chongwe District. He has been calling on his team to create a system to allow for recycling in order to create jobs. We have written to all ministries to inform them about what we are doing. We appeal to them to visit us. By visiting us, they are not committing but we will create a partnership that would help to make an impact in the environment as a whole,” he said.

EASTERNERS FORM UMODZI KUM’MAWA… To Challenge UPND after being sidelined by HH

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EASTERNERS FORM UMODZI KUM’MAWA… To Challenge UPND after being sidelined by HH

By Honest Mweemba

Very sad report in the news Diggers newspaper today that the LAZ President Lungisani Zulu is part of the group that is working on dividing Zambia tribally. LAZ president and his co has assembled few people from Eastern Province to accuse HH of sidelining them when infact not.

We are aware of how big sums of money has been, is being and will be spent by the former president Edgar Lungu on big lawyers,some church leaders and on some influencial NGOs leaders to fight HH and his administration on tribal lines.

Not long after former president Lungu officially announced his come back to active politics you saw some churches leaders with board members from few regions of Zambia coming out strongly on HH raising a number of accusations that they could not substantiate, they said democracy has reduced in Zambia are they sure when they say Edgar Lungu was democratic and HH is not? Or they are merely speaking for ECL? We expect church leaders to be factual when they make a submission on national Matters, in this case we expected them to factually demonstrate how ECL was democratic and HH is not. They also talked about tribalism many of us expected them to check how balanced their national board is and check how balanced the government cabinet is before they talked about tribalism in government.Church leaders must always remember that they have a duty to speak on behalf of all Zambians and not on behalf of ECL and PF.

You also heard some NGOs led by Linda Kasonde doing the same without mentioning how exactly the NGOs have been denied democracy in Zambia It would have made sense if they mentioned exactly how the civic space has reduced now compared to Edgar Lungu’s time as they claimed in their statement but they failed to factually demonstrate how. Is Linda Kasonde and group speaking for Zambians or for ECL and PF?

Within the same month you saw State counsel John Sangwa singing the same hymn of shrinking democratic space too without telling us how the democratic space has shrunk in Zambia. Just a reminder to state counsel John Sangwa shrinking means reducing or being less than it was before. Is the state counsel sure that Zambian people had more democracy Under ECL than it is now under HH? A question again is the state counsel speaking the truth or merely speaking for one ECL and group?

Public figures like state counsel John Sangwa and groupings like NGOs and Churches have a duty to tell the truth on national Matters and not to fight political battles on behalf of some political party/parties.

CIC PRESS TEAM

THE GASSING FIASCO: CAN HICHILEMA TELL US THE TRUTH?- Fred M’membe

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THE GASSING FIASCO: CAN HICHILEMA TELL US THE TRUTH?- Fred M’membe

THE GASSING FIASCO: CAN HICHILEMA TELL US THE TRUTH?

The recent acquittal of former president Edgar Lungu’s political adviser, Dr Chris Zumani Zimba, and three others by the Lusaka High Court confirms Mr Hakainde Hichilema’s dictatorship and abuse of the criminal justice system.

On April 29, 2023, Dr Zimba and his co- accused were taken into custody, and a few days later, harshest charges were prescribed against them. Their evil tormentors had no shame but to lamp them with terrorism charges.

They were kept in custody until December 1, 2023, when Lusaka High Court judge Koreen Mwenda rubbished the charges brought before the court at the insistence of Mr Hichilema’s little evil men.

The court’s verdict and the subsequent release of Dr Zimba and his co-accused exposed the lengths to which Mr Hichilema and his corrupt puppet regime will go to destroy their own citizens’ lives through the abuse of the criminal justice system. Is this part of the persecution of political opponents Mr Hichilema promised during the last official opening of the National Assembly?

Clearly, when it comes to exterminating critical voices and protecting their own political and business interests, Mr Hichilema and his corrupt evil league are people without conscience, empathy, and compassion. They’re cold-hearted people who don’t care about their fellow human beings.

We said it then, and we are saying it now: there was absolutely no need to torture innocent citizens of this country in this manner. This whole exercise was unnecessary, and it was not appropriate for the government to proceed against it’s own citizens in this manner.

Young families were totally grounded to a halt. Deprived of breadwinners and fathers for a period exceeding seven months as Mr Hichilema’s little evil men threw a party!

Right from the inception of this case, it was very clear that the decision to arrest Dr Zimba and the three others was carried out in bad faith with the intent to harm and destroy innocent people and families. A total abuse of the criminal justice system.

As expected, in the final analysis, it was the innocent prosecutors who bore the burden of proving frivolous and vexatious charges. And anyone who cares about truth knows that those young men had nothing to do with any charge brought against them. Their only offence was their allegiance to a group of politicians or individuals, Mr Hichilema and his corrupt puppet regime hate so much.

The gassing case fiasco, which was before the court, demonstrates Mr Hichilema’s appetite for tyranny and total abuse of the criminal justice system.

Sadly, cases such as this one are being used to put pressure on the judiciary to make decisions that are supportive of the regime’s evil decisions and actions, and this tendency, if not checked will have negative effects and erode public confidence in the criminal justice system.

Nonetheless, we applaud judicial officers who are committed to protecting and safeguarding their integrity and dignity as well as protecting public interest.

The evil and indignity that led to the persecution of Dr Zimba and his co-accused must not be allowed to flourish in this country because it will lead to a chaotic, unjust, immoral and inhumane society. This is how countries get destroyed, and we need to stop this cruelty and madness!

That said, we ask a question: with Dr Zimba and his co-accused acquitted in the gassing fiasco, who then was gassing people? Can Mr Hichilema and this regime tell the nation the truth?

Fred M’membe
President of the Socialist Party

Why won’t South Africa condemn Africans’ crimes?

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On November 21, the South African Parliament voted to cut diplomatic ties with Israel over the war in Gaza. The fighting was ignited on October 7, when Hamas fighters crossed into Israel, killed 1,200 people and took as hostages 250 others, including babies and toddlers.

The deadly Hamas incursion caught Israel flat-footed. It took the Israel Defence Forces an incredible 12 hours to respond to the massacres going on in their country.

Israel responded with fury. Its bombing campaign did not spare hospitals, ambulances, and schools. The bombardment has left huge swathes of Gaza resembling scenes from an apocalyptic movie.

Many countries, some of which had initially supported Israel’s right to defend itself, back-tracked and called for an immediate halt to the war. Some of them recalled their ambassadors to Israel.

South Africa’s parliament voted to cut ties with Israel altogether. It is now up to President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Cabinet to consider the parliamentary vote and decide whether or not to break off diplomatic ties with Israel.

It is South Africa’s prerogative to decide whether, after weighing the pros and cons, of its relationship with Israel, to opt for divorce. States leverage diplomatic ties with more technologically and economically advanced countries to get better terms of trade, technology transfer, financial assistance, educational and training opportunities for its citizens, and moral or military support in case of disputes with neighbors.

Should South Africa choose to sever ties with Israel, it will lose this leverage. Furthermore, as a crucial member of the African Union and the Brics grouping, it will lose the leverage to influence the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. But more fundamentally, severing ties or the vote to do so reminds those of us in Africa of South Africa’s wayward foreign policy. What values or principles is South Africa’s diplomacy based on?

In 2020, South Africa summoned the US ambassador to Pretoria to strongly protest the killing of George Floyd by a white policeman. Around the same time, Uganda police killed 50 people protesting the arrest of a presidential candidate. In one instance, police riding on a truck were caught on camera shooting randomly into a crowd of hawkers who were not even part of the protests.

South Africa was quiet as a mouse. Even more disturbingly, South Africa opposed the indictment of Omar al-Bashir by the International Criminal Court over the killing of an estimated 200,000 people in Darfur.

South Africa was an ardent supporter of Robert Mugabe during his ruinous reign. South Africa has never summoned any ambassador over human rights abuses on the continent or the plunder of public resources by African leaders. South Africa gives succor to the despots and thieves using redundant Pan-Africanist and nationalist arguments.

As the most institutionalised democracy in Africa, and the home of Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu, South Africa’s policy towards Africa should inspire and instigate an African democratic and economic renaissance, not comfort dictators.

Burundi top court jails ex-PM Bunyoni for life over attempted coup

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Burundi top court jails ex-PM Bunyoni for life over attempted coup

Burundi’s Supreme Court sentenced ousted prime minister Alain-Guillaume Bunyoni to life in prison on Friday on charges including attempting to overthrow the government and threatening the life of the president, a judicial source said.

Bunyoni, whose trial opened three months ago, was prime minister from mid-2020 until September 2022 when he was fired, days after President Evariste Ndayishimiye had warned of a “coup” plot against him.

He was “sentenced to life imprisonment (on charges) … including plotting against the head of state to overthrow the constitutional regime,” a judicial source told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The army general was also accused of using witchcraft to threaten the life of the head of state, undermining national security, destabilizing the economy and illegal enrichment, among other charges.

He had pleaded not guilty to all charges and said he should be acquitted because of a lack of evidence.

The court, which met in the political capital Gitega, also ordered the authorities to confiscate four houses and buildings as well as a land parcel and 14 vehicles belonging to Bunyoni, the judicial source said.

Five others in the dock including the two main co-defendants, a police colonel and a senior intelligence agent, received “sentences ranging from three years to 15 years,” the source added.

The seventh defendant, a driver, was acquitted, according to the same source.

Chief Justice Emmanuel Gateretse delivered the verdict on Friday afternoon, with the court sitting in session at the prison where Bunyoni was detained.

Bunyoni was arrested in April in Burundi’s economic capital Bujumbura on the eve of his 51st birthday.

A former police chief and internal security minister, Bunyoni was seen as the head of a cabal of military leaders known as “the generals” who wielded the true political power in Burundi.

A close ally of former president Pierre Nkurunziza, Bunyoni was an influential figure in the ruling CNDD-FDD party since it took power in 2005.

He had long been seen as de facto number two in the regime since a 2015 political crisis.

Ndayishimiye took power in June 2020 after Nkurunziza died of what the Burundian authorities said was heart failure amid widespread speculation he succumbed to the pandemic.

He has been hailed by the international community for slowly ending years of Burundi’s isolation under Nkurunziza’s chaotic and bloody rule.

But he has failed to improve a wretched human rights record and the country of 12 million people remains one of the poorest on the planet.

In 2015, Nkurunziza oversaw a crackdown on political opponents and made Burundi a global pariah amid turmoil after he launched a bid for a third term in office, in violation of a peace deal that ended a bloody civil war in 2006.

ZANU PF on cusp of two thirds majority after snatching 7 seats from CCC

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Zanu PF claimed seven of the vacant nine National Assembly seats to get to within three seats of a two thirds majority in parliament.

The ruling party also gained four council seats – three in Bulawayo and one in Masvingo – in elections marred by low voter turnout.

The by-elections were called after Sengezo Tshabangu, styling himself as Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) interim secretary general, recalled MPs and councillors elected in the August 24 elections, claiming they had ceased to be members if the party.

The recalled MPs said Tshabangu was an impostor, and had filed papers to stand in Saturday’s election but a court ordered their names removed from the ballot on Friday night.

Two candidates that Tshabangu fielded won in Lobengula-Magwegwe and Mpopoma-Mzilikazi constituencies in Bulawayo.

In Bulawayo South, Zanu PF’s Raj Modi won the seat with 1,608 votes with James Sithole, a Tshabangu aligned CCC candidate, getting 1,130.

In Lobengula-Magwegwe, Tendayi Chitura Nyathi of CCC Tshabangu polled 1,648, beating Zanu PF’s Menziwa Dube who got 1,318.

The Mpopoma-Mzilikazi seat was won by Charles Moyo (CCC Tshabangu) who polled 1,632 against Zanu PF’s Karamba Dzingai who got 1,097 votes.

In Beitbridge West, Thulani Ndou (Zanu PF) won by 4,929 against his challengers who failed to garner anything meaningful.

Zanu PF’s Arthur Mujeyi won the Cowdray Park seat with 1,765 after defeating Vusumuzi Chirwa (CCC Tshabangu) who got 1,560. There were 572 spoilt votes.

In Binga North, Zanu PF’s Chineka Muchimba was declared winner with 9,882 with Judith Sibanda, a candidate from the Tshabangu aligned CCC getting 1,004.

In Lupane East, Zanu PF’s Phathisiwe Machangu got 6,863 votes, beating David Nyathi (CCC Tshabangu) who got 1,750.

In a council by-election in Masvingo, shot-lived city mayor Shantiel Hwata polled 585 votes and could not upstage Benson Hwata of Zanu PF who got 612.

Raunchy dancer and musician Sandra Ndebele of Zanu PF was elected Bulawayo Ward 20 councillor with 1,106 votes beating two CCC candidates Simbarashe Dube who got 782 and Michael Gumede who polled 57. ZimLive

Voter apathy rocks Zimbabwe’s by-elections across nine constituencies

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Voter apathy rocks Zimbabwe’s by-elections across nine constituencies

HARARE – Zimbabwe held special elections on Saturday for nine seats in Parliament after opposition lawmakers were removed from their positions and disqualified from running again.

The opposition called it an illegal push by the ruling Zanu PF party to bolster its parliamentary majority and possibly change the constitution.

This may allow President Emmerson Mnangagwa, 81, who was re-elected for a second and final term in August amid international and regional criticism, to run for another term.

All nine opposition lawmakers from the Citizens Coalition for Change party that were removed were elected in the national vote in August.

But an official claiming to be the secretary-general of the party recalled them from their positions in the weeks after that election.

CCC leader Nelson Chamisa said the official, Sengezo Tshabangu, held no position with the party and his instructions should be ignored.

But Zimbabwean courts recognized Tshabangu’s authority, ruled to remove the opposition MPs and declared them on Thursday ineligible to run.

“This is not an election. This is not democracy,” opposition deputy spokesperson Gift Ostallos Siziba told The Associated Press.

Another late-night court ruling Friday left the ZANU-PF candidate set to win one of the seats in the capital, Harare, uncontested.

The CCC said on the eve of the special elections that it had launched an appeal with the Supreme Court, demanding that eight of its candidates appear on the ballots.

It didn’t list a name for the Harare seat.

The main opposition party said the removal of its lawmakers is a brazen attempt by the ruling party to increase its control in Parliament and has accused Zanu PF, which has been in power since the southern African country’s independence in 1980, of using the courts to help it do that.

The CCC said ZANU-PF was using Tshabangu and the courts to “decimate” the opposition.

“The battle lines have been clearly drawn,” the CCC said Saturday in a statement on social media site X.

“The actions of the court officials who contributed to the demise of democracy in Zimbabwe will be recorded in the country’s history.”

Zanu PF won 177 out of 280 parliamentary seats in the national election but needs another 10 seats to gain the two-thirds majority it requires to change the constitution.

That would allow it to remove term limits for presidents, among other things.

Saturday’s special elections are just the start.

Tshabangu has recalled dozens more opposition lawmakers, local councilors and mayors. More elections are due in the coming months.

Rights groups Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have said Zanu PF is using institutions like the courts and the police force to suppress opposition and criticism.

The U.S. State Department said last week in the run-up to the special elections that it was placing visa restrictions on Zimbabwean individuals “believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining democracy in Zimbabwe.”

It said they had been involved in “excluding members of the political opposition from electoral processes,” but didn’t name anyone.

Zanu PF has denied any links to Tshabangu and his recall of opposition lawmakers, calling it an internal squabble in the CCC. The ruling party’s spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa said Zanu PF is not responsible for the “chaos and disorder” within the opposition.

Mnangagwa’s term is due to end in 2028 and some within his party have called for him to remain past the current two-term limit.

He came to power in 2017 following a coup that removed autocrat Robert Mugabe, who was Zimbabwe’s leader for 37 years.

NDC faction ratifies appointment of Nyirenda, Sensele as president and vice-president respectively

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NDC faction ratifies appointment of Nyirenda, Sensele as president and vice-president respectively

NDC faction ratifies appointment of Nyirenda, Sensele as president and vice-president respectively

By Edwin Mbulo in Kabwe

WE don’t belong to PF or have a soft spot for Chishimba Kambwili, says NDC faction interim president Sam Nyirenda.

A few months before the August 12, 2021 general election, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) split into two factions after its founder Chishimba Kambwili rejoined the PF.

While the side that had office bearers remained with then cive-president Josephs Akafumba, Kambwili handed over the other side to Saboi Imboela.

The Akafumba led faction went into an Alliance with the UPND ahead of the election while the other one supported PF.

But after being appointed permanent secretary in charge of administration in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security, Akafumba handed over the NDC presidency to Mwenya Musenge.

But Musenge was ‘overthrown’ by George Sichula.

However, about three weeks ago, Sichula also resigned after President Hakainde Hichilema appointed him trade and economic secretary at the Zambian High Commission in Nigeria.

He too handed over to Nyirenda who was his vice-president.

When Nyirenda became president, Paul Sensele who was member of the central committee in charge of tourism took over as vice-president.

The Kabwe meeting was therefore meant to ratify the appointment of the two.

And police in Kabwe on Sunday briefly stopped the NDC faction from holding its national governing council after being missinformed that members were supporters of Chishimba Kambwili.

In a statement after successfully holding the meeting at another venue as the original venue VK Motel was under heavy police surveillance, Nyirenda declared that the NDC will support the UPND so as help develope the nation.

“We have heard from social media accusing us that we have a soft spot for Chishimba Kambwili, but that issue is not there. We have nothing to do with CK, as NDC we have moved on and we have nothing to do with the PF. We only have one alliance and that is the UPND-Alliance,” Nyirenda said.

He thanked President Hakainde Hichilema and his leadership for trying to economically stabilise the nation.

Nyirenda said inflation has greatly impacted on the lives of Zambians but praised the UPND for using the Zambia National Service to stabilise the cost of mealie meal.

“We want the nation to be united and we don’t see why some of our colleagues seem to celebrate when we have not concluded the debt restructuring…we know that with debt burden our fiscal space is limited,” said Nyirenda.

And the party’s deputy secretary general Mutale Chewe said the national governing council meeting was a success and that ground work for a national convention had started as required by the Registrar of Societies.

And heavily armed police in several Toyota Land Cruiser pick ups and an amoured truck as early as after 07:00 hours on Sunday converged at Moldies Lodge where Nyirenda, his deputy Paul Sensele, and other national NDC leaders were lodged.

Sensele said the NDC was a law abiding political party and would corporate with the police.

He explained that confusion started when one disgrantled NDC member missinformed the police that the party was being financed by Chishimba Kambwili.

Hichilema And UPND Have Scored Badly On Human Rights And It Will Get Worse- Fred M’membe

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Hichilema And UPND Have Scored Badly On Human Rights And It Will Get Worse- Fred M’membe

HICHILEMA AND UPND HAVE SCORED BADLY ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND IT WILL GET WORSE

Today, as we celebrate the United Nations Human Rights Day, it’s important to note that Mr Hakainde Hichilema ‘s government record has been disappointing. The abuse of all three arms of government have been blantant.

If we go by our observations of what we have experienced and seen to date in 2023, their human rights record has worsened in comparison to 2022. Instead of fixing the economy, the promises that they made, imingalato on the opposition has become their daily preoccupation.

What we have is a tin-pot dictator who is serving his own interests and not those of the people who elected him. He is a man preoccupied with serving commercial or business interests at the expense of the poor people of this country.

If we go by the reports from civil society and his friends – the United States Department of State 2022 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, we all need to worry. Where is this corrupt puppet regime taking this country?

The US 2022 human right report on Zambia noted very worrying and frightening findings:

•unlawful or arbitrary killings

•extrajudicial killings

•torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by government

•serious restrictions on freedom of expression and media

Significant human rights issues included credible reports of: unlawful or arbitrary killings, including extrajudicial killings; torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by the government; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; serious restrictions on freedom of expression and media, including violence and threats of violence against journalists, censorship, or enforcement of or threat to enforce criminal libel laws to limit expression; substantial interference with the rights of freedom of assembly and association; serious government corruption;

Nevertheless, impunity for excessive use of force by law enforcement agencies, particularly police, remained a problem. The government also took steps to identify, investigate, prosecute, and punish officials for corruption, although impunity remained widespread.

This report covers Mr Hakainde Hichilema’s regime.

They have scored badly on human rights and in other areas they promised the people.

Fred M’membe
President of the Socialist Party

We Must Stop Calling Young People Trying To Earn A Living As Illegal Miners- Hon Kang’ombe

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We Must Stop Calling Young People Trying To Earn A Living As Illegal Miners- Hon Kang’ombe

WE MUST STOP CALLING YOUNG PEOPLE TRYING TO EARN A LIVING AS ILLEGAL MINERS- HON KANG’OMBE.

…….notes the need for stakeholders collaboration to create opportunities for the youth to do safe meaning.

Chingola…..10/12/2023.

Patriotic Front National Youth Chairperson Christopher Kang’ombe says the Culture of calling the youth trying to earn a living as Illegal Miners must come to an end.

Hon Kang’ombe said there is need to create opportunities for the youth to ensure that they are operating from safe sites.

He said this calls for collaboration between Government and different stakeholders.

He said “Safe Mining means you live home in the morning, you need to have an identication card and ID, people must be able to identify.”

Hon Kang’ombe who is also Kamfinsa Member of Parliament said this when he addressed party structures in Chingola District enroute to consoling some of the affected families of the Seseli Mine accident.

He said the accident has brought anxiety among most families on the copperbelt and the nation at large.

Hon Kang’ombe said he is certain that those who are still trapped will soon be found as he used rescue teams to double their efforts while they continue doing a good job.

“We must create opportunities for them to be able to do mining activity. We need to ensure that the are they are operating from is safe. The business of calling our young people as illegal miners should come to an end. The idea that people are going to earn a living, it is important that for purposes of legislation, we need to stop using this term as illegal. The moment we agree as stakeholders, both in Government and those not in Government, we must find a way in which our youths will be able to do safe mining,” he said.

Meanwhile, Hon Kang’ombe took time to encourage Party members against being swayed by distracters.

He said the idea that when one loses elections they have to join another political party must come to end.

He also mentioned that what seems like a confusion in the Party is an orchestration of the UPND Government who are scared of a PF resurgence.

“We will go to the court. We will expect the courts to do the right thing. If the courts of law do not do the right thing, the Zambians are going to judge. For us as the PF, we want to remind the Courts to do the right thing,” he said.

  • GrindStone Television Zambia

NUMBER OF RETRIEVED MINERS TRAPPED AT SENSELI MINE RISE TO 7

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NUMBER OF RETRIEVED MINERS TRAPPED AT SENSELI MINE RISE TO 7

NUMBER OF RETRIEVED MINERS TRAPPED AT SENSELI MINE RISE TO 7

THE number of miners retrieved from the Senseli mine who were trapped 10 days ago has increased to seven.

Rescue team searching for the trapped miners at the mine in Chingola has so far managed to retrieve seven people since the operation began nine days ago and among the retrieved people six are dead and one is alive.

Copperbelt Province Minister Elisha Matambo told the media last evening that the rescue team had yesterday managed to recover two more bodies.

Mr. Matambo said the team has spotted two other bodies in the tunnel and they are working to ensure they are retrieved.

He disclosed that the first body which was not identified, has been identified now by family members from Luanshya town.

“Am appealing to the people on Copperbelt and Zambia at large that if they have family members missing who deal in mining they can come and identify the two bodies,” Mr. Matambo said.

The Minister is still hopeful that the rescue team will be able to find some people alive.

“We will continue with our prayer and fasting, yesterday we went to Church and today we spent our day burying a 30 year old Silvester Kajimanga who was retrieved yesterday,” he said.

Mr. Matambo said the bodies were being buried because they where retrieved in a decomposed state and they cannot be kept longer.

He stated that the burial is being done in consultation with the family members and the government is catering for the funeral expenses.

Meanwhile, Mines and Minerals Development Minister Paul Kabuswe disclosed that the delay in retrieving all the trapped miners at once is because the tunnels are too narrow for the rescue operation to be done fast.

Mr. Kabuswe noted that the two bodies which were retrieved yesterday, where spotted on Friday at 16:00 hours but the tunnel is muddy and it is slowing the rescue mission.

The Minister pointed out that some areas in the tunnel are weak and the engineers have to study the spot to ensure it does not pose a danger to the rescue team.

“The situation is delicate and other miners have died next to each other. They have to ensure that they are removed carefully without leaving any part of their body in the mud.

The Minister revealed that on tunnel three where some miners have been trapped progress has been made but they have not reached the spot where the miners are believed to be.

“We have competent people, with all the tools but this is unconventional tunnel so the rescue team has to be careful when conducting their search to avoid another calamity,” he said.

CZECH REPUBLIC HANDS OVER US$85,000 SPECIALIZED AMBULANCE TO UTH

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CZECH REPUBLIC HANDS OVER US$85,000 SPECIALIZED AMBULANCE TO UTH

CZECH REPUBLIC HANDS OVER US$85,000 SPECIALIZED AMBULANCE TO UTH

The Czech Republic has handed over a specialized Ambulance to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) Women and Newborn Section worth US$85,000.

Speaking during the handover ceremony held at UTH, Minister of Health Sylvia Masebo said the specialized Ambulance and its equipment will be used to enhance neonatal health service delivery.

Ms Masebo stated that in Zambia in the first quarter of 2023, 916 neonates from various facilities were admitted in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at UTH and 180 unfortunately died.

“We are here today to help many of these babies suffering survive and not succumb to death. This specialised ambulance being donated today, will ensure that these babies are transported safely and this will reduce their vulnerability to developing several complications and untimely deaths,” she explained.

The minister said the ambulance donation will reduce complications like poor brain development, delayed overall growth, hearing problems and sight problems.

Ms Masebo indicated that the specialized ambulance will help babies be transported safely while receiving care while in transit before being admitted in the intensive care unit of the hospital.

She added that the donation is a reflection of the continued relationship and support that the Czech government is giving to the Zambian government.

The minister of health thanked the Czech government for the donation saying it will help Zambia move forward with the universal health coverage agenda where they do not intend to leave anyone behind including the newborns who are voiceless.

And Czech Ambassador to Zambia, Malawi and Zimbabwe, Pavel Pocházka confirmed that his country will continue supporting Zambia’s health care.

Mr Pocházka said the Czech Republic will continue its fruitful cooperation with the Ministry of Zambia and continue supporting the healthcare system as a priority in Africa.

He explained that the specialized ambulance was equipped by different Czech Republic’s manufacturing companies.

The Ambassador said the specialized ambulance will last for a long time because the products used to make it are of high quality.

CRDIT: ZANIS

Seeking Saudi opportunity, Ethiopian migrants ‘trapped between life and death’

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Seeking Saudi opportunity, Ethiopian migrants ‘trapped between life and death’

Ethiopian migrants who crossed the sea in pursuit of a better life have one goal in mind as they hide in the Saudi mountains: avoid border guards, and their deadly shots.

Only when night falls on this part of southern Saudi Arabia do the undocumented migrants dare venture into nearby villages to scavenge for food, returning with scraps they hope will keep them alive until smugglers can find them a job.

“Every day we are scared of dying. We beg people in the village to give us flour and bread, and then we go back into the mountains,” said Mohammed, 30, who spoke to AFP by phone from a makeshift shelter near Saudi Arabia’s southern border with Yemen.

“People here are very scared to help us find job opportunities since it’s illegal, so we consider ourselves trapped between life and death.”

Hundreds of thousands of African migrants each year brave the perilous “Eastern Route” across the Red Sea and through war-scarred Yemen to reach Saudi Arabia, a desperate ploy to pull their families out of grinding poverty.

Every phase of the journey is treacherous, but there are growing fears the final stretch over the Yemeni highlands into southern Saudi Arabia has become more lethal than ever.

In August, Human Rights Watch accused Saudi border guards of killing “at least hundreds” of Ethiopians trying to cross into the Gulf kingdom between March 2022 and June 2023, using explosive weapons in some cases.

Riyadh dismissed the group’s findings as “unfounded and not based on reliable sources”.

AFP has interviewed six migrants and four smugglers, all of whom asked to be identified by first names only over security concerns.

These interviews indicate that even when Ethiopians like Mohammed reach Saudi soil, it is far from certain they will find work and turn their lives around.

Mohammed was still a teenager when he first made the journey from Ethiopia to Saudi Arabia, travelling over land to Djibouti before hiding in a fishing boat for the sea crossing.

Huthi rebels had not yet seized the Yemeni capital Sanaa, a move which in 2014 would plunge the country into war, meaning Mohammed had a fairly straightforward trip over the border to Saudi Arabia, where his smuggler found him a job as a shepherd.

Three years ago, however, Mohammed lost that job and was forced to return to his home village in Ethiopia’s Oromia region, where he encountered the same situation that had prompted him to leave in the first place: no money, no prospects.

Last year he raised the funds — roughly $2,500 — for a second passage to Saudi Arabia, but this time the trip was more harrowing, especially when he got to the Saudi-Yemeni border.

“Every two metres (yards) you find dead Ethiopians,” he said.

“Saudis open fire on Ethiopians as if we are not human beings, as if we are garbage.”

Saudi state media in August quoted a government source saying that such claims were baseless and that Saudi authorities were committed to upholding human rights.

The government source also said Riyadh had provided care to “people who were subjected to gunshot wounds by armed groups to push them to enter the kingdom by force” — an apparent reference to the Huthis, who have denied collaborating with smugglers.

The number of migrants reaching Saudi Arabia appears to have declined in recent months, several smugglers told AFP, though it is unclear whether that is because fewer Ethiopians are embarking on the journey.

“There are at least 200 arriving every day,” said a smuggler, also named Mohammed. “Before, the numbers were bigger.”

Dreams on hold

A smuggler’s assistant named Abdi said that when Ethiopians reach southern Saudi Arabia, those with any remaining cash are taken to apartment buildings rented out by smugglers.

Under the watchful eye of armed guards, they sleep more than 10 to a room as smugglers try to find them work and arrange for food to be delivered each day.

The conditions might be bleak, but migrants who arrive empty-handed are worse off, Abdi said, in most cases left to their own devices.

Those who find employment may be relatively lucky but face difficulties too.

Sara, a 23-year-old Ethiopian, has secured a job as a nanny for a family in Riyadh that she said treats and pays her well.

But she described a grim existence: without papers, the fear of leaving her employer’s compound means she has effectively worked non-stop for four years.

Her dreams of starting a family of her own are on hold.

“Of course I am not happy with my life here. How can I be?” she asked.

If all goes according to plan, though, she may soon have relatives close by.

With her savings, she recently paid a combined $5,000 for smuggling fees for her brother and his son, who are now in southern Saudi Arabia, dodging the authorities and looking for work.

Half of Gaza’s population famished – UN

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Half of Gaza’s population famished – UN

A top UN aid person said that many people in Gaza are hungry because of the ongoing fighting.

“The deputy director of the UN World Food Programme, Carl Skau, said that only a small amount of the things they need have been able to get in to the Strip. Nine out of 10 people there can’t eat every day. ”

Mr Skau said it’s very difficult to deliver things in Gaza because of the conditions.

Israel says it needs to keep bombing Gaza to stop Hamas and to bring back Israelis who have been taken as prisoners.

The spokesperson for the Israel Defence Forces said to the BBC that they feel bad when civilians are hurt, but they don’t have any other choice.

He said we are trying our best to get as much as we can into the Gaza Strip.

Herzi Halevi, boss of the IDF, was recorded telling soldiers that the army needs to be more aggressive because “we’re seeing terrorists giving up. “This is a sign that their network is falling apart. ”

Meanwhile, the Biden administration has used a special law to go around Congress and approve the sale of about 14,000 tank bullets worth over $106 million to Israel.

Movement to and from Gaza has been made very difficult since October 7th when Hamas fighters broke through Israel’s heavily guarded perimeter fence. They killed 1,200 people and took 240 hostages.

Israel shut down the borders with Gaza and started bombing the area. This made it hard for people in Gaza to get the help they needed.

The health ministry in Gaza, which is run by Hamas, says that Israel has killed over 17,700 people in their campaign to retaliate, and more than 7,000 of those were children.

Only the Rafah border with Egypt is open, letting some aid get to Gaza. This week Israel said they will open the Kerem Shalom crossing from Israel to Gaza in a few days. They will only allow aid trucks to go through for inspection. The trucks will go to Rafah and then cross into Gaza.

Mr Skau said he was not ready for the fear, the chaos, and the despair he and his WFP team saw during their trip to Gaza this week.

He said they saw a lot of chaos at warehouses and distribution points. Many hungry people were desperate, and the supermarkets had empty shelves. The shelters were too crowded, and the bathrooms were overflowing.

Last month, international pressure and a brief seven-day halt in fighting allowed some much-needed aid to go into the Gaza Strip. But the WFP says that another border crossing is necessary now to meet the demand.

Mr Skau said that in some places, 9 out of 10 families don’t have any food for a whole day and night.

People in Khan Younis, a city in the south of Gaza, are in a very bad situation because Israeli tanks surround their city on two sides.

Dr Ahmed Moghrabi, who leads the plastic surgery and burns unit at Nasser hospital, was very sad as he talked to the BBC about not having enough food.

I have a three-year-old daughter who always asks me for sweets, apples, and fruits. I cannot give it. “I feel like I can’t do anything,” he said.

“We don’t have much food, just rice. Can you believe we only eat once a day. ”

Khan Younis has been hit with a lot of air strikes lately. The boss of Nasser hospital there said his team can’t keep up with all the people who are getting hurt and killed.

Israel says that leaders of Hamas are hiding in Khan Younis, maybe in tunnels underground. They are fighting to destroy the group’s weapons and military power, going from house to house and tunnel to tunnel.

On Saturday, the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, said that the United States is helping the bad things happening in the war by blocking a UN resolution to stop the fighting in Gaza.

13 out of 15 countries on the Security Council voted for the resolution asking for a ceasefire. The UK didn’t vote and the US was the only country that said no to the resolution.

Mr Abbas, the boss of the Palestinian government, said that he blames Washington for the killing of Palestinian kids, women, and old people in Gaza by Israeli soldiers.

The US ambassador to the UN, Robert Wood, supported the decision to veto and said the resolution was asking for a ceasefire that couldn’t be maintained. This would allow Hamas to continue their actions from October 7.

Benjamin Netanyahu , the leader of Israel, said he was thankful for the US supporting them at the security council.

A temporary halt in fighting for seven days ended a little over a week ago. Hamas let go of 78 people they were holding captive, and in return, Israel released 180 Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas in Gaza is still holding more than 100 hostages.

On Saturday, it was reported that Sahar Baruch, a 25-year-old Israeli who was held hostage, has been killed. His kibbutz and a group of hostages shared this news in a statement.

After the armed group of Hamas showed a video on Friday of the aftermath of a failed mission by the Israeli military to rescue a hostage.

‘Weak’ Rwanda strategy put out by Sunak will not succeed – Jenrick

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‘Weak’ Rwanda strategy put out by Sunak will not succeed – Jenrick

Ex-immigration minister Robert Jenrick said Rishi Sunak is choosing to bring back the Rwanda asylum plan in a way that probably won’t succeed.

In his first talk since leaving his job, Mr. Jenrick told the media that the proposed law was not strong and would face a lot of legal challenges.

However, he mentioned that the Prime Minister had decided to go ahead and introduce it.

He said he won’t vote for the bill on Tuesday.

The government has made a new law to restart its plan to send people looking for asylum in the UK to East Africa, because the old plan was said to be against the law by the Supreme Court last month.

The law wants to say that Rwanda is a safe place for refugees in the UK. This means flights won’t be stopped because of legal issues.

But, when talking to BBC One’s Sunday program with Laura Kuenssberg, Mr. Jenrick said the law as it is now would still allow many different legal complaints that will slow down our plan.

“I believe they decided to propose a bill that won’t work,” he said.

He said that the plan for Rwanda might lead to a few symbolic flights, but it wouldn’t stop enough people from coming to the UK in small boats to seek asylum.

The plan to bring back the program has caused different beliefs among Conservative lawmakers. Sunak needs their support to make sure the plan moves forward in Parliament next week.

Last week, the prime minister said in a news conference that the new immigration law is very strict. People arriving in small boats can only challenge it in court if they have strong proof that they are in serious danger.

Some liberal Tories think it goes too far in trying to go around the courts and could make the UK break its promises to refugees.

Some people in the party’s right side think the plan isn’t good enough and will still face problems with the law.

Mr Jenrick said that he and other Conservative MPs want to convince government ministers to make the new law in a better way. He also said he wants the law to be effective and to stop people from doing bad things.

On the same show, Housing and Communities Secretary Michael Gove said the government’s law is strong and legal.

He also said that there would be very few legal challenges.

West Africa leaders meet as region struggles with coups

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West Africa leaders meet as region struggles with coups

Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is current chair of the West African bloc ECOWAS. By kola sulaimon (AFP)
West African leaders meet on Sunday for talks with the region in deepening crisis, after four countries fell under military rule and with risks growing from Sahel jihadist conflicts.

After coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea and Niger since 2020, the Economic Community of West African States bloc also saw member states Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau claim attempted coups in recent weeks.

A French military withdrawal from the Sahel — the region along the Sahara desert across Africa — is increasing concerns over conflicts spreading south to Gulf of Guinea states Ghana, Togo, Benin and Ivory Coast.

“These military coups are not only based on fake narrative and false justifications; they are also a driver of insecurity in the region,” ECOWAS commission president Omar Touray said in a meeting before the summit.

ECOWAS leaders will meet in Nigeria’s capital Abuja for an ordinary summit where they will discuss delayed transitions back to civilian rule for Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea and Niger.

Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is current chair of ECOWAS and US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee will also be at the meeting to discuss how to support Niger’s return to democratic rule and Sahel security.

Niger — a key Western partner in the fight against Sahel militants — has demanded French troops based there leave, while the US still has military personnel in the country.

ECOWAS members have imposed tough economic sanctions on the military regime in Niger, whose troops ousted President Mohamed Bazoum in July.

Mediator

ECOWAS has demanded Bazoum’s immediate return to the presidency, but the military junta has kept him in detention and says it may need up to three years for a return to civilian rule.

Earlier this month, Nigeria said it was asking the Niger regime to free Bazoum and allow him to fly to a third country, as a step to opening talks on lifting sanctions.

But Niger’s military leaders rejected that option and have asked Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbe to act as a mediator.

Before Sunday’s ECOWAS meeting, Niger’s military leader General Abdourahamane Tiani visited Togo on Friday with some of his ministers.

ECOWAS has also left on the table the last option of a military intervention in Niger though analysts say that appears increasingly unlikely.

Transitions back to democracy and elections have also been stalled or left uncertain in Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea.

After French troops began leaving the region, military regimes in Niger, Mali and Burkina, struggling with jihadist violence, hardened their positions and joined forces in an Alliance of Sahel States.

Last month, armed attackers stormed military posts, prisons and police stations in another ECOWAS member Sierra Leone, in what the government called a coup attempt that killed 21 people.

A week later Guinea-Bissau also denounced an attempted coup, with fighting between the national guard and special forces of the presidential guard.

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