Brenthurst has captured our President – Mwamba

By Kombe Mataka

FORMER Ambassador to Ethiopia Emmanuel Mwamba says the country is under state capture by the Brenthurst Foundation.

Mwamba told The Mast that the honouring of three board members of the Foundation in their capacity as former heads of state was evidence that their interests were overriding that of the government and State House.

On Thursday, President Hakainde Hichilema conferred the Order of the Eagle of Zambia, First Division on former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo, Ellen Sirleaf Johnson (Liberia) and Ernest Bai Koroma (Sierra Leone) for their distinguished efforts in promoting democracy. President Hichilema said the three former heads of state were honoured, at a special investiture ceremony at State House, “for their outstanding work in the promotion and advancement of democracy, and delivery of democratic dividends for citizens both within and outside their respective countries.”

Bwalya said President Hichilema “has especially noted the defining roles played by each one of the recipient former heads of state in establishing true multiparty democratic outcomes not only in their respective countries but also further beyond and anchoring this as the beacon for improving the living standards of citizens”
But Mwamba said the relationship with Brenthurst Foundation promotes corporate, commercial and private interest.
“There is an advisory unit at State House that is on their private pay role. They are many. I don’t want to mention them. Then we have two from South Africa. I don’t want to offend people but it is the
truth,” he said.

“The concern there is why would you have special advisors to the President that are funded by a private entity when the government has provided for special advisors? They are catered for. I mean, we don’t need outsiders. The relationship with Brenthurst Foundation promotes
corporate, commercial and private interest. That is our objection and this is called State Capture in other countries. Brenthurst Foundation has captured our President. They are making him honour board members of Brenthurst Foundation. All those that were honoured are members of
Brenthurst Foundation.”
Mwamba said the President’s corporate interests vested in the Brenthurst Foundation was against the Pan African ideals.

“The insult is that we are hosting the African Union [summit] which promotes African
values and national values and we are doing this in the midst of these concerns,” he said. “State House is the heart of power in our country. It cannot be defiled in the manner the President has allowed it to be defiled where we have this private interest funding.”
Mwamba advised President Hichilema to safeguard the country’s sovereignty.
“Zambians voted for him under the Constitution.

The President has an obligation to follow the Constitution. The Constitution gives him infrastructure to run this country. Honouring heads of state is within the law. I haven’t said it is an illegality but all the three at have been honoured are members of the Brenthurst Foundation,” he said. “What he is doing is abusing the law. The problem is he denied. He had to create a State visit to South Africa to go and launch a [Greg Mills] book. That is abuse of State resources. He went into Lower Zambezi, they held this private meeting organised by Brenthurst Foundation and they brought all these security officials from South Africa. Again I don’t know what they were discussing. The next thing we saw was the establishment of AFRICOM. So clearly these things are hinging on national security and hinging on the sovereignty of our country.”
Mwamba added that they “are only doing it openly now that he has given them
licence”.

“They are at State House. He has given them a venue in Livingstone. He is bringing them to launder them so that Zambians have no suspicions about Brenthurst Foundation. Their interest is across Africa. They identifying candidates that they are pushing hard that they could promote their values not their nations’ values,” said Mwamba.

NO AFRICAN SHOULD GO TO BED ON AN EMPTY STOMACH – HH
LUSAKA – 17/07/22
PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema says no African should go to bed without food because the continent is too endowed.
The President was speaking in his welcoming remarks at the 4th AU mid-year coordination meeting at Kenneth Kaunda wing – Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka today.

The theme of the four day meetings is: “Building resilience in nutrition and food security on the African continent: strengthen agriculture, accelerate the human capital, social and economic development.”

President Hichilema said the 4th AU mid-year coordination meeting brought together members of the bureau of the assembly of the AU and the chairpersons of the regional economic communities in Africa, to discuss pertinent issues related to the African integration agenda and other issues affecting the continent.

The President said the 4th AU mid-year coordination meeting was borne out of the need to ensure efficiency in the execution of continental programmes for the benefit of Africans.

He said the meeting’s theme is a reminder of the urgent need for deep reflection and paying special attention to the welfare and wellbeing of Africans.

President Hichilema said with favourable agronomical conditions, the African continent is well placed to produce enough food to feed its people.

“There is no reason why one African should go to bed without food. God blessed us with natural resource endowments to be able to produce food for all our people [and] also to supply excess food to the communities outside our continent,” he said.

To effectively address the impact of climate change and other shocks, we wish to encourage member States to consider signing and ratifying the Africa risk capacity treaty which will open up assistance channels in planning, preparing and responding to these shocks in a timely and cost-effective manner.

He emphasised that in order to counter the growing global problem of food insecurity, that is being worsened by rising costs of food, energy and agricultural inputs, there is need to raise the levels of productivity in agriculture, value addition through agro-processing, among others.

“Further, to expedite the economic transformation of our continent, African countries need to enhance intra-continental trade and take full advantage of opportunities presented by the Africa continental free trade area, which offers a 1.3 billion market size for products from within the continent,” President Hichilema said.

Meanwhile, President Hichilema said there can be no meaningful economic development in Africa or elsewhere, in the absence of peace and security.

“We must work together to silence the guns and all hotbeds of violence on our continent,” said President Hichilema.
(C) THE FALCON

WE’RE READY FOR THE BY-ELECTION IN KWACHA, DECLARES BONANZA

….as he donates k70, 000 cash to St. Peter Catholic Parish in Ipusukilo Compound

KITWE, Sunday, July 17, 2022 (SMART EAGLES)

KWACHA Member of Parliament Hon Joseph Malanji has declared that the people of Kwacha Constituency are ready to defend their seat in the event of a by-election.

Hon Malanji said the people of Kwacha had given him a huge responsibility through the ballot to foster development in the area and he will ensure that that is accomplished.

He recounts that from the time he was voted into office in 2016, he has scored a number of successes as per his promises and the development is there for all to see.

The Kwacha constituency lawmaker was speaking when he attended mass at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church Ipusukilo Parish in Kitwe today.

And Hon Malanji said when he promised that good roads were going to be constructed in the area, some people did not believe him till when they saw for themselves the roads being done.

“Brethren, when I said that a good road was going to pass by this church under my tenure, others doubted me. Don’t we have a tarmac passing here now?” Hon Malanji wondered.

He said a new maternity ward at Ipusukilo Ward Clinic is still under construction and will soon be opened to the public.

“We have built the maternity ward and if it was not for the political confusion, I would have opened it a long time,” Hon Malanji added. “We have also facilitated for the construction of filling stations which has made it easier and faster for our bus and taxi drivers to access fuel in Kwacha.”

And Hon Malanji has cautioned Kwacha residents against following people blindly because it makes them grow big-headed.

He said it is shocking that someone could come from nowhere to line up for empowerment funds and later start lying to the people that he would empower you.

“Brethren, this is not the time to follow anyone anyhow. Kapata mukaya, mweni akaya ukashala uchimoma (The one who neglected an old friend for a visitor remained regretting after the visitor had left),” Hon Malanji said much to the delight of the congregants.

Meanwhile, Hon Malanji did not disappoint in living up to his Bonanza nickname which was bestowed upon him owing to his generosity.

After learning that the Ipusukilo Parish was facing the challenge of inadequate chairs, Hon Malanji did not hesitate to stretch his helping hand to the house of God stating that he is doing so in fulfilment of being the servant of the people who voted for him

“I have been informed by the parish chairman that you have a challenge of chairs and the last fundraising event you held only raised enough for six chairs. I am giving out K50, 000 for the chairs and another K20, 000 for the church choir,” Hon Malanji announced.

He has also advised the church to coordinate properly and engage the area councillor for any other needs further assuring that he will always be available for them like he has always done.

Hon Malanji said he can never neglect the Kwacha people because they lined up in the sun to vote for him because they knew he was a hard worker and would work for them.

“I will not stop here. I will ensure that I deliver the services for the people of Kwacha as promised,” Hon Malanji assured. “I told you here in Kwacha that our motto is ‘Community Pioneered Development’ so when we put things and minds together, nothing is impossible.”

He has since assured the church that he would liase with the parish chairman to find out the progress on the construction of the church hall and see what would be needed to ensure that the construction remains is on course.

Also in attendance of the parish mass was Kitwe City Mayor Mpasa Mwaya and a number of local councillors.

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

Love him or loathe him, this villager from Bweengwa who grew up herding cattle, one Hakainde Hichilema, the current President of the Republic of Zambia, is a strategist……..nay a genius!

Following the demise of Anderson Kambela Mazoka, the founding leader of the United Party for National Development (UPND) in 2006, a scintillating battle for the top slot would ensue albeit threatening to tear down the party. A hitherto little-known name in political circles but then a very successful businessman and cattle rancher would step out of the shadows to square it off with the acting party president Sakwiba Sikota alongside another prominent entrepreneur James Ndambo. Readers would still remember Ndambo for capturing the imagination of the public with his record-breaking philanthropy exploits in the nation, recently.

Speaking in an interview with Amos Malupenga, Managing Editor of the then influential The Post Newspaper prior to the intra-party elections, Hakainde declared, “The request came from all over – the party members and people from all walks of life, the business community and my fellow village people. By the way, I do a lot of community work. Over the last fifteen years, we have done schools, clinics, deep tanks and we assist a lot in the areas where we have farms. I pay school fees for children numbering fifty who are not mine.”

HH would subsequently fend off competition and claim sweet victory. However, this would not sit well with some senior party stalwarts and would result in the exodus of the likes of Bob Sichinga, Patrick Chisanga, Henry Mtonga and of course, the vanquished Sakwiba Sikota. That same year, HH would go on to challenge the ruling party-sponsored candidate Levy Mwanawasa and end up eating humble pie.

Just when many political pundits started preparing obituaries for UPND and HH; in a matter of time, he would demonstrate that he was a tough nut to crack! For the next 15 years, he would thus commence navigating the rough terrain of Zambian politics by dodging bullets and teargas, stomaching smear campaigns and slander, escaping from violent cadres though rickety roofs, and constantly enduring detentions, of course the harshest being solitary confinement for a prolonged period of time at the notorious Mukobeko Maximum Prison for the laughable charge of treason over a traffic offense! Under ordinary circumstances, many would have easily crumbled like a cookie and thrown in the towel, and yet HH remained resolute, even when he had to dig deep into his pockets and bankroll the party he loves, almost single-handedly.

How many politicians would have had the stamina to withstand the torture, calumny and bearing the financial responsibility of keeping a party intact for so many donkey years?

In the past, we have witnessed a plethora of individuals – the rich, decorated army generals, top class lawyers, fiery clergymen, successful farmers and even intellectuals attempting to form their own political parties. We shall cite a few examples:

Some of the country’s affluent individuals such as Enock Kavindele, Ben Mwila and Humphrey Mulemba once flirted with the idea of running their own parties. After failing to wrestle UNIP from the grips of Dr. Kenneth Kaunda at the Mulungushi Rock of Authority in 1991, Kavindele left in frustration to form his own United Democratic Party. It would put up a lackluster performance in the elections that followed, only managing to scoop a few council seats, particularly in North western province where he hails from. Before long, he would abandon his own party to join the promising MMD where ended up being rewarded with a senior portfolio as vice presidency.

And as the cracks began to appear in MMD barely after 2 years in office due to allegations of corruption, a group of MPs led by Humphrey Mulemba would resign from the party in protest and form the National Party. The new party would retain the 5 of the by-elections forced by their resignations from the MMD. Unfortunately, National Party would suffer a natural death after the death of Mulemba in 1998.

Meanwhile, as the drama continued to unravel in MMD, in the early 2000s, Ben Mwila who was said to be President Chiluba’s uncle would ditch the party after his colleagues criticized him for considering a presidential run. He would form the Zambia Republican Party and go on to put up one of the most expensive campaigns, trudging every corner of the nation, holding rallies and distributing party regalia.

After his resignation from MMD in 1993, respected lawyer, Dr. Roger Chongwe would come up with the Liberal Progress Front. Alas, this was a stillborn baby that would never see the light of the day! The same applies to Sakwiba Sikota’s pet project, the United Liberal Party which was only best known for churning out articles in The Post newspaper and hosting press briefings at the plush hotels in Lusaka. As for the Dr. Ludwig Sondashi-led Forum for Democratic Alternative which he formed in 2014, there’s nothing much to write home about. He would best be remembered for promising to roll-out his Sondashi 2000 formula for free once elected as president as if every potential voter was HIV positive!

Never to be left out, intellectual giants such as Bo Akashambatwa Mbikusita Lewanika would equally craft his own Agenda for Zambia along with his beloved sister Princess Inonge Mbikusita Lewanika. The party would end up claiming 2 parliamentary seats in Western Province in the 1996 elections. Another intellectual, Dr. Gwendoline Konie would follow suit in 2000 and quickly relocate back home from abroad to come and contest the elections under the banner of her brainchild, the Social Democratic Party.

Seemingly taking advantage of the respect that citizens have for farmers for the nshima they supply to our homes, commercial farmers Ben Kapita and Guy Scot saw an opportunity to try the Lima Party in 1996. However, it failed to attract the much anticipated support from the public.

Some of the country’s admired army generals such as Christon Tembo and Godfrey Miyanda equally tried their luck raiding our political landscape with their own political parties – Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) and Heritage Party, respectively.

Perhaps taking advantage of Zambia as a Christian nation, in 1998, popular Televangelist Pastor Nevers Mumba would give birth to the National Citizens Coalition (NCC). If he thought the gullible public would immediately greet him with ‘ichimwela,’ he was a very disappointed individual. NCC even failed to produce a single MP!

Where are all these political parties today? They are either dead or only exist on paper.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT ON THE WORLD BANK’S RE-CLASSIFICATION OF ZAMBIA AS A LOW-INCOME COUNTRY

Madam Speaker,

1. Let me begin by thanking you for according me this opportunity to brief this August House on the re-classification of Zambia as a low-income country from lower middle-income status by the World Bank.

In my address, I will begin by stating succinctly, how the World Bank classifies countries. Consequent sections of my address will be on the implications of the classifications, and then more importantly what we must do as a country to improve our standing among the nations.

2. The World Bank assigns the world’s economies to four income groups, namely low, lower-middle, upper-middle, and high income. This is something that occurs even in our country, where we have high class (commonly referred to as apamwabas), those in between and commonly referred to as the middle class, as well as those without significant means.

3. The World Bank undertakes these classifications every year, and update the classification on 1st July, based on the Gross National Income (GNI) per capita or per person, of the previous year.

By focusing on each citizen of a country, the method used by the World Bank provides information about the income levels of people in a country, and therefore, enables comparison among nations. I will not delve too much into the complexities of the calculation.

4. For the 2022 classification, which are based on performance in 2021, the World Bank used the following thresholds to classify countries:

a)Low income: Less than US $1,085 GNI per capita;

b)Lower Middle Income: Between US $1,086 and US $4,255 GNI per capita;

c)Upper Middle-Income: Between US $4,256 and US $13,205; and,

d)High Income: Above US $13,205 GNI per capita.

5. Zambia had a GNI per capita income of US $1,040 in 2021, from US $1,190 in 2020. Despite positive growth in 2021, the economic challenges of the past years and the continued sharp depreciation of the Kwacha against the US dollar meant that we were less well-off.

6. Madam Speaker, Zambia was among the three countries in the world that was reclassified to a lower income group. (The others being Lebanon, from upper middle income to lower middle-income and Palau, from high income to upper middle income).

7. The re-classification of the country has occurred ten years after the country was upgraded to lower middle-income status in 2011, based on performance in 2010. This gives us an opportunity, therefore, to reflect on what could have gone wrong in the economic governance of this country.

Why we here, and what are the causes for this?

8. Prior to attaining lower middle-income status in 2011, real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth averaged 8.7 percent. The exchange rate moved but not substantially, from an average of K3.60 per United States dollar in 2006 to K4.8 per United States dollar in 2010.

Further, the inflation rate was in single digit band in four (4) out of the five year period, except at end December 2008 when it was recorded at 16.6 percent.

9. The problematic period is between 2017 and 2021, during which real GDP growth averaged 2.0 percent.

The average exchange rate of the Kwacha to the United States dollar was K9.55 in 2017, and rose to K19.91 in 2021.

The inflation rate rose from 6.58 percent in December 2017 to 16.4 percent in December 2021.

10. Madam Speaker, I will not delve into what happened to other economic metrics over this period such as debt ratios, the fiscal deficit and so on, as though important are somewhat peripheral to the discussion at hand.

The bottom line is that we have observed a deterioration in economic governance.

What are the lessons, and implication of the re-classification?

11. We learn important lessons from the re-classification. Macroeconomic stability, including growing the economy should be upmost in our minds. We are in a global village, and our standing among the nations is determined by the actions that we take.

12. A second lesson is that we must focus on the bigger picture of growing our economy, and improving the livelihood of Zambians through a stable macroeconomic environment.

Again, the world is watching.

13. Arising from the re-classification, there is no immediate implication on the lending category by the World Bank for the financial year 2023 which begins on 1st July, 2022.

For the purpose of lending, a country has to be above or below operational cut off point US$1255 for 3 consecutive years for the World Bank to change the lending category.

14. Given that Zambia’s GNI per capita is now US$1,040 which is below the operational cut off point for a second year in a row, Zambia is considered a blend country, meaning it can access both concessional and non-concessional financing.

15. Should Zambia’s GNI per capita for 2022 remain below the operational cut off point again, then Zambia will move from blend to International Development Association (IDA) terms, which are very concessional for the fiscal year 2024 that begins in July 2023.

In essence, if our income remains below operational cut off point for 3 consecutive years, this is a confirmation that a country’s credit worthiness has been eroded.

16. Accessing financing from the concessional window will imply cheaper interest rates for the country as the terms will be lower.

Further the classification may induce those lenders that provide grants and financing to low-income countries relook at their policies on the country and resume grant financing.

This may be more helpful for Zambia given the high indebtedness the country is undergoing and the policy to stop commercial borrowing.

17. On the negative side, the level of resources we can access for development will now be less as we cannot borrow non-concessional even if our debt crisis is resolved.

18. Another implication is that we must do more to attain the Vision 2030 as this action shows that we have gravitated away from the progress we ought to have achieved.

In the Vision, the desire of the Zambian people is poverty and inequality reduction, and improvements in their livelihoods. This is a non-partisan issue which we must all aspire towards.

What must we do?

19. The new Dawn administration started the economic transformation of the country upon assuming office in August 2021. The focus has been to stabilize the economy.

Thus far, the Government has managed to bring down the inflation rate, stabilize the exchange rate, and controlled domestic borrowing resulting in lower cost of funds.

We have also introduced free education, decentralized resources through the CDF and scaled up social sector spending.

Recruitment of teachers is done (30, 496) and that of health personnel is close to fruition – successful applicants will be announced in the next few days.

20. Over the medium to long term, Government has drawn up the Eighth (8th) National Development Plan (8NDP), which we will implement to the hilt, so that we enhance and foster higher growth by focusing on the main sectors of agriculture, agro-processing, mining, manufacturing and tourism.

Further, we have embarked on a multi-pronged approach to improve the financial and economic governance of the country, which includes the following:

a) Return to debt sustainability through debt restructuring;

b) Gradually and sustainably improve public finances through revenue enhancement and expenditure rationalization;

c) Enhancing commitment controls to reduce wasteful expenditure; and,

d) The Fight against corruption.

21. In the continued spirit of upscaling transparency, we have published the policies and measures that Government will undertake over the medium term in the 2023-2025 Medium Term Budget Plan (MTBP) or Green Paper. I ENCOURAGE HONOURABLE MEMBERS OF THIS HOUSE AND THEIR CONSTITUENTS TO STUDY THE DOCUMENT AND PROVIDE US WITH FEEDBACK.

22. I am confident that in 2023, we will have a better assessment by the World Bank and get back on the right track towards meeting the loud and clear aspirations of the Zambian people as contained in the Vision 2030.

(Delivered to Parliament by Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane, MP, Minister of Finance and National Planning).

Swearing in Mulambo Haimbe

By Mthoniswa Banda[i]

Dear Mr President,

When I saw you surrounded in pomp and splendour during the swearing-in of Justice Minister Mulambo Haimbe as State Counsel, by over 30 suited civil servants and State House officials, amidst back ground cries of the peacocks and peahens, I wondered what time these top officials actually do their work.

You see Mr President, this scene is similar to the various scenes I see whenever you, Mr President, is travelling out of town from our airports. I see you being seen off by bosses of the Army, Air Force, national service and police force among other notables. And not to forget the thousands of police men and women that would have route-lined the road from where your journey started to the airport. This scene repeats itself in every town where your plane will be touching down.

Mr President, as a former chair and former member of various boards and a businessman and investor of repute, such scenes of workers leaving their posts to go and say bye to their CEO at the airport or join him in the contract signing of new employees must have been a boardroom query. The board would definitely have enquired if this was value for money for a CEO to carry his entire staff to the airport for the sole purpose of them saying bye to him and or shaking his hand so he looks like a boss. Such a boss would definitely be reprimanded by the board!

Mr President, as CEO and chief marketing officer of Zambia you are doing the same. You are allowing the entire Zambia defence force and police, the entire Cabinet office and entire State House to line up for you at these ceremonial events and airport take-offs and landings, at the expense of them working. In fact, it seems only these work only when they are surrounding you in your duties and seem not to have any work of their own. When then does the acting man at Cabinet Office work to ensure that the civil service that was severely abused in the last 10 years does what it ought to do or sign approval documents that drive the engine of the civil service? When does the head of the police force find time to appoint his provincial commissioners and undertake meaningful legal and policy reforms that will make Zambia Police operate efficiently and effectively in maintaining law and order if all the time his daily schedule comprises route lining for your motorcade and shaking hands with you at the airport?

According to numerous Zambia annual budget reports, over 60 per cent of Zambia’s budgets go into the payment of salaries and allowances of running the civil service, including running your office; leaving a paltry budget for moving Zambia forward through education, health, manufacturing, research and development.

Mr President, looking at the number of civil servants that hang around your ceremonies and airport departure lounges, I am compelled to think that most of these workers do not have any work to do (job description) except “to serve at the pleasure and leisure of the President” and therefore are being a drain to the treasury and country.

Mr President, you were elected not as a politician but because you were an acclaimed investor who poured millions of your money into this country, a successful businessman who managed to start businesses that now employ Zambians and finally as a manager who manages profitably all the businesses that you have been associated with. The voters and indeed Zambians at large expect you to manage Zambia as its CEO in the same thrifty and prudent manner you managed your businesses and the companies of other investors on whose boards you served.

Zambians do not want you to be a politician, boss or chief like some of the many former presidents that we have had. They have seen the damage that politics and politicians have done to Zambia’s prospects of being a developed country. Zambians want Zambia to return to the global stage of being like Singapore and other Asian Tigers that started like Zambia but now are regarded as successful countries. Zambians want a manager to manage their resources well and a manager to ensure all sectors of the economy are allocated their necessary support so they meet their key performance indicators (KPIs).

Mr President, let your civil servants work. Cut the un necessary drama at airports and at State House events. Allow your people to work and be found in their offices. Let those employed to think and find solutions to Zambia’s problems be seen to be doing just that. Let those that are employed to manage our resources be in the offices and fields doing just that. Just like we follow your speeches and orders on TV and social media, let those two-second instructions that you issue during airport handshake ceremonies be issued via the same technology, and if they contain secrete message utilise emails and WhatsApp! As our CEO, allow for effective and prudent utilisation of Zambia’s time and resources under your care and watch.

Zambians do not want Zambia to continue being a country that continues to pay government workers for keeping up appearances and for them to be seen around the President without them doing any tangible work in their job descriptions.

Wish you well in your work.

Send feedback to: mthoniswa@yahoo.co.uk. See less

CONFERRING FRIENDS WITH NATIONAL AWARDS IS ABUSE OF PRESIDENTIAL PRIVILEGES

Saturday , 16th July, 2022

On 14th July, 2022, President Hakainde Hichilema conferred The Order of the Eagle of Zambia 1st Div to three former Presidents namely Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, Ellen Sirleaf Johnson of Liberia and Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone.

The Order of the Eagle of Zambia 1st Div is presented to individuals who have made meritorious contributions to the growth and national interests of our nation.

The question that begs an answer is, what exactly have Obasanjo, Sirleaf-Johnson and Koroma done for Zambia that merits them the right to be awarded such solemn honour and awards? They have been honoured and awarded purely for being board members of the Brenthurst Foundation to which President Hichilema is a member too.

The Brenthurst Foundation is a Johannesburg-based organisation established by the Oppenheimer family, the founders of Ango-American Plc which has very strong links with the UPND since that Party’s inception in 1998.

President Hichilema is abusing state authority to appease his friends and colleagues at the Brenthurst Foundation who have taken control of his Government’s economic policy direction with intent to milk and enrich themselves off our state resources especially our minerals and wildlife.

This explains why Obasanjo overshadowed everyone including Heads of State at the inauguration ceremony of President Hichilema. It further explains why Obasanjo has been a regular visitor and permanent feature of the UPND Government; this is to do the bidding on behalf of the Brenthurst Foundation.

Apart from being an elections observer (for which he was paid handsomely), what contributions has Bai Koroma made to Zambia? It is now absolutely clear that the only reason Bai Koroma engineered his election observer status in Zambia’s last general elections was to advance the interests of Brenthurst Foundation and the personal interests of his board member, Hakainde Hichilema.

This should actually serve as a wake-up call to the Electoral Commission of Zambia that they should endeavour to do due diligence before accrediting people as elections observers or elections monitors because characters like Bai Koroma should not have been allowed anywhere near our electoral processes in last year’s elections.

Again, apart from being a fellow board member of the Brenthurst Foundation with Mr. Hichilema, what contributions has Ellen Sirleaf-Johnson made to Zambia for her to deserve such national honour and award?

This is an act of a President who is abusing state authority and state institutions to reward personal companions and as Patriotic Front we wish to condemn in the strongest terms the wanton abuse of state power by President Hakainde Hichilema for awarding unmerited individuals such high national awards. The conduct of the President must be condemned by all well-meaning Zambians.

Issued by
Hon Given Lubinda
Acting President
Patriotic Front

HH, NEVERS MUMBA, ENABLERS OF WESTERN IMPERLIAISM

WHO WILL DEFINE OUR AFRICAN HEROES?

I have read MMD leader Mr Nevers Mumba’s defence for the Oppenheimers and their agents in the Brenthurst Foundation, including the three who were honoured by the President of Zambia. I will not dignify Mr Mumba’s defence for the Oppenheimers – whom he proudly identifies himself with as his close allies – with a response.

Suffice to say that it is impossible for imperialism to succeed anywhere in Africa without local collaborators, agents, puppets, muppets or lackeys. It has been like that since European colonialism started the conquest of Africa.

The forces that are after our mineral wealth always recruit from among ourselves those who are available for hire to become its voices, to defend and promote its interests.

We urge our people to always strive to unearth the real class interests any idea or social, economic, and political policy or practice serves. When someone speaks, the first question to ask is: whose class interests is this person serving, protecting or advancing? Is it the poor Zambians’ interests?

Or is it the Oppenheimers’ imperial and profit interests? Or is it the interests of mining lobbies? If they are defending the interests of the Brenthurst Foundation, an Anglo American mining lobby that seeks a low tax regime in our homeland and elsewhere in Africa to maximise their profits and our exploitation, what is in it for them?

We maintain that the disgraceful honours that were undeservedly given to members of the Brenthurst Foundation – the organisation created by the Oppenheimers and led by Mr Greg Mills that supported the campaign of the President when in opposition – shall be withdrawn once we assume office. We note that nearly everyone associated with the Brenthurst Foundation – including Mr Greg Mills, the Oppenheimers, former president of South Africa Kgalema Motlanthe and other members of the advisory board of the Brenthurst Foundation, and indeed Mr Nevers Mumba himself – turned up at State House on the day of the investiture ceremony to celebrate the honouring of three of their own. What were all these people doing at State House if the hastily arranged investiture ceremony had nothing do with the Brenthurst Foundation? How did they find themselves there? Who invited them to State House, and in what capacity?

It is patently clear that the President of Zambia and his right-wing sponsors are trying to use these disgraceful awards to impose agents of the Brenthurst Foundation – led by Mr Obasanjo, Mr Koroma and Mrs Johnson – on Zambia as our national and African heroes. No, those people have done nothing for Zambians, and this explains why even the person who was awarding them could not cite a single example of anything they have done for Zambia. Yes, they are heroes of the President and his sponsors in the Brenthurst Foundation, but they are not and will never be our people’s heroes. Zambians know who their real heroes are and Mr Obasanjo, Mr Koroma and Mrs Johnson are not among them.

Besides laundering the Brenthurst Foundation as an ally of Zambia and Africa, we know that the other motivation behind those awards was to counter the recent publicity of an extremely progressive message given by Thabo Mbeki during the Kenneth Kaunda Memorial Lecture at Mulungushi International Conference Centre last month. Mbeki’s lecture highlighted the huge gap between the pan-Africanist leadership provided by Kaunda and the current Zambian leadership, which is increasingly facing isolation from several African leaders who see it as a puppet of Western imperialist countries that is out to serve the interests of racist white capital and its Western backers.

Mbeki also showed that even in instances where Kaunda reached out to outside powers such as China for support, he never surrendered Zambia’s sovereignty to such powers or Western institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank. For instance, Kaunda never conflated socialist solidarity with capitalist predatory plundering relationships! There are worlds of differences between the way capitalists and imperialists relate to other countries and each other. China, for example, never ordered the Zambian government to institute austerity, remove subsidies on cooking oil, petrol, diesel, paraffin, newspapers, and books and so on in return for anything. China never demanded that Zambia unbundles ZESCO, and the government sells it, and so on. China never demanded that the government sells ZAMTEL in return for a bailout. China took a very long-term view and recognised that the country would be around even 100 years from now, if all Zambians did not perish from their poverty, and related to Zambia on a strong and mutual foundation of south-to-south solidarity.

In short, Mbeki effectively told Zambians that the real heroes of Africa are the Kaundas, Oliver Tambos, the Julius Nyereres and other great pan-Africanists who never pandered to outside forces, not the black African puppets, muppets, lackeys of the Brenthurst Foundation who are either already in power or are being sponsored into power elsewhere such as in Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe, or Tanzania. When you are President of Zambia, Ghana, or Tanzania, being a genuine pan-Africanist is not a choice. It is a matter of heritage because you are heir to pan-Africanist luminaries such as Kaunda, Kwame Nkrumah and Julius Nyerere. But the President of Zambia today is more comfortable in the company of the Oppenheimers and their agents in the Brenthurst Foundation whom he has honoured.

We know that the Brenthurst Foundation and their agents were not happy with the excellent pan-African message that Mbeki, who enjoys considerable respect among most Zambians, delivered in Lusaka and were keen to hoist their own African collaborators on us, as our heroes. We should take time to explain how those awards are linked to that lecture. It is worth reminding anyone who may have forgotten that despite being present at State House in Lusaka, the President of Zambia stayed away from Mbeki’s lecture on Dr Kaunda, a man he claims to love, respect and adore very much!

The President went to launch a book of his private white friend, Mr Greg Mills of the Brenthurst Foundation, in South Africa, using taxpayers’ resources. In attendance at that meeting were some of the people the President is now honouring as “continental democrats”. The President then went to the European capital, Brussels, to address white people using taxpayers’ resources.

Yet the same globe-trotting President could not attend a lecture in honour of Dr Kaunda delivered in his own capital city by the most prominent and highly respected Pan-African statesman alive today. Mulungushi International Conference Centre is literally minutes away from State House, where he was earlier meeting, with much fanfare, white people led by Samantha Power, the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development!

If the KK lecture was delivered by Mr Greg Mills or another white person, or if the event was held in London or Washington, we are quite certain that the President would have gone to attend it. But he chose to consciously snub Mbeki’s KK memorial lecture because everything Mbeki said during the occasion, including the point that it is a betrayal of national sovereignty to turn to the IMF for solutions to an independent African country’s economic problems, indicts this President. This is a man who seems to worship whites, who appears subservient to white people. Anyone who doubts this should next notice how he humbles himself, like a kid who has seen candies, in front of whites compared to his demeanour when he is meeting black people.

The snubbing of Mbeki’s lecture was not accidental; it was part of this offensive by the Brenthurst Foundation against anything and anyone who stands in the path of their mining business interests. It was a victory for the President’s white friends in South Africa and Europe, who control him and who may in fact have advised him to stay away from Mbeki’s lecture. Such white people and their agents in the Brenthurst Foundation hate the discourse of slavery, racism, colonialism, neo colonialism and imperialism that Mbeki is known for. They are more comfortable with the discourse of “investors” because they are the “investors”!

Many white people and Europeans hate Mbeki because they see him as an intelligent, articulate African in their language against them – the worst kind of African to them! They prefer dealing with puppets, muppets, lackeys who have no independent mind of their own. They can tell the puppets, muppets, lackeys to confer awards on their co-puppets, muppets, lackeys if only to show that they oversee key decision-making in Zambia today and to counter the progressive message of Mbeki and supplant it with their own right-wing, imperialist narratives, to hoist their own “African heroes” – represented by the three Brenthurst board members who were given the disgraceful honours – separate from everything Mbeki represents.

In retrospect, we think that it was a good thing that the President snubbed Mbeki because this makes it easier to unpack continuously the differences between this President and all Pan Africanist leaders. If he had been present at Mulungushi, his meeting, shaking hands and photo sessions with Mbeki would have been the most reported things from the lecture, burying the important matter of the wide distance between them.

Many Zambians may be poor, but they are a proud and dignified people who hate imperialism and its puppets, muppets, lackeys and tremble with indignation, anger at the subordination of their interests to the white commercial interests of mining lobbies and multinational corporations.

Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe warned us a long time ago, as did another patriot late legendary musician Keith Mlevu, to jealously guard our independence. Mlevu, in addition to singing about imperialism and state capture in his timeless “Ubuntungwa” song, also warned us about the dangers of borrowing in a song entitled “Inkongole tashawama”. Yet today, our leaders are going to the IMF with begging bouls and are foolishly ceding our sovereignty to the same forces that looted our mineral wealth for decades.

We, the heirs to Kaunda, Mlevu and Kapwepwe, must REJECT not just those scandalous awards to the heroes of the Brenthurst Foundation but also the new form of colonisation by stealth and the mortgaging of our homeland to the puppets’ imperial masters. We consider it a betrayal of the vision of our Founding Fathers and Mothers to subcontract the economic development of our homeland to mining lobby groups, Western financial institutions and the same forces who pillaged our mineral resources and from which our independence was won.

Aluta continua!
Victoria acerta!

Fred M’membe,
President of the Socialist Party

When, I wrote a response to my dear Colleague Fred M’membe’s write up about the Investiture Ceremony that took place at State House on the 14th of July 2022, I knew that it was just a matter of time, I would soon become the target of a propaganda onslaught.

However, I still hoped that the media machinery of the Socialist Party would rise above the usual petty, personal and frivolous politics and put up an issue based justification for their position in attacking the President’s choice of recipients of the honours. Alas, I have been greatly disappointed again.
Let Mr. M’membe and his team simply answer the simple questions that we raised:

1. Did HH break the law in choosing the said recipients?
2. Where the recipients deserving of the awards? Have they done anything in the past in the preservation and defence of Zambia as a functional democracy?

So, before we get derailed by the personal attacks forged by those who have swallowed and internalised the socialist pro-east propaganda hook, line and sinker, let us remind ourselves a few things.

When Zambia was sliding into near civil strife when HH was incarcerated, it took the bravery of some of these very gentlemen to appeal to President Lungu to consider HH as his brother. This is in line with our belief: “One land and our nation is our cry, dignity and peace neath Zambia’s sky”. Lest we forget.

However, I’d like to point out the fact that the genuine progress of any nation is never anchored on leaders teaching their followers to be intolerant and full of hate for other groups of people.

In fact, real progress is dependent on the new generation of leaders and citizens rising above our torn historical enmity and forging new ties based on mutual respect.

This is the only way you get the Mandelas of this world and the only way you produce the Obamas of this world. It is the only way you can even begin to conceive of a path of progress beyond slavery, beyond racism, beyond apartheid and beyond the scars of colonialism.

Creating fresh wounds through cheap ideological propaganda, especially in a developing nation with economic challenges like Zambia, is very easy. It is exactly the same as the attempts to incite hatred on decendants of slave owners or apartheid masters by the new leaders which will not, and does not heal nations and people. The only way to fix our past is to stretch our hands and map out solutions that are mutually respectful and mutually beneficial.

So before you call people names like imperialists, puppets or sellouts, consider these facts. Try and walk in their shoes. It could be that perhaps they have an understanding where we went wrong in the past and they could just have a role to play in our collective resolve as a people.

It is sad that you mention names like Nakachinda and suggest that money was exchanged and that Nakachinda stopped it. This is both careless and reckless. The writer risks being sued for defamation. Please let Socialist Party argue on the basis of facts and ideas which don’t get threatened by other more powerful ideas.

TEACHER UNION CALLS FOR THE PROVISION OF DECENT ACCOMMODATION FOR NEWLY RECRUITED TEACHERS

CHIPATA – 16/07/22

THE Zambia National Union of Teachers(ZNUT) has congratulated the Government for publishing the long awaited 30,496 names of newly recruited teachers.

ZNUT Director of Public relations and international affairs,Godwin Maseka says this will greatly help in bringing about quality delivery of education to our learners in the country,adding that equity and equality are key element in providing the desired provision of quality education.

“As ZNUT, the variance in Teacher pupil ratio was indeed a serious concern to us and when we see the fulfilment of the publication of names of newly recruited teachers, it pleases us and the Nation at large,”he says.

Mr Maseka told FALCON staffer in Chipata that it is incumbent upon the newly appointed teachers to take up the mental and prove to the nation that they mean well,saying teaching is a calling and those who have been given the chance must apply themselves to standards expected.

“We’re aware as ZNUT that housing units may be a challenge but we’re hopeful that the Government, cooperating partners and the labour movements shall embark on a serious drive of engagement so that decent accommodation is built as a matter of urgency.Motivation is key and quality affordable accommodation was one out of many that may constitute motivation”

“Rome was never built in a day and as such, we’re more that hopeful as a union that this opportunity has presented itself with an opportunity to think outside the box so that this challenge can be resolved,”he says.

He called upon all local councils to invest in the education sector through the proper utilisation of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).

“You and me are aware of the introduction of free education and as such, there is exponential increase of pupil population. This therefore, calls for increased furniture for our learners in our schools,”Mr Maseka says.

He says this was yet another area which requires urgent attention so that quality desks are procured for our learners.

“All education stakeholders should work together to bring about this transformation.Our appeal to our recruited members is that, they must remember that the career they’ve joined requires a lot of serious commitment and that it’s a life long undertaking,”he added.

(C) THE FALCON

By Dr Nevers Mumba
BRENTHURST FOUNDATION:

LET US NOT DEMONISE FOREIGN INVESTORS OR PARTNERS BASED ON OUR IDEOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES OR ON CONSPIRACY THEORIES.

We wish to offer our opinion on the spirited submission my dear brother and colleague Fred Mmembe has made concerning the Honors given to former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Elen Sirleaf Johnson and Ernest BAI Koroma.

First of all I wish to state that in a democracy like ours, the views of Socialist party President Fred Mmembe are respected and welcome. My interest in responding, however, is because I also wish to use my constitutional liberties to comment, not necessarily on Mr Mmembe’s views but on the Investiture event of July 14th 2022 itself.

Let me start by answering some specific questions:
Did President Hichilema break any law in conferring this honor on the three?

Statutory instrument No. 3 of 2003 reads in part:
“NOW THEREFORE, I, LEVY PATRICK MWANAWASA, SC, President of the Republic of Zambia, do hereby declare and proclaim that- (a) the First Division of the Order of the Eagle of Zambia shall be awarded to ZAMBIAN and FOREIGN HEADS OF STATE and FORMER HEADS OF STATE..”
This law therefore confirms that a president has power to endow such an honor on any former head of state from any where. Just as our own late Kenneth Kaunda was honored in various countries like Namibia to mention, but one.

The next consideration is to whether the honored three deserve what they received. Again this, is the prerogative of the President. However, it is a known fact that both Presidents Obasanjo and Koroma have played a role in Zambia’s smooth transition of power and together with President Elen Jonson stand out as champions of democracy globally. These have not only been honored in Zambia but in many other countries of the world.

The fact that they are board members of Brenthurst Foundation does not diminish their vast contributions to humanity. It’s the three that were honored and not Brenthurst Foundation.

But let us also discuss the accusation that The Brenthurst Foundation is a neo colonial organization wanting to exploit the mineral resources of Zambia, Nigeria, Liberia and Sierra Leone. First I wish to declare my interest here. Although I am not a board member of Brenthurst Foundation, both Jonathan Oppenheimer and Greg Mills are good friends and colleagues of mine and I have great respect for them. My interaction with them suggests, and remains on the basis that they remain committed to helping Africa maintain working economies. This does not mean they do not have any side which may not be acceptable to some individuals. There is no perfect human being, just as there is no perfect human institution.

What is at play here is an ideological battle.
The UNIP government espoused a mixed economy and a non aligned policy. They dealt equally with both the East and the West during the Cold War. MMD moved more to the West, while PF moved to the East and embraced China as the closest partner. The UPND has warmed up to the West like MMD but still maintaining healthy relations with the East. To accuse any of the administrations of being puppets would be unfair and an insult to our dignity and intelligence as a people. To trade and do business with any block does not make you a puppet. This is where I differ with my brother Fred. Zambia is both old and intelligent enough to work with the West in order to serve our national interests. We didn’t call PF puppets of China, but we believed that China could support our infrastructural projects, and they did. UPND as the new government has continued to commission all the Chinese projects. It would be unpatriotic for UPND to say they will destroy all the projects done by Chinese “puppets.”

This week President Biden is visiting Saudi Arabia, a country that US has publicly condemned for abuse of human rights, but American interests have made this trip possible. That’s how the world works. It’s through networking and friendships created on the back of our national interests that drive global governance.

While the 2021 UPND victory falls squarely on the resolve and resilience of ZAMBIANS themselves, it is also a fact that the journey and the struggles of being in the opposition in the African set up takes you through some of the most challenging paths. Sometimes it is only on the back of similar minded friends from outside the country that you can navigate the darkest of days.

Here is the truth. Whether Brenthurst Foundation helped sponsor the UPND campaign or not, we don’t know, but what we do know is that President Hichilema knows who voted for him and his responsibility is first to the Zambian people. If he can squeeze any benefit from his relationship with the Brenthurst Foundation for Zambians, he would have served the Zambian people well. If the Brenthurst foundation chooses to invest in Zambia as a result of their connection to President Hichilema, even this will be a plus to the Zambian people. We cannot demonize investors based on our ideological differences.

President Fred Mmembe is a socialist. Socialist states will support his run for President when that time comes. If he were to win the Presidency, Socialist groups and organizations will fill Zambian Hotels. That’s how it works.

The goal should never be to undo what non- Socialist governments achieved. Successive governments must build on the gains of previous governments. That’s how you build nations.

No, there was nothing wrong in honoring the three revered former Presidents.
No, there was nothing wrong in welcoming Brenthurst Foundation to State House.
No, there was nothing wrong with President Mmembe giving solidarity to the Russians and collaborating with Socialist Countries.

We all have friends and we all have leanings. No one has a right to dictate to another their choice of friends.

WHAT CORRUPTION ARE YOU FIGHTING, MUNDUBILE ASKS GOVT

…..as he exposes white collar corruption in UPND

Lusaka…. Friday, July 15, 2022 (Smart Eagles)

Leader of the opposition in Parliament Brian Mundubile has exposed the alleged white collar and well organized corruption in the UPND government.

Contrary to what President Hakainde Hichilema’s stance has been on corruption, the $100 million recent “single sourced” contract to build infrastructure under the ministry of health has left Hon Mundubile and other sections of society wondering if the frowning at the said fight.

Speaking at Parliament today, Hon Mundubile said the contract which he alleged that was shrouded in secrecy has been cancelled.

The cancellation was on Friday last week announced by Vice President Mutale Nalumango in Parliament during her question time.

The Lawmaker however said despite the cancellation, there are consequences that the act will have.

“What are the reasons for cancelling this contract? And we also know that that cancellation is going to attract costs in terms of damages. We already know. We have information now that the contractor has written to government asking government to give reasons why they terminated,” he said.

“You must understand what is going on here. This is all designed. This is designed corruption, white collar corruption where now he has done the first step of writing to say can government explain why this contract was terminated.”

Hon Mundubile further explained that the contractor is likely going to walk away with money he hasn’t worked for if he goes ahead to claim damages.

“Now in any given contract you will find that there are provisions that safeguard parties. If one party terminates the contract without following the provisions of that particular contract, the other party pays damages. So in this particular case let’s say this contractor claims damages of up to 30%. He will walk away with %30 million for nothing,” he said.

“Firstly, the procurement was questionable and we questioned it on the floor of the house. We were told that this particular contract was cancelled. Why it was cancelled? Reasons are not given. Now this particular contractor because it is well arranged, it is organized crime, he is now claiming damages.”

He however charged the silence by the Head of State in the matter has been loud adding that he expected the President to go public and denounce this particular contract like he has done in all other cases.

Hon Mundubile said people trusted the UPND when it came to the fight against corruption.

The Lawmaker warned that “when you begin to hear someone repeat something, calling people uyu nikabolala, begin to be suspicious.”

He asked the New Dawn Administration what corruption they are fighting.

“The President came to Parliament and said he will start naming and shaming. This contract has happened under his charge, nothing has been said. The silence of the Republican President is very loud in this particular transaction. The question is why?”

“This should have been of interest to the President. Who procured this contract? Who are those people and why are they not being named? Why are the DEC and ACC not being instructed by the President as his usual approach,” he said.

#SmartEagles2022

Patriotic Front Party
Lusaka
Saturday, 16th July, 2022

Statement for Immediate Release

HARASSMENT OF OPPONENTS PURE COWARDICE

THE UPND government should know that its continued harassment of political opponents using state machinery is tarnishing the country’s image to the outside world.

It is a sign of cowardice for the New Dawn administration to continue targeting opposition leaders and those linked to the last administration.

The harassment of the family of the immediate past President Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu and those perceived to be a threat to the current President, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, is embarrassing.

Zambians are demanding answers to the harsh cost of living this government has created as a result of its incompetence.
The abuse of law enforcement agencies especially the Investigative wings is eroding public confidence in these important governance institutions.

We demand genuine and honest investigations and justice instead of the selective and malicious fight against corruption which is only targeting the UPND’s political foes.

While Mr Hichilema is boasting to the outside world about Zambia’s democracy and claiming to unite the country he is sending state agents after his opponents under the guise of fighting corruption.

How can only one group of citizens mainly from the same region be the only suspects of corruption?
Now the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has seized assets of Zambian born South African business tycoon and philanthropist James Ndambo claiming that they are under investigation.

It has become so predictable. Some Zambians had joked about the likelihood of security wings going after Mr Ndambo for embarrassing the New Dawn government with his generosity and heart for the poor.

The UPND must know that all these sideshow will not give Zambians any relief from the pangs of hunger and abject poverty it is subjecting them to.

We are aware that the UPND is scared of the PF and will spend the next four years scheming to cripple the opposition but it is a waste of time and resources.

Issued by:
EDWIN LIFWEKELO
PF Deputy Media Director.