Cephas Chisanga writes
PF GASED ZAMBIANS BUT FAKED IT ON UPND.

This is a well calculated move to look for sympathy from the public. Have you seen how they have rushed to social media to accuse the state….?

I have always said, this group of mafias will never repent for as long as they are bitter for losing an election. It is difficult to believe it is a break-in understanding too well how PF manipulates scenes. There are one or two police officers armed at the residence, how can a thief enter without them noticing. We are not kids, we Know what PF are trying to organizing. They still believe and dream that Mr Lungu can come back to politics. This should not be used as a political ladder to gain some little support or sympathy from citizens.

Let this man rest, all you want is to eat his money. Honestly, even when you have no heart, how can you ecourage and lie to Mr Lungu that he is still politically strong. You have continued misleading him with fake hopes like it was just to eat his money. Please if you love him , leave him alone to rest. For your own information, BALLY has no time to fight Mr Lungu. HH has tried to bring his brother closer but you kandiles have blocked that realizing that once peace is restored, you will have nothing to lie about HH to eat more from him. This is exactly how you misled him even when he was in power.

Not too long ago,we know how PF used to burn markets, gased people and did many more criminal activities and faked it on HH. This is the same game they have started to use to seek for sympathy from Zambians. To tell you the truth, HH or UPND is not scared of Mr Lungu, PF is gone and it will never come back.

Questions begging for answers. Where were the security officers..? Do we have the security cameras (CCTV)…? If Power went off, why didn’t they use a generator or solar system…? Do we have any picture for the breaking…? Lastly, why has the PF members rushed to the media almost with same statement of accusing the state of being responsible when the police have not concluded their investigation..?

All these questions will point to somewhere near PF. Remember what happened when they burned City Market. We saw how vice president lnonge Wina cried like an actress and other PF members rushed to the media to condemn the UPND. This is the game they know best. We can not buy into this cheap propaganda by Chilufya Tayali because of his stomach and bills.

Buy Zed and remember to put Zambia first.

Mine is to open your eyes.

True Son of the soil.

MR EYE OPENER 👁️

GOLD MEDALIST MUZALA SAMUKONGA CITIZENS APPRECIATION FUND

Update: 10.08.2022,7am

A. Airtel Line
LIFO (Last In First Out)

1. K120 Mupeta Chilekwa
2. K20 Kaunda James
3. K50 Musonda Catherine
4. K100 Nabuleze Chakawa
5. K10 Lesa Mubanga

6. K100 Mulenga Ray
7. K5 Zulu Richard
8. K50 Goma Margaret
9. K100 Nkoma Alized
10. K20 Katota Ntenje
11. K20 Kakoma Kevin

12. K102 Mweemba Kevin
13. K50 Banda Alfred
14. K50 Nguni Jacob
15. K500 Phiri Elliot
16. K500 Tope Franchescar
17. K1000 Mwaba Sydney (Dr)
18. K100 Mulenga M. Henry
19. K20 Zulu Steward
20. K100 Nacidze Mercy
21. K200 Chisenga Mwape

22. K20 Zimba Fanwell
21. K15 Nalumino Namakau
22. K100 Chishimba Kennedy
23. K50 Kapamba Oliver
24. K20 Mweene Mutinta
25. K300 Fwelu George
26. K12 Muntinta Charity

27. K30 Simpukile Hildah
28. K50 Nyirenda Florence
29. K50 Chisenga Martin
31. K10 Zulu Susan
32. K150 Banda Natmbose
Sub Total: K4,024

B. MTN Line
FIFO (First In First Out)

1. K50 Chiwala Jack
2. K105 Unkown ( 22-08-08, 13:33)
3. K200 Mwanza Dallon
4. K100 Kanyanga Joseph
5. K50 Chiwale Jack
6. K300 Mumeka M. Charlotte

7. K500 Cheelo Choolwe
8. K150 Assabu Theresa
9. K50 Mulobe Taulo
10. K500 Mwenya Davies
11. K1000 Ziwa Levison
12. K100 N’gona Morgan
13: K20 Mulwanda Walter
Sub Total: K3,125

C. OTHER PERSONAL PLEDGES
(In Aphabetical order)

1. Banda E. Jay, MP K5000
2. Chisenga Jean, MP K1,500
2. Chonde G. Saka, MP K5000
3. Mwila Golden, MP K2000
4. Sampa B. Miles, MP K5000
5. Zulu Munir, MP K5000
Sub Total: K23,500

D. COMPANY PLEDGES
1. K10,000 Sampay MasterCard
Sub Total: K10,000

Grand Total Thus Far: K40,648

‘Flying’ Muzala appreciation fund is still open for more contributions until Friday 12th August, 2022 at 12hrs when the final grand total will be made.

Contribute on
MTN : +260964007007
Airtel: +260979697332

For direct pledge, please call, text or Whatsup on either numbers above.

If wish to donate but remain unanimous or name not disclosed, please indicate so via text or otherwise.

May the hand that giveth be blessed. Contribute to the young man if able🙏🏽.

Zikomo to all that have contributed thus far🙏🏽

Together We Can
MBS10.08.2022, 7am

PLANS by the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) to report the newly launched Edgar Lungu Foundation to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) are nothing but schemes to continue harassing and maligning former President Edgar Lungu, Patriotic Front (PF) national chairperson Davis Chama has said.

Mr Chama said it was shocking that some people harbored so much hatred for the former head of state to an extent of even trying to stop him when he was just trying to do charity work.

He said that it was for this same reason that the office of the sixth president had not been funded by the current government because they had so much resentment for him.

“I cannot believe it that people still want to persecute the former head of state even when he was not even in active politics,” he said.

Mr Chama said the problem was that there was too much mistrust and people thought he was trying to campaign when in fact not.

Meanwhile, some PF members including Mutotwe Kafwaya, the PF Lunte Member of Parliament said it was worrying that the UPND supporters were planning to report the Foundation to the investigative wings for purposes of scrutinising it.

Mr Kafwaya said reports that UPND youths in Lusaka were planning to report the Foundation to the ACC and DEC for what the governing party cadres purported to be for purposes of scrutinising the NGO were a cause of concern to the former ruling party.

He said the precedence that was being set was bad and that had allegedly been set by the ruling party cadres who had developed the habit of reporting their perceived suspects to law enforcement agencies.

He said the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Lilian Siyunyi was currently appearing before the Judicial Complaints Commission (JCC) after some UPND cadres, the DEC and the MMD lodged complaints against her.

Mr Kafwaya stated that it was the UPND cadres that reported PF member of central committee in-charge of information Raphael Nakacinda to Solwezi police for allegedly defaming President Hakainde Hichilema.

“We are worried about the UPND youths plans to report to DEC and ACC the newly launched Edgar Lungu Foundation for scrutiny. Our worry is because of precedence created over the past few months concerning reports and or complaints made by UPND supporters. The following are some of the examples of action arising from UPND supporter complaints:, magistrates were transferred out of Lusaka, the DPP is appearing before JCC, Mr Nakacinda was transported to Solwezi and Chilufya Tayali was transported to Lukulu,” Mr Kafwaya said.

He explained that the examples above including many other incidents demonstrated how much power UPND supporters wield on Zambia’s institutions of governance.

He wondered as to what could have suddenly changed about the reported former President Lungu to ACC when not long ago, the commission and DEC had informed the nation that they had nothing on the former President.

Recently, the UPND Lusaka youths announced that they were in the process of reporting the newly launched foundation by former President Edgar Lungu to investigative wings because according to them, the foundation is just a mask to be used for corrupt activities.-Daily Nation

Man Utd leɡeпd Javier Hernandez says he would play for free if the opportunity to return ever саme up as he currently focuses on an MLS title сһаɩɩeпɡe with LA Galaxy

Former Manсһeѕter United ѕtгіker Javier Hernandez has insisted he would play for free if he ever returned to Old Trafford.

Hernandez, who woп two Premier League titles during a five-year spell with the Reds after being ѕпаррed up by Sir Alex Ferguson, has пot been ѕᴜгргіѕed by United’s ѕрeсtасᴜɩаг fall from gгасe in the nine years since his old mапаɡer retігed.

As new boss Erik ten Hag searches deѕрeгаtely for a new ѕtгіker, the 34-year-old Mexiсаn forwагd has helped LA Galaxy ѕtoгm сɩeаг at the top of the MLS weѕtern Conference – and is eying aпother championship medal.

But the man nicknamed Chicharito admitted that United remain cɩoѕe to his һeагt.

Hernandez said: “If United саme for me then I’d say ‘yes, I’ll play for free.’ Of course, you know, I’d do that.

Gareth Bale reunites with Real Madrid in LA

Bale visited his former side and chatted with Ancelotti during their pre-season training session in LA

“But I also want to be very respectful to my club. I am playing very consistently and in my mind my conviction is all aboᴜt wіпning a championship with LA Galaxy.

“In the future, if things happen then they happen – but in my mind I am 100 percent with LA.”

Hernandez’s foгtᴜпes with United began to fade when Ferguson left the club in 2013 – and he was ɩoапed oᴜt to Real Madrid a year later after David Moyes had been replасed as mапаɡer by Louis van Gaal.

He then spent the next year playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.

Hernandez’s view is that United were alwауѕ going to suffer a deсlіпe once Ferguson left – and he believes Ronaldo’s goals саn still help Ten Hag this season deѕріte a summer spent agitating for a move.

Hernandez, who will саptain the MLS team аɡаіпѕt the Mexiсаn Liga MX side tomorrow night, said: “United need to get over the fact that Sir Alex Ferguson has gone.

“Would we like to have someone similar? Yes, yes, yes. But Sir Alex has gone and it is never going to be the same.

“It doesn’t surprise me what has һаррeпed at United beсаuse in life it’s пot easy having a mапаɡer for 26 years in the way that Sir Alex did it.

“One of his greаteѕt aptitudes, in my humble opinion, was that pгoЬably seven oᴜt of 10 players who ѕіɡпed for United worked oᴜt.

“That’s пot easy, man – пot for Real Madrid or Bагcelona or even for Chelsea, (Manсһeѕter) City, Liverpool or Bayern Munich.

“It is like wіпning the lottery. Do you think anyone you hire afterwагds is going to be able to do even 80 percent of what Ferguson did?”

Hernandez added: “The pгoЬlem is that the other dіffісᴜɩty is that United are пot in the Champions League, so some players aren’t going to come.

Hernandez believes his former club need to get over the fact Sir Alex Ferguson has gone

‘Of course, some players will alwауѕ want to come to Manсһeѕter United.

“If aпother club саn offer Champions League then who do you choose? You choose the best club for your саreer.

“United are now in the same process that Liverpool was in when I was in England.

“So I underѕtапd what is happening with Ronaldo.

“tіme will tell what is going to happen with him – but what if Ronaldo stays and scores 40 goals? That could happen.”

Manchester United icon, Ryan Giggs wanted to “have sex all the time” and would call his ex-girlfriend Kate Greville “up to 50 times an hour”, his former partner Kate Greville told police.

Kate Greville told police that the former Manchester United star kicked her in the back and threw a laptop at her head after she accused him of flirting with another woman.

In a 105-minute police interview played on the morning of day two of the former Manchester United star’s trial on Tuesday, August 9, Greville detailed “red flags” in their relationship that included him “flipping” on more than one occasion in hotel rooms.

Greville, a 36-year-old PR executive, claimed that she learned Giggs was having an affair with eight different women after she checked his iPad after she decided to move out of his home during the first lockdown in 2020.

Ryan Giggs

Giggs is accused of assaulting Greville and her younger sister, Emma Greville, on November 1, 2020, with a further charge relating to controlling and coercive behaviour towards his ex between 2017 and November 2020.

He denies all charges.

“I made it my mission to find out the truth,” she said. “That’s when I started checking his iPad. The reality of what I found on that iPad was way worse than you could ever imagine.

She claimed that since their relationship began in 2014 and in other text messages to friends, Giggs called her “a sl*g” and “a cow.”

Kate alleges that in 2017, Giggs, 48, dragged her out of a Dubai hotel room while she was naked after she accused Giggs of seeing another woman.

She alleged in December 2019, Giggs kicked her in the back as she got into bed before then throwing a bag containing her laptop at her head in a London hotel room following an argument after a night out.

Greville provided her account of their relationship in the pre-recorded police video and is due to be cross-examined in court.

In relation to the alleged incident in 2017, Greville told the police officer: “We got back to the hotel room [from a nightclub], and I said something and again he flipped.

“I had no clothes on, he grabbed me by my wrist, so hard, dragged me into the lounge bit, grabbed me on the floor, all my suitcase and threw it all into the corridor and then shut the door. I was just there naked, all my stuff in the corridor. I got all my stuff back in and got back into bed – I had to get my stuff with a towel wrapped around me.”

The relationship continued, with Greville detailing that she had suspicions Giggs was seeing a number of other women and describing her own behaviour as “naive” and “gullible.”

Giggs was further angered following a night out in London around Christmas of 2019.

Greville said: “I took all my clothes off, got into bed. He kicked me in the back so hard that I flew off the bed and landed on the floor. I was like, ‘what’s just happened’.

“He grabbed me again, into the suite bit of the room, got my bag with my laptop in and threw it at my head. He left me naked in the lounge bit.

“Ten minutes later, he grabbed me takes me back to bed and wants to have sex. I remember waking up in the morning, I woke up and you don’t instantly remember what happened.

“I remember asking him, ‘did you throw my bag at my head?’ and he was like ‘yeah, because you accused me of flirting, you made me do it, you make me so angry that you made me do that. It’s bad for me how angry you make me, you need to be careful of that’.”

Greville said she woke up with a bump on her head from the laptop bag.

At the beginning of the police interview Greville said that she met Giggs in 2013 when working for a PR agency that was hired by a company owned by the footballer. Greville said that she and Giggs would talk about their unhappy marriages and they began to have an affair after she called to a hotel room he was staying in to have a shirt signed.

“It was like I met my best friend, the one to save me from my marriage,” Greville said. “He’d say I was his soulmate. It was more than a sexual thing.”

She described their early relationship as “like a love story from the movies” and believed that they were “passionately in love.”

Greville then told the police officer that Giggs had said he left his wife, Stacey, and they discussed starting a family. But she learnt that was not the case and when media reports surfaced of their affair in May 2016, Greville said that she received “nasty messages” from Stacey Giggs and the footballer’s daughter.

Greville said “red flags” started to appear when he would turn up unannounced at her apartment and if she didn’t answer he would send her “a load of abuse, ‘You’re fing somebody else, you’re a w*'” and threaten to complain to her boss at work.

Greville then moved to Abu Dhabi to try and stay away from Giggs but he continued messaging her, sometimes 30 times a day, and then came to Dubai to see her.

When Greville returned to Manchester, their relationship resumed. But in 2017 she first experienced aggression from Giggs when, she said, “he flipped” after being accused of cheating in the Dubai hotel room.

At various points Greville believed that Giggs was seeing other women and on more than one occasion received anonymous messages claiming that he was having affairs. “I didn’t even realise I was the ex-girlfriend,” she told the police officer.

In 2018, she said, issues “started to ramp up” despite “still thinking he was my best friend.”

Greville told the police officer that Giggs did not force himself on her but “he was using sex to get to me… he’d randomly send sexual messages or pictures.” She added: “He was completely using me for sex. He wouldn’t leave me alone.”

Following the laptop incident Greville said Giggs broke up with her at a Christmas party. “I left and he followed me down the road. [He said] ‘Let me just spend one more night with you, let’s say goodbye properly.’ I said absolutely not, so then he just told me to f*** off then.”

But in January 2020 Giggs then resumed calling and messaging Greville, at one stage up to 50 times an hour, and they got back together.

“I ended up moving in with him,” Greville added. “During lockdown it was on another level – lots of put downs, lots of putting me down in front of people, take things out on me all the time, secretive with his phone.

“My dad got told he had cancer, and he didn’t even look up from his phone. He’d constantly tell me I was moody, and he’d tell me to leave. He’d always want sex at night but then he’d give me a tiny bit of affection and I’d cling onto that. “Then he’d buy me flowers. This went on for probably three months during lockdown. It was always like I was numb to all that.”

She says when Giggs became Wales manager, she then began to look at his iPad and found evidence of several affairs.

“The reality of what I found on that iPad was way worse than I could imagine,” Greville said. “There were eight women he was having affairs with, full-on relationships that had gone on constantly from 2014. It was literally all there in black and white.”

“There were messages to his friends calling me a “slag” and a “silly cow” and ‘I just need the bars to open now so I can go out and pull.’”

The trial continues.

Grammy award winning singer, Taylor Swift and her legal team hit back in a copyright lawsuit in which the singer-songwriter is accused of stealing lyrics of her hit song, “Shake It Off.”

Sean Hall and Nathan Butler, who wrote 3LW’s 2000 song “Playas Gon’ Play,” are accusing the superstar of using their words.

In a Monday August 8 court filing, Swift’s legal team insisted that she wrote 2014’s “Shake It Off” by herself, while her attorney accused Hall and Butler of trying to cash in on the song’s huge success.

“The lyrics to Shake It Off were written entirely by me,” Swift said in a declaration, as reported by The Guardian. “Until learning about Plaintiffs’ claim in 2017, I had never heard the song Playas Gon’ Play and had never heard of that song or the group 3LW.”

Swift claimed that she was just 11 when “Playas Gon’ Play,” was released, and that she was not allowed to watch MTV’s “Total Request Live” music video countdown show until she was “about 13 years old.” .

Even Swift’s mother Andrea Swift filed an accompanying statement in which she said that she kept a close watch over the media her daughter was exposed to at home.

Swift’s lawyer claimed in a motion filed with the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California that Hall and Butler were merely trying to cash in on the success of Swift’s song.

“It is, unfortunately, not unusual for a hit song to be met by litigants hoping for a windfall based on tenuous claims that their own song was copied. But even against that background, Plaintiffs’ claim sticks out as particularly baseless,” the motion said.

Swift said that she wrote the song using “experiences in my life and, in particular, unrelenting public scrutiny of my personal life, ‘clickbait’ reporting, public manipulation, and other forms of negative personal criticism which I learned I just needed to shake off and focus on my music.”

The superstar said she included “commonly used phrases and comments heard,” which included “players gonna play” and “haters gonna hate.”

The two phrases are rhymed with each other in the choruses of Swift and Sean Hall and Nathan Butler’s song.

The lawsuit was first filed in 2017, but a judge dismissed it after Swift argued that the phrases in question were not original enough to warrant copyright protection.

An Appeals court then reversed the decision, reviving the claim and a subsequent motion to dismiss failed when the court ruled that Hall and Butler “sufficiently alleged a protectable selection and arrangement or a sequence of creative expression.”

GIVE DPP WAIVER ON OATH OF OFFICE TO DEFEND HERSELF-LUBINDA

Tuesday 9th August, 2022

President Hakainde Hichilema through the Attorney General, Mulilo Kabesha has refused to waiver the official oath of office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Lillian Siyuni to grant her the freedom to freely defend herself against the allegations that have been levelled against her through the Judicial Complaints Commission (JCC).

According to the official oath of office, the DPP is not allowed to answer to any person or any authority or divulge any information that comes to her in her line of duty.

However, the oath provides an exception which allows the President of the Republic of Zambia to waiver the oath and authorise the oath-holder to divulge such information or to defend or exculpate himself or herself when stand accused.

It is therefore unfair and a gross act of injustice for President Hichilema and all those accusing the DPP to expect her to defend herself at the JCC while she remain gagged under the oath of office. Any information that madam Siyuni may use to defend herself will be used against her as a breach of the official oath of her office.

For the sake of justice and fairness it is only right that President Hichilema waivers the official oath of office and allow madam Siyuni to freely defend herself before the JCC.

If they are not ready to allow Siyuni to defend herself then it’s only fair that the allegations are dropped. You can not accuse someone of wrong doing and at the same time deny them the right to defend themselves by gagging them through an oath.

The JCC must show courage and face the DPP with her both hands free unlike what is happening were they want to enter into a trial against a person whose mouth is gagged; this is akin to three boxers entering into the ring while both hands of the opponent are tied behind her back and ask her to box. It is immoral and unjust.

The Patriotic Front stands with the DPP and we will do everything within our means to ensure that justice is done.

We further wish to encourage the DPP not to fall in the trap that President Hichilema and his Government are orchestrating against her to breach the official oath of office.

Issued by;
Hon Given Lubinda
Acting President
Patriotic Front

Bayern Munich and Germany legend, Philipp Lahm has threatened to boycott the 2022 World Cup in Qatar over human rights .

FIFA has faced widespread criticism for awarding the tournament to the tiny Gulf nation, which has a population over just over two million people despite human rights concerns.

Lahm, who lifted the trophy for Germany at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, has insisted that human rights should be the most important factor to consider before a country is awarded football’s most prestigious tournament.

He has told German publication, Kicker: ‘I’m not part of the delegation and I’m not keen on flying there as a fan,’ the ex-Bayern Munich full-back told Kicker in his homeland. ‘I prefer to follow the tournament from home.

‘Human rights should play the biggest role in the awarding of a tournament. If a country is awarded the contract that is one of the worst performers in this regard, you start to think about the criteria used to make the decision.

‘That shouldn’t happen again in the future. Human rights, sustainability, the size of the country, none of that seems to have played a role.’

The country’s human rights record and treatment of migrant workers have also been widely criticised since the country was named as host back in 2010.

It was reported by the Guardian in 2021, that 6,500 migrant workers have died during Qatar’s World Cup preparations due to unsafe working conditions since they were awarded the tournament.

According to Amnesty International, Qatari “authorities continue to curtail freedom of expression using abusive laws to stifle critical voices,” while women and the LGBTQ+ community are also oppressed.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino insisted in November that ‘all are welcome’ in the Gulf state and urged LGBTQ fans to attend and ‘engage and speak and convince’ in a bid to influence their state policies.

It was reported in May though that hotels in Qatar refused to admit same-sex couples.

According to NRK, SVT in Sweden and DR in Denmark, three hotels refused to accept the reservation, with one suggesting it would be against hotel policy to do so.

NATIONAL SPORTS COUNCIL THREATENS ATHLETES WITH DCIPLINARY ACTION

National Sports Council of Zambia
Statement on the 2022 Commonwealth Games
The National Sports Council of Zambia (NSCZ) is profoundly thrilled with the hard work and commitment demonstrated by 2022 Zambia Commonwealth GamesTeam. It is out of discipline and focus of athletes, coaches, administrators and other supporting stakeholders that the country has celebrated victory in some sporting disciplines.
While appreciating all sporting disciplines that competed in the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, the National Sports Council of Zambia would like to pay tribute to Zambia Athletics (ZA) and Zambia Boxing Federation (ZBF) for everything they did to win the country three medals. A Bronze Medal by Patrick Chinyemba in Boxing, a Silver Medal in Boxing by Steven Zimba and the Gold Medal in 400m Athletics by the young man who has conquered not only Africa but also the entire Commonwealth 72 countries and territories, Muzala Samukonga.
To this end, on behalf of the National Sport Council of Zambia, Board and Staff,all National Sport Federations, the sport fraternity and the general citizenry in the country would like to applaud this great achievement. It is also our conviction that the admirable achievement of the two National Federations will be emulated and replicated to the joy of this great nation, Zambia.

In celebrating this moment, we would like to acknowledge the breath of fresh air which the National Sport Federations have continued witnessing in terms of support from Government. Indeed the New Dawn Government under the leadership of the Republic of Zambia President Mr. Hakainde Hichilema has demonstrated walking the talk for what National Sport Federations have always desired. The unprecedented financial support to what in the past was overlooked, as minor sport codes has started brining glory to this great country Zambia.

While celebrating the great hard work of our gallant young people who have done us proud, we should not allow negative sentiments that have since arisen to obscure the work of great sweat of our athletes, coaches and administrators in the country who put in all they have with the exceptional financial support from Government through the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts.

The unproductive, untrue and misleading discussion being spearhead by one athletein trying to overshadow the hard work of our other athletes, coaches and administrators is undesirable and should be condemned at all cost. The good counsel and guidance of the Permanent Secretary should not be misconstrued. In the meeting, in which the Permanent Secretary urged the athletes and coaches in Birmingham to stay focused and not to be derailed by delayed allowances, was also attended by our Board Member.
As an institution mandated to regulate sports in the country, we are sadden that the open door policy that the offices of the Minister and the Permanent Secretary have continuously reaffirmed, are never taken advantage off but instead being abused `by negative comments through social media. Without taking advantage of the good will these offices some associations want to continue taking away, as it is not the first time we are dealing with the unsporting behaviour of their athletes.

The National Sport Council of Zambia takes great exception with the behaviours displayed and may be left with no option but to take disciplinary action against either athletes, coaches or administrators as provided for in Chapter 142 of the Laws of Zambia.

Should you be aggrieved in any way, do utilise stipulated procedures of submitting grievances by an athlete, coach or administrator within the National Federations, the National Sport Council of Zambia as well as the National Olympic Committee. Further let us take advantage of the open door policy of the New Dawn Government to build the sport industry in the country. The National Sport Council of Zambia is ready to hear any sportsperson’s grievance amicably at any given time.
Once more, please let us celebrate the hard-earned medals in athletics and boxing.
God bless Zambia.
Eng. Patrick M.Mutimushi
Chariman
National Sport Council of Zambia

THE Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has handed over four vehicles it seized from South African based millionaire bussiness man James Ndambo.

The Commission reportedly pounced on Mr Ndambo’s premises in Choma and Lusaka where they allegedly seized seven motor vehicles.

Among the vehicles confiscated were a Mercedes Benz and BMW that were won by the two finalists of the much-publicised Miss My Home Town pageant which was held in Choma last month.

And in a statement issued, Wright Chambers has disclosed that the Commission has released all the motor vehicles ceased.

“Wright Chambers are hereby advising members of the public and members of MHT, the NGO which recently hosted the beauty pageant in Choma ,that the DEC has released all the motor vehicles which were collected during the raid at the offices of Africa Union Holdings Group incorporated in the republic of South Africa, founded and owned by James Ndambo.

You may all be aware that Mr Ndambo never issued any public statement nor granted any interviews during the raid and investigations that followed, his rationale is that security agencies all over the world have a right to conduct raids if the laws of a particular state are followed,” reads the statement issued.

It further stated that Mr Ndambo is of the opinion that perhaps such raids should only be carried out after thorough undercover investigations have been conducted and concluded.

“The damage caused to institutional or individual reputation resulting from the action frenzy verses silent action withdraw afterwards, is irreparable.The prize money and vehicles were publicly advertised for nearly six months, giving DEC and other related agencies ample time to partner with the organization to verify and guide the promoters on any potential grey areas so that the partnership would have led to a successful outcome for everyone, at the end of the day, the show was meant for the members of the public to enjoy,” reads statement.

And Mr Ndambo has apologised to the participants for the hurt that the aftermath of the function may have caused ,but at the same time, commends the government on its fairness and adherence to the rule of law.

“Because of this DEC action, beneficiaries will enjoy their prizes knowing that they were investigated and cleared by the State,” he said.

And in a handover certificate by the Anti Money Laundering Investigations Unit, handling officer Moffat Chilonda has since given back the four vehicles among them a Range rover sport, Lexus ,BMW and a white Mercedes Benz.

(Mwebantu)

IT is treason for a patriotic front member to attend a UPND function and in the process splashing colossal amounts of money on the First Lady’s portrait, Zambia Republican Party (ZRP) president Wright Musoma has said.

mr musoma said the act by kantashi member of parliament Anthony Mumba to attend an event organised by their competitors was unheard of and disrespectful to the PF.

He said it was for this reason that they recommended for the expulsion of Mr Mumba from the PF because he was a traitor and he was not loyal to his party.

He said Mr Mumba was supporting the fund raising of another political party when his own was suffering,

Mr Musoma said in as much as he was not a member of the PF the action by Dr. Mumba painted a very bad picture.

He said there was no way Dr Mumba could buy a portrait of the first lady at K150 000 to support their rival political party UPND to raise funds at the meet the president dinner when his party failed to raise money for an extra ordinary convention.

Dr. Mumba bought the portrait of the First Lady Mutinta Hichilema at K150, 000.

Mr Musoma said there was no way Dr. Mumba could treat a party that gave him a platform to stand as a Member of Parliament like that.

He said even the Kantashi constituency where he comes from was facing a lot of challenges such that the K150, 000 he gave to UPND would have helped a great deal in solving some of the problems.

National Democratic Congress secretary general Charles Kabwita said the mandate of the opposition was to give checks and balances to the sitting government. He said it was unfortunate that Dr. Mumba chose a path of praising and supporting the party in government.

Mr Kabwita said Mr Mumba was doing a disservice to the people because he was not doing justice by turning into a praise singer against the roles of opposition leaders.

Meanwhile Mr Musoma said the appetite to solicit for a job from the UPND had sent Dr. Mumba on a wrong path and the PF must put him in check as quickly as possible.- Daily Nation

HOW THE ZAMBIAN KWACHA BECAME THE WORLD’S SECOND-BEST PERFORMING CURRENCY

Zambia’s economic progress has become the talk of the continent today. But there’s more focus on how the Zambian kwacha is now the world’s second-best performing currency and Africa’s 6th most powerful currency.

It’s not out of place that the world is surprised by this sudden growth because the Zambian kwacha was one of the worst performing currencies in 2020. However, the reasons for this surge are not far-fetched.
New-found political stability

In July 2021, the Kwacha fell to K22.6 per dollar, continuing a losing streak from the previous year. There were widespread concerns that (former) president Edgar Lungu’s economic risk-taking was unsustainable. For instance, Zambia was Africa’s first pandemic-era sovereign defaulter in November 2020.

But after the country held its elections and Hakainde Hichilema –a renowned businessman and activist– emerged president, there was a fresh burst of optimism. Following the general elections on August 12, the Kwacha gained 30 per cent against the dollar to hit K15.89 per dollar. The currency went on to record its best year since 2005.
Restored mining bullishness

Zambia is Africa’s second-largest copper producer, behind the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Mining has long been a cornerstone of Zambia’s economy, comprising 77 per cent of its annual export value and 27.7 per cent of its annual government revenue.
But despite the lucrative resources, western mining companies have for years put more effort into trying to get out of, than into the African copper haven. Policy u-turns and cash grabs have been the primary causes of their increasing frustration.
All of a sudden, that’s not the case anymore. Existing investors are doubling down, and others — like giant BHP Group — are snooping around the region for the first time in years. First Quantum Minerals Ltd. finally approved a billion-dollar expansion in Zambia, while Barrick Gold Corp., which considered selling its Zambian mine, is hunting for new projects in the country. Anglo American Plc also announced a new joint venture in Zambia.

Aside from Hichilema’s zeal for the industry, there’s a growing awareness that copper and cobalt are central to the world’s shift toward renewable energy, and security of supply will become crucial in the coming decades. The global copper market is tightening, so new mines are difficult to find. In cobalt, Congo is so dominant that it’s impossible to ignore. Consequently, the Zambian kwacha has been in high demand, as revenue from the country’s exports increased by 14.2 per cent to $5.9bn in 2021. According to the Bank of Zambia, copper contributed $4.4bn to the country’s total earnings that year.
Recently, First Quantum Minerals also launched a nickel mining project in Zambia. Nickel is a key metal in lithium rechargeable batteries, stainless steel manufacture and jet engines.
Massive debt relief

Zambia’s dollar debt, including arrears and state-owned company liabilities, rose to $17.3 billion by the end of last year. Paying back that much debt would mean the country needs more dollars, thereby weakening its currency. However, Zambia is now intent on reworking its loans.

On July 30, Zambia’s official creditors, led by China and France, agreed to negotiate a restructuring of their debts. Consequently, Zambia got final approval from the International Monetary Fund for a $1.4 billion bailout. Following this news, the Zambian kwacha advanced to its highest level since September last year.

Investors are now keen to get their hands on local currency bonds issued by the Central Bank. At the end of December 2021, the size of Zambia’s government securities increased 7.1 per cent to K192.9bn ($11bn). Non-resident investors owned K54.1bn ($3.1bn) compared with K44.8bn ($2.5bn) at the end of June. Last Tuesday, Zambia’s $1 billion of Eurobonds due 2024 advanced for a 10th straight day, gaining up to 0.3 per cent to 60.9 cents on the dollar.

Ventures Africa

Barcelona and Lionel Messi open negotiations for stunning return in 2023
According to reports, Barcelona and club superstar Lionel Messi have begun contract talks in the hopes that he would make a dramatic comeback to the team in 2023.

Catalunya Radio broke the news immediately on Sunday night after Barcelona defeated Pumas UNAM 6-0 in the Joan Gamper Trophy match.

Discussions with Messi’s agents, led by his father and agent Jorge Messi, have already begun, according to the station’s El Club de la Mitjanit program.

However, Messi’s Paris Saint-Germain contract will end in June 2023. The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner does have the option, though, to extend his contract by a further 12 months.

It has been reported that Messi could be tempted to return to Barcelona and spend the last years of his stellar career at the club where he made his name.

The rumours linking Messi with a return to the Catalan club were fuelled by comments made by Laporta, who said that he owed a “moral debt” to Messi for the manner in which he departed last summer.

Laporta was speaking to CBS Sports and was quizzed about Messi’s move to PSG.

He said: “I did what I had to do in order to put the institution above the best player in history. I’ve known Messi since he was a kid, I love Leo.

“I feel a moral debt to the best player in history. I’ll do my best to make sure Messi has the best ending of his career with Barcelona.

“I would like to do it. It will not be easy but I think that with the correct strategy we could do it. We will do our best to have Messi ending his career with Barcelona.”

Laporta was also asked whether negotiations would start right away.

He replied: “This is an idea that we have. Now is not the best moment to talk about it since he is a player of PSG and he has one more year on his contract. We have to respect it.”

Former Manchester United winger and captain, Ryan Giggs was idolised by adoring fans but there was a “much uglier and more sinister side to his character” that adoring fans never knew, a court heard on Monday, August 8.

Giggs’ trial for alleged domestic abuse offences against his ex-girlfriend began on Monday.

He is accused of attacking former girlfriend Kate Greville on November 1, 2020 but denies assaulting her at his home in Worsley, as well as her younger sister Emma during the same incident.

The former Wales manager is also accused of controlling and coercive behaviour against Ms Greville between August 2017 and November 2020. The allegations, which he denies, cost Giggs the job coaching the Wales national team.

Opening for the prosecution at Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court, Peter Wright QC named the case ‘a story of control and coercion of a woman who thought she was loved and respected, [when] sadly the reality was very different’.

‘He was idolised by his adoring fans and supporters. On the pitch his skills were abundant and a thing of beauty’, Wright said.

‘Off the pitch in the privacy of his own personal life at home or behind closed doors, there was, we say the facts reveal, a much uglier and more sinister side to his character.

‘This was a private life that involved a litany of abuse, both physical and psychological, of a woman he professed to love.

‘A woman who, in reality, was, if the evidence is to be believed, treated in a way that cannot be excused or overlooked, by either an adoring public, or the law.

‘This is a story of control and coercion of a woman who thought she was loved and respected, sadly the reality was very different.’

After Ms Greville decided to break up with Giggs, he ‘lost control’ and headbutted her on November 1, the jury was told.

Mr Wright said: ‘Eventually after years of turbulence, when the scales fell from her eyes, she realised she needed to remove herself from his sphere of influence.’

In a previous court hearing, Giggs allegedly threw his naked then-girlfriend out of a hotel room and kicked her in the back during a row.

The prosecution also allege he threatened to disclose details of their sexual relationship to friends and employers and turned up at Ms Greville’s home, work and gym when she tried to end the relationship.

When he was charged, Giggs said he would ‘look forward to clearing my name.”

TILKA SPEAKS OUT ON COMMONWEALTH BEHIND THE SCENES PERKS STRUGGLES

My fellow Zambians. As many of you are aware, over the past few weeks I have been representing the nation at the Commonwealth Games in the United Kingdom. During the course of the Games I have been honoured to have competed alongside the best and brightest althetes from Zambia.
On Saturday the 6th we were joined at the Commonwealth games by Mr Kangwa Chileshe, the permanent secretary to the ministry of sport. He called the athletes to meet with him outside the village for a talk.

The purpose of this talk was for Mr Chileshe to voice his displeasure with the recent behaviour of certain athletes who had been posting on social media about not having been paid their allowances, despite many of the team already having been at the Games for several weeks.

He then stated that the altheltes should feel honoured to be chosen to be at the games because there are thousands of other people in Zambia that are just as good as they are and that we must realise that we are not special and we can be replaced.
He went on to say that the only reason why we want the money is to go shopping and we must concentrate on our sport rather than worrying about money, we should be grateful that we have a place to sleep, water to drink and food to eat.

The comments made by Mr Chileshe deeply upset many of the altheltes present and represented a stark level of ignorance and disrespect.

They forget that many of the athletes on the team have taken unpaid leave from their jobs to represent their country. Some athletes have families that rely on them to provide money for food and pay bills. Even worse there were some athletes in the village that couldn’t even afford to buy bathing soap and other athletes had to help out.

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, the ministry and the people within it need to realise that we are the reason they have a job and we are the reason why they are at the Games with us. We are the ones that have dedicated our lives to our sport and worked tirelessly to qualify in order to represent Zambia on the global stage.

To summon us and tell us off like children and disrespect us like that was beyond anything I have ever experienced.
He looked at some of our leading sprinters and said that there are thousands of people that can run as fast as them in Zambia, so they must not feel special. He said there are thousands of people in Zambia that can swim as fast as me.

The Government’s role is to provide their athletes with everything we need, in and out of competition. To motivate their athletes and encourage them, instead of shoving “bring back medals” down our throats. The government’s position is to support the athletes and make sure that the media does not demoralise and unfairly criticise the athletes in headlines such as “Rhoda fails to qualify for finals” instead of “Rhoda finishes 4ths in her semi final with a personal best”

It’s things like this that the government needs to do to take care of their athletes if they really do want us to win medals. Many of us on the team lost moral after that talk.
I honestly can’t believe that we have someone like Mr Chileshe as our ministry representative, mistreating and talking down to athletes. We as athletes are tired. I’m tired. I’ve been representing Zambia since I was 11 years old, I’ve dedicated my life to swimming and representing my country, to be told that I am replaceable. I am hurt and I’m beat down.

Following the meeting on Saturday the 6th, I have contacted the national Olympic Committee to inform them of Mr Chileshe’s comments. Unfortunately, I have not received any feedback or indication of an apology.

I’ve dedicated most of my life to my sport and am proud to represent Zambia on the global stage. I hope that the people of Zambia are also proud of the World Class athletes who put in the thousands of hours of training in order to wear the Zambian colours.
I feel ashamed that our elected officials are treating this passion and dedication with such distain and ignorance. It is the people of Zambia who decide our Governent officials and we hold the power. Us athletes do not believe this is the message that the people of Zambian want to be telling their athletes. It is for this reason, I have decided to share the facts with the people and allow Zambia to voice its own opinion.

We are the best in the country. We are the best on the continent. We are not greedy. We are not complacent. We are not replaceable. We are proud to represent Zambia.
But most importantly, we are human.

UPND INSTITUTIONALIZING POVERTY MENTALITY

……it seems Zambians are not qualified to have wealth – Nakacinda

Lusaka….Monday, August 8, 2022 (Smart Eagles)

PF National Chairperson for Information and Publicity Raphael Nakacinda has accused UPND government of institutionalizing poverty in the country.

Hon Nakacinda said when he featured on Radio Icengelo yesterday that according to the New Dawn Government, it seems Zambians are not qualified to have wealth.

He said this is the reason people like Hon Joe Malanji are being marked for “destruction.”

“We know that we have a new government in place whose philosophy seems to tilt towards institutionalizing poverty mentality. Anybody that seems to have, as far as they are concerned, a black man, particularly a Zambian does not qualify to have wealth,” he said.

“And to have Malanji who is known in Kitwe for having been involved in business for so many years, them just coming to discover that he may own a few things around including what is rare in our jurisdiction, somebody buying private planes, it seems like those who harbor poverty mentality, is one of those marked that they have to destroy.”

Commenting on the nullification of Hon Malanji’s election as the Kwacha MP, Hon Nakacinda bemoaned the judgment.

He described it as injustice on Zambians.

“Diggers has described it as one of the scandalous judgement ever past by highest court of the land. Because of that injustice, we felt that the injustice is not just caused to one individual, in this case Hon Malanji. But it is an injustice to the people of Kwacha. We felt it is also an injustice to the people of Zambia because by this reckless ruling, we are going to subject a tax payer to an unnecessary expense in Kwacha Constituency through this by election,” he said.

“And you know that by elections cost colossal sums of money. And today as a country, at a time that we are still grappling with challenges that have come as a result of the new dawn government, we are now going to be subjected to such unwarranted election that was never expected.”

How UPND may fail

Part 1

Definitely the UPND have started off way better than what finally became of PF in power. However, to say they have started off better than PF started maybe abit far from the truth. One of the first things that President Sata did was increase goverment expenditure by increasing salaries and recruitment of civil servants. Then came the Euro bonds.

There was so much hope, who remembers that best legal team he refered to as “the most deadly combination” to fight corruption. PF was even in the forefront condemning MMD cadres. Sorry almost forgot that even investors came, USA former President George Bush was in and out Zambia.

President HH is starting the same “good way”, he has increased Govt expenditure by recruiting thousands of teachers and health workers ; and going to the IMF. He has also appointed the most deadly legal team to fight corruption plus condeming cadres. Nama investors are coming…with former British prime Minister Tony Blair in and out of the country. The point bein there is nothing new here and so we should be careful.

We cant even compare the PF and UPND to UNIP or MMD’s “startings” that would be exaggerating things, those were dream teams.Every President we have had has started fairly good but it’s in the middle they mess up .The only major advantage HH has is that he seems to be of a much more sober and educated character.

But where do things go wrong? This should be our great concern, what mistakes did we make that we should not repeat?

• Trusting government and defending wrong; Government by nature is not supposed to be trusted but held accountable. The only time the constitution allows citizens to trust government blindly is when there is a state of emergency. The reason for this is government works better when held to extreme accountability.

Let me give an example you may not like. We all saw the porn video of a top Goverment offical but Goverment decided to defend her in public …and threatening those who exposed her. I can also refer to the warnning by Minister of coppeerbelt to those circulating a certin video but it’s to close to home. So now we have set a standard of accountability on very wrong premise and now it’s those exposing her that are being labelled criminals and enemies, yet those commiting the crime are protected to avoid embarrassment. Four incidents now that goverment and the UPND have defended. That’s how it’s starts, instead of going after the crime you start going after those exposing it. And corruption becomes the norm. Even the so called corrupt PF fired their minister but our Good angels are now defending.

• The ruling party always makes everything about them and the preceding party forgetting the people. Right or wrong was about whether you are PF or MMD when PF came into power; and so today what is right or wrong depends on whether you are UPND or PF. The nation loses out because it no longer pursues what’s right or decent. Political players in power start doing wrong things for as long as it is hurting the former political party as we cheer. If you ask goverment to improve anything ati you were quiet in PF….or MMD destroyed. The Government becomes childish and inefficient.

Let me give an example on the same story, the same people that were up in arms condemning a PF minister for making a porn video are the same people defending a goverment official in the UPND goverment. What changed? The same people that defended the former minister are today attacking the woman in the video. What’s right or wrong now depends on which side you are on. This is were Mwanawasa did very well, what was right was right and wrong was wrong, but we had to wait for him to cool down lol temper mama.

In the end if we are not careful UPND wll end up like PF probably at a faster rate. Haven’t UPND Cadres not raided goverment offices in Kasama, Kapiri, Kafue and is it Choma?…but we are just watching.

Nkonkomalimba Kapumpe

In Picture the Great Anderson Mazoka, founder Member of the UPND. He left MMD when they started calling Street vending creating employment.

On President Edgar Lungu and Kenyan Elections

By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba

As part of the promotion of Democracy, the African Union contributes to electoral observation through the African Union Election Observation Missions,(AUEOM).

A calendar of general elections scheduled to take place in the year is made available to the Permanent Representative Committee (PRC) by the African Union Commission (Secretariat).

The PRC approves the Heads and delegation to monitor and observe different elections in member states.

This is part of the Agenda 2063. Africa has made significant progress in institutionalising electoral democracy over the course of the past decade. This is reflected in a number of successful multiparty elections in most of AU member states.

The AUEOM draws its mandate from various African Union instruments, most importantly:

• the African Union Guidelines for Elections

• Observation and Monitoring Missions the OAU/AU Declaration on Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa.

•the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and

•the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.

The observations of the AUEOM are based on the principles and standards for the conduct of democratic elections as enshrined in the aforementioned AU instruments.

I am aware that intimation or enquiry was sent to President Edgar Lungu last year, shortly after he left office, if he could head yhe Observer Mission to monitor elections due in Kenya in 2022.

However President Lungu expressed reservations as he petsonally knew and had a working relation, with the perceived front runners in the election. He also had a cordial relationship with outgoing President, Uhuru Kenyatta.

To my knowledge, the AU proceeded to consider other candidates to head the elections in Kenya due on 9th August 2022.

OBSERVER MISSION IN KENYAN ELECTIONS

The African Union (AU) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) launched a joint observer mission to observe the general elections in Kenya.

His Excellency, Ernest Bai Koroma, will head the Joint Election Observer Mission to the 2022 Kenya General Elections.

The Commonwealth announced the appointment of Botswana’s former president His Excellency Festus Mogae as the head of the observer group.

The Electoral Observation Mission of the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA) appointed former Nigerian President, His Excellency Goodluck Jonathan as head of its observer mission.

Brenthurst Foundation is also in Kenya participating in the election as observers.

Former Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia Hailemariam Desalegn Boshe is leading the delegation. Others include Opposition Ugandan leaders, Bob Wine and Warren Kizza Besigye Kifefe.

About the Author; Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba is the immediate former Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union

By Prince Bill M. Kaping’a Political/Social Analyst

The Edgar Lungu Foundation which was launched last Friday by the former president is nothing but a covert political project aimed at endearing and keeping him connected to an otherwise skeptical public as he prepares for a political come back in 2026. Those in doubt, watch this space!

Immediately Lungu lost power; a coterie of individuals with ill intentions didn’t waste time constantly flocking to his place, ‘whispering’ to him, like the Serpent in the Bible, the sweetness of power! Didn’t he himself recently confess that some individuals such as Antonio were urging him not to concede defeat once it became clear he had lost to one Hakainde Hichilema in a landslide victory?

It appears Lungu has finally yielded to the seduction and he’s plotting a comeback! The so-called foundation is nothing but a cover-up. How come he hasn’t publicly denounced his involvement in politics and told the nation that from now onwards he’ll be devoting his precious time to community work? Isn’t that what others do?

For someone who was out-rightly rejected and thumped by a million votes and booed in the Heroes stadium, the wisest thing to have done was to take a sabbatical far away from the proverbial snakes in Lusaka; preferably in a serene and green environment such as South Luangwa National Park. To be entertained only by Mother Nature as he embarks on a soul-searching exercise! There and then, he would have savoured solitude to reflect on his time in office; and possibly taken time to write his memoirs even if he may have trouble doing so. His peers, whether it’s in Zambia or in other countries elect to disengage themselves from the public for prolonged periods of time before deciding to step back into the limelight. It’s too early for Lungu to start engaging with the public when some of us are still hurting due to his poor leadership.

Does he need reminding that our people were gassed in their houses during his time as Commander-in-chief of the armed forces? What about the burning of our markets where poor people lost property worth millions of Kwacha, who was behind it? Police brutality was the order of the day during his tenure – does he go to bed peacefully knowing that a lot of people died and got injured at the hands of his police or indeed ended up being condemned to cells smeared with fecal matter on tramped up charges?

Lest we forget, the notorious PF cadres reigned supreme and terror in our communities – urinating in our mouths, knocking out our teeth, gorging out our eyes, and maiming our limbs as long as they suspected you of being opponents or critical of the government. This shouldn’t have happened to our country in the first place. Our almighty God is surely going to punish some people when the time of reckoning comes.

Whoever is advising the former president at the moment doesn’t love him, and is surely doing it for selfish reasons. This country isn’t short of capable leaders to weather the storms and take us to the Promised Land for him to start flirting with the idea of running for public office again. Somebody on social media challenged us that we are dead scared of Lungu, hence the reason we feel uncomfortable each time we see him in public.

You’re joking! How can we be afraid of a man who shamelessly allowed our nation to be polarized to alarming magnitudes by tolerating tribal politics? Didn’t we see corruption spiraling to record levels during his tenure? Was he in a hurry to create jobs for those youths we saw desperately turning up for census jobs? As somebody once said, it was parte, after parte, after parte! The sooner he abandons his political maneuvers and concentrates on growing spinach in his backyard as he sings to the cameramen, “mulekopa…..mulekopa…..” the better, otherwise he’ll end up being bruised, irreparably!

08/08/2022: STATEMENT BY OYV ON THE POSSIBLE INELIGIBILITY OF MALANJI AND LUSAMBO TO RECONTEST THEIR SEATS WHOSE 2021 GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS WERE NULLED BY THE COURTS

Upon carefully reading through both the High Court’s decisions and the Concourts’ subsequent upholding decisions to nullify the elections of both Joseph Malanji and Bowman Lusambo for Kwacha and Kabushi Constituencies respectively and further critiquing the Republican Constitution, we at Operation Young Vote (OYV) are of the considered opinion that the ineligibility of the two (2) former MPs is highly possible and attempting re-contesting may be an exercise in futility.

We say so because according to Article 70(1)(d) of the Republican Constitution, “Subject to clause (2), a person is eligible to be elected as a Member of Parliament, if that person—has obtained, as a minimum academic qualification, a grade twelve certificate or its equivalent” – This provision in itself mandates a candidate to produce this requirement at nomination, whether Mr. Joseph Malanji will be able to do so in 3 months or so. Further Article 70(2)(h) espouses, in relation to disqualification of a person from being elected as a Member of Parliament, that “A person is disqualified from being elected as a Member of Parliament if that person — has, in the immediate preceding five years, been removed from public office on grounds of gross misconduct.” From the Constitutional definitions in Article 266 Gross Misconduct means the follow under which both the Malanji and Bowman cases may fall: (a) behaviour which brings a public office into disrepute, ridicule or contempt;(b) behaviour that is prejudicial or inimical to the economy or the security of the State;(c) an act of corruption; or(d) using or lending the prestige of an office to advance the private interests of that person, members of that person’s family or another person.Furthermore, in articulating matters to do with Vacation of office as Member of Parliament Article 72(2)(b),(c) and (h) are quite elaborate and it says “The office of Member of Parliament becomes vacant if the member— (b) becomes disqualified for election in accordance with Article 70; (c) acts contrary to a prescribed code of conduct; and (h) is disqualified as a result of a decision of the Constitutional Court.The question is: How is the standing of the two (2) former MPs in relation to the three (3) articulated parts visa vie the nullification of their elections?Another very interesting Article to pay attention to is Article 72(4) which espouses that “A person who causes a vacancy in the National Assembly due to the reasons specified under clause (2) (a), (b), (c), (d), (g) and (h) shall not, during the term of that Parliament—(a) be eligible to contest an election; or(b) hold public office.”

As Operation Young Vote (OYV) we are of the conviction that all the above noted Articles read together make it possible that Mr. Joseph Malanji and Mr. Bowman Lusambo may be ineligible to stand in the by elections when called. Particularly Article 72(4) nails it all and the two (2) former MPs’ attempt to re-contest may be an exercise in futility.

Our advice therefore, to the Patriotic Front is that they consider settling for other persons as candidates in the respective Constituencies to avoid a situation of failing to field candidates.

We additionally challenge all players and stakeholders to seriously take note of these Constitutional provisions and weigh in so that the rule of law prevails at all times especially in our electoral process.

In conclusion, OYV would like to appeal to all political parties to bring sanity to the political and electoral space by promoting issue based politics and championing intra-party democracy by bringing Young people, Women and Persons with Disabilities to the fore especially during the candidates adoption processes. For and on behalf of:Operation Young Vote (OYV)Guess NyirendaExecutive Director

Kennedy Gondwe
FAZ PROVIDED WRONG INFORMATION IN WOMEN’S AFRICA CUP PROTEST TO CAF

… Jerome Damon Never Went To The VAR Room

The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) provided wrong information to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in their quest to have the continent’s mother body cancel the contentious loss to South Africa in the semi-finals of the women’s African Cup of Nations last month.

Zambia lost 1-0 to eventual tournament winners South Africa through a controversial penalty which prompted FAZ to protest to CAF.

In a letter dated July 18th, 2022 to CAF general secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba, FAZ general secretary Adrian Kashala listed six indiscretions against Zambia and demanded that among others, the controversial penalty be annulled and the match be replayed. However, part of the information in this information was inaccurate.

Kashala alleged that “We have further been informed that Mr. Jerome Kelvyn Damon, a South African VAR instructor found his way into the VAR room when he wasn’t one of the VAR referees appointed to handle the match and we believe that his presence influenced the VAR decision that led to a goal, Sadly, the decision also came minutes later which clearly shows that there was ill intention against Zambia.”

But in response to the letter, Damon stated was infact not present in the VAR room. He has protested the allegation and wants an apology and disciplinary action taken against FAZ.

“Sir, as I am part of the official CAF Delegation, the
CAF security records at the stadia will reflect that I
have not been to any match venues for the entire
duration of the tournament. What disturbs me most, is the insinuation that not only was I present in the VOR (which is completely illegal as per the IFAB VAR protocol), but that I may have influenced the outcome of the match. I have served African Football for many years with great integrity, on-and-off the field of play. I deserve better,” he wrote to Mosengo-Omba.

“I also request an official apology and a full
retraction of the statements from Zambia FA
relating to me and my character as the mailing
list to which the official protest has been sent, is
extensive and far-reaching.

“Sir, I have never been as offended in football before, as I am today. I am firmly resolved to have my dignity and integrity maintained. For ease of reference, please note that I have copied the Chairperson and Deputy of the CAF Referees Committee and my federation, the South African Football Association, hereto.”

CAF threw out Zambia’s appeal on a “technicality”.

Well, the facts are clear and speak for themselves. Match replays are always a tall order after a protest and in this case, the said tournament is even over. Zambia did have a point and putting its indiscretions on record was always welcome but to expect CAF to have acted in our favour was being as ambitious as asking for blood from a cabbage. Can someone please advise our GS or the person who writes for him to be a bit more meticulous in his correspondence to avoid elementary mistakes, misplaced words eg “scout free” (instead of “scot-free”), “contest against” (instead of “contest” and his construction in his letter to CAF?

Further, can someone advise him to cite football statutes next time he wants to have a water-tight case and avoid copying in too many people in such classified information? Hope my message reaches home and settles in well with the powers that be as it’s in the best interest of Zambian football.

DISCLAIMER:

In case you are one of those that catches wrong feelings whenever I express an opinion on our football, don’t blame me if my above best wishes message puts you on fire. You’re on your own! I have consistently reported on our football for 24 years and sadly for you, I have no intentions to stop.

Mine is to express an opinion and where facts are required, provide them no matter how they may be unpleasant to you. How you interpret what I write is unfortunately entirely your business, not mine.

Thank you for your understanding.