Mother beats 28 year old daughter for dating married man
As people were gearing to take their loved ones to beautiful Livingstone for the Mosi Day of Thunder, a married man of Lusaka went the opposite direction taking his side chick to simple Kabwe which serves as ablution block for those heading to Copperbelt from Lusaka.
And for his cheap chills, the man has earned the wrath of not only his wife but also the venom of the mother of the girl in question.
This is in a matter in which Anita Ngulube, 28 attempted to convert from good girl to immoral slay queen by running away from Chicago’s, Capponni, and the fancy places in Lusaka to hide in Kabwe.
However, sources close to the matter narrated to Kalemba that when Florence Miyaka, 46 was informed that her daughter Anita was dating a married man, she lost her motherly cool.
Not a woman to sit at home to enjoy her daughter’s proceeds of adultery, mother Florence looked for the married man’s wife to help her hunt for her runaway daughter and the man in question.
And like lethal tug team, when Anita was found, owner of the husband had little to do as Anita’s mom did all the disciplining Occassioning Actual Bodily Harm on her daughter.
In fact, so severe were the combination of slaps that Anita appeared like she had mistakenly dipped her face in a bowl of angry bumble bees.
Not satisfied with beating her daughter, Mother Florence also sued the married man, Brian Sampa, 36 asking him to keep his sexual perversion and financial poverty to himself and not drag her daughter into it.
Meanwhile, when the Adulterer-In-Chief Brian was asked by the court why he ran off to Kabwe with Anita and switched off her phone for days, he claimed he was protecting her from his wife who had vowed to dispatch her to the land of the dead.
Not the type to be fooled, the girl’s mother told off Brian that in no time, she would be marrying off Anita to her Italy -based single boyfriend who would take her to fancy cities like Milan, Leaning Tower of Pisa and not Tunda Stations.
After hearing all arguments, the court cautioned the mother against beating her daughter like a common criminal. Further, it ordered Brian to compensate the mother with K10,000 for running away with her daughter.
PF CADRE WHO THREATENED TO BEAT POLICE OFFICERS WHIPPED.
A PF cadre who insulted and threatened to beat Police Officers who were conducting a search at Former President Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu has been whipped.
A yet to be indetified cadre left his friends who stood a distance away and pointed a finger at officers who were standing observing peace.
It is reported that the said cadre told Police Officers that under PF, they would have been beaten by now for their unprofessional conduct to search Mr. Lungu’s residence or still been transferred in the bush.
He threatened that he has taken note of Police Officer’s faces and the moment PF bounces back in power in 2026, they will be taken to the bush or still lose their jobs.
While pointing a finger at uniformed Police Officers, he insulted and at this stage, the Police had enough to whip him mercilessly.
All his friends started laughing at him instead of saving him from the beatings he was receiving.
Efforts to run away failed as Police grabbed his belt while whipping him.
The cadre managed to break loose and scampered for his safety after several beatings.
FORMER FIRST LADY, MAMA ESTHER LUNGU’S SIDE OF THE STORY
Former First Lady Mama Esther Lungu has given an official statement to the Police at Woodlands Police Station has stated;
Story starts in September,2021.The niece to President Lungu,Catherine Banda, was given to keep for safe custody a total amount of $400,000 in September 2021.
Catherine Banda alleged gave an amount of $300,000 to the complainant ,Elizabeth Change Phiri and her daughter Fuhana Patel who have complained to the Police for theft of their vehicles and property.
Former First Lady, Esther Lungu requested for her money in August 2022 from Catherine Banda. It then discovered that the money had been surrendered to Elizabeth Change Phiri and her daughter Furhana Patel.
When Elizabeth Change Phiri and Furhana Phiri where summoned by the former First Lady to several family meetings, it became clear that the duo had used the money to buy the same property under question.
Therefore an Agreement was signed for Elizabeth Phiri and her daughter Furhana Patel to surrender certificate of title for stand number S/Lusaka/ SLN 0003/2977 located in Libala south water works area to compensate for the money.
The duo also agreed to surrender motor vehicles namely Mitsubishi Canter bearing registration number BAV 5282, Toyota Allex bearing registration number BAV 3986 and Toyota Runx bearing registration No. BLA 9772.
The property and vehicle were surrendered wilfully by the duo who brought the vehicles and certificate of title to the residence of the former President, following the said agreement to finally settle the matter.
Mama Esther Lungu has expressed surprise that this matter which was settled by a civil agreement and is now a case of police investigations.
This morning heavily armed police officers accompanied by anti-riot vehicles stormed the residence demanding to search the residence of the former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu in Ibex Hill.
A canter motor vehicle registration BAV 5282 that former First Lady Ester Lungu was accused of stealing among other properties retained , while she is being questioned at Woodlands police.THIS IS THE VEHICLE POLICE WANTED. THE RUNEX WAS GIVEN AS PART PAYMENT FOR THE MONEY STOLEN FROM AN NGO OF THE FORMER FIRST LADY- Chilufya Tayali
What the country witnessed on Wednesday morning by the State invasion of the residence of the 6th Republican President His Excellency Dr. Edgar Lungu, may symbolise an era similar to the Germans went at the hands of the Gastapo who were prepared to take any instructions and do any act regardless.
This raid at the former President’s house comes barely at a time when outspoken EEP leader, Chilufya Tayalis residence, was attached by unknown armed militias who would have killed him to silence him, if they had gotten hold of him.
In the recent past, police officers were subjected to the agony of exhuming a dead body of a close friend to President Lungu with no tangible outcome at all.
These acts show that state power is being used to perform dehumanizing acts in showy display of where power lies. There is no doubt we shall begin seeing people disappearing as it was the case in Germany when the Gastapo had lost respect for human life and dignity.
At a time when the crime statistics are getting high, the police should have focused its efforts in curbing real criminal activities and the latest raid at the former President’s residence symbolises there is some paranoia which needs to be addressed.
Many civil servants, especially those who worked under the Ministry of Youth and Sport, were lined up at the Public Accounts Committee to mention the name of the former President in the Higer buses saga the themselves created as civil servants.
Many attempts have been made to try and link for the former President in some criminal activities so they can take away his freedom, even when he has been so silent.
Question is what is driving these desperate attempts against the former Head of State?
Things appear to be changing fast in this country and the former President should realise that his silence over the many accusations against him is not helping him enjoy the serenity of his retirement.
THE Patriotic Front (PF) have described the presence of police at former President Edgar Lungu’s house this morning as an attempt to embarrass the former first family.
PF lawyer Makebi Zulu says the presence of police to search Mr Lungu’s house is a breach of law as it compromises his immunity.
Mr Zulu said the search is allegedly meant for Mr Lungu’s wife , Esther Lungu, who is being accused of stealing a vehicle.
He has however ,stated that whatever the case or reason for the search, Mrs Lungu should have been before investigative wings and not ambush her house.
“This is an attempt to embarrass the former first family and should not be so. Let us follow the law instead of embarrassing the State and the first family. As things stand, any breach into his premises compromises his immunity. Because they will purport to be searching in the name of the wife, when actually they are having access to his property.
“So in this case, whatever the purpose of the search, they can simply say so and we will make it available to them. As things stand, it is abundantly clear that there is an attempt to circumvent his privileges as former President,” he said.
Mr Zulu further claimed that prior to the happenings this morning, there was information that there was an intention to search the house.
“Police even had the guts to say the property is not in his name. So in this case, why don’t they issue a search warrant in the name of the owner and not ECL? So we have engaged them. If at all they wanted the former first lady, she has never refused to appear before investigative wings,” he said.
He added that to suggest that the former first lady stole an Alex or whatever vehicle that is small was insulting further stating that the police should follow the correct procedure.
…fumes Nakacinda as he says police presence at ECL’s house is due to HH’s paranoia
Lusaka, Wednesday, May 3, 2023 ( Smart Eagles)
Patriotic Front (PF) Chairperson for Information and Publicity Hon. Raphael Mangani Nakacinda has slammed President Hakainde Hichilema over the heavy presence of the armed police officers at Edgar Lungu’s residence in Ibex, Lusaka.
Addressing the media, Hon Nakacinda urged the police to stop “the nonsense.”
He added that the action taken by the police is as a result of the paranoia by the Head of State and members of the ruling UPND.
The “freedom fighter” charged that UPND has been running a narrative that the former president Lungu is intending to contest the 2026 elections.
“We all know that this is as a result of paranoia that Mr Hakainde Hichilema has and the UPND. There are two things… one, that the Patriotic Front remains strong. Two, the Zambian people are debating the performance of President Hakainde Hichilema in comparison to the performance of former president Edgar Lungu,” he said.
“And clearly the distinction is in black and while. And therefore, and they and their friends have been running a narrative which in the process they want to believe… the narrative of the coming back of the former president. This is total madness, to have a former head of state who enjoys immunity being stormed by the police, to have a search in a manner that this is being conducted is very unfortunate.”
Hon Nakacinda adviced the Head of State that he can only govern if there is peace in the country.
He also warned the President against being ill advised.
The police arrived at President Lungu’s residence at around 06:00am and demanded to search the premises. They claim to have a warrant.
Despite lawyers to the former President arguing that police cannot conduct a search as the residence of former president Lungu who enjoys immunity, the officers are determined to storm the premises.
Members of the party have continued flooding the residence in solidarity to the Lungu famiy as police have also intensified their presence.
EMERITUS Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu has charged that arrests made so far at the Ministry of Finance are selective, arguing that some culprits have been deliberately left out.
Archbishop Mpundu has wondered why only 18 people were arrested when there were others who received the same allowances.
“We have observed that out of all the people in the ministry, almost everyone who received the allowances, the Anti-Corruption Commission decided to selectively arrest only 18 people in February and March 2023 and coincidentally all the 18 are from the Eastern and Northern regions as they claimed that they were only following instructions from above. Isn’t it worrying that the Anti-Corruption Commission is not independent but operating under the instructions of powers that be?” the OCIDA chairman said in a statement.
“The names of the 18 people arrested are as follows; Fredson Yamba, Dick Sichembe, Francis Mbewe, Clara Mazimba, Chibwe Mulonda, Kennedy Musonda, Mulenga Pamu, Gregory Kabwe, Nora Mwila, Hector Sampa, Chanda Mumba, Joseph Nonde, Medson Moyo, Angela Bwalya, Edward Zimbizi, Elijah Manunga, Mulenga Kachela, Faides Kalangwa.”
Archbishop Mpundu wondered why other recipients of the same allowances were not touched and are still serving in the same civil service.
“We have also observed that among the people who were paid the same allowances (as the list is long) who don’t come from the Eastern and Northern regions, who were not arrested, examples are the following: Sandra Kawana, Joyce Sundano, Bridget Siakalenge (wife to Siazongo Siakalenge – Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet for Finance and Economic Development),” Archbishop Mpundu said.
“Joma Simuyi Tambatamba, Mukuli Chikuba (who was the controlling officer at the Ministry of Finance), Ringo Zulu, Mulele Mulele, Paxina Simulunda, Richard Munjunga, and many more.”
He questioned the promotion of two officers who benefitted from the same allowances when they too should have been arrested.
Archbishop Mpundu called on investigative wings to arrest everyone who received the allowances if indeed they were illegal.
“We have also observed that Sandra Kawana and Ringo Zulu who [were] beneficiaries of the same allowances have been promoted to Director and Controller of Internal Audit (permanent secretary level) respectively and as a result have been made the lead investigators/auditors in the special audit investigating the mismanagement of the said allowances. How can these two be impartial and produce an objective report?” he wondered.
“Have they declared interest? Isn’t the likelihood of Sandra Kawana and Ringo Zulu being malicious very high? If really these allowances were illegal, which we do not condone as OCiDA, why then not arrest every recipient of the allowances like Bridget Siakalenge the wife of Siazongo Siakalenge, Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet for Finance and Economic Development, Sandra Kawana, Joyce Sundano, Joma Sumuyi Tambatamba, Mukuli Chikuba, Mulele Mulele and Ringo Zulu so that fairness and justice is not only achieved but also seen to be achieved?”
He further wondered why authorities engaged conflicted officers to be investigating others.
“We also question why did the authorities engage officers who are conflicted and compromised by receiving the same allowances (Sandra Kawana and Ringo Zulu) to audit and investigate others? Can there be really a fair outcome of the exercise? Why is Sandra Kawana investigating the Auditor General and others long after the arrests have been effected? Did the Anti-Corruption Commission really establish the cases before the arrests or they were working under strict instructions from an invisible powerful hand? Why then are they working in reverse?” Archbishop Mpundu asked.
“We are made to understand that the powers to appoint a special internal audit team rests with the Secretary to the Treasury. Can the Secretary to the Treasury [Felix Nkulukusa] confirm that he is the one that instituted the special audit? Most surprisingly, we are wondering why and how the Auditor General and his two deputies have been dragged into the Ministry of Finance saga. Could it be that he is the main target? Could the schemers be using the Ministry of Finance as a way to remove the Auditor General because of the constitutional protection of the office?”
He also wondered why the Auditor General was being prevented from auditing the Executive for the period under the new dawn administration.
“Why is the Auditor General being prevented from auditing the Executive for the financial year 2022? To this, we are very surprised of the unprecedented and highly suspicious arrest of the Auditor General over his entitlements of allowances which is a total of about K1 million in four years,” he said.
“How can such an important and noble government institution in the name of Anti-Corruption Commission be used to advance an agenda which is clearly a regional agenda as can be seen by the selective and handpicking of who should be arrested and who should not be arrested? Is this the reason the Commission was moved to State House? We are also aware that the Auditor General’s audit focus for the financial year 2022 on Ministry of Agriculture FISP (Farmer Input Support Programme), Ministry of Tourism Hunting Licences, Ministry of Home Affairs construction of police posts and Ministry of Local Government CDF is not sitting well with the Executive. We will follow these matters closely.”
He also said the current acting Auditor General was in office when some of the important audits were omitted.
“Even the period the President was referring to as the Auditor General omitting important audits like FISP and Hunting Concessions, it was the new Deputy Auditor General Ron Mwambwa who sat at the helm of the Office of the Auditor General (from 2015 to 2018) Not Dr Sichembe,” Archbishop Mpundu said. “We are also wondering why Francis Mbewe has been replaced by Ron Mwambwa as Deputy Auditor General when Honourable Situmbeko Musokotwane assured the nation on the floor of the august House that those transferred officers to Cabinet Office will go back to their offices once cleared. The question is, has Francis Mbewe been found guilty already? We have not heard of any court process. Lastly, we are also wondering, what is this Ministry of Finance noise all about? What we are seeing here is not corruption nor the fight against corruption, but a calculated scheme aimed at achieving a regional cleansing out of government of certain names. We can only say we shall keenly be following these events and matters to their conclusions in the courts of law. We only hope there will be no nolle prosequi like it was in the Mumbi Phiri case.”
Meanwhile, Archbishop Mpundu said he has information that allowances paid to the arrested officers were in fact entitlements.
“We call it Ministry of Finance SAGA because it is being presented in more than one aspect. We say this because a certain group of people with the support of powers that be have decided to misrepresent the facts and turned them into the theft of allowances at the Ministry of Finance and calculatively flooded both the electronic and print media with this propaganda. But some of us saw through this because what we saw was far from being the so-called theft of allowances, but as a gimmick for regional cleansing of certain names out of government as can be seen from the selective arrests by the Anti-Corruption Commission out of almost everyone in the ministry who used to be paid these allowances,” said Archbishop Mpundu.
“Having said that, we would like to inform the nation that we have reliable information that the allowances that were paid to officers in the Ministry of Finance were actually an entitlement and were duly approved at the highest approval level in government (Secretary to the Cabinet, the Clerk of the National Assembly and the Secretary to the Treasury) contrary to what has been continually peddled by this powerful group of people. We also have information of how stringent the payment system of paying allowances and the payment software are in government that it is not easy for one to circumvent the system and steal without being discovered, in fact the transaction wouldn’t go anywhere.”
NAPSA partial payment is flabbergasting, flummoxing – Mpombo
By Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
GEORGE Mpombo says the NAPSA partial payment euphoria is eroding people’s benefits at retirement.
He advised people accessing the NAPSA partial payments to “avoid going on a social junketing binge.”
The former defence minister in the Levy Mwanawasa administration however noted that the partial payments will help cushion the negative impacts of the economy.
“The euphoria and razzmattaz over the NAPSA partial payment is flabbergasting and flummoxing because the premature partial payment is only eroding their pension benefits at retirement,” he said.
“Pension benefits are railroads meant to secure the future of a pensioner during ferociously hard times like our current economic headwinds buffeting the nation.”
Mpombo said with the current harsh economic conditions in the nation most partial payments will be used to cushion the negative impact of the economy.
He recalled the payment of huge bonuses to miners with a lot of fanfare, “which vamoosed almost immediately after payment due to difficulty economic environment coupled with poor planning”.
Mpombo said the amount of the partial withdraws is important but wondered what investment one can do with “say K15,000”.
“It’s advisable for those accessing their benefits to avoid going on a social junketing binge (excessive drinking and eating) as this will only exarcebate their economic woes in the future,” he said.
With regards an excercise to capture over 250,000 people in the informal sector by 2026 such as marketeers and taxi drivers, Mpombo said it’s an overzealous programme.
“And they are overstretching themselves from clear and explicit objectives. It’s over ambitious to include people whose business nature is itinerant (nomadic). Besides it’s too late,” he said.
On Monday, NAPSA manager South Tapeya Phiri said the informal sector accounts for close to 70 per cent of the Zambian workforce but it has not been included in the social security coverage safety net.
He said the informal sector would receive maximum benefits because the packages will have huge concessions.
“As NAPSA, we have set an ambitious target of registering over 250,000 informal sector members by 2026. By getting a pension cover with NAPSA there are a lot more benefits that come with the programme. For example, for the women we have maternity benefits that is intended to cushion you financially post childbirth,” said Phiri.- The Mast
NALUMANGO IS VEEP BECAUSE OF ECL LEGACY – DR. ZIMBA
Lusaka, Tuesday (May 2, 2023)
Former President Edgar Lungu’s Political Advisor Chris Zumani Zimba says Mutale Nalumango is Republican Vice President because of former ECL Legacy.
Dr. Zimba says Mrs. Nalumango is where she is now because President Hakainde Hichilema was just following the footsteps of the ECL Legacy of entrusting a woman as Vice President.
He says the ECL Legacy was being followed by President Hichilema, which was commendable adding that the current Head of State must be saluted.
“I would like to commend the Government of the Republic of Zambia for successfully celebrating the Kenneth Kaunda Day for 2023 this April. It is an important holiday because it is a day that we dedicate to remember and pay respect to the Founding President of Zambia and also one of the Greatest Pan Africanist Africa has ever produced, Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, may his soul rest in peace,” he said.
Dr. Zimba said it was interesting that Mrs. Nalumango attributed to the question of Presidential legacies with specific references to Dr. Kaunda in comparison to former President Edgar Lungu and other Presidents.
He stressed that it was important that citizens begun to talk about legacies of Presidents when they were still alive.
“For the Vice President to bring that topic, we need to realize that they are trying to trace back and measure the achievements that President Lungu left when he was President of the Republic of Zambia just as Kenneth Kaunda, Fredrick Chiluba, Levy Mwanawasa, Rupiah Banda and Michael Sata. That is very important. Mutale Nalumango herself is Vice President because of President Edgar Lungu Legacy,” he said.
Dr. Zimba said President Lungu was the first President in the history of Zambia who lifted the flag of women empowerment and gender equality to the highest level in terms of leadership who made a decision to put a woman as a Runningmate.
“It was historical when it happened in the year 2016 and it was happening for the first time since Zambia was created by God as a country. The question of political leadership with specific reference to lifting the flag to the highest level with regard to gender equality and women empowerment in Zambia is a legacy that is attributed only to President Lungu,” he said.
Dr. Zimba said Dr. Lungu was the first President who made the Judiciary to have a female Chief Justice. “When it comes to gender equality and women empowerment with specific reference to political leadership, President Lungu is incomparable to no one so far. That is the reason why the Vice President of Zambia Mrs. Mutale Nalumango is where she is now because President Hakainde Hichilema was just emulating and following the footsteps of ECL Legacy of entrusting a woman as Vice President. Nalumango is a beneficiary of the ECL Legacy with specific reference to political leadership and gender equality,” he said.
Dr. Zimba said the UPND Administration has a female Cabinet Minister as Chief Government Spokesperson, which was not happening in a a vacuum.
“Chief Government Spokesperson Chushi Kasanda is a beneficiary of the ECL of appointing women to high political offices,” he said.
Dr. Zimba said President Lungu was the first one to appoint a woman Dora Siliya as Chief Government Spokesperson, resulting in President Hichilema also appointing a woman as Chief Government Spokesperson.
….as Mourinho challenges HH to sell his new fleet of luxury vehicles before directing his Ministers
Lusaka, Tuesday, May 2, 2023 ( Smart Eagles)
The New Dawn Government wants to sell the Luxury Land Cruiser VXs to themselves at a cheaper price, Patriotic Front Media Director Antonio Mourinho Mwanza has alleged.
Mr Mwanza said this in relation to the recent directive by President Hakainde Hichilema that all brand-new Land -Cruiser VX vehicles bought after the UPND formed government must be sold.
Speaking on Live Radio today, Mourinho said the Head of State is trying to play the role of a hero when he was aware of the purchase of the vehicles.
He said what is more baffling is that President Hichilema is on record of having said that no brand new vehicles will be bought for his Cabinet upon forming Government.
He said as though that lie was not enough, they were lying to people that there was no money in Coffers but immediately they assumed office, new vehicles were bought.
“Balya bantu ni ba punka, they want to sell the vehicles they bought at an exorbitant price cheaply.. They were refusing that they were not going to buy brand new vehicles. But today they are admitting that they bought brand new vehicles and they want to sell. HH must sell a fleet of new vehicles he is using because he is on record of saying he had refused,” he said
And Mourinho has wondered where the President was when the vehicles were being bought.
“Mwalikwi, lelo after mwashita, mwabomfya you start lying to people that you want to sell Government Vehicles.”
Mr Mwanza said the country deserves an apology from President Hichilema because he lied about not buying brand new vehicles.
“This president lied to the Zambian people that there was a desire to buy new Presidential motor vehicles and he said that he refused. But he is now using a new fleet of Vehicles. There is a procedure which Government property is bought. This is a cabinet decision, they were fully aware that they were going to purchase these vehicles and he approved the purchase,” he said.
OPERATION SAVE MMD CLARIFYS ATTEMPTED MMD DE-REGISTRATION!!
..Pastor Mumba has no right to comment because he wasn’t there!!…
For Immediate Press Release
We as the Operation Save MMD would first like to put it on record that We don’t hold any grudges against Pastor Nevers Mumba. To the contrary, We do respect him and hold him in high esteem for having served as our Party President from 25th May, 2012 to 25th May, 2022. Our differences with him are purely political in regard to how he has attempted to kill our party.
Yesterday, We woke up to a Video done by Pastor Mumba where he makes wild allegations which include that the PF led Government tried to deregister our party in March, 2012 and he was our Party President by then. He further went on and said that the MMD never made nor paid any annual returns from 1991 to 2011 because of arrogance of Power and urged the Patriotic Front to follow the Societies Act which himself does not respect and abrogating with impunity as he has not registered all his illegal New Hope MMD handpicked Provincial officials.
We have no problem if Pastor Mumba now wants a Job at the Patriotic Front as Special Advisor but he should not involve our party in his applications.
Firstly, Pastor Mumba has no right whatsoever to talk about then PF failed attempted Deregistration of the MMD because he wasn’t there. We say so because the then Registrar of Societies wrote to Us in March of 2012 on there attempts to deregister our party and Pastor Mumba only became Party President in May, of the same Year. By the time we elected him as Party President, We had already resolved to pay through the late former President Mr. Rupiah Banda and Mjr. Richard Kachingwe who was National Secretary at the time.
Secondly, he misleds himself and the public that We as a Party never made annual returns the time we were in power. This is not only false but also an attempt by him to paint our party MMD black. The Zambian public should know that we as a party did make returns the whole 20 years we were in power. We have copies of all the returns we made in the 20 years we were in power and we challenge Pastor Mumba to give the public evidence that we didn’t. As a Man of the Cloth, it is wrong for him to lie in his quest to get a job from the PF.
For his and the Nation’s information, the attempted Deregistration arose from disputed branches which some cadres registered in mumbwa without the authority of the party and the Secretariat and our arguement was that there was no provision in the Society Act then to register the branches apart from the party headqarters and that those branches were none existing in our records, even the cadres who registered them were no longer in MMD at the time.
We and the then Registrar of Societies Hon. Clement Adeleki are still alive and we are ready to testify if Pastor Mumba still sticks to his lies.
As a Party, We do hereby demand a written apologize from Pastor Mumba for lying that We as a Party never paid annual returns for the 20 years that we were in power.
Pastor Nevers Mumba is a wrong person to lecture anyone on democracy when he has been running MMD like an animal farm. He has never allowed or held democratic intraparty elections in all organs of the party but he has been handpicking people in all elective party positions who can not question him on whatever wrong he does like illegally clinging on to the party Presidency when his tenure has expired.
The public should now understands why we disagree with Pastor Mumba. How can a Pastor who claims to be a party president even after his tenure has finished embarrass the party like that?
Issued by: Hon. Gaston Sichilima Operation Save MMD
HH SHOULD LEAD BY EXAMPLE BY REDUCING HIS TRIPS – MUNDUBILE
….Says the President has travelled so many times out of the country and the Zambians can’t see any fruit from those travels
Lusaka – Tuesday, 2 May 2023
PF presidential aspirant Brian Mundubile says President Hakainde Hichilema should lead by example by reducing his foreign trips so that his Ministers can follow suit.
During the Presidential Delivery Unit workshop on Thursday, President Hichilema lamented that some ministers and permanent secretaries were perpetually traveling when they had not even achieved their deliverables.
The President further directed the sale of all brand new VX V8 motor vehicles bought after UPND formed government.
But in an interview, Mundubile said President Hichilema had made a number of trips which had not benefited the Zambians.
“So it is like father and son, so he must lead by example. The President has travelled so many times out of the country and the Zambians can’t see any fruit from those travels. So for that instruction to be carried and followed by his Ministers, the President himself must reduce on the trips.
Because his Ministers now feel you can travel even if there is nothing that you are going to do because they have seen the principal traveling and there is no result coming. So it is more about him stopping to travel then he can properly direct his Ministers not to also travel especially where there is no delivery,” he said.
He wondered why the President ordered the sale of VX V8 motor vehicles when he earlier promised that no such vehicles would be bought in his government.
“The issues of VXs, it was a campaign promise that there will be no VXs. Then the question is how did the buying of VXs by his government [happen] against his own pronouncement? How did that escape his watchful eye? Who is in charge of this government? Why is it [that] the government officials or Ministers are not following what he is saying? So that is a constructive admission by the President that he is not totally in charge of government. Because if he said there would not be VXs and then suddenly he is saying ‘we are selling the VXs that were bought’, it meant that they are not in charge,” Mundubile said.
“In the first place, there should not have been VXs because he said there should be no VXs. Now he is talking about selling the VXs that were bought when they should not have been bought in the first place.
Those vehicles should not have been bought in the first place. So for us, it is a serious concern, how many other wrongs are happening in this government without the President knowing? Because he is clearly giving us a helpless position that he didn’t want VXs to be bought, they have been bought. He didn’t want Ministers to travel, they are traveling, so who is in charge of government is the question’’.
Mundubile said the PF had been vindicated that UPND had failed to deliver services to the people.
“The starting point for me and it’s good that the President has finally admitted that there has been no service delivery from the time they took over government.
It is something that we have repeatedly spoken to but thank God we are now being vindicated. When we spoke about the happenings in the Ministry of Agriculture, the distribution of inputs, the export of maize and so on, our friends turned a deaf ear to our calls and advice. So finally the President has admitted that there is nothing going on in his government. What needs to be done, we have always advised, is that government should have clear policy direction in each sector. Once that is so then the other arguments fall off,” HE said.
Mundubile said President Hichilema should begin to introspect about his way of governance.
“If a minister is traveling because he has to deliver on their promises and in order to deliver it requires him to travel, then there is no problem. It becomes a problem, like the President is admitting, in that if ministers are traveling without any results. So the buck stops at him. He must begin to introspect, is he probably directing his government? Is the President probably directing his ministers? Are the ministers carrying out that vision? Are they delivering to the poor people of Zambia through those travels? So it is not enough to just make blanket statements, there must be a clear path upon which the government wants to deliver,” said Mundubile.
“Trips and whatever else must be aligned to that delivery, in the absence of which we have a problem. So to sum it up, the President has admitted that his government is not delivering. The next question is why? That question can only be answered by him. Is he properly directing his ministers in a direction that they can deliver to the expectations of the Zambian people?”
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2023 FIRST QUARTER BUDGET PERFORMANCE
● Total revenues and grants collection amounted to K26.3 billion, 2.6 percent above the targeted revenue collection for the quarter. This was largely due to favourable performance in VAT and exceptional revenue collected from ZICTA from the sale of bandwidth spectrum.
● Non-tax revenue collections amounted to K4.2 billion against a target of K3.83 billion. The collections from ZICTA largely accounted for this outturn.
● In terms of spending, we released K38.5 billion to implement various projects and programmes, against a target of K37.8 billion. Notable expenses were as follows:
● Personnel emoluments amounting to K10.8 billion, 4.8 percent below the projection;
● Use of goods and services amounting to K3.7 billion against the target of K3.4 billion, mostly for procurement of drugs and medical supplies;
● Releases towards transfers and subsidies amounted to K7.0 billion, 1.6 percent above target. Funds went to the following notables arears FISP; CDF; grants to schools, universities and hospitals; among others;
● Social benefits exceeded the target by 65.5 percent at K2.1 billion against the target of K 1.3 billion. Most of the resources went to the Pension Fund and the Social Cash Transfer;
● Capital expenditures amounted to K2.3 billion and were 34.3 percent below target. Funds went towards roads, fuel depots, water projects and other infrastructure; and
● Government released K3.3 billion for assets and liabilities, close to double the allocation of K1.1 billion. Funds went towards dismantling of arrears and empowerment funds.
This difference in revenues collected versus expenditures amounts to a deficit of K12.7 billion for the first quarter of 2023.
For the fourth quarter in 2022, the deficit stood at K16.31billion.
Therefore, the Government has managed to reduce the deficit this quarter while still investing in human capital and social programmes that aim to provide greater opportunity and security to all Zambians.
DEBT POSITION
During the January engagement, the Minister of Finance and National Planning presented the debt position as at end-September 2022, with the Central Government external debt estimated at US $13.36 billion.
At the close of the year, central Government external debt amounted to US $13.96 billion from US$13.04 billion in 2021.
The increase was largely due to disbursements from multilateral creditors.
On the domestic debt front, Zambia’s stock of Government Securities increased slightly from K210 billion at end 2022 to K211.7 billion as at end-March 2023. When measured in dollar terms, the domestic debt decreased from $11.6 billion to $9.9 billion on account of the Kwacha depreciation.
Ugandan cabinet minister shot and killed by his bodyguard
Tuesday May 02 2023
Engola was shot Tuesday morning by his bodyguard at his home in Kyanja, a Kampala suburb.
The minister’s aide-de-camp Ronald Otim also sustained severe injuries and was rushed to Mulago hospital for treatment.
Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga, said investigations were underway to establish the motive of the shooting.
IN SUMMARY
The minister’s aide-de-camp Ronald Otim also sustained severe injuries and was rushed to Mulago hospital for treatment.
Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga, said investigations were underway to establish the motive of the shooting.
“He (Engola) was shot at his residence in Kyanja by one of his bodyguards who allegedly fired several shots at close range. He fled from the scene up to the trading centre at Kyanja, Ring Road where he entered a salon and also shot himself dead,” police spokesperson, Fred Enanga told journalists in Kampala.
The shooter was identified as private Wilson Sabiiti.
The crime scene was cordoned off by security personnel as police launched investigations into the incident. The deputy Inspector General of Police, Maj Gen Geoffrey Tumusiime Katsigazi and the director of Criminal Investigation Department, Maj Tom Magambo were the first security chiefs to arrive at the minister’s home.
Earlier, an eyewitness had claimed that the bodyguard complained that the slain minister owed him several months of unpaid salary as he shot in the air to warn civilians at Kyanja town, moments before turning the gun at himself.
“The guard said he hadn’t been paid Ush4 million (about $1,000). He said he had a pregnant woman and his children were not going to school yet the minister’s children were schooling,” the eyewitness said.
But, Gender and Labour minister Betty Amongi, who was among the first government officials who arrived at Engola’s home after the shooting, told journalists that Sabiiti “was a new bodyguard.”
“He has been working as his bodyguard for a month. He came from Bombo and joined other security guards assigned to the minister from the Ministry of Gender ad Labour,” Ms Amongi said.
Police spokesperson, Mr Enanga, said it was too early to confirm the motive of the shooting.
“The investigation is currently in the early stages of review…We don’t want to speculate into the motive of the shooting until we have confirmed,” the police spokesman said.
The minister was on his way to attend a Cabinet sitting when he was shot, according to Minister of ICT and national guidance, Chris Baryomunsi.
Minister of Finance Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane has disclosed that in the first quarter of 2023 the Government spent more than it projected in the National Budget.
During the 2023 budget and economic performance symposium in Lusaka on Tuesday, Dr. Musokotwane said the difference in revenues collected versus expenditures amounts to a deficit of K12.7 billion for the first quarter of 2023.
He said this is an improvement compared to the fourth quarter of 2022 in which the deficit stood at K16.31 Billion.
On revenues, Dr. Musokotwane said revenues and grants collection amounted to K26.3 billion, 2.6 percent above the targeted revenue collection for the first quarter of 2023.
“Total revenues and grants collection amounted to K26.3 billion, 2.6 percent above the targeted revenue collection for the quarter. This was largely due to favourable performance in VAT and exceptional revenue collected from ZICTA from the sale of bandwidth spectrum. Non-tax revenue collections amounted to K4.2 billion against a target of K3.83 billion. The collections from ZICTA largely accounted for this outturn. In terms of spending, we released K38.5 billion to implement various projects and programmes, against a target of K37.8 billion. Notable expenses were as follows: Personnel emoluments amounting to K10.8 billion, 4.8 percent below the projection; Use of goods and services amounting to K3.7 billion against the target of K3.4 billion, mostly for procurement of drugs and medical supplies; Releases towards transfers and subsidies amounted to K7.0 billion, 1.6 percent above target,” he said.
“Funds went to the following notables arrears FISP; CDF; grants to schools, universities and hospitals; among others; Social benefits exceeded the target by 65.5 percent at K2.1 billion against the target of K 1.3 billion. Most of the resources went to the Pension Fund and the Social Cash Transfer; Capital expenditures amounted to K2.3 billion and were 34.3 percent below target. Funds went towards roads, fuel depots, water projects and other infrastructure; and governments released K3.3 billion for assets and liabilities, close to double the allocation of K1.1 billion. Funds went towards dismantling of arrears and empowerment funds. This difference in revenues collected versus expenditures amounts to a deficit of K12.7 billion for the first quarter of 2023. For the fourth quarter in 2022, the deficit stood at K16.31billion,” Dr. Musokotwane announced.
Dr. Musokotwane emphasised that Zambia must aspire for much higher economic growth as a way of attaining meaningful impact on job creation, poverty reduction, and improvements in the lives of the people.
“As I always state, we must aspire for much higher growth, year after year. It is only when the economy is growing, preferably in double digits that the growth can have a meaningful impact on job creation, poverty reduction, and improvements in the lives of the people. Government is working on various initiatives to unlock this higher growth. Currently, our country is faced with the challenge of huge demand for grain and other products from the region. This demand has caused mealie meal prices in Zambia to rise and affect our people. In the immediate response, the government heightened security against illegal exports.”
“Also, the government encouraged the local private sector to import mealie meal from other surplus countries for sale at border areas in those towns that are next to countries with deficit food availability. But we all know that the ultimate solution to the food deficits in the region should be a sweet one for Zambia: 5 let us produce more food and export to the countries in need. This will earn dollars and create jobs. Some of the food will be produced by our existing small, medium and commercial farmers. However, the export market is so huge that it is necessary to bring in extra skills and capital,” he stated.
On manufacturing, Dr. Musokotwane said he is seeing a lot of interest and therefore potential for growth in the sector.
“Of special mention is in the area of fertilisers. Until recently, Zambia was totally dependent on imported fertilisers. Because of the conducive business environment, major investments have been made in the sub sector. As I have been informed, Zambia now has self sufficiency for basal fertilisers and in the next few years will be exporting some. For top dressing fertilisers, the plant whose works the president flagged off last week will also lead to self-sufficiency in a few years. These are examples of what is happening in manufacturing. 8 The government will double its efforts in combating red tape in the facilitation of investments in all sectors. This should also be understood by all officials in the public sector who are fond of frustrating investments that the government will not tolerate such practices,” he said.
Dr. Musokotwane further provided preliminary numbers for the external sector for 2022 which he couldn’t highlight at the end of the fourth quarter of 2022.
“We did not have preliminary numbers for the external sector for 2022. I therefore wish to report on performance in 2022 as follows: Preliminary data indicates that the balance of payments position deteriorated in 2022 as a deficit of US$1.3 billion (4.4 percent of GDP) was recorded compared to a surplus of US$1.5 billion in 2021. The nation recorded a reduction in the current account surplus and a widening of the financial account deficit. The current account surplus reduced markedly to US$1.15 billion (3.9 percent of GDP) in 2022 from US$2.68 billion (11.9 percent of GDP) in 2021. This was largely driven by a decline in net merchandise exports and expansion in the services account deficit. What is gratifying was an increase in Non-Traditional exports, which increased by 19.2 percent to US $3.1 billion from US $2.6 billion in 2021. Copper export earnings fell by 3.2 percent to US $8.1 billion from US $8.3 13 billion in 2021, reflecting lower copper prices and export volumes,” the Finance Minister said.
“The reduction in export volumes was underpinned by a decline in copper output amid low ore grade, operational challenges and routine closures for maintenance at some mines. The measures that I outlined earlier on are intended to reverse the outcome above and push mineral production upwards. Let me now turn to where we are with regard to the IMF programme and debt restructuring. (iii) IMF Programme Members of the Press; You may recall that during the period, 22nd March, 2023 to 5th April, 2023, the IMF undertook a mission to the country for the first review under the Extended Credit Facility, and for Article IV Consultations. You may further re-call that following the review, Zambia and IMF staff reached a Staff-Level Agreement on economic and financial policies that will anchor programme implementation for the next 12 months. The agreement is subject to approval by the IMF Management and the Executive Board once the necessary financing assurances have been received,” Dr. Musokotwane.
Refund Of Half Salary – Court Explains By Dickson Jere
He was employed as Hall Attendant – a person looking after the Student Residences at UNZA. He then received a bribe from students in exchange for accommodation on campus. Having been “caught”, he was summarily dismissed for corruption and receiving bribes after a lengthy disciplinary process. However, he was put on half salary during the suspension period while his case was being heard.
Having been dismissed, he sued in the High Court for his unpaid half salaries that were withheld by the university. He also demanded for his gratuity as well as damages for unlawful, wrongful and unfair dismissal as he was disciplined by wrong process.
The Judge, having heard the evidence, agreed with UNZA that the dismissal was correct and that he does not deserve to be paid the half salaries that were withheld during suspension.
Disappointed with the High Court Judgment, he climbed the judicial system and appealed to the Court of Appeal. The three-member panel analyzed the case record and ruled thus;
“What that means is that for the Appellant to be entitled to that portion of his salary, he should convince the Court that his dismissal was indeed wrongful and unfair and therefore, he should not have been suspended in the first place,” the Judges noted.
“Where one is not found liable by the Disciplinary process, the suspension is lifted and the withheld portions of the salary are paid back,” the Judges further explained.
In this case, the dismissal was found to be valid and therefore the UNZA worker could not claim the half salary when he was on suspension even at the end of the disciplinary process.
“In the case of a failed challenge of the dismissal in a Court of law, as is the case with the Appellant, the withheld portions of the salary are not refundable,” the Court held.
The Court further explained that where the employee has been found innocent, what should be paid is damages or refund in rare circumstances if the Court order reinstatement.
“So half salary has nothing to do with the outcome of a challenge on an employee’s dismissal. It is a condition attached to the suspension only,” the three Judges concluded and threw away the appeal.
Case citation – Emmanuel Zgambo v University of Zambia (Appeal No 132/2022) and judgement delivered last week on the 25th April, 2023.
Note that this is not legal opinion but summary of case and commentary based on the evidence provided in this matter.
Drunk love-making couple kill baby, day after receiving social cash transfer
ON FRIDAY last week, Dickson Mufwempa, 59, who is living with a disability and is a beneficiary of the social cash transfer received his K800 for two months and decided to take his wife for a drinking spree.
After having a good time, the couple, who had gone out drinking with their baby went back home drunk.
It is reported that the couple then decided to engage in sex and in the process slept on their baby causing its death.
Zambia Police Deputy Spokes Person Danny Mwale, relatives of the couple and residents of Palabana confirmed the incidence in separate interviews.
Mr Mwale said on April 23, 2023, around 07:40 hours, officers of Chalimbana Police station received a report of suspected infanticide which was reported at Palabana police post by Maleni Mukende.
He said Mr Mukende reported that Esther slept on her baby boy identified as Prince Mufwempa who was found dead in the morning.
The incident happened between April 22, 2023 around 22: 30 and April 23, 2023 around 07:00 hours in Palabana area, Chongwe.
“Esther, mother to the child aged 34 went to bed on the material day whilst drunk with her baby in a healthy condition. Around 6:00 hours, she went back to the bars to drink but was shortly called by her husband, Dickson Mufwempa to come and see their dead child in the house.
Post- mortem was conducted on April 25, 2023 and the preliminary results showed that their infant died of suffocation due to overlying by the drunkard parents,” he said.
Mr Mweemba said the docket of the case has been opened, the scene has been visited and the body was taken to the University Teaching Hospital mortuary.
Mr Mwale said both Esther and her husband have been detained.
Pearson Mufwemba who is the older brother to Dickson, said it is unfortunate that the life of an innocent child had been cut short by it’s own parents.
“I cant say exactly how they slept on the baby, but I was informed that the child died out of suffocation. The couple is fond of drinking beer, especially the woman.
“A day before the child died, my brother received K800 from Social cash transfer and they went to drink beer. This is their habit. Whenever they get the funds, they opt to drink beer [rather] than using the money wisely. now, they have not even had a chance to mourn their child and where not even present for the funeral because they were in police custody,” Mr Mufwampa said.
Another relative of Esther only identified as Maria said the couple needed to be taught a lesson especially the woman, who is in control of the home as her husband is disabled.
“They have three children, these children are alive today only because of God’s mercy. They could have been dead just like their brother. My sister had no care towards them and now, she will learn it the hard way,” she said.
She said on the fateful night, the couple was hered laughing and having a good time in their bedroom while in a drunken state.
She claimed that the couple could have slept on the baby while having a good time in their bedroom.
…as he observes that the growing number of unions is weakening their effectiveness
Lusaka, Tuesday, May 2, 2023 ( Smart Eagles )
As the world commemorated International Labour Day, leader of the opposition Socialist Party (SP) Dr Fred M’membe encouraged trade unions to unity.
Dr M’membe noted when he featured on Daimond TV’s “Costa”, Sunday, that there are a lot of unions in different fraternities.
He observed that the growing number of unions is weakening their effectiveness as many are financially constrained.
And the opposition leader charged that the civil service under the New Dawn Administration is full of cadres.
“There is need to unite our small fragmented trade unions. Even if they maintain their individual identities they have to corporate. If they don’t cooperate, they remain fragmented, it will take a long time for them to win back their strength. The civil service needs a revolutionary change,” he said.
“The civil service we have today cannot deliver meaningfully under the conditions we are in and the challenges facing our people. It has become not a professional civil service. It is a civil service of cadres. And it didn’t start with the UPND. It has been degenerating for a long time.”
On claims that the “government of angels” is cleaning up the civil service, he argued that “they are not doing that.”
He urged the country to learn from other countries regarding how the civil service works.
“The evidence over the two years of them being in government now don’t show that. If you go to China today, China has got the most difficult entry into the civil service. It is almost like ZIALE here. To enter the civil service, it’s not easy in China. Its highly professional. When you get there you don’t want to leave,” he said.
“Despite having a population of 1.4 billion human beings, they have a civil service of about eight million. And teachers are not civil servants there. Doctors and nurses are not civil servants there. There is a lot we can learn from other countries and also on our own. We have to learn our own lessons.”
Regarding the Presidential order for the XVs to be sold, Dr M’membe accused the Head of State of playing cheap politics.
“….He is just playing cheap politics. Even he himself, is he driving an old flit? There is even an addition of a helicopter that is not being talked about,” he said.
“There isn’t much that is being saved (from the sale of the VXs) compared to what is being bought. Let us not allow ourselves to be deceived. This is deception. It is very cheap politics. He is just trying to bring down his ministers and try to make them look as if they are bad people.”
Meanwhile, Dr M’membe stressed the need for unity.
“Our leaders, the founders of this country were not wrong to be part of the nonaligned movement, to initiate it and consolidate it. They were nonaligned in a world that was divided into two and they dealt with both. The world will not be any better if we put ourselves into groups here and there. We are on one planet,” he said.
“We are traveling on this one vessel, all of us, called planet. If this vessel hits an iceberg, all of us perish the way they perished on the titanic. It didn’t matter on which cabin you were traveling on…when that ship sunk, everybody perished. If we don’t create a world that is peaceful, that is fair, that is just, that is more humane, no matter how many groups you form on this planet, it will not guarantee us the peace that we are seeking. We will all perish.”
He also lamented that “our poverty is partly due to unequal trade.”
We’ve not in any way committed any offence, says Lubinda
By Margaret Malenga
ACTING PF president Given Lubinda has wondered why the chief registrar of societies accepted returns that only had three names, whilst the provisions of the law say they must always be 10.
Featuring on Lusaka Music Radio’s ‘Talk of the city’ programme on Wednesday, Lubinda said it is “totally malicious” that the chief registrar waited until two years later to say that only three names had been filed for office bearers of the former ruling party.
“The registrar has the law in front of her and a person goes and says ‘I’m coming to file names for office bearers for my society, the law says that they must be 10, but I’m filing three’. And the registrar accepts and says ‘yes you have filed’, and then waits until two years later and says ‘you only filed three names’. No, that can’t be! We filed our submission with 10 names,” Lubinda said. “And what I would like members of the public to bear in mind is that how could it have been that the chief registrar of societies accepted returns that only had three names when the provisions of the law says that they must always be 10? The registrar wouldn’t have accepted our application if we had three names, because the law says there must be 10.”
He insisted that the very first submission that was made in 2021 had all the 10 names as is required by law.
“And how could we have gone there and said ‘registrar, we are coming with three names and we will come with four tomorrow and we will come with six next week’? We couldn’t have done that. Our initial submission in 2021 has all the 10 names,” he said.
And in reference to the part in the notice that indicated that the registrar wrote to the party requesting them to avail a full list of office bearers with a minimum of 10, Lubinda confirmed it.
He said there has been “lots of correspondence” between the registrar of societies and the Patriotic Front.
“This is the reason I am saying this is just a storm in a tea cup and it should not cause any worry whatsoever to anybody. Everything is in order and within no time the registrar herself will have to pronounce that the Patriotic Front is keeping with the provisions of the law. I would like to just assure the Zambian people that this malice will be addressed as quickly as possible,” said Lubinda. “There is no need to worry whatsoever. There is no cause for panic. Can everybody just rest peacefully knowing that there is nothing like deregistering the Patriotic Front because the Patriotic Front has been abiding by the provisions of the law. And I want to just assure everybody that we have not in any way committed any offence to cause the deregistration of the Patriotic Front.”
In her April 25, 2023 letter to PF secretary general, chief registrar of societies Thandiwe
Mhende stated that “You are hereby notified that I intend on cancelling your political party following your failure to comply with the order to avail a full and complete list of office bearers of your party.”
She reminded PF that the legal requirement under section 2 of the societies Act cap 119 of the laws of Zambia was for every society to have a minimum of 10 office bearers.
Mhende said PF had only presented three office bearers even after being given 21 days to comply with the order.
“You are advised upon receipt of this notice to make representations within seven days to show cause why your party should not be cancelled in accordance with Section 13 (2) (c) of the aforementioned Act,” said Mhende.
An individual who fathered at least 550 children in the Netherlands and other nations and deceived prospective parents about the number of children he contributed to conception has been prohibited by a Dutch court from contributing any more of his sperm.
A judge at The Hague District Court ordered the halt in an injunction on Friday brought by the mother of a child conceived with the donor’s sperm and a foundation representing other parents.
The mother, identified by the foundation only as Eva, welcomed the court’s decision.
“I hope that this ruling leads to a ban on mass donation and spreads like an oil slick to other countries. We must stand hand in hand around our children and protect them against this injustice,” Eva said in a statement.
The court noted under Dutch guidelines, sperm donors are allowed to produce a maximum of 25 children with 12 mothers, and the donor lied to prospective parents about his donation history.
The donor, identified as Jonathan M under Dutch privacy guidelines, provided sperm to several Dutch fertility clinics and to a clinic in Denmark, as well as to many other people he connected with through advertisements and online forums, the court said.
The donor’s lawyer said in a court hearing he wanted to help parents who would otherwise be unable to conceive.
Video Duration 47 minutes 45 secondsSperm Smugglers – Al Jazeera World
‘Negative psychosocial consequences’ The judge who heard the civil case said the donor “deliberately lied about this in order to persuade the parents to take him as a donor”.
“All these parents are now confronted with the fact that the children in their family are part of a huge kinship network, with hundreds of half-siblings, which they did not choose,” the court said, adding this “could possibly have negative psychosocial consequences for the children”.
The case was about “conflicting fundamental rights. On the one hand, the right to respect the privacy of the parents and the donor children … and on the other hand the same right of the donor”, it said.
The court ruled “the interests of the donor children and their parents outweigh the interest of the donor in continuing to donate sperm to new prospective parents”.
Jonathan M was ordered to immediately halt all sperm donations and pay 100,000 euros ($110,000) per case if he breaches the ban.
Lawyer Mark de Hek called the ruling “a clear signal and, as far as I am concerned, a final warning to other mass donors”.
The case is the latest in a series of fertility scandals to hit the Netherlands.
In 2020, a deceased gynaecologist was accused of fathering at least 17 children with women thinking they were receiving sperm from anonymous donors.
The year before, it emerged a Rotterdam doctor fathered at least 49 children while inseminating women seeking treatment.
Two pastors are due to appear on Tuesday before Kenyan courts suspected of being behind the deaths of at least 109 people found buried in what has been dubbed the “Shakahola forest massacre”.
Deeply religious and Christian-majority with more than 4,000 registered churches, Kenya has been stunned by the revelations of seeking God by starvation.
The two men are in detention and scheduled to appear in courts in different towns on Tuesday.
Self-proclaimed pastor Paul Mackenzie Nthenge, who set up the Good News International Church in 2003, will be in the dock in the coastal town of Malindi, accused of inciting followers to starve to death, “to meet Jesus”, at the sleepy nearby outpost of Shakahola.
Ezekiel Odero, a wealthy and well-known tele-evangelist, is expected in court at the East African nation’s second city Mombasa following his arrest in Malindi on Thursday.
Odero is suspected of murder, aiding suicide, abduction, radicalisation, crimes against humanity, child cruelty, fraud and money laundering.
The prosecution is seeking to detain him for a further 30 days, citing credible information linking the corpses exhumed at Shakahola to the deaths of several “innocent and vulnerable followers” from Odero’s New Life Prayer Central and Church.
Mackenzie Nthenge gathered his flock in the forest where some 30 mass graves have been discovered containing more than 100 bodies, most just children.
Mackenzie Nthenge, who turned himself in on April 14 after police first entered the forest working on a tip-off, stands accused along with 13 other people with murder, kidnapping, cruelty towards children among other crimes in court documents seen by AFP.
Odero and Nthenge share a “history of business investments” including a television station used to pass “radicalised messages” to followers, according to court documents.
The first autopsies from Shakahola were carried out Monday on nine children and one woman.
They confirmed starvation as the cause of death, although some victims were asphyxiated, the authorities said.
Questions have been raised about how a self-styled pastor with a history of extremism has managed to evade law enforcement despite his prominent profile.
It has also seen President William Ruto intervene on Kenya’s homegrown religious movements, and failed efforts to regulate unscrupulous churches and cults that have dabbled in criminality.
This week Ruto will set up a task force “to deal with generally how we govern religious activities in our country and how we make sure we don’t infringe on the sacred right of the freedom of worship, opinion and belief,” Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki said.
“But at the same time we don’t allow criminals to misuse that right to hurt, kill, torture and starve people to death.”
Adidas shareholders filed a class-action lawsuit against the sportswear brand, accusing it of failing to warn investors about the antisemitism and “extreme behavior” exhibited by the rapper, Kanye West, before their partnership ended last year.
In the lawsuit, shareholders allege that Adidas “routinely ignored” his behavior as early as 2018. They claim that senior executives “ignored serious issues” affecting the Yeezy partnership, namely his antisemitic remarks and troubling public comments about slavery.
In a report from that year, Adidas was “generally alluding” to the risks “rather than stating that the company had actually considered ending the partnership as a result of West’s personal behavior,” according to the lawsuit. During that time, Ye said that slavery was a “choice” in a TMZ interview.
The lawsuit said that Adidas was aware of his behavior and that the company “failed to take meaningful precautionary measures to limit negative financial exposure” if the partnership ended.
Adidas’ Chief Financial Officer Harm Ohlmeyer and former CEO Kasper Rørsted are named as defendants.
The lawsuit doesn’t name the rapper, who now goes by Ye. The suit covers anyone who bought an Adidas share from May 3, 2018 (when Ye made the slavery remark) until 2023.
Adidas responding to the lawsuit released a statement saying;
“We outright reject these unfounded claims and will take all necessary measures to vigorously defend ourselves against them,”
Adidas (ADDDF) ended its almost decade-long partnership with Eest in October 2022 after Ye wore a “White Lives Matter” T-shirt in public. Days later, Ye said “I can say antisemitic s*** and Adidas cannot drop me” during a podcast taping.
Adidas said that its partnership with Ye ended because it “does not tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech” and said his comments were “unacceptable, hateful and dangerous.” It also said they violated the company’s “values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect and fairness.”
The company said in February that it was expected to lose $1.3 billion in revenue this year because it’s unable to sell the designer’s Yeezy clothing and shoes.
Ex-President Donald Trump’s accuser claimed that he raped her regardless of if she screamed or not.
Columnist E Jean Carroll faced cross-examination on her second day on the witness stand Thursday in Federal District Court in Manhattan. Carroll, 79, claims that Trump, 76, sexually assaulted her in a Bergdorf Goodman department store dressing room in 1996.
Trump’s lawyer Joe Tacopina barraged Carroll with dozens of questions on why she did not scream during the alleged rape
‘I’m not a screamer,’ she said. ‘You can’t beat up on me for not screaming.’
Carroll added: ‘People always ask, “Why didn’t you scream?” It keeps women silent.’
Tacopina painted a picture of Carroll waiting more than two decades to go public with her accusations so that she could sell more copies of a 2019 memoir.
Carroll pushed back, saying that 2017 rape allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein and the surrounding #MeToo movement of women sharing their stories of sexual abuse prompted her to speak up.
‘It caused me to realize that staying silent does not work,’ she said.
As Tacopina continued to press Carroll on why she did not scream, she raised her voice and said: ‘I’m telling you: He raped me whether I screamed or not.’
Tacopina brought up an excerpt from Carroll’s 2019 book she was working on but was never published.
‘I’ve become persuaded that he wants to kill me… as he stacks the courts, my rights over my body are being taken away… I’m afraid that my right to free speech will go next,’ Carroll wrote.
Her excerpt also stated that Trump was ‘poisoning my water’ and ‘he’s polluting my air’.
Tacopina questioned Carroll on why she could not recall the exact date that Trump allegedly raped her.
‘I wished to heaven we could give you a date,’ Carroll replied.
In opening statements, Tacopina had said Trump cannot give an alibi without knowing the precise date of Carroll’s allegation.
Tacopina aimed to highlight Carroll’s lapses in memory. He asked her if she first spotted Trump through a revolving door.
‘I know it’s a revolving door,’ she said.
Then Tacopina pointed out an excerpt from her book in which she wrote that it ‘could have been a regular door at that time, I can’t recall’.
The cross-examination began tense, with Tacopina saying, ‘good morning’, and Carroll not saying anything but nodding slightly. She responded after Tacopina’s second ‘good morning’.
Trump’s lawyer asked Carroll detailed questions, like if his client said the word ‘lingerie’ in asking her to advise him on a gift for another woman. Tacopina also asked which floor of the store she and Trump were on.
US District Judge Lewis Kaplan on various occasions called out Tacopina for ‘repetitive’ and ‘argumentative’ questions to Carroll.
Carroll took the stand on the third day of the trial at 10.30am, with one of her attorneys, Mike Ferrara, finishing up his questioning that began on Wednesday.
Kaplan dismissed the jury in the late afternoon and said the trial would resume on Monday. Tacopina said he was ‘more than halfway’ through questioning Carroll. The judge reminded jurors not to speak or read about the case.
Shortly before the jury was dismissed, Trump held a campaign speech in New Hampshire. He slammed his other legal cases he faces, but did not mention Carroll or the rape trial. Trump has not yet appeared in court for the rape trial and is not obligated to.
Senegalese opposition leader Ousmane Sonko said Monday that foreign laboratories have revealed that a gas that police sprayed at him in March was “toxic and deadly”, accusing them of trying to assassinate him.
Sonko had said in mid-March that he felt unwell because of tear gas sent, according to him, by the police during his forced transfer to the Dakar court where he was charged of defaming Tourism Minister Mame Mbaye Niang.
The opposition leader had said after the incident that he spent five days in a private clinic in Dakar for treatment, and that samples had been taken from his clothes and sent abroad to check their content.
“We sent the elements (taken from his clothes) to two laboratories outside” Senegal and “to two countries including France for toxicological expertise”, said Sonko on Monday, without giving further details.
The analyses “concluded that there was a gas used as a riot control agent”, said Sonko, who spoke in French and then in Wolof.
“It is a product that is toxic” and can cause “immediate death”, he added.
The samples have been kept in the overseas laboratories and a judge can write to them for the findings, said Sonko.
“There was an assassination attempt. I consider that it was premeditated,” the opposition figurehead added.
Last month Senegalese government spokesman, Trade Minister Abdou Karim Fofana, denied Sonko’s accusation that police had been involved.
“Even in the worst dictatorships, one does not poison opponents live on phones and media,” he wrote on Twitter.
A firebrand speaker who came third in Senegal’s presidential election in 2019, Sonko has enjoyed a rapid political rise thanks in part to his popularity with young people and has declared himself a candidate for the 2024 elections.
He has had several brushes with the law, however, and was accused of rape by an employee of a beauty salon where he went for a massage. That trial is due to begin on May 16.
The opposition has denounced “a plot” to keep Sonko out of next year’s election, an accusation which the government denies, accusing him of provoking demonstrations to avoid justice.
Former US Vice-President Mike Pence has testified as part of a criminal probe into Donald Trump’s alleged attempts to avenge his loss in the 2020 election.
According to sources quoted by the BBC’s US partner CBS News, Mr. Pence, 63, appeared before a federal grand jury in Washington, DC, for more than seven hours.
He received a subpoena earlier this year to give testimony while being sworn in.
Prosecutors questioned the suspects in a private setting.
His appearance on Thursday came just hours after an appeals court rejected a last-ditch bid by Mr Trump’s legal team to stop Mr Pence from testifying.
Mr Pence’s lawyers had also sought unsuccessfully to challenge the subpoena, arguing that his role as president of the Senate during his time in office meant he had congressional immunity.
His eventual testimony, which had been sought for months, is a major milestone in the two-year investigation which is being led by special counsel Jack Smith, a former war crimes prosecutor who was appointed to the role by Attorney General Merrick Garland.
The investigation has been gathering evidence about whether Mr Trump and his allies broke federal law in their efforts to challenge the result of the 2020 election, which was won by President Joe Biden.
It is also investigating the US Capitol riot on 6 January 2021, when Mr Trump’s supporters stormed the building in an effort to prevent the election result from being certified.
Mr Pence, who like all vice-presidents was also president of the Senate – a mostly ceremonial role – could in theory have derailed the final certification of the election result and delayed the transfer of power.
Mr Trump publicly pressured his vice-president to do so, and his refusal led him to lash out at Mr Pence.
Trump supporters then chanted “hang Mike Pence” as they stormed Congress and marauded through the corridors of the Capitol building as politicians, including Mr Pence, sheltered inside.
Mr Pence is considered a key witness in the investigation and, while it is not immediately clear what he told the grand jury, prosecutors will likely have asked him about his interactions with Mr Trump and his team in the days and weeks leading up to the riot.
“We’ll obey the law, we’ll tell the truth,” Mr Pence said in an interview with CBS on Sunday. “The story that I’ve been telling the American people all across the country… that’ll be the story I tell in that setting.”
Mr Pence has spoken publicly about the Capitol riot and the pressure he faced to challenge the election result. “President Trump is wrong. I had no right to overturn the election,” he said in a speech in February.
In his memoir, So Help Me God, Mr Pence wrote that Mr Trump had attempted to pressure him into blocking the certification of the election result on the morning of the riot. “You’ll go down as a wimp,” the then-president apparently told Mr Pence.
He has also accused Mr Trump of endangering his family as well as others who were at the Capitol, saying history will hold him “accountable”.
Mr Pence is reportedly considering a presidential bid of his own in 2024, which would see him challenge his former boss directly for the Republican nomination.
Mr Trump, who has already launched his bid to return to the White House, was in New Hampshire on Thursday for a campaign event. When asked by NBC News about Mr Pence’s testimony, he commented: “I don’t know what he said, but I have a lot of confidence in him.”
The former president is facing other legal issues, including another federal investigation led by Mr Smith into the potential mishandling of classified documents.
There is also a separate investigation in Georgia into alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election result.
8 out of the10 People that Perished in Fatal Great North Road Traffic Accident in Mkushi have been identified
Central Province Police Commissioner, David Chileshe says it has been established that 8 out of the 10 deceased persons have been identified by relatives as follows:
Mr. Phiri Overty aged 51 of Fichisa area Kapiri – Mposhi (who was the driver and identified by his relatives who visited the police station).
Mr. Stanley Chanda aged 39 of MAPALO Chipulukusu compound, Ndola,
Ms. Florence Chishiba aged 39 of MAPALO Chipulukusu compound, Ndola.
Mr. Leonard Chirwa of unknown age of Senior Compound, Ndola.
Ms. Margret Ng’ona unknown age of Senior Compound, Ndola.
Ms. Bupe Ng’ona of unknown age, of Senior compound, Ndola.
Ms. Charity other names not known also of Senior compound, Ndola.
Male juvenile Comfort Ng’ona aged 2 of Senior Compound, Ndola.
Mr. Chileshe has revealed that the seven passengers who were involved in the accident were from the same family and were traveling to Serenje to attend a funeral, adding that the victims were identified through a mobile phone that was found at the scene of the accident which was picked up by police officers.
He adds that the bodies of one male adult and one female Juvenile are yet to be identified.
Mr Chileshe further says the Nation will be updated once identification is completed, while stating that the bodies are laying in the Mkushi District Hospital and Masansa Clinic morgues respectively.
He has since called upon any persons that could be missing their relatives to get in touch with Mkushi Police Station or the Officer Commanding Kapiri Mphoshi District.
He has also urged motorists to obey traffic rules and regulations in order to ensure the safety of the passengers who are traveling, making reference to the capacity of the Corolla which was grossly overloaded.
He adds that motorists should not take advantage of the absence of police officers on the road as Government will not hesitate to bring back road blocks, should such abuse of this rare privilege continue to bring such huge losses of human life.
**Reference is made to the Fatal RTA which occurred yesterday around 21:30 hours near Sino Hydro entrance along the Great North Road, West of Mkushi Town where 10 unidentified people who were traveling in a Toyota Corolla registration number ABL 9194, perished among them, the driver.
I DON’T THINK THESE PEOPLE CAME FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN ABDUCTING AND KILLING ME, @20:00 I WILL TALK
They grabbed my gardener and put a cloth on his mouth, then tied him, afterwards they removed the cloth from his and asked him where I was.
They forced him to lead them to the house and asked him to knock on the door while they stood aside.
By God’s grace I saw them in the Cameras but those they were criminals and I armed myself and secured the doors.
It seems they spent a night around my house because two of them had grass all over their clothes and we saw where the sat in the garden.
One of them was highly technical because he managed to cut one wire of the electric fence but couldn’t cut another one because the alarm would have gone off. Only a technical person would know this.
But this same guy managed to open the gate without a remote for the Land cruiser to drive into the yard.
Immediately the vehicle drove in they opened the back door in readiness to bundle me into the vehicle.
Realising that I was attracting attention they drove off, leaving word to my gardener that, I should stop talking about the army.
All of them, (5) were masked like Ninjas.
I don’t think the intention was just to pick me, because where would they have taken me and release me to come and tell a story?
This is sad that our Country has gone to such extreme situations of abducting peo6from their homes by the military to dispose them off.
TAYALI THE PUBLIC LAWYER OF THE PUBLIC COURT OF OPINIONS!!!
PRESIDENT HAKAINDE HICHILEMA SEALS OFF THE UNNECESSARY CRITICS FROM THE OPPOSITION PILGRIMS AS THEY OBSERVE FROM THE TERRACES …***
By Stembridge Sikalundu
President HAKAINDE HICHILEMA tours CHILILABOMBWE and SERENJE confirming the relevance of having such an exceptional leader in zambia after a regime tried to promote the divide and rule syndrome in the nation . President HAKAINDE HICHILEMA continues to reaffirm our call values of peace , love and unity among all zambians . When they said president HAKAINDE HICHILEMA will never be in State House , the news was breaking because they meant that even if we voted them out in 2015/16 /21 they were not going to leave office because of rigging past elections . The rest is history and Mr HAKAINDE HICHILEMA is president of this republic after a resounding victory . POWER TO THE PEOPLE AND BY THE PEOPLE . Your excellence continue to counsel the people of zambia on the values that were broken because of a selfish political Pentecost which had no vision to heal the land .
The silence we are seeing politically in the country is because of the political strength which president HAKAINDE HICHILEMA is fortifying in the office of the presidency using the policy outline which is unprecedented in the history of summit leaderships in zambia . Many zambians have now seen the caliber of a person they dimonised not to become president of this country by most former street adults . Zambians can have an objective introspective analysis of variance in leadership styles , others have said ,” WAKULEKAFYE ” , for me he is Godly sent , born to be a leader of this country at this difficult time .
Am proud that UPND followers have been accorded a name of PRAISE SINGERS , which in my view has moral respect than the thugs and criminals that brutally attacked zambians for being UPND members , the name used on UPND members fits the style of leadership by president HAKAINDE HICHILEMA , who can refuse to be associated to the man of the moment in Zambia , and I don’t know when president HAKAINDE HICHILEMA is going to lose this position of being man of the moment because his modern dynamics and innovative attributes are continuous , these attributes can only be ashamed by haters .
We recently witnessed a lot of RANTING in the country on many issues that were happening in zambian politics , the media was in serious business by people who think can little the powers of president HAKAINDE HICHILEMA , the most relevant thing is to have a president who is not challenged to bring solutions for the country with order , president HAKAINDE HICHILEMA says , ” if the country has the capacity to overcome unforseen circumstancial crisis , the president and the UPND leadership will exert their energies and intellectual expositions to resolve and find workable solutions .
This is what we are witnessing in this country , decisions and a policy frame work which has never been done before , a vision which is practical and experiencing and translating direct benefits to the people of zambia . There is silence in the pilgrimage of opposition politics in zambia , president HAKAINDE HICHILEMA is unmatched and that is why I have continued to speak on security because the pundit line of opposition strength is decapitated and becoming impotent . God bless mother Zambia .
WHAT IS SHAMBA LAKALE? Now here is a place you probably did not know actually existed – Shambalakale farm.
Placed in a lush mountainside in Chinsali, Muchinga Province, Shambalakale farm was meant to be the retirement home of Zambia’s first President Kenneth Kaunda.
Shambalakale is a Swahili term meaning “old farm” .
The estate, which stretches about 12km, is situated in Mafupa village, a few kilometres from Chinsali Boma.
Hidden from view by a pristine forest is the mansion that Dr Kaunda built.
After driving on a very bumpy road, you find an old tarred road, which is still intact, leading up a mountain. About 300 metres and you come to a metal barrier and a guard’s house. Beyond that, there is a long driveway lined with trees and flamboyant trees, umbrella and Christmas trees. There are also Bougainville plants.
Then you come before the whitewashed double-storey mansion, which has eight bedrooms, all self-contained. The house is also fully furnished.
THE DESIGN AND LAYOUT OF SHAMBALAKALE The structure itself is an architectural marvel, with high ceiling and wooden window and door frames.
The mansion previously had a flat roof, but it was later replaced with a hip tiled roof. There is a path leading halfway up the mountain to an observation post behind the house.
The concrete steps are now painted green with moss, an indication no-one ever climbs them nowadays.
From the viewing post, which has metal railing to prevent falling, one can catch an aerial view of the mansion, as well as an extended view of the landscape, as far as the eye can see.
There is a small gate that leads to a large compound with three much smaller houses. The houses were built by Dr Kaunda for his mother Hellen Kaunda and another for his older brother Robert. A third house was built for his nephew, Collins.
Hellen Kaunda lived at the farm only for a few months before she died, and Dr Kaunda’s sister, Kate, remained in the house. She is now late, so are Robert and Collins.
The mansion also has a guest wing, which is now occupied by Misheck Mbao, a relation of Dr Kaunda. He is the guardian of the mansion he calls a palace.
ORIGIN The mansion at Shambalakale was built in 1971 by a company called Zambia Engineering and Construction Company (ZECCO), the same parastatal company that built the Taj Pamodzi Hotel, the University Teaching Hospital, and Zambia’s tallest building, Findeco House.
ZECCO Ltd was established in 1966 as a joint venture company between the Zambian government and Energoprojekt Engineering and Contracting Company of the former Yugoslavia.
According to Kaweche, the son of Dr Kaunda, when his father wanted to build a house, he was offered a plot in the New Kasama area by Aaron Milner, who was the country’s first Minister of Home Affairs.
But Dr Kaunda is said to have been pressured to instead build a house in Chinsali by his friends Simon Kapwepwe and Robert Makasa, who had already started building their houses in the district.
Dr Kaunda gave in and decided to donate the land Mr Milner had given him to Government. That is where State Lodge is now situated.
And so, not far from Shambalakale are two other estates that belonged to Mr Kapwepwe and Mr Makasa. The two houses are not as grandiose as the mansion at Shambalakale, but still remarkable.
Mr Kapwepwe, who was well-known for holding very strong Afrocentric views, chose a circular shape for his four-bedroomed house, to resemble a village hut.
According to Mr Kapwepwe’s widow, Salome, when the builders asked her husband for a house plan, he simply drew a circle in the ground with his walking stick, and sketched the rooms inside.
The three freedom fighters must have dreamt of spending their retirement life together in their birthplace, Chinsali.
But since it was built, Dr Kaunda has only made a few visits to Shambalakale. When he was President, he held a few meetings there.
In 1974, Dr Kaunda held a meeting at the farm with British Foreign Secretary James Callaghan to discuss Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe). The meeting was also attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs at the time Vernon Mwaanga.
There is no doubt Dr Kaunda had endearment to Shambalakale, as he often made reference to it in speeches, indicating he would one day settle there.
In 1991, the Shambalakale mansion was renovated by a construction company called Minestone, perhaps to prepare it for occupation by President Kaunda, who was facing growing dissent at the time, and an imminent defeat in elections later that year.
But when he left office, Dr Kaunda opted to stay in Lusaka.
In an interview reporter, Jack Zimba, had with Dr Kaunda’s wife, Betty, in November 2007, she talked about the frustration of leaving Nkwazi House, the official residence of the Zambian President, and not having a permanent home.
According to Mama Betty, she and her husband spent the first three months in a guest house, before they moved into a rented house in Kalundu, but when the owner of the house died, they had to move house again. They were then offered accommodation by a local businessman for two years.
Later, the Kaundas were given a not-so-befitting house by Government on Kudu Road, Kabulonga, before they were finally built a house in State Lodge.
As to why Dr Kaunda never took up residence at the Shambalakale mansion remains a subject of speculation.
But one plausible reason was the health condition of Mama Betty.
The former first lady herself had talked about her desire to relocate to Chinsali, but was prevented by her health condition.
According to Jack Zimba, Mama Betty wanted to go back to Chinsali, but found it difficult after having a stroke because in the building in Chinsali, the bedrooms are upstairs.
Mama Betty had suffered a stroke in 1997, and she usually needed a wheelchair to move around.
The former first lady was also a long-time diabetic. She died in September 2012.
FALLING APART For most part of its existence, the Shambalakale mansion has remained unoccupied and locked.
The mansion now looks forgotten, surrounded by an air of abandonment.
There is a broken-down tractor in front of the mansion, and a rusty satellite dish mounted on the lawn.
In the wooden ceiling of the large verandah of the house, bees have found a dwelling place. Moss has grown in many parts, including paved walkways, while some roof gutters are detaching from the building.
Mr Mbao says in the past, thieves have stolen some fittings from the house.
Dr Kaunda’s first-born son, Col Panji Kaunda, lived at the estate between 1978 and 1984, engaging in farming, including fruit farming. And when his brother, Dr Waza Kaunda, served as member of Parliament for Chinsali, he took up maintenance of the mansion.
According to Colonel Panji, Dr Kaunda handed over the estate to Dr Waza to manage.
A peep through one of the windows shows a big dining table. There are also framed pictures of Dr Kaunda on the wall, the only sign that this is his house.
ABOUT HAKAINDE’S RESPONSE TO LUNGU’S POTENTIAL 2026 RUN
By Sean Tembo – PeP President
1. In the current political circles, the elephant in the room is whether Former President Edgar Lungu will run for President again in 2026, or if he has completely retired from active politics. Personally l think it would be better for the nation if President Lungu did not run, and instead fully assumed the role of statesman. I say so on the basis of a number of factors, one of which, l must admit, is my own self-interest. The other being the fact that this nation is extremely short of statesmen at the moment. Other factors include the adversarial and vengeful nature of our politics, which l doubt that the Former President would have a stomach for.
2. Despite the many current deficiencies of President Hakainde Hichilema, one thing that you cannot take away from him is that he was a resilient and steadfast opposition leader who perfected the art of surviving a brutal regime. Now that the PF brutal regime has been replaced by the UPND brutal regime, the question that inevitably arises is whether Former President Edgar Lungu would have the same resilience and steadfastness which President Hakainde Hichilema exhibited while in opposition? I think not. You see, surviving a brutal regime, as an opposition leader, is an instinct that you acquire and perfect over a period of time, and that is born out of the trials and tribulations that you are subjected to. It is not something that most politicians readily possess. In the case of President Hakainde Hichilema, he acquired that survival skill first as a third-rate intern to Michael Sata while he fought the MMD regime, and subsequently by auditioning for the role between 2011 and 2014.
3. Truth be told, many of the current crop of leaders in PF including Former President Edgar Lungu himself, were never in the forefront when the Late Former President Michael Sata was battling the MMD regime. The few that were there have most probably forgotten their fighting skills due to the affluence and sleaze that they enjoyed in the 10 years that PF was in power. They have probably forgotten how vicious our politics can be, largely because for a good 10 years, it was them that were bestowing tribulations on others. And as the Chewa proverb goes; “mudya nyemba aibala, koma mudya makoko saibala”. Bottom line is that if indeed Former President Edgar Lungu intends to come back to active politics, then he should not underestimate what lies ahead of him in terms of trials and tribulations. He needs to be physically, emotionally and mentally ready.
4. That said, it is not in anyone’s place to stop Former President Edgar Lungu from coming back to active politics. Everyone has a right to advise him, but no one has a right to stop him. That is why l find it strange that President Hakainde Hichilema is unable to hide his disdain about a potential Lungu come-back. The President’s remarks a few days ago while in the Copperbelt, should be a source of worry to every well-meaning Zambian. Hakainde should understand that Zambia is a Constitutional Republic and not a monarchy with him as king. Therefore the rights of citizens are derived from the Constitution, and not given by Hakainde the king. It is not in the place of President Hakainde Hichilema to determine whether Former President Edgar Lungu comes back to active politics or not.
5. If Mr. Lungu intends to stand in 2026, then Mr. Hichilema should focus on demonstrating to the electorate why he is better than Mr. Lungu. The current status is that Mr. Lungu is a bonafide Zambian citizen whom, according to the Constitutional Court, is eligible to stand again as President of Zambia in 2026. If Former President Edgar Lungu wants to visit churches and mobilize support for his potential 2026 run, he is perfectly within his legal rights to do so. He does not need to get permission from President Hakainde Hichilema nor anyone else for that matter.
6. I must mention however that l am particularly worried with the extent to which President Hakainde Hichilema appears to be preoccupied with a potential Lungu come-back. It has become fashionable for President Hichilema to publicly denounce Former President Edgar Lungu’s potential come-back. But why am l worried? Well, l am worried because the President, like all of us, is only a human being and can only address one issue at a time. Right now, the country is going through an economic melt-down. The economy of the Copperbelt is literally on a standstill, largely because the President has not decided on the way forward regarding Mopani and KCM. The economy of Lusaka is literally dead because there is no money in circulation and the cost of living is unbearable. The economy of rural areas which depend on agriculture is half-dead because farming inputs were either delivered late, not delivered at all or delivered in extremely small quantities, in the past farming season.
7. Given the crisis in which our country and our economy is going through at the moment, we need the President to be giving us his “A” game. We need President Hakainde Hichilema to be giving his undivided attention to the problems that are bedeviling this nation at the moment. But the President cannot do that if he is preoccupied by Former President Edgar Lungu’s potential come-back on the ballot. When he visits the Copperbelt, instead of talking about bread and butter issues such as when he will re-open Mopani and KCM, he is busy talking about how he will deal with alebwelelapo.
8. Mr President sir, Zambia is a Constitutional Democracy and if the people of this great nation decide that they want to bring back Former President Edgar Lungu in 2026, then their will should be respected. It is neither in your place nor in my place to second-guess the wishes of the Zambian people. That is what democracy entails. The same democracy that elevated you from a long-time opposition leader to a Republican President. Let us learn to respect democracy. Both when it favors us and when it doesn’t.
I’m ashamed that our economy hasn’t grown big enough, says HH
By Fanny Kalonda
PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema says nothing will be allowed to stand in the way of progress for the new dawn administration.
Officiating at the groundbreaking ceremony of the construction of the US $600 dollar United Capital Fertiliser plant in Chilanga on Thursday, President Hichilema said government will buy fertiliser from the company so that the business can run smoothly and support the growth of the economy.
“We recognise the importance of the private sector. Nothing will be allowed to stand in the way of progress, nothing. We will then do the third thing, it’s to buy from them; they invest here, they process here like United Capital Fertiliser. This government has a duty to buy from them what they produce here,” President Hichilema said. “And we have no shame, actually if you think we are ashamed of what we are doing; you better try again because you are missing something. We will do it with pride to try; and what is made here in our invest Zambia, making Zambia, buy Zambia approach.”
President Hichilema encouraged those getting the 20 per cent NAPSA contribution to invest in the country.
“Let me remind those that are raising a fear at what this government is doing to support businesses and other businesses that you will soon get tired of raising that fear. You better just invest as well and you will receive our support, just invest, because when you do that, we will ask you as we have asked this business to employ Zambians; employ the people of Chilanga, employ the people of Lusaka Province, employ the people of Zambia,” he said.
“Look at what is happening in the community today. NAPSA, people are withdrawing 20 per cent and they can invest. We are encouraging them to invest, so we’re not only encouraging bigger firms to invest, we are encouraging Zambians to invest. This morning we have dedicated ourselves again that artisanal mining licenses only be given to Zambian citizens and no one else.”
President Hichilema asked commerce minister Chipoka Mulenga to dismantle everything that stands in the way of more investment in the country.
‘’I am ashamed that our economy has not grown big enough over so many years. To wipe out my shame, our shame, our collective shame, we have to work hard. We want to open more businesses like this, we want to encourage this business, we want to put your plants. I know you told me 30 months plus, can you move quicker, we want the top dressing earlier than 30 months from now. Can you do what it takes to implement this quicker? Where you need our help, we will be there; just place a call, we will be there,’’ said President Hichilema. ‘’We’re asking you, when you make more money here reinvest; open more businesses here. Suppliers, when you are given contracts here, please supply goods and services, not air. Supply goods and services, don’t make the business limp. Minister of Commerce, can we dismantle everything and anything that stands in the way of more investments in this country. I am ashamed that our economy has not grown big enough over so many years. To wipe out my shame, our shame, our collective shame, we have to work hard. We don’t subscribe to pate after pate, no. We subscribe to work, work and more smart work; then we can take care of our people. If common sense is all we need, then I think we should use the common sense. We should ask ourselves, why did the economy go down? Because we were not supporting or promoting investment.”
Our community needs to have a working knowledge of the ranks of our defence forces in Zambia, including the command structures, by rank.
It is also important to divide the ranks into two distinct groups (noncommissioned and commissioned officers) for better understanding.
In the Army, promotions of Commissioned Officers, whose ranks start with Second Lieutenant, are a preserve of the President, while Non- Commissioned Officers, whose ranks range from corporal to Warrant Officer Class I, are promoted by the Commander through the authority of the President in a government gazette.
NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
The first structure concerns what is generally known as Other Ranks or Non-Commissioned officers.
In general terms, this includes one from the recruit category, signifying one who is under basic military training.
Upon completion of training, one becomes a Private soldier.
Upon satisfactory completion of about eighteen months, one may qualify for subsequent promotion to Lance Corporal, then move to Corporal, Sergeant, Staff or Colour Sergeant, to Warrant Officer Class II, and finally to Warrant Officer Class I.
This group is pyramidal in structure. More private soldiers and corporals at the base, and then reducing progressively to Sergeant, Staff Sergeant, Warrant Officer Class 11, and finally very few Warrant Officers Class I.
It is possible to have only one warrant officer class one in a battalion.
The breakdown of other ranks is as follows:
Private: Soldiers in this rank make up the bulk of the population.
Lance Corporal: Sizeable Sergeant: A couple of them Staff sergeants: Soldiers in this rank are getting fewer.
Warrant Officer Class II: This rank focuses on the instruction, discipline, welfare, and order of a company in a battalion.
Warrant Officer Class I: Very few or limited in number. This is the highest rank amongst non- commissioned officers, also known as Other Ranks, and only this group qualifies to be called Mr or Mister in the Army.
Army Sergeant Major: The Army Sergeant Major of the Army (ASM) is a unique non-commissioned rank and position of office in Zambia Army, it is held by just one soldier. The holder of this rank and position is the most senior enlisted soldier in the Zambia Army.
These ranks were historically reserved for the Army but were later introduced by President Kenneth Kaunda for general use in Zambia Air Force (ZAF) and Zambia National Service in Zambia.
Otherwise, ZAF has had its traditional ranks drawn from the British Royal Air Force.
Equally, the Zambia National Service had created its equivalent ranks, which have been merged with the army ranks.
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
The second category is that of the officer ranks, or officer corps. These are also pyramidal in structure.
Broad at the base and thin out as you go upwards. The order goes as follows:
Officer Cadet: This is a rank held by military cadets during their training to become commissioned officers.
Second Lieutenant: This is the typical commissioning rank following training.
Lieutenant: This rank is bestowed to others upon promotion or commissioning. It ranks above second lieutenant but below captain.
Captain: The army rank of Captain is a commissioned officer rank that historically corresponded to command of a company of soldiers. It is also a promotion and commissioning rank, especially for medical doctors, lawyers, and some chaplains.
Major: This is a military rank of commissioned officers, having similar ranks in numerous armed services around the world. It is one rank above captain and one rank lower than lieutenant colonel. It is considered the most junior of the field officer levels.
Lieutenant Colonel: Lieutenant Colonel is a commissioned officer rank in the Zambia Defence Force that is awarded upon promotion.
Colonel: This is a senior military officer rank received as a promotion rank. Full Colonels and above are known as Members of the General Staff of the Army, or ZAF or ZNS.
As such, a full colonel may be assigned or appointed to a senior command position.
For instance, Honourable Kingsley Chinkuli took command of the army as a full colonel.
Brigadier General: This is the last rank received on promotion in the Zambia Defence Force. The rank is above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general.
When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000 troops.
Major General: Rank received by promotion. Lieutenant General: Received by promotion.
General: A General of the Army, like a Field Marshal, is a 5-star general.
General, Lieutenant General, Major General, and Brigadier General are the first-, second-, third-, and fourth-grade officers of the General Staff in the British Army and other world armies.
The rank of general or full general is rarely provided for in our Army because of its size.
However, for political expediency, President Kaunda created the position of general and promoted Hon Chinkuli when the Zambia National Defence Force (ZNDF) was created, and Honourable Malimba Masheke as full generals. Once again, President Frederick Chiluba promoted Nobby Simbeye to full general, while General Isaac Chisuzi was promoted by President Levy Patrick Mwanawasa.
Field Marshal: is ranked immediately above General but not exercised in the regular army structure. It is largely a ceremonial or wartime rank, having been awarded only twice.
A Field Marshal’s insignia consists of the national emblem over a crossed baton and the sabre in a lotus blossom wreath.
Field Marshal is a great honour and is rarely used nowadays in many world armies.
Jean- Bedel Bokassa of the Central African Republic, Idi Amin of Uganda, Samora Machel of Mozambique, and FM Mobutu of the Democratic Republic of the Congo were among Africa’s Field Marshalls.
Here is the structural command structure:
Army Units: A company consists of three or four platoons and is generally commanded by a captain.
It can also go by different names, depending on the function: Company- sized artillery units are called batteries, while in armour and air cavalry units, they are called squadrons .
Platoon: About 36 men or women, commanded by a subaltern (a Lieutenant or Second Lieutenant)
Company: About 150 men and women, commanded by a Major, with a Captain as Second in Command Battalion: 750–800 men and women, commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel
Brigade: Two or three battalions, commanded by a Brigadier General
Division: Two (usually three) brigades, commanded by a Major-General.
Corp: Three divisions, commanded by a Lieutenant General.
Army: Three or four divisions, commanded by a general.
It is worth noting that all ranks in the three defence wings are uniform.
.., As they shout “Zangena Zangena Zangena Nafuti”…
Students from the University of Zambia (UNZA) have thanked Republican President Mr Hakainde Hichilema for resinstating their Meal Allowances.
The Republican President, after winning the 2021 general elections, gave back the Meal allowance to the Youthful intelligentsia, the students at UNZA. This is a fulfilment of yet another campaign promise that the UPND made to the students before forming government. The meal allowances were scrapped off by the previous brutal regime that never cared for the plight of students.
There was jubilation, dancing, and whistling using pots, spoons, and pans by Monks and Momas at UNZA, who shouted Zangena Zangena Zangena, meaning Money has entered.
Last night, it was a Momentous occasion for the Momas and Monks at UNZA who were spotted at the famous “Monk Square” cooking in big pots, shared meals together and sang songs of praises to BALLY for giving them back meal allowance which they received through their various banks. The students remembered the hunger they were subjected to when meal allowance were cut off by the Patriotic Front government. However, students now have a caring father who listened to their cries and has since honoured his campaign promise by giving students their meal allowance. Now, “Monks and Momas can afford 3 course Delicious and Healthy meals with T-Bone, Beef, Chicken and Fish, and the excitement was visible across the entire University, courtesy of the new dawn government.
Students gathered around a fire while others were seen on their windows chanting” Zangena Zangena Zangena”.
As late as 19:00hrs yesterday, students were spotted walking to East Park Mall were they flooded Shoprite as they spent their “Zangena Money” on foods and other assorted items causing congestion to the amusement of the Shoprite Tellers who had a tough time clearing big Yellow Plastics and Trollies filled with foods, coutersy of BALLY.
Outside Shoprite, other businesses such as Yango and Ulendo Taxies were waiting to move the students back to campus.
Ulendo and Yango Taxi operators benefited too as they provided transport services to the Monks and Momas and made money out of it. It is our resolve that the money has been retained in circulation in the process, making the Zambian economy better.
Some of the students spoken to bemoaned the hunger they faced when meal allowance was scrapped off. But now it is nice food, nice clothes and more money for academic use said one monk as his parents will not be troubled to send him money for upkeep, because BALLY had taken over the responsibility via Zangena.
Issued by: Trevor Mwiinde UPND Deputy National Youth Chairman
PF presidential hopeful Chishimba Kambwili has asked government to take responsibility for the high cost of living in the country.
He argues that “when you are in government you cannot be perfect, there are certain things that you perceive that you have done very well and yet the general populace is saying this is not right”.
Kambwili also notes that “this country can develop but those in government have not showed us any signs of wanting to develop this country. In any case, they are just in government for their own personal gain”.
“If government wants to blame other people for the cost of living, they are being unfair. Today we are grappling with the cost of living because of the IMF conditionalities. Government today wants to boast that PF failed to conclude the IMF deal,” he said.
“If people complain, by the way the people are the voters, the people are the masters, if you don’t listen to the people just know that you are digging your own political grave. If they feel that you are not listening to their advice, you are not listening to their complaints, they will come and speak in the ballot. And when they speak in the ballot, the results are not good. Winning by-elections in a ward and sometimes in a constituency, it’s who has the money because right now people are suffering.”
Kambwili, when he featured on Prime TV’s Oxygen of Democracy on Monday, said “right now people are suffering.”
“And people realise that even if you vote out the ruling party in a by-election, you will not change anything. After all they still remain the ruling government and be making the rules and usually people who go and vote in by-elections bakonkafye ukulya (they’re following food). Those who give them money are the ones that they will prefer to vote for,” he said. “If there is apathy in a by-election, that is vote of no confidence on the government in power. Look at the numbers that participated in the 2021 general elections and look at the numbers that are participating in the by-elections now. It shows you that the people have declared a vote of no confidence in the UPND administration.”
Kambwili said people that defend everything the government does are misleading leaders.
“The problem we have in Zambia is the so-called praise singers and the so-called unreasonable citizens. This country will never develop if we have this attitude and wrong notion that once a party loses elections, then they can never come back to governance and that they should be irrelevant to the political dispensation of this country. That’s where we have a problem particularly in Zambia. There are other mistakes because obviously when you are in government you cannot be perfect, there are certain things that you perceive that you have done very well and yet the general populace is saying this is not right. And I appreciate president Edgar Lungu when he had Brebner Changala, when he visited him, the president came out and said sometimes as president ‘you may not know what is even obtaining on the lower levels. Sometimes you are misled as president’. Those are wise words of a leader who has been in government, who has realised [that] indeed these things do happen,” he said. “And for those who are in government when you are given such kind of advice it’s only good to accept that advise and make use of it. But I’m so shocked that our colleagues in government today started castigating president Edgar Lungu. Oh if you were misled, leave out HH. HH is not mislead. Ba HH ndemyeba (I am telling you) those who are saying that do not love you. The people that want to benefit from his leadership, they are misleading him. That advice from former president Edgar Lungu is very good advice. It’s people even when they know that a certain action is not correct, they just want to advise those in government that you are doing very well. Probably because they are members of that political party or probably because they benefit in one way or another. Those are the people that mislead governments.”
And Kambwili said the government has not showed any signs of wanting to develop the country.
“If Zambia was behaving the way they behave in the Western world in terms of criticising what is wrong, we could have developed better. But in this country, if I am a member of PF and they say ba PF you are making a mistake, even if you know and you are convinced beyond reasonable doubt that what the people are saying is correct, you just want to defend. You are misleading your leaders,” he said. “This country can develop but those in government have not showed us any signs of wanting to develop this country. In any case, they are just in government for their own personal gain.”
Meanwhile, Kambwili said the PF presidency is not yet vacant because the party president has not yet handed over his seat to someone new.
“Strictly speaking, and I will say this without reservation, the PF presidency in principle is not yet vacant because the party president who is outgoing has not yet handed over the mantle to the president at the general conference. So president Lungu has taken a back seat, he is now a statesman. But he has not handed over the leadership of the party as he can only hand over to somebody who is elected at the general conference,” said Kambwili. “If we try to show any element of being divided, it will have a very bad effect on our general membership. So what we are working on now is to build the party and unity in the party. We cannot go to the convention if we are not united. He who wants to lead must prepare to be led.”
Lungu worked very hard for this country – Mundubile
By Thomas Ngala
I THINK president Edgar Lungu deserves some respect from all of us, he is only human, Brian Mundubile has said.
“What remains the fact is that he also worked very hard for this country,” he says.
Mundubile, the Mporokoso PF member of parliament recently told The Mast that it is not true that Lungu is planning to recontest the presidency in 2026.
He explained that despite the former president having a mandate up to 2026 as PF leader, he already made his intentions clear that he doesn’t want to be actively involved in politics.
Mundubile said this following allegations that “he would just be warming the seat for Lungu” should he be elected PF president at the convention.
“I think it is a matter that we have to clarify and maybe hopefully put to rest. I think it is just some misunderstanding. What people must know is that in 2021 after losing elections, president Lungu came and he said he was resigning. Remember it was still his mandate up to 2026 because we only elected him in 2021,” he said. “He wanted to take a back seat and just rest. Central committee said no, you cannot leave us now. We want you to continue until the next leader is elected. Yes, you have written to Cabinet [Office], you have written to us, the Cabinet ideally is just a copy but we are your employers. He is still serving the term that we gave to him in 2021.”
Mundubile added that the PF constitution is very clear that the party president is elected at the convention.
“So if that argument was to be sustained, it means somebody is saying even president Lungu has power to put the president without going to the convention,” he said.
Mundubile explained that if whoever will be elected at the convention wanted to leave, there will have to have another convention to elect the president.
“Because of people are saying that Mundubile will be there until 2025, then, you come and put Lungu, using which law? That the president is unable to use right now? So, if the president can’t use it now, being the president, where will that Mundubile or [Mutotwe] Kafwaya or whoever get that power to say oh, boss nomba isenipo (now takeover)? If whoever will be elected at the convention wanted to leave, there will have to have another convention to elect the president. That is what it is. So it is not true,” he said. “And I think president Lungu has remained very helpful to all of us as his children in offering guidance. I don’t know what more the man would have shown in saying he wanted to go even when he wanted to sit there. He said let me just put someone else to do this. So for me my take is its very important that we develop a culture to respect our former leaders. Those in office, and those that have left office. if there is one thing that I admire about the US is that they have a lot of respect for their former leaders. We have seen leaders in those advanced countries make blunders, like they have gone to war unjustifiably and the whole world is condemning them and calling them names but in their country, they accord them the respect. Why? Because they were once leaders.”
And Mundubile said it takes a lot of sacrifice for one to be a leader at the level of presidency.
He stressed the need for Zambians to accord those that are in the office of the president as well as those that have left the respect they deserve.
He said Lungu may have erred in one or two places but Zambians need to focus on the bigger picture.
“What remains the fact is that he also worked very hard for this country. During his serving years, Zambia was transformed. No question about it. In one cabinet meetings he just put a dot in the middle of the paper and he said what is this? We in the room said there is a black dot. He said this is where the problem is. Why haven’t you seen the white surface? You want to pick just one mistake that the president made,” Mundubile said. “You know, even those that are going at him are very proud to appear at Dr Kenneth Kaunda International Airport and show the visitors that ‘welcome to Zambia,’ [but] there is somebody behind it. There are people who did this work. Look at Mulungushi Conference Centre [Kenneth Kaunda Wing], talk about load shedding for instance, do you know that there was $3.2 billion investment in the energy sector to be where we are? From the time we got independence up to 2011, we were only generating 1,006 megawatts. In the 10 years [of PF], we went to over 3,500 megawatts. Close to 2,000 megawatts additional. That is not small.”
Mundubile added that Lungu was called names when constructing the Kazungula bridge.
“He has wasted money. He has failed to complete it, he is defaulting. But before he left office, Kazungula bridge was opened. Who has come up to say Lungu well done? ZRA has increased revenue collection because of that huge decision. Look at Chingola-Solwezi road, K1 billion financed by NAPSA. These are tough decisions that president Lungu had to make,” he said.
Regarding the much-anticipated convention, Mundubile said “of course we had minor setbacks. We should have been going to the convention by now. There are matters that were taken to court by a member who felt aggrieved due to some decisions that were made.”
Youth, Sports and Arts Minister Hon Elvis Nkandu has clarified that the photos going round on social media alluding that Ethiopian team are stranded are false and should not be taking serious at all. He said Ethiopia submitted a certain number of delegates coming and that was the same number which government used to get quotation and accommodation yet they came more than the number they sent adding pressure on government to improvise owing to the fact that so many countries are in Coppebelt plus the presidential visit compounded the situation all lodges and hotels where fully booked.
In a phone interview with CIC that wanted a true position on the matter, Hon Nkandu asked why only Ethiopia out of 47 countries is alleged to be complaining.
“Am saying that Zambia is hosting over 47 countries we have accomodated everyone including all those in that picture because it only took 40 minutes to resolve the crisis its during that period that they where pictured on the floor especially that others could be tired, as at now CIC am telling you the truth there is no one sleeping on the floor we managed to resolve all the matter they came more than the number they submitted and accommodation was scarce but we resolved the matter ask if there is any other country complaining other than Ethiopia”. Nkandu explained.
Various Sports Social media blogs reported that Zambia has failed to secure accommodation for foreign countries hence this press went to get the true position. Efforts to contact Ethiopian ambassador proved futile as his mobile phone went unanswered.
CHILILABOMBWE – Over 2,600 members from the opposition Patriotic Front (PF) and Zambia Must Prosper (ZMP) have defected to the ruling UPND.
This came to light when President HAKAINDE HICHILEMA during a thanks -giving rally in Chililabombwe Constituency yesterday.
Notable among the defectors included Joseph Chansa Fulwe, PF Chililabombwe District Chairperson and Daniel Makina, PF Chimwemwe Vice Chairperson.
Others were Monica Mulenga, ZMP Muchinga Provincial Chairlady, Berry Ngoma, Chililabombwe District Chairperson and Moses Mushinka, from Chingola who defeated with over 300 people.
Speaking on behalf of the defectors from the PF, Joseph Fulwe said they decided to join the UPND because President HAKAINDE HICHILEMA has not only brought peace to the country but has also awarded communities with resources needed to develop their communities.
“President Hichilema has stopped cadrerism and all forms of brutality in the country, this needs commendation, everyone including opposition are free to speak freely something that never happened in the past regime, “he said.
Mr. Fulwe also cited the increased Constituency Development Fund from K1.6 million to K28.3 million which he said provides an important opportunity to make service delivery more responsive to public needs, strengthen decentralized local institutions and promote economic development.
Speaking on behalf of defectors from the Socialist Party, Berry Ngoma said he decided to defect with 250 others so that they could work together with President Hichilema and participate fully in the development process to move the country forward.
Meanwhile, Moses Mushinka from Chingola who defected with over 300 people commended President Hichilema for introducing free education that has seen many of their children getting back to school.
He said the increased number of children in schools is a clear indicator that many children could not access education but was now open for every child in Zambia to access education.
He also thanked President Hichilema for the increased job opportunities in the education and health sector that saw over 30, 000 and 11,000 Teachers and Health Workers being recruited after roaming the streets for years.
He further said the NAPSA partial withdrawal of pension is a progressive law because it has removed stress and depression from pensioners who had to fight to get their pension.
He said the partial withdrawal of pension will allow workers to invest their money at an early stage in life when they are still energetic and have access to other facilities.
Republican President Mr Hakainde Hichilema said government has found a solution to Konkola Copper Mine (KCM) on the Copperbelt Province.
President Hichilema said very soon Zambian government will make serous pronouncements regarding KCM in just countable days .
Mr Hichilema was speaking yesterday at Twafwane Grounds in Chililabombwe on the Copperbelt Province when addressed the people .
The Republican President added that government is still consulting various stakeholders about the decision it has made before it can publicly announce the decision to the people of Zambia.
Mines Minister Mr Paul Kabuswe added his voice.He said the nation will soon be informed about detailed decision on the mine once consultations with mine unions are concluded. ” People should not panic be patient the current challenges at KCM will be over .” He said
The Head of State also touched on the issue of mealie-meal on the Copperbelt Province at the border town of Kasumbalesa, Chililabombwe and Copperbelt Province in general .
He said the government is committed and working around the clock to addressing the mealie-meal situation.
He disclosed that 2023/24 farming season fertilizer distribution will be done early as the country embarks on mass production of maize and other crops .
The Republican President also voiced out on the issue of township roads especially in Chililabombwe and Copperbelt Province in general. Mr Hichilema added that soon government will announce another major road project on the Copperbelt that will be done using Public Private Partnership( PPP ) model. He stated that Ndola- Mufulira- Mikambo road will open other business opportunities and decongest the volume of traffic on the Copperbelt Province and beyond.
The Head of State also inspected Chingola -Kasumbalesa Road Project which is being done by AVIC International , accompanied by Copperbelt Province Minister Elisha Matambo ,Mines Minister Paul Kabuswe, several cabinet ministers , government and party officials.
Mr Hichilema directed Avic international to construct Chingola-Kasumbalesa road with highest quality and delivered on time.
He said Chingola-Kasumbalesa is an important road and the first ever road under UPND led government using PPP model … adding that it must be done properly. ” Previously we used to see roads being done and few weeks later the road start peeling off, this government will not tolerate that .” The Republican President said .
He further urged the contractor to start employing Local people and not foreign companies .
And Copperbelt Province Minister Elisha Matambo said going forward the government would like to start seeing local people be employed as transporters as well as contractors during this period when the roads are being done in the Province.
He said Copperbelt Province residents must be given 20 per as stipulated by law to local contractors and local people must be employed like yesterday . Earlier in the morning President Hakainde Hichilema joined hundreds of Christians at Lubengele Seventh Day Adventist church (SDA) .
Here the head of state encouraged the church to continue helping the country to bond together as one people .
He said government and the church are not in competition but simply complement each other for the betterment of the country and its people .
He thanked the church for its continued efforts in helping the government attain national development especially in the area of education, health and other sectors. Be also thanked the church for continuing guiding the nation on moral compass and family values.
Meanwhile, SDA Northern Zambia Conference President Dr Tommy Namitondo hailed the New Dawn Government for coming up with progressive policies such , free education policy, reintroduction of Meal Allowances for university students and also decentralisation policy among other progressive policies that are being rolled out by the New Dawn Government.
Dr Namitondo further said the wicked should never be allowed to rule again because when the wicked govern people suffer especially the poor and the down trodden.
He quoted the bible in proverbs 29:2 which says ” when the righteous thrive ,the people rejoice;when the wicked rule ,the people groan. “Never , never , never again should this country allow the wicked to rule again.” Dr Namitondo said.
President Hakainde Hichilema and his entourage were on the Copperbelt Province for a working visit accompany by cabinet ministers, various member of parliaments , government and party officials .
CHINGOLA JERABO DEMOLISH HOUSE FOR HIS CHEATING WIFE
By The Candidates Admin 1
Frederick Mwansa, known as Commander Kapwata, has decided to bring to the initial foundation, two houses which he built for his wife Mirriam Kalukanda and her mother.
Commander Kapwata is raged that his wife decided to leave him and begin moisturizing someone else’s one-eyed anaconda.
From proceeds of criminal activities of illegal copper mining, Kapwata decided to impress his wife and her mother by building them a house each. The relationship was very new , sweet like Sugar from Mazabuka.
But with the passage of time, Kapwata’s wife Miriam Kalukanda seems to have gotten bored with her husband’s one-eyed anaconda. She began seeing this man who is a driver of a Noah, which helps people smuggle things to Kasumbalesa border post.
The Noah driver who is “white” on skin but black in soul, the low key of Ben Lombe, has mesmerized Mrs Kapwata.
Perhaps you can tell that it’s either the bleach has swept the best of her or, it’s the Congolese sex concoction of boosting libido levels which has taken her to Ninive level one. That is if she has been dicmatised yet.
Well, Commander Kapwata noticed that each time he comes back from dodging police teargass at his workplace, his wife refuses to be touched so that his one-eyed anaconda can penetrate
Literally, there is no more horizontal engineering, which Commander Kapwata does.
Then,on one morning, his wife decided to meet with the Noah whitey driver as he loaded from Mwaiseni bus station near Chiwempala. She was to give her extramarital lover a good bye kiss as he ferried illegal traders.
Unknown to her, Commander Kapwata was in the area organising commercial hammers to use in illegal copper mining.
His eyes caught his wife giving a peck to the Noah driver.
Without wasting time. He went straight to demolish the two houses he built for her and the mother, using the very hammer he initially meant to use for illegal Copper mining.
…..Malawians are asking Awilo to pay back door ticket fees for failing to perform at Lawi show
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Malawians on social media are demanding Congolese musician Awilo Longomba to pay back money to the country’s concert organizers following his no-show for a scheduled concert in Malawi.
Awilo was set to perform in Malawi on Saturday, April 29, 2023 (today) alongside local musician Lawi in a dinner and dance concert organized by Umodzi Park.
This publication understand that However, the Congolese musician had not travelled to Malawi and was instead in Nigeria for another show.
This is the second time Awilo has duped Malawians as last year the Congolese also failed to show up for another show organized by the same Umodzi Park.
In a video posted on Patience Namadingo’s Facebook Page, Lawi confirmed that Awilo was not coming to Malawi.
Lawi disclosed that concert organisers sent about MK15 million in air tickets and appearance fees for Awilo to come to Malawi.
He added that the budget for the show is nearing MK40 million.
“I am disappointed,” said Lawi. “It is not just about the money but also relationships and brands that have come together to make the show a success. For these guys to disown us after all that hard work is a great disappointment.”
He further said Awilo’s team was yet to provide an explanation for the no-show and had stopped answering his calls.
The revelations have angered Malawians who have stormed Awilo’s Facebook page demanding the Congolese musician to pay back the money he obtained.
“Pay back the money from Malawian artist you have taken,” said one person commenting on Awilo’s post.
Another person wrote: “How can we have one Africa when you don’t show up for a show you are paid for in Malawi.”
Another comment says: “It’s such a shame to see a man like you taking from Malawians their hard earned money.”
In a post on Facebook, musician Lucius Banda who also organizes international shows said Awilo also did the same to his team and they had to send people in the United Kingdom to force him to board a plane.
“Anakana kukakwera ndege koma poti we come from street, tidamutumizira adzukulu ku UK konko adakaikwera ndege asakufuna, adabwera (He was refusing to travel to Malawi after we had paid him but we sent people and he was forced to come). Koma Na dollayo nde Abweza afune asafune (As for the money he took from Lawi, he will be forced to refund),” wrote Banda
Meanwhile, Namadingo disclosed that he will perform alongside Lawi today at the show in Lilongwe where the two will also release a new song.
