IS KCM HIS NEXT HOME TOWN?

By Miles B. Sampa, MP
02.07.2022

Social media is reporting that the Zambian government has offered KCM to our own billionaire Mr James Ndambo.

Hard to rule in or out what social media reports these days. I however would be most amazed if this had to be true. The UPND government has made a number of blunders indeed like basing the 2022 budget on ‘ promissory notes’ revenues from the unreliable IMF and other West manipulative financial institutions. This so when we should have focused on our own home grown solutions of revenue generation especially from the Mines and Agriculture.

Giving or selling KCM to Mr Ndambo would be some additional unimaginable huge error or blunder for both the seller and buyer. The Mine is under some serious legal dispute caused by the previous government. KCM was grabbed from the owners Vedanta in the same way a tenant in a one room slam house is evicted. It all depends on the mood of the landlord on a particular morning. A slight delay in paying rent even for a day, the landlord arrives with bouncers (Cadres in Suits) and with zero discussions takes out beddings and other personal effects of the tenant before changing all entrance locks.

When smarter tenants have gone to the courts, such landlords have ended up paying reverse rentals to the tenant. The landlord tenancy laws have since become solid in favour of abused tenants.
It’s the same with the foreign investors that bring their money into African countries. Landlords cannot just wake up in a bad mood and change locks at foreign owned mines.

The government has the right to change tenancy or ownership of KCM but the due process of the law would have to be followed. The Mr James Ndambo I once met sounded like one of his strength was venturing into safe investments. I would be surprised if he has now decided to spend his hard earned money into a KCM ‘mpoto yotenta’ (Hot potato). It would be the surest way of losing his money some of which is currently being used wisely back home in his ‘My Home Town’ Choma district community projects.

The Government under ZCCM-IH as sellers would be risking even more and more protracted litigations on KCM at the expense of Chingola residents and other KCM suppliers whose lives are almost at a standstill.

ZCCM-IH under Ms Dorika Banda seems to have become more clueless of what to do on a straight forward matter of KCM. She may have been away from Zambia for too long to comprehend the gymnastics around her office. In the spirit of ‘Name and Shame’ as we have been encouraged to do by the President, the truth is that ZCCM-IH and the Ministry of Mines are on remote control from a Mr Valentine ‘Ucar’ Chitalu. He has sniffed a penalty after many years of goal drought.
He is trying to porn the captured KCM for a quick commision to his fat bank account offshore. It’s about him and not the people of Chingola and Zambia at large.

KCM needs to be given back to the rightful owners Vedanta. Basic commercial law or is it common sense law dictates that KCM is not available for resale.

Undisputed that Mr Ndambo has enough clean money to buy any mine in Zambia but I am very confident he would not want his next ‘home town’ to be KCM that is in huge political imbroglio.

Imbroglio is a word borrowed from Hon Mpombo that Oxford dictionary defines as ‘an extremely confused, complicated, or embarrassing situation.’ Best define the KCM saga.

Shall we please put our personal interest aside and get KCM to start full operations as a matter dire national urgency.

I have noticed that both the 2.8 and the 1.8 are only united on one thing. They don’t want another state capturer. They don’t want another Gupta, Valden or whoever. Ba Ucar (Valentine Chitalu et al); please don’t capture our President, our Vice President, our Mines and Finance Ministers minds in their decision making or lack of it.

Allow them to carry their electorate mandate to execute their roles in the best interest of the majority people and not one or two people be it black or white.

Together We Can
MBS02. 07.2022

Chairman : Pan Africa Parliament Public Accounts Committee

BALLY MUST PRIORITISE TRIP TO CHINA

….. so that we improve the chances of securing the IMF loan – Mundubile.

Lusaka…. Friday, July 1, 2022 (Smart Eagles)

The opposition Patriotic Front (PF) has implored President Hakainde Hichilema to prioritise the trip to China as he does his international trips.

Leader of the opposition in Parliament Brian Mundubile noted that the majority Zambians had their fingers crossed for the IMF to approve the bailout.

Hon Mundubile said he was aware that creditors, including China which is the biggest were negotiating in the background.

The Lawmaker said this when he and other PF MPs addressed the media today.

“We know now that the creditors are negotiating in the background with China being one of them, one of the biggest creditor. So our reasoning is that if China is very instrumental and is holding the key to this particular bailout, why should we visit all these other countries and not visit China? So our view is that the President must prioritize the trip to China,” he said.

“Him going to China is very urgent. Of course the response was that there are many other ways of communicating with the President other than physically travelling there. Then the question then is why is the President traveling to all these other countries physically? Why isn’t he meeting these other people virtually also? And of course the answers are not given but we still insist that he must accord China the same respect he is according these other countries by going there physically.”

Hon Mundubile stressed the need for the President to fly to China and make his case with the Chinese President so that Zambia improves its chances of securing the IMF loan.

“We know that a lot has not been said regarding this particular negotiation. But your guess is as good as mine. I don’t think its as smooth as we expected it to be…..otherwise by now they would have concluded,” he said.

“The finance minister also said that what we failed to do in seven years they did in four months. Its unfortunate, that statement was inaccurate because all the negotiations were done between Hon Bwalya Ng’andu and Felix Mutati then and IMF.”

#SmartEagles2022

I DON’T QUALIFY FOR ANY POSITION IN ZAMBIA, I AM A SOUTH AFRICAN CITIZEN — NDAMBO

…as Ndambo dismisses claims he is eyeing political office

Choma, 01.07.2022

My Home Town Founder, James Ndambo has clarified that he does not qualify for any political position in Zambia because he is a South African citizen.

“I was born here, was raised just by this house here. But I am no longer a Zambian. I am a South African. Meaning that, I cannot participate in Zambian politics. Please get it from me,” he clarified.

Mr. Ndambo has also hinted that he is planning to change his citizenship to become a Congolese.

The Choma born, South African based multinational businessman tycoon was responding to skeptics that have aligned his widespread donations in the region to political ambition.

“We interfere with beautiful projects simply because of suspicions. Everything is political. We can’t live like that… I cannot qualify- Even if I wanted to become a politician in this country, I would have to wait maybe for five years before I can qualify. But as I stand here tonight, I don’t even qualify to stand for any position because I am a South African,” he explained.

Mr. Ndambo added, “In fact very soon, I want to give up that citizenship, I want to become a Congolese… Meaning that I am not coming to Zambia anytime soon. Allow us to develop these places. Don’t interfere with your politics. We don’t just qualify. We mean well!”

He explained that his works in Choma seeks to inspire the district as a shining example of development by people who remember their home town.

Mr. Ndambo was speaking Friday evening when he commissioned the road and street lights from Shampande to Choma Secondary School through to his Mambushi Farms.

He also commissioned the Shampande Water Tank Project, a piece of infrastructure that was close about 30 years ago.

Meanwhile, Southern Province Minister, Cornelius Mweetwa graced for commissioning and reiterated that his presence along with the Solicitor General, Marshal Muchende signifies that government supports the work of My Home Town.

Africa Media

By Kombe Mataka

HISTORIAN Sishuwa Sishuwa says the Southern Africa region and indeed Africa is facing a huge leadership deficit.

And former Mozambiquan President Joaquim Chissano said Dr Kenneth Kaunda was the hero of the liberation struggle.

Dr Sishuwa, a University of Zambia lecturer, said current happenings on the continent were evidence of a total lack of the Pan African spirit of the Kaunda generation who envisioned an Africa free of colonial rule.

“Today, Kaunda and (Julius) Nyerere are gone. In their place is a new cadre of political leaders without any iota of nationalism in their veins and who have lost any desire to re-build the developmental state

and to identify and mobilise the social forces capable of leading the struggle for renewal and transformation such as the working-class youths from both our urban and rural social environments,’’ he told the colloquium of academicians held at Lusaka’s Mulungushi

International Conference Centre on Wednesday ahead of the inaugural Kenneth Kaunda memorial

lecture by former South Africa president Thabo Mbeki. ‘’Today, the region and indeed Africa face a huge leadership deficit. Where there was a Kaunda, a Nyerere, a Nkrumah, an Obote, a Kenyatta, a Sankara, a Mugabe, a Mbeki, a Senghor – in short, pan-African visionaries who governed through their own distinctive political and economic philosophies – there is now something else. To be specific, there is a new breed of leaders that is only too happy to receive and implement all manner of instructions in economic policy from the G7 and its surrogates. Totally lacking the pan African spirit of the

Kaunda generation, this new generation of leaders has effectively relinquished their countries’ economic direction to the so-called private sector, falsely believing that what will facilitate investment

and development is the investor from China, Canada, the EU, and the United States.”

Dr Sishua observed that the distance between them and the nationalist generation and the current leadership of Africa was far and wide.

“I celebrate Kaunda not only for believing that we Africans are full human beings capable of owning and managing our own part of the earth but also showing greater understanding, despite his limited education, that those who come here with their investment have no obligation to develop our country.,” Dr Sishuwa said. “They are doing it for themselves and their own countries and in the

process pushing us further down. We must neither subordinate our minds to others in ways that suggest that we Africans are inferior nor give

away our natural resources through poor economic policies that perpetuate our own degrading conditions. Yes, Africa must work with others and more importantly learn — from itself and its history, from China, the US, Europe, etc. But those lessons should never be the ones prescribed to us by global powers.”

He said leaders must resist the subordination of national agendas and priorities to outside forces.

“Instead, we must draw from the wealth of our distinct and accumulated experiences to chart a clear course for ourselves. I acknowledge that this won’t be easy. Today, it is almost impossible to find or identify a single African leader who is pan Africanist. The mass progressive movements of the earlier decades – be they political parties, youth,

women, or students’ organisations – are either dead, dysfunctional or lack a clear Africa policy, while the continental body, the African Union, appears to have lost direction,” he said further. “But our leaders must rebuild its resistance again. To do that, they must see the actual dangers posed by the US, European countries, and China, in the same way that we should have seen the seemingly innocuous arrival of David Livingstone as a hazard. We now have the experience to learn and respond better. As we do so, we must remember Thabo Mbeki’s warning: ‘We must free ourselves of the ‘friends’ who populate our ranks, originating from the world of the rich, who come to us, perhaps dressed in jeans and T-shirts, as advisers and consultants, while we end up as the voice that gives popular legitimacy to decisions we neither made, nor intended to make, which our ‘friends’ made for us, taking advantage of an admission that perhaps we are not sufficiently educated’.”

Dr Sishuwa described Dr Kaunda as a progressive nationalist.

“Nationalism is used here to refer to a process that restores the human being to the earth (the land, minerals, fauna, vegetation, everything that produces that human bring). Such a process culminated in the creation of not only a multi-ethnic nation but also the developmental state that provided for citizens and is now on its way

Out, thanks to the crafty efforts of those who seek and stand to benefit from the absence of such a state,” said Dr Sishuwa. “Whatever the critics say, the truth is that the developmental state was central to the significant gains that Kaunda and his colleagues recorded in different social sectors in the first decade of independence. It was as if Kaunda’s vision on the role and commitment of the state to development was spurred by the words of his mentor Julius Nyerere who once said, and I quote: ‘Don’t listen to this nonsense that the state should give up the direction of the economy. It’s nonsensical. And we have so many stupid leaders who think that somehow you can hand over the development of your country to something called ‘private enterprise unregulated’.’’

And Chisanno who served Mozambique from 1986 to 2005 said Dr Kaunda wanted to see an end to colonialism.

He said the support that Dr Kaunda gave to Mozambique and Zimbabwe in the 1970s proved crucial in bringing white minority rule to an end.

“President Kaunda thought if we change our posture, ‘we are betraying our belief. Our belief is that we cannot be independent without the independence of Mozambique, Angola, South Africa, Namibia. We have to fight’,’’ said Chisanno. ‘’President Kaunda built here, the liberation centre where each liberation movement had an office. That

liberation centre was later destroyed by the Ian Smith air raids,”

Dr Kaunda Kaunda, who led the country for 27 years, died on June 17, 2021 at Maina Soko Military Hospital where he was being treated for pneumonia.

During his 30 years as former president Dr Kaunda engaged in advocacy against poverty and HIV/AIDs.

ZAMBIA’S ECONOMY IS LIKE A PATIENT WITH A TUMOUR, AN OPERATION WILL LEAVE A TEMPORAL WOUND BUT IT IS THE SOLUTION!

By Alexander Nkosi

Fuel prices affect both consumers and producers. High fuel prices increase the cost production and slow down economic recovery. It also increases the cost of living which slows down savings and further affects investment and production. Therefore, government would really want to keep prices down. The challenge we face is that we have limited options, and at a time we are engaging creditors over debt restructuring, we have to demonstrate we can limit our borrowing and make sacrifices.

Zambia is like a patient with a tumour. The tumour has reached a stage where it has to be removed now or never. All along the patient has been using expensive pain killers to relieve pain but this hasn’t necessary slowed down the growth of the tumour. The operation to remove the tumour is painful but necessary and it has to be done now.

The problem is not the slight adjustment in prices effected end of June 2022, but that it has significantly increased over the months. To bring prices down to a level where people feel the relief, government needs to subsidise heavily. These subsidies are like a pain killer, they offer temporal relief. In our case, as of 2021 the total cost of fuel subsidies was USD67 million. USD26 million was to cover the price differential to enable consumers buy fuel at a lower price. Government also suspended taxes on imported petroleum products and the revenue loss from this measure was estimated at USD41 million per month as of 2021. Note that the USD26 million price differential wasn’t necessarily being covered and it led to arrears accumulating to over USD700 million.

The new government inherited USD12.9 billion external debt, K189.7 billion domestic debt and K46.9 billion domestic arrears. Domestic revenue is not even enough to cover annual debt service and civil service wage bill. Government has to borrow to dismantle arrears owed to oil marketing companies. Had government opted to cover the price differential, it would have meant borrowing to dismantle arrears while covering the differential. The immediate focus was to dismantle arrears so that we don’t have disruptions in the supply of the commodity.

Note that despite prices being high, the tax waiver on imported petroleum products still remains in effect. Essentially government is sacrificing around USD41 million in foregone tax.

In conclusion: debt restructuring, kwacha appreciation, cleaning of procurement process and bilateral fuel supply agreements- will help lower the prices of fuel. This is the operation which is underway to remove the tumour.

Minister of Information and Media Chushi Kasanda has announced that Cabinet has approved “The Public Debt Management Bill, 2022,” that would compel the Executive Organ of Government to no longer obtain loans without the approval by Parliament.

In a statement released to the media yesterday outling a number of bills slated for tabling in Parliament which were approved at the 13th Cabinet Meeting in the Year 2022, held on Thursday, 30th June, Mrs Kasanda said that cabinet indicated that the New Dawn Administration believes in running an open Government where checks and balances in a democratic dispensation should be allowed in the overall governance of the country.

Ms Kasanasa further said that cabinet feels that the current debt burden, the country is struggling with, should have been avoided if Parliament was allowed to preside over the acquisition of the many loans the Government is owing to pay to its lenders.

The Minister said that the objectives of the Bill also include the establishment of the sinking funds and the repeal of the Loans and Guarantees (Authorisation) Act, 1969 and the General Loan and Stock Act, 1931 and that this Bill is important because it addresses the inherent weaknesses in the legal framework on Public debt management and complies with the provisions of the Constitution.

“It is in the interest of the New Administration, therefore, that as Parliament will be sitting in September, to deliberate on the second National Budget for the UPND Government, this law will be in place so that the 2023 Budget is premised on this important law, ” the statement read.

Other bills approved included the Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill, the Tobacco Bill, the Zambia Institute of Public Relations and Communication Bill, the Children’s Code, the Penal Code (Amendment) Bill, 2022 and the Probation of Offenders (Amendment) Bill.

The Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill, 2022 aims to amend the Road Traffic Act, 2002, in order to among others, revise the penalties under the Act for driving offences; revise the provisions relating to registration of a motor vehicle and trailer; revise the provisions relating to licensing of motor vehicles and drivers.Once enacted, the legislation will not only result in the efficient and effective operation of the Road Transport and Safety Agency, but will also enhance road safety in the country.

The Public Roads (Amendment) Bill, 2022 seeks to amend the Public Roads Act, 2002, in order to revise the composition of the Board of the Road Development Agency and re-define its functions and, of paramount importance, to provide for the protection of execution of judgements against the property of the Agency. It is expected that, once enacted, the legislation will improve the efficiency of the operations of the RDA Board, reduce the cost of running RDA and further, align the operations of the Board with the tenets of good corporate governance.

The Tobacco Bill, 2022 aims to provide for among others, the regulation and monitoring of the production, marketing, and packing of tobacco in the country. The Bill further, provides for the regulation of the import of tobacco in the country; continues the existence of the Tobacco Board of Zambia and re-define its functions and re-constitute the composition of the Board.

The Zambia Institute of Public Relations and Communication Bill, 2022 is for the continuation of the existence of the Zambia Public Relations Association and re-name it as Zambia Institute of Public Relations and Communication and re-define its functions; provide for the registration of public relations and communication professionals; regulate public relations and communication professionals conduct; constitute the Council of the Institute and provide for its functions.

The Children’s Code Bill, 2022 is aimed at reforming and consolidating the law relating to children, provide for parental responsibility, custody, maintenance, guardianship, and foster care, adoption, and protection of children. The Bill further aims to provide for the grant of legal aid to, and establish procedures for, the treatment and protection of children in conflict with the law, provide for the development of treatment programmes, including early intervention services and programmes to combat crime with regard to the general lives of the children.This is an important Bill because the current legal framework relating to children is fragmented and set out in different pieces of legislation, such as matters relating to children in conflict with the law contained in the Juveniles Act; the adoption of children contained in the Adoption Act; and the affiliation and maintenance of children contained in the Affiliation and Maintenance of Children Act. Additionally, these laws have varying definitions as to who can be considered to be a child.

The Penal Code (Amendment) Bill, 2022, as a consequential Bill to the Children’s Code Bill, “The Penal Code (Amendment) Bill, 2022.” is aimed at ensuring that in is in line with the Children’s Code Bill to avoid conflict of the laws. Specifically, this Bill calls for the revision of the age of criminal responsibility of a child.

The Probation of Offenders (Amendment) Bill, 2022, also a consequential Bill to the Children’s Code Bill, 2022, aims to amend the Probation of Offenders Act so as to revise the provisions relating to the probation of children in conflict with the law and provide for matters connected with, or incidental to, the foregoing.

In winding up business for the day, Cabinet deliberated on the Census preparatory activities that have since been carried out. This is following the issuance of the Statutory Instrument No. 92 of 2021 dated 31st December, 2021 and in line with the Statistics Act, No. 13 of 2018, which requires that a Census of Population and Housing be undertaken every 10 years.

So far the activities undertaken, include the mapping and listing of all Census structures and households, development and pre-testing of questionnaires and manuals, undertaking a pilot National census and preparing for logistical materials required for the Census. Cabinet decided that as part of part-time creation of employment among the youth, the Guidelines developed should facilitate the recruitment of youths who are currently not in school, college, university, or employed but available to work as Census officials which is planned to commence on 18th August, 2022.

WHEN STATISTICS LIE
[The Indefensible Case of Inflation and Poverty]

He was livid with anger.

‘To hell with the CSO!’ He shouted, his eyes widening, his facial veins bulging, both full of rage, spittle drooling from the corners of his mouth.

He was referring to Zambia’s Central Statiscal Office [CSO].

‘Why?’ Innocently, I asked.

‘I feel the pain, doc. Prices are high. Vavuta vinthu. The cost of living is killing us. And these traitors are waxing lyrical about hitting a single-digit inflation! What nonsense is this?’

Having been a key part of the UPND in the past, Hakainde HICHILEMA’s own vice president, I dropped my face in shame.

A tear rolled down his face: ‘I can’t eat, doc. My GOtv is closed. I have defaulted on my rent for three months now. My family is falling apart, doc. Nibwanji so? Things are bad. Nilibe pogwila.’

CSO.
To me, when he said those words, it sounded like he was saying Compromised Silly Office.

I didn’t smile.

I felt the man, empathy became me. It is not everyday that a grown man cries. Kulila so munthu!

I was touched.

To hell with the CSO, he had said.

I was certain that indeed, if the CSO with its single-digit inflation had gone to hell, they would find a lot of Zambians there, prematurely dead from the cost of living, gnashing their teeth, suffering and all.

You see, we all understand economics. Knowledge is not a monopoly of the UPND.

Clearly, something ain’t kosher with the CSO statistics, something isn’t right. There is something fishy going on there.

Zambians are in pain.
Zambians are hurting.
Zambians are disillusioned.
Zambians are enraged.
Cause? The cost of living, and they feel conned.

The cost of living in Zambia has skyrocketed. It is so high that it is costing lives.

A textbook definition of inflation states as follows: ‘Inflation occurs when prices rise across the economy, decreasing the purchasing power of your money.’

In Zambia today, businesses are not doing well. Buyers are few, business is slow.

The sell-rate of their goods and services has critically fallen. Their profit margins have contracted.

And to break even, a number of these companies are now laying off their workers.

Hakainde HICHILEMA promised to create jobs. But the converse is happening.

Clearly, Hakainde HICHILEMA’s trickle-down economics just isn’t working. Usually, such formulae for a people’s wellbeing, ceteris paribus, takes years, which time Hakainde HICHILEMA doesn’t have.

In Zambia today, salaries have remained stagnant in the midst of a depreciated, weak Kwacha.

Imports remain expensive.
Credit in the economy is low.
Prices have risen.
The cost of production continues to rise.
And the purchasing power of citizens has severely been eroded.

This then is inflation, dear pilgrim. Tell the CSO about it.

Confused Statiscal Office indeed.

Take mealie meal, a key determinant for holding presidential power in Zambia.

In August 2021, a 25kg bag of mealie meal was at about K120. Today, 1 July 2022, it is well over K170.

Youvsee, from then todate, its price has been inflated by over 29 percent.

And never will it ever fetch K50 as promised. NEVER. Perhaps when rotten.

With stagnant salaries, as Hakainde HICHILEMA himself lamented and observed prior to the August 2021 elections, what this means is that the power of a Zambian’s money, with reference to mealie meal alone, has reduced by over 29 percent.

Meaning to purchase the same quantity of goods you now need more money than before.

This then, CSO, is inflation.

Very soon, Zambia will become the first country in the world, in the midst of a ‘falling’ inflation rate, to see citizens, fueled by anger and the need to survive, take to the streets to protest a stifling high cost of living.

Indeed, it is easy to run FOR office by it is NOT easy to run the office.

‘Doctor, these people are liars. The opposite of what they promised is what is happening!’ Another citizen, complained, poverty about him all too evident.

I wanted to tell him that God is in control, that He allowed all this to happen for a purpose, that another new dawn, a better one is coming, but I just kept quiet. Me and my modesty.

Instead, I said to him that for as long as the economy of Zambia remains in foreign hands, for as long as we the Africans abandon LUMUMBA ROAD, the path to freedom and self-determination, the path to political and economic sovereignty, Zambians will remain poor, suffering and pain will never end.

I said with utter conviction.

Impressed with my response, he said: ‘But why are you not in government, doctor? We need minds like yours there.’

There is time for everything, I replied, advising him to read Ecclessiastes 9: 11 for further guidance.

Situmbeko MUSOKOTWANE, Zambia’s finance minister says there is a Plan B for the nation’s economic recovery if the IMF route fails.

What he conveniently chooses to ignore is that the IMF route has failed for many years in many countries.

Zambia’s own route, focusing on the judicious exploitation of its own human and material resources, can never fail.

Perhaps this Plan B, assuming it is citizen-centred, should have been Plan A.

See now?
Hakainde HICHILEMA has done better than Afcons Construction to decongest Lusaka. What a trick this one! No need for road infrastructure expansion, you see. Just hike the price of fuel and all vehicles are parked! Voila!

But it is not just the price of fuel that Hakainde HICHILEMA has hiked. He has also hiked the anger of citizens. It is becoming uncontainable.

Citizens are now calling him names. Others, a tad early, have already started to say that he is a failure.

And many, like the cars that now aren’t moving, the cars he has now caused to park, are now calling for him to park as well.

They do not want to hear his name anymore. They are saying: ‘Uyu munthu nichani so? Ma years yayendeko fast!’

FIXED, the citizens are now annoyed and sad. This then is sad and shameful tale of the FIXER.

One promise I will make and keep is this one. Hakainde HICHILEMA’s reign will be a very difficult one for him, it will be one replete with pain, suffering and disillusionment for the citizens, one which no one will forget.

Calculations and tabulations failed on fuel reduction.
Calculations and tabulations seem to be failing on budget management and inflation.

For now, buckle up, fellow citizens.
A very bumpy and stormy ride lies ahead.

Compromised Silly Office indeed.
Single-digit inflation, my foot!

Use a Happiness Index instead. It is a more reliable indicator of a leader’s hold on power.
Impressive statistics that do not translate into people’s comfort and improved livelihoods are utterly meaningless. How the people feel at any given time is by far more important than any digit.

Now all citizens’ digits are angrily and disapprovingly pointing at Hakainde HICHILEMA.
FIXED.

Dr Canisius BANDA
Development Activist

1 July 2022

By Nelson Zulu

VICE-PRESICENT Mutale Nalumango has urged Zambians to brace themselves for more fuel price hike in the country.

Nalumango says the UPND government has no control at all on the fuel hike as the international market dictates the pricing of the commodity.

She said this, Friday, during the Vice President question time in parliament.

“But you are saying that the prices are going up, when fuel goes up it affect other commodities, and I have explained through ERB that the increase in fuel prices is beyond our control, but there is also a good general performance of the economy by people who do business, sometimes we want to cash in, so we need some consistence. Somethings take a bit of time, and we know that the indicators we are seeing are just point at the good times that are coming and they are coming, we should brace ourselves for hiked fuel prices because it is not under our control,” she said.

Vice-President Nalumango has also assured the people of Zambia that all the promises made by the UPND while in the opposition will be fulfilled.

She said there was no way her government would apologize for the 30 000 recruitment of teachers, 11 000 recruitment of health workers, free education and other promises it made while in the opposition and have now come to pass.

“We are nine months in office and you have seen some of the promises being fulfilled, we didn’t promise that everything will be done at once, but surely there is stability in the economy even in the pricing, you are talking about the Presidential Jet, wait nobody comes and just say let it go, just wait and see. Whatever we promised shall come to pass. The promises shall be fulfilled and apologize for what? We should apologize for free education, we should apologize for decentralization, we should apologize for increasing CDF, we should apologize for recruiting 30 000 teachers, we should apologize for recruiting 11 000 health workers? All these things need money and we have managed in just 9 months, Zambians should not listen to some friends who pretend as if they have a way out,” said Vice President Nalumango.

FUEL PRICES GO FORWARD

By: Emmanuel Chilekwa

30 June 2022

As you can see, there’s no mercy or consideration for the poor who use kerosene (paraffin). I thought the poor would have the lowest product increase.

This kamfulumende used to claim that the PF cartel used to pocket K3 per litre of fuel when it fetched K15.

Now that fuel is at K26.71, so who is pocketing nearly K12 as at now since this kamfulumende has removed all middlemen in the fuel supply chain?

Do you see that this kamfulumende is full of dealers and untruthful businessmen making a killing whilst the sun shines?

How does fuel become more expensive when all the middlemen have been removed?

And why does this kamfulumende find it right to keep lying to we the governed? Where did this kind come from?

Is this what they yearned for to lead the country in the 23 years plus they were in opposition.?

Believe me, this is a kamfulumende that obtained power by false pretence.

Today, ZNBC reports that the inflation rate has hit 9.7% single digit in 3 years… so why are prices soaring high?

Well, think critically… it is 0.3% less to claim.it is a single digit. I smell a rat in this claim. All I think they want to do is to portray that they are doing well when in fact not. They’re fidgeting with figures just to lie to the nation that they are doing well. There’s nothing like such good results on the ground.

Clearly this is a kamfulumende of fixers fixing things which are not real.

How do you say inflation is low when you’re at the same time importing fuel at a higher cost per barrel?

This is conflicting like no one has ever been to school.

Prices of essential goods are going up. And yet inflation is single digit. You can see that all positive economic factors and indicators still don’t make this kamfulumende give positive results.

Two men of Chienge district in Luapula Province were last week on Friday June 24th 2022, sentenced to 24 months imprisonment with hard labour for defamation of the President. The duo were facing one count of defamation of the president contrary to section 69 of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Law.

Before Resident Magistrate Luckson Mbewe, was Danny Kapambwe 28 and Justine Chimpinde 19 of Chienge district who pleaded guilty to one count of defamation of the President when the matter came up for plea.

Facts are that on June 14, 2022 around 14:00 hours ,George Mulenga Chanda of Kasoma Village in Change saw and watched a video on Tik tok were the accused persons were seen publishing insults by word of mouth whose insults were directed to the Republican President Hakainde Hichilema.

The following day around 14:00 hours Chanda reported the matter to Chienge Police and acting on the information, Detective Inspector Chilembo disseminated the information to Chipungu border post to search for accused persons.

On the same day the duo were apprehended by the Zambia Police and Zambia Army Officers based at Chipungu border post.

The accused persons were then surrendered to Chienge Police where the arresting officer recorded a warning and caution statement.

Kapambwe admitted using his phone to record the same video in which Chimpinde featured.

He then led the arresting officer where the phone was.

On the same day, the duo were jointly arrested and charged for defamation of the President.

When asked by the Resident Magistrate if they understood the statement of facts, the duo responded affirmatively adding that they did not wish to add or subtract anything as the facts were true and correct.

In mitigation, the duo pleaded with the court to exercise leniency with them as they had learnt lessons from their deeds.

“We are asking for forgiveness and leniency from this court because our families will suffer if we are given custodial sentence. We admit we were stupid and did not know what we were doing,” they pleaded.

In passing sentence, Resident Magistrate Mbewe said he took note that the accused are first offenders who readily admitted the charge without wasting the courts time but insulting the Republican President or any other person is an offence and perpetrators need to be punished to deter would-be offenders.

“I take note that the trend of insulting the Head of State with impunity is growing in this country even if it is an ordinary person. The trend of showing insults at an elderly person is not only against our culture but also an offence under our Penal Code,” he said

Magistrate Mbewe sentenced both the accused to 24 months imprisonment with hard labour with effect from June 15, 2022.

He informed them of their right to appeal.

Kabushi member of parliament Bowman Lusambo has extended his “leave” from all media engagements to August, 2022, saying the eighth month is a very special month even in the Bible as it talks about new beginnings.

Speaking with Daily Revelation, Lusambo had earlier said he had gone on leave until July, 2022 but said he has extended that to August.

“I am in Parliament but I am on leave from media statements, media response. I am just working in parliament,” Lusambo said, but asked why a person who is known for talking had suddenly gone quiet, and if there was something that has gone wrong to have quietened him.

In response, Lusambo said he would answer that question when he calls off his leave.

Asked how long that leave was, he said: “Until August (2022).”

“I will answer that question in August, why August,” he said.

Asked on assertions that he was planning to defect to the ruling UPND, Lusambo said: “I will answer in August. Now I don’t want to respond to any media house, any statement, any response. Nothing. Until August.”

But asked again if it was true he was joining UPND, Lusambo insisted that he would answer that question in August, and maintained the same answer when asked if he haboured any intentions of working with President Hichilema.

“In August when I come back into media action I will answer everything from you,” he said.

Asked if there was something big he had planned for August, Lusambo said August was a very special time.

“Even in the Bible when you go back in the Bible, August is very special,” Lusambo said, put to him that the month symbolised new beginnings, he said: “The new beginning! Exactly! Exactly! That is August. Then you know what I am talking about.”

Asked with emphasis that what he meant was that there will be a new beginning for him in August, Lusambo said: “No! That is just the month, August that is what it implies in the Bible. It tells us a lot of things, the August month.” http://dailyrevelationzambia.com/ill-speak-in-august-the-special-month-of-new-beginnings/

By Kombe Mataka

TRANSPARENCY International Zambia (TIZ) says it is elated that President Hakainde Hichilema has given his word that the trends report will be forwarded to law enforcement agencies in its original form for them to take action on the issues raised.

In a statement, TIZ said the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) 2021 trends report shows an attempt at being comprehensive, and provides sufficient information on which government and other stakeholders can design measures to address crime concerns highlighted in the report.

“We therefore implore law enforcement agencies to demonstrate proactiveness in instituting investigations into all the issues highlighted in the 2021 trends report, and we look forward to those

involved in any impropriety in this regard being made to fully account for their actions,” executive director Maurice Nyambe said.

He said the report contributed significantly

to the fight against corruption.

“The 2021 trends report has the potential to contribute significantly to the fight against corruption and the promotion of good governance,

if law enforcement agencies take a proactive approach in following up the cases featured in the report,’’ Nyambe said further. ‘’TI-Z would like to address some more specific aspects of the 2021 report and to share recommendations we are making to government in relation to the issues raised in the report.’’

Nyambe reminisced on the various FIC reports and how the government and public reacted.

‘’The 2021 report, which was released on Thursday 23rd June 2022, is the 7th trends report to be released since 2014, and covers a critical year in Zambia’s democratic history. The year 2021 is notable due to the holding of the presidential and general elections amidst a politically volatile environment and an elevated impact of the pandemic. The report also comes after a change of regime, from one which muzzled the operational independence of the FIC – a concern we raised in our response to the release of the FIC annual report in July last year – to one that seemingly has the political will to combat corruption,” he said. “We have noted that in 2021, the FIC analysed a total of 211 Suspicious

Transactions Reports (STRs) out of which 44 intelligence reports were disseminated to law enforcement agencies. The value of the

disseminated intelligence reports was K3.56 billion compared to K3.14 billion in 2020 and K984 million in 2019, entailing that there has been an astonishing 262% increase in these transactions over a two-year period. A more detailed analysis revealed that the majority of STR received were about large or unusual cash deposits and

withdrawals, as well as large or unusual inward remittances from companies or individuals that were awarded government contracts. It is clear from the analysis that while the number of STRs received by the FIC has been increasing over the years, the number of cases analysed has reduced from 425 in 2017 to 211 in 2021, entailing a reduction of around 50% over four years.“

Nyambe noted however that the 2021 trends report was based on less than 8.2 per cent of the STRs reported.

He said this suggested that the actual losses due to corruption and other financial crimes were likely be far greater than the reported values.

“TI-Z is gravely concerned by this as we believe that it does not provide the full picture of what is transpiring in relation to financial crimes. This makes it difficult to design measures intended

to address these crimes as the full scope of the same is clearly not known,” said Nyambe.

“During the year 2021, the FIC froze a total of 55 bank accounts held with eight commercial banks to allow for further verification and analysis on suspicion of theft, corrupt activities, tax evasion and money laundering. The amounts frozen were US$ 30.3 million, K292.8 million and EUR1,685.31. While TI-Z commends the seeming proactiveness

of the FIC in this regard, we are of the considered view that the report should have gone further to give an update of the status of the verification and analysis of the suspected corrupt activities

associated with those accounts. Is the verification still going on? Do the accounts remain frozen? When will the nation be updated about the results of this verification? These are some of the questions that arise as a result of the limited information the report has given on the frozen bank.”

DO NOT BLAME THE LAWYERS OVER THE REVELATIONS IN THE FIC TRENDS REPORT WITHOUT GETTING CORRECT FACTS:

29.06.2022

“it’s totally unacceptable for some stakeholders to label lawyers as criminals without getting facts”

By Fidelis Solomon Ngoma

A Trends Report is just that; the job of the lawyers is to represent their clients legally. If the transactions highlighted in the FIC Report were conducted with the help of lawyers; it does not make lawyers criminals. They were just performing their jobs as lawyers. It must be appreciated that even if a a suspect (who is a client) admits “guilt” to his or her lawyer; it may not possible for a lawyer to be surely certain that the client is guilty. It may be that the client could be lying in order to mask up an issue on behalf of someone else, or other factors may be at play.

However, there are safeguards and standards in place to keep lawyers honest: they cannot lie if they do know information pertaining to their client’s legal guilt, and they also cannot offer evidence they know is false. On the other hand, lawyer-client privilege protects communication between the lawyer and his/her clients. Nonetheless, the most important thing to remember is that it’s not the lawyer’s job to discern true guilt. It is the court which decides and makes judgement as to whether a suspect is guilty or not.

The Law Enforcement Agencies have the mandate to fight and stop criminality in whatever form. They must investigate, arrest and prosecute offenders within the confines of the law. The LEAs must present their evidence to courts of law and allow the courts to determine the guilt of a suspect. Thus, the due process of the law must be followed; the constitutional presumption of innocence must be observed and the prosecution must prove their cases beyond any reasonable doubt since the the burden of proof is on them: Putting the burden of proof upon the prosecution means the point of trial is all about either proving or failing to prove that a suspect is guilty of the crime that he or she has been charged – it’s not knowing whether or not that a suspect is actually guilty.

Amazingly, the FIC Trends Reports and some sections of society want lawyers to be part of the prosecution. This is like indirectly promoting injustice: Lawyers have a legal responsibility to their clients that they must uphold. It must be also be understood that in court, “factual guilt” is distinguished from “legal guilt.” Hence, “factual guilt” is not what is discussed during trial (the question of whether or not a suspect is actually guilty); rather, the issue (which is discussed) at trial is legal guilt: Is the prosecution able to present enough evidence to prove the charges presented against the suspect “beyond a reasonable doubt”?

Ultimately, the reason most criminal defence lawyers wouldn’t ask a suspect if they’re actually “guilty” is that the question is not relevant to the case. Besides, it’s not the job of the lawyer to find out; their job is to defend defend their clients (suspects), and put up a solid and fair case – The lawyer’s job is to “keep the system honest.”

LET US NOT BLAME LAWYERS – WE ALL WILL NEED THEIR SERVICES AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER

I Submit

Fidelis Solomon Ngoma

About the Author:A Political Analyst and Constitutional Law scholar. For comments contact him on this email address: solongoma15@gmail.com./+20979298204

RESPECT HH

…those with ears have gotten my message, says Mpezeni

By Christopher Miti

PARAMOUNT Chief Mpezeni says he has clocked 40 years on the throne because God
has a purpose for him.
He says politicians should learn that the country can only have one head of state at a time stressing that “those with ears have gotten my message. I have spoken”.

In an interview, Mpezeni, who clocked 40 years on the throne on June 19, 2022, said his tenure has not been without difficulties.
“Yes, I have clocked 40 years on the throne. I cannot say I am doing good things or what but God has a purpose for me to still remain here.
I can’t say God did not love those who didn’t rule beyond 40 years, no. God has plans for each one of us and we all have our days,” he said.
Mpezeni urged traditional leaders to respect people.

“We are leaders because of the people so we need to respect people all the time. We should learn to respect each other. Everything comes from God. I am a leader today because of God and God loves all of us,” he said.
Mpezeni urged politicians to support President Hakainde Hichilema.

“We don’t have any other President apart from Hakainde Hichilema. Politics kwamene uko, koma Mulungu etipasa kale HH. Chikuleni manje
nikumupatsa ulemu (Politics should go away. God already gave us President HH. The big thing now is to respect him). I became a chief at a young age but because of respect, I am still there. I respect people and they reciprocate that,” he said.
Mpezeni counseled politicians to avoid unnecessary confrontations which are counterproductive.

“It’s not good to be fighting all the time. We cannot be happy to see people crying. When you are a chief, you face different things and
people. You meet people who are insane, people who will always oppose you but they are all your people. So now, everything is in the hands
of Hakainde,” he noted. “Even now, HH will face different types of people and he is supposed to take care of them.”
Mpezeni said it was always difficult to foster development when people are quarreling.

“Where there is confusion there is no development. Even at home if there is confusion just know that there will be hunger in that home.
If I don’t cooperate with my wife, it means we are going to invite poverty,” he said. “Those with ears have gotten my message. I have spoken! These politicians can be there for five years or 10 years but I have been there for 40 years. It’s not a joke.”
Mpezeni reminded politicians to respect traditional leaders because they come from chiefdoms.

“Mweo banthu andale muchoka kwa a mfumu, muyenela kumvwa zokuunzyani
mafumu. Mfumu ndiye kholo lanu (you politicians you come from traditional leaders. You need to listen to them. Traditional leaders are your parents). God created us and the presidents come from us,” he said.

Mpezeni also said good traditional customs should be supported and bad ones should be discarded.
He said he recently outlawed the exposure of bare breasts by Ngoni women because it was controversial.
Mpezeni urged traditional leaders to discourage early marriages and ensure children get an education.
Mpezeni was enthroned in 1982 at the age of 25.

First president late Dr Kenneth Kaunda and Paramount Chief M’mbelwa III of Malawi attended the installation.
At his installation, Mpezeni said he was given a hoe, an axe and three bags of fertiliser as a way of encouraging him to promote farming

NAKACINDA ZOOMS IN ON AN ALLEGED $100 MILLION HEALTH MINISTRY SINGLE SOURCED DEAL

…calls out Bally to peep into the “scandalous matter” and confirm whether or not the deal happened

Lusaka…. Wednesday, June 29, 2022 (Smart Eagles)

Whilst you’re talking to IMF, you’re also trying to pass deals in what I would consider a criminal manner, Raphael Nakacinda has told the UPND government off.

The PF Chairperson for Information and Publicity said that whilst the New Dawn Administration is pushing for the IMF deal, there is an alleged $100 million deal to do with ministry of health infrastructure in selected parts of the country which was single sourced.

He challenged Health Minister Hon Sylvia Masebo and Finance Minister Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane to update Zambians on the said deal which he termed as a hot potato sitting on the laps of the duo.

Hon Nakacinda said this when he addressed the Media at Lusaka’s Supreme Court Grounds today.

“This morning, as we continue to zoom in behalf of the Zambian people, I have come to basically challenge the Minister of Health Hon Sylvia Masebo, the Minister of Finance to be able to update the Zambian people on an alleged scandal that is a hot potato on the laps of Hon Masebo and on the laps of Hon Musokotwane who has been turned into a postman, rushing and going to…every morning going to post office to check whether there is a mail from IMF whilst there are deals that are being undertaken,” he said.

“There’s an alleged $100 million deal to do with ministry of health infrastructure in Southern, Western and North Western provinces which was single sourced. Whilst you’re talking to IMF, you’re also trying to pass deals in what I would consider a criminal manner. Because I’m this country there are no laws, regulations or any such procedure that would allow for single sourcing for any project or indeed any service to the tune of $100 million.”

Hon Nakacinda also challenged President Hakainde Hichilema to search his conscious and “peep into that hot pot whether or not that deal does not exist.”

He stressed that single sourcing for projects that amount to $100 million is a big scandal.

“So we want madam Masebo to speak to the Zambian people whether the binoculars lenses are still as effective as it was on matters to do with former KCM Provisional Liquidator Mr. Milingo Lungu,” he said.

On the court case for former president Edgar Chagwa Lungu’s aide-de-camp and Deputy Police Commissioner, Chisanga Chanda, the PF MCC said “you have witnessed what’s going on in the courts. We are hoping and continue to trust that justice will prevail.”

Mr Chanda appeared in court for allegedly aiding a fugitive and murder suspect. The 53-year-old is charged with being an accessory after the fact to a felony, and is appearing before the Lusaka High Court.

BEWARE OF PF MANIACS PLYING ON STATE HOUSE

The Scoop Editorial: June 29, 2022

MOST often, as a media institution, we are restrained from commenting on issues which are political in nature, more so, if such narratives are peddled by good-for-nothing, desperate, job-seeking, spent forces out to crush others in order to remain relevant but we think we have had enough!

We are not apologising to anyone over any missing goat but merely stating facts as they are and our attention has been drawn to the hullabaloo surrounding attacks on State House by bitter political jackals whose holidays in the Foreign Service have been cut short by the fact that Zambians kicked out the PF that sent them there.

Recently, there has been attack after attack against people who are working at State House to a point where someone shamelessly asked President Hakainde Hichilema to replace his entire media team on account of being weak, misleading him, or just being incompetent.

We are not surprised because we know how this same goon was ever crawling to State House when Lungu was in power with only a cheap phone and a selfie stick each time Lungu had an event so that he could be recognised. These are the same chaps who turned State House into a paddock of hyenas where cadres could use the premises to shoot music videos for the ruling party.

When his friends at State House realised that they could not sustain him through handouts, they even pushed for a transaction and made him one of the so-called media consultants for the PF between 2015 and 2016 so that he would at least have something to keep him alive and stand on his own.

After the PF won, the chap positioned himself for a Foreign Service job and because the State House rank and file then was misled into believing that this chap was relevant to their cause, they sent him into Foreign Service. Do not get us wrong; we are not against any of our colleagues who were in foreign services but a few knuckleheads because of their foolishness.

When the 2021 elections neared, these are the same chaps who were recruited and used to do propaganda for the PF. Just before elections, these are the chaps who were shipped into the country and were part of the nerve system of the PF information centre which was stationed at State House to spin everything in its favour.

While the same people he wants to be fired today were ducking bullets in Western Province with HH, these are the chaps who were recruiting some useless international bodies to conduct opinions polls that favoured the PF.

When HH was sleeping in filthy cells with faecal matter, these are the hoodlums who were recruiting Lungu’s praise singers led by the Dununa choir to produce songs to insult HH. Today, they are attacking Frederick Misebenzi, Brian Mwiinga and Clayson Hamasaka.

Their bitterness of course is derived from the fact that most of those who were in the Foreign Service did not see the end of PF. They were so puffed up with luxurious lives that they thought it would rain again and never planned to come back to Zambia sooner. Up to now, they do not know what hit them. They have failed to come to terms with the fact that the same HH they despised day and night is now in State House to which they no longer have access.

They are bitter that the same young men Brian and Fred whom they wanted dead are today holding these privileged positions which they, themselves, have never held and will probably never hold for the remainder of their miserable lives on earth. These bloody job-seekers today want to become advisors to HH but just how? Why are they sympathising with HH today? What has changed?

They think that HH is dumb that by making these wild allegations against the team he has assembled to work with, he can be pushed into firing them and probably give these PF maniacs jobs. These shameless tomfooleries and tribalists seem to have a problem that those they called the minority are today walking in the corridors of power whole they are standing afar.

Today, they call themselves communication experts; making themselves more enlightened than others. They are confortable to accuse others of having failed but are not willing to tell the nation what they did in their tour of duty in the Foreign Service other than flaunting designer clothes on social media with their ambassadors. What has pained them most is that they may never have that life they led again in their lives.

The women they mokeyed around with have disappeared like mist. There is a significant dive from the expensive lives they led back to their squalors around Lusaka and because they failed to invest, they, like squirrels, have retreated into their burrows because even those who used them like borrowed guns no longer have use for them. Yes, some of them may have found jobs as communications chakuti chakuti but that cannot be compared to what they had beyond the horizon.

They thought HH is gullible that he would let them continue in their positions after he formed Government but they goofed. They are a bunch of societal misfits who are still basking in PF’s past glory where they crushed others in order to get to the top. Old as they are, having retired and wasted their retirement packages, they have come back with nothing apart from yellow teeth and Facebook accounts which they are using to write rubbish about others.

They are trying their luck thinking they may be heard and have a second shot and will not stop at anything in their quest to demonise innocent people; the same people they wished dead during Lungu’s tyrannical reign.

Today, they feel those at State House are not working because they were accustomed to the mediocrity of yesteryears where State House was used as a playing field for cutting corruption deals and propagating party functionality. Because these men at State House have no time for political gibberish and cannot be accessed by feeble-minded junkies like these rascals, the only way out is to go on social media and call them out.

This is the problem that HH himself talks about. Some people are so used to abnormality that they cannot agree with those who are trying to revert to normalcy. The people at State House are not plumbers. They are trained journalists who understand information dissemination probably better than those who are whining today.

Opportunities take us to different directions but the fact that one has worked for an international media organisation as a stringer does not make them any better than others who may not have had the same opportunity. To those who are being abused by these returnees, please, continue being professional. Do not throw stones at every dog barking at you. The sounds of frogs must not make you not to draw water at the well.

The darkness of night cannot stop the light of day. The reason children are able to get over pain is not because they have nothing else to worry about. It is because of their heart. Ignore these bitter souls and remain to the cause true, just like the needle is to the pole. We shall put them in their rightful positions ourselves.

Kasebamashila Kaseba
WHEN MUMBI PHIRI ALSO COUNTED 127 DAYS IN PRISON AFTER HH PROMISED HER NO SUCH PRISON DETENTION

Tuesday, February 22, 2022 to Wednesday, June 29, 2022 is 127 days or 4 months, 7 days

====

“I am glad that this lady (Mumbi Phiri) is courageous. She’s got a bit of Dutch courage, really.

“Trust me, Mumbi Phiri, [I] will not arrest you. Trust me, [I] will restore the rule of law, Mumbi Phiri. Tell your friends who are scared of nothing. They will not be arrested. We will look after every Zambian.

“Mumbi Phiri, don’t worry. You know that Mumbi Phiri is my relative? Did you know that? She is my relative.”

(HH on Phoenix FM (89.5FM, “Let The People Talk “, 7th August, 2020.)

====

Mumbi Phiri, like HH and five others, in 2017, has today counted 127 days in Mongu prison detention for murder of Lawrence Banda, without trial.

Obvious Mwaliteta and five others counted about 365 days in detention and trial before acquittal.

Mumbi Phiri played her part or commented on the two Lusaka political detentions plus the Kaoma murder of Lawrence Banda of Lusaka in 2019 among others.

Fast forward to 2021. Mumbi Phiri is not reappointed as PF Deputy Secretary General.

PF is defeated in elections by UPND and HH.

In February, 2022, six months after UPND electoral victory and about 22 months after the murder of Lawrence Banda, Mumbi Phiri is arrested in Lusaka.

Firstly, Zambia Police that arrested and detained Mumbi Phiri in Lusaka, Kaoma and Mongu was there all along when Lawrence Banda etc was murdered and is the one in charge of guns.

Further, Zambia Police was also in charge of Public Order Act (POA) or ECZ electoral policing during the by-election.

In fact, Zambia Police is in charge of firearms licensing and has since been running firearm amnesty without facing the PF militia for the firearms during the run up to 12 August, 2021 elections.

On the other hand, Mumbi Phiri, at the most is only armed with her rabid tongue and cooking stick or nails, as in the fight at Parliament with Elizabeth Chitika.

Lawrence Banda, Nsama Nsama, Mapenzi Chibulo, Frank Mugala, Vespers Shimuzhila (teargassed) were killed or shot dead by the Zambia Police firearms.

Therefore, Mumbi Phiri’s detention for the murder charge and court case shall not just indict and expose the Zambia Police for corruption and unprofessionalism but also the UPND naivety and amateurism.

Mumbi Phiri’s detention exposes UPND amateurism as police attempt to use Mumbi Phiri as scapegoat to escape from the Zambia Police brutality that even EL asked IG to restore public confidence.

Zambia Police incompetence or brutality plus politicians interference are documented in the Lisimba Commission of Inquiry into Voting Patterns and Electoral Violence 2006 and 2016.

EL rejected the report. HH has not read it.

Mumbi Phiri may have interfered or carelessly talked but could not have commanded the police to shoot Lawrence Banda. Or her command is illegal.

HH has no such commands of restoration of public confidence in the police, as EL, to his ZP IG.

HH simply promoted and reinstalled the IG.

HH is also been exposed for his promises and lies and interference.

His praisers too are exposed for praising HH even for lies and hypocrisy and human rights violations or for blaming hearers of HH lies than condemn him for lies.

HH is unforgiving of murder suspects or his defamers yet forgiving of murder convicts.

Otherwise, HH must be bound by his promise or word.

For example, when UNIP Secretary General Grey Zulu in 1990, about 32 years to this day, in quashing the coup attempt, said the coup plotter or announcer Lt Mwamba Luchembe was a lone drunk officer, Zulu’s word was used as Luchembe’s defense.

In the end, the abuse of Mumbi Phiri’s human rights, abuse of the law than restoration of rule of law and abuse of the police through exaggerated charges exactly like of HH, Mwaliteta and the Barotseland activists etc expose HH and Police complicity more than Mumbi Phiri.

Free Mumbi Phiri!

Aluta Continua!

DON’T EXPECT LUNGU TO BE IN GOOD BOOKS WITH HH WHEN HIS FAMILY IS BEING HARASSED- FORMER PF SG MWILA.

FORMER PF secretary general Davies Mwila says the recent interaction between President Hakainde Hichilema and Edgar Lungu during Sikota Wina’s funeral service does not mean the two are in good books, describing the chit-chat as “public relations”.

In an interview, Mwila said people should not expect Lungu to be in good books with President Hichilema when his family was being harassed.

“If you look at the whole circus for all the investigations, they are not trying to harass the children, they are harassing former president Edgar Lungu. It is more painful to harass your children than the parent. So my own conclusion is that all those harassment, interrogations and investigations they are doing on the former president’s children, it’s the parent they are targeting. My conclusion is that we’re human beings.

Do not expect Edgar Lungu to be in good books with Hakainde Hichilema. That is a blue lie. Let us face the fact and tell the truth. I can tell you that if I was in Edgar Lungu’s shoes, I cannot attend all those state functions that he is being invited to because he is being harassed,” he said.

“It is better you go directly to him than going to the children. I agree with him when he said ‘you cannot be going to my people who are close to me. If you want me, just come straight to me’. Why is it that the UPND government is going round in circles? Harassing children is more painful than harassing himself, the former president. All these investigations and harassment are all political. People must be open and say what they want to do rather than going round in circles. Those investigations they are doing are harassing the former president because blood is thicker than water. I can tell you, that is the position.”

Mwila said as long as President Hichilema continued to harass Lungu’s family, “there will never be peace”.

He added that the recent interaction between the two was just public relations.

“A normal parent has to get concerned. If it was me, I can be more hurt if you harass my children because it is more painful than hurting me. If you go to my children, they have nothing to do with politics, it is me who is a politician. So if you go to the children, what does it mean? You take the former first lady, you harass her, you harass the bodyguard, you harass all the children and harass all those close to the former president. What does it mean? In short, you are harassing the former president. It is better you harass him than harassing the family. And you expect him to go and attend the official launch at Mulungushi International Conference Center? That is a joke,” said Mwila.

“At Sikota Wina’s funeral, were they interacting? Do we know what they were talking about? I can tell you that was a pretence. Do not pretend. Let’s face facts. HH is a bitter person. If surely they were interacting, what were they talking about?

They restricted Tasila’s property by DEC, what does that mean? Of course, when you meet at a funeral, you have to greet each other. That does not mean that you are in good books. Let’s not pretend that all is well. Edgar Lungu is not happy, even me I cannot be happy. Of course, when they are at a funeral, you don’t expect them not to greet each other, they have to show public relations but in their hearts, HH knows what he is doing. Edgar Lungu knows his position. Let’s not trivialise and say they interacted and discussed. As long as Hakainde Hichilema continues harassing former president Lungu’s family, there will never be peace.”

(Diggers)

Several Ministers working in the New Dawn administration are unhappy with President Hakainde Hichilema’s style of leadership accusing him of undermining them.

The Ministers are now threatening to rise up against President Hichilema and resign from his government if he continues running government as a “One Man Show.”

The Ministers who spoke to Lusaka Times in confidence have challenged President Hichilema to publicly deny the accusations if they are untrue.

They said they have resorted to exposing his poor leadership style as a way of getting him to change but threatened that they will resign enmass if he continues with his style.

They accuse President Hichilema of micromanaging all aspects of his government including all appointments to government and parastatal roles.

They said even in Cabinet Meetings, no one of them is allowed to even oppose President Hichilema’s position on any matter presented to Cabinet.

“On appointments, no Minister has ever made any appointments, the list of how to appoint is brought to us and we just read the names. The list is done by him alone at State House. This is why some Boards are still not done up to now because only one man is doing everything,” one of the female Ministers said.

“This is why regional balancing of this appointments is becoming very difficult because they are coming from one mind,” she added.

Another Minister complained that all the Ministers under President Hichilema are treated like children.

“He doesn’t consult us, even in Cabinet, we just go to rubber stamp his positions. Do you know that he appointed all the Press Attachés? That is how bad things are in this government,” he said.

The Ministers explained that since some of the appointees know that they were appointed by President Hichilema, they have no respect for Ministers.

“Now what is happening is that some parastatal Chiefs know that the appointment letter came from State House, we are failing to direct or instruct them. They can’t follow our orders because somehow they know that they came through State House and therefore they will only listen to the President.”

One Minister recounted how some Board Members recently paid themselves irregular allowances and when they were questioned by the line Ministry, they rushed to State House and pushed that the Minister be sacked.

“They style of leadership has made our work very difficult. We are like robots and it’s very frustrating,” a Minister complained.

The Ministers stated that their working morale is at the lowest.

“This man (President Hichilema) doesn’t know how to work as a team. He doesn’t allow us to get allowances even on our foreign trips. If the host Country or organisation doesn’t cater for your allowances, you will struggle through out your visit because he has instructed controlling officers not to say us any allowances when we travel. How can we work like Children?”

“He doesn’t listen to us. He is very distant from us. The only Minister he is close to is Stanley (Kakubo) but all of us feel like we are serving in a government that doesn’t want us.” SOURCE : Lusaka Times