PF MADE A LOT OF MISTAKES – ANTONIO MWANZA

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) Party Media Director Antonio Mwanza has admitted that the PF Party made a lot of mistakes, no wonder they lost power and are now in opposition.

Speaking today morning on Hot FM’s hot seat radio program, Mr Mwanza said the PF Party had degenerated into a grouping of corruption and violence.

“We regret our numerous mistakes. Going by how corrupt, selfish and brutal we as a Party had become, there was no way Zambian’s could have kept us in Office,” he said.

Mr Mwanza confessed that by August, 2021, the PF Party had completely derailed from the original vision of its founder and former Republican President late Michael Chilufya Sata.

“PF was formed on a pro-poor premise. Sata’s vision was to improve lives for all, including those of the poorest Zambians. However, those who took over from him diverted from this vision and we’re sorry,” said Mr Mwanza.

He acknowledged that there was gross economic mismanagement under PF reign, which led to serious hardships among citizens.
“The economy collapsed. It recessed to negative 2.8 percent as at August, 2021 of which it is now at positive 4 percent under our colleagues the UPND. As PF, we can only apologize to the Zambian people for our failure to manage the economy. However, I can assure you that we’re rebranding and we’ll bounce back to power in 2026, especially that Zambian’s have already forgiven us,” he said.

Mr Mwanza argued that the United Party for National Development was bragging of having achieved a lot in one year, yet there is nothing they are doing. He said that UPND were boasting of creating jobs, yet they were just filling-in vacancies.

“Let not the UPND and President Hakainde Sammy Hichilema become comfortable just because PF made mistakes. Let them work for the Zambian people and bring tangible developent. Let Sammy, for example, create real jobs. Otherwise, what they have been doing is just filling-in the vacancies, something which PF was planning to do immediately after winning 2021 general elections,” he said.
In August, 2021, the PF Party were whipped heavily by the 2.8 Disciplinary Committee of the Zambian electorote for various misdeeds, which Mr Mwanza is apologizing about today.

Majority of Zambians are highly doubtful the PF Party will ever bounce back to power, especially also looking at the fact that Zambians never go back to a party they vote out of Office as can be seen from what happened to the United Independence Party (UNIP) and the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD). It is felt largely that the PF Party is headed for political extinction.
Credit: Ubuyantanshi

WHEN I BECOME PRESIDENT, WE WILL REFINE THIS COUNTRY

….currently, there is too much disunity – Greyford Monde

Lusaka…. Tuesday, November 8, 2022 (Smart Eagles)

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) party presidential aspirant Greyford Monde has expressed optimism towards refining the country once he becomes Republican President.

Hon Monde bemoans the level of disunity Zambia has been subjected to under the UPND government and has assured Zambians that he will unify the country.

Asked what he would bring to the table in the PF, Hon Monde, who is the product of the rebranding that the party has been going through said he will ensure that the party remains united.

He said this when he featured on Mellenium Radio’s “The Interview” today.

“The moment I become PF president, we’ll make sure that we unify the party. And this unity I’m talking about will go beyond just a political party. So in the party we’ll invite other former party members that left. Some of them have formed political parties, we’ll invite them to come back home. We are going to talk to those ones that are not active to come back home,” he said.

“We will take divergent views from the people. We will listen to the people. The people will be leading. We are going to do servant leadership, true servant leadership. When I become president, we will refine this country. There is too much disunity in this country.”

And the contender said none of the eight (😎 of the people that applied for the top PF job is stronger than the party. He also said that PF is the most loved party in the country.

Hon Monde prayed that he should be the one to be chosen as the party president.

“That must he made very clear. I can tell you that this party is so loved to an extent you can even see people who don’t wish us well thought that there would be no candidate vying for the position of the PF president. And I can tell you the history of this country, it is the first time that you’ve had an opposition political party with eight strong contestants for this position, it’s the first time. The last time that you saw many candidates would be for governments in power,” he said.

“If any of the eight of us was stronger than the PF, they would have gone to form their own political party. The reason they didn’t form their own political parties is because they know that the vehicle that can make them win is the PF. When we come back from this convention we will come out stronger because then we will have seven supporting one.”

KCM ABOUT TO SHUT DOWN IF A DECISION IS NOT TAKEN SOON

Lusaka 8th November 2022

Having being born on the Copperbelt and spent fifteen years of my employment life on the Copperbelt and in particular Chingola at KCM, I am saddened by the dwindled economic activities in the towns of Chililabombwe, Chingola and Kitwe.

This inactivity has been exacerbated by the legal battles that the company has faced for over three years now. These have resulted in a low or close-to-nothing of production activities at the once giant Konkola Copper Mines (KCM).

Suffice to say that Konkola Copper Mines has been a source of concern for many stakeholders because the firm has not been operating optimally owing to financial challenges. At this point, the need to recapitalize KCM so that there is improved production is urgent.

Zambians may wish to know that the average integrated production at KCM has dropped by 65% from 7.5kilo tonnes per month before 2019 when Vedanta was running the mine to 2.7kilo tonnes today.

As at 2019 before liquidation KCM was a major employer with 12,000 jobs but today these have declined to 5,000. Where are the 7000 former miners and their families?

The current liabilities of the mine which stood at $786 million in May 2019 had now tripled to $2.4 billion by March of this year.

Suppliers’ liabilities have increased from US$220 million to US$778 million by May 2022.

While production has gone down, the mine is slowly dying and employees are going for years without any increment, Corporate Social Responsibility Projects such as support to hospitals, schools, soccer teams, sustainable empowerment by KCM is operating at an equal to zero funding, the communities , the people of Chingola, Chililabombwe and Kitwe who suffer the consequences of large scale mining are left vulnerable not benefiting anything.

As this is happening, we note that huge sums of money have been spent by KCM on legal fees which would have been put to good use.

As a former employee of KCM who worked under the Trust Schools and later under Corporate Social Responsibility , I feel saddened by the current status of the mine and the dwindling economic fortunes of the towns on the Copperbelt that are slowly turning into ghost towns.

It is immoral at this particular time to just sit and watch things going to their lowest.

As an enlightened citizen of the country and one with a duty to speak on behalf of the people of Zambia, I do not just want to be a spectator in the dying of the mine that has educated us and brought us to where we are but a participant in the governance of the country and make a meaningful contribution to my country.

Mind you my father was a miner at ZCCM for all his career and so the mine has always been part of us.

Twalibamwana shi mine mpaka twaba bana mine, so we can’t watch our mines neglected on the Copperbelt.

My call to duty is to appeal to the UPND Government to expedite the dialogue with Vedanta without delay. The matter is out of court for talks and one wonders why the delay now.

Conclude the talks and allow that asset to be recapitalized so that economic activities of Copperbelt are brought back to life.

It is a well-known secret that Vedanta is the legal owner of the mine with 80% shareholding. 80% share holding is not child’s play, its a huge stake in the mine and government must therefore work out a win-win formula for both parties which is the government itself and Vedanta.

We all are fully aware that the takeover of the asset in the manner it was done by the previous regime was highly irregular and unprofessional that’s why ZCCM _IH and the Zambian government has been in court for years.

Government must look at the offers on the table and see which one is promising to revive KCM and create jobs for the people of Copperbelt.

If the KCM asset continues to deteriorate, there is a risk of KCM shutting down resulting in a significant loss of employment.

It is a good initiative of Government and Vedanta to sign a legal suspension agreement , that was our call.

We ask that this long awaited decision should be taken as soon as possible, preferably by this November, in order to allow for the resumption of operations at full capacity of the mine and as we slowly approach the festive period , do we honestly want to enter 2023 with this same status? It is not healthy and not right.

Government must make a bold decision on KCM which will help the people. Critics will always be there but the role of government is to ensure that the people and national assets are secured from destruction.

Yours in National Service

Judith Kabemba

Office Bearer Democratic Party.

Former Corporate Social Responsibility Liason Officer KCM

THE INCREASED CDF HAS CONTINUED TO BEAR FRUITS AS CHASEFU CONSTITUENCY GETS A BRAND NEW EARTH MOVING MACHINE.

CHASEFU CONSTITUENCY INDEPENDENT MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT HON NYAMBOSE WRITES;

CHASEFU CONSTITUENCY – “Pa Ground.”

CHASEFU PEOPLE YOUR GRADDER IS HERE & READY FOR DELIVERY.

PALA MWANI VOTELA WAKA NAMUGULA GRADDER- MEANING ” When you vote for me as an MP, the first thing i will do is to buy a gradder.”

One the major challenges of Chasefu constituency is the deplorable feeder road network.
For lack of a better word, one can simply say there are no roads but tracks which situation has affected commerce and smooth movement of people within the district.
A new dawn has indeed come for the peoole of chasefu courtesy of the legacy policy of President Hakainde Hichilema of enhancing constituency development Fund from a meager k1.6 million to a huge amount of k25. 7 for year 2022.
With this unprecedented increament by the New Dawn administration we have managed to fulfil the promise to buy this machine and the other two pieces (Backhole Loader and a Tractor with a tipping Trailor).
On saturday, 5th November 2022, a team of forty (40) members of Parliament was taken for a tour of CAMCO factory after attending a workshop.
Being among the group of MPs, i was amazed to hear the announcement by tge company that Chasefu council had completed the transactions of tge purchase of tge equipment which was just waiting for delivery.
What a great day it was for me as my major campaign Promise has been fulfilled.
My sister and good colleague Hon. Brenda Nyirenda the Lundazi MP volunteered to take pictures during this momentus occasion.
Although she (Hon. Brenda Nyirenda) is not a good camera person, we were just too excited with the progress and achievement.
I will be failing if i dont thank the chasefu council officers, Ward Development committees, councilors and CDFC committee members for the hard work and commitment to ensure that chasefu changes for the better.
As an Independent MP for chasefu iam blessed to come into leadership when Zambia just made a wise decision of voting for a great visionary leader in the name of Hakainde Hichilema who has come to develop this great country without segregation like it was in the previous regime.
I have pledged to support his leadership (NEW DAWN) because he means well for chasefu constituency and the nation as a whole.

HAKAINDE HOYEE…OYEE.
NYAMBOSE HOYEE.. HOYEE.

HH7 & NYAMBOSE – Chasefu will not be the same again.

HON NYAMBOSE–KATUNDU MUZITO.

Ati Mbu…

By Nsofwa Hamudombe

ZAMBIANS HAVE GIVEN HH A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE

Typically and absurdly so is a Zambian mind to shift completely to an agenda on a table until it is fully convinced without any iota of doubt that the thing is workable as being exhibited in the just ended Council by-elections which recorded more than 97.5% UPND victory a clear vote of confidence in the leadership of His Excellency President Hakainde Hichilema and the New Dawn administration.

The Hakainde Hichilema-Mutale-Nalumango led government has convinced Zambians that, they are here to make people’s livelihoods better going by policy which is being implemented as enshrined in the UPND 2021-2026 manifesto and developing in tandem with the 8th National Development Plan as our country’s economy recovery is advancing in a right trajectory owing to the fact that illicit financial flaws have been stopped.

People of Zambia are happy that, President Hakainde Hichilema is delivering on his campaign promises which has necessitated a huge unprecedented employment rate since 1964; where job opportunities are being accessed by all the citizens regardless of their ethnicity, religion, social class or political affiliation unlike in the past government of Edgar Chagwa Lungu who used tribe as a weapon to suffocate some individuals coming from regions he and his nincompoops disliked because of the UPND and its leader who is a true embroidery of this great nation.

Rule of law has been restored, cadreism banned, people are free to wear the preferred political regalia any time any where without fearing to be attacked. Free education has been introduced from grades one to twelve were learners are not paying anything but attention to what the teacher is teaching. Retirees have been paid and those who are retiring now will be given what’s due to them three months after leaving the service. Students loans and bursaries have been enhanced in as much as meal allowances are being paid to learners in higher institutions of learning.

The stated above are among many reasons for the people of Zambia to give UPND 19 Councillors from the 21 seats during the just ended 4th November, 2021 including the Council Chairperson.

UPND GOVT SHOULD NOT ENTERTAIN VEDANTA RETURN TO KCM AND THEIR RIDICULOUS DEMANDS OF TAX EXEMPTION

As Economic Front, we want to strongly appeal to the UPND govt not to entertain Vedanta to return to KCM and their ridiculous demands of tax exemption and refunds. The recent revelation by News Diggers in which VEDANTA has given govt conditionalities that once it sells its 79% shares in Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) to its sister company, Volcan Investment Limited, all tax liabilities, electricity bills and employee dues under the new owner should be written off is ridiculous and an insult to the Zambian people.

It is so annoying to hear Vedanta demand that under the new KCM structure, the company should not pay import duty and taxes on imported copper concentrates and wants a subsidized power tariff of 6 US cent per kwh for 10 years with Zero withholding tax on any interest payment/accrued on any existing and new loans.And Vedanta has also demanded that all KCM suppliers should be exempted from paying VAT. This is total rubbish and ridiculous of the highest order by this investor.

From these demands UPND govt should understand that Vedanta does’t mean well to this country thus bringing them means burying KCM. It is foolishness for govt to continue entertaining an investor who doesn’t always want to pay taxes. If ordinary people are paying higher taxes who is Vedanta not to be paying taxes? Where will govt get the money for operation if Vedanta does not want to pay taxes?

As a party, we want to challenge Vedanta that why do they want to return to KCM where they claimed to have not made profit during their 20 year’s of operation? There is no investor who can continue to invest in a company where he has been making loses for the past 20 year’s. Vedanta should not take advantage of Zambians quiteness just because UPND is entertaining them. We know that Vedanta has always take advantage of unpatriotic leader’s to exploit our natural resources. They did it during Levy Mwanawasa govt where they bought KCM for a song and today they have returned
because they have found other selfish leader’s in govt who are ready to give KCM freely.

As a party , we call upon well meaning Zambians to stand up and protect KCM from these exploiters who made KCM go to it’s knees. During ZCCM …. KCM contributed massively to job and wealth creation on the copperbelt and the country at large but under Vedanta, we saw massive loss of jobs and collapse of economic activities on the copperbelt. KCM should be managed by the locals through ZCCM-IH and not be given to Vedanta who has failed the people of Zambia during their operations in the past 20 year’s.

Humphrey kabwe
National Spokesperson
8TH NOVEMBER 2022
ECONOMIC FRONT

UPND HAS FAILED, ZAMBIANS MUST BRACE THEMSELVES FOR DIFFICULTY TIMES NEXT YEAR, WARNS GBM

By Correspondent Reporter

PF presidential aspiring candidate, Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba has observed that the delay by the UPND government to distribute farming inputs to small scale farmers in the 2022 – 2023 farming season will negatively impact the food basket of the country.

Commenting on the cries by most farmers across the country who have not received their inputs by yet, Mwamba, popularly known as GBM and former vice president in the UPND, says he is shocked that President Hakainde Hichilema is failing to do simple things which he promised the people of Zambia.

He said what was more confusing is the fact that President Hichilema boasted of being a successful farmer who understood the needs in the sector better than anybody else.

Mwamba said while in the opposition, President Hichilema promised early delivery of inputs but wonders how he was failing to address the challenges peasant farmers were experiencing in the distribution chain.

“I was his vice president and among the key economic issues that we (then) said should be top of our priority was farming. Sadly my brother is failing to see what he saw then in the opposition. He is failing to even use his calculator to manage the prices. He has neglected the very economic sector he said was capable of creating over 2 million jobs for Zambians and feed the entire Southern region in exports and earn more foreign currency,” he said.

Mwamba said it is clear now with the failures the UPND has exhibited that the PF performed better in the sector, adding that Zambians should expect much more harder times under the foreign centred policies of the UPND.

He said in the last few weeks he has been overwhelmed by different small scale farmer groups from Southern, Eastern, Northern, North Western, Copperbelt and Central Provinces asking for support of cheaper and affordable inputs .

“Just yesterday, have had meetings at my office with leaders of various cooperatives who are asking me what has gone wrong with Mr. Hichilema who promised cheaper and affordable fertilisers to farmers? These cooperatives want us to support them as they fear that hunger will strike this country next year because of the delay in the distribution of inputs,” he said.

Mwamba has appealed to the UPND administration to learn from the previous government how it managed the agriculture sector and the procurement and distribution process of inputs five months before the farming season starts.

“This government is a failed project and it is good that Zambians are seeing it for themselves. The future of this country under the UPND is bleprocessing is under serious threat, it is heading towards the coma and by next year things in this country will be worse. Only the foreign interests will enjoy living in this country and not poor Zambians,” he said.

Mwamba said just like the UPND government has given free visas to foreign interests, Zambians should expect all sectors of the economy to be run by foreigners connected to State House.

Government has todate not distributed the 2022 – 2023 farming inputs to small scale farmers across the country, while most cooperatives started paying their K400 last week.

HH SHOULDN’T LIE, HE’S FULFILLED VERY FEW PROMISES – FORMER PF SG MWILA.

Monday 7, November 2022.

FORMER PF secretary general Davies Mwila says President Hakainde Hichilema should learn to tell the truth because he has only fulfilled very few campaign promises.

And Mwila has wondered why the President has continued to say PF is dead and buried when it has been competing with UPND and winning some by-elections.

Commenting on President Hichilema’s remarks that his government didn’t tell lies, Mwila said UPND had not implemented any developmental projects since assuming power.

“The President should always tell the truth because he hasn’t been telling the people the truth. All the promises he made, how many has he fulfilled? Very few. So unless they take development there, then the people of Mwense will be able to change their minds. But as at now, we’ve told the people of Mwense that the people that can only take development is us because we are the ones in the majority there. If you look at what they are doing now, which road have they built from the time they took over government? I’ve never seen where they are building a hospital, school or road. All feeder roads being done by contractors, all contracts [awarded under PF] were cancelled in Central Province, Luapula Province and everywhere else,” he said.

“So what are they going to point at that this is what they’ve done? Yes, they can distribute t-shirts and chitenge materials but people will just get them and vote for PF. They are not going to win, I can assure you. They can buy people but I can tell you that you will see the results. Our soldiers are on the ground, and we are telling them what we’ve done compared to the UPND. The UPND has done nothing. That’s why they are resorting to violence. I can tell you that these guys will be more brutal than PF. As we approach 2024, you will see.”

Mwila accused the ruling party of being liars.

“It’s the PF that has taken development there (Mwense). We’ve built a trade school. We’ve built a district hospital at Mwense Boma. We’ve also built another mini hospital in Kashiba. So in terms of development, it is the PF that has taken development. Look at the promises they made, up to now they haven’t delivered fertiliser. We used to deliver fertiliser in June and this is what we are telling our people. So they are liars because they’ve also not reduced the price of fertiliser. They said we will be buying at K250 but people are buying above K1,000. So what are they going to do there?” he asked.
Meanwhile, Mwila wondered why President Hichilema had continued to say PF was dead and buried when it had been competing with UPND in by-elections.
“Where have we been buried? We’re competing with them. Just recently we won Luangwa Council and we’re going to win just now. Why are they attacking our candidates if they are popular? They thought PF was finished. They’ve realised that PF is still there and getting stronger. That’s why we have nine presidential aspirants. It means that the party is still popular. Hakainde Hichilema has always been standing alone, so we’re more democratic than the UPND. They only have one person but we have nine presidential aspirants,” said Mwila.

(News Diggers)

YOU HAVE NO MANDATE SUMMONING ME, NAKACINDA TELLS ECZ

…says it will be inappropriate for him to report the alleged electoral malpractice to the Commission as it is NOT in a position to admit its own wrongdoing

Lusaka…. Monday, November 7, 2022 (Smart Eagles)

You have no mandate to tell me attend the meeting “without fail” if at all you are interested is resolving the issues I raised, Hon. Raphael Mangani Nakacinda has told off the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ).

In a letter addressed to the Acting Chief Electoral Officer, the PF Chairperson for Information and Publicity has said the conduct of the Commission is no longer independent.

Hon Nakacinda bemoaned the manner in which the Commission handled elections in Kabushi and Kwacha Constituencies.

He charged that the conduct of the Commission confirms the loss of its independence and its illegal conduct which was confirmed by the Constitutional Court in its judgement on 20th October this year.

“As rightly observed in the dissenting judgement of the Constitutional Court, your conduct in the manner you handled the Kwacha and Kabushi by elections if left unattended to is likely to plunge this country into untold anarchy. Unless and until you are able to show that you are independent and make sound and legal decisions with the engagement of stakeholders, it will be difficult to have any meaningful engagement with yourselves,” he stated.

“You are in breach of your democratic and constitutional duty that this country holds credible, free and fair elections. The very fact that you can wantonly disregard a court order does not give me the impetus to entertain your purported summons.”

The PF Member of the Central Committee (MCC) said it will be inappropriate for him to report the alleged electoral malpractice to the Commission saying it is not in a position to admit its own wrongdoing.

He added that ECZ cannot be an umpire in a matter it is the alleged wrongdoer.

ZAMBIA’S NEW DAWN MIGHT JUST BE A LASTING NEW DAWN

What a difference a year can make! Under new management for a little over a year, Zambia stands out as extraordinary in every sense. President Hakainde Hichilema and his United Party for National Development have done an enormous amount to restore the foundations of Zambia’s economy and its democracy.

By Dr. Chris Patrick’s & Tara O’Connor

Surveying Africa for the latest trends can be dispiriting. West Africa has been sucked into the mire of a fresh round of military coups d’état as Russia extends its neocolonial project to the continent. In East Africa, the uneasy truce between Tigrayan rebels and Ethiopia’s national army has collapsed, leading to a fresh outbreak of conflict.

In Southern Africa, Zimbabwe’s inflation rate has become world-beating again behind Venezuela and Sudan, and the organised criminal activity of South Africa’s electricity utility, Eskom, is adding to Nigeria-style power outages of longer than six hours a day. All the while, Russia’s war against Ukraine has hit fuel- and grain-importing countries hard, pushing annual inflation in Botswana, Ghana and Nigeria into double digits.

Then there’s Zambia, which, I must say, provoked an ‘Ahh Zambia’ moment. What a difference a year can make! Under new management for a little over a year, Zambia stands out as extraordinary in every sense. President Hakainde Hichilema and his United Party for National Development have done an enormous amount to restore the foundations of Zambia’s economy and its democracy.

It’s worth remembering that it’s a restoration job because Zambia’s democratic tradition was established in the early 1990s. Its economic reforms and expansion programme extend that far back, too. The last five years of Zambia’s sixth President, Edgar Chagwa Lungu, are a populist aberration – an interregnum – now consigned by a landslide democratic vote to history.

A year into Hichilema’s government, business confidence and activity trends are both up. Stanbic Bank’s July Purchasing Managers’ Index, from a survey of 400 firms across sectors including agriculture, construction, industry, services and wholesale and retail, to measure business conditions in the country, stood at 50 – up from record lows set during the pandemic.

Levels of employment are up and the Zambia Revenue Authority reported above-target revenue collection performance for the first half of 2022, with net collections during that period up by 24%, compared with the same period a year earlier.

Hichilema has formed a public–private dialogue forum composed of Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane, Commerce Minister Chipoka Mulenga, Agriculture Minister Reuben Phiri and Tourism Minister Rodney Sikumba to drive State and private- sector activity in government’s job creation and innovation for economic growth and social development priorities.

Critically for Zambia’s immediate future is that Hichilema has successfully completed negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) – begun under Lungu – for a £1.3-billion ($1.44-billion) deal, which will do much to underpin economic stability.

Many will recall that Zambia became the first African country to default on its international debt obligations during the pandemic. The IMF pulled no punches in stating that the country’s economic problems resulted from “years of economic mismanagement”. The deal is the first step in what promises to be some tough renegotiation of Zambia’s debt, which reportedly stood at $17-billion in December 2021, owed to a range of investors, including the Chinese government as well as eurobond holders.

Hichilema, a chartered accountant and former head of PwC Zambia, has already started the tough negotiations before the deal, cancelling some $2-billion in undisbursed loans from creditors. These notably included Chinese Export-Import Bank and the Industrial Commercial Bank of China’s $1.6-billion for upgrades to the dual carriageway between Lusaka and the Copperbelt reserved for construction by China’s Jiangxi Corporation.

Huawei’s loan for $333-million against a national broadband roll-out was also cancelled, raising the prospect of a return to international competitive bidding for contracts. Internally, HH, as the Zambian President is affectionately known, has slashed wasteful and unnecessary spending: his post on Twitter describing how he rejected a request from “the system” to sign off on new vehicles for the country’s mayors went viral.

The IMF had specifically called on Hichilema to address procurement and corruption. The now unhindered Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has made a series of high-profile arrests, including those of three directors of the Honeybee Pharmacy involved in a high- profile $17-million procurement fraud – collusion between Honeybee, the Health Ministry and the Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority for medical supplies that were later found to be defective.

The ACC has also arrested Lungu’s special adviser, Hibeene Mwiinga, for possessing property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime – mainly vehicles worth $2.5-million. The ACC has extended its interviews to several high-profile members of Lungu’s Patriotic Front-led government, including former Lands and Natural Resources Minister Jean Kapata.

The proof is in the pudding. In just one year of sound management and efforts at stabilising the economy, Zambia’s inflation rate bucked continentwide trends and dropped from 24% to 9.7% – the greatest gift to Zambian consumers. Overall confidence meant inflows to the country have seen the Zambian kwacha become the best-performing currency in the world against the US dollar, rallying over 18.5% from January to September. This has allowed South African retailer Shoprite to slash the price of some 800 consumer goods in its nationwide stores.

And, with an eye on Zambia’s long-term and future productivity, Hichilema’s government, at the close of its first year in office, completed its nationwide teacher recruitment programme to employ some 30 000 new teachers for State schools to back up its introduction of free education for primary and secondary school students, laying the foundation for Zambia’s New Dawn to last longer than Hichilema’s constitutionally permitted two terms.
www.engineeringnews.co.za

Dr. Chris Patrick’s is Associate Professor in the Department of Political Sciences and Director of the Centre for Mediation in Africa. He also publishes on multilingualism in higher education and journalism studies. He is a former award-winning journalist.

Tara O’Connor is MD of the pan-African consulting firm Africa Risk Consulting. She is a University of Cape Town graduate and has spent 25 years assessing Africa’s political and business environment.

MY THOUGHTS ON GULF STREAM JET AS GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO SELL IT AFTER INVESTIGATIONS:

By Tapson Kunda

(1) The investigation of those involved in the purchase of the gulf stream is welcome and those that were involved in it’s purchase should avail themselves to the investigative wings but they should know that they are free at the moment until proved guilt by the law.

(2) It is a well known matter by Zambians that the price of the said gulf stream was inflated meaning the government spent so much money to purchase that jet way above what was supposed to be spent on it.

(3) Will government be able to sell the gulf stream at the price it was bought at or it will be sold at a far lower price which is it’s original price there by making a loss just for the sake of fulfilling a campaign promise?

(4) Will government be able to recover the money from those who could have gotten something from the purchase of the gulf stream if tender procedures where followed and yet the price was inflated?

(5) In 2031 there will be an election and a new president will be elected. Will the 2031 president agree to use the same old jet which president Hakainde Hichilema is using or the then president will need a new jet?

(6) Why not keep the gulf stream but investigate those involved in it’s purchase so that we keep this one for future use than subjecting the government in future to start buying a similar jet after we sell that one?

(7) Is government going to manage to sell everything done by PF where corruption was involved by inflating prices?

-Will government also sell fire tenders? Will it manage to sell roads where corruption was involved?
-Will government manage to sell buildings whose prices were inflated?

(😎 If we can’t sell all these things listed in the presiding paragraph what’s so special about a jet which may be needed in future by another head of state after 2031?

(9) If we can manage to sell roads, fire tenders, ambulances and builds where corruption was involved I think I will support the selling of the gulf stream.

More Call for the Probing of PF presidential nomination fees.

November 7, 2022

Solwezi – With continued calls on investigative wings to establish the source of the PF presidential nomination fees,UPND Youths in the North western Province have petitioned Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) and Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) to probe PF the aspirants who a few months ago were on the verge of bankrupcy.

North Western Province Youth chairman Bruce Kanema says the ACC and DEC must probe PF to find out where its Presidential aspirants got money for their Presidential nominations.

“We want the ACC and DEC to question PF Presidential Candidates on their source of money, follow them and ask them to show the nation withdrawal slips or bank transfers from their banks to the PF account,” he said.

Mr Kanema said the ACC and DEC must show us where these people withdrew the money from because for UPND, the PF are just showcasing that they have hidden a lot of money in millions in tunnels and their homes.

He said the PF candidates who were moving with bags of money must prove to the nation that money was genuine and its source by show of withdraw slips failure to which the investigative wings should swoop in.

“We also want them to explain to us why they hate President Hichilema with passion.They hated him in opposition and tried to kill him, even when he is Head of State they still hate him and are fighting him still,” he said.

The Provincial Youth Chair says the youths of the UPND will not stand akimbo and watch while a known group of state looters tries to use legal means to launder its unclean money.

Last week,Lusaka Province UPND Chairman Obvious Mwaliteta made a clarion call to investigative wings to probe the source of the suspicious funds accusing some local businessmen of foreign origin of being behind the huge sums of money.

Mr.Mwaliteta revealed that some of the presidential aspirants were on the verge of bankrupcy and wondered where they have gotten the money they were moving around in bags.

(C) UPND MEDIA TEAM

KCM, ZCCM-IH, GOVERNMENT, LAWYERS & VEDANTA PLC NEGOTIATIONS

By Miles B. Sampa, MP

Monday November 7th, 2022

Following the leaked documents last week on the above captioned, I undertook some research to establish the actual status quo.

I have gathered that Vedanta Resources is actually in continuous dialogue with the Government of the Republic of Zambia after the suspension of litigation for an amicable settlement over the dispute of Konkola Copper Mine (KCM).

Apparently both Government and Vedanta’s approach is to protect the asset, its employees, and the communities of Chililabombwe, Chingola, Kitwe, and Nampundwe as the continuation of further legal proceedings will cost a lot to Zambia. This so given that KCM assets continue to deteriorate as the firm has not been operating optimally due to financial challenges and this has had a turning impact on the communities and the whole Copperbelt region.

It turns out that Vedanta with its global footprint and diversified portfolio is the most suitable operator that is experienced, technically capable, financially strong, and has the business acumen to effectively and efficiently run KCM. It intends to immediately turn around the asset-making a significant contribution to the developmental agenda of the country.

Being the legal owner of KCM, Vedanta has constantly been knocking on the New Dawn government door so they work together towards running KCM.

Vedanta is legally strong in the courts in Zambia and the UK. This is well supported by the fact that significant efforts to sell KCM to other companies were made previously but these efforts failed. This is because no investor can buy KCM without the consent of Vedanta given its official status as legal owners of the mine.

A spade has to be called a spade. Circumstances of taking over the mine from Vedanta was highly irregular. This was exemplified by the court of Appeal’s decision that ruled in favour of Vedanta in its November 2020 ruling and stayed the winding-up petition. The matter was then referred to arbitration.

The forceful attempts by the government to reposes KCM from Vedanta did and continue to erode Zambia’s confidence and credibility in the eyes of credible international investors.

Vedanta has however remained resolute in resuscitating its operations in Chililabombwe, Chingola, Kitwe and Nampundwe. This is evident from from their firm agreed with the New Dawn Government to settle matters out of court.

Vedanta is focused on boosting growth and creating a mutually respectful relationship with the New Dawn Government in providing support for the growth and development of the mine so it becomes a reality. KCM evidently has gone in some comatose for a long while and there has to be some give and take compromise between the government and Vedanta. Government will need give KCM and Vedanta a drip dose of ‘red bull’ to jump start operations. It in government and national interest that the KCM asset is quickly safeguarded to a period of stability from it’s current bad state status.

As a nation we should not hurry our heads in the sand but admit that copper mining is still the only significant economic and social backbone of Zambia. Its pivotal and critical therefore that the Zambia government holds with both hands Vedanta and KCM to give them a breath of life for a specified period. This will enable them cruise to full production within months and quickly tap in the current global copper demands and good prices in wake of a surge in electrical cars production and demand. Copper and Colbat are critical in the electrical cars and their batteries manufacturing.

May I repeat that KCM is the biggest strategic national asset of Zambia and there is no investor at the moment that can consider investing in KCM under the current on-going dispute between the parties more so in its current bad state both technically and financially.

Vedanta has given government a written firm commitment to developing the asset in a responsible manner. It’s in writing that they intend to increase the production capacity by investing an additional USD 1.3 billion to increase KCM’s integrated production, improve working conditions for employees and paying all suppliers on time.

They also intend to implement measurable and impactful corporate social responsibility projects in the communities operated by KCM. We looking financial support to likes of Nchanga Rangers FC in Chingola, Konkola Blades FC and Nampundwe FC.

KCM has been on the discussion table for over a year now since the new dawn government won the 2021 generals elections. It’s about time both the Government and Vedanta acted decisively with a mutual ‘ give and take’ approach towards their individual proposals and expectations laid on the table. A win win for the two is a win win for the people of Chingola, Chililabombwe, Nampundwe, the Copperbelt and the Nation at large.

The fate of KCM and Mopani Mines is no longer a topic for political gymnastics. We should reason across the divide in order to save lives of our people and entire nation. The two mines are the blood and oxygen lines for Zambia’s economy that is on a ventilator. Any delays on KCM and Mopani , risks the Country’s ventilator shutting down causing secondary fatal challenges. Dead and buried economically atleast.

Action on Mopani and KCM is needed today and not tomorrow.

Together We Can

MBS07.11.2022

RAPHAEL NAKACINDA CAN STILL BE PICKED FOR BREACHING THE ELECTORAL ACT: BETTER HE AVAILS HIMSELF BEFORE ECZ

THE report that Raphael Nakacinda is arrogantly snubbing the summon from Electoral commission of Zambia (ECZ) over his allegations of pre-marked papers during the just ended by-elections is unfortunate.

However, his snubbing has no consequences if the ECZ is to be serious in curbing lawlessness.

Nakacinda can sitting be picked by the Police for violating the Act and its code of conduct.

Section 123(1) of the electoral process Act No. 35 of 2016 stresses that *A police officer may, without warrant, arrest a
person and keep that person in custody where
*the person is found committing an offence or is reasonably* suspected of having committed an offence under this Act;

Section 107 (Electoral Code of conduct) Regulation 3(d) empowers the ECZ to censure acts done by leaders of political parties, candidates,
supporters, and Government and its organs, which are aimed at jeopardising elections or done in contravention of this Code;

Further, Regulation 11(2) bestows on the ECZ with the legal mandate to summon any erring stakeholder(s) or any person (s) in the Electoral Process.

It states, The Commission may where practicable to do so, summon any person contravening this Code and any voter, candidate or political party alleging a breach to appear before it Commission may where practicable to do so, summon any person contravening this Code and any voter, candidate or political party alleging a breach to appear before it

Clearly, NAKACINDA contravened the electoral code of conduct regulation 15(1) (c) which cautions that A person shall not make false, defamatory or inflammatory allegations concerning any person or political party in connection with an election commits an offence and is liable, upon conviction, to a fine not exceeding two
hundred thousand penalty units or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or to both

Therefore, NAKACINDA must substantiate his claims and allegations or dance to the music.

Criminality must be rid out of the electoral process and should not be masked by politics.

I submit

Mcdonald Chipenzi

20 mins · Public

I AM NOT GOING TO ATTEND ECZ’S MEETING

….meeting ECZ is same as meeting Imenda – Nakacinda

Lusaka…. Monday, November 7, 2022 (Smart Eagles)

PF Chairperson for Information and Publicity Raphael Nakacinda has declined an invitation by the ECZ to have a meeting with him over the allegations of electoral malpractice he made last week.

Hon Nakacinda has accused the ECZ of being more like a branch for the UPND.

He castigated the commission for giving themselves power to interpret the Constitution during the Kwacha and Kabushi Constituencies by elections.

Hon Nakacinda said this in Lusaka today when he addressed the media.

“I want to state that we are going to write to ECZ to clearly state that I am not going to attend that meeting because we find first of all even the correspondence itself adding to the misconduct of the ECZ,” he said.

“The ECZ in the recent past, beginning with Kabushi, Kwacha by elections where they took upon themselves and donated to themselves the powers they do not have to interpret the constitution. And they were found wanting by the constitutional court.”

He added that both ECZ and UPND held the same position over the two constituencies until court found them wanting.

Hon Nakacinda said sitting with the ECZ is the same as sitting with UPND’s officials.

He was supposed to meet the Commission today.

“They further went ahead at a point where the state stayed matters to proceed to disregard the stay in the last by elections. we have raised issues that concerns them. How can I then be expected to meet them to discuss matters that concern them and the ruling party? When the matters were taken to the constitutional court, in terms of the misconduct of the ECZ, the ruling party held the same view that the ECZ held until the court found them wanting. Clearly the ECZ of today is conducting itself as a branch of UPND,” he said.

“So to sit with ECZ is as good as sitting with Imenda or indeed sitting with any official of UPND to discuss their misconduct. And I think I will not want to dignify that letter and legitimize their misconduct. I am not going to attend.”

STATE HOUSE MUST PUBLISH THE CONTRACT THEY HAVE WITH TONY BLAIR’S INSTITUTE

“Who is paying for Tony Blair’s Consultancy to Zambia?”

By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba

Former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair is a very controversial figure.

As the Chilcot Report, the Iraq Inquiry, chaired by Sir John Chilcot, set up to look at decision-making in relation to the invasion of Iraq, exposed Blair’s lies and criminal conduct in the Iraq war while he served as Prime Minister, to the millions he collected in commercial fees from Arab states while he was engaged as an USA/UN/EU Middle-East Envoy.

It is therefore shocking that Tony Blair is allowed into State Houses of African states without due regard to his controversial status.

In Zambia, since the election of President Hakainde Hichilema, Tony Blair is a regular at State House.

Tony Blair, through “The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change’, has put up a commercial proposal to build capacity for Hichilema’s Government.

The capacity is to allegedly support President Hichilema’s Government with strategy, policy and delivery of development.

To this end, some of Tony Blair’s staff from the Institute are already in Zambia and have unfettered access to the Smart Zambia Project, Ministry of Finance and to State House.

OUR DEMANDS

Government must be publish the terms and conditions of this agreement as the access of foreigners to Zambia’s State House, inside security and development initiatives hinge on endangering the sovereignty of our country.

Government must make full disclosure of who is paying for this Tony Blair’s consultancy. In Zambia the procurement of any services or consultancy must be regulated by the Zambia Public Procurement Act.

We are concerned as Tony Blair’s involvement in State House, like that of Brenthurst Foundation, raises serious security and other issues.

Is it a mining firm paying for this consultancy? Is it a private foundation from South Africa? Is it the Zambian Government?

Is it the reasons that our tax policies and large-scale commercial projects are being hijacked by these entities?

The Zambian Government must publish the Contract with the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change as a matter of obligation and a matter of good public policy.

Former Mwense MP, Jacob Chongo analyses Mwense By-election

THE FALL OF PF IN MWENSE

I have quietly listened to all sorts of analyses, postmortems and other comments from Patriotic front members and sympathizers as reasons to why PF has lost the Council Chairperson by-election in Mwense district .

On the other hand the pro Upnd have also advanced their own reasons.

Well, people are entitled to their opinions. As for me, I too have my own reasons, and therefore have resolved to share with those who may care to appreciate. Because I choose to be open and frank, I risk offending certain individuals and groupings of individuals.

To all those I may offend , I ask of your tolerance. To those who care to know the truth, I hope they may learn something and use this to avert future disappointments or use it for their benefit.

First and foremost, let us remind ourselves as to : HOW DID THIS BY-ELECTION IN MWENSE COME ABOUT? Hard to be reminded on, WE LOST OUR LATE BROTHER AND COUNCIL CHAIRPERSON, HUMPHREY KAPAPULA in a suspected gruesome murder case whose investigations are still ongoing.

This death was painful and brought with it a number of speculations from our people. Let us be reminded also that, Just months before 2021 general elections , the elder brother to the late Council chairperson, BOOKER KAPAPULA, who was one of the front runner contenders to stand on the PF ticket for MWENSE Constituency also died in what was rumoured to be a case of POISONING which I can’t confirm.

However, this death too had some unexplained circumstances and brought a lot of talks. You like it or not, these two deaths of blood brothers were in the minds of many in Mwense district, particularly mwense constituency and had some perceptions to them. Political perceptions were not ruled out. This clearly explains that certain individuals of political nature could have been suspected to be behind.

Right or wrong, the patriotic front party(pf) needed to be careful in fronting certain individuals or groups of people who may have been “suspected “to be culprits of these unfortunate deaths. Unfortunately, we didn’t see the effort of the party, to try and investigate if the party itself or some of its associates could be thought to be behind. Seems the party never cared, a case that obviously was interpreted by many, that the party was not sympathetic to the family, friends and supporters of our departed colleagues.

To some, they may even have seen some of the perceived suspects being even in the forefront to pick the next candidate for the PF. In that case, would anyone expect support to go to a chosen candidate or the party itself? I doubt.

Colleagues, I have kept this for long, but I choose to come out: I was the first and pioneer Pf MP for MWENSE Constituency in 2006 to 2011, when Hon Mabumba took over, following my being kicked out of the party because of the NCC sins that I together with 25 other members of parliament who defied the party and attended the National Constitutional Conference (NCC).

I got adopted by the MMD in 2011 but did not retain my seat. 2014 1st August, President Sata phoned me and asked that I rejoin the party that I contributed to. Sadly, president Sata died a few months later. Hon Chishimba Kambwili and Hon Mumbi Phiri even invited me to be part of the welcoming reception for Hon Malanji and a Prince Mushili who were joining the PF from MMD, at CHANGACHANGA GROUNDS IN KWACHA CONSTITUENCY, KITWE.

From then, I was a very active pf member once more. I continued to do what I was positively capable of doing, especially in Mufulira where I have had a base.

I was called upon in the 2015 presidential by-election to go and help in Mwense where things looked bad. I did using my own resources, though it was evident the owner of the constituency was uncomfortable. I was summoned by Mufulira leadership to help in Kankoyo Constituency where things looked bad for our candidate, Hon Mushimba, in 2016. We delivered.

In all this, I used my own resources but just a little that the candidate managed, for fuel. Calls to help in Mwense were loud and I did what I could. Again I seemed not to be welcome.

2021, I was appointed vice chairperson for Mufulira Mobilization team and also a member of the Luapula provincial mobilisation team. Friends, I did all I could in the two provinces but using my own resources. I persevered because of the love I had for the party. Yes, honestly Mabumba this time called me to go and help, but unfortunately, failed to go because I was required to source for my own resources. Surprisingly, my other colleagues that were asked to help were provided for in everything, including vehicles and the required logistics. Honourables Chitotela, Chilufya and Chilangwa including our the SG, Davies Mwila were very much aware but……….. .However, I always encouraged my followers and supporters to be there with me, for Pf.

In all this period, Pf was in power and had every resource and opportunity to help, but I ONLY DIED FOR THE PARTY. Colleagues, I have been one of the few people that have been respected by the people I was privileged to serve, after so many years. No election comes in Mwense without my people asking me which way they go. I have accordingly guided. Civil servants that were in Mwense the time I served have always been with me and have been supportive. But unfortunately, I have been an enemy of the leadership of the party that I served with.

All I am saying colleagues is that: IT WILL BE SUICIDAL FOR THE PARTY LEADERSHIP TO IGNORE INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE IN ANY GIVEN AREA AND THINK THEY CAN DO IT ALONE. A GIID LEADER IS ONE WHO EMBRACES EVERYONE, BECAUSE TRUE LEADERSHIP IS THAT WHICH PREVAILS IN THE MIDST OF PROBLEMS, including the people you may not like.

To be honest, no anyone among PF leaders is capable of convincing the people, if they ignore the owners of the area. How can Hon Kambwili, Mundubile, Kafwaya or Chilangwa campaign in MBERESHI WARD FOR INSTANCE, AND FORGET TO INVITE PEOPLE LIKE HONOURABLE SAMUEL CHITONGE, who served them and lived with them as village mates?

How can strangers be belived by LUFUBU WARD voters in Mwansabombwe Constituency , leaving out Hon Chitonge, the former MP and a faithful follower of the PF. All this colleagues is coming from hatred and mistrust against former leaders and selfishness by those involved because they don’t want to give a Kwacha to those they think can takeover, if they expose them.

Let me warn PF leadership : If you won’t throw out selfishness, feeling of being important to those you need to be humble to, YOU MUST FORGET GETTING BACK TO LEADERSHIP OF THIS COUNTRY.

The MWENSE loss is painful yes but it is obvious. No single family in Mwense is more important than all the families in Mwense district. All are equal and equal stakeholders and must be treated the same way. No rich person of Mwense district shall be allowed to impose themselves on the people of Mwense. If some of the leaders of PF do benefit from the riches of some individuals in Mwense district, who may threaten political lives of others using their riches, better they be reminded that the poor Zambians are more powerful United and shall influence each other in poverty and use every means to choose poor leaders out of themselves. People must be respected for who they are.

I am a believer in the powers of the poor. President FTJ Chiluba, President Sata had tutored me enough how to respect the poor. 2003, president Chiluba helped me to know how the poor can triumph over the rich: I participated in the Pebe Kabesa ward by-election, in the village of the two fallen heroes, the Kapapula brothers, when we won the first Pf Councillorship in Mwense and the whole Luapula province, if not country wide, other than the MP seat win by Mpankata Musonda. We beat the rich MMD. I was there when the poor miners influenced the election of the late KAB MANDA in kantanshi constituency.

I was the constitution Secretary for Kantanshi constituency when President Sata taught us how to defeat the rich MMD and it’s rich Candidate, Mr Kalimanshi, in a bye election after the demise of KAB Manda, when Chairman Simbeye and myself, adopted Hon Mukanga Yamfwa and had him elected as MP for Kantanshi Constituency. I have enough lessons on how not to mistreat or look down on poor people .

These poor people always look for people to give them a message of hope. That is what matters. We shall not accept where our people are enticed on temporal financial benefits. Let us strive to fight for them of better lives. in case people didn’t know, the candidate for Upnd didn’t even have adequate resources to see him through the Constituency where Pf easily reached. Are you not surprised why in such areas, like Nkanga ward where upnd hardly went and Kapela ward in MUSANGU village, and the ward where the murdered Kapapula came from, all in Mwense Constituency, wards that PF have been winning with eyes closed, this time they were shocked. The difference of votes in the three wards combined, are the difference separating pf and Upnd. If PF have to go a long way, let the leadership humble themselves like president Sata did. Let Pf respect everyone that suffered for PF. People are not looking for favors and money which you failed to give when you were swimming in money with cadres that never suffered for the party. Just respect and recognize those you neglected because they have a following that can silently cry to them as to what next…… . Politicians have long lives, they never die until they die. Wonder how Hon VJ Mwanga and Hon Munkombwe remained relevant in the eyes of real political leaders? Wonder how our RB was surprisingly raised from the “dead” and became Vice President and later President? Everyone in politics is important, and every issue in politics need careful scrutiny before you choose to ignore them. Lastly, YES, WE AND I ABBOUR VIOLENCE AND VIOLENCE MUST NOT GET ITS ROOTS IN ZAMBIAN POLITICS. I regret a few incidences reported during these gone by elections, including Mwense. BUT TO INDICATE THAT UPND WIN IN MWENSE BECAUSE OF VIOLENCE IS SHEER NONSENSE AND HAS NO JUSTIFIABLE BASIS. LET THE NEW COUNCIL CHAIRPERSON GET TO WORK AND WORK FOR OUR PEOPLE WITHOUT HINDRANCE. WE WANT DEVELOPMENT NOW! I hope I haven’t offended, but I am happy I speak my mind.

The Project targeting the fuel in TAZAMA Pipeline

By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba

TAZAMA has a constant dead stock of comingled crude oil that lie in the pipeline. This is to enable the crude oil to be pumped from Da-es-Salaam into the 1,710 kilometres pipeline to be available at INDENI Refinery in Ndola almost instaneously.

This dead stock is worth over $90million and together with that in the tanks in Ndola comes to $200million ( it’s usually a 3months supply).

Agro Fuel Investments Limited has been awarded to supply and deliver 100,000 metric tonnes of low sulpher gas oil (LSG) and 15,000 metric tonnes of kerosene for the pipeline conversion project.

The idea is push-out the crude oil deadstock worth millions of dollars, allow INDENI to process it, empty the pipeline and prepare the pipeline, clean it with kerosene for conversion to carry finished products.

The contract sum is worth K374,244,500.00 ( $51million).

Questions;

1. Is TAZAMA ready to carry finished products? Government has just finished a huge investment to rehabilitate TAZAMA and has done 700km so far. The project was to install a wider pipeline to increase its capacity and restore its integrity.

The project also installed modern pump stations along the pipeline.

However the rest of of 1,000km remain unrehabilitated with integrity issues. Without finishing the rehabilitation of TAZAMA, can such a pipeline carry finished products if it had integrity issues with heavier comingled crude oil?

2. Many assessments reports and studies have all revealed the dangers of carrying finished products as the pipeline cannot be properly policed or security issues to prevent sabotage, vandalism and theft of finished products may be difficult to stop.
3. The plans to convert TAZAMA Pipeline into a finished products pipeline require approval from both Zambia and Tanzania as it is co-owned by both countries.
4. How sure are we that the target is not just a short-term project to raid the deadstock in the pipeline which is worth over $200,000million?
5. Is this the reason Government is talking of pipelines from Namibia and Angola, projects that may take a decade to complete, while clearly abandoning TAZAMA?
6. Transporters and truckers that benefit from the current arrangement of transporting fuel on trucks need to be managed in relation to the security of TAZAMA.
7. The contract,although open, has been awarded to a company associated with President Hakainde Hichilema. Like Alpha Commodities in Fertiliser, Agro Fuels is in the news as the proprietors are business associates with the President. Recently, Agro Fuels was compensated $26million by Ministey of Justice over an out-of- court settlement regarding the cancelled concession of Mpulungu Harbour.

CONCLUSION

Speaking to industry experts reveals that this appears to be one-off project targeting the crude oil deadstock lying in the pipeline. It is clear that Government has demonstrated since 2019, that it can run the fuel sector without TAZAMA and INDENI.

So this is a raid of the deadstock!

Industry experts have recommended that we invest in INDENI REFINERY and convert it to a full refinery so that it can process any crude oil from Saudi Arabia, Angola, Nigeria or Iran. The comingled crude required under current arrangements has sufficed so so far but a long-term solution to INDENI Refinery must be invested in.

TAZAMA and INDENI are strategic nayional assets and the careless approach to abandon these facilities, investments built at great cost, puts the country at fragile and energy risk. And associated industries that benefited from by-products of INDENI such as Ndola Energy and Ndola Lime are dead and the cost of producing copper has risen as refineries have to import heavy fuels required in the process.

This contract therefore serves short-term interests to provide cheap fuel to the country but may render the TAZAMA Pipeline moribund as security issues may not allow or may sabotage a commercial transportation of finished products using the pipeline.

Former Patriotic Front (PF) Luanshya Member of Parliament Steve Chungu has said the PF should choose a party President who is known nationwide and can be easily sold to the people ahead of the 2026 General Elections.

And Mr. Chungu, the former PF Luanshya District Chairman, said the people of Zambia are looking for alternative leadership because the UPND Government has failed to meet their expectations.

The PF is preparing to choose a party President at a convention that is expected to be held in March next year.

PF presidential aspirants include Emmanuel Mwamba, Mutotwe Kafwaya, Emmanuel Mwamba, Chishimba Kambwili, Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba, Brian Mundubile and Greyford Monde.

These aspirants have already filed their nominations for the PF presidency before acting Secretary General Nixon Chilangwa.

Commenting on the race to the top PF position, Mr. Chungu said PF should pick a party President to help them give a message of hope again to the Zambian people.

He said the PF President should be able to give people confidence on matters of the economy, Christian values, job creation and investment.

“I just wish them (PF) well. I wish all the Presidential candidates the best and that the members should open their eyes and pick the best candidate amongst the eight. They should pick a party President to help them give a message of hope again to the Zambians people. They should also take advantage of the current government’s mistakes and unfulfilled promises if they are to make the Zambian people trust them again. They should talk about cadrelism never to show its face again, the violence never to show its face again, the corruption never to show its face again.”

“Those are the things people expected to hear and see even from the current government. But these things have again shown their ugly when people were trying to say oh now we have a messiah but people have started regretting now that they made a mistake by bringing the UPND. That is why people are looking back at PF. Had they UPND performed well in the last one year, the PF was going to be finished now because the UPND has also failed to perform to the expectations of the people, that is why the people of Zambia are looking for another option. The Zambian people have decided to look for another option,” Mr. Chungu said.

“I have talked about someone who is going to give the Zambian people hope in all aspects. One, the economy, Christian values, job creation, investment, somebody who is going to give the Zambian people hope that there will be more money in people’s pockets again because there is no money in circulation right now. There is absolutely nothing. That is why you have even seen the artificial drop of the American dollar or the foreign currencies that are artificial because there is less money in circulation. So there is no competition for the foreign exchange. The gaining of the Kwacha is not there to stay, it is going to crush, the Kwacha is going to crush very soon,” he said.

Mr. Chungu, who resigned from PF last year, declined to reveal his preferred candidate for the PF presidential race.

“I wouldn’t want to get involved at this point in the matter of who is the best candidate. Those are internal politics of political parties and individuals who are vying for these positions. I think for these individuals to seek that position I think they have got all the confidence to win. But I have said we need somebody to give us hope. Yes the party President must be sealable with a national appeal and with those other factors I earlier mentioned. They should give us hope because we have lost hope in UPND. We have lost it,” Mr. Chungu said.

By Amb. Anthony Mukwita

Sunday: How to become a Tyrant

I flipped the TV channels this morning and landed on my current favourite docu-series yet again—´How to Become a Tyrant, a must watch folks.
This time around they are discussing how Tyrants or authoritarian rulers use the ´torture tactic´ to continue a strong hold on their nations of kingdoms.

Saddam Hussein for instance tortured one of his former officials to near death, brought his wife and daughters in his jail cell and warned him that would order prison guards to rape his wife and daughters in his presence if he did not confess to betraying the Great Leader. Horrific but true.

Sometimes torture came into use, electric shocks, or sleep deprivation during Cambodia’s tyrannical ruler Pol Pot, but torture, nevertheless always came.

You punish your enemies enough to ´not kill them´ they must know you are the boss.
In modern days, studies show that killing or subjecting people to physical torture has pretty much ended as human rights awareness rises.
These days despots use tactics such as holding enemies in jail for long periods without trial, arrest as many enemies as possible and sometimes use money.

Deprive enemies of their hard-earned money so they tow your line because after all, a hungry man is a subservient man.

He who controls the truth

The truth is rather inconvenient for Tyrants according to the Play Book in my fav doc series.
For Tyrants to rule, they often must create their own history and control the future like Soviet Union’s Joseph Stalin completely re-invented himself.
Stalin was born Loseb Besarionis Jughashvili in 1872and died of a massive haemorrhage stroke in 1953 aged 74.
His new chosen name Stalin means ´Steel´ in Russian, he is known as the father of photoshop, long before photoshopping was even invented, a story for another page.

Like Stalin, German´s Adolf Hitler erased the past of Japan´s victory all over German to rebuild a new cult following. He is perhaps the best-known Tyrant, millions mostly Jews died on his watch before he finally fell at the Battle of Berlin, killed himself and was burnt to ashes after being doused in petrol, identified only through his dental remains.

Destroy God First.

As a Tyrant, you don’t really like competition, so you take away things that ´destruct´ people’s attention from you like religion or God.
Its important to take God out of the equation and create your own story like Stalin did with ´Marxism and Lenninsm´in the Play book, including creating new folk heroes that are not necessarily religious leaders like Jesus Christ or God.
“When you replace the church with the state, your truth becomes divine” according to the Tyrant Play Book.

The Colonel Muammar Ghaddafi

Muamar Ghaddafi especially was a master at tyranny, travelling to foreign countries and sleeping in a Bedouin tent as a way of showing the ordinary people he was a man of the people.
He ruled the oil rich desert nation for 42 years until he was captured, sodomised with a bayonet, and brutally shot to death, so bad, even Amnesty International (AI) was disgusted.

He succeeded to dominate by restricting the rights of his enemies, punishing them constantly and cowing them into submission. No one was spared but he was reported to be hugely loved like most dictators are idolised their subjects.

Oh, by the way, Tyrants must have a ´great´ project or catch phrase to remain in office and immortal. The Great Wall, or bridge.
Hitler built the Auto Bahn Ghaddafi, created a river in the middle of the desert and wrote the Green Book, the Libyan ´bible. ´
According to the Play Book, Tyrants are often seen as ´omnipotent´ by those that idolise them. Omnipotent means they are powerful and flawless, like deities. No one must disagree with them.
For this reason, they manipulate states institution to meet their ends at all costs.

The way Tyrants end up

In Uganda, Dictator Id Amin killed Anglican Bishop Janani Luwum in 1977 for refusing to tone down in political rhetoric, Amin instead faked a car accident again.

Around the same time Amin killed two American journalists that had travelled to Uganda to interview the expelled Indians.
After having them shot dead in cold blood, Amin had their car rolled over a cliff to make it look like an accident.
Amin died in exile at a hospital in Jedda when wife number four and other family members unplugged the life support system.
Adolf Hitler died aged 56 years in 1945 after shooting himself, German forces doused him in petrol and gutted him.

Why do ordinary Citizen’s gel around Tyrants?

German sociologist Max Weber, one of the founders of sociology, developed the concept of ‘charismatic authority’ – a ‘certain quality of an individual personality, by virtue of which he is set apart from ordinary men and treated as endowed with ´supernatural´, ´superhuman´, or at least specifically exceptional powers or qualities’ according to studies.
´Charismatic leaders´ in your society or neighbourhood, inspire ´devotion, and are regarded as prophetic figures by their followers´ according to Weber.

Weber’s insights deepen Plato’s sketchy account. ´The rising tyrant has a special, almost magical aura. His followers believe that he can work miracles and transform their lives. ´
But how does this happen? What is it that induces otherwise rational people to yield to adopt such dangerously unrealistic views? To explain it, we need to dig deeper.

In Vienna, Sigmund Freud was thinking like Weber around the same time.
Freud argued that those who are attracted to authoritarian leaders idealise them. The leader is seen as an ´exemplary, heroic human being shorn of every serious flaw. ´

Its all in The Play Book if you flip the channel right on your Netflix. There´s almost without exception the end of Tyrants in this documentary, badly.

Source: ´How to Become a Tyrant´—a Netflix docu-series.

Amb. AM 06.11.22.