IT’S AN AFFRONT TO SEE THAT THE IRON LADY MARTHA MUSHIPE HAS BEEN ABANDONED DESPITE STANDING AND DEFENDING THE UPND PARTY FOR YEARS WITH HER MEAGRE RESOURCES.

Right from the inception when the UPND and Bally took over ,I would see vividly that President HH and the entire UPND did not write ✍️ all the members that needed to be appointed like the way the previous MMD and PF Gvnts did….Maybe they were not sure if they could scoop and emerge as the winners of 2021 election.

How would one explain the omission of Martha Mushipe’s name on the list of people to be appointed,surely with all what she did for the party? Is there anything that she did wrong to President HH and the UPND large or what? Ba UPND where are you getting this spirit of avarice/gluttony if I may ask?

The name Martha Mushipe is a national household name and that was all over the media outlets immediately after the PF dribbled the mighty UPND through the con-court on technicalities…because of how the Iron Lady Martha Mushipe argued the case together with the politician cum turned lawyer (Mr HH) lol in the con-court….Immediately after that she became the sworn enemy and target of the PF state machinery.Her office was broken into by fake thieves ,her legal practioner license was revoked ,her office was closed by the purported mighty PF by then.,.Actually so many ugly stuff happened to the point where they took over her properties and she couldn’t work anymore.

Then today your Excellency Mr President Mr Hakainde Hichilema and the entire top leadership you wanna forget about her,really? Mr President even if you are too forgetful you can’t forget her.

Are you telling me that in the entire UPND there’s no one brave or bold members who can remind Mr President on this issue mwebantu sure? Surely Mr President You can *dump and forget about your son *Son of HH* but definitely not the Iron Lady Martha Mushipe

The problem with these appointments that are done in piecemeal is that it’s easy to forget other names and no wonder your Excellency the President your predecessors collected all the names at once and did the homework together and did the appointments on the same day unlike the appointments taking a year.

As I end I just want to remind and appeal to the President’s conscious that Mr President please appoint and honour Miss Martha Mushipe for the vital role or work that she did for the party.

The uncompromisingly and radicalized profound message is meant to offer checks and balance without fear or favour so that the differences,misunderstandings ,oversights and incompetencies can be addressed and then in turn Bally is voted into power again in 2026 election

I end here because this is so far what the Lord laid upon my heart ❤️ and if you want Ignore Son of HH’s friendly advice.

Napita mukwai

Twalumba ndoo

Aaron shimakanga Lwindabatete
Son of HH aka Mwana kateka

NB:The author ✍️ of this article is an advocate for the marginalized,victimized,stigmatized,traumatized,rule of law,democracy and good governance

GULF STREAM JET ✈️ SALE SCANDAL LOADING

By Miles B. Sampa, MP (15.12.2022)

According to the Defense Minister Ambrose Lufuma the Gulf Stream jet 🛩️ cost Zambia 🇿🇲 $190M (purchase price, security additions, training etc). He says the UPND government is selling the jet because the real market price is about $80M and apparently they don’t want to be part of the excess spent above the market price. When they sell then they will buy another presidential jet.

A. Funso:
1) will they sell the jet at the $190M they state was spent or they will sell it at what they’re calling the market price of $80M?
2) Is it not wise to keep it in-house at same expensive value than sell it cheaper?
3) Who is targeted to buy the same jet and is it some people within or outside Zambia connected to the current government top people?
4) At what price will the new jet ✈️ be bought at and who will be the brokers in the transaction ?
5) Is this not just a process of ukugoleka (selling selling & buying again) so as to create opportunities for commisions ?

B. My Recommendations
1) There is no value or prices of money worth compromising the security of our current and future Presidents especially in the air and or on international travel. Our President should be able to leave the USA 🇺🇸 instant when on duty if he or the state security system chooses to for whatever reason without having to wait for scheduled commercial flights. The Gulf Stream takes enough gas to cross the Atlantic ocean direct to Zambia. The plane should therefore not be sold and kept for the good of the current, future Presidents and Zambia 🇿🇲 as a country. If football stars like Ronaldo can own a Gulf Stream jet, why should Zambia not own one for the head of state that they elect into state house ?
2) If indeed there was some misappropriation of funds in the procurement process (real or perceived), the ACC and DEC should deal with the matter as they are doing in many other allegations but to which thus far only blanks have been drawn.

3) The $2M annual maintenance cost for the Gulf Stream is peanuts when it comes to ensuring security of the current and future Presidents.

C. Caution:
1) Even if this Government insists on selling the presidential jet 🛩️, they will need two third majority approval in our Parliament and they don’t have that even if all Independents (except Hon Munir Zulu) had to vote with them.
2) If by some force majure reasons they manage to get parliament approval and proceed to sell, mark my word that once out of power in 2026, the defense Minister and all that will be involved in the sell of the plane will surely be tenants of Chimbokaila prison due to corruption that will arise both in the selling of the current and buying of the new one.

Ukwali insoke… (to be forewarned ; is to be forearmed).

MBS15.12.2022

DRUGS SHORTAGE UNDERESTIMATED – MUNDUBILE

…as parliamentary committee finds acute shortage of drugs and laboratory reagents in hospitals countrywide

Lusaka, Thursday (December 15, 2022)

Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Brian Mundubile says the findings of the committee of parliamentarians constituted to assess supply of drugs in hospitals countrywide point to serious shortage of medicines and laboratory reagents in most health facilities in the country, than earlier projected.

Mr Mundubile, who is also PF Presidential Candidate said in Lusaka that the report the committee of parliamentarians constituted by Speaker of the National Assembly, Nelly Mutti to assess the supply of drugs in hospitals countrywide, depicts a serious shortage of drugs, forcing people to buy from pharmacies and private hospitals.

“The situation is actually more serious than we earlier thought and as a result of that, a number of our people, especially the poor people, the poor Zambians are adversely affected. We are at a position where there are no reagents in hospitals and even stationery now is a problem,” he said.

Mr. Mundubile said, whereas Government was loud on the employment of 11,000 health workers, they are failing to provide equipment and other medical requirements needed to treat patients, and this is frustrating medical personnel who have little or nothing to work effectively.

“There are no medicines, there are no drugs, there are no reagents, there is no stationery. There is minimal impact if any at all,” Mr Mundubile said.

He called on Government to urgently address the shortage of drugs and laboratory reagents, as this centres on saving people’s lives.

“You will remember that not very long ago, the supply of drugs to hospitals a couple of years ago had been very smooth. There was improvement in the supply chain, the system was actually automated. So, one therefore wonders why we have gotten back to the 1980s where you would have such critical shortage of drugs. We want to call upon Government to take this matter seriously and attend to it,” Mr Mundubile said.

Issued by:

Brian Hapunda
Media Director
Mundubile PF Presidential Campaign Team

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT
ON ATTACKS ON ZAMBIA POLICE OFFICERS IN MPONGWE DISTRICT AND THE DEAD BODIES FOUND IN NGWERERE AREA IN LUSAKA

HONOURABLE JACK J. MWIIMBU, MP
MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS AND INTERNAL SECURITY.

December, 2022
MADAM SPEAKER, LET ME THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A MINISTERIAL STATEMENT ON MATTERS OF URGENT PUBLIC IMPORTANCE RAISED BY HONOURABLE JOEL CHIBUYE AND SYDNEY MUSHANGA, MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT FOR ROAN AND BWACHA CONSTITUENCIES RESPECTIVELY. THE STATEMENT RELATES TO ATTACKS ON POLICE OFFICERS IN MPONGWE DISTRICT AND THE DEAD BODIES FOUND IN NGWERERE AREA IN LUSAKA.

MADAM SPEAKER, BRIEF FACTS IN THE MATTER REGARDING ATTACKS ON POLICE OFFICERS IN MPONGWE ARE THAT ON FRIDAY 9TH DECEMBER, 2022, AROUND 04:30 HOURS, MPONGWE POLICE STATION RECEIVED A REPORT OF ASSAULT OCCASIONING ACTUAL BODILY HARM IN WHICH TWO POLICE OFFICERS OF MPONGWE POLICE STATION SUSTAINED MULTIPLE CUTS ON THEIR HEADS, SWOLLEN FACES AND GENERAL BODY PAINS AFTER BEING ASSAULTED BY A KNOWN PERSON AT MPONGWE TRADING AREA. A PLANK AND CEMENT BLOCK ARE ALLEGED TO HAVE BEEN USED TO INFLICT THE INJURIES ON THE OFFICERS. THE REPORT WAS MADE BY A SECURITY OFFICER OF MPONGWE TERMITE SHOP.

MADAM SPEAKER, THE POLICE OFFICERS WERE ATTACKED BY A TRUCK DRIVER OF A VOLVO TRUCK REGISTRATION NUMBER AJD 4464 BELONGING TO GADA FARMS IN CHIBOMBO DISTRICT. THE DRIVER HAD EARLIER REPORTED A CASE OF THEFT FROM MOTOR VEHICLE IN WHICH HE ALLEGED THAT UNKNOWN PEOPLE HAD STOLEN ONE BAG OF FERTILISER FROM HIS TRUCK AND FURTHER INDICATED THAT HE SUSPECTED THAT HIS LORRY MATE WAS INVOLVED. INVESTIGATIONS WERE INSTITUTED AND THE TWO OFFICERS WENT TO WHERE THE TRUCK WAS PARKED IN THE COMPANY OF THE DRIVER. THEY APPREHENDED THE SUSPECT AND STARTED GOING BACK TO THE POLICE STATION LEAVING THE DRIVER AT THE TRUCK.

MADAM SPEAKER, WHILE THE POLICE OFFICERS WERE WALKING BACK TO THE STATION WITH THE SUSPECT, THE DRIVER WHO WAS SEEMINGLY DRUNK APPEARED ARMED WITH A PLANK AND HIT ONE OF THE OFFICERS ON THE HEAD. WHEN THE OTHER OFFICER TRIED TO INTERVENE, HE WAS EQUALLY HIT ON THE HEAD WITH THE PLANK. THE SUSPECT WHO WAS APPREHENDED RAN AWAY AND WITNESSED THE ORDEAL FROM A DISTANCE WHILE A SECURITY OFFICER WHO ALSO SAW WHAT HAD HAPPENED RUSHED TO THE POLICE STATION AND REPORTED THE MATTER. THE DRIVER WAS LATER APPREHENDED BY OTHER OFFICERS AND IS IN POLICE CUSTODY.

THE TWO INJURED OFFICERS WERE RUSHED TO MPONGWE MISSION HOSPITAL WHERE THEY WERE ADMITTED BEFORE BEING TRANSFERRED TO ROAN HOSPITAL IN LUANSHYA AS THEIR CONDITIONS WERE DESCRIBED AS SERIOUS.

MADAM SPEAKER, LATER IN THE DAY, ONE OF THE OFFICERS DIED DUE TO INJURIES WHILST ADMITTED TO THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT AT ROAN HOSPITAL. A POSTMORTEM EXAMINATION HAS SINCE BEEN CONDUCTED ON THE BODY AND RESULTS ARE BEING AWAITED. THE OTHER OFFICER HAS BEEN REFERRED TO NDOLA TEACHING HOSPITAL. HIS CONDITION IS STILL SERIOUS. INVESTIGATIONS ARE INTENSIVELY ONGOING.

I OFFER PROFOUND SYMPATHY TO THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF THE DECEASED ON BEHALF OF GOVERNMENT AND INDEED ON MY OWN BEHALF. I ALSO WISH THE OFFICER IN HOSPITAL A SPEEDY RECOVERY.

MADAM SPEAKER, IT’S SICKENING TO SEE CONTINUOUS ATTACKS ON POLICE OFFICERS, THREATENING THEIR LIVES AND THOSE OF THEIR FAMILIES FOR SIMPLY CARRYING OUT THE LAW AND DOING THEIR JOB. POLICE OFFICERS ARE ALSO CITIZENS WHO ARE ENTITLED TO SAFETY. SHOULD THEIR LIVES BE PUT IN IMMEDIATE DANGER THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO USE WHATEVER IS AT THEIR DISPOSAL, INCLUDING FIRE ARMS, TO PROTECT THEMSELVES. THE ZAMBIA POLICE ACT CHAPTER 107 SECTION 24 READ TOGETHER WITH ZAMBIA POLICE INSTRUCTIONS 2010 EDITION, SECTION 275 SUB-SECTION 3 (A)… IT IS JUSTIFIABLE FOR A POLICE OFFICER TO USE A FIRE ARM WHEN HE IS ATTACKED AND HIS LIFE IS IN DANGER, AND THERE ARE NO OTHER MEANS BY WHICH HE CAN SAVE HIS LIFE.

I WANT TO SAY THIS AS CLEAR AS I CAN: THERE IS NO PLACE IN THIS COUNTRY FOR VIOLENCE AGAINST POLICE OFFICERS, NO PLACE FOR ENDANGERING THE LIVES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. NOR IS THERE A PLACE FOR ENDANGERING THE LIFE OF ANY MEMBER OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC. AT ALL TIMES THE LAW SHALL BE ENFORCED TO THE FULLEST.

MADAM SPEAKER, WITH REGARD TO THE MATTER IN WHICH DEAD BODIES WERE FOUND IN NGWERERE AREA IN LUSAKA, BRIEF FACTS ARE THAT ON SUNDAY 11TH DECEMBER, 2022 AROUND 06:00 HOURS, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN LUSAKA’S MEANWOOD NKHOSI AREA, DISCOVERED DEAD BODIES ALONG CHAMINUKA ROAD AND NOTIFIED THE POLICE. THE POLICE RUSHED TO THE SCENE WHERE THEY FOUND 27 DEAD BODIES AND ONE PERSON STILL FEEBLY BREATHING AMONG THE DEAD BODIES. HE WAS RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL FOR MEDICAL ATTENTION.
MADAM SPEAKER, PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATIONS SO FAR INDICATE THAT THE VICTIMS WERE ALL MALES AGED BETWEEN 20 AND 40. THEY WERE DUMPED BY UNKNOWN PEOPLE SUSPECTED TO BE HUMAN TRAFFICKERS OR SMUGGLERS. INVESTIGATIONS ARE BEING CONDUCTED TO BRING THE PERPETRATORS OF THIS CRIME TO BOOK AND TO ESTABLISH THE COUNTRIES WHERE THE VICTIMS MAY HAVE COME FROM.

ALL THE 27 BODIES WERE DEPOSITED IN THE UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL MORTUARY AWAITING POSSIBLE FORMAL IDENTIFICATION AND POSTMORTEM. THE SURVIVOR IS IN A MEDICAL FACILITY WHERE HE IS RECEIVING MEDICAL ATTENTION.

THE HOUSE MAY WISH TO NOTE THAT SUSPECTED CASES OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND SMUGGLING ARE ON THE INCREASE IN ZAMBIA.

MADAM SPEAKER, IT IS DISHEARTENING TO LOSE LIVES IN SUCH A MANNER. I SHARE GRIEF WITH ALL FRIENDS AND RELATIVES CONNECTED TO THE DECEASED.
TO CURB THE SCOURGE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND SMUGGLING OF MIGRANTS, THE MINISTRY HAS PUT IN PLACE THE FOLLOWING MEASURES:

1. DEVELOPED THE NATIONAL POLICY ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND SMUGGLING OF MIGRANTS WHICH HAS SINCE BEEN LAUNCHED;
2. REVIEWED AND ENACTED THE ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING ACT NO. 16 OF 2022;
3. ESTABLISHED A DEPARTMENT DEDICATED TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND SMUGGLING OF IMMIGRANTS;
4. BUILDING CAPACITY FOR FRONT LINE OFFICERS, OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND THE JUDICIARY ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING;
5. ENHANCED INTELLIGENCE GATHERING AND SHARING AMONG SECURITY WINGS;
6. ENHANCED INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION WITH NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES INCLUDING COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN FOR THE VICTIMS;
7. CREATION OF A TOLL FREE LINE TO SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS MATTERS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND SMUGGLING OF MIGRANTS;
8. SENSITISATION OF COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS ABOUT HUMAN TRAFFICKING ISSUES; AND
9. INCORPORATION OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING ISSUES IN THE ZAMBIA POLICE SERVICE TRAINING CURRICULUM.
MADAM SPEAKER
IN CONCLUSION, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO APPEAL TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO HELP LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN FIGHTING CRIME. I WOULD ALSO WANT TO THANK AN ALERT MEMBER OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC IN 12 MILES AREA CHIBOMBO DISTRICT WHO REPORTED A CASE OF HARBOURING, CONDUCT FACILITATING, AND AIDING AND ABETTING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF IMMIGRATION.

WE WISH TO WARN PERPETRATORS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND SMUGGLING OF MIGRANTS TO DESIST FROM THESE GRAVE CRIMES AS THE LAW WILL NOT SPARE THEM.

MADAM SPEAKER, I THANK YOU.

Zambians now realise they made mistake voting UPND – Mundubile

By Walusungu Lundu

WE see them rushing to make decisions, to give concessions in the mining sector as long as those concessions will benefit the foreigners, opposition PF has accused UPND government.

Mporokoso PF member of parliament Brian Mundubile says “I am very sure that the Zambian people now realise that they made a mistake to vote the new dawn government into power. Because then you have a government in power that does not care about the suffering of its own local people”.

Last Friday, PF MPs addressed the media at Parliament where they castigated the government over what they termed as declining fortunes in the mining sector.

Leader of the opposition in Parliament, Mundubile insinuated that President Hakainde Hichilema was being misinformed about the plight of the people on the Copperbelt who are grappling with high cost of living as a result of the state of the mines.

Mundubile said if the President was well informed about what is happening on the Copperbelt, he would have delayed making “some of these announcements on Zambia National Provident Fund, NAPSA, which are done incorrectly.”

The Mporokoso lawmaker expressed shock at government’s position that investing in Mopani, a mining firm which needs approximately $3 million is not priority.

Mundubile charged that the government will do anything to not invest into mines to push a narrative that Zambians cannot run the sector.

“You would love to know that the economy on the Copperbelt is a cash economy, you have to have the money. The source of that money is actually the mines. People on the Copperbelt are going through unspeakable misery. [But] government said investing in Mopani is not priority. This is very shocking to us because we know that investing $3 million in Mopani was going to resolve a number of issues on the Copperbelt. Our statement therefore is, if investing in Mopani is not priority, certainly alleviating the challenges people are facing on the Copperbelt is priority to government. So if government has other means of resolving the declining economic fortunes on the Copperbelt, let them inform the people on the Copperbelt and the nation what those measures will be,” he said. “It is very irresponsible of government to come out with that reaction that they cannot invest in Mopani and that that is not priority. Then the question is, what then is priority to the new dawn government if the suffering of the poor people of Zambia is not priority? We see them rushing to make decisions, to give concessions in the mining sector, as long as those concessions will benefit the foreigners, the rich people. They are in a hurry to offer those concessions. If it is something to do with the disposal of shares, shares owned by the Zambian people themselves…..then that is priority for the government. We want to call upon the President of this Republic, President Hakainde Hichilema to rethink his position on Mopani. Let the President rethink his position on KCM. And in rethinking the positions on those two mines, let him have the people on the Copperbelt, the suffering of the people on his mind. I am very sure that if the President is properly informed about what is happening on the Copperbelt, and the suffering the people are going through on the Copperbelt, he will not allow his ministers to give the responses they are giving on the floor of the House when it comes to those two mines.”

Mundubile said if the President was well informed he would have given priority to what is happening on the Copperbelt.

“For some reason or the other, the President is not properly informed about what is happening on the Copperbelt. Because a sitting President voted for by the Zambian people, 2.8 million Zambians to wake up to come and vote for him, you can only put Zambians as a priority. Neglecting the people on the Copperbelt in the manner the UPND is doing may be on account of the President not receiving correct information. But if at all he has received the correct information and he has continued to ignore the people on the Copperbelt, then I am very sure that the Zambian people now realise that they made a mistake to vote the new dawn government into power. Because then you have a government in power that does not care about the suffering of its own local people,” he said.

Mundubile bemoaned the manner in which officials have handled issues surrounding questions PF MPs raised in parliament regarding Article 210 of the Constitution on disposal of state asset.

“Now colleagues you remember that last week I asked a question to the Vice-President. We wanted to know what the position of government was in view of Article 210 on disposal of state asset. And the Vice-President promised that she will come to parliament to cause a ministerial statement on the floor of the House….This is a week later, we are still waiting. Conveniently, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Mines and everyone else decided to issue a statement instead of coming on the floor of the House, they went outside to issue a statement,” he said. “They went to issue a statement outside parliament when we the members of parliament were waiting in parliament. They have denied members of parliament an opportunity to ask difficult questions regarding this particular transaction, this suspicious transaction of transfer of shares. You have heard maybe two, three, four, five different versions regarding that particular transaction. It’s typical the UPND government. You remember not very long ago, when we raised issues regarding the auditing of defence forces and intelligence agencies, there were three different statements from three Cabinet ministers sitting in the same Cabinet. So sometimes you tend to wonder, are they members of the same Cabinet? Do they sit in the same cabinet meetings?”

Mundubile charged that there was something wrong in the ZCCM-IH and First Quantum Mines transaction.

He wondered why it took Cabinet ministers to issues statements on the same when ZCCM-IH has a public relations team.

“Why did the Minister of Finance think his statement alone could not be believed? He has to go to the Minister of Mines? Why did he have to invite the third person to come and make the same statement if indeed the transaction was as innocent as they want to make it seem? So colleagues I think that we are at a time when we have to remind ourselves of what has happened in our mining sector. If you do and you properly interrogate the transactions that have happened in the mining sector for the past 20, 25 years, it will begin to form a pattern. You will begin to understand that we may just be sliding back into the 1990s when our mines were being privatised slowly,” he said. “You must understand that a brief genesis on privatisation in view of Kansanshi Mines was that, for instance, ZCCM was sold in 1998 for the total price of $627 million. By that time, the exchange experts told the citizens that the lifespan of the mine in Zambia was just 20 years. We have this appetite of hiring experts who come to tell us very good stories. They are marketed by our leaders. Our leaders will market these experts so that the citizens can believe every story that comes from the experts.”

Mundubile said the same people who participated in the mines years back are the same people influencing some decisions being made in the sector.

“It is 25 years now, these mines are still going. Meaning that in coming up with the considerations for these mines, we took into consideration only 20 years. But this is 25 years and we are still going. And it was estimated that about $1.1 billion worth of copper was actually stolen from Zambian people on account of this misinformation. So we want you Zambians to pay attention to the activities or the happenings in the mining sector,” he said. “For some of us, who are a little older than most of you, we have been there before. These good stories we have heard them before and we can almost predict where we are going. You have similar circumstances and same actors. The players are the same. Very little has changed. Remember we are talking about the mining sector. If you look at the owners of these mining houses that are participating in these activities, they are the same as those that were there some 30 years ago. If you look at the experts that were advisers, some of whom are leaders today, they are the same. So the actors are the same, the circumstance is similar, so most likely we may end up with the same result.”

Mundubile said PF has information around Kansanshi Mines that it is worth approximately $8 billion.

“We would like to know that value that was placed on the ZCCM-IH shares for that particular transaction. We also want to know the company that was entrusted to carry out the evaluation of both the value of Kansanshi Mine as it stands now…what will happen to the criminal matters that ZCCM-IH took to court? Some of us have been there before, expert explanation, but in the end it was methodical, meticulous corruption. So we want everybody to be alert with what is happening now,” said Mundubile. “People will sing about corruption all they want, for us we have redefined corruption. We want to look beyond where ACC looks. So these transactions involving FQM and Kansanshi we have put a red flag…”

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

By Dickson Jere

IT appears, from wide media coverage, that cases of human trafficking are on upswing. The Immigration department is daily dealing with the scourge especially involving the Ethiopia and Somali nationals. Children have reportedly been rescued in a number of operations in which they were about to be “trafficked” overseas. However, not every case qualifies to be termed “human trafficking”.

You see, some months ago, four Congolese nationals were arrested and charged with “human trafficking” in Zambia. They were accused of trying to traffic 14 children who were held in a room at a Guest House in Sesheke. It was alleged that they were about to be “crossed” into Namibia without documentation.

However, It was the testimony of the quartet that they were in Zambia “illegally” after running away from the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo and looking for refugee camp in Western Province.

Anyway, they were found guilty and sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment with hard labour by the High Court. The convicted persons then appealed to the Court of Appeal, which determined the matter with a three-man panel headed by deputy Judge-President Chalwe Mchenga, SC.

In that case, the Court laid-down certain ingredients that ought to be proved for one to be convicted of “human trafficking” based on the Anti-Human Trafficking Act No. 11 of 2018. The Court held that the mere fact that children were brought into Zambia without documentation did not itself amount to trafficking. There must be evidence to show that the children were brought into Zambia for purposes of being trafficked.

“Evidence pointing at their transportation into, and across the country, through either use of threats or use of force or other forms of coercion, abduction, fraud or deception and so forth, should have been led,” the three-man panel of Judges said.

The Judges observed that the fact that the children and the alleged ‘abductors’ entered Zambia without documentation should have been viewed in context.

“It is common cause, and we take judicial notice of the fact that at the time, there was civil strife in Congo, and a number of Congolese nationals fled into this country, through undesignated entry points,” the Judges noted.

The Court added that coming into the country with undocumented children, cannot, on its own, lead to a conclusion that the offence of trafficking had been committed.

The four were set free by the Court of Appeal.

See the case of Nyasa Mulumbilwa and Others V The People (Appeal No 154 of 2018)

Embrace a humane migration policy – GBM urges HH
……as the recent dumping of half-naked and seemingly dead migrants irks him

Lusaka, 14.12.2022

Aspiring candidate for the position of president of the Patriotic Front, PF, Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba, GBM, has urged President Hakainde Hichilema to adopt an African-friendly migration policy and avoid needless deaths of migrants.

Mr. Mwamba says the President must prioritize the dignity and safety of those seeking asylum by adopting a migration policy and laws that are user-friendly so that asylum seekers do not resort to methods that threaten human life as means of seeking entry into the country.

The former Defense Minister’s comments come in the wake of the discovery of several seemingly dead bodies of asylum seekers dumped somewhere in the bush in Lusaka.

The veteran politician notes that on several occasions, migrants from other African countries have entered the country packed in poorly ventilated trucks and compartments that are not designed for human passengers.

He says Zambia has always been a haven of peace and political stability and will therefore remain an attractive destination for either refugees or economic migrants. “As a Christian nation, and as a sign of basic human decency”, Mr. Mwamba says, “We need to adopt immigration policies and laws that allow others to come through normal border entry points assured that we shall open our doors to them and give them a fair hearing”.

The former Kasama constituency lawmaker says migration laws in Zambia are out of touch with current global developments in which continued political, economic, social, and sometimes religious conflicts are forcing people to move elsewhere in search of safety and a decent way of life.

In addition, Mr. Mwamba says people are also moving owing to the consequences of climate change which has altered physical environments that normally support human life. “All these developments are beyond the capacity of most ordinary people to cope with and adapt”, Mr. Mwamba laments.

In what is seen as a typical capitalist trait that privileges economic benefits over a sense of duty to mankind, President Hichilema has granted visa-free entry to developed countries while maintaining the requirement for visas to African and other third world countries.

“Even at personal level, if you are only friendly to rich people, society does not look at you kindly”, Mr. Mwamba observes, adding, “Christ taught us that the poor will always be with us and therefore it is our duty to share what we have with them”.

Some observers have described the 1951 UN Refugee Convention as inadequate to address the mass movements of human beings that have been observed in recent years preferring the African Union Convention on Refugees as broad enough to cover contemporary developments.

Others have been calling for the free movement of people and adoption of common economic and social development policies across the African continent in which resources could be shared and distributed equitably.

FUNSO: DOES MR JAMES NDAMBO REALLY OWE THE ZAMBIA POLICE ? (If so; ‘ for what for ’ 🤔)

By Miles B. Sampa, MP (13.12.2022)

Mastone Moonze of Radio Phoenix based in Choma reports and quoting some police ‘sources’ that; My Home Town (MHT) Chairman Mr James Ndambo owes the Zambia Police (ZP) K2M for unpaid allowances to policemen for their services rendered at his last MHT event in Choma a few months ago.

My sixth sense immediately got me to wonder as follows ;

1. The public exit notice, which we have all read clearly stated that “MHT administration department will continue to monitor existing projects in progress and to pay authentic creditors if any”.

2) In any case and as regards the ZP so called nkongole (debt) owed by Mr Ndambo, why would police officers who are paid by government demand payment for maintaining law and order at a public not profit making donations event ?

3) Doesn’t the ZP money demand from a Zambian philanthropy already amount to Corruption under a Government which claims to have arrived to eradicate the same Corruption?

4) Since the Mr Ndambo that the ZP is claiming to have hired their services is a South African citizen, under which law did ZP sign a contract with him?
And was the said contract verbal or a written one and does ZP intend to sue Mr Ndambo for not honouring the said contract if it exists?

5) Any well meaning citizens may have observed that Mr Ndambo’s MHT is about giving back to both his home town Choma and recently was poised to extend to all our other various towns and communities in Zambia. Should our Police 👮‍♀️ charge him in their support of his voluntary ubuntu gestures to Zambians ?

6) We all saw how Mr Ndambo’s MHT renovated the Choma police station free of charge, to befitting livable conditions of international standards. Should the same policemen that were beneficiaries of the gesture not be prepared to offer their labour free of charge to the organisation that voluntarily assisted them so much?

My Conclusion
Bane tuletasha. Azanga tizionga zikomo tikapasiwa. Katulumba twapegwa baSa. As a citizen, we must be able to say thank you when due.

Clearly ,somewhere something went wrong in the top government hierarchy when Mr Ndambo’s MHT held its modeling charity event in Choma earlier this year. His expensive empowerment prices (latest Mercedes vehicles) to winners were subjected to all manner of DEC shenanigans and only to release them a few days later. I wish to believe that the lives of the winners at that event have not been the same since. They have been uplifted for the better.

I guess the entire system episode was all meant to embarrass him. One can not help but wonder if, whatever the issue could not have been discussed between or amongst brothers of kumusanza (Southern Province) and more so there does not seem to be any law that may have been broken during that Choma event.

We have not heard of Mr James Ndambo since that debacle until over weekend ,when social media was ablaze with breaking news that he had closed not only his Choma but entire Zambia’s MHT Ubuntu projects. It was also reported that this coming weekend MHT activities are being welcomed grand style in Accra, Ghana 🇬🇭.

Then “boom!” some police ‘informer’ tells reporter Mastone Moonze of Radio Phoenix in Choma,that Mr James Ndambo actually owes the Zambia Police K2M for services rendered when he was donating to the same police 👮‍♀️. Lol. Ndausa Basa! (it’s embarrassing, to say the least).

If Mr James Ndambo is not desired in Zambia, by the power that be, due to whatever reasons we may not be privy to, so be it. It will however not do, to start throwing stones at our own brother that in the eyes of ordinary Zambians has not done anything wrong warranting his unceremonious rejection and now reputations persecution.

MBS14.12.2022

President Hichilema fails to cane ZESCO boss Mapani over illegalities

…in creating ´looting super structure´ at power company says Ambassador Mwamba

By a Correspondent

13.12.22

Ambassador Emmanuel Mwamba, an opposition presidential aspirant has exposed President Hichilema´s personal pick for MD at ZESCO Victor Mapani for abusing his office by creating a ´super looting structure´ at the company without permission from either board or the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC).

Ambassador Mwamba challenged Mapani to deny that after he sacked top directors at the state power company, he created a ´grand´ new position for himself and employed 18 new directors that now enjoy conditions of service that previously were enjoyed by the Managing Director whose grade was M1.

“Victor has now given himself a new grade ´M0´ and awarded his directors the conditions all MDs at ZESCO were entitled so that his and only his conditions exceed those of any other parastatal chief in Zambia with board or IDC approval,” said Ambassador Mwamba.

The presidential aspirant and devils advocate wondered, “Why President Hichilema who always ´prudential use of public resources´ has failed to censure Victor who is working for a publicly owned company that is technically insolvent, as the Chairman of IDC.”

Ambassador Mwamba challenged Mr Hichilema to act because failure to do means he is weak or captured by the likes of Mapani, even as head of state and he won’t be taken seriously next time he preaches prudence regarding state resources.

Mapani was not available for comment immediately neither was the board and IDC which Mapani always disregards according to sources.

At the beginning of the year, ZESCO was stopped from buying luxury vehicles for Mapani and his cronies after Ambassador Mwamba blew the whistle.

But he succeeded to import electric poles from Zimbabwe and South Africa in a ´fishy´ deal despite a national outcry President Hichilema never commented on.

But with his recorded failure to act on allegations of nudity by DEC boss Mary Nkonde, many doubt whether President Hichilema will act on Mapani.

The full transcript is available on “The Brief” a hard-hitting weakly podcast by Amb. Mwamba.

Source: The Brief

WE HAVE A LAPSE IN PARLIAMENT

…. Second Deputy Speaker is too personal against PF – Hon Miles Sampa

Lusaka…. Wednesday December 14, 2022 (Smart Eagles)

Matero MP and PF presidential hopeful candidate Miles Sampa has insinuated that Parliament has a lapse.

Hon Sampa castigated Second Deputy Speaker for conducting himself in a disorderly manner.

He said when he and other PF MPs addressed the media yesterday after walking out of parliament that presiding officers in Parliament are acting as if they too have constituencies they are representing.

“I think in our Zambian Parliament we have a lapse. We have deputy speakers who are also MPs, who were elected. So they have their own constituencies where they need to please the electorates. And then they come in this house, they play politics. You need someone who is impartial,” he said.

He said most of the PF MPs are stepped on by the speaker in question.

Hon Sampa said the speaker takes it personal against PF “yet he made so much money under the PF, he should be grateful.”

He revealed that the speaker in question got himself contracts under the PF regime to construct some roads in Eastern Province

“The chairman Moyo, I always tell him Paramount Chief Mpezeni is greeting you. In his Luangeni Constiuency, that is where the palace is and Chief Mpezeni said he doesn’t see the MP, so I keep telling him, greetings from Paramount Chief Mpezeni so maybe he takes offense from that,” he said.

“But we speak for the chiefs, we speak for the people all over the country. Most of these PF MPs are stepped on by Deputy Speaker Moyo. He is too personal, he takes it personal against PF and yet he made so much money under PF, he should be grateful.”

Meanwhile, Shiwang’andu MP Hon Stephen Kampyongo said the speaker in question went against his on ruling yesterday by allowing a point of order when he had ordered that there would be no point of orders allowed.

He wondered why the speaker seemingly gives special treatment to ministers when both MPs and Ministers are enjoying the same privileges.

Hon Kampyongo stressed the need for mutual respect between presiding officers and MPs.

He said the speaker will be held accountable for his actions.

“Hon Miles Sampa was on the floor debating… the deputy speaker went against his own orders. He ordered that he would not permit point of orders but he went against his ruling and permitted a point of order from the minister. But like I have said, ministers and Honorable MPs enjoy the same privileges,” he said.

I WILL NEVER STOP GIVING – LUSAMBO

IT’S only in Zambia where I have seen generous givers arrested, this shocks me a lot, former Kabushi PF member of parliament Bowman Lusambo has said.
Lusambo claimed that his seat was taken away from him due to his generous giving.
Speaking when he graced the launch of the album for the choir at the United Church of Zambia St Margret Congregation in Lusaka’s Munali Constituency on Sunday, the “Bulldozer” said he would be getting arrested on a daily basis if giving was a crime.
“We are being told that there is power in giving, there are blessings in giving. They found me giving in Kabushi and they were like this one gives generously, we should remove him (as the area MP),” he said.

“So I said I will never stop giving. Better they kick me out of parliament but I will be giving because there is nothing in parliament. But there are blessings in giving. So if giving is crime, I will be getting arrested every day.”

Lusambo implored the church to pray for former president Edgar Lungu “as he is the only surviving former president”.
He also called on the church to pray for leaders, the country and against the spirit of homosexuality among other things.

“This country is for everyone. It isn’t for Hakainde [Hichilema], it isn’t for politicians. It’s for everyone. Politicians are just few. This country is in your hands. You’re the ones who give politicians power. Today if you think that what you see in Peter isn’t pleasant, you’re the ones to decide, ‘no this is not why we gave you power’. So let us pray for leaders. If they are leading us well, let’s pray for them. If they are not, let us pray for them so that they change and start leading us in a good manner,” he said.

“When those that have Christ in them lead people are happy but when those that don’t have lead people cry. At the moment we only have one former president. Have you ever seen us taking the elderly to those places they use to accommodate the elderly? We keep them in our homes. Every country or every institution has what they call memory. We keep the elderly in our homes so that we know where the country is coming from, where we are and where we are going. So we should be praying for former president Edgar Lungu. All the former presidents are gone. He is the only one we are remaining with.”

And Lusambo urged the church to spread love during the festive season.
He said Christians ought to live a life that reflects Christ in them.

“Festive season is the time for showing love. Jesus Christ was born to unify the world. Things are not going well in the country, people in church are supposed to stand in prayer so that things go well in the country. This is why you hear that homosexuality has come…people in church should pray so that he rescues us from this evil because Zambia is a Christian nation,” he said.

“We need to live a Christ like life. When you have food and your neighbour doesn’t have and you’re locking yourself up with your family then where is your Christianity?”

Lusambo gifted the choir with K100,000 towards the purchase of a bus.

He said “choir told me that they started fundraising a while ago. They have so far raised K90,000. They said they want to buy a bus. I don’t know what kind of a bus they want. We will donate K100,000.”

UPND CADRE CHOLA SIMWABA IS THE ONLY ONE WHO HAD A GUN – WITNESS
…as Court sets 30th March, 2023 as judgement day
By New Dawn Reporter
FORMER Zambia Army officer at Kaoma Barracks, Chola Simwaba was the only one who had a gun on 6th October, 2019 in Kaoma Site and Service.

And the Mongu High Court has set 30th March, 2023 as judgement day in the matter Mumbi Phiri and Shebby Chilekwa is facing one count of murder of UPND cadre Lawrence Banda.

Defence witness, Gift Simangolwa, 28, told the Mongu High Court judge, Charles Zulu that the person who shot at him three times was Chola Simwaba a UPND cadre.

Simangolwa testified that he remembered all that happened on the 6th October 2019, because he was a victim of the shooting.
“In the year 2019, we were in the camp house in town, around 10 to 11 we heard the voice of one of the bosses saying hurry up jump on the vehicle to rescue one of your bosses has been attacked by the UPND cadres. That is how we got into two vehicles, the first one was green and the other one was white. We were told that to be alert where we were going because the group leader of the UPND was Chola. I and my friends knew Chola well because he was a former soldier and moved with a pistol,” he explained.
Simangolwa explained that upon arrival in Kaoma’s Site and Service they heard gun shots.

“We heard a sound of gunshots, so when we got closer Chola himself was coming on a motor bike with a pistol in the hand. He said you PF I am going to finish you up, that is how he fired a gun shot and that time we had already jumped out from the vehicle, when I looked back all my friends had scattered and ran away, the vehicle we used had driven away. He shot me on the leg, he shot me on the right side of my leg, I did not fall down, he started going backwards and started running. When he wanted to fire the other one, I pushed him and that is how he shot me again on my arm and he fell down and he fired while he was down in the air again,” he said.
He explained that Chola stood up and started to ran away again but that he held him on.

“That is how he stood up again and started ranning and I held him, he pointed a gun at me again, and he shot me on my shoulder and the bullet came out from the armpit. I held him on and hit him, the pistol fell down and it separated from the magazine. I pinned him in my wraps, and after that, that is when people who were nearby shouted that hold him that person has killed someone on the other side and that is how he was apprehended,” he said.

Simangolwa said among the people that apprehended Chola were police officers and the community.
He explained that he was later taken to Kaoma DistrictHospital before he was evacuated to Lusaka.
During cross examination, Simangolwa said Chola was the only who had a gun and the same gun that shot and killed UPND cadre Lawrence Banda was the same gun used to shoot at him three times.

He said he was a survivor of gunshooting in Kaoma but that he has not seen justice as Chola had been released.
“I have a complaint to make, I was shot at by Chola and he was the only one who had a gun in kaoma on that day. I head that he was at court but was later released. I don’t know the circumstances that led to his release as I was not called or appeared at any court that released him,” complained Simangolwa.

And the Mongu High Court Judge, Charles Zulu has set 30th March, 2023 as date for judgement.
Judge Zulu directed that the State makes submissions on the 16th December 2022, while the Defence makes theirs on the 22nd December 2022 and the State replies on the 29th December, 2022, judgement for the 30th March, 2023.
Phiri and Chilekwa remain in Prison as the matter they are facing is none bailable.

TWO FORMER SENIOR POLICE OFFICERS TESTIFY IN MUMBI PHIRI, SHEBBY CHILEKWA MURDER CASE

By New Dawn Reporter
TWO former senior police officers have told the Mongu High Court that only one gun belonging to UPND cadre, Chola Simwaba a former Zambia Army officer was retrieved from the 6th October, 2019 Kaoma shooting.

The two former police officers are Deputy Director Criminal Investigations Department, Simon Tembo and Director Criminal Investigations at Police Headquarters Michael Nsofwa.

Tembo who was senior assistant commissioner of police said he was sent to Kaoma by his supervisor to follow up the murder case of Lawrence Banda because the matter was not moving.

He explained to Court that he was also directed to constitute a team of officers from various departments with different expertise to be part of the travelling team to Kaoma to investigate the matter.

Tembo said when he arrived he went through the dockets and found that there were two dockets one for attempted murder whose suspect was a Chola (Simwaba) and the other one of murder of Lawrence Banda whose suspects were unknown people.

He explained that he was also briefed that the dealing officer in the matter who was DCIO of Kaoma Donald Mulimba had difficulties to get a report from a senior police officer in Mongu, identified as Chipasha, which led to the delay in the conclusion of investigations.

Tembo informed Court that when he traveled to Kaoma with his newly constituted team, he went to both scenes for reconstruction where he noted that the shooting was a continuous process.

When asked by Defence lawyer Jonas Zimba what he meant, Tembo said it was clear from the scenes that the same people who were found at the first scene were the same people at the second scene.

He also told Court that the same people who were at the first scene were the same people that apprehended Chola Simwaba and recovered a gun and cartridges.

Tembo said there was no any other second gun recovered from the Kaoma’s Site and Service killing of Lawrence Banda.

And former Director Criminal Investigations Micheal Nsofwa explained that the investigation were not properly done as they were rushed.

Nsofwa said he sent a different team to investigate the matter because officers in Mongu and Kaoma had challenges.

He said the docket for murder had unknown suspects, while for attempted murder the suspect who had already been apprehended by members of the public was a Chola.

Nsofwa said however, police was investigating (Francis) Muchemwa as he was the one being mentioned.

He said the Kaoma murder was engulfed in politics and alot of political commentaries were made on various social media platforms.

Nsofwa said when the video where former PF deputy secretary general Mumbi Phiri appeared on social media, stating that she saw what happened went viral, he instructed his officers led by Uyoya Simuzi to investigate the matter.

He said what disappointed him was the failure by the officers to bring in Phiri by giving an explanation that she was just politicking after they had an inquiry with her.

“My lord I was very disappointed when I sent my officers to Madam Mumbi, when they came Uyoya told me that after talking to her, she told them that she was just politicking, it was just politics. My lord if I were given an opportunity, I could have made her account for that statement,” he said.

When asked to state what he meant by that, Nsofwa said Mumbi Phiri should have been a state witness in the matter as investigations were ongoing towards Muchemwa.

So far six witness have testified.

This is in a matter in which Phiri and Chilekwa are facing one count of murder of UPND cadre Lawrence Banda in Kaoma on 6th October 2019, during the Kaoma Council Chairperson by-election.

(Former Director Criminal Investigations at Police Headquarters Michael Nsofwa at Mongu High Court yesterday. Picture by the New Dawn Newspaper)

DEPUTY SPEAKER MOYO SHOULD STEP DOWN

…. we need sanity in Parliament – Hon Mundubile

Lusaka…. Tuesday December 13, 2022 (Smart Eagles)

Leader of the opposition in Parliament Hon Brian Mundubile has called for the resignation of the Second Deputy Speaker.

Hon Mundubile bemoaned the way presiding officers have been handling Parliamentary proceedings.

The PF presidential hopeful said if the presiding officers would like to go into full time in participating in the debates, they can’t sit in the seat of the presiding officers.

He said when he and other PF MPs addressed the media today that presiding officers in Parliament should resign if they wish to debate in the manner MPs do.

The briefing followed a walkout out of parliament by MPs after the misconduct of the speaker in question.

“As members of Parliament we are not happy with the continued manner at which presiding offers have been handling business of the house. One of the most important functions of the presiding officer is to remain impartial as they handle matters of the house and that when you see presiding officers displaying lack of impartiality as we have seen this evening, it becomes very difficult to continue debating or participating in the business of the house,” he said.

“I believe that members of parliament that fell victim this evening at the hands of the presiding officers will be able to the specific matters that transpired in the house….We will not continue with the way the speaker and deputy speaker have been handling themselves. We are consulting with other party functionalities; we may soon be coming back to the media to demand for the resignation of that speaker because we will not allow that kind of conduct coming from the presiding officers.”

He said the manner in which presiding officers are handling the proceedings in Parliament is affecting Zambians negatively.

“People countrywide are glued to their TVs to try and see how their representatives are representing them in the house. It can’t take a single member in the house in the name of the presiding officer to go against elected members of parliament, mistreat them and he made them to be ridiculed on the floor of the house,” he said.

“The members of parliament sited here are all respected men and women, elected by the Zambian people. Everybody therefore, that has to preside over them has to firstly respect them. They cannot be respected in the manner that we are seeing now. So as members of Parliament we are saying no…The preliminary consultation so far indicate that we may need Hon Moyo, Second Deputy Speaker to resign his position as speaker so that we can have sanity back in the house.”

#SmartEagles2022

Press Statement | Mundubile Asks UPND To Halt Planned Degazetting Of Forests.

Lusaka – 14th December, 2022.

Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Hon. Brian Mundubile, says the new dawn administration’s plan to degazette some forests in the country amounts to policy inconsistency.

Mr. Mundubile, who is also a PF presidential candidate, said that degazetting forests is a backtrack on President Hakainde Hichilema’s environmental protection commitment, as he was among global leaders in November 2021 that signed the Glasgow Leaders Declaration on Forests to stop deforestation by 2030.

He said, Zambia signed and ratified the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) on October the 15th in 1994 and September the 19th in 1996 , respectively.

Mr. Mundubile stated that the UPND Government created the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment which gave people false hope that they would work vigorously to protect the environment.

He said the PF Government, even without the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment, invested heavily in tree planting.

He cited forest projects left by the PF Government as those in Shiwang’andu District, Kawambwa and most of Northern Province.

“All these efforts where done in a bid to replant trees especially that the areas in question were affected by deforestation,” he said.

Mr. Mundubile was concerned that the creation of the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment gave citizens an impression that the UPND would step up efforts in areas of regeneration.

“When you have the same Government degazetting the same forests, that is a sign of policy inconsistencies. We insist that they should rethink their position going forward,” he said.

Debating the Motion of Supply for his Ministry, Friday, Lands and Natural Resources Minister Elijah Muchima said there was need to de-gazette some of Zambia’s forests in order to accommodate the increasing population.

“UPND gave us challenges on Forest 27 which was legally degazzeted by 6th President Edgar Lungu forcing UPND to say they would demolish the houses but the language changed immediately they were in power,” he said.

Issued By:

Brian Hapunda,
Media Director,
Brian Mundubile PF Presidential Campaign Team.

You promised 3 decent meals a day, Greyford Monde reminds UPND

Lusaka, Wednesday, December 14, 2022 (The Mast)

I DON’T know who next they are going to point the finger at for their failures, Greyford Monde has mocked the ruling UPND.

The PF presidential hopeful charged that the UPND government will spend the first term in power blaming others for their failures.

He said it is extremely bad for the government to blame other countries for the wrongs going on in the country.

Monde said this when he featured on Muvi TV’s The Platform programme on Sunday.

“The whole five years will finish with them pointing fingers at the PF. For any wrong, PF! And now you have seen last week they started pointing fingers at neighbouring countries. I don’t want to mention names. I don’t want to be the one now promoting this undiplomatic trading with neighbouring countries,” he said.

“Because for you to start naming countries to say they are the ones who are wrong, that is very serious. It is actually recipe for mini fights between nations. So you can’t start doing that. No matter how much you feel stressed, there will always be an avenue for you as a country to go and sit down and negotiate. To say ‘look, we have got the following procedure to manage this water body or boarder’. Unlike bringing such media statements.”

Monde charged that it is hard to advise the UPND because they think “they are doing the perfect thing”.

He lamented the cost of living which he says has escalated under the watch of the UPND government.

“People ask why can’t you advise? How can you advise such people? You advise them they will tell you that what they are doing is perfect. So we will watch them, unfortunately the lives of the people are at stake,” Monde said.

“We are hearing from people and we are also affected…the price of fuel for example is very key to the process of the economy. And when fuel prices have gone up, the effects go on everything that you buy. Soap in the village, salt, bread, meat, cooking oil… so to access these goods out there in the village, out there in Batoka, you use transport and that in itself kills it all.”

Monde said if government failed to find avenues or ways to raise resources for its people, “it will be dangerous for them to immediately cut subsidies especially on fuel”.

“You can’t just terminate without having to consider,” he said.

Monde noted that prices of commodities are going up while people’s wages are static.

“So you have people stressing over this. Rentals are going up, all the commodities are going up, salaries are still static. And you want to say ‘no we are a prudent government’ and that we are not going to subsidise for our people. No government in this world does not subsidise for its people especially on critical items that drive the economy,” he said.

“What we need to do or what we needed to do as a country and I am glad UPND talked about this so much and I hope they are going to do… Every country, there are three things involved. One, it’s people. The human resource, which Zambia has, the natural resource that Zambia has and the policies around its people and around natural resources. When you put this together, the country will thrive economically. But in this country you can say that it’s a way of political fights and the usual talking where you know that this is not holding.”

Monde stressed the need for the private sector to be strengthened so that more job opportunities are created.

“The economy right now is so bad. There is no buying power. Because of the bad economy, no money in circulation. Things are not happening. Jobs are not there. And when I am saying jobs someone is saying ‘what is Monde talking about? We have employed 40,000’. That is not enough. The public sector cannot employ more than the private sector. You can imagine a strong private sector, what it will do. If citizens are empowered and they have the capacity, each one of them will employ two, three people in a barbershop, in a salon. All of these put together it will be hundreds of thousands people working,” said Monde.

“We need to create a strong economy through the private sector. The economy is so bad right now. There is no hope. People are literally living on one meal. They are planning their meals. They eat at 14:00 hours, the next meal will come the following day. The rest they look for mangoes, look for masuku because it’s the season now. You can’t do that to your people and you promised three meals. You promised three meals, decent meals. Are people having those meals? No.”

TANZANIA AND ZAMBIA OUTLINE PLAN TO REVIVE TAZAMA PIPELINE

Tanzania and Zambia have agreed to beef up security along their common oil pipeline as they finalise plans for the facility to start transporting refined petroleum products.

The Tanzania Zambia Mafuta (Tazama) pipeline transported crude petroleum products from Dar es Salaam to Zambia, where they were processed at the Indeni Refinery in Ndola, Zambia.

However, as part of President Hakainde Hichilema’s reform plan, the government ceased importing crude feedstock and instead switched to refined imported petroleum products.The country began importing refined petroleum products through Dar es Salaam, Mozambique, South Africa, and Namibia, thereby rendering the Tazama pipeline obsolete.

In a new effort to up Zambia’s fuel imports via Dar es Salaam, the two countries have devised a plan that will see the 1,710-kilometre Tazama pipeline handling diesel.

In preparation for the exercise, Tanzania’s Energy minister January Makamba held talks with his Zambian counterpart Peter Kapala, Zambia’s Defence minister Ambrose Lufuma and Permanent Secretaries for the two ministries from both countries in Dar es Salaam where they agreed to beef up security along the pipeline before it starts transporting diesel.

The chairman of the two-day meeting and Tanzania’s Energy minister, Mr Makamba, said that they had agreed on several issues in their effort to improve security along the pipeline.

“I thank my friend, Mr Makamba on this. It’s a new and positive development that Zambia will get its diesel through the Tazama pipeline as opposed to the usual crude petroleum products. This is not a small achievement,” he said.

Mr Kapala said Zambian authorities would return to Tanzania on a later day and sign an agreement on how Zambia could get natural gas from its neighbour.

“We expect to get into another agreement with Tanzania on natural gas and we seek to start building a natural gas pipeline next year. The aim is to ensure that Zambia gets natural gas from Tanzania,” he said.

According to Mr Lufuma, the meeting sought to ensure that there was enough security along the Tazama Pipeline, adding that the meeting was fruitful.The challenges include sensitizing locals near the pipeline to the need to protect it, increasing the number of security officers along the pipeline, and utilising drones to properly patrol the facility.

The ministers also agreed to form a joint committee of ministers and permanent secretaries who will make a close follow-up on the recommendations so that actual implementation can start within a period of 45 days.

“Basically, when you use the pipeline to transport diesel, you must first boost security because some unscrupulous individuals may want to play dirty tricks by tampering with it [the pipeline] and steal the product [fuel]. It is not the same as transporting crude oil which no one can do anything with it until it gets refined,” he said.

He said the Zambian government has made a wise decision to start transporting diesel via the Tazama Pipeline. This, he said, ensures that despite the ongoing reforms in Zambia, Tanzania will remain one of the gateways for fuel to reach Zambia.

“So basically, the decision will reach today will ensure that Zambia continues to get its diesel via the Dar es Salaam port and that the product must safely reach the neighbouring country,” he said.

In his remarks, Mr Kapala termed the meeting as a historic one, adding that they have agreed on the best ways to boost security along the Tazama Pipeline.

CIC PRESS TEAM

MILES SAMPA GOES FOR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Moyo Is A Fraud; He Is Behaving More UPND Than Its Cadres

…. He Benefited From Road Contracts & Is One Of The Few Still Not Canceled

Matero MP Miles Sampa writes ✍️

DEPUTY SPEAKER MOSES MOYO

So imagine the Referee at the Qatar World Cup telling Cristian Ronaldo that he can’t score goals and is beginning to finish. Then Ronaldo responds that actually the Referee himself finished a long time in his home country (Luangeni Constituency home of Paramount Chief Mpezeni that was complaining that his MP (the deputy Speaker Moyo) has never been seen since last general elections in 2021.

The Referee then ordered the Sergent at Arms to ‘lift me by air’ out of Parliament. Shame on him downgrading to partisan politics the Honourable seat of deputy Soeaker inside our Parliament.

Incidentally this is the man that was PF entire last 10 year period in government and got huge road contracts for the entire Eastern Province. He got huge advance payments such that when he was not adopted by PF in Chipata district, he stood as independent. He splashed all the cash duped from road contracts onto the villages of Luangeni constituencies and won.

Today he is despising same PF and same former President ECL that gave the platform to make billions of cash from public coffers. All his peers in the road contracts countrywide have been cancelled but his still running and he is still milking the public funds.

His predecessors as deputy Speakers even if they may have been supported the government of the day, they did not expose themselves. They behaved or seen to behave as referees. The other deputy Speaker Madam Atractor Chisangano and despite being a former UPND MP, she tries hard to be impartial as a referee inside the House.

Ba Moyo bena bamwisa ku UPND, ni Muzungu anikonde nensoni iyoo. As an Independent MP and former PF member to the 2021 adoption day, his conduct as deputy Speaker is more of a UPND cadre without shame when he at minimum, should pretend to be a non partisan deputy Speaker(Referee).

I am travelling to Chipata mailo to go complain to Paramount Chief Mpezeni on the unbecoming behavior of one of his subjects and home MP that he has not seen since last general elections.

Miles B. Sampa, MP
Tuesday 13th December,2022

Why ZCCM-IH Royalty deal with FQM is not in Zambia’s…
By Kalima Nkonde

There has been a hot debate regarding the transaction that Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines investment Holding Limited (ZCCM-IH) and the holding company of Kansanshi Mines Plc (KMP), First Quantum Minerals (FQM) have agreed to. In view of the fact that the transaction is yet to be approved by regulators and voted on by Shareholders of ZCCM-IH at an Extraordinary General Meeting due next January, 2023, it is only fair that both sides of the arguments are presented to stakeholders so that they make informed decisions. The government, through the Finance Minister, has put its argument in favour of the deal. I am putting across an alternative argument against the deal. This is a professional opinion, meant to be an education piece, given the technical nature of the transaction, and not necessarily a critique of the government.

I am not privy to the details that the Parties to the transaction have agreed to. However, on the basis of the publicly available information through the cautionary statements made by FQM in Toronto, Canada and ZCCM-IH in Lusaka on 1st December,2022, as well as the Press briefing held by the Minister of Finance and Development Planning on 6th December,2022, it is possible to make an informed opinion. And this is what this article intends to do.

ZCCM-IH’S CURRENT STATUS IN KANSASHI MINE PLC
ZCCM-IH currently holds 20% of ordinary shares in Kansanshi Mines PLC (KMP) and therefore, it is a co-owner of the company, albeit as a minority shareholder. This status confers on it significant influence in the company. In terms of it’s the expected return from its investment, ZCCM- IH is entitled to two components: dividends and capital gain (through the increase in the value of its shares). In addition, as a minority shareholder, ZCCM-IH’s rights are protected by the Companies Act. It also enjoys the right to sue the company and its directors if they not carrying out their stewardship functions properly or if they infringe upon its rights. KMP’s growth prospects are very bright due to the expected electric car revolution and so the retention of ordinary shareholding, and thus ownership is not only persuasive but smart and prudent. Any financial advisor giving contrary advice to their client, will be looked at with askance. The proposed transaction is going to substantially change ZCCM-IH status in KMP.

NATURE OF PROPOSED THE TRANSACTION
ZCCM –IH, in its transaction announcement regarding Kansanshi Mines Plc, stated the following: “The Board wishes to inform the shareholders (“Shareholders”) of ZCCM Investments Holdings Plc (“ZCCM-IH” or “the Company”), and the market that, ZCCM-IH has entered into a transaction with First Quantum Minerals (“FQM”) whereby the Company will convert its dividend rights and economic value in its 20 percent equity in Kansanshi Mining Plc (”KMP”) into a life of mine royalty (the “Transaction”). The grant of a life of mine royalty (the “Royalty”) to ZCCM-IH in respect of 3.1 per cent of the gross value of Royalty products to be extracted from the KMP mine pursuant to a Royalty Agreement to be executed on the Transaction closing date.”

This announcement has two components that need to be considered, in order for one to make a proper determination as to whether it is in the best interests of the ZCCM-IH and Zambia as a whole, given that the company belongs to the 20 million Zambians. The first relates to the change in the income stream for ZCCM-IH from dividends to royalty. And the second relates to the ownership of the company as it relates to the 20% Ordinary shares that ZCCM- IH currently holds.
During the recently held press conference in defence of the deal, the Government through the Finance Minister, Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane was selling the transaction to the public as a mere change of the revenue model, from the dividend model to the Royalty model.

“The transaction that was announced, aims at converting the current ZCCM-IH dividend rights in Kansanshi Mining Plc into royalty rights. Unlike the dividend revenue model, the royalty revenue are more predictable, guaranteed and consistent. The right to receive quarterly Royalty payments will ensure that ZCCM-IH is guaranteed a predictable and regular revenue stream over the life of mine of Kansanshi Mining

“When we assess the dividend model performance from 2009-2021, ZCCM-IH received a total US $337 million. You may wish to note that no amount was received in form of dividends in 2016 and 2017 as no dividend was declared. However, if the royalty model was in place during the same period, ZCCM-IH could have received a total of US $671 million. Our future projections indicate that just over a 9-year period, royalty receipts will amount to US $625 million which is significantly higher than the amounts received in the last 14 years,” Dr. Musokotwane argued.

The above pitch is very attractive, persuasive, and a no brainer to a lay person. However, the Finance Minister’s justification of the royalty model as per above statement, has been criticized by many experts, because it was not giving a full picture of the transaction. It was rather cheery picking the benefits of transaction, and leaving out the immense disadvantages of the transaction in the long term.

“Dividends are not the only reason that drive prudent investors. Asset growth is even more paramount. And most importantly, if the revenue model is as lucrative as the Minister puts it, why is FQM as a major shareholder not adopting the same model? But instead wants to become a 100% beneficiary of Dividends that are supposedly not as lucrative,” Bruce Mumba wrote in his analysis of the transaction in the on line publication Zambian Eye of December 7, 2022.

It should also be noted that the figures that are being quoted by the Finance minister, and in those of ZCCM-IH cautionary statement, can easily be contested as exaggerated, if one was to dig deeper and analyse the financial statements of the entities involved.

“ZCCM IH claims KMP will make a dividend declaration of US$975million to which they will receive US$195million in proportion to the shareholding of 20%. This is brilliant but sounds too good to be true. As I earlier indicated, my review of the FQM consolidated financial statements show that in 2021, Kansanshi Mining Plc posted a gross profit of US$969million and US$464million in 2020. Now, this profit is before KMP covers all its operating costs, loan interest charges and taxes, dividends are by law and corporate practice declared and paid out of the profits generated by the company, which by my rough estimate stands at around US$822million. This leaves only US$147million for distribution as dividends and that is if the Board resolves to pay all profits generated as dividends. Highly unlikely,” Charles Mwewa, a financial analyst wrote in his article on the deal on Lusaka Times.

Furthermore, the deal itself cannot be fully relied on to materialize in the same positive way that it is being projected. There are potential risks. FQM itself, has issued a disclaimer or caveat on the transaction in its statement in Toronto, Canada on the transaction of Kansanshi Mines Plc.

“Certain statements and information herein, including all statements that are not historical facts, contain forward-looking statements and forward looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. The Company undertakes no obligation to reissue or update forward looking statements or information as a result of new information or events after the date hereof except as may be required by law,” Statement issue by FQM on 1st December,2022 states.

The second component of the transaction, which is even more important to the Zambian people, is the fate of the 20% of ordinary shares that ZCCM-IH has in KMP. This has been greatly underplayed for some unknown reason. I will attempt to unpack and unravel this, based on the publicly available information.

It is vitally important to first appreciate that the objective of Zambia’s acquisition of minority interests in mining houses like 20% ordinary shares in KMP was STRATEGIC. It is, therefore, rather simplistic to reduce the debate of the current transaction to just being a FINANCIAL one. There are many intangibles that are involved that need to be considered. The ZCCM-IH is not a private company, but rather a public company, owned by Zambians whose interests are beyond dividends or royalties.

In order to fully understand the fate of the 20%, there is a need to refer to the statements on the transaction issued by both ZCCM-IH in a cautionary statement in Lusaka to its shareholders, and First Quantum Mines (FQM)’s news release in Toronto Canada on 1st December 2022.

“At closing ZCCM-IH will de-recognise its equity stake in KMP as an investment in associate and recognise the acquired Royalty as a financial asset.

“The forward-looking statements in this news release include statements as to the anticipated conversion of ZCCM-IH’s ordinary shares into preference shares.

“The varied rights attached to the ZCCM-IH Class A shares in KMP will be amended and prescribed in the amended KMP Articles of Association (“New KMP Articles”) to be adopted at Closing.

“Post transaction, the economic value of ZCCM-IH’s 20% equity stake in KMP will be realised through the VAT refunds.

“Pursuant to the New KMP Articles and the Termination Agreement between KHL, KMP and ZCCM-IH relating to the termination of rights and obligations under the KMP Shareholders Agreement,” the ZCCM-IH and FQM statements have clearly spell out the nature of the transaction.

Although the above statements are couched in some financial engineering language and legal jargon, the net effect of all the above is that, as part of the process of this transaction, ZCCM-IH is most likely to lose ownership of 20% Ordinary Shares in KMP by way of conversion of the same into preference shares are almost equivalent to being a creditor of the company. The likely result will be FQM becoming a 100% owner of Kansanshi Mines PLC. ZCCM- IH will cease to be a partial owner of the Kansanshi Mine. This transaction is simply PRIVATIZATION in disguise. The term privatisation has been avoided because of being toxic in the Zambian environment. This should not come as a surprise because in February 2019, Mining Technology and Lusaka Times, quoted Bloomberg as having reported that FQM had offered the Zambian government to acquire the remaining 20% stake in Kansanshi Mine Plc for as much as $700 Million.

The assured winner in this deal will be First Quantum Minerals. There are numerous benefits to accrue to FQM. But the obvious one is the freedom for them to make any decision and take any action without any encumbrances. The suit by ZCCM-IH of FQM in the Lusaka High Court on October 28, 2016, must be fresh in the minds of owners and directors of the FQM group. In the said suit, ZCCM-IH was claiming up to $ 1.4 billion from FQM Ltd, accusing it of fraud. They alleged that on several occasions, FQM fraudulently engaged in transactions totalling in excess of $2 billion for the benefit of the FQM Group, which was detrimental to ZCCM-IH’s interests and those of the nation. The ZCCM-claims included $228million in interest on $2.3 billion of loans that ZCCM-IH claimed FQM wrongly borrowed from Kansanshi Copper mine and used the money as cheap finance for other operations as well as 20 percent of the principal amount, or $570 million.

WHY ROYALTY TRANSACTION DEAL IS BAD FOR ZAMBIA
There is a general feeling by the public that the proposed deal is not in Zambia’s best interests. The first important point why the deal is bad for Zambia is purely from the prudent investment point of view. It is a known fact that KMP’s future growth prospects are bright given the electric car revolution and the growth in the green economy. The expectation is that both dividend payments and the value of shares will exponentially increase. And it flawed decision making for ZCCM-IH to use past records as basis of the divestment/ swapping of ordinary shares with preference shares. ZCCM-IH stands to lose out from the expected success. The past 30 years of experience by Zambians have concluded that wholesome privatisation of mines has not benefited them, but only foreigners and a few individual Zambians. There has been, therefore, an outcry and clamour for increasing the country’s shareholding interests to significant levels in mining houses without necessarily having controlling interests. The current deal is going in the opposite direction and against public opinion.

The second downside of the proposed transaction is that the deal will give FQM 100% ownership of KMP and a carte blanche to make decisions which are not necessarily in the best interests of the country. The level of animosity against the transaction is reflected in the number of News diggers Opinions issued this month-December, 2022 on the transaction. There are also Zambians who have written negatively about it.The outcry must have forced the Minister of Finance to hold a very unconvincing press conference to justify the deal. Newspaper has been at the forefront of criticising the deal.

“As we have said in our earlier editorial comments, this trouble that the UPND government has plunged itself in is a result of failure to consult. The shares that ZCCM-IH holds in the mining companies are held in trust for the people of Zambia. The President and those around him need to distinguish personal property and government assets. When dealing with state assets, you ask the people first before acting,” the News Diggers Newspaper advised in one of its several editorial opinions on the transaction.

“Surely in whose best interest in this deal? Why can’t the other owners of the same mine also go into such type of arrangement with government to say ‘for our 80 per cent shareholding we are going to be getting this much. Why should they push it to us? For me I think this should have been taken to Parliament for debate. A lot of economic jargon is being used to confuse the population and posterity will judge us harshly. The generation of Dr. Kenneth Kaunda are turning in their graves because we have been unable to harness anything from the Mining Industry,” Dr. Lubinda Haabazoka, an economist, lamented in an interview with the Mast Newspaper on the transaction.

There is also a body of opinion in Zambia which feels that in order for us to reduce the risk of being cheated by Mining houses, the country should be diversifying its income streams and not reducing them. The argument is that we should be ensuring that we gain income from taxes, dividends, royalties by government as custodians of minerals as well as capital gains from capital growth of shares. This transaction is going against all this. We should also be at the decision making table. This is what smart countries like China, Batswana and Tanzanian have done.

CONCLUSION
There are lot of intangible and indirect benefits that flow from government or its agencies in having part ownership of shares in Multinational Enterprises (MNEs). The deterrent effects on opaque deals is a very compelling argument. And in order to make a proper decision, government should consider further analysis of the deal so that the implications of the transaction on the following: loss of value in capital gains on ordinary shares, taxation and possible loss tax revenue to government, illicit financial flows, transfer pricing risks, foreign exchange, corporate governance, national security and other intangibles are taken into account. A helicopter view of the transaction is required, rather than the current silo approach of just looking at revenue models.

This transaction has far reaching implications for Zambia. It should be noted that once the deal is signed, it is irreversible. We should learn from the harm that the development agreements we signed some decades have done to our economy. The best way forward is for the deal to be shelved for further debate and consultations. There is no need to rush the deal because it is not a matter of life and death. FQM and the mining houses have already been given so many incentives already by government. //END

3.1% ZCCM –IH Revenue Royalty Model with Kansashi Copper Mine is a good deal for Zambia – Lumba

December 13, 2022

LUSAKA – A Local Economist has dispelled assertions that the ZCCM -IH sold its 20 percent shareholding in the First Quantum Mine owned Kansashi Copper mine of Solwezi and advised Zambians to avoid politicizing matters bordering on national wealth creation.

Watson Lumba says it is unfortunate that Zambians are finding comfort in politicizing everything and anything, a trait he added has a potential to plunge the nation into a crisis especially when it borders on the economy and wealth creation.

Mr Lumba who was speaking when he guest appeared on today’s Let the People Talk show on Radio Phoenix said there is no way ZCCM IH could sell its shares and still remain on the board with voting rights adding that people must stop politicizing good policies.

He said the decision by ZCCM –IH to forgo its dividend royalty in preference for the revenue royalty model of 3.1% is a good move and allows the investment holdings which only has 20% holding in the mine to receive its share regardless of the status of the mining company instead of waiting for profit dividends which are not guaranteed.

“It is not true to say ZCCM –IH has sold its interest in the mine. What is true however is that the investment holdings still have a stake in the mine. It will receive its money which will be calculated according to sales and not profits as is the case with dividends. Mind you, ZCCM –IH with its 20% shareholding in the mine had very little say despite having voting rights as the other shareholders have more than 50 +1 % giving them the ultimate decision making power. But under the new model, whatever decisions the majority shareholders make will not affect ZCCM –IH and its money as it is guaranteed through sales,” he explained.

He said the revenue royalties will ensure the stability of revenue inflow into ZCCM IH coffers because it is based on the gross value of production as opposed to dividends which are centered on profit and added that the production value is less volatile than the profit value because of the cost element in the latter and the fluidity of the dividend policy that is at play.

Mr. Lumba further disputed assertions from especially members of the opposition that government and the people stand to lose under the revenue royalty despite being the owners of the mine.

“Let us separate the two. Government on behalf of the people of Zambia owns the land and the minerals underneath the land but is not engaged into any form of production and does not incur any costs. Because of that, the government is getting the mineral royalty tax by virtue of it owning the land and minerals underneath. Then we have ZCCM –IH which sits as a shareholder on the board with voting rights but with no or less power to change any decision”.

“Under this arrangement, ZCCM –IH was only told what the major shareholders had planned to do with the profits and could do nothing other than take the company to court if not satisfied with the majority decision which was a cost on both entities. But under the revenue royalty model, ZCCM –IH will get its money according to the sales and will not be bothered by any investment decisions by the majority shareholder. The more they invest, the better for ZCCM –IH as it is assured of increase in returns on its 3.1% royalty. This is a good deal. Let us just not politicize economic policies as that will affect the growth of our economy,” he added.

(C) THE FALCON

2021 GENERAL ELECTION WAS SUCCESSFULLY HELD – ECZ

December 13th, 2022

LUSAKA – The Electoral Commission of Zambia says the 2021 General Election was successfully held amidst the Pandemic by ensuring that all activities were conducted according to the health guidelines put in place by the Ministry of Health.

Speaking today during the 2021 General Election Review Report at Mulungushi International Conference Centre, ECZ Vice Chairperson Ali Simwinga said the commission undertook a very comprehensive review of the 2021 General Election throughout the country in order to appreciate and learn from the stakeholders the experiences in the conduct of the various activities.

In its report presented by the Commission’s Director of Operations, the commission highlighted violence and the use of hate speech among others during campaign activities in Lusaka and selected parts of the country as well as the application of the Public Order Act (POA) as some of the major challenges faced.

‘’For the first time in the democratic history of the country, persons in correctional facilities were able to vote in the General Election. This was pursuant to the Constitutional Court ruling of 2017 that persons in lawful custody and those whose freedom of movement is restricted under a written law can register as voters and vote in an election.”

On Delimitation, the Commission reported that it conducted the exercise countrywide resulting in an increase of polling districts from 7,700 to 8,999 while 93 polling stations were created in correctional facilities countrywide resulting in an increase of polling stations from 8,999 to 12,152.

The Commission revealed that it enhanced its voter registration processes by the introduction of online voter pre-registration and biometric capturing capabilities resulting in a total of 7,023,499 registered as voters of which 3,751,040 were females and 3,272,459 were males against the total target of 8,414,840 eligible voters, representing 83.5%.

And ECZ Commissioner Ndiyoyi Mutiti commended stakeholders such as the civil society, media and political parties for the feedback and assured them that their concerns will be taken on board as the country aspires for an electoral process that meets the needs and aspirations of the Zambian people and that successful and credible elections are a bedrock of a democratic governance system.

The review was attended by several stakeholders with Secretary General Batuke Imenda leading the UPND delegation.

(C) THE FALCON

Kasebamashila Kaseba
TO SAY HE POISONED HIMSELF WITH VIAGRA IS LEGAL WHEREAS TO SAY HE WAS BY POISONED ANOTHER POISON BY OTHER PEOPLE IS CRIMINAL TO WARRANT POLICE SUMMONS

— when Police could just re-publish the cause of death to the public, it is issuing threats to the public just as when the Police needed to reward or bounty the public for arrest of Lusaka abductors it issued threats to the public —

Which law is Zambia Police Inspector General using or abusing to summon citizens who allege Tutwa Ngulube was poisoned?

Why didn’t Zambia Police Inspector General just summon the first person to he allege he was poisoned than sound a public warning and dateline to the subsequent allegations?

Or if his death is private to the family, as the Police IG said and the Police is public, why and how is the Police get involved in a private family or political matter?

Otherwise, Section 67 of Penal Code, “Publication of false news with intent to cause fear and alarm to the public” was on 4th December, 2014 expunged by The High Court Judge Chali as “invalid and unconstitutional”

HH, in 2022, was publicly Police arrested, with Kajoba still serving, for false information.

He was also in court when Section 67 of the Penal Code, on the charge of PF training a militia in Sudan.

Thus, he was saved by the McDonald Chipenzi and Daily Nation’s High Court judgement.

“I find and hold that Section 67 does not fit under Article 20 (3) of the Constitution. It goes beyond what is permissible under that clause. I, therefore, find that Section 67 does not pass the test of being reasonably justifiable in a democratic society.

“Accordingly, a prosecution based on Section 67 of the Penal Code is itself inconsistent with the constitutional guarantee and equally invalid. Leave to appeal is granted,” Mr Justice Chali said.

Today, HH, through and with the Police IG, is the one seemingly abusing this law of false information including defamation of the President that the UPND, HH, Cabinet and Zambia Law Development Commission (ZLDC) recommended for repeal since 2011.

PF UPSET THAT GOVT HAS TERMINATED OVER 190 FEEDER ROAD CONTRACTS AWARDED GIVEN TO ITS ( PF) CADRES

By Mabvuto Mtonga

The government has with immediate effect terminated 199 poorly-performing feeder road contracts totalling 7,685.95 kilometres that were procured by the PF regime at a whooping K10.4 billion.

According to a spreadsheet indicating the terminated road contracts and the contractors involved, K2, 942, 800, 537.41 was already paid out on these poorly-performing feeder road contracts out of the K10.4 billion.

Among the contractors who have been affected by this mass termination of road contracts, include Chipangali PF member of parliament, Andrew Lubusha, whose Andrich Freights Company Ltd features prominently on the list.

On one contract awarded to Lubusha, a former Eastern Province PF chairperson, on May 15, 2020, was contracted to rehabilitate the 49-kilometre Chong to Chifumbo via Chinunda to Msoro Road at a cost of over K47 million.

For attaining a 64 percent progression rate, Lubusha was paid K26,702,935.21 after the works were certified. Lubusha has several other contracts in several parts of the country for which he was paid millions of Kwacha despite performing poorly.

Also making the list is Bangweulu PF member of parliament Chanda Katotobwe’s Tomorrow Investments, not new to such terminations as president Levy Mwanawasa blacklisted this company in 2007 for corrupt dealings.

But among many other such contracts, the PF regime on April 2, 2018 awarded Tomorrow Investments a contract for the periodic maintenance of the 17 kilometres Chamasongwe School Road in Chipata, Eastern Province.

Despite the contractor’s vivid poor performance on the project which was awarded at a cost of over K30 million, Katotobwe was paid K30,157,374.55 after the works were certified.

The list of contractors affected by the termination of these feeder road contracts, further includes Middlecreet Civil Contractors, Oastermans Agencies, Jonda Contractors, Beng Wave Investments Ltd, Shachitari Contractors, Dan Prod General Dealers, Kapomu General Dealers, NAB Africa Enterprises, Teviem Enterprises.

Others are Norwood Enterprises Ltd, Infasim Contractors, Northrise Engineering, DWA Zambia Ltd, Mount Olive, Ziluchi Investments Ltd, Mitcho Technical Works, Jermha Investments Ltd, Vineline Investments, Suppworks (Z) Ltd, Skylink, Pineware Enterprises, Skadi Investments, and Oak Build (Z) Ltd.

Further, the other affected contractors are CCICC, Rapid Foster Investments, Exoline Investments Ltd, Midrands Business Systems, Kabju Construction, Dreamlight Enterprises, Lusemuk, G.M. Enterprises, Vichili Vikwiza Trading Co., and Nsochita General Contractors, among others.-Koswe

Cancellation of contracts is reckless – GBM

…the action attracts costly litigations and endangers service delivery

Lusaka, 13.12.2022

Aspiring candidate for the position of president of the Patriotic Front, PF, Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba, GBM, says the decision by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development is reckless as it attracts costly litigation and endangers service delivery.

Mr. Mwamba says the decision to terminate 197 feeder road contracts across the country is reckless as it has endangered the financial position of the companies involved, caused financial difficulties in families of employees, and may result in taxpayers losing huge sums of public funds in litigation.

He adds that the delivery of strategic services and goods such as farming inputs is threatened as feeder roads are critical in their distribution.

“The distribution of farming inputs has been chaotic and over one million Zambians are facing food shortages and yet the government of President Hichilema can go ahead and cancel vital contracts at a time such as this, what kind of reasoning and leadership are these”, Mr. Mwamba asks.

The former Kasama central constituency lawmaker has questioned President Hichilema’s competency to govern saying, “Due to the recklessness of his government, taxpayers are now going to pay Honey Bee millions of dollars for falsely accusing the firm of supplying expired drugs and defective condoms”.

Bruised by that decision, Mr. Mwamba says President Hichilema is desperately looking for points to score in the corruption fight. In addition, the veteran politician says his politically motivated corruption fight is stalling in the courts of law.

In the end, Mr. Mwamba says it is the innocent Zambians that voted for him believing that he was able to deliver on his election promises that are paying the price of his incompetence.

Mr. Mwamba, who is also the current chairperson of the central committee of the PF in charge of mobilization, has called on Members of Parliament to demand a Ministerial statement on how much the UPND government has already spent on awards and compensations arising from lawsuits that can be linked to poor government decisions.

“This way, the Zambian people will see how much incompetence is costing them and whether this is the kind of leadership they want to retain beyond 2026”, Mr. Mwamba says.

ZESCO MUST DISCLOSE ALL ITS CURRENT POWER EXPORTS TO NEIGHBOURING STATES

“Government invested in generation of power beyond Kariba Hydro Power Station and can sustain power supply to the country without loadshedding if it only cut its current exports”

Lusaka- Tuesday, 13th December 2022

Government and ZESCO Ltd must disclose to Zambians the current electricity being exported to the region.

Patriotic Front Presidential Candidate, Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba has demanded full disclosure as ZESCO embarks on six-hour load-shedding of power to residential and industrial customers beginning on 15th December 2022.

Energy Minister, Hon. Peter Kapala confirmed to Parliament that Zesco power load shedding programme will start on 15th December 2022 owing to the low-levels of water in the Kariba Dam.

Mr. Mwamba however said, the investment done in the last 10 years demonstrated that the country has enough power to avoid load-shedding even in the light of low-water levels in Kariba Lake.
Kariba Hydro Power station has a combined generation of 1,110 megawatts.

He said the Patriotic Front Government invested in power generation capacity in the last 10years that raised the country’s installed capacity of power from 2,000 megawatts to 3,456 megawatts.

He said this installed capacity was against a peak national demand of approximately 2,300 megawatts

He said it was in this light that the country could achieve an excess of 1,156 megawatts and therefore export it.

He said it was therefore absurd to impose the penalty of load-shedding when the country will still produce more than its peak demand even after reducing generation of power at Kariba Dam.

He said PF Government invested in Itezhi-Itezhi Hydro power station, Lunzua, Chishimba, Musonda Falls, Lusiwasi and Kafue Gorge Lower, and the loadshedding was therefore being done to meet power exports contracts and commitments.
Zambia was exporting to the Southern Africa Power Pool(SAPP) and at bilateral level to Namibia, Tanzania, DRC, South Africa, Malawi and Bostwana.

Amb. Mwamba also called on Minister of Energy Hon. Peter Kapala to abolish lucrative conditions of service and creating of top-heavy executive positions by ZESCO Managing Director who has given himself new conditions of services and upgraded all senior positions.

He wondered where the IDC and Ministry of Energy to allow the excessive abuse of power and unmitigated looting going on at ZESCO.

Amb. Mwamba said this is contrary to the recent recommendations by the Cost of Service Study and Government’s own Green Paper responding to measures to be done at ZESCO.

He said ZESCO was debt-laden and required effective debt management, efficiency in revenue management and an aggressive cost optimisation which should reduce operating costs throughout the entire value chain.

He said he was therefore shocked to learn that Management at ZESCO had given itself ridiculous luxurious conditions of service and created new management positions despite the dire financial status of ZESCO and against the recommendations of the Cost of Service Study.

Mr. Mwamba also called on ZESCO to renegotiate its expensive agreements with Independent Power Producers such as Maamba Power, Lunsemfwa, Bangweulu Solar and others where ZESCO was paying in excess of $40million per month an amount which was not sustainable.

Amb. Mwamba also appealed to Government to disclose details of the new Bulk Supply Agreement between ZESCO and Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) as some shareholders are linked to government leaders.

Mr. Mwamba was speaking on his podcast; The Brief on the topic Load-shedding, is it necessary?

Miles Sampa
FQM MERCENARY SHAREHOLDERS AND KANSANSHI MINE BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD BE ARRESTED FOR THE $750M THEY STOLE FROM ZAMBIA 🇿🇲

The recent revelations that Kansanshi mine in Zambia paid $750M to its parent company FQM based and listed in Canada 🇨🇦 without compliance to Zambia’s companies acts is criminal and jailable offense for all involved or facilitated the transaction.

Kansanshi Mine is co owned by the Zambian Government (ZCCM-IH) and a private international shareholder First Quantum Minerals ( FQM ). Kansanshi Mine is a registered company in Zambia and falls under all guidelines and legislation that governs all PACRA certified business bodies or institutions. Companies are run via standard articles of association and one universal stipulation is that any funds pay outs of huge sums has to be agreed and approved by shareholders of the particular company.

Kansanshi Mine paid $750M to one of its shareholders FQM without approval of the other shareholder ZCCM-IH (Zambian Government). Essentially FQM stole the money from the company called Kansanshi mine. The big question is ; what was Kansanshi Mine paying $750M to FQM for? What service or product did FQM avail Kansanshi to warrant the big payment?
I can guess however. It was for ‘consultancy’ rendered or it was a ‘refund’ for a ‘loan’ from the shareholder FQM. A fictitious loan that is.

The reality is that the $750M was surplus in the books of Kansanshi mines but FQM did not want it called profit because then it would have meant declaring dividends. This would have meant sharing the $750M with the other shareholder called Zambia 🇿🇲 and on whose underground soils the copper and gold that was sold is mined from.

During the slavery Cecil Rhodes era around 1889, the copper and gold would just be grabbed by force and Africans even made to carry it to the coast for shipping to Europe, USA and Canada. After political independence post 1964, the copper and gold is still stolen except now via clever and smarter ways called transfer pricing. Dupe Africa and Zambian 🇿🇲 government through trickery book keeping methods that sees money siphoned from local registered mine companies to their offshore pockets.

There are various jurisprudence cases in the courts archives in Zambia 🇿🇲 where Zambians have been jailed because as CEO or shareholders of own companies they formed, were found to have acted against the Zambia companies act. Here are board members and private shareholders of Kansanshi Mine based in Zambia still basking in freedom locally enjoying fruits of the $750M they paid out of Kansanshi mine in Solwezi without following regulations of Zambia’s company laws.

Guess the company act only applies to SME companies owned by Zambians and not large international companies registered and operating in Zambia. This is what Julius Malema constantly refers to as modern imperialism facilitated by our own governments.

Anti Corruption Commision (ACC), Drug Enforcement Commision (DEC) and the Zambia Police 👮‍♀️ (ZP) will hardly take interest in the FQM theft of $750M from a company in Zambia called Kansanshi Mine. Had it been a Bwalya & Sons company whose owner helped himself with just K7,500 from the company for christmas holiday in Samfya, they would have already taken him to Chimbokaila remand prison.
Shame on us Africans.

Miles B. Sampa, MP
December 13, 2022