HH IS BEING TOLD BY AMERICANS ON WHAT TO DO – NAKACINDA

…UPND govt has sold itself to foreign interests

Lusaka… Friday, February 3, 2023 (Smart Eagles)

Patriotic Front (PF) National Chairperson for Information and Publicity Raphael Nakacinda has said it is becoming obvious that there is a possibility for the PF to bounce back into power in 2026.

Hon Nakacinda based his sentiments on lack of economic recovery direction under the UPND government which has resulted into the high cost of living and high cost of doing business in the country, among other factors.

The PF MCC said the UPND government has sold itself to foreign interests.

He added when he featured on YAR Radio in Kitwe today that President Hakainde Hichilema has no originality of ideas on governance that is why he is being told by foreigners on what to do.

“This government has sold itself to foreign interests and that is how come Mr Hakainde Hichilema has no originality of ideas. He is being told by Americans and others on what he needs to do. The bad governance and economy is affecting everybody. Ours is to speak for the people of Zambia. That is the mandate that the opposition is given, to provide checks and balances. And to that effect we are the voice of those who may not have the opportunity to come on radio and speak for themselves,” he said.

“We interact with the people on the ground, we get their submissions, they come to our offices, they come to our homes, we interact through political mobilization and so on and they tell us what the issues are. Coupled with our policies, we come and articulate. All I can say is that moving forward as Patriotic Front, we are very determined to make sure that the programs we begin to present to the Zambian people will not be a set of lies but realistic policies and promises that we have delivered before and we are only coming to improve from there.”

He explained that PF’s plan was in the first five to 10 years focus on infrustracture development, in preparation of the process of industrialization.

Hon Nakacinda accompanied former National Development Planning Minister Alexander Chiteme.

Who are Service Chiefs?

By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba

The Head of State, other than being President of the Republic also runs the Office of, and he is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

The armed forces is defined as the Zambian Defence Force which is the military of Zambia.

It consists of the Zambia Army, the Zambia Air Force, and the Zambia National Service and these wings are provided for and defined by the Constitution and the Defence Act Chapter 106 of the Laws of Zambia.

The Defence Act provides for the creation and maintenance in Zambia of a Defence Force consisting of an Army, comprising the Regular Force of the Army, the Territorial Force of the Army, the Army Reserve and the Territorial Army Reserve, and an Air Force comprising the Regular Force of the Air Force, the Auxiliary Air Force, the Air Force Reserve and the Auxiliary Air Force Reserve.

The President carries his duties of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief through his Service Chiefs.

Part XV and Articles 190-194 of the Constitution has defined Defence forces and national security institutions.

National Security institutions include the Zambia Police, the Zambia Security Intelligence Services, and the Zambia Correctional Service and other security services as may be prescribed.

So the Service Chiefs in principal are as those defined by both the Constitution and Defence Act; Commanders of the Zambia Army, Zambia Airforce and the commandant of the Zambia National Service and report directly to the President of the Republic but may have administrative reporting structure to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence.

It is for this reason that you will see the Service Chiefs be with the President at national, military and symbolic events as the Commander-in-Chief, the President carries his duties through them and his symbolic power is seen through such formation.

At functions, you would see the Service Chiefs leave immediately after the President..

Overtime, however we have witnessed Commissioners and Directors ( of the Zambia Police Inspector General of Police, Zambia Correctional Service Commissioner General , DEC Director, ACC Executive Director) carry themselves as Defence Service Chiefs.

This is partly to the decision to grant powers to the President to appoint such officers who then mistakenly assume they ought to report to their appointing authority despite the laid out administrative and bureaucratic reporting structure.

These strictly have their reporting structure to their respective Permanent Secretaries, although the President may invite them for direct consultations.

This picture below captured at the airport perfectly illustrates the confusion that has since risen.

On the line to see off the President to Whindoek, the Commissioner General of the Zambia Correctional Service has placed himself, erroneously, as the most senior officer followed by the deputies of the Zambia Army, Zambia Airforce, Zambia Police and others.

The Service Chiefs were in Namibia to witness the hand-over where President Hakainde Hichilema was being inaugurated as the new Chairperson of the Troika of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security.

So their deputies were in Lusaka and saw off the President.

The seniority is categorised by the primary role of the army, personel strength and military assets of their units ( Zambia Army, Zambia Airforce and Zambia National Service in that order).

Clearly the strength of the Zambia Correctional Service is on the number of prisoners they hold!

Strictly speaking, the people required on that line should be only the Zambia Army, the Zambia Airforce and the Zambia National Service.

So it is interesting to see such an officer carry himself as a Service Chief and place oneself senior than the deputy Service Chiefs.

Overtime, its now Kaofela. I guess the head of the Cadet should be there alongside head of Financial Intelligence Service!

Usually institutional memory knowledge is lost overtime with the politicisation of these institutions and subsequent purge that occur after elections.

Government has reduced load shedding hours downwards from 8 hours to 4 hours.

Minister of Energy, Peter Kapala says this development comes after an improvement in water inflows into major hydro power reservoirs such as Kariba, Kafue and Itezhi-tezhi.

Speaking during a media briefing in Lusaka today, Mr Kapala indicated that the water inflows has resulted in increased power generation at Kariba North Bank Power Station, Kafue Gorge Power Station, Kafue Gorge Lower Power station, Itezhi-Tezhi Power Station and Victoria falls Power Station.

Mr Kapala explained that with this improvement, total electricity generation has now increased by 305 Megawatts, bringing the total national generation to 2,215 Megawatts.

He pointed out that this increased generation is against the current power demand of 2,380 Megawatts resulting in a reduced power deficit from 470 Megawatts to 165 Megawatts.

‘’Given the above development, the load-shedding duration has since been reviewed and revised downwards from 8 hours to 4 hours. In this regard, customers will now be load-shed once in a day for 4 hours only.

With this adjustment, customers will have power for a total of 20 hours in a day as opposed to the previous 16 hours of power supply,’’ said Mr Kapala.

He also assured that the government is doing everything possible to normalize the situation and some of the planned interventions include importation of 100 to 200 MW of power from Mozambique which will further reduce the Power deficit.

And Mr Kapala said that the government has made significant strides in the conversion of the TAZAMA Pipeline citing the disengagement from financing and procuring of petroleum products.

He stated that the pipeline conversion process began on 24th January 2023, and so far, 15 percent of the pipeline has already been cleaned.

Mr Kapala added that the conversion will result in a reduction in the cost of transportation of Low Sulphur Gasoil of up to 60 per cent and also reduce tear and wear on roads.

He added that the transformation of INDENI has also removed inefficiencies from the petroleum products supply chain, resulting in a streamlined cost line for petroleum pump prices

Mr Kapala further assured the nation that the government will continue working on measures to stabilize and reduce the cost of petroleum products on the Zambian market.

He pointed out that some of the measures include bilateral negotiations with Zimbabwe for use of the Zimbabwean oil pipeline to cut down on transportation costs of petrol, thereby contributing to a reduction in the cost of petrol.

‘’We are close to completing the Lusaka Bulk Fuel Depot, which is currently standing at 99.5 percent completion. This infrastructure will provide critical storage for strategic petroleum reserves.

The government will introduce a private sector-led bulk procurement system to ensure security of supply and predictability in the market,’’ assured Mr Kapala.

NEW GATHERINGS LAW SHOULD PROTECT RIGHT TO ASSEMBLY, ENSURE PUBLIC ORDER – SWEDISH AMBASSADOR

By Kombe Chimpinde Mataka

SWEDISH Ambassador to Zambia Johan Hellenborg says Sweden hopes that future public order Act will be in line with international best practices and guidelines, limiting potential restrictions to public gatherings.

And SACCORD says a more holistic reform process is needed to deal with the efficiency and accountability gaps.

Speaking at the opening of a three-day training for mid-level commanders of the Zambia Police on human rights compliant policing of public assemblies organised by Southern African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) and the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF), Ambassador Hellenborg said Sweden is impressed with the significant political commitment and dedication that stakeholders have placed on recognising the need for police reform and reform of the public order Act.

He hoped the current momentum continues
and leads to a vibrant debate in parliament, amongst the public, civil society and in the media on the draft bill in the coming weeks.

“This should ensure the future Act serves to protect the Zambia population’s right to assembly, while also ensuring public order and public safety. We hope that the future Act will be in line with international and regional best practices and guidelines, limiting
potential restrictions to public gatherings,” he said.

“A clear new public gatherings Act in support of facilitation would provide needed guidance to the Zambia Police Service in fulfilling their duty of protecting and promoting fundamental human rights.”
He said in any democratic state, the police played a key role in protecting fundamental rights including freedom of peaceful
assembly.

“They are tasked with guaranteeing public order whether during large-scale public events or when people choose to exercise their legitimate rights to peaceful public protest. Police are called upon to protect fundamental rights while at the same time protecting the safety of crowds and property,” Ambassador Hellenborg noted.

“These major and complex responsibilities fall on the shoulders of the men and women of the Zambia Police Service around the country, some of whom are with us today for this important training workshop.”

He said a legislative framework that promotes human rights, internal policies, guidelines and procedures on public order policing and use of force, strong accountability mechanisms and training was key in
supporting such a mission.

SACCORD executive director Boniface Cheembe said better policing for any country provided several benefits to society.

“As ultimately, the police service get to command better, for credibility, respect and legitimacy by citizens,” said Cheembe.

DCAF programme manager Gabriel Kaprielian commended the government for the draft public gathering bill under the Zambia Law Development Commission.

She said she hoped the workshop would enhance knowledge of mid-level officers’ role in managing public gatherings as well as provide practical skills in crowd management.

And Zambia Police commissioner for operations Roy Kachimba said police are required to work within the confines of the law to guarantee Zambians their civil and political rights.

He said the institution should start preparing itself for the new changes and challenges yet
to come.

“This course would not have come at a better time than now,” said Kachimba while urging officers to take the course seriously.

The MAST

MUNDUBILE TELLS HH NOT TO IGNORE JULIUS MALEMA’S AUCTIONING ZAMBIA CONCERNS
Lusaka, Friday (February 3, 2023)

Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Brian Mundubile says President Hakainde Hichilema should uphold the spirit of regional integration by exercising prudence before signing agreements that border on directly impacting economic and social development on other countries in the SADC region.

Mr Mundubile said, President Hichilema should take note of South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) President, Julius Malema’s statement that Zambia has been auctioned to foreign entities.

Mr. Mundubile, a PF Presidential Candidate, said people not only in Zambia but also the entire region, had raised concern about some of the recent decisions and agreements that President Hichilema had entered into on behalf of the people of Zambia.

“Remember that countries have developed through what you would call regional integration meaning that the decisions that one country makes have a direct impact on other countries and it is therefore important to exercise prudence in the manner that certain agreements are entered into,” he said.

“So the President must understand for instance that to economically liberate our people, countries must come together because we face the same challenges, we are Africans to start with. I will give an example of EV [Electric Vehicle] batteries, I think that this region is hosting most of the resources that will be required to manufacture EV batteries,” he said.

Mr. Mundubile said it was important for President Hichilema and his Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) counterpart President Felix Tshisekedi to conduct regional consultations so that Zambia and other countries were not seen to be controlled by foreign entities.
Mr. Mundubile said, South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) President Julius Malema’s sentiments that African leaders, including President Hichilema must begin to rethink their positions on whether their decisions were good for the citizens and the region.

“So our concern therefore is that our President, I think has ignored his friends in the region and sometimes made decisions that have raised concern. So, we want to re-echo comrade Malema’s sentiments in this regard that African leaders including our President, must go back to the original position.

“They should begin to rethink the positions regarding the decisions that they are making as to whether they are for the good of the citizens and indeed the region or whether these decisions will just benefit the private capital abroad,” Mr Mundubile said.

*Zambia´s Weakest Link in International Relations Exposed*

…as debt-relief standoff is escalated by the West and China

2nd February 2023

Amb. Anthony Mukwita

The old saying goes that the chain is often just as strong as its weakest link in most given socio-economic and political discourses.
This adage seems to have come to life in the case of the elusive debt relief package Zambia expects from its bilateral and multilateral lenders after signing a bail-out package from the IMF last September.

There was thunderous applause from the officialdom; thumbs up, champagne bottles popped open after the ruling party, UPND, inked the bail-out package that would ostensibly give Zambia a US$1,3billion loan facility that would lead to a path of economic stability hopefully.
Months later, the ululations have subsided, the lights are out, and the music has stopped, as the bailout package remains elusive due to a combination of factors.

The major factor many experts have fingered is the reluctance of Zambia´s leadership to engage China at the highest level between President Hichilema and counterpart H.E Xi Jinping and thrush out the US$6 billion infrastructure debt Zambia owes the dragon.
The second has been Uncle Sam´s (US) apparent ´condescending´ and ´patronising´ attitude and public accusation, of another sovereign state in the name of China saying “they were placing ´barriers´ or ´monkey-wrenching´ the whole debt restructuring exercise for Zambia, by not ´cooperating´, when in fact, this is not the case according to official data.

The truth, however, is that China is an active member of the creditors group that want to see Zambia´s debt restructured so that the southern African nation can get head-room and use some of the money for social responsibility and delivery instead of the bulk going to debt servicing.

Fast forward, the proverbial manure hit the fan when China, known in international diplomacy circles for quiet diplomacy finally blew a fuse and called the United States, IMF and World Bank´s bluff.

“Give debt relief to Zambia too and stop heaping the blame on China,” roared the dragon that is normally a silent observer, an indication that China has had enough in the raging geopolitical war.

The terse response from Beijing was voiced by the most senior spokeswoman of the People´s Republic of China in the Foreign Office Ms Mao Ning, sounding an ominous alarm that the dragon is no longer going to turn the other cheek as Uncle Sam takes cheap shots at it.
She said, at between 24% and 46 %, multi-lateral institutions and private sector such as Eurobond holders hold more of Zambia´s debt as compared to China.

“The key to easing Zambia´s foreign debt (US$15billion) burden therefore lies in the participation of multilateral institutions and commercial creditors in debt relief efforts,” Ms Mao said in a statement.

Prior to that the normally quite embassy of China in Zambia established at independence 58 years ago also issued a rare statement where they called on America to take care of its own debt than muddy waters with Zambia-China debt and jeopardise the two countries good long standing diplomatic relations.

“The biggest contribution that the US can make to the debt issue outside the country is cope with its own debt problem and stop sabotaging other sovereign countries active efforts to solve rheir debt issues,” Beijing said from its Lusaka base.

This was the first time China was throwing the gauntlet at America on foreign soil in this ever-sensitive growing geopolitical war that has sucked in the dirt poor southern African country Zambia whose majority of people need K8000 to survive on basic needs for a family of eight.

While the United States stands on the hill and shout for prudent debt management, official records show, out of a cap of a whooping US$31.4 trillion it (US) can borrow, it has reached is LIMIT.

Before the Chinese foreign affairs spokeswoman and the embassy in Zambia spoke out, the Ambassador China in Washington DC told Reuters that contrary to popular western media narratives, “our debt to Africa is not predatory, it’s not… Its beneficial.”
He added that the bulk of Africa´s debt is actually to the west.

But looking at the whole issue with a thicker lense, analysts see the debt issue as a mere side show because the real issue in the view of this author for instance is, “a growing war between the United States and China as the Thucydides trap escalates.”

Unfortunately for Zambia, the perceived lack of stamina to boldly engage the largest creditor at China at the preference of America is likely to cost the southern African nation, if China refuses to corporate and be dictated to by the West.

The negative impact of the war between China and the United States with Zambia in the middle is likely to be:
• Debt repayment default
• Delayed IMF bailout package
• Continued rise in cost of living for ordinary Zambians.
• A weak local currency and a damaged economy
• And a blurred international or foreign relations policy

The lessons from all these proxy, international relations war in geopolitical set up are many but the main one is that Zambia must industrialise, start producing, adding value and grow its own economy to stop playing second fiddle to the giants US and China.
Only Zambia can save Zambia, China and US are mere partners in growth but are not central to our growth, neither is the IMF and World Bank.

Today, however, like I said in a January interview on Diamond TV live, President Hichilema must make that long over-due call to President Xi and we shall live happily ever after.

My forthcoming book, hot off the press, based on the rise of China in Africa, Zambia´s, due out this month will elucidate more on this fast-growing discourse of China and the US with Zambia in the middle. Don’t miss it on Amazon.

Amb. AM. 02.02.23

TERRIBLE DECISION BY HH TO ALLOW MINING IN LOWER ZAMBEZI

Lower Zambezi mining decision: Zambia’s poor investor compliance history keeps repeating itself

By Grandy Ntumbo

The Zambian economy has yet again been fraught with yet another mining investor controversy following the Zambian Government’s recent decision to grant a mining licence and Zambia Environmental Management Agency’s (ZEMA) to grant a go-ahead for the Lower Zambezi National Park open-pit mining project to proceed.

Essentially, this project is known as the Kangaluwi Copper Project owned by Mwembeshi Resources Limited. In the recent past two weeks, I came across a Worldwide Fund for nature (WWF) Zambia Facebook post entitled “Halt mining in Lower Zambezi.” I quickly recalled that only less than six months ago WWF Zambia country director Nachilala Nkombo had assured me that one of the new dawn government ministers had assured her that the lower Zambezi mining project would not proceed. I therefore immediately called her to find out what WWF Zambia advocacy post on the organisation’s Facebook page was all about and what had changed since our conversation a few months.

Indeed, in the last two years, I have found myself increasingly passionate about Zambia’s tourism-led economic growth. I also subscribe to Zambia’s agenda to foster climate smart industrialisation and economic growth. From my very early childhood, I have always supported wildlife and nature conservation in Zambia and in the last two years I have found myself supporting the WWF Zambia through various ways including advocacy to support Zambia’s agenda to foster a tourism-led economic growth.

Following my conservation with Ms Nkombo, I had to immediately get in touch with researchers and legal minds connected to the ongoing litigation between stakeholders and Mwembeshi Resources Limited regarding the Lower Zambezi mining project. In the next two weeks, this platform will endeavour to delve into what has transpired from the time ZEMA gave a go-ahead for Mwembeshi Resources Limited to commence mining operations in the Lower Zambezi National Park.

From 8 March 2022, I published two articles in the Times of Zambia entitled “How Lower Zambezi mining project decision affects Zambia’s long term sustainability” and “Effects of Lower Zambezi mining decision on Zambia’s tourism, national economic strategic management”. For this discourse I would like to recap an overview of the above articles to provide readers, particularly this publication’s new readers and followers a background of one of Zambia’s mining and investor controversies in decades.

Remarkably, I have personally examined correspondences, documents, and so forth between all concerned parties, pertaining to the Kangaluwi mining project. From these correspondences, it is apparent that Mwembeshi Resources Limited has not complied with ZEMA conditions of carrying out mining activities in the Lower Zambezi National Park. For now, let’s leave this for the ‘main meal’ next week so that we delve into the background as earlier alluded to.

1st February 2022, I stumbled into a petition by the large coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs), traditional leaders, artists, safari operators and other stakeholders to Republican President Hakainde Hichilema to honour his campaign promise to protect the Lower Zambezi National Park, and halt a controversial open-pit copper mine. This furore follows the Zambian Supreme Court’s decision to dismiss an appeal by civil society organisations against the proposed large scale open-pit mining project that has been raging for a number of years now.

Following on media reports dating 31st January 2022, they reveal that the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment indicated that the controversial project will proceed under strict adherence to measures set by the Zambia Environmental Management Agency.

Environment minister Collins Nzovu said the measures were aimed at limiting damage to the environment to a minimum. Earlier on, then presidential spokesperson Anthony Bwalya was reported as having said that government would guide on the future of the open-pit mining project in Lower Zambezi National Park at an appropriate time.

“All due processes of the law and any other additional due diligence requirements will and shall be respected and carried out before the new administration can guide on the future of the said project,” Mr Bwalya said.

What was the genesis of the Kangaluwi copper project in the Lower Zambezi National Park by Mwembeshi Resources Limited? What is the bone of contention by CSOs, are they just making noise? Are they justifiable? Let’s carefully look at the ministerial statement on the status of Kangaluwi Copper Project in Lower Zambezi National Park by then minister of Mines and Minerals Development Richard Musukwa on 17th October, 2019. This statement provides an in-depth insight into the quagmire, the ‘skeletons’, processes, legalities and where Mwembeshi Resources Limited faulted A to Z of it!

“Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to inform this August House and the nation at large, on the status of the proposed large-scale mining project known as the Kangaluwi Copper Project in the Lower Zambezi National Park by Mwembeshi Resources Limited following the ruling of the High Court of Zambia, delivered on 17th October, 2019. Sir, I will begin by giving a background to the licence before proceeding to give the position of the Government on the project.

Mr Speaker, the Kangaluwi Copper Project started during the reign of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) Government with a grant of a large-scale prospecting licence on 18th December, 2003 to Mwembeshi Resources Limited, a subsidiary of an Austrian Stock Exchange Listed Company called the Zambezi Resources Limited, which is now called, Trek Metals Limited.

Sir, the licence was granted under the Mines and Minerals Act of 1995. The company commenced prospecting after the approval of the environmental project brief report by the then Environmental Council of Zambia (ECZ), now the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA).

Mr Speaker, Mwembeshi Resources Limited applied for a large-scale mining licence following the completion of the prospecting works and was granted a large-scale mining licence on 16th March, 2011 by the then Minister of Mines and Minerals Development, Hon. Maxwell Mwale for a period of twenty-five years, in accordance with the provisions of the Mines and Minerals Act Development No. 7 of 2008. However, the project could not proceed with the mine development because the environmental and social impact assessment had not been approved by ZEMA.

The issuance of the mining licence was done without the prior clearance from ZEMA, but was conditioned on Mwembeshi Resources Limited obtaining authorisation from ZEMA prior to commencement of the mining operations.

Sir, on 14th March, 2012, Mwembeshi Resources Limited submitted an environmental and social impact assessment report for the proposed Kangaluwi Copper Project to ZEMA, which was rejected. Mr Speaker, on 19th September, 2012, Mwembeshi Resources Limited appealed against the decision of ZEMA to the then hon. Minister of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, Hon. Harry Kalaba, in accordance with the provision of the Environment Management Act No. 12 of 2011. On 17th January, 2014, and in exercise of the powers vested in the ministry under the Environmental Management Act No. 12, the hon. Minister revised the decision of ZEMA and approved the project.

Mr Speaker, the House may wish to know that according to the Environmental Management Act as read together with the Environmental Protection and Pollution Control (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations, Statutory Instrument No. 28 of 1997, and as contained in Condition 3.4 of the decision letter of 4th February, 2014, Mwembeshi Resources Limited was required to commence implementation of the project within three years from the date of approval. Failure to commence a project in the required timeframe rendered the authorisation granted to Mwembeshi Resources Limited invalid and therefore, Mwembeshi Resources Limited is required to resubmit the environmental and social impact assessment report to ZEMA for consideration.

The decision letter for Mwembeshi Resources Limited expired on 4th February, 2017. The decision letter for Mwembeshi Resources Limited expired on 4th February, 2017.

Sir, notwithstanding the High Court ruling, mining activities will not proceed because in accordance with the Environmental Management Act, Mwembeshi Resources Limited was required to commence the implementation of the project within three years from the date of approval. The company’s failure to commence the project within the required timeframe rendered the authorisation invalid. Therefore, Mwembeshi Resources Limited is now required to resubmit the environmental and social impact assessment report for consideration by the Minister of Tourism and Arts.

Mr Speaker, it is through these processes that the project in the Lower Zambezi National Park will be assessed to determine whether to proceed or not. Therefore, Mwembeshi Resources Limited is required to obtain approval from the Honourable Ministers responsible for national parks and wildlife and the environment. Further, the company should obtain consent from the source right holders, where necessary, as enshrined in the Mines and Minerals Act.”

The author is managing consultant at G. N Grant Business Consultant, a Chartered Certified Accountant (ACCA), a Master of Business Administration (MBA) holder with specialism in Strategic Planning, and a candidate for the Herriot Watt University (Scotland) Doctor of Business Administration (DBA). Send feedback to: ntumbograndy@yahoo.com, Mobile +260-977-403113, +260-955-403113.

INCREASING THE KWACHA AND FOREIGN CURRENCY STATUTORY RESERVE RATIO IS AN ACT OF DESPERATION BY THE UPND.

By Christopher Kang’ombe

From the statement by the Bank of Zambia ( BOZ ) on increasing the Kwacha and Foreign Currency Statutory Reserve Ratio, one does not need to be an economist or financial expert to read between the lines and conclude that this is act of desperation by the UPND in government.

By announcing that the Statutory Reserve Ratio has been increased from the current 9% to 11.5%, BOZ has been authorised by the current government to effectively, mop up liquidity through getting a bigger share of deposits that commercial banks in Zambia receive from all categories of clients.

To simplify this for the public to understand, what will happen is that there will be reduced money supply in circulation.

Legally, BOZ is empowered through an Act of Parliament to take any step they deem necessary but we should all remember that such decisions have to be under the guidance of the political party in power, which decides government policy.

In this case, the UPND does not see anything wrong with the net effect of increasing, both the Kwacha and Foreign Currency Statutory Reserve Ratio.

The BOZ statement which was issued by the Deputy Governor, and its contents demonstrate desperation and a sign of failure by government to put in place, any other measure that will improve the performance of the kwacha against other major Foreign currencies.

Here are my suggestions to President Hakainde Hichilema ;

1. Urgently assign a team to brief you on the recommendations in the Industrialisation and Job creation strategy (launched in 2014 by Dr. Guy Scott on behalf of Government) and implement those that are very clear in context.
2. Urgently convene a meeting to review all the bad policies made so far by government that are affecting economic growth such as increased cost of fuel and increased electricity connection fees.
3. Begin giving incentives to Micro Small and Medium Enterprises to be able to thrive and create the right amount of local jobs.
4. Instruct the Bank of Zambia to immediately reverse their guided decision to increase the Statutory Reserve Ratio.
5. Immediately assign another team to brief you on the top 10 commodities we are importing as a country that we can actually manufacture locally in large quantities with the right quality. The Engineering Institute of Zambia ( EIZ ) can be engaged on the manufacturing solutions needed.
6. Revert to the previous Mining Tax Regime that allowed ;

6.1 Mineral Royalty not to be Tax Deductible

6.2 Mineral Royalty to be calculated using the aggregate formula as opposed to the incremental formula.

Implementing 6.1 and 6.2 will lead to more revenue for ZRA ( which income we lost when the Minister of Finance announced the two above incentives for mining companies in the 2022 and 2023 budget speeches ).

The Author is Kamfinsa MP and PF National Youth Chairperson.

Kajoba is not a 3-star General, protests retired soldier

A FORMER high ranking Zambia Army major has protested the three stars displayed on the official vehicle of Inspector General of Police Lemmy Kajoba arguing that the Police chief is a “mister and not a General”.

In a letter addressed to the Minister of Home Affairs and Internal security Jack Mwiimbu and copied to his defence counterpart Ambrose Lufuma, retired Major Gershom Bwalya Mubanga contended that stars that the General staff of the Zambia Army, Zambia Air Force and Zambia National Service display on their vehicles were not merely for decorations but denoted military levels of command and functions through the levels of war or strategy.

Major Mubanga said displaying the three stars on the vehicle of the Inspector General of Police was wrong and must be stopped immediately.

He explained that to acquire the stars, soldiers from the rank of second Lieutenant attended lifetime learning courses.

“The IG is a mister not a General. All military symbols use the same stars to denote headquarters and deployment level of command in a theatre or geographical military area of responsibility,” Major Mubanga wrote.

“In other countries where Police use military ranks, it’s because from the onset, they train as military and get commissioned into the Defence Force as second Lieutenants. It is not the same for Zambia. It is for this reason that the Zambia Police Service and Correctional Service Constitutionally are not part of Defence Forces but security wings,” he explained.

Major Mubanga pointed out that it was from his explanation that it was a world wide tradition for officers from the rank of captain to General or Marshall in the military to retire with their ranks while Police officers would just be called mister upon retirement.

He said the three stars displayed on Kajoba’s vehicle suggested that he was a Lieutenant General commanding an army.

“Inspector General is an appointment and not a rank, while Army Commander and Air Force Commanders are Commissioned officers who ascend to those titles pursuant to section 165 of the Defence Forces Act, Chapter 106 Volume 8 of the Laws of Zambia…,he stated.

“The IG is not equivalent of Defence Force Commanders, and therefore not entitled to display three stars on his vehicle,” he argued.

“….After all, when the IG fails to handle a security situation facing a country, like it was during the gassing, the IG surrendered Police powers to the military. The IG better revert to his normal being and not bring the Defence Force to explain the rationale used for the IG to adorn star plates for the first time ever in the history of Zambia,” he added.

Major Mubanga hoped that Minister Mwiimbu reflects about the “debacle”.

“If this trend is not arrested and nipped in the bag, we shall have Provincial Police Commissioners and Correctional officers also displaying star,” warned Major Mubanga.

Kalemba February 2, 2023

MUNDUBILE CONDEMNS INCREASE IN FUEL PRICES, PROPOSES REVAMPING INDENI

Lusaka, Thursday (February 2, 2023)

Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Brian Mundubile says the increase in the pump price of fuel will exacerbate the suffering of majority Zambians, especially with the high cost of living.

Mr. Mundubile who is also PF Presidential Candidate said the people of Zambia had now realized that the PF was truly a pro-poor party that protected citizens from untold misery.

He said the monthly reviews of fuel prices introduced by the New Dawn Government made it difficult to plan for the business community and ordinary citizens.

“If I took you back, the challenges we are facing today are the challenges we faced previously decades ago,” he said.

Mr. Mundubile said Zambia resolved fuel challenges through the construction of the 1,700 kilometre pipeline from the port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania to Ndola here in Zambia and the Ndola Refinery.

“What these two facilities do is that they stabilize fuel prices and cushion the sudden changes in international oil prices or sudden changes in exchange rates,” he said.

Mr. Mundubile said by removing Indeni and the pipeline from the equation, consumers have an adverse impact from fundamental factors that affect the fuel prices.

“I remember when I served as Energy Regulation Board (ERB) Board Chairperson, we were not reviewing prices frequently. We had what we called trigger point which was that fuel prices were increased by over 2.5 percent. So that 2.5 percent served as a cushion and you saw that fuel prices remained stable for a long time. It is indeed a source of concern,” he said.

He urged the New Dawn Government to quickly modernize Indeni so that it can move from only processing soft crude to also processing hard crude.

“That way, the benefit will go to the consumers. You must understand that one of the reasons fuel prices are high is due to logistics because we are moving this fuel by road which is a huge cost,” he said.

Mr. Mundubile proposed that, Zambia needed to start transporting hard crude through the pipeline and process it, if stability in fuel prices is to be achieved.

“Not what we are being told everyday there are decisions that are changing regarding that particular facility. The solution is to go back to the original position and appreciate why Indeni and the pipeline came into existence. If at all along the years there were changes and variations, we could simply invest in Indeni and modernize it,” he said.

BOZ puts Further Squeeze on Money Circulation

…liquidity in economy to dry up with the latest move, Zambians to suffer

02.01.23

By Staff Reporter

The Central bank has issued an instruction to commercial banks in Zambia to reduce money circulation further by increasing the statutory reserve ratio it holds said the Bank of Zambia (BOZ) in a statement dated 1st February 2023.

The statutory reserve ratios, “will be increased by 2,5 percentage points to 11.5 percent from the current 9.0 percent. The revised statutory ratio of 11.5percent will be based on the weekly return of selected assets and liabilities from next Wednesday 8th February 2023.”

Economic analysts say in lay terms or simple language, the BOZ move has effectively “squeezed” money or “liquidity” out of circulation which will force commercial banks to only deal or lend money to “pristine” clients like mines or big business.

“The ordinary already poor Zambian shall suffer even more as money is squeezed out of the market and suppliers are not paid, its going to be tough for many poor Zambians,” said an analyst in a local commercial bank.

To put the latest matter into simple perspective, what BOZ has done is like, “your commercial bank increases the balance it must hold on to your savings account by K500, if you have K1000, you can now only access K500. They must always hold your K500.”

Analysts say what the central bank should have done “if it was up to the task” was to “free” more money into circulation on the already depressed economy of Zambia rather than put a tighter squeeze that shall affect Zambians and the entire economy adversely even further. This is bad economics.

Diesel prices in Zambia have increased by almost K30 per litre which will also see food prices, transport fares rise further in coming months hurting Zambians even more, against the promises of President Hichilema promising to reduce the high cost of living.

Interest rates are also expected to rise in coming weeks following the Denny Kalyalya led BOZ after this uninformed economic move according to analysts as the kwacha value drops and fuel prices rise.

Independence of the judiciary and judicial accountability: a response to Mehluli Batakathi Malisa

By Joseph Chirwa

1. Introduction

I was elated to read a reply to my article published in The Mast of 4th June, 2022 in which I argued that “it is better to have a corrupt and incompetent judiciary than one that is not independent.” There was social media frenzy surrounding the article in question and it appears that majority of those that commented ended just on the title without going into detail. Secondly, there are those that failed to underline the core issues and ended up misdirecting themselves like my good friend comrade Malisa.

2. Shooting the messenger, not the message

Character is everything. The Holy Bible in the book of Proverbs 22: 1 states that, ‘’a good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favour rather than silver and gold”. It is for this reason that I wish to correct the great misdirection by my good brother that I am advocating for normalisation of a corrupt judiciary. This is a great misdirection and a deliberate one resulting from a grave failure to read the detail of my text. In my text I used “better than” suggesting a comparison between two evils. This is also the spirit which the superior court followed in Miyanda v Chaila. At no point did I advocate for a corrupt and incompetent judiciary as suggested. Instead of reading the text to understand, it appears that my brother read my article to critique. He has fallen in the same trap as the majority did by only looking at the title. This is so because careful reading of the text will show that I was weighing evils, the greater of which is lack of independence of the judiciary. To the extent that if one was asked to choose between a corrupt and independent judiciary and one that takes orders from the executive or any other person, they would choose the first. This is in no way suggesting that we should have a corrupt and incompetent judiciary. The devil is in the detail and on this my brother completely lost track.

3. Better than implies a lesser evil

As stated above, my brother gravely misdirected himself when he failed to appreciate the underlying concepts of the now famous infamous article. He suggests that I attributed the word “purge” to the removal of what he says two judges. He even goes on to state that procedural mechanisms were followed in the removal of those judges he is referring to. Careful perusal of my article will show that the use of the word “purge’ never attributed to anyone. It was generic. He is adding words to it in order to suit his argument. To suggest that procedure was followed is equally misleading. The subject at hand is currently in court hence sub judice. For ease of reference, my brother can refer to the case of Joshua Ndipolya Banda v Attorney-General (2022) and Sunday Nkonde SC v Attorney-General (2022) where both judges have challenged their removal. How my brother reached a conclusion of procedural mechanisms being followed before the Constitutional Court of Zambia has pronounced itself on these is shockingly speculative and a misdirection.

Secondly, my brother suggests that the decision in Miyanda v Chaila is bad law. My brother knows better that to say a decision of a superior court is bad law is academic and that decision is bad law only when it is reversed. As it stands the decision may be academically bad law but it is law. That is what judicial precedent or stare decisis implies and this is treasured in our Constitution under Article 125 (3). If my brother took time to read the case in question, he would have found that justice Sakala explained the rationale for the holding. If a judge is corrupt, you report that judge to law enforcement agencies and Judicial Complaints Commission (JCC). If a judge is incompetent, you report that judge to relevant authorities, both administratively and JCC. That is judicial accountability. Cadres protesting at court grounds to demand the removal of judges and magistrates is not judicial accountability. It is hooliganism. It is character assassination to suggest that Chirwa is suggesting that a corrupt and incompetent judiciary is better than the one that is not independent. It is a superior court judgement which reasoned so and which I support. Independence is everything and lack of independence has no cure. Corruption and incompetence have a cure through JCC and law enforcement.

4. Judicial accountability

When all is said and done and ad hominems shelved, we may see that my brother and I have the same conclusion. The conclusion is that we need an independent judiciary. Intimidation of judges and magistrates through transfers undermines judicial independence. Judicial independence is a prerequisite to judicial accountability. A judiciary that is not independent cannot be accountable. I was merely commenting on the events that raise suspicion on the transfer of magistrates. I referred to the protest by cadres who specifically asked for magistrates to be dealt with. I also referred to the response by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) justifying the transfers. This is what raised questions. I did not question the powers of the JCC to transfer but the timing looking at the events surrounding the transfers. My brother challenges me to provide evidence that the magistrates transferred handled corruption cases. My answer to this is simple. Unless my brother is averse to current affairs and facts then I can give him the list. It is a notorious fact that those transferred handled corruption cases of Bowman Lusambo, Joseph Malanji and others.

There are mechanisms under the Zambian Constitution and other laws that seek judicial accountability. Even the Bangalore Principles suggested by my brother promote judicial independence as much as it promotes judicial accountability. Within the spectrum of separation of powers lies judicial independence and judicial accountability. We need an independent judiciary that is accountable. We need a competent and corruption free judiciary. We need a judiciary that has it all: independence, accountability, competent and corruption free. However, if we were to choose one under the circumstances, we would rather have one that is incompetent and corrupt than one that is not independent. Some have asked to say how can we have a judiciary that is incompetent and corrupt and expect it to be independent. This is a good question but at the same time a great error of judgement resulting from failure to articulate the message I am trying to put across. Once this articulation is done then there will be no misdirection.

5. Conclusion

In conclusion, I must hasten to say that I was shocked that my brother does not see anything wrong in judicial interference or attempts thereof by the executive. Being a vocal critic of the Patriotic Front (PF) regime, I expected better. Careful reading of my article will show that I advocate for a judiciary that is free from executive interference. My brother, together with a host of other academicians, were the voice of reason during the PF era. Where is my brother’s voice this time around that he does not see anything wrong in the happenings of the country at this critical hour?

Chilufya Tayali

TRYING TO RECUPERATE, WESTWOOD POLICE CELLS ARE TORTURE CHAMBERS, I EVEN FEEL ILL

Holding cells are not supposed to be torture chambers, but to keep a person while police are processing an arrest and taking a person to court. Unfortunately, in most cases they are used to torture people.

What I go through is nothing but torture and I have been tortured for seven times in the one year Five months President Hakainde Hichilema has been in power, yet praise singers want me to sing with them.

Human_Rights organisation must justify their existence and purpose if citizens are tortured so openly and they do next to nothing.

Many of our holding cells are congested and not fit for keeping people, especially if we even consider the presumption of innocence.

Westwood police cells is like 3×3 meters square with an open toilet in one corner. People relieve themselves right before the eyes and noses of their fellow inmates.

The toilet is usually clogged with human stool and urine because there is no water inside, it is flashed from outside, from time to time.

When the toilet was clogged with faeces, I could not only feel the bad odour but my mouth could feel the taste of the particles of it in the air I inhaled.

With this load shedding, the police post stays without water for a long time.

Inmates never bath, because there is not provision, so, all they do is eat and relieve themselves in the open.

I have been in many police cells, but this is the worst and I guess it was meant to torture me more.

I slept on a cold dirty floor with nothing to cover, even though I offered to buy myself a mattress and blanket, but they refused, until the following day when they allowed me to use only one blacket from home.

We were only six, yet I felt so bad, but I was told at times there are more than 20 inmates and I wonder how they survive.

Surely, how can I stop talking seeing that kind of misery being done to people, I actually thank God for showing me how people are suffering and I am more resolved, albeit myself wife and others asking me to stop talking.

If I have to die for speaking for people, so be it.

20:00hrs I will talk more.

TAYALI THE PUBLIC LAWYER OF THE PUBLIC COURT OF OPINION!!!

JAMES NDAMBO’ AND AFRICA UNION HOLDINGS GROUP – WHAT IS THE BACKSTORY?

Africa Union Holdings Group has a footprint over many countries in the region and beyond.
AUH Cargo is just a branch of Africa Union Holdings Group which has a diversity of global businesses across major economic sectors.

AUH Group has developed a model and harnessed partnerships that will continue to support and inspire local businesses and trade with and within Africa.

Africa Union Holdings Cargo and the port business is larger and quite independent from the 7.5 acre lot that the Namibian Government allocated to the Government of Zambia for its Cargo. Essentially, the Zambian Government does not ‘own’ this lot of land in Namibia. Therefore the question is why should there be any excitement about cancelling a concession for a company that operates quite independently even away from the lot in question? The Zambian Government can neither cancel the AUH Cargo operation nor that which they do not ‘own’.

Africa Union Cargo is just one part of the AUH Group, will continue to harness and grow its long term partnerships in and outside of Africa, as its contribution to regional and global trade promotion. A legacy and foundation that has been built over 25 years.
From a Taxi Business run from a Kitchen Table in a Suburbs of Lusaka to the global entity and footprint that it has trailed, there is much to learn and inspire from the AUH Group journey.

Sources close to the shareholders of the company said that they are not even aware that there is this excitement by the assumed disruption to the port business. The owners of the business seem more focused on some developing medical breakthrough currently in progress in India this week. This development involves two siblings deaf from birth evacuated to India from Zambia by MHT – the philanthropic arm of the business

One wonders in light of all this, and after the My Home Town Zambia saga last year and now this latest debacle at the Namibia port, in the midst of clearly more urgent and pressing economic matters for the government internally. Question is why?? Ninshi Kanshi?!

PF didn’t learn lessons from 2021 defeat, notes Maoma

By Fanny Kalonda

THE UPND says it seems PF have not learnt lessons from their humiliating 2021 electoral defeat.
Deputy national chairman Collins Maoma says if members of the former ruling party had learnt any lessons they would have stopped championing tribalism in the country.

Prior to the 2021 general election, tribalism was tramp card the PF tried to use to lure voters.
The party even hired their former bitter rival Chishimba Kambwili and Geoffrey Mwamba to propagate hate speech against fellow citizens from Southern Province.

‘’It seems, however, that the PF did not learn a lesson from their defeat even as they try to re-brand. They seem to be tightly wedded to their tribal ways. They seem to view everything through the tribal lenses. Because they are inherently tribal, they see nothing but tribe in everything. What kind of people are these,’’ he wondered. ‘’Despite Zambia having seventy-three (73) known ethnic groupings, tribalism is still and has always been part of the Patriotic Front (PF)’s political obnoxious and divisive strategy. It is a pity that the PF can’t seem to learn from history and the fact that Zambians loathe tribalism in all its forms. We would like to remind the PF party and their High Priests of tribalism that Zambia is a unitary state exemplified by our unity in diversity. It is against this background that when building our National Assembly, as a symbol of national unity, materials were drawn from all parts of the country.’’

Maoma advised the PF to devise a better strategy of coming back to government.
He added that modern politics do not support tribalism as a strategy.

‘’The PF should give Zambians a break. Over the years Zambians have inter married and it is therefore folly for any politician to preach tribalism. It is not uncommon to have names such as Mulenga Banda, Sikota Lungu, Chishimba Hatontola and many more. We advise the PF to devise other strategies if their political fortunes are to be reversed, which we doubt given how they abused public trust when they were privileged to manage or rather mismanage State affairs,’’ Maoma said. ‘’Modern opposition politics entails providing alternative solutions and not preaching tribalism. We look forward to a time when our colleagues in opposition will start practicing issue-based politics.

We are, however, not surprised with the PF strategy and the reason they view everything through tribal eyes. It is because the party itself is inherently tribal. One just needs to look at PF’s cabinet and their appointments to key government positions while in government. What could be more tribal than that? Merit was never in the equation during the PF reign. It was just political patronage and tribe that would qualify anyone for any government position. Their tribalism explains why certain regions were excluded during their reign.’’

And Maoma accused former ruling party members of still serving personal over national interests even when they are out of government.

He said there is no sane Zambian who will entertain tribalism no matter how much it is sugarcoated.
‘’Just like in the run-up to the 2021 elections when they hired all sorts of charlatans to champion their sick agendas, they are now using political prostitutes, who, for a few pieces of silver or for a few morsels of bread are willing to sell their souls to the devil. These political mercenaries, born out of the PF’s reckless, harum-scarum and selfish kind of politics, are a menace, a cancer to our national unity and cohesion. Such irresponsible and greedy elements think only about their stomachs,’’ said Maoma. ‘’The national interest is far from their minds as they engage in politics for hire as they push their political masters’ agenda. The PF want power not to serve Zambians but to borrow loans from the open commercial markets for their pockets. What is sad about the PF’s tribalism is that other political leaders have bought into it for their own political advancement at the expense of national unity. But Zambians know better. They were resolute in their rejection of tribalism when they voted the PF out in 2021. They saw through their narrow, selfish agenda and rejected it. And they will not allow anyone to erode their national cohesion and divide them based on tribe.’’

China Wants Other Commercial Creditors, World Bank to Offer Debt Relief to Zambia

Beijing’s proposal has been rejected by World Bank chief Differing demands complicate lengthy Zambia debt talks

By Tom Hancock

01/31/2023 18:29:49 [BN]
(Bloomberg) — China wants multilateral development banks to offer debt relief to Zambia, something the World Bank has explicitly rejected and which will further complicate efforts to restructure the country’s borrowing.

The key to easing Zambia’s debt burden “lies in the participation of multilateral financial institutions and commercial creditors in the debt-relief efforts,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said in a briefing, adding that multilateral institutions and private creditors hold “the bulk” of Zambia’s foreign debt.

The remarks show China’s determination to reform the global system for restructuring sovereign debt, which has typically exempted lending by multilateral banks. That could raise tensions with the World Bank and extend already lengthy debt talks.

“China attaches high importance to Zambia’s debt issue,” Mao added. “We have played a constructive role in handling Zambia’s debt under the G-20 Common Framework,” she added, referring to the Group of 20’s initiative that brings together the Paris Club of traditional rich lender countries, private creditors and China to try to restructure the debts of low-income countries on a case-by-case basis.

World Bank President David Malpass last week rejected demands for the lender to offer debt relief as unfeasible.

“There’s not a mechanism to do that,” Malpass said of the lenders taking losses. “That’s been discussed actively at the G-20 and rejected as a direction, so I hope they’ll move on from that.”

Read more: World Bank Chief Says China’s Actions Delay Zambia Debt Deal

While China — the world’s largest sovereign creditor to developing nations — wants multilateral development banks, known as MDBs, to take losses in restructurings, forcing lenders that offer concessional loans to participate in debt treatments would undermine their standing and ability to continue their work, a senior US Treasury official said last week.

In a declaration following their meeting in Bali, Indonesia, in November, Group of 20 leaders stressed the importance for private and official bilateral creditors to provide debt treatments on terms that ensure fair burden sharing.

They noted that one member “has divergent views on debt issues,” and that this country “emphasized the importance of debt treatment by multilateral creditors like MDBs.”

This might prove to be a sticking point as IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva spearheads efforts to get creditors to agree on fixes to the Common Framework when G-20 finance ministers and central bankers meet in Bengaluru, India, Feb. 23-25.

The Zambian debt talks are being closely watched as an example for how sovereign debt restructuring will work in an era in which China is the world’s largest sovereign lender and developing countries have issued dollar bonds to private owners.

In Zambia’s case, talks have been slow, without any agreement reached on debt relief almost two years after the country decided to restructure its debt under the Common Framework.

–With assistance from Matthew Hill.

HICHILEMA IS HIGHLY TRIBAL -FRED MMEMBE

It seems Mr Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND are perched on the defensive over accusations of tribalism.

Why? Probably it is because of the promises they made to have a tribal and regionally balanced and representative government.

Critiques are asking if what they are seeing is equal to what they were promised:

– President Hakainde Hichilema (Tonga)
– Vice-President W.K Mutale Nalumango (Bemba married to a Lozi)
– Speaker Nelly Butete Kashumba Mutti (Lozi)
– Chief Justice Mumba Malila (Lenje)
– Acting President of the Constitutional Court Hon. Justice Margaret Munalula (Lozi)
– Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha (Lenje)
– Solicitor General Marshal Muchende (Tonga)
– Chairman of the Judicial Service Commission (Lozi)

– Chairman of the Judicial Complaints Commission -Vincent Blackskin Malambo (Tonga)
– Commissioner of Lands-Lynn Hibanji (Tonga)
– Chief Legal Advisor to the President -(Lozi)
Minister of Justice – Mulambo Haimbe (Tonga).

They are saying the key state institutions and the country’s justice system are basically is the hands of Tongas and Lozis (with very little or no meaningful participation from the rest)

They are saying the same about the key government ministries (Ministries that are not easily done away with by any government):
– Home Affairs-Jack Mwiimbu (Tonga)
– Local Government -Gary Nkombo (Tonga)
– Education -Douglas Siakalima(Tonga)
– Tourism-Rodney Sikumba (Tonga)
-Justice Mulambo Haimbe (Tonga)
– Foreign Affairs- Stanley Kakubo (Lenje)
– Health-Syvia Masebo (Soli)
– Defence -Ambrose Lwiiji Lufuma (Luvale)
– Infrastructure -Charles Milupi (Lozi)
– Finance- Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane (Lozi)
– Lands – Elijah Julaki Muchima (Lunda)
– Governor of Bank of Zambia – Dr. Denny Kalyalya (Tonga).

The rest are, in the main, pushed to ministries that can easily be done away and receive very limited budgetary allocations and policy attention.

They say the picture is the same for key defence and security agencies:

– Zambia Army Commander -Lt. Gen- Dennis Sitali Alubwizi (Lozi)
– Zambia Air Force Commander -Lt. Gen. Colin Bary (Kaonde)
– ZNS Commandant -Lt. Gen. Malichi Soloti(Luvale)
– Inspector General of Police -Lemmy Kajoba (Kaonde)
-Director General of Intelligence-Friday Nyambe (Lozi)
– Commissioner General of Correctional Services-Commissioner Frederick Chilikutu (Tonga).
– Chief Immigration officer- Japhet Lishomwa (Lozi).

They are saying in all these key command defence and security positions there’s no one from the East or the North as the political leadership to keep the tribal and regional balance the political leadership had promised.

They are also pointing to the Electoral Commission of Zambia:
– chairperson- Mwangala Zaloumis (Lozi)
– vice-person- Ali Simwiinga (Mambwe)
– the other three commissioners are Tonga, Lozi and Lunda

There’s no one from the East or the North proper.

These concerns are raised about lower positions in these and other state, government and quasi government institutions and agencies.

These are the concerns they are raising and the response is to label them tribalists, divisive elements and prosecute or persecute them on charges of tribal hatred.

With these concerns and the debates they are generating our multiparty political dispensation is back on the spot. The concern is no longer the lack of political pluralism or diversity, but the hijacking of the political processes by tribal politics.

The challenge to our multiparty political dispensation is not the prevalence of ethnic diversity, but the use of identity politics to promote narrow tribal interests. It is tribalism.

But the African experience over the last six decades has
shown us the dangers of ethnic competition and underscore the importance of building nations around ideas rather than clan identities.

In the absence of efforts to build genuine political parties with clear ideologies that compete on the basis of ideas, we have reverted to tribal identities as foundations for political competition.

Leaders are often exploiting tribal loyalty to advance personal gain, parochial interests, patronage, and cronyism. How else can one explain the tribal or regional voting that was confirmed by a Commission of Inquiry following the 2016 elections?

We shouldn’t forget the fact that tribes are not built on multiparty democratic ideas but thrive on zero-sum competition. As a result, they are inimical to multiparty democratic advancement.

In essence, tribal practices are occupying a vacuum created by lack of strong multiparty democratic institutions. The political parties are unable to find common ground through coherent party manifestos and ideological positions.

Many members of our political parties often don’t even know that their parties have manifestos.

The manifestos are generally issued just before the elections because much of the effort goes into regional manoeuvring and building tribal alliances.

Tribal politicians are clever and calculating.
They are quick to dress in the latest fashion and co-opt emerging trends to preserve their identities. They buy influence and create convenient alliances.

Their sole mission is self-preservation, with the side effect of subverting multiparty democratic evolution.
For them tribal politics is a zero-sum game.

The way forward for our multiparty democracy lies in concerted efforts to build modern political parties founded on strong ideological foundations, clear development ideas and not tribal bonds.

Such political parties must base their competition for power on ideological and development platforms.

Defining party platforms will need to be supported by the search for ideas – not the appeal to tribal coalitions.

Political parties that create genuine ideological and development platforms will launch initiatives that reflect popular needs.

Those that rely on manipulating ethnic alliances will bring sectarian animosity into government business by appointing to key government positions people from their tribes and allied ethnicities.

Party manifestos should fundamentally be documents in which parties outline their principles and goals in a manner that goes beyond popular rhetoric and cheap promises. They should arise from careful discussion, compromise, and efforts to express the core values and commitments of the party.

But building clear party platforms requires effective intellectual input, usually provided through think-tanks and other research institutions. Most of our political parties lack such support and are generally their manifestos cobbled together with little consultation.

Tribal groupings see themselves as infallible but parties have to be accountable to the people.

By stating a vision for the future, political parties provide voters with ways to measure their performance on all fronts.

Forging platforms fosters debate within parties that transcend tribal differences. Such debates are a central pillar of multiparty democracy. Building modern political parties and associated think-tanks is, therefore, the most urgent way to counter tribal politics. Policy debate is a key element of multiparty democracy.

Specific manifestos would foster healthy political competition that would force parties to distinguish themselves from each other. Conversely, such debates would also help to illustrate areas of common interest.

Indeed, it is becoming clear that issues such as poverty, infrastructure – energy, transportation, agriculture and food, and telecommunication – and youth employment are emerging as common themes in our politics irrespective of ideological differences.

So long as multiparty democracy offers the best chance for sustained growth and prosperity, tribal politics must be replaced by genuine party platforms and modern democratic institutions like think-tanks.

Otherwise our road to doom will continue to be paved by tribal intentions.

Fred M’membe
President of the Socialist Party

OF MILES SAMPA BAN AND THE FUEL PRICE INCREASE STORY

By GEORGE CHOMBA

Just as I was sharpening my fingers to hit the key board to unpack the implication of the suspension of Patriotic Front presidential hopeful Miles Sampa’s story, then the hair-raising lead on the increase of the pump price of fuel per litre interrupted my thoughts.

Initially, Mr Sampa’s story deserved some prompt attention with some popcorn to observe the long journey to the elective extra-ordinary general conference set for March this year, but when the fuel pump price increase story hit the nose for news, it was stop the press.

In case Mr Sampa, the Matero law maker’s story is already out of sight and out of mind, he has been suspended for six weeks for allegedly demeaning his fellow contestants.

On Monday, January 30, PF acting president Given Lubinda handed down the suspension which has also limited Mr Sampa’s interaction with party functionaries and other members.

At a press briefing in Lusaka held on January 27, Mr Sampa appeared on cloud nine unpacking his campaign bid where he allegedly labelled some of his competitors as corrupt while others as tribalists.

He went further to break party lines to support the return to Zambia of Vedanta Mineral Resources Limited to run Konkola Copper Mine, which Government under President Edgar Lungu’s PF administration grabbed and placed it in the ‘failed’ liquidation motion.

On paper, Mr Sampa’s suspension for six weeks automatically rules him out of the elective PF extra-ordinary general conference since it is set for March, this year.

However, practical processes on the ground reveal a different story that Mr Sampa can serve his six weeks suspension and still make a comeback in the party and contest the presidency.

Those who have read the PF constitution which is the ‘supreme law’ of the party can attest that what stands between Mr Sampa and the party presidency is the national council.

Article 49 of the PF Constitution clearly points to the National Council as the hurdle to be overcome to assume the Presidency as outlined in sub-article 2 paragraph D on the job of the committee.
“To approve candidates for the office of the President of the Party or Member of the Central Committee,” the regulation states.

But even this notwithstanding, the Central Committee has given itself 30 days to study the draft Constitution of the party with the view of making it more democratic.

So far, nine PF members have expressed interest and have paid K200, 000 each.

“The Central Committee received the working document of the party constitution and has given itself 30 days to study the document before it can be adopted and circulated to general members as a draft constitution which will eventually be tabled before the Extra-Ordinary General Conference,” Mr Raphael Nakacinda, the chairperson for Information and Publicity in the PF central committee announced on January 29, 2023.

Those with mathematics fingers know that 30 days after January 30, goes beyond February when the PF draft Constitution will be approved, if it will be approved, before the National Council scrutiny.

But there is also the other major step necessary to the PF presidential hopefuls before the elective extra-ordinary general conference.

“The Central Committee has deferred approval of guidelines for political campaigns for party presidential aspirants,” Mr Nakacinda announced.

This means all PF members interested in the party leadership can’t campaign as suitable candidates to succeed Mr Edgar Lungu, who is former President of Zambia, until the rules of engagement are approved and made available.

Therefore, by the time the PF constitution and the guidelines of campaigns are approved and adopted, Mr Sampa would have probably served his suspension, which is certain and could by that time be settling down with eyes on the top job of the former ruling party.

But that is a developing story. The breaking news is the fuel pump price per litre story and rightly so deserves the banner headline.

While the general story is that the Energy Regulation Board has increased the pump price per litre of fuel by an average of K3, from K24.49 to K27.22 for Petrol, K26.44 to K29.25 for Diesel and from K 19.98 to K22.29, which will no doubt unsettle budgets in homes and industry, the old stock commodity appears to also make news.

Those who followed the ERB board chairperson Reynolds Bowa’s response to a question from a journalist on the perceived shortage of fuel will be in deep in thought about the jackpot winner.

“At the present time, there are adequate stocks of petrol and diesel and kerosene in the country. Specifically, we have 17 days of diesel and we just have under eleven days of Petrol and I believe we 17 days of kerosene,” Mr Bowa assured Zambians about the fuel in storage tanks.

Mr Bowa explained that the stocks outlined didn’t include the fuel in the tanker trucks which are waiting for off-loading and the fuel on trucks in transit from Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.

Thinking about this statement from Mr Bowa, your guess is as good as mine that Zambians have gifted oil traders with a free K3 on any litre of fuel for the next 17 days or even a month when they will be selling old stock.

February only has 28 days. Assuming the old stock, which include unaccounted for tankers and the tanker trucks in transit from Tanzania, reach March? Who benefits from the increase in the pump price then, if it happens?

But who am I to think aloud? This is just a Miles Sampa and the fuel pump price increase story.

KICK OUT ANY MEMBER WORSHIPING HH, FORMER PF SG MWILA TELLS PARTY LEADERSHIP

Wednesday, February 1, 2023 – Lusaka

PF member Davies Mwila has urged his party to also act on members who “worship” President Hakainde Hichilema, citing Mafinga member of parliament Robert Chabinga as one of such people.

Commenting on Matero PF member of parliament Miles Sampa’s suspension, Mwila said the party should also chase away sell-outs.

“As we go on this short delay, it is exposing people. We are able to know who is who so that we make the right choice. As we are going on, people will expose themselves. Anyone that is worshiping Hakainde Hichilema, who has brought misery to the Zambian people must be kicked out. Not only Miles Sampa, I would appeal to the president also to deal with honourable Chabinga, you should not be segregative. That guy has been worshipping Hakainde Hichilema more than any other person. Something must be done on him, he is not special, if Miles Sampa can be suspended, what more Chabinga?” he asked.

“Miles came a long time ago, he came in the party around 2002, 2001 and who is Chabinga? So the secretariat must deal with Chabinga. Anyone that is worshiping, from now on, anyone worshiping Hakainde Hichilema must be dealt with by the party, whether it is me or any other person. Anthony Mumba has stopped, I think he has seen that UPND is not taking us anywhere. The issue of Chabinga must be dealt with as soon as possible. Anyone who is a sell-out must be kicked out. They will expose themselves as we go on and we will know their true colours. As we go to 2026, all those who are aligned to UPND we will know them. All those who are loyal to PF we will know them’’.

However, efforts to get to Chabinga on Mwila’s sentiments proved futile as his phone was unreachable by press time.

Meanwhile, Mwila said the former ruling party was not in a hurry to elect a new leader as it first wanted to amend its constitution.
“First and foremost, this is a process that the party has started. Whilst we want to elect a leader who can lead us to 2026, we need to amend the constitution. That is what the party is doing, it’s to correct or amend the constitution before going to the elective general conference. I think that is what we are doing. The Secretary General did announce that the central committee will give ourselves one month for the party to finish the process of auditing the structures as well as getting the views on the constitution amendment. After we have done that, then we go to the general conference. We are not in a hurry, we have nine people that want to stand as president and the party knows all these people. Each one of us I think we have already made a decision on which leader we want,” said Mwila.

“So there is no need for us to be in a hurry, 2026 is a long time and we are not delaying anyone. This is just a process and people have to be patient. The president immediately is elected, I think his job is to first put all the structures in place and mobilise the party. I think that is what is important. Moreover, acting president Given Lubinda has managed to unite the party. Under Given Lubinda, the party is united and we expect that whoever will be elected as president, he will continue with the unity that is existing. So there is no need for us to be in a hurry because you can [not] start campaigns now. Campaign will start in 2025, 2026. We are not late, we are delaying anyone. People have to be patient’’.

(credit: News Diggers)

HICHILEMA HAS RELIGIOUS BELIEF THAT MONEY SHOULD BE MADE TO PEOPLE’S DETRIMENT – KABIMBA … he’s a danger to this country

Economic Front (EF) leader Wynter Kabimba says President Hakainde Hichilema is a danger to Zambia for having “a fetishism, religious belief” since he came from Bweengwa to Lusaka that money should be made at all cost to the detriment of the people.

Speaking with Daily Revelation, Kabimba said President Hichilema has tried to play the business trump card without realizing the consequences of that trump card, saying one of the first meetings he had was with the Millers Association of Zambia who complained to him about the PF’s regulatory framework on the export of mealie meal, with him answering that, “you are business people, you must be at liberty to make money.”

He said what he did not realize was that mealie meal and maize is a component of the national security of this country, saying for instance there was no way countries like Ukraine and USA could allow for the exportation of all the wheat because people have to make money.

“That’s a ridiculous argument and position for a head of state to take. Because you can’t make money by starving your people. You can’t allow your business people to make money at the expense of starving the citizens. So he fails to understand how mealie meal feeds into the national security of this country and yet there is a video clip coming from his own mouth where he said a hungry person is an angry person when he was in the opposition,” Kabimba said. “And he was right. He comes now into office he thinks that a hungry person must be a passive person as him and his colleagues in that business continue making money.”

Kabimba continued: “So he has this fetishism as we call it, this religious belief in money as a capitalist. That money should be money and should be accumulated to the detriment of the life of the people. That’s his understanding of money. He has this fetishism, it’s ingrained in his mind since he came from Bweengwa and he came into Lusaka to come and make money. He has internalized that as the only important aspect of a human beings life, to make money.”

He charged that that was where “he becomes a danger as head of state and the consequences now of that decision which he made is what you see now in the pricing of mealie meal.”

He said out of panic, the administration was telling the FRA to give cheaper maize to millers, when FRA bought the same from treasury resources at a huge cost.

“Secondly… http://dailyrevelationzambia.com/hichilema-has-religious-belief-that-money-should-be-made-to-peoples-detriment-kabimba-hes-a-danger-to-this-country/

Patriotic Front Chairperson for Information and Publicity Raphael Nakachinda has advised the United Party for National Development – UPND to stop mocking Zambians by telling them to start eating roller meal if they cannot afford to buy breakfast meal.

Mr Nakachinda said that the UPND should instead provide solutions that will help address the escalating prices of mealie meal.
Mr Nakachinda who is also the Patriotic Front Member of the Central Committee stated this in reaction to Vice President Mutale Nalumango’s sentiment that citizens who cannot afford to buy breakfast mealie meal should start buying roller meal as it is more nutritious but Mr Nakachinda noted that it is the duty of the government to ensure that the staple food is available to citizens at an affordable price.
He added that it is upyo citizens to decide on what they wanted to consume and not the government dictating to them what to eat.
This week Vice President Mutale Nalumango urged Zambians to consider eating roller meal because of its nutritional value
Speaking when she joined other government officials in the cleaning exercise in Lusaka Central Business District Ms Nalumango noted that roller meal is cheaper and more nutritious compared to the expensive
breakfast mealie meal.

She wonders why some outlets are selling a bag of breakfast mealie meal at K200 when the country has enough maize stock and has since called on millers to reduce the prices of the commodity on the market.
Mrs Nalumango also urged citizens to maintain high standards of hygiene to help reduce the spread of diseases such as cholera.

Meanwhile, in defending the Vice President’s statement, Media Advisor in the office of the Vice President Njenje Chizu said that it is unfair to misquote Vice President Nalumango’s advice on Roller Meal.

Mr Chizu added that it is not fair for some sectors of the Media to spin Vice President Mutale Nalumango’s advice to the nation to eat Roller meal to suit their agenda.

In a statement Mr Chizu mentioned that said the guidance is not forcing people to eat roller meal but meant to achieve universal access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food, adding that the guidance is also in accordance with Sustainable Development Goal number two which aims at ending hunger and all forms of malnutrition by 2030.

“I have been following the debate on the Vice President’s media twists on her Roller meal statement. Speaking in my personal capacity as a scribe and one who was present at a time she was issuing out the same, it is clear that there is a deliberate misconception being peddled, unfortunately by some colleagues in the media. Vice President, Mutale Nalumango has been very consistent in explaining government’s commitment as far as addressing issues of nutrition and sufficient food is concerned,” Chizu said

He noted that the deliberate ploy to misconstrue Vice President Nalumango’s counsel would not work as citizens see sense in eating Roller Meal owing to its nutritional value.

“This is in order to achieve universal access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food as also in accordance with Sustainable Development Goal number two which aims at ending hunger and all forms of malnutrition by 2030.It is in those lines that she advised Zambians to consider eating roller meal instead of breakfast. I think it’s by now a known fact that roller meal is more nutritious than breakfast meal,” he said

Mr Chizu said that when UPND and the Vice President were voted into office, a mandate and responsibility was bestowed on her and the party in government to take care of the affairs of the people and Nutrition matters are not excluded.

“It is not therefore fair for some sectors of the Media to spin an agenda that Her Honour the Vice President is forcing people to eat roller meal. It is true that when the Zambian people voted her into the office, they gave her a mandate to look after their (people’s) affairs and Nutrition matters are not excluded from her mandate,” said Chizu

THE ‘EAT KANDOLO’ SENTIMENT CAME FROM A PARTY MEMBER, NOT A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL

….ba Mukupa was never a Republican Vice President, never in the Ministerial Committee, he was NOT in government – Lusambo

Lusaka, Wednesday, February 1, 2023 ( Smart Eagles )

Former Lusaka Province Minister Hon. Bowman Chilosha Lusambo has castigated the Vice President, Madam Mutale Nalumango for telling Zambians to be buying roller meal if they can’t afford breakfast mealie meal.

Instead of lowering the prices of mealie to K50 as per campaign promise, the Vice President told Zambians to run to roller, whose price has equally escalated beyond the majority Zambian’s reach.

And Hon Lusambo scorned the Vice President as he said she is being arrogant.

He blasted the government when he featured on 5FM’s “Burning Issues” yesterday for exporting maize while citizens are wallowing in poverty.

“These are just exporting maize. If you export maize, you are exporting Zambian jobs. This government has failed to control the mealie meal prices. There is no sabotage. They have just failed because there is no maize. They are telling us to be buying roller meal. What the Vice President is using is arrogance. She is not supposed to talk carelessly like that. You are now showing the dictatorship way of doing things,” he said.

“You are telling Zambians to just be buying roller meal because it is cheap, who told you that it is cheap? Roller meal is on K160. In the next few months it will be K200 plus. Let Zambians make their own choices. It is up to an individual to either buy roller meal or breakfast not because government says so.”

On arguments that even the PF told Zambians to eat “kandolo,” the former Minister explained that the “kandolo” sentiments came from a party member and not a government official.

“The responsibility government has is to control the country’s affairs so that we the Zambians should feel nice. We should be able to buy cheap mealie meal, cheap cooking oil, cheap relish…not them telling us what to do,” he said.

“I heard them say that no PF told us to eat Kandolo. The person who told you to eat kandolo is a member of a political party not a government official. Ba Mukupa was never in the ministerial committee, he was not in government, he was never a minister. Whatever he can say fyakusekeshafye. He talks, we laugh as Zambians. The one who said eat Roller meal however is the Republican Vice President,” he said.

“In short, she is the President. What she says is policy. She is the leader of business in the house, she sits in cabinet, she chairs ministerial committees, she is a President, she is acting right now. So what she said she must have discussed with the President. They have just failed to control the mealie meal prices that is why they have told Zambians to start buying roller meal.”

And Hon Lusambo said when people are complaining while you are in power it means you have failed.

Lumezi Member of Parliament Munir Zulu says there is nothing wrong with the Public Order Act as the problem has always been with the Executive, and all successful governments have abused the Public Order Act by deliberately choosing to misinterpret it.

Mr Zulu explained that the Public Order Act clearly states that one needs to notify the Police and not to seek permission to hold a public gathering but all previous governments including the United Party for National Development – UPND are saying notifying is equating to seeking permission which is not the case.
He added that the implementation is what is wrong with the Public Order Act, because notifying simply means just notifying the Police that a public meeting will be held at a certain location and time.

“Why they chose to deliberately misinterpret the word notify to eman seeking authority is something that I don’t really understand, because for me it’s the political will that has been lacking, and its a problem of those that had a privilege to lead the country, ” he said

“When you look at the content of the Public Order Act, what is it that the UPND are changing or do we need the Public Order Act in the first place, the only problem we might have is where someone us inciting civil disorder but speaking to your own people, do I need permission, how? So we need to interogate the content of the draft as it is what matters and if the comes to Parliament and I will look at it and if it means well for the people and all my competitors in Lumwezi Constituency if at all there are any, then I will support it but if this draft bill proposes to suppress the my rights and that of my competitors then I will push it down,” he added

And when commenting on the current high prices of mealie meal, Mr Zulu mentioned that the Minister of Agriculture has not been sincere in addressing the challenges under his Ministry, adding that most of the millers are also into supplying of fertilizer and they are being suspected to having been involved in the previous government way of doing things hence, being labelled to being thives and sponsoring the opposition political parties which should not be the case because they are expertise.

“You don’t fight business men, as much as the UPND would want to bring on board new business men,but they should have harmonized those that have the history of milling, supplying fertilizer, medicine, as the easiest man to deal with is a business man as there only interest is making profit, as long as the busienss man can make profit, forget about who they where dealing with yesterday but should you go against a business I can assure you that they can sabbotage the economy and I have a feeling that there is a sabboatge that is taking place because what is happening is not normal and there is n o way that pricess of mealie meal can be increasing every after two (2) days,” he said
Mr Zulu cited that the government made a mistake by exporting maize to Tanzania, Kenya and Democratic Republic of Congo, and local millers equally bought the maize but there where not milling and kept the maize in their sheds because they knew that when to mill.

He further cited that now that the country is having this problem, the millers know that whatever price they put their mealie meal at, citizens will have no option but to buy.
“I can tell you to say that come February 28, mealie meal will be at 300 Kwacha,” he said

Mr Zulu said that the best solution to addressing the high prices of mealie meal is for the government to engage the millers and humble themselves and they should also know that they are dealing with business men.

The Honorable Mr. Justice Edward Musona of the High Court of Zambia at the Commercial Registry has dismissed a court action by Konkola Copper Mines (in liquidation) against provisional liquidator Milingo Lungu saying the matter was not competently before him. The Honorable Mr. Justice E.L. Musona ruled that the matters raised by the plaintiff, KCM, could be resolved in the matter already pending in another court of law.

Through a writ of Summons of the 29th of July 2022, KCM, asked the court to declare illegal the remuneration agreement and addendum to the remuneration agreement as null and void along with the sum of $59,336,903.

Other reliefs sought included that Lungu, who is the First Defendant, renders an account of all the money belonging to the plaintiff which came into his hands in his capacity as provisional liquidator; and an order that Lungu turns over to the plaintiff any money he may have found in the account at the time he took over as provisional liquidator.

Alternatively, KCM asked the court to order that Mr. Lungu reimburses a sum of $53,872,952 being remuneration collected in excess of the amounts prescribed by the CIA and CIA (Corporate Insolvency Act) regulations.

On the 27th of September 2022, Mr. Lungu filed a Notice of Motion for the determination of preliminary questions on points of law. Specifically, Mr. Lungu wanted the court to guide on whether the matter was before a competent court; whether the plaintiff was the competent party to commence the proceedings; and whether the plaintiff could commence fresh proceedings in respect of matters that were already before another court of law.

Three months later, on the 11th of November 2022, KCM filed summons for an order for leave to amend pleadings and for variations of orders for directions in accordance with the provisions of the law. At a status conference held on 16th November 2022, both parties agreed that preliminary issues are dealt with first and matters of variation later.

After hearing the argument presented from both parties, the Honorable Mr. Justice Musona dismissed the KCM claims saying every one of the plaintiff’s matters can be dealt with by the court where a similar matter is pending resolution. On the notice of motion filed by Mr. Lungu, the court agreed with the arguments of the First Defendant.

KCM (in liquidation) was represented by Mr. G. Mbezhi and Mr. C. Sianondo of Messrs Malambo and Co, and Mr. Yosa of Messrs Musa Dhudia and Co. Mr. Lungu, the First Defendant was represented by Mr. A. Tembo of Messrs Tembo Ngulube and Associates and with Mr. J. Zimba of Messrs Makebi Zulu Advocates.

The Second Defendant, Lungu Simwanza and Co. was represented by Lusenga Mulongoti Advocates.

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has dispelled fears among Zambians that the institution’s bailout package for the country will come with harsh conditions that will negatively affect the citizens.

A number of local stakeholders have criticised the pending IMF bailout package being sought by the New Dawn Government of President Hakainde Hichilema saying it won’t be the solution to Zambia’s economic problems.

Speaking on ZNBC TV’s Sunday Interview, Ms. Georgieva said the IMF was aware of fears among some Zambians that its bailout package for the country will come with harsh conditions.

She said the IMF over the years has transformed into a better global institution that means well for nations seeking bailout packages like Zambia.

“I was meeting university students who asked the same questions about harsh conditions. I told them this is not the IMF of your grandmothers. Look at me and other people in the institution who include Africans. We promote good governance,” she told ZNBC’s Sunday Interview.

Meanwhile, Ms. Georgieva said Zambia’s debt restructuring will take time because it involves more than two creditors.

“The debt structure in Zambia is quite complex. We have private, we have public sector creditors, we have a sizable amount of money being discussed. Every time when there is a complex that the restructuring can take some time. We have seen over a year progressing in bringing all creditors at the table, getting China, a larger creditor for Zambia to accept responsibility as a co-chair of the creditors and final advancement in what the final deal may look like. We are not part of these negotiations but what we do is we provide simulations possible pathways to solutions and we find great interest into this simulations well that will translate into a solution the sooner the better. We should not rush also to have a solution at any cost because the solution has to be good for Zambia. If it is detrimental to Zambia’s interest, it is better to take time to reach a conclusion to ensure that it is the best possible deal for Zambia. We are playing our role which is to show what our pathway to which our agreement would be,” she said.

Ms. Georgieva further commended the UPND government for efforts it has made in improving transparency and fighting corruption.

THE IMF Managing Director said she has had fruitful discussions which highlight Zambia’s enormous potential given its abundant natural resources and a dynamic and entrepreneurial young generation.

The IMF Chief has concluded her visit to Zambia with a call for creditors to move forward and reach an agreement on a debt treatment as soon as possible.

Speaking during a Town-hall discussion at the University of Zambia -UNZA-, Ms Georgieva said the IMF will urgently convene a new round-table with lending institutions and creditors to speed up debt negotiations for indebted countries like Zambia.

With support from National Democratic Institute, the CSO Debt Alliance partnered with the University of Zambia Business and Economics Association – UNZABECA in hosting a town-hall Public Lecture were Ms. Georgieva Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund gave a lecture on how Zambia can build a more Resilient and Inclusive Future for all.

Meanwhile, economist and former Finance Minister Edith Nawakwi is one of the Zambians that have expressed misgivings over the IMF deal.

Ms. Nawakwi has warned the UPND led Government against relying heavily on the pending International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout package for the local economy recovery.

”Let us all agree and there is no debate about whether the Bretton Woods Institute was meant for bailing out international creditors. The IMF is not going to build a school. The IMF is not going to give us money for Agriculture or for fish ponds. Far from it, so, if you have a Minister of Finance whose only plan is based on’ well I am waiting for the package from Washington’. Then we are in trouble and I think that we need this open debate to discuss what the alternative measures as a nation should put in place since the IMF package is a farfetched idea. Even if it came it would not improve the economic welfare of someone in Misisi, or my relatives in Kalikiliki,” Ms. Nawakwi said.