THERE IS NO BUDGET SURPLUS AS STATED BY STATE HOUSE

By Dr Lubinda Haabazoka

Debate about the supplementary budget

I have followed closely the debate currently going on about the K22bn supplementary budget. Kudos to Mr Trevor Simumba and Mr Trevor Hambayi for taking a lead in making sure the state and the population are on the same page. I am also very happy that ST has also moved in to add to his views!

In fact Both Trevors and the ST are talking about the same thing that there is no budget surplus. All government is doing is doing a budget variation as certain unexpected revenue came in and certain activities have been shelved in favor of other expenses that government want to undertake but we’re not budget for.

The misunderstanding probably came from an earlier post from government that mentioned of a surplus.

A budget is a wish list of planned revenue and expenditure for a fiscal year. Now not all planned revenue comes in and not all expenditure is incurred. Some revenue even comes from sources no one expected and as such, governments will in the middle of the year go to parliament to ask for a supplementary budget for additional spending.

In this case, government didn’t expect dividends from BoZ for the year 2021 but these monies have come in. Government also had planned to repay certain debt in 2022 but because foreign debt service was suspended in 2020 and it still hasn’t resumed, government wishes to use this money for something else.

Government also has additional things they want to spend money on to a tune of K22bn and that’s why they have gone to parliament to increase the allocation. My brothers Trevor and Trevor in their argument are worried that why increase expenditure instead of keeping expenditure low? I also argue that certain monies that government didn’t expect can go towards current expenditure instead of borrowing since even our treasury bills remain undersubscribed.

The debate is whether their is budget surplus or not? The answer is NO. You can’t have a budget surplus when you have arrears on certain things. The minister of finance said teacher recruitment will come from IMF funds and the package is not there yet but the expense is going to be incurred. Then also what government planned to borrow is not coming because of treasury bill under subscription.

Economic development is a complex thing and not a two day marathon. The global economy has since 2016 been facing turbulences. Zambia has had droughts since 2015!The pandemic from 2020. Certain industries were shut! The USA is now in recession and Europe is about to slip into it because “when America sneezes, Europe catches a cold”. We need to thank technocrats, politicians and even consultants that have kept our country afloat! Companies bigger than the Country Zambia have collapsed in these trying times but we remain afloat!

We shall face tougher times going forward as fertiliser and energy costs increase and the global appetite for raw materials fade amid struggling western economies. So instead of focusing on UPND vs PF rhetoric, why can’t we unite as a country and prepare for what is about to come? Unless we can see it? Unless it’s Normal to see America pass price controls on essential goods through the “inflation control Act”. Unless it’s normal to see copper prices in two weeks fall from $10,000 to $7,000!

Those days, I couldn’t write these things because I had direct access. Now the access is scanty so sorry if it looks as if we are advising in the media.

Special sorry also goes to my fellow citizens who without reading just go and insult people.

This country belongs to all of us and as such, there is nothing like going on leave from national matters. When people are not allowed to talk, you won’t know what they are thinking and it will be very difficult to govern because you won’t know people’s expectations.

Otherwise healthy debate fellow economists. And have a lovely weekend country men and women.

ZNBC, PRIME TV WILL CAUSE WAR IN ZAMBIA, PRESIDENT HICHILEMA MUST ENSURE THEY STOP INFLAMATORY DOCUMENTARIES

WITHDRAW THOSE TOXIC DOCUMENTARIES
…UPND inflaming ethnic hate, regional rivalry.

THE Patriotic Front is appalled and alarmed by the malicious and dangerous documentaries the UPND has again started airing on ZNBC TV and Prime TV which are aimed at whipping up ethnic hatred and regionalism.

We are worried that President Hakainde Hichilema could unleash such a hate campaign against his predecessor and his administration while pretending to promote national unity.

It’s the first time in the history of this country we are seeing such desperation and insecurity from a sitting head of State, where he unleashes mercenaries at his opponents and perceived enemies.

Zambians must reject this dangerous adventurism by this excited regime. Let them pause for a moment and imagine if our late founding father, Dr Kenneth Kaunda, and Nelson Mandela had unleashed such hate-mongering documentaries against their erstwhile oppressors.
Where would Zambia and South Africa have been today?

It is cheap and base propaganda to depict Hakainde Hichilema as a victim of political persecution while deliberately ignoring the man’s highly provocative behaviour and open disrespect towards incumbent presidents, the late Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, and Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu whom he called all sorts of derogatory names without suffering any consequences while he was in opposition.
Many times his utterances and actions bordered on criminality but nothing happened to him.

It’s laughable that even his incarceration for 127 days triggered by his mischievous behaviour in Mongu where he directly challenged and endangered the safety of a sitting head of State is being shamelessly laundered as persecution. How cheap!

Wasn’t Mr Hichilema warned by independent observers, including respected foreign media personalities, that in other countries he would not have survived the consequences of such hot-headed adventurism?

When the UPND started showing the documentaries on the two media outlets a few months ago our deputy chairman for information and publicity, Ambassador Emmanuel Mwamba, expressed alarm and warned of the dangerous consequences of peddling such hate against one group of citizens and a certain region.

This abuse of ZNBC, a government owned media outlet, and the UPND-inclined Prime TV is a dangerous trajectory which could lead to ghastly consequences if not stopped immediately.

It is disappointing that the two media houses could offer themselves to be used as tools of division and regional hatred.
What is the difference between the toxic hate-laden TV documentaries the Hichilema-led UPND regime is using to set one region against another and one ethnic group against another and what the late Chanda Chimba was airing against Mr Sata and Dr Fred M’membe before the 2011 general elections?

What will happen if others start showing counter-documentaries showing the atrocities visited upon hapless Zambians by the violent UPND in the past?

We urge the UPND, Mr Hichilema and their foreign media advisors who are behind this nonsense at State House and UPND Secretariat to pause and think about the bloody Mapatizya Formula, the ethic displacement of Northerners and Easterners by UPND in Namwala, the brutal and cold-blooded murders of Jackson Kungo in Solwezi and a youth in Kanyama, the maiming of defenceless citizens in Mufumbwe and many other atrocities.

If all these atrocities are documented and aired on TV of what benefit will they be to the nation?
The UPND documentaries must stop immediately. We warn ZNBC and Prime TV to refrain from serving as platforms for fanning ethnic rivalry and hate by a despatate regime which has failed to rule the country and is now bent on annihilating the opposition.

Should they continue airing such toxic content the PF reserves the right to use all legal avenues available to halt them and hold all the individuals who are behind them accountable.

Issued by:
EDWIN LIFWEKELO
PF Deputy Media Director.

BOKANI SOKO, FORMER AGRICULTURE PS WARNED AND CAUTIONED FOR CORRUPTION.

Lusaka.

The Anti-Corruption Commission has warned and cautioned former Ministry of Agriculture Permanent Secretary Songowayo Zyambo and Neria Investments Limited Director Bokani Soko on alleged corrupt practices in a case of unsupplied fertilizer worth over 131 Million United States Dollars.

The Commission has also recorded a warn and caution statement from two directors of Honey Bee Pharmacy Limited for alleged forgery and uttering of false documents.

Songowayo Zyambo, 56 of Sub-Division A of Lot 2336M New Kasama Lusaka, while a Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and responsible for the management and administration of public funds, did make a payment from the public revenue for goods not supplied in full when he signed a letter of confirmation to Zambia National Commercial Bank on the 8th of April 2021 stating that Neria Investments Limited had delivered 100% of D-Compound and Urea fertilizer according to the requirements of the contract number MOA/FISP/G/1/2020, when it had not done so.

Neria Investments Limited was contracted by the government of the Republic of Zambia to supply 75,380.70 metric tonnes of D-compound and 59,619.30 metric tonnes of Urea at a contract price of United States Dollars one hundred and thirty-one million, one hundred and forty-two thousand six hundred and eighty-two sixty-five cents (US$ 131, 142,682.65).

Other officers in the Ministry of Agriculture from whom warn and caution statements have been recorded include Grey Mwale of plot 43304, Chifwema Area in Chongwe, a former Principal Agricultural Economist and Emmanuel Kabwe, of plot 13512, Off Kasama Road, Chalala, a Principal Accountant.

The Commission has also recorded warn and caution statements from four directors at Neria Investments Limited. Statements were recorded from Bokani Soko, of 146 Mukuba Complex, Chudleigh in Lusaka, Justin Mutaa Katanekwa of house number 11965, Chelstone, Mohamed Zuneid Ismail Yousuf and Nadeem Yousuf both of Makeni in Lusaka.

In 2021, the four directors acting for and on behalf of Neria Investment, by false pretenses and with intent to defraud, did obtain money in the sum of United States Dollars one hundred and thirty one million, one hundred and forty two thousand six hundred and eighty two sixty five cents (US$ 131, 142,682.65) having falsely represented that 75,380.70 metric tonnes of D-Compound and 59619.30 metric tonnes of Urea were supplied and delivered at the Ministry of Agriculture when in fact not.

In another development, the Commission has warned and cautioned two directors of Honey Bee Pharmacy for alleged forgery and uttering of false documents.

In 2019, Abdurrauf Abdurahim Motala, 41 of house number 107 Umodzi Highway in Chipata and Zakir H. Motala, 42, of ZKH Investments Limited of Petauke, forged and made documents namely, an undated recommendation letter from Adra Malani, an undated recommendation letter from Gauteng Health and an Audit Financial Statement for Honey Bee Pharmacy which they later uttered or presented to the Ministry of Health as part of the tender documents for the supply and delivery of health kits.

In August 2019, the government of the Republic of Zambia through the Ministry of Health awarded a contract to Honey Bee Pharmacy to supply a total of 22,500 health kits to health centers countrywide at a contract sum of $17,000,000.00.

ACC Spokesperson Queen Chibwe said Investigations have established that by the end of 2021, only 5,000 health kits had been supplied.

Mrs. Chibwe said it has also been established that Honey Bee Pharmacy was in-fact a walking pharmacy in Lusaka’s Kamwala area.

ON PUPPETS and their STRINGS
[A Comment from.Guardians of ZAMBIA]

By Dr Canisius Banda

‘…it is not that we don’t want to service the debt, it is just that the creditors have said: “Don’t pay for now”‘ Zambia’s finance minister Situmbeko MUSOKOTWANE is said to have said explaining the need for a ‘supplementary budget.’

First, when a creditor places your repayment on hold, Mr Situmbeko MUSOKOTWANE, sir, that in itself constitutes DEBT RELIEF,. It is a form of debt relief.

In essence, what this means is that the creditors have extended a financial subsidy to Zambia.

Therefore, the ttrending headline in Zambia today should not have been that the ‘DEC Goes Bananas’ but that ‘Zambia Receives Interim Debt Relief.’

Second, what is in it for the creditors to offer Zambia this relief?

What profit are they making through this action of theirs?

Therefore, Zambia’s finance minister Situmbeko MUSOKOTWANE must now explain ito the nation n detail the conditions set by the creditors for this repayment delay – for how long will it last, what fiscal conditionalities are we to follow, what is its cost, when are we expected to restart the servicing, is this a leverage ftool or our political management by them, what are its full implications, etc.

Hahahahaha!
Ati they have told us that ‘don’t pay for now’.
Really? Just like that?

Where is the CREDITORS COMMITTEE”s letter on this? Show us.

And by allowing us to increase government expenditure by, for instance by our ongoing worsening of the PE to GDP ratio, without a corresponding increase in our net national income, these creditors may actually be luring us deeper into the debt trap.

For example, ceteris paribus, just a sudden restart/recall of the repayments will see our fiscal space critically suffocating.

Is this an imperial ruse?
MUSOKOTWANE, tell us.

Mwebantu, are we really in control?

In the end, what we really need as a country is SOVEREIGN DEBT MANAGEMENT, NOT chifundo.

Zambia is NOT insolvent.
A wise liquidation [financial translation] of our resources is all we need.

Over time, Zambia can pay back whatever it owes. And still remain with much more.

Manje we have reduced ourselves to a BEGGAR STATE, always grovelling.

Tulo.

PILGRIM

‘Retrain’ the new teachers – Kaingu

FORMER education minister Michael Kaingu has proposed a refresher course in teaching methodology for recruited teachers before they are deployed.

He argues that most of recruited teachers had for many engaged in so many other jobs and errands.

“Some were councillors, beekeepers, fishermen, chicken keepers etc for many years,” Dr Kaingu noted. “I propose that an on line course in teaching methodology be introduced for the 30,000 teachers.”

He asks the question, “what is the quality of the recruited teachers?”

Dr Kaingu noted that so much has been said about the recruitment of over 30,000 teachers. “I won’t stop to congratulate the new dawn government for this unprecedented performance. Now let’s look at the quality of the recruited teachers. Are the teachers recruited because they can teach or remember how to teach or they are recruited because they did a teaching course? To teach, one should have done a teaching methodology. In fact, any one can teach his subject of expertise if he has done a teaching methodology. Teaching methodology must be practiced. To be a good teacher, you must practice your teaching methodology. The best teacher is the one recruited immediately after graduating from the college while the teaching methodology is still fresh in his or her mind,” Dr Kaingu told The Mast. “We are told that some of these teachers were on the streets for five years, others even more! They were engaged in so many other jobs and errands. Some were councillors, beekeepers, fishermen, chicken keepers etc for many years. It’s obvious that many have forgotten the teaching methodology. We are sending them to teach! What will be the quality of their work? What will be the quality of the learners or pupils coming out of these teachers’ classes? Wouldn’t it be better for us to give these teachers a refresher course, at least, in teaching methodology before sending them out there? The fundamental reason for recruiting these teachers is to improve the learners’ understanding of the subjects not to fill the classrooms. If the idea is to have many people going back to school, then let’s us just have education camps.”

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has been spotted having a good time with his new flame, just days after divorcing his wife of 13 years.

According to Mail Online, the German coach has been in Sardinia with his new Brazilian girlfriend, Natalie Max, enjoying his holiday before the resumption for the new season.

The 48-year-old, who had been married to journalist Sissi Tuchel for 13 years, was granted a divorce by a judge at London’s High Court just last week.

The Blues boss was seen with 35-year-old Ms Max on a boat at the Mediterranean Island where they were seen holding hands and laughing as they swam in the sea. He made the trip with the business owner during a short break between his team’s tour of the United States which ended on Sunday and a friendly with Italian side Udinese tomorrow.

The pair, both of whom have two daughters, are staying in a villa which costs £20,000 a night, the Sun reports.

One holidaymaker told the paper: ‘They looked very much in love. At one stage Natalie ran her hand round the back of his neck and leaned in for a kiss.

‘They went swimming, chilled on the beach, lunched in the hotel’s restaurant and got a boat to the island of Caprera.’

The former Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund manager was granted a divorce by Mr Justice Mostyn at the High Court in London on Wednesday, July 20, after he was satisfied there was no way of salvaging the marraige.

Mrs Tuchel had filed for divorce at the end of March, citing irreconcilable differences, with one source telling the Mail on Sunday that they had tried to avoid splitting but ‘in the end there was no other way.’

They added that it was ‘very sad and now it is all about making sure their daughters are the top priority’.

Mrs Tuchel had moved to Britain last August seven months after her husband had come to the UK after being given the Chelsea job.

He had initially stayed in a hotel in Cobham, Surrey, near to the club’s training ground.

The Chelsea boss, who is reportedly paid £7million a year, is believed to have reached a settlement with his former wife.

SUCCESSFUL HEALTH WORKERS APPLICANTS PER PROVINCE

DIVISION 1 & II (1&2)

1. Central Province- Applicants = 7,642

Successful applicants = 1028

2. Copperbelt- 13873 applicants

Successful applicants= 1,289

3. Eastern Province- 3,824

Successful applicants= 1007

4. Luapula- 9,538

Successful applicants = 971

5. Lusaka – 14,812

Successful applicants= 976

6. Muchinga- 1,619

Successful applicants=717

7. Northern- 7,058

Successful applicants= 900

8. North -Western – 4,805

Successful applicants= 930

9. Southern Province- 9,093

Successful applicants=1,274

10. Western province- 3,542

Successful applicants= 1,178

Total application= *70,126*

Successful applicants total = *10,270*

DIVISION III (3) APPLICANTS

1. Central Province- Applicants= 7,803

Successful applicants= 93

2. Copperbelt applicants= 10,624

Successful applicants= 85

3. Eastern Province applicants= 6897

Successful applicants=95

4. Lusaka applicants= 16294

Successful applicants=111

5. Luapula applicants= 5280

Successful applicants=93

6. Muchinga applicants= 5,158

Successful applicants= 93

7. North-western applicants= 6,664

Successful applicants= 110

8. Northern applicants= 4,616

Successful applicants= 102

9. Southern applicants= 4,176
Successful applicants= 101

10. Western applicants= 5996

Successful applicants= 121

Total application= *73,520*

Successful applicants total= *1006*

*16 Successful health workers people with disabilities*

MORALLY BANKRUPT: Fire Mary Chirwa

By Nkonkomalimba Kapumpe

We all saw she is the one!

President HH, you are only as strong as your weakest link. You are not helping yourself and the nation by surrounding yourself with questionable characters, it will back fire one day and in a big way.

If anyone is telling you to keep her, it’s either they are naive or they don’t love you. Do you really want to fight corruption? The english say “put your money where your mouth”. You are now scared of what she will say when fired? Because such characters now can’t be trusted.

Ba Fred Mmembe ndabo ati cruel, she took those videos by herself and this is not a personal matter but the office she holds. Ati she will commit suicide..even my friend commit sucide because of the economy last week, we buried him yesterday. Do you see complain about bene Iris sir? It’s the office we are interested in.

SHE IS NOT THE ONE

An eyewitness is a person who has firsthand knowledge of an event from seeing the event. We have all seen the video. When you are in the court docket, they ask you to the point at the defendant or accused. You can’t tell me that we did not see Mary chirwa in that porn video, I have see her with own eyes ati uyo. Unless she produces an identical twin sister.

ITS A CRIME

Under Section 102 of the Electronic Communications and Transactions ACT transmission or receiving of pornography is prohibited. A person who commits an offence under the provisions of the said ACT is liable upon conviction to a fine of K36 Million or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 10 years or both. So she commited an offence whether the law is fair or not.

Clause 56 Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act 2021

56. (1) A person shall not produce or participate in the production of pornography using a computer system.

(2) A person convicted of an offence under subsection (1) is liable, to a fine not exceeding five hundred thousand penalty units or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years, or both. She committed a crime according to the laws she is supposed to uphold.

SHE HAS COMPROMISED THE OFFICE

Now we have a person that is supposed be upholding the law breaking the law. When there are porn issues, it’s DEC that must bring the matter before court; but what moral right does DEC have to arrest someone when they are in the forefront breaking the law. She is compromised and cannot act objectively. What if there are more videos and thats the reason the corruption fight has not taken off smoothly like I would want to?

This is the same person that was at the sensitive Financial intelligence center, this might be a major breach even to national security. People might be blackmailing or blackmailed her. So we can’t take this lightly. She must be suspended and investigated.

If she can do such a video and leak to the public, how can we trust her with sensitive information of the nation. She is reckless, not prudent and careless. I can go on and on. If this video was produced by the DPP Lillian Sinyunyi, the UPND could have been in the streets protest today, but i think they have no moral compass.

WE DESERVE BETTER

We deserve to hold those in sensitive institutions of Goverance to be of noble character, despite our inclination or affiliations to political parties. We cant reduce this to PF and UPND, she messed up so bench her. She is not the only qualified Zambian that can investigate people. What is wrong is wrong.

If the President fails to fire, he should never mention that he upholds the law. He would have eroded any credibility in the justice system. Nothing that will come out of DEC will be considered credible if you keep her sir and its encouraging unlawless in Goverment . We don’t hate her, even us have done worse but if caught we must be fired. Even if she was my sister, wife or daughter I would have told you to fire her, it’s about the office and upholding the law.

Last cousin stop threatening those circulating the video, but first arrest the produce of the video. You also can’t identity her?

Nkonkomalimba Kapumpe

THROWBACK: Bowman Lusambo’s terror made us run to the mosque, UPND candidate tells court

Bowman Lusambo’s terror made us run to the mosque, UPND candidate tells court

THE Ndola High Court has heard how a swarm of PF locusts turned a UPND campaign rally into a run-for-your-life marathon whose finish line was the carpeted floor of Kabushi Mosque.

This was during a petition hearing in which losing UPND candidate Bernard Kanengo insisted that PF’s Bowman Lusambo relied on violence and malpractice to retain the Kabushi Constituency seat in the August 12 polls.

After taking the witness stand, Kanengo told Justice Edward Musona sitting in Ndola that on the fateful day, he was addressing a rally which was interrupted by the sudden appearance of a frightened man screaming on top of his voice that Lusambo and his PF “NATO Forces” were on their way to attack the gathering.

Alarmed by the warning, Kanengo’s first thought was to secure the hired vehicle and the public address system but before he could even get around it, he saw a speeding Toyota Hilux with ladden with PF cadres driving towards him.

“One of them disembarked while holding a fire arm and he was shouting ‘We want Kanengo,” the UPND candidate narrated.

At the sight of beefy and mascular weapon-wielding cadre who didn’t recognize him at the time, Kanengo abandoned his plans to secure the hired equipment and immediately pitted himself against members of his campaign team Moses Mumba and Patrick Mwewa to demonstrate olympic running skills they never suspected they possessed.

The forced marathon eventually led the trio to Kabushi Mosque were delighted worshipers thought their guests had become the latest inclusion to the growing list of Muslims in Zambia.

However, after catching their breaths, the frightened “converts” explained that it was not the Adhaan – loud Muslim call to prayer – that had led them to the mosque but the fear of receiving a beating from Lusambo and his cadres.

CAPTION: File photo for illustration

Kalemba

AM SORRY JAMES NDAMBO……

A few months ago I wrote a piece applauding the achievements of my brother James Ndambo . In acknowledging his philanthropic life and perseverance in the world of entrepreneurship I mentioned that he was a very humble and unassuming individual who shunned publicity. My article was meant to high profile a Zambian success story.

I was also mindful of the littered landmines our society has in store for someone we perceive to be more successful or potentially more endearing and popular through noble deeds. The recent malicious victimization and witch hunt of James Ndambo and the attendant invective insinuations of malfeasance in the conduct of his recent (tax)affairs in Choma leaves one to wonder as to the levels of competence of some of our public institutions such as the DEC. Am using somewhat strong language because as a Public figure and a person aware of what negative perceptions can do to someone’s integrity and international business profile , am saddened by the actions of DEC on a matter that could have been handled in a manner that does not smack of persecution, vindictiveness and sheer lack of professionalism. James Ndambo is like our Aliko Dangote , our Patrice Motsepe or Mo Ibrahim from Sudan.

RESPECT HIS ACHIEVEMENTS.

From what I know JN has been running My Home Town and investing in uplifting the lives of many underprivileged people in Southern Province for the past 25 years.

The irony of seizing 8 vehicles which were legally purchased locally begs the question. Will DEC also seize the Water tanks, the Boreholes , the Churches or roads that MHT has built? Am sure the same principle or law they used must apply to those assets. From what I know JN through his pan African International aviation company has bought 3 jets . The value of 3 jets compared to the 8 vehicles legally procured is astounding. Will the jets be classified as potential proceeds of crime and therefore subject to seizure in Zambia? Shall we caution JN and others in the diaspora who are contemplating coming back to their motherland to reinvest that they run the risk of asset seizure if they are seen to be too rich according to our levels? The paradox here, this is coming in the aftermath of one of the most successful homecoming event held in Livingstone for Diasporan entrepreneurs hosted by my young amazing sister from Atlanta, Freda Mwamba Brazel. A big up to you.

Ama levels ka!
What continues to perplex me is this perception of what wealth is in our society. I believe wealth is in your ability to share, to care and provide with humility.

If we wanted to be pedantic looking at the Africa Union balance sheet , what was spent in Choma over past 5 years constitutes what percentage of AU balance sheet? We might be shocked to find it’s JN’s lunch money, my point is Ama levels yasiyana.

I recall some 20 years back I was Vice President of the Kora All Music awards and we hosted the Miss Malaika pageant. Our 1st prize was a Merc CL230E valued at $100K with a cash prize of R1.5m . This was for the whole of Africa . Times have changed JN prize was just for a Choma event and we want to put him kuWire. He is just remitting and sharing part of his wealth he has been allowed to make in other countries back to his homeland. In the process he put Choma on the World map can we quantify that value? As you may be aware most African economies are funded by remittances from the diaspora but we want to kill that with unfettered overzealousness because he is a perceived threat just because he said he is now a SouthAfrican citizen. We now have dual citizenship status (soon) but JN is way ahead of us , he lives in a Global village he is first and foremost an African citizen and that’s why his company is Africa Union, what an iconic brand, and secondly his motherland is Zambia and this is why he continues to give back. So apart from giving MHT bad publicity and attempting to devalue the brand who loses most? What if JN decides not to come back and starts to provide water, sanitation, roads and health facilities in Kwamashu SA or Matonge in DRC ? Or decides not to set up a Cement factory or Aquaponics farm? How many muzungus or should I say foreigners are we going to worship at the expense of our own?

But for now I feel pity for those beautiful, awesome motivated young ladies who won prizes and received dollars which have been seized that they might never see their prizes. Maybe after 5 years , the normal period “complex” cases such as ours take , am sure DEC or whoever will have to travel to other countries to verify the source of wealth. . The question is ,” Will we see another MHT event which created so much economic and Commercial activity in Choma?”

Napapata come to Mtenguleni and for us just Maize seed and fertilizer na tuma Tractors 8 is befitting prizes. And oh yes 100 boreholes and 2 Water tanks.

James Ndambo and Africa Union Pty , if my article on 20/11/21 created unwanted publicity , I apologize. My late father , bless his Soul, used to say:

“ A good person is like a cork in the water . You can push them down but they always pop up. Bothuvuka!”
End of quote.

Please DEC Boma iyanganepo , osapaya bantu banu.

FPM

Kennedy Gondwe writes:

FAZ OWES CHIPOLOPOLO COACHES MORE THAN $75,000

Zambia this weekend plays Mozambique in the penultimate round of qualifying for the CHAN.
This match is crucial in building on the momentum of winning the Cosafa Cup and the resumption of the Africa Cup qualifying series in September. This is in addition the excitement that has engulfed the country in the aftermath of the women’s performance at the African Cup of Nations.

Worth taking note too is yesterday’s
announcement that Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) and Zambia Breweries have penned a K3 million third-tier sponsorship for the MTN Super League, according to a statement posted on the FA’s socials.

The statement goes on to highlight that in addition to joining leading telecommunication giant, MTN, in sponsoring the MTN Super League, Zambia Breweries have pumped-in K250,000 for the 2022 Charity Shield to be contested by Red Arrows and NAPSA Stars on 13 August, 2022.

This is commendable to FAZ and congratulations to the executive!

What’s not commendable and is embarrassing to them though are reports that the coaching staff were on return from Mozambique for their first CHAN leg evicted from their apartments because FAZ has failed to pay rentals.

Further, the association owes the senior men’s team coaches in excess of $75, 000 in unpaid salary arrears stretching up to three months! They have so far further failed to pay daily allowances for the Cosafa and CHAN.

The official line by FAZ is to probably deny what I have written, factual as it is, call us names via their useful idiots and go on a witch-hunt.

Yet, the right thing is to face up the coaches and pay them or at least their accommodation. All we want is Zambia to go to the CHAN and in order for that to happen, the coaches and players need to be happy and motivated. People want this FAZ to succeed.

Do the right thing FAZ. You have brought smiles on many of our faces and may that continue. But don’t expect some of us to sugarcoat the truth. Shame on you for treating the men’s team coaches in this manner.

Let’s not also forget that these same coaches were dropped at the airport enroute to South Africa where they brought us the 6th Cosafa title because of what FAZ reported as a visa glitch.

Some of us talk to the players in the current team and most of them are unanimous that the chemistry between the coaches and the players is so good and a catalyst for further positive results. That relationship needs further nurturing.

Disclaimer: To anyone who has read what I have written above, I am not responsible for how you interpret my opinion. Only you are.

Have a good one.

DEAR AGED TEACHERS I’M SURE YOU SAW AND HEARD WHO YOUR ENEMIES ARE.
By Binwell Chansa Mpundu

We tried our best to fight for you because we believe that government has a responsibility of giving you employment opportunities for you are Zambians.

How can a country respect regulations instead of the law.Clearly we argued that the regulations that dictates that those aged above 45 should not be employed in the public sector is in contravention of the Public sector employment code Act of 2019 which law governs employment of public workers.

Your enemies however who objected our call to have you employed did not even cite any law but simply stated that you are not supposed to be employed because you are old yet the same people have supported the employment into public service of aged DC’s,aged Diplomats,aged board members,aged PS’s and aged ministers.So they support what suits them and reject you who actually voted for them.

We personally believe that every zambian deserves a chance to be employed and the issue of pension should not be a basis for employing someone in any case at whatever age one gets employed they will still get a pension package.

We thank the minister of education though for being sober in suggesting that government will consider you because theres need for more teachers than the current backlog of unemployed teachers,in my view thats what a responsible elected person should think.

I wish to put it on record that we will fight all arcaic laws and regulations that where created to make some people more human than others because Zambia is not an animals farm where some people should have special treatment than others.

We love you and we will defend your interest for that is the reason you voted for us.

I repeat that these political parties are the biggest enemies to progress because they have indoctrinated members of parliament to an extent that they no longer think of the well being of the people who voted for them but the wellbeing of their political parties .It is high time politicians stoped priotising their parties but the interest of people.We as independent members of parliament will always side with you our people.

BINWELL MPUNDU
NKANA MP
UMWINA NKANA

Opposition Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) President Edith Nawakwi has warned the UPND led Government against relying heavily on the pending International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout package for the local economy recovery.

Ms. Nawakwi said the IMF package the Government is waiting for is not coming now and won’t improve the economic welfare of individual Zambians.

The economist and former Finance Minister in the MMD regime challenged the New Dawn government to come up with a plan that will improve the economy of citizens.

Featuring on Camnet TV’s National Matter, Ms. Nawakwi said many Zambians are going through financial distress.

“As a country we must accept that we are in the taffy and it appears to me that everybody is waiting for the IMF bailout. The country is heavily indebted. We are now in the poverty basket and I think for the past couple of months we are waiting for the IMF to come in and bail us out and when you are in that situation as a nation, I think we are ignoring some very very critical issues that are happening in families, in homes and those are issues of mental health arising from financial distress. You see that small businesses have folded, people are really stressed. They may not be protesting but you can see that they are hurting. When you ask the question as to how we are fairing, I think we are fairing very very badly and we need to accept that we have a problem and how are we going to resolve it,” Ms. Nawakwi said.

“I have been listening to many pundits discussing and it looks like the discussion is centred on the IMF bailout. As a country, I have not heard much from the public sector, from the government giving us an alternative, what if the IMF does not arrive with this famous package? What is going to happen to our country? What are we going to do? And these are serious questions and when you walk on the street people are hungry, people are really desperate to survive. You begin to think, to see traits of actual distress which can cause very bad injuries to people and the country as a whole,” she said.

Ms. Nawakwi continued:”You cannot have a country which puts all the eggs in one basket. I think for the entire eleven months of our colleagues being in office, we haven’t heard of an alternative development paradigm. Let me put it simply, a Zambian marshall plan. It is as though the IMP package is the saviour and everything that is required. That is not the case. The International Monetary Fund if we ever get that package, the way the numbers are going I can say with certainty that it is not coming in a few months, maybe in another two or three years because if you look at domestic debt, it is going in a different direction.”

“If you look at this, all the figures according to what I know. Having worked with the IMF I can say the famous package may not be walking in the next few months. I heard our President say that watch me by June (2022), read my lips and I am yet to read anything but the question that we need to ask ourselves as a nation. This package is meant for debt relief so that we pay our creditors. What is our programme that we Zambians have in place for my mother in Chinyinji, for my mother in Chama to put food on the table? That is the programme I am looking for from the Government and the Zambians. That is the programme that we Zambians need to sit and discuss a local martial plan. To get ourselves out of individual economic quagmire and get our nation out of abject poverty,” she said.

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

PRESIDENT HAKAINDE HICHILEMA’S 11 MONTHS IN OFFICE

_By Scrivener Yabe Bwalya_
_Upnd Chingola district Chairman_

1. Promised to remove cadreism from markets and bus stations and he has done it! This lone move has saved Councils a lot of revenue which previously were going into cadres pockets.

2. Promised to restore the rule of law, he has done it! There’s freedom of the media, freedom of expression and freedom of assembly.

3. Promised to shift money from one sector to the other, they have done it (subsidies) has financed free education, CDF increment, teacher and health worker recruitments.

4. Promised to take care of the aged and the marginalized in society. All retirees have been paid their terminal benefits to the tune of K2.9bn and increased the social Cash transfer fund from K360 to K800.

5. Increased the Constituency development fund from K1.6m to K25.7m something that has never been done before in the history of this country. CDF being an intervention fund has come as a relief to local authorities.

6. Government through scholarships and CDF has sponsored about 7,000 children in universities and colleges across the country.

7. Government has created about 70,000 direct and indirect jobs through teacher and health worker recruitments.

8. President Hichilema while in opposition promised to bring back free education from grade 1 to 12 and it has been done!

9. Under President Hichilema, the New Dawn Government has managed to stabilize the the exchange rate and brought down the inflation rate from 26% to a single digit. The investor confidence we are seeing is a result of good leadership. It has further boosted the strengthening of the kwacha. Kwacha is now the best performing currency in Africa from being the worst on the continent.

10. The New Dawn government is in the process of renegotiating the repayment period of the foreign debt (bilateral and multilateral). This will give Government a breather and space to take freed finances to the most critical sectors of the economy like health, education and agriculture (value addition).

11. While in opposition, President Hichilema and the UPND promised to make all future loans to have Parliament approval and they have done it! This is transparency Zambians wanted from their government.

12. The President made sure that UNITY and PEACE returns to this country by discouraging tribalism and appointing people into government from all Provinces. The New Dawn government is well balanced regionally!

13. The President promised to end induced by-elections at all levels by working with all MPs regardless of their party affiliation thereby saving taxpayers money. There’s no need for Members of Parliament to cross over to the ruling party for them to access funding from the government because the New Dawn government is working with everyone from wherever they are. Truly, the New Dawn government has changed the narrative!

14. The Republican President has shown leadership and vision for this country in a lot of things. For this, he needs support from all of us and and herald the good works till (2026).

One Zambia! One Nation!
Shalom!!! Shalom!!!

Thursday 28th July 2022

PF WORKS STILL CREATING JOBS ACROSS THE COUNTRY

I for one am very happy to note that PF initiated projects under the Edgar Chagwa Lungu Administration are literally bearing fruit as intended and planned.

The Kalene Fruit Processing Plant commissioned by President HH, is one of many more PF initiated projects to come. The Kalene project in Mwinilunga, North Western Province, was started by Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), as part of the PF industrialisation and value addition drive. A similar plant has been set up in Katete, Eastern Province and was commissioned by the practical, hands on Former President ECL, testimony that PF means well for the people of Zambia across all ten Provinces.

Other such huge PF projects of national importance include the ZNS Solar Milling Plant in Mpika, Muchinga Province, commenced in 2015 and commissioned by current Minister of Defence, Hon Ambrose Lifuma MP of the UPND Government. The intention of this Solar Milling Plant is to reduce cost of mealie, however this requires timely distribution of maize production inputs which so far has eluded the current Government, as we patiently look forward to the promised K250 bag of fertiliser and K50 bag of mealie meal!

The Mwomboshi Dam in Chisamba, Central Province commenced in 2016 and commissioned by Former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu in 2018 is to support crop irrigation and fish farming sectors. For those who care to read, other equally impactful projects left in the pipeline by the PF Government, are readily accessible in the PF manifesto.

President HH will be very busy over the most part of his first term in office, commissioning many such important, life changing PF projects, abruptly left at various stages of development.

In 2018, the PF launched a National Industrial Policy with the vision, “To be an industrialised and competitive nation with a diversified, innovative and globally competitive industrial base, which contributes to sustainable growth and employment creation by 2027.” The Policy also outlined the overall objective”to transform Zambia from a producer and exporter of primary products into a net exporter of value added
goods utilising local primary resources with increased citizens’ participation. As such we hope that in addition to the pineapples of Mwinilunga, bananas will also be put to good use at the Kalene Fruit Processing Plant!

I take this opportunity to congratulate wholly Zambian owned, Trade Kings Limited, on the award of Best African Manufacturers by the African Union Commission in collaboration with the Africa Business Council!

As PF we continue to envisage a Zambia for all Zambians leaving no one behind.

Issued by:
SYLVIA BAMBALA CHALIKOSA
PF Chairperson for Commerce and Former Cabinet Minister

SUPPLEMENTARY BUDGET

By Miles B. Sampa, MP

So yesterday in Parliament we agreed to alter our inhouse rules (Standing Orders) so as to work beyond 7pm to fully debate and complete all matters on the Order Paper (Agenda). This more so to accomodate the rare item on the programme from the Minister of Finance Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane seeking our approval for a Supplemetary budget of K22 billion representing some 12% increment on the existing approved 2022 Budget.

Its unusual to increase the national budget midstream if either more Revenue has been realised or un-avoidable Expenditure has surfaced. The Minister of Finance in most cases said Revenue side is from rolled over funds (un spent from 2021 budget). Very possible as spending out of MOF and other Ministries almost came to a stand still post August 2021 elections.

I personally stood up to support or question the following supplemetary expenditure proposals:

1. Supported the K1,850,163 towards the Office of the Public Protectors as I believe with it we can finally get the vacancy in that very important office field. Its the office designates by the Constitution that ordinary citizens can freely go to complain about any public office holder. The Public Protector is then mandated to freely investigate the complaint. The office has remained vacant since the new constitution in 2016.

1. Questioned the K150, 513, 249 on Mission Abroad Mortgage financing. I was against this collosal allocation as such funds are needed more on the domestic front. Missions abroad should generate own funds (visa, permits, rentals from office buildings Zambia owns) and not siphon from meagre domestic resources. Cosmectic missions that cant generate own funding need to be closed.

2. Questioned the K2,800,000 for the Teachers Service Commision to buy 4 VX vehicles for Lusaka based Commissioners when they can acquire cheaper vehicles.

3. Supported the K2000 additional allocation to the Ministry of Information as I believe the Minister should more resources so as to give us frequent updates on trending topics or matters of public interest.

4. Questioned the K7, 000,000 indicated as supplementart budget for the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEC) for 4 luxury vehicles when they can acquire cheaper means of transportation .

Just before mid night about 11:35pm the supplementary budget was approved and we will review its utilization at the end of 2022.

As Legislators we mandated to give check and balances or oversight roles on the Executive side of Government.

Together We Can
MBS27.07.2022

FREE ADVICE TO MUNIR ZULU ON HIS PARLIAMENT KERFUFFLE

The Scoop Editorial: July 27, 2022

THIS afternoon, Lumezi Member of Parliament (MP) Munir Zulu was suspended from the House for 10-days for bringing the decorum of Parliament into disrepute after he beasted a number of officers, including the Sergeant at Arms on March 23, 2022.

Truthfully speaking, we are one of the media houses that supported Munir’s candidacy for Lumezi in the previous elections for two reasons; firstly, because we advocated for youthful MPs and secondly, because we felt he had been hard done by the Patriotic Front (PF) who opted to ignore him for another candidate despite him being popular.

Take it or leave it, Munir is a people person. He is a crowd-puller and a grassroot politician who commands such following not only in Lumezi but surrounding areas as well, mostly due to his philanthropic work and this is part of the reason we thought he was best suited to represent the people of Lumezi.

His energy and passion for work drew us to the conclusion that we needed more of such youths in Parliament and preside over our affairs but with the foregoing, we are beginning to think that our viewpoint could have been flawed. This by any means does not mean we now feel Munir is a bad guy in every aspect. We still respect his vigour and his passion to serve the people of Lumezi, only that most of the time he is in Parliament, has proved to be a nuisance especially on issues where he does not agree with others.

It is sad that each time Munir has a different viewpoint to others, more so, his political opponents, swords are drawn and in everything, he wants to come out the winner. Unfortunately, Parliament is about debate and debate tolerates different viewpoints and such viewpoints must be done with sanity. Even the actual process of enacting laws comes with a lot of debate and discourse analysis. Because of the fact that the National Assembly’s principle function is to make laws, our dear Munir should understand that different viewpoints are inevitable when dealing with Parliament because bebates are not arguments and are not a show of nemesis.

Munir should understand that Parliament is not for flexing muscles or showing who can disrespect others with impunity and go scot-free. The problem we have with Munir is that either he himslef is a bad habit, or he has inherited bad habits by accepting abnormal things to be normal. You see, the fact that chairs fly in some Parliaments in some countries in Africa and beyond while parliamentarians trade blows right on the floor of the House does not mean this is a normal way of conducting oneself in Parliament in Zambia.

What is wrong is wrong and must be condemned as such and our advice to Munir is to reflect on his suspension from Parliament with positivity. He stands to lose nothing from his absence in the House. Munir has money and so, not getting allowances from Parliament during the period is not an issue but the real losers in all this are the people of Lumezi because during the period, they wil have no representation. This is because the person they sent to Parliament to represent them has turned into a boxer, out to bully everyone opposed to him.

Munir will not be the first or last Parliamentarian to be elected to that House. The Zambian Parliament has had serious MPs. People like late George Kunda crafted a name for themselves not because they were the most antagonistic in Parliament, but because they debated issues with substance and with dignity.

We had Request Muntanga not long ago. When Muntanga stood to speak, everyone listened. When he debated in Parliament, he spoke with facts and conviction. He was among the most read MPs the country had ever produced during his time and this is why he commanded respect among his peers. People like late Michael Sata respected Muntanga during his reign as president not because he threatened to box anyone, but because of the data he offloaded on the floor of the House and we all know who Sata was. For Sata to give you respect, then, you must deserve it. Sata feared no one but among the people he respected, Muntanga was up there on the list because of how he carried himself as an MP.

Munir should realise that posterity will judge him not on the number of people he would have threatened to beat, but on his substance in Parliament. We know that by now, Munir is already all over social media trying to justify his actions by purporting that he is being fought.

Of course a lot of people are defending his case but truth is, most of the people defending him have no clue what Parliament is about and will defend him any rainy day, even when he is wrong like they have consistently done in the past but the truth of the matter is that these are the people misleading him or beckoning him to continue on this wrong trajectory.

For us, Munir has a lot of energy which if used correctly, can propel his constituency to greater heights than he is doing today but misguiding this energy like is he doing now serves no purpose; not for him, not for those who elected him.

Yama, those who are vuvuzelaling for you in everything you do usually do not mean well for you. Take time to listen to those who seem to be opposed to you and at least get something from their seeming criticism because this may build you. This too is just free advice which you can take or leave.

By Kombe Mataka

PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema says the PF has gone and it is not returning.
He also says he will soon lodge a complaint with acting Secretary to Cabinet Patrick Kangwa on why he was being made to work on Saturday.

President Hichilema is an Adventist.
Addressing the quasi-government institutions and statutory bodies meeting at Mulungushi International Conference Centre themed ‘Working towards a common purpose’, yesterday, President Hichilema said all appointees of various government bodies must respect the fact that the UPND was elected on the platform of change.

He said the UPND was elected by Zambians on the platform of change and that all public officers, including those that were appointed by the PF regime must respect that.

He observed that there was resistance to change by some appointees to turn from bad ways of doing things.
“You who work for these institutions you are part of this government. How are you part of this government? Because this government was elected on its vision, that is what people want. And many of you appointees were appointed by the government. Which government? This government. Even [if you were appointed by] the previous government if you stay in that position, you are appointed by this government because if we did not want to keep you, we would have removed you. Simple,” he said. “Some of you are saying ‘me I was appointed by the PF’. Baliya akale. Baliya. Takuli ifya kweba ati alebwelelapo. Akekale pesa? Natwikala akale. (They’re gone already. They’re gone. There’s nothing like he will return. Where is he going to sit? We are already in the seat). Just do your work.”
President Hichilema said the failure of the government was failure of all Zambians.

“I am listening many of you are saying, ‘Taishiba government uyu ali mu private sector, awe tatukwanishe. (This one does not know government. He is from the private sector. He will not manage to control us). Who is tamukwanishe? Mulelanda nani? (Who is not going to manage you? Who are you talking about?) You are fixing your own children. Tamukwanishe nani? ndani? (Who is not going to manage you? Who?) You are suffering, your children are suffering. Muganiza muvuta (you think you are troubling) HH, no. Me I can go away and milk my goats. I am okay. I am a villager myself. I don’t need too much. I don’t need what most of you need. I am content with milking goats but we are here to serve the people,” he said.

President Hichilema said public officers were resisting change from bad ways.
“We have gotten used to bad ways of doing things. We are resisting change. We want to continue doing that. If what we were doing was correct, how come the economy collapsed from seven per cent growth to five, to four, to three, to two, to one, to zero, to minus. By September, the economy was minus. Do you need evidence to tell you that? This way of working failed? Do you need evidence? You want more evidence? I can give you,” President Hichilema said. “We moved from a country without a debt burden in the last seven years to a country which is highly indebted. Again in the last seven years. You want more evidence? We failed to pay our suppliers in the last seven years because of the way we worked. Why do you want to continue to work in the same way? How does that help the people of Zambia? You want more evidence? Children were not in school, parents couldn’t afford. Now with the free education, the children are in school. Why should it take six months to buy desks? The money is there. CDF (Constituency Development Fund) money is there. On one hand the minister of technology is going round inspecting trade schools. Our own trade schools that are making desks, and they are showcasing on Television very nice desks but you go to the classroom kids are sitting on the floor. Mbuti kayi (what is that)?”
President Hichilema observed that there was a disjoint in the manner work was being conducted.

“Where is the disjoint? It is you sited here. It is us here. I am not exonerated. I am part of you,” he said. “After this meeting we want PS (permanent secretary) education, to meet the PS technology. To meet the PS SME (small and medium enterprises). Whoever is in charge of trade schools and move the desks in the classrooms. There will be a transaction there. The money is there. Are you conscious that you can unlock this problem? Does it matter to [Copperbelt minister Elisha] Matambo to keep banging and shouting on the Copperbelt? I am watching him. Stop banging, Matambo on the television. Go and bang in offices of the people to ensure the desks are in the classrooms. Go and make noise there,” he said.

President Hichilema said it did not need him to continue preaching on the same things for those in charge to act.
“Why should I become a preacher alone? I have decided when I retire for the second time, I will be a preacher man but I am not yet one. Save my breath, do your part. I do my part. A human body and nature is always in partnership. Two eyes partnership, left-right, two arms partnership. Two legs a partnership. Husband and wife is a partnership. That is how God designed life. No partner should be struggling alone and others are taking it businesses as usual,” the said. “They contact the UN system, ‘when is the next meeting in Kuala Lumpur?’ ‘I want to go to Kuala Lumpur’. Uyenda kucita chani ku Kuala Lumpur (What are you going to do in Kuala Lumpur). Ma desks siyalimo mu class muyenda kuti (Where are you going, there are no desks in class)? What are you going to do there? Some workshops you can attend in a virtual manner. Technology allows us to do that. There is too much travelling, consumer, expenditure. Too much travelling. We have to travel yes but only when it is necessary but let us get the desks in classrooms. Let us complete that classroom block that was left 10 years by MMD. Minister of Finance is aware. PS education where are you? So many classrooms were left uncompleted 10 years ago by the MMD and in the last seven years nothing was done to them. Let us complete those classrooms. The money has been released. Let us climb on the backs of contractors.”

President Hichilema asked boards to supervise their managements and permanent secretaries to supervise their directors.
“When we fail it is this government that would have failed,” he said. “Otherwise you will sign, if you were the President you don’t read the document you sign for a death sentence when you the President has pronounced that there will be no more death sentence. But you have signed because you have not read the document. That is what I hear has been going on in this country. If the President looks happy that day you take the document for him to sign and if he is not alert, he signs. They do that to you as PSs.”
Meanwhile, President Hichilema said he would soon complain to Kangwa for making him to work on the Saturday.
“We Christians know that when Jesus was challenged by those that wanted to fix him, to find a fault in him as his disciples were passing through the field on the Sabbath and they were hungry, started ploughing the field to get something to quench their hunger, so and then Jesus’ detractors said ‘but master, what’s up with your disciples they are working on the Sabbath? They are harvesting on the Sabbath. Jesus being who is he is said the day was made for man not man for the day. I think you can pick what I am saying there. So it is not important that we are meeting today, this Monday,” said President Hichilema. “What is important is how we are using this Monday. The content of today’s meeting is what is most important and I hope we will be able to pick the value of this meeting and agree that this day was important once we are through. It is not the day as Jesus said and I agree with him. Who can disagree with Jesus anyway! Is there someone courageous enough here to disagree with Jesus? The day was made for man and not man for the day but yet I am Christian eh…follower of Christ and sooner I will lodge a complaint to Secretary to Cabinet why you make me work on a Sabbath Day. I will raise a complaint very soon but yet I’m saying if work has to be done it shall be done on any day because if I did not go to Church on a Sabbath, I will pray.”

UPND GOVT IS A WOLF
…seeking to squeeze itself in a sheep’s skin – Kalaba

By Fanny Kalonda

HARRY Kalaba says the UPND’s agenda is to develop a system that makes the rich richer and the poor poorer while taking the credit for all good things but blaming all the bad things on PF.

He charges that the new dawn is a “wolf seeking to squeeze itself in a sheep’s skin. A leadership that is keen on creating deals through its offshore linkages as opposed to dealing with the inadequacy in the country’s social services. A leadership that does not understand that the value of a leader is in his ability to honour his or her word”.

Kalaba said it is unacceptable for all well-meaning citizens to sit back and watch the very things condemned in the past government taking root under the new dawn government.

“I have every conviction that what makes Zambia lag behind her peers is its failure to pursue a pro-poor agenda that is predicated on raising the standard of living of the majority of Zambians,” he said as he announced his resignation from the Democratic Party, which he headed for over five years. “When president Michael Chilufya Sata called me to join the PF, I saw in him a genuine passion and desire to liberate the people of Zambia. Without any hesitation, I joined him in his pursuit to ushering in a pro-poor movement that culminated in the PF winning elections in 2011 and ushering in a pro-poor government. Following president Sata’s election as the country’s fifth president, we did not just embark on delivering unprecedented infrastructure development but also made adjustments to the Pay As You Earn to ensure that it was more accommodating to the poor and less privileged. His stand on corruption and abuse of office, made MCS not just an attractive leader to work with but also helped Zambia to be a preferred country to invest especially from those who sought to make a difference in people’s lives.”

Kalaba said the evidence of what “we set off to do under MCS’ leadership can be seen today by the number of schools and health posts and hospitals that were built over a 10-year period”.

“Travelling across provinces and countries is easier today because we ushered in a pro-poor government that got down to work and addressed the needs of the majority poor in Zambia,” he said. “Ten years later, the UPND government was ushered into office and what was their first agenda? Handover the nation to the rich and powerful. Develop a system that makes the rich richer and the poor poorer. Give concessions to mining houses so that the nation becomes more dependent on foreign interest. Ignore conventional wisdom and follow what the rich tell you no matter how much it affects the citizens. Take away subsidies from the citizens and give it to foreign firms. And take the credit for all good things and blame all the bad things on PF.”

Kalaba accused the UPND of being supported by a strong international public relations functionary that is aimed at projecting them as “the government of the people when in fact it is a feudal leadership”.

He added that the government claims to uphold the rule of law, when people are being arrested for expressing their freedom of speech.
“We have seen Hon. Mumbi Phiri being locked up for over 140 days without being taken to court. We have seen Hon. [Raphael] Nakacinda, Mr Chilufya Tayali, and many more suffer at the hands of a government that claims to be a pioneer of freedom of movement and association,” he noted.

Kalaba charged that the new dawn administration has a leader that does not understand that the value of a leader is in his ability to honour their word.

“The challenges the country has had to contend with over the last 10 months has given me great conviction that we need to start making the necessary preparations to build a coalition of people and parties that share the passion for a prosperous Zambia that is concerned about the welfare of Zambians. Now is the time to start building linkages that will in 2026 rid this nation of a self-serving leadership that prides in making the poor poorer and the rich richer. Now is the time to start the process of giving back the nation to the majority Zambians who were deceived in 2021 and settled for a fraud,” he said. “As a politician, I have sought to drive equity, level the playing field and pursue a non-violent political discourse. It is therefore unacceptable for me and indeed well-meaning citizens to sit back and watch the very things we condemned in the past government taking root under the new dawn government. While on the one hand Zambians are struggling and can hardly make ends meet, the new dawn government is being supported by a strong international PR functionary that is aimed at projecting it as the government of the people when in fact it is a feudal leadership. A wolf seeking to squeeze itself in a sheep’s skin. A leadership that is keen on creating deals through its offshore linkages as opposed to dealing with the inadequacy in the country’s social services. A leadership that does not understand that the value of a leader is in his ability to honour his or her word.”
Kalaba accused President Hichilema of meddling in the internal affairs of opposition parties.

“Whereas the President would like us to believe that he is the best thing that ever happened to this country and that he has levelled the political playing field, his fear of the inevitable in 2026 has made him so apprehensive to the point that he is even scared of his own shadow. When we last held a press briefing and told the nation that the President was the sponsor of the infighting in the DP, people turned up against us and asked us to provide evidence of the same. As fate would have it, KBN Television made their scoop public in the form of a recording of two senior government officials, the Special Assistant to the President for Politics Mr Levy Ngoma and the permanent secretary for home affairs and internal security Mr Josephs Akafumba. That revelation alone was enough to vindicate us and to show the world that indeed the President has been meddling in the internal affairs of opposition parties,” he said. “When we engaged the international community over the revelation, they could not help but liken it to the Watergate Scandal but the President opted for total silence knowing very well that the incriminating words that where uttered by his Special Assistant were uttered with his permission.”
And Kalaba has called upon former African leaders “who are being used as agents of confusion on the continent to desist from such divisive activities”.

He said it is a shame for former statesmen to hide behind foundations while they facilitate the pillaging of African resources.
“I want to serve warning to those who seek to exploit Zambia’s resources through the imposition of a puppet government, enough is enough. It is a shame for former statesmen to hide behind foundations while they facilitate the pillaging of African resources. I want to call upon those former African leaders who are being used as agents of confusion on the continent of Africa to desist from such divisive activities,” said Kalaba. “While you pretend to be supporting democracy on the continent, the puppet master you have put in office is busy seeking to destroy internal democracy. How do you explain a President who appoints Josephs Akafumba, a man who became prominent after creating confusion in the NDC, to be a permanent secretary and even giving him the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security? A sensitive ministry for a traitor! How does a President who believes in democracy make it his preoccupation to destroy opposition leaders and their parties? How does a President who believes in internal democracy send the police after a television station for exposing an audio recording of his permanent secretary and special assistant planning to frustrate and stifle an opposition leader? Is this the democracy their Foundation seeks to promote or may be it is just a façade that is used as a basis of siphoning mineral wealth from unsuspecting Africans? I will not stand by and watch while things deteriorate in Zambia. Neither will I stand by and let the lengthy and protracted legal process stand in the way of my pursuing a cause for a better Zambia. It is clear that there are forces at play seeking to frustrate our cause for the economic emancipation of Zambia. Theirs is an agenda to keep us perpetually dependent on foreign interests even for things that we can handle internally.”

By Dr Munyonzwe Hamalengwa

At the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Board Room 6, Madam Mehta Nehru presiding.
Decision on the refugee claim of Madam Esther Lungu of Zambia. This is the decision on the refugee claim of Madam Esther Lungu being delivered today as I had promised when we adjourned two months ago. The hearing itself took place over a seven-day period. The hearing was heavily contested on both sides. I was presented with mountains of documents, videos, audios, books, social media accounts, newspapers and expert witnesses testified on both sides. All documents and other aids have been marked as exhibits. The testimony of the claimant, Madam Lungu and the expert witnesses have been transcribed into transcripts and are available. I also took the liberty of independently reading about Zambia and I availed counsel of the issues I discovered on my own and sent questions to counsel to answer those issues and provided links to the sources so that counsel could also read those sources I consulted, themselves. I am grateful that counsel answered fully in writing my questions.

I should state at the outset that I found the latest US Department of State Country Report on Zambia (2021) the most neutral and objective as it was written by an independent reliable source or sources. I also found reports and books on court cases and court decisions compelling. These books and reported cases done during the previous regime of Edgar Chagwa Lungu, the husband of the present claimant and the legal cases and practices of the current regime of President Hakainde Hichilema brings the central concept of this claim into broader relief, the claim as agreed upon in prehearing conferences between myself and counsel for both sides, is based on the concepts of persecution versus prosecution. Was the experience of the claimant Esther Lungu, persecution or prosecution, especially in comparing to the practices of the Edgar Lungu regime as objectively chronicled in the book by Major Richard Kachingwe entitled “HH Destined to Rule” and Mazuba Mwiinga, “Midnight Raid: Hakainde Hichilema’s brutal taste of hate, a chronicle”. There are certain instances when prosecution can turn into persecution.

The police and military like operation against Hakainde Hichilema at his house before he was charged with the underlying charge of treason compared to the laid back call-in-notice to Esther Lungu by law enforcement agencies to answer questions about the 15 unclaimed houses registered in her maiden name and built in the Lusaka area using a permit registered for Kasama in Northern Zambia is quite telling about what is persecution and what is lawful investigation for lawful prosecution purposes. This tribunal has a lot of decided cases on the differences between persecution and prosecution and both counsel are familiar with the jurisprudence or have been availed with the leading jurisprudence which I need not summarise herein as a result. Hakainde Hichilema had been summoned to attend at law enforcement agencies’ offices numerous times without fail but on this one occasion, the police raided his house as if it was a military operation to capture a big terrorist, someone who had voluntarily presented himself on numerous occasions without fail. The end result of that treason case was actually also telling. If there was truly a case of treason pursuant to Section 43 of the Penal Code of Zambia, Cap 87 of the Laws of Zambia, no nolle prosequi could have been entertained by the Zambian state. Treason involves the life and security of the nation.

The charge cannot be exchanged for anything unless it was based on political persecution rather than criminal prosecution. Esther Lungu is summoned once pursuant to the corruption statutes of that country, just once and she laments persecution. The Hakainde Hichilema regime was partly elected to vigorously vanquish the cancer of corruption and the regime has vowed to follow the rule of law in this fight, using predetermined legally constitutional anti-corruption statutes, statutes which are also germaine in international and comparative corruption statutes as ably analysed in the writings of Zambia’s eminent scholar Professor Muna Ndulo of Cornell University who was presented as an expert witness here on whether the fight against corruption in Zambia is persecution or prosecution.

The claimant Esther Lungu put in context that the fight against corruption in Zambia is targeting only members of the former ruling party, therefore the fight against corruption has turned into persecution on the basis of membership in a political or social group. She has tried strenuously to bring her experiences and those of other members of the Patriotic Front (PF) party into the definition of refugee status formulated in the “Handbook on Procedures and Criteria for Determining Refugee Status under the 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees”. That Handbook has been operationalised in hundreds of decisions defining each case meeting the criteria set out therein. There is plenty of jurisprudence on what is persecution and what is prosecution.

In his authoritative books, “The Law of Refugee Status” and “The Law of Refugee Status Under International Law”, Professor James Hathaway, formerly of Osgoode Hall Law School, has assembled a mass of case law encompassing the different definitions and case law on who fits into the criteria of refugee. Hathaway has been an expert witness at this hearing and was extensively examined and cross-examined by both teams of counsel. Esther Lungu’s lamentation of persecution does not come even within a thousand metres of the Convention definition of “persecution” in the context of Zambia under the current regime.

Lungu hasn’t even been prosecuted to even meet and demonstrate that that prosecution has devolved into political persecution. This is the case under tyrannical regimes such as the former Apartheid regime in South Africa. See Richard Abel, “Politics By Other Means: Law in the Struggle Against Apartheid, 1980-1994”. Expert witnesses called by the claimant, for example Mr Joseph Chirwa and Mr Isaac Mwanza failed to demonstrate that fighting corruption in Zambia now amounts to persecution on political or social group grounds. Lungu is merely being investigated. And all PF leaders who have been charged with corruption, have been granted bail. That there was massive corruption under the PF regime is indisputable as shown in the rims of documents filed as exhibits at this hearing. A commission of inquiry into corruption in Zambia under the PF regime would be apropo to expose the monstrosity of that cancer and if the government were to defeat the claim that legally fighting corruption in Zambia is persecution. It may well be that the fight against corruption in Zambia in future, if not well handled and defined, could turn out to be persecution and not prosecution. At this juncture, however, the experience of Esther Lungu is neither persecution nor prosecution. The claim of persecution advanced by Esther Lungu is manifestly ill-founded and is accordingly dismissed. The claimant has a right to apply for leave in the federal court. This proceeding is concluded.

THERE IS NO PERSECUTION BUT PROSECUTION – MWEETWA

LUSAKA – JULY 26, 2022

UPND spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa has maintained that there is no persecution at all of anyone, in the ongoing anti-corruption drive.

Mr Mweetwa, who is Southern Province minister and Choma Central member of parliament, was speaking when he featured on an interview programme on Lusaka’s Live FM radio this morning.

He said under the leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema, government institutions have been left to operate within the province of their mandate.

“There is no political interference whatsoever! That’s why whereas some people can claim that now ACC (Anti-Corruption Commission), DEC (Drug Commission Commission) are now being used to persecute, so to speak, that is one perception. But there is also another perception which is ‘the new dawn administration’ is not aggressively tackling corruption,” Mr Mweetwa said.

“Those who are speaking like that hoped that once government changed, all those they suspected where involved in corruption should be behind bars. But the President promised that we are a government of laws. Rule of law!”

Mr Mweetwa noted that no one in law enforcement agencies is using their feelings to arrest those who offended the law.

He added that with a new lease of life at the ACC, now under the board chairmanship of State Counsel Musa Mwenye and also director general Gilbert Phiri, there is a renewed impetus in the operations of the ACC.

“DEC is operating autonomously, too. There is no politics, there is no witch-hunt, there is no persecution. [But] what is there is prosecution at law. Period!” Mr Mweetwa emphasised.

He also indicated that President Hichilema and his administration have maintained that the fight against corruption is not just at looking at corruption of the past but present and future acts of corruption.

On matter of the economy, the minister explained that where the economy sits right now is a much better off place than where it would have been, “had we not brought in a new administration” in August 2021.

“It would have been a totally different story! When we were campaigning to form government, nobody anticipated that the global economy would be hit with rising and fluctuating fuel prices arising out of the war in Ukraine,” he said.

“Today, you can tune to any international media and you will find that the talk of the day around the world is the [high] cost of living.”

Mr Mweetwa said the high cost of living cannot be narrowed down simply to the fact that the UPND formed government.

“Certain factors were unanticipated and they are dependent on decisions and actions of happenings away from the shores of this country. But we are confident that even under these circumstances, the government means well and it is doing all it can to ensure mitigation in the cost of living,” Mr Mweetwa explained.

He said as a mitigating measure, parents who were burdened with payment of school fees for their children have now been ‘redeemed’ with the new dawn’s concept of free education,

“So, the money that they were supposed to pay for school fees is now in their pocket. That is a relief under these difficult circumstances,” he said.

“Today as we speak, we are talking about 30, 496 teachers, mainly young people, being employed. Unprecedented! When those people get a salary, they will able to help families out there. That is mitigation. CDF is rolling out to constituencies and therein is youth empowerment, women empowerment.”

Mr Mweetwa further said social cash transfer has now been raised to K300.

“For a rural person, that is something that creates a difference….” said Mr Mweetwa.

The ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) Spokesperson, Cornelius Mweetwa says his party is concerned with accusations from the opposition that President Hakainde Hichilema is influencing the criminal justice system.

This follows the prolonged case of former outspoken Patriotic Front Deputy Secretary General Mumbi Phiri who has been detained and charged since February this year.

This is in connection with the murder of a UPND member Lawrence Banda in 2019 during the Kaoma by-elections.

Speaking at a media briefing at the party secretariat in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Mweetwa said shortly after the general elections, President Hichilema from the onset reaffirmed that his administration will not interfere in the work of the justice system adding that the situation still remains unchanged.

He said although his party is equally concerned that Mrs Phiri has been detained for this long, there are other UPND members who are currently faced with a similar predicament of being detained for a prolonged period of time without trial.

“There are many UPND members who were arrested before elections. Some of them have never seen the walls of the courtroom and we have as an example about eight to 12 youths who are languishing in Monze prisons for almost two years now charged with the offence of murder having been alleged to have murdered Timothy Hakuyu during the gassing,” Mr Mweetwa said.

He however said the case involving the former senior PF party official involves murder which is non-bailable.

“You have seen a number of colleagues who have been arrested before, those from the Patriotic Front as an example, being arrested at 10 hours, two hours later, they are back on the streets with their freedom. The difference with the Mumbi Phiri case is she is facing murder which is non-bailable,” Mr Mweetwa said.

The continued detention of Mrs Mumbi since February has drown concerns from sections of society among them being Green Party leader Peter Sikamba who said Mrs Mumbi’s continued detention is political.

Meanwhile the UPND has commended the Zambia Police Service for the professional manner it handled the questioning of former first lady Esther Lungu when she appeared at the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) offices in Lusaka yesterday.

Mr Mweetwa also commended the PF for exhibiting peace when offering solidarity to the former first lady.

“We want to thank our colleagues in the Patriotic Front for somehow behaving in a good manner. I think they are beginning to understand that Zambia is different now, caderism and hooliganism has no space under the New Dawn Administration, they behaved well, at least if you had to look at what it should have been 10 months ago, that is commendable,” he said.

Several Patriotic Front (PF) Members of the Central Committee (MCC) and sympathisers showed up at the DEC HQ this afternoon in a quest to offer support to the former first lady.

Inspector General of Police Lemmy Kajoba warned people planning to meet at Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) to offer solidarity to former first lady Esther Lungu of severe consequences.

PF Deputy for Information and Publicity Ambassader . Emmanuel Mwamba noted that the directive given by the Police IG is illegal and against the constitution of Zambia as people have freedom of association, assembly and can express themselves.

POLICE NEW MANAGEMENT OF UNLAWFUL ASSEMBLIES CALLED “SOLIDARITY ASSEMBLIES” AND EXPRESSION FOR THOSE. ACCUSED OF VARIOUS CRIMES AGAINST THE STATE

Kudos to the POLICE, the IG, state and Political establishment for showing the political will to respect people’s freedom of expression, association and assembly in the new government.

Yesterday’s so called Solidarity Assemblies for the former first lady, Esther Lungu summoned to account for the acquisition of 15 flats by Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) would have ended up in bloodstreams, suffocation and brute dispersal 11months ago due to police reactionary brutal acts

The coolness of the police, esp the man put to be in charge for policing the event, Mr Matteo, at DEC amidst show offs and unruliness from PF lawyers, sympathisers and cadres, was exceptional and needs commendation.

The Public Order Act was managed properly despite the breach of its provisions by the organisers.

It was policed in respect to citizens’ freedoms of assembly, association and Expression regardless of the organisers’ political affiliations.

The organisers came from a party whose political History, actions, conduct, reaction and behaviour when in power towards other political parties’ solidarity matches and assemblies was met with excessive force and brutality.

Yesterady’s unlawful assemblies saw *no force used but instead the suspected ruling party sympathisers who stoned a vehicle for the procession was arrested, no excessive teargasses fired, no bloodstream, bath or shed or death witnessed despite intentional provocation from those who organised this “unlawful” solidarity assembly.

This was Unlawful assembly because it is not said whether the assembliers or organisers did inform or notify the police 7 Days to the event as required by law.

Zambia is moving towards its desired independence destination-that of reaslisng its citizens’ freedom of expression, association and Assembly.

Bravo to all the police men and women at the scene who endured unpalatable language, insults, derogatories, intimidation, harrassment, etc from the organisers and their people.

Special tribe goes to Lusaka police command boss, James Masiye, IG Lemmy Kajobo and his Command, Minister of Home Affairs and his team and President HH and his team for adopting a tolerant political standing that respects people’s freedoms of assembly, association and Expression.

Though other quarters feel the police acted sheepishly and exaggerated their tolerance on the organisers, instead of being harsh, which acts potentially could lead to police lose grip of such processions in future, the condemnation and fears must not be unjustified in democratic state emerging from an era of restricted freedoms and rights 11 months ago.

Those unfounded fears were the very reason used as grounds to deny citizens their rights to assemble by the previous regime not too long ago.

This is what had led to Zambia being classified as a country with restricted freedoms and rights degenerating into dictatorship, autocratic regime.

We must move away from such and ensure we up the need for more civic education on the provisions of the law esp dealing with people who used to live in Lawless environment.

Further we up the game for the repeal and replacement of the public order Act so that this discretionary powers so far seen are backed by law.

Once again Kudos to the Police. The event ended peacefuly. Viva freedoms.

Change may be resisted but always unstoppable.MIGHTY is not always RIGHT but RIGHT is ALWAYS MIGHTY

I submit

McDonald Chipenzi