Juventus superstar, Paul Pogba reportedly paid £85,000 (€100,000) to his extortionists who were demanding £11million after they dragged him to a Paris apartment in March and threatened him with assault rifles in part of an alleged plot to blackmail him.

The 29-year-old, who has won the World Cup with France, said the men wanted the money for ‘protection services’ stretching back 13 years, including for the time he spent in Manchester.

Pogba claims two armed men said they ‘protected him discreetly’ during a period that spanned more than a decade, including during two spells at Manchester United, the last of which ended earlier this year.

Reports from French news outlet RMC are claiming that Pogba paid around £85,000 in a bid to ‘save time’ and ‘satisfy the extortionists’ but his attempts saw those plotting against him demand the £11m again.

The allegations came after Pogba’s brother Mathias published a bizarre video online on Saturday night – in four languages (French, Italian, English, and Spanish), promising ‘great revelations’ about the Juventus star.

A statement signed by his lawyers, his mother Yeo Moriba, and current agent Rafaela Pimenta said that the videos ‘are unfortunately no surprise’ and were in addition to other ‘threats and extortion attempts’.

Judicial sources in Paris confirmed on Sunday that an investigation for ‘attempted extortion in an organised gang’ has been opened. On Sunday night a source close to the case told the Franceinfo news outlet that Pogba’s ‘big brother and childhood friends’ are all named as suspects.

But on Sunday night, Mathias, who had spells in English football at Wrexham, Crewe, and Crawley Town denied the claims from his brother

He wrote: ‘Paul, you really wanted to shut me up completely to lie and send me to prison, I suspected it now it’s true, my version of the facts happens and unlike you.’

Pogba concluded his video by referencing Kylian Mbappe, declaring he has ‘important things’ to say about the 23-year-old.

‘I will tell you very important things about him and there will be elements and many testimonies to confirm my words,’ Pogba said of Mbappe. ‘Everything could be explosive and make a lot of noise.’

However, Paul Pogba has claimed there is no story surrounding Mbappe despite his brother’s claims.

Paul Pogba’s lawyers, Yeo Moriba, who is also his mother, and Pimenta have since responded to Mathias’s threats.

‘Mathias Pogba’s recent statements on social networks are unfortunately not a surprise,’ they said. ‘They are in addition to threats and organised extortion attempts against Paul Pogba.’

On Sunday night, a judicial source said: ‘During various hearings, Paul Pogba was able to confide in investigators from the Central Office of Judicial Police Combating Organised Crime that he was trapped by childhood friends, and two hooded men armed with assault rifles.

Pogba said the gang wanted €13m the equivalent of £11m and had been threatening him for four months.

Acts of intimidation were carried out in Manchester in April, and later around the Italian city of Turin, where Pogba currently plays for Juventus.

The gang is also said to have taken Pogba to flat in the Paris suburb of Lagny-sur-Marne, where Pogba grew up, at the end of March. While he was being held, the gang members accused Pogba of not helping them financially since he became a professional player.

During police interviews, Paul Pogba said he had always been close to his childhood friends and helped them out financially when he could.

But in January he kicked one out of his house in Manchester after discovering that the unidentified man had used Pogba’s credit card to steal €200,000 – the equivalent of £170,000.

The French prosecutor confirmed to Reuters that an investigation was underway. ‘I confirm that an investigation was opened on 3 August 2022 on the charge of attempted extortion by an organised criminal gang. The investigations have been entrusted to the OCLCO,’ the prosecutor’s office said.

The OCLCO is a unit within the judicial police tasked with investigating organised crime.

The US Open will put on a farewell ceremony for Serena Williams as she prepares to retire from tennis.

Williams will play Danka Kovinic on Arthur Ashe later today, August 28, with 100 invited guests to attend the sold-out the occasion

The 40-year-old Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam winner, is expected to retire after her home major, meaning Monday’s match could be her last in singles competition if she were to lose.

According to the New York Post, the 23,800 sell-out crowd will watch on after her match as US tennis pays tribute to her stunning career.

The publication adds that Williams will around 100 guests on hand, comprising of family and friends, to watch her in action.

Williams heads into Monday’s match with a 1-3 record since returning to action at Wimbledon earlier this year.

The 27-year-old from Montenegro heads into the Williams showdown in a five-match losing streak. But even if Williams loses Monday, there will be one other opportunity to see her on the court as she is also competing in the doubles alongside her sister, Venus.

Upon announcing her plans to retire in early August in Vogue, Williams said: ‘I have never liked the word (retirement).

‘It doesn’t feel like a modern word to me. I’ve been thinking of this as a transition, but I want to be sensitive about how I use that word, which means something very specific and important to a community of people.

‘Maybe the best word to describe what I’m up to is evolution,’ she continued. ‘I’m here to tell you that I’m evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me.’

Williams not only wants to spend more time with her husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, and their five-year-old, Olympia, but she is hoping for another child.

‘In the last year, Alexis and I have been trying to have another child, and we recently got some information from my doctor that put my mind at ease and made me feel that whenever we’re ready, we can add to our family,’ Williams wrote.

‘I definitely don’t want to be pregnant again as an athlete. I need to be two feet into tennis or two feet out.’

ON THEIR OWN LAND
[The Telling Case of Kasompe]

A TERRIBLE atrocity has been committed.
Tears now flow.

Once joyous citizens, now remain anguished and gnashing their teeth.
Utterly bewildered they remain, at the cruelty meted out on them by their own methodical and unfeeling leader.

Evil causes grief.
And evil is the genesis of the Kasompe tale, a sordid tale that can only cause joy to the Devil and his followers.

On THEIR OWN LAND, land which they own, with their bare blistered hands, these citizens, for years laboured to build houses for themselves using resources earned with difficulty and pain. Then done, a measure of comfort descended upon them, success from personal initiatives having been attained, they then began to peacefully live in these houses, secure Zambians that they thought they were.

Then the bulldozers came, driven by non-feeling creatures, sent by Hakainde HICHILEMA, the very man they voted for, the Republican President they created.
Then as if in a dream, one by one, their houses, expensive structures which their own government cannot afford to build for them, began to fall to the ground.
Demolition Day had come.

Then the pain of seeing your own house, the house you suffered to build for yourself destroyed by the very people whom YOU employ and SUPERVISE, engulfed them.
The bitter tears of Kasompe residents are still flowing today. They will flow forever.

A leader needs empathy.
A leader must feel for his flock, his people.

You see, Pilgrim, the Republican Constitution is inferior to the collective will of citizens.
It is they that give birth to it, and as time and enlightenment permit, it is THEY that abolish it or make amendments to it.

Kasompe land belongs to Zambia’s citizens.
The very people whose homes/houses were demolished can decide, and NOT any Republican President by himself,, whether or not an airstrip or mine is a priority for them.
Planes, you see, are vehicles. They move, but houses do NOT.

People matter.
But planes do NOT at all.

Kasompe laid bare the callous heart of Hakainde HICHILEMA.
Hakainde HICHILEMA planted a very bad seed at Kasompe, whose harvest is coming soon, for as one maketh his bed so shall he lay on it.

The sad way the houses fell at Kasompe is exactly the sad way Hakainde HICHILEMA’s reign as Zambia’s Republican President will soon fall/end.
Demolition Day for his presidency is coming.

A leader must never inflict pain and suffering on his followers.
When he does this, this is akin to defeating himself, he then acts at variance with the very REASON/purpose of his reign.

You raze to the ground a house, shelter for a man, his wife and children, worse still shelter for a WIDOW and her children.
Then you go there and give the teary and grieving owners K1000 as compensation?

Disguised as law enforcement, this then is pure evil.
Surely, as above has its below, the DIRE effect/reaction to this unwise action will soon show. Winanso, azalila.

Kasompe is a national disaster.
It is also Hakainde HICHILEMA’s own personal leadership disaster.

Houses have fallen, the foundations have cracked.
Soon his reign will equally fall, Hakainde’s presidency is now in peril.

People first always, my man.
Business and all else, second.

Now a terrible calamity has occurred.
A bad seed has been sown.

New dawn.
And with it, new levels of suffering have come.

Tulecula.
Tulelila.
Lesa mutumfwe.

NEVER AGAIN, I lay my petition before God.
Father, as they cast their eyes on you, carry the heavy burdens of these anguished and weary citizens, comfort them Lord, I pray.

Dr Canisius BANDA
Development Activist

29 August 2022

29 TH AUGUST 2022

FIXING THE FIXER; KBF IS THE ENEMY OF PROGRESS AND THE ZAMBIAN PEOPLE

If the motive of launching the Zambia Shall Prosper Party by KBF is to fix President HH, then definitely he is a very bitter politician. His style of politics has no blessings of the Zambian people. Zambians are interested in development than fixing Bally who is busy fixing the economy. Zambians have no time for bitter politicians like KBF.

If his intention is to embark on smear campaign, then we advise him to think twice. We are ready to defend President HH and the UPND. Any attempts to throw mud on President HH and the Party will not be tolerated. Every game has its own rules and so is politics. We therefore advise KBF to keep to his lane. He may just find himself very isolated like other bitter politicians.

The message of fixing the fixer clearly shows that KBF is just bent on bringing anarchy and disorder in the Country. KBF is the enemy of progress and the Zambian people. The Zambian people will certainly fix KBF in the ballot box in 2026. What happens in the unlikely event that he assumes the Presidency of this Country is he going to fix all Zambians that voted for President HH? In 2026 when he records zeros in certain parts of the Country, he should blame this on his careless way of doing politics. Should he continue calling other people as praise singers, they also reserve the right to call him a noise maker.

We advise all those practicing politics of bitterness and hatred to try something like witch craft because in politics there are no permanent enemies. President HH forgave all those that brutalized him and has since moved on reuniting the Country. President HH is busy fixing the economy and has no time for people trying to pull him down with malice. President HH is busy creating jobs for youths and empowering our women. President HH has brought unity and peace in the Country. Zambians no longer move in fear of being undressed in public and beaten by those hefty party cadres in markets and bus stations. Truly now, it’s One Zambia One Nation.

Percy Chanda

UPND – Chairman for Mines and Freedom Fighter

ZAMBIA DOES NOT NEED A VERY STRONG CURRENCY. By Choolwe Joyce Lungu.

The implications of words such as “strong” and “Weak” can mislead people to believe that an
appreciating currency is always better for the economy than a depreciating currency, but this is not the case. In fact, there is no simple connection between the strength of a country’s currency and the strength of its economy –Romer.

Import oriented countries like Zambia do not need a VERY strong currency. This can also be applicable to large economies like the USA. As we rejoice over the appreciation of the Zambian Kwacha it is very important to ask questions like; What causes the Zambian Kwacha to appreciate amidst low levels of
production and the absence of value addition on the few exports made? If the appreciation is as a result of a certain degree of government intervention, how long will it last?(is it sustainable)?

WHY WE DON’T NEED A VERY STRONG CURRENCY.

Firstly, here’s a simple description of exchange rates. Think of dollar(USD) as a good say bread and quote the price of the good in kwacha (ZMW). If the price of bread (USD) falls, then we say Kwacha has Appreciated (Less kwachas are needed to by the dollar). If the price of bread rises, we say kwacha has
depreciated because this time we will need more Kwachas to buy the bread (USD).
If the Zambian Kwacha keeps appreciating (getting Stronger), goods and services produced in Zambia will become relatively more expensive for foreign buyers, which will hurt Zambian domestic producers that export goods. In short, a stronger Zambian kwacha means that Zambians can buy foreign goods
more cheaply than before, but foreigners will find Zambian goods more expensive than before. This scenario will tend to increase imports, reduce exports, and make it more difficult for Zambian Firms (Businesses) to compete on price. A further Appreciation of the Zambian Kwacha risks making much of
Zambia’s export agriculture less competitive on the world markets. Since most Zambians consume more than they invest or save, the imports will grow more and more. This will widen the gap between imports and exports even further (Negative Net Exports).

The recent appreciation of Kwacha is not the main issue here as it has helped in cushioning the high cost of living for Zambians. The Continued Appreciation that would cause the kwacha to be very strong is the
issue. A stronger kwacha will reduce the flow of dollars and other foreign currencies in the country and the Bank of Zambia may be forced to draw down on its reserves whenever there is an increase in demand for foreign currency (USD) on the market (by commercial banks or individuals). This may cause a balance of payments deficit.

WHAT LIKELY CAUSED THE KWACHA APPRECIATION? IS IT SUSTAINABLE?

Some of the factors causing the Zambian Kwacha appreciation are; The announcement of the IMF package, Bank of Zambia gains on reserves, and the recent flows of investments in the country – John Musantu, PhD (Zed Econ Observer).

Questions of sustainability and stability depend on what causes the kwacha appreciation. If it is largely caused by the announcement of the IMF package and BoZ gains, it is likely not to be sustainable and
stable. If it is caused by CONTINUED increased flows of investment, it is likely to be sustainable.

WHAT CAN WE DO AS A COUNTRY? SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.

The current government’s effort towards the increment of value (Value Addition) on Agricultural exports are very necessary and worth applauding. More efforts should be placed on creating a favorable environment for foreign investors. More efforts should also be placed on boosting the tourism sector in
order to induce the genuine flows of foreign currencies in the country.

Picture Credit : Money FM Zambia.

©Linda Banks

BREAKING NEWS: Maureen Nkandu’s letter of Appointment has been withdrawn

A strong relationship between the media and government is vital.

The relationship between media and government has a profound impact on the information to which the public has access. Historically, governments have relied on media to communicate with citizens, and stakeholders around the world, ensuring that they receive the information that will shape their day-to-day decisions, from what to buy, where to live, which school to attend to issues surrounding their health, safety and political views.

In turn, a strong media assesses this information, analyses and instigates stimulating discussions that ensure a nation’s identity is always evolving in a positive and insightful way, and never stifled. It also helps an economy grow by creating confidence in the market through the dissemination of knowledge that is objective and information that is accurate, things that form a key foundation for investment decisions.

As traditional media models struggle due to media landscape changing at a rapid pace, innovation and the nurturing of talent will however lead the industry into the future. This change is perhaps the reason why the news of veteran broadcaster Maureen Nkandu was met with such contemptuous uproar. It is absolutely critical that the person who will be at the helm of the national Broadcasting Corporation is a safe pare of hands with a pulse on global trends, and versed with the know how on leading the rusty organisation into the future. But more importantly the position of Director General of ZNBC requires someone who is not marred in political affiliation or scandal, as this will deter them from being impartial.

Whatever the strong opinions of those against the appointment may possess, perhaps we ought to consider the bigger concern of lack of transparency in this colossal appointment. According to a source close to the story, Ms Nkandu’ s appointment and that of the Director of Program’s (Ngenda Kamayoyo ) was done without consultation and a consensus from the entire ZNBC Board. “The board chairman made this decision minus the other board members and without engaging the appointing authority, so as far as all parties are concerned,this was a personal appointment by himself and the board is yet to establish the reasoning behind this appointment”. Efforts to reach the board chair have proved unfruitful,Ms Nkandu was contacted for a comment but could not refute or confirm the story.

Linda Banks
28/08/22

Mathias Pogba, the elder brother of Juventus and France footballer Paul Pogba has released a video on social media claiming he will share revelations about the star player.

According to the 32-year-old, who previously played in English football clubs Wrexham, Crewe and Crawley Town, he wants the public and Pogba’s team-mates to know ”what he is really like.”

Matthias only just joined Twitter in August, and on Saturday night, August 27 made an immediate impact with his video tweet gaining thousands of retweets and comments.

Paul Pogba celebrated winning the World Cup in 2018 with his brothers and mum.

However, Mathias Pogba has now said he will share ‘explosive’ revelations about the former Man United midfielder, hinting that this could lead to the public and his team-mates in France and Juventus turning against him.

Mathias Pogba said;

‘The French, English, Italian and Spanish public, in other words the whole world, as well as my brother’s fans, and even more so the French team and Juventus, my brother’s team-mates and his sponsors deserve to know certain things,’

‘In order to make an informed decision if he deserves the admiration, respect and love of the public.

‘If he deserves his place in the French team and the honour of playing in the World Cup. If he deserves to be a starter at Juventus.

‘If he is a trustworthy person, that any player deserves to have at his side.’

Pogba then moved to his brother’s agent and lawyer, Rafaela Pimenta.

Pimenta has taken over the handling of Paul Pogba’s career following the death of his former agent Mino Raiola in April. Mathias Pogba has questioned her ability to hold this position,.

He stated that he would let fans and players know about ‘her integrity, her professionalism and her loyalty’ so that they could determine whether she ‘deserves to represent them.’

Pogba finished his video by referring to Kylian Mbappe, claiming he has ‘important things’ to say about the PSG striker.

‘I will tell you very important things about him and there will be elements and many testimonies to confirm my words,’ Pogba added, when talking about Mbappe.

‘Everything could be explosive and make a lot of noise.’

Responding to Matthias’ threats, Pimenta and Paul Pogba’s lawyer Yeo Moriba – who is also his mother – said in a joint statement;

‘Mathias Pogba’s recent statements on social networks are unfortunately not a surprise. They are in addition to threats and organised extortion attempts against Paul Pogba,’ they said.

Paul Pogba left Manchester United last month to rejoin Juventus after breaking a then world record £80m fee in 2016 to join the Old Trafford club.

Watch the video below

Paul Pogba getting exposed by his own brother?

Wowpic.twitter.com/5ZbIwYfw1t

— Bill Eshun (@Bill_Eshun) August 28, 2022

THIS COUNTRY WILL DEGENARATE INTO ONE PARTY IF UPND MACHINATIONS ARE ENTERTAINED, CHARGES KABWITA

By Isaac Zulu

National Democratic Congress secretary general Charles Kabwita has charged that the UPND administration is engaging in machinations aimed at silencing political opponents.

Kabwita, in an interview, has said that President Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND administration are using state institutions to oppress opposition political parties, with a view to ensuring that Zambia reverts to a one party.

“From there has been growing tendency by the UPND to silence opposition political parties from the time they formed government. We all remember that there is an audio that went viral where Presidential political advisor Levy Ngoma and Home Affairs permanent secretary Josephs Akafumba were consipiring to block the Democratic Party, which was then under the leadership of my brother Harry Kalaba, from contesting the Kabwata parliamentary by-election. We reported Mr Josephs Akafumba to the Anti-Corruption Commission, but to date nothing has happened,” Kabwita said. “And it is not only the DP that the UPND was trying to frustrate, but they have gone to an extent of trying to deregister the National Democratic Congress using Mr Josephs Akafumba, as permanent secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs. We have now seen a situation where Patriot Front candidates that were scheduled to file in nominations in the Kabushi and Kwacha parliamentary by-elections have been barred from doing so. This has not happened before in this country. And if this is allowed to continue, this country will degenerate into a one party state. The UPND administration is engaging in machinations aimed at silencing political opponents. We have noticed those growing tendencies that amount to autocratic tendencies being exhibited by President Hakainde Hichilema.”

He wondered why the barring of Bowman Lusambo to file in his nominations for the Kabushi parliamentary by-election coincided with his summoning by the Anti-Corruption Commission.

“How many times are you going to summon Bowman Lusambo? Ninshi ifyo mwipusha Lusambo tafitampa, no kupwa? (You mean the issues that you have been summoning Bowman Lusambo for have no beginning and the end?). You have decided to use the Electoral Commission of Zambia to bar Honourable Bowman Lusambo and Joe Malanji from filing in their nominations and yet, the Law Association of Zambia has said that the two were not disqualified, but just had their parliamentary seats nullified,” Kabwita said. “The Law Association of Zambia has already given its interpretation of the law. So who is on the right side of law between the Electoral Commission of Zambia and LAZ? Further, I wish to state that there is a group claiming to be NDC that wrote a letter to the ECZ indicating that the National Democratic Congress party will not participate in the forthcoming Kabushi and Kwacha parliamentary by-elections. We know that that group is sponsored by Mr Josephs Akafumba. And anything, any narrative from that group is coming from Mr Josephs Akafumba. Clearly, the UPND government wants to take us back to a one party state, which we rejected in 1990 and reverted to multiparty democracy.”

Kabwita further charged that GEARS Initiative executive director MacDonald Chipenzi is a UPND hired mouth piece.

“It is also in public domain that when the Patriot Front adopted Bowman Lusambo to recontest the Kabushi seat and Joe Malanji to recontest the Kwacha parliamentary seat, MacDonald Chipenzi was the first person to state that he is going to challenge the filing of nominations by the two PF adopted candidates,” Kabwita said. “And when I said that MacDonald Chipenzi is a UPND mouth piece, some people said Kabwita is mad. The truth of the matter is that Mr MacDonald Chipenzi is a hired UPND mouth piece. He does represent the views of his organisation, but the views of the UPND.”

He said that the departure of Patrick Nshindano from the Electoral Commission of Zambia and the “non renewal of the contract for Justice Essau Chulu is a ploy by the UPND government replace UPND aligned individuals to those positions.”

“My brother Patrick Nshindano did not leave the Electoral Commission of Zambia voluntarily. There were external forces that wanted him to do his job unprofessionally. Anyway, it’s good that Mr Patrick Nshindano ran his race professionally,” said Kabwita. “But we are also aware that they are doing this in order to perpetuate the UPND government’s stay in government. And that is why they want the ECZ to be run by individuals who are aligned to the UPND.” – Daily Revelation

PF CANDIDATE FOR LUANGWA DISTRICT COUNCIL CHAIRPERSON BY-ELECTION IS INELIGIBLE. ECZ WRONG TO HAVE ACCEPTED HIS NOMINATION PAPERS

Art 157 of the Constitution in Clause (2) states that the office of councillor becomes vacant if—

(a) the councillor ceases to be a resident of the district;

(b) the councillor resigns by one month’s notice, in writing, to the mayor or council chairperson;

(c) the councillor becomes disqualified for election under Article 153;

Article (d) the result of an election for that councillor is nullified by a local government elections tribunal established in accordance with Article 159

(e) the councillor acts contrary to the code of ethics provided for in Article 155

Clause (3) guides as it guided ECZ on the issue of Malanji and Bowman Lusambo that

Where a councillor resigns in accordance with clause (2) (b), (c), (d) and (e) the councillor shall not be eligible for re-election as councillor for the duration of the term of that council

Art 159 provides available avenues to petition a councilor and the appeal process especially now that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) erroneously misled itself by excluding local government by-elections in enforcing the rejection of nominations.

Therefore, ECZ erred in accepting the nomination of the PF candidate Mr Lawrence Shawa against the provisions of Art 157(3).

Since Mr Shawa is already declared duly nominated by the ECZ, this invites the provisions of Art 52(4) to challenge the nomination of Lawrence Shawa’s nomination.

Just like Malanji and Lusambo, Lawrence is ineligible to contest that election for the Luangwa District Chairperson seat in LUANGWA because his nomination offends Art 157(3) of the Constitution.

This is why the ECZ must always be alert to avoid such electoral mistakes and cost the country and citizens unncessary costs.

The nomination of Shawa must be petitioned within 7 days because being a councilor, he is bound by the entire provisions of Art 52 and Art 157(3).

I submit

Chipenzi

´State capture´ in Zambia escalates under Mr Hichilema
…says Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba

26.09.22
By Staff Reporter
Zambia has quickly fallen into a state capture rut just one year into the leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema says presidential aspirant for the opposition PF Ambassador Emmanuel Mwamba.

In a KBN TV live interview, Ambassador Mwamba said the allure Zambia enjoyed in the past as a haven of peace and democracy has now faded away.

Ambassador Mwamba was speaking following the decision of the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to stop former Kabushi and Kwacha law makers Bowman Lusambo and Joseph Malanji from filing nominations for the by election set for 15th September 2022.
“We fear that our country (Zambia) has now fallen under a dictatorship,” Ambassador Mwamba said, “we fear that we have gone back to the stone age, and we fear that the current government has taken us so far back after only one year.”
Mr Mwamba said the heavy handedness of the current government under Mr Hichilema is tantamount to going back to swallowing one’s own vomit in bemba, “batubwesesha ku malushi.”

The former African Union representative for Zambia cited the ACC, DEC, the judiciary as some of the crucial or key state institutions that have been “captured” by the Hichilema government to fix their perceived or real political enemies.
“Its sad that the ECZ has been added to the list of captured state institutions at such as fats rate,” said Ambassador Mwamba, “the ECZ went out of its way to interpret the law illegally instead of leaving such issues to the courts of law. They stopped two strong candidates from filing nominations clearly illegally.”

Mr Mwamba said the PF has since taken the matter of Malanji and Lusambo to the courts of law that should make a final decision on 7th September in time for a possible resubmission of nominations and a final election on 15th September.
Conversely, Mr Mwamba regretted that the ACC has wantonly yet again summoned Lusambo to appear before them yet again for alleged corruption.

“It is clear the ACC, DEC and other state institutions have allowed themselves to be used as tools of oppression by Mr Hichilema´s government and its doubly sad because Mr Hichilema during the campaign promised not to abuse state institutions,” said Mr Mwamba.
The former diplomat although Mr Hichilema seems to be enjoying his ´conquests´ the escapade may not last long because both Zambian voters and the international community are watching the abuses and break down of rule of law pile up.

Source: KBN TV 26.08.22 LUSAKA

ZAMBIA OUR HERITAGE: MY FINAL SAY BEFORE THE PRESIDENT ASSENTS TO THE DRAFT CONSTITUTION

[By Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda, 4th January 2015]

On 16th December 2015 I wrote a petition to the Republican President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, titled “At least Ten Reasons Why the President Must NOT Assent to the Constitution with His Eyes Closed”. I wish to make it clear that, contrary to deliberate misrepresentations by both some media and PF zealots, I never asked the President NOT to assent; I advised him NOT to sign with his eyes closed as he declared in Kasama! But as he signs and assents this afternoon he is probably chuckling “do not listen to him; he is just a simple soldier!”

I did NOT react to the sponsored PF cadres and organisations such as the Young African Leaders (YALI) because I naively believed that the President would grant me audience to elaborate on the issues and bring up the remaining contentious issues as I indicated in my Petition. Since the President is signing today (6th January 2016) I consider it my national duty to elaborate, contextualize and leave a record for posterity.

Talking of posterity I wish to quote from a previous statement to provide a vivid background of my concerns. Sometime in October 2012 The Post newspaper requested me to comment on the First 12 months of the Patriotic Front in Government. I issued my statement on 15th October 2012. The Post published part of my statement on page 4 in their issue No. 5844 dated Thursday October 18, 2012.

I quote the opening paragraph from the said statement “The first twelve months of the PF in Government provide good material for assessing a regime that came in on an incredible wave of presumed popularity, because the debate comes at the advent of the independence celebrations, a time when we recall the reason for the struggle and hoping to recommit ourselves to the unity of all our peoples. In reviewing the first steps of the PF this is what has to be assessed. It is our independence and unity that has to be guarded, protected and defended. This analysis is premised on this in order to see to what extent the PF has helped our young democracy to remain united and remain a beacon of hope for all its peoples.”

It can be seen from that statement that my Petition is not malicious, frivolous nor is it an afterthought intended to thwart the constitution-making process.

Land:

I contend that the Constitution that President Edgar Chagwa Lungu is signing today will further entrench the raping of our precious land by foreign interest forces through dubious business deals with those we have entrusted with managing our country. These actions are against the spirit and purpose of our independence journey; they are against the spirit and letter of the Constitution and other laws that preceded the granting of the independence trophy that we fought so hard to get. Land is what identifies us as Zambians. So what happened to our land when we were an occupied country under the British Power? We lost the land as we had no control over its usage. And what happened after the breakup of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland and on the road to actual independence? Although there were no reparations we got something; it was called Native Reserves or land for “natives”. Although this sounds demeaning, it is a better deal to day and we must not allow the President, let alone any politician or individual in authority, to give away our inheritance to all and sundry.

When Mr Mwanza of YALI criticised my Petition on the MUVI TV Assignment (Sunday 3rd January 2016) to which I was unethically not invited to defend my Petition he even raised some racial slurs against me, mischievously slanting the grounds I presented to the President, and naively blurting out that “Zambia is a country for many colours”!

Our legacy as a former occupied country is that, whether by design or oversight, Her Majesty’s Government left some land safe and secure “for the natives”. Since God is not creating any more land, it is prudent and safer to keep our “native reserves” than become a country of many undefined colours. Provided we put our chiefs in check to fit in their role as trustees in these modern times. Her Majesty’s Government segmented the land in Zambia in distinct categories: State Land and Reserves (later Trust Land). By this arrangement the Reserves meant lands ‘set apart for the sole and exclusive use of the native inhabitants of Zambia’. One definition of a native in Zambia was “any member of the aboriginal tribes or races of Africa and includes any person having the blood of any such tribe or race and living among and after the manner of such tribe or race”. Seventy three such races were identified as belonging to the new state that was to be called Zambia. These are the owners of Zambia and no one must be ashamed to say so in the Constitution, especially in the Preamble. Why must this structure of “Zambianness” be changed because some investors are building our roads? Or because YALI says they have married across races? This is a red herring intended to distract attention from the real issue and make us feel guilty as perceived racists: it is a fact that Zambians are the owners of Zambia; that Zambians are hospitable people and have always welcomed people from other lands.

President Lungu must today state clearly his vision on the land of Zambia. Is he going to let loose vultures from afar to grab everything in the name of investment? The system of vesting land in the President is a carry-over from the Colonial arrangement. Mr Mwanza of YALI was busy trashing our traditional land because it has no Title Deed. Even without that piece of paper our people and their chiefs new whose land was where. Even today this is so, except for the epidemic of greed and corruption that has spread as a cancer throughout the nation and in all institutions including the Church!

Some of our chiefs have betrayed and are betraying their people for a bottle of whisky. The YALI man questioned my service in Government, saying we can make amendments later – seriously? There will be nothing left by these vultures when they are through with their schemes. Today President Lungu and his government are busy enticing chiefs to release more land to the state “for investment”, land that belongs to indigenous people under the pretext of development. This is a conduit for stealing our birth right while we are watching. How come foreign investors have the means to develop our country but we do not have the capacity and capability to develop it ourselves? It is because those in power choose to betray their people. I say that chiefs and their subjects are THE GOVERNMENT OVER ‘NATIVE LAND’ OR WHAT IS NOW CALLED TRADITIONAL LAND. I urge all Zambians who care for their inheritance to adopt the use of the word NATIVE (as in “say it loud I am a NATIVE of Zambia”). This word connotes indigenous which I mentioned to the President who has kept quiet but his supporters are telling us that we shall a make amendments later! This is the main issue so why must it come later? I emphasise, without land there is no Zambia; without land there is no Zambian; without land there is no chief, not even President Lungu; anyway, without our land what is there to celebrate at the stadium? Let President Lungu give us our Jubilee, if indeed he is a Jubilee President.

SECURITY:

The President comes into the fight for our inheritance because he is the Commander-In-Chief. This title means Chief Defender and Warrior for the state and all its peoples, not Chief Schemer or Betrayer or Traitor of the people. I petitioned the President I got no response. Security is not only about the grave offence of treason. There are several crimes related to the security of the state. Their gravity is reflected in the several separate pieces of legislation, which one hopes may one day be codified into one law. They number at least eight. Additionally there are several other Acts that may not directly be security provisions but have or may have a bearing on state security. I urge the President to always remember his solemn Oath of Office.

To borrow from the English of our Nigerian relatives “I have said my own”. I am done!

GODFREY MIYANDA,
BRIGADIER GENERAL,
A SIMPLE SOLDIER
[5TH JANUARY 2016]

Ex-Kasama MP, Sampa sued over $38,000 debt

By Mwaka Ndawa

LUSAKA resident Kelvin Situmbeko has sued former Kasama central PF member of parliament Kelvin Sampa in the Lusaka High Court for failing to clear his debt in the tune of US $38,500.

Situmbeko is seeking an order for payment of the outstanding debt.

He also wants the court to award him damages and interest on the amount found due.

In his statement of claim, Situmbeko said sometime in December 2021 Sampa obtained a facility for purposes of conducting business.

He said at beginning of the month of December 2021 he obtained a loan from his funder Hazaa Abou Jawhar for purposes satisfying an order to supply some goods at the Ministry of Defence for the Zambia Air Force which he was supposed to buy from South Africa.

Situmbeko said the conditions and terms of the loan faciltiy was that the credit would attract 15 per cent interest every 30 days.

He said upon borrowing the said money and due to Sampa’s persuasive narratives and upon being convinced that the said money would be paid back within a week, he agreed to lend Sampa some money and the parties enetered into a verbal agreement for the provision of a loan facilty worth US $57,000.

“Sampa promised that he would pay back the monies borrowed within seven days and it was expressly agreed by the parties that since the plaintiff was travelling to South Africa then, Sampa would deposit the US $57,000 into the plaintiff’s bank acount which he would draw and use the money for his business transactions in South Africa,” Situmbeko said. “The plaintiff travelled and was in South Africa for more than a week but Sampa did not deposit the money as per the agreement and efforts to contact him proved futile as most of the time his phone went unanswered.”

He said owing to Sampa’s elusiveness he persued him upon return to Zambia to recover his money and only managed to recover US $25,000 which Sampa paid through his brother Norman Sampa who is a lawyer.

Situmbeko said in the process of pursuing for payment of the outstanding balance he incurred more costs in the tune of US$3,500 which he paid to debt collectors whom he had engaged to trace Sampa for the recovery of the outstabding debt.

He said his funders have continued charging interest on the outstanding balance at 15 per cent every month.

“The defedant has failed to pay the US $38,500 inclusive of the interest acrrued at 15 per cent for the outstanding balance plus the 10 per cent debt collection fee spent on pursuing the defedant,” contended Situmbeko. “The defedant owes the plaintiff US $38,500 and his intention is to deprive the plaintiff of the use of the said monies. Despite several reminders Sampa has willfully neglected, refused and ignored to adhere to the plaintiff’s claim.”