I DON’T UNDERSTAND THE PANIC ON RUMOURS THAT I CAN JOIN THE UPND, SAYS LUSAMBO
I am now at peace after apologising to His Excellency President Hakainde Hichilema, I was being misled by a few people in our party, says Bowman Lusambo

And Lusambo says he doesn’t understand why people panic on rumours linking him to joining the ruling UPND party.

Addressing party members over the weekend, the PF strongman popularly known as Bulldozer said his life has now been completely transformed after the apology to President Hakainde Hichilema.

“My children and my family are all happy now. I feel a sense of fresh air around me. I was almost repeating my mistake of anger and bitterness after we lost elections in 2011. Remember that time after losing power to the PF in 2011, I became the MMD diehard and that brought me lots of problems with the system. There are those cowards who will always be telling you to continue fighting because you are courageous, but unknown to you, those are just cowards who can’t stand up to the system. I almost fell in the same trap after some people kept encouraging me to be hard on HH, yet they could not face him. Now I am facing all these problems and legal bills alone,” lamented Lusambo.

And Lusambo wondered why people were panicking on rumours that he was about to defect to the UPND.

“Look here. Me I am a politician and we politicians are nomadic, I came from MMD and joined the PF. Would it be strange if today I joined the UPND? As a matter of fact, I have lots of friends in the UPND, but I am not saying that I am joining UPND now, but if it ever happened, that should not be strange and there are more people like that who I know want to join the ruling UPND party. Even those very senior opposition leaders you see heavily criticising President Hakainde Hichilema during the day are busy meeting with the UPND officials at night. In fact, as a politician, I can tell you now that any politician is looking forward to meeting President HH now,” Lusambo said.

Put a human face to the issue of the property belonging to the late second Republican President Dr. Frederick Chiluba which was forfeited to the state and give back to his children because he was acquitted of wrong doing, Citizen Democratic Party leader, Robert Mwanza has said.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) last December forfeited the property of Dr Chiluba to the state valued at over K40 million because the late President didn’t make any claims for the property when investigations were proceeding and at the time the seizure notice was issued.

Mr. Mwanza however said the ACC should avail adequate information on why they forfeited the property to the state because the statement that time elapsed in which Dr. Chiluba was supposed to claim his property was not reason enough for their action.

He said in an interview that it was unfair for the ACC to subject the children of Dr. Chiluba to suffering that he went through when his immunity was stripped and tried by the courts for corruption.

“I think it’s good as a nation that we put a human face to this issue. It’s unfair to pass the suffering of Dr. Chiluba with court cases to his children,” he said.

Mr. Mwanza said if there were legal lapses that led to Dr Chiluba failing to meet the time frame to claim his property, it should be corrected.

In 2002, the ACC instituted investigations into suspected corruption in the manner Tedworth Properties Incorporation Limited, a company incorporated in Panama, acquired properties in Zambia.

The property acquired by Tedworth Properties are Plot No. 4828, Alberg Court, located along Addis Ababa Drive, Longacres, Lusaka which also comprises 21 residential flats.

Others are Plot No. F/488a/26/C, Horizon House, located along Leopards Hill Road, in Kabulonga, Plot No. F/488a/26/D, Chibote House, located along Leopards Hill Road, in Kabulonga in Lusaka.

“On 30th September 2010, the High Court ruled in favour of Tedworth Properties Incorporated but the Commission appealed the judgment of the High Court but the Supreme Court overturned the judgement.

On December 29, 2016 the Supreme Court awarded with costs to the State. – Daily Nation

PRESS STATEMENT BY THE CHIEF GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON DECISIONS MADE BY CABINET AT THE 12TH CABINET MEETING IN THE YEAR 2022, HELD ON MONDAY, 13TH JUNE, 2022

His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia Mr. Hakainde Hichilema called for the 12th Cabinet Meeting in the Year 2022, held on Monday, 12th June, to discuss policy and legislative issues aimed at facilitating the general development of the country. The following are the issues discussed:

1. Private Security Companies Regulation Bill, 2022.

Cabinet approved in principle, the introduction of a Bill in Parliament for the regulation of private security companies in Zambia in order to monitor the companies’ activities and enhance accountability.

The private security sector in Zambia has grown with companies offering a variety of services with different structures and mandates. Currently, they are registered by the Patents and Companies Registration Agency (PACRA) as provided for in the Companies Act Cap 388 of the Laws of Zambia.

Cabinet, has, therefore, realised the need to introduce legislation to regulate the activities of the private security companies in the country.

2. The Forests (Amendment) Bill, 2022.

Cabinet also approved in principle, the introduction of a Bill in Parliament to amend the Forests Act No. 4 of 2015, in order to provide for stiffer penalties, strengthen enforcement mechanisms and establish procedures for the gazeting, excision and bring the law in line with new and emerging issues such as Forest Carbon Stock Management.

Cabinet is of the view that the current Forests Act of 2015 is weak regarding penalties against offenders. This scenario, therefore, has continued to pose enforcement challenges and perpetuates illegal activities in the forests with an observed increase in repeat offenders.

It is also time for Government to protect its forest natural resources especially for selected high value endangered tree species such as Mukula, Rosewood, Teak and Mukwa so that the citizens benefit from such, through value addition going forward.

3. The Non-Governmental Organization (Repeal and Replacement) Bill, 2022.

The third legislative issue Cabinet approved in principle is the introduction of the Bill in Parliament to repeal and replace the Non-Governmental Organisations Act No 16 of 2009 in order to strengthen the current legal framework by providing for the registration, coordination and regulation of the Non-Governmental Organizations in line with the National Non-Governmental Organizations Policy that was approved by Cabinet on 9th April, 2018.

Cabinet noted that Non-Governmental Organisations play a pivotal role in contributing to national development by complementing Government’s efforts in service delivery and also through advocacy, capacity building activities and checks and balances to Government. Therefore, the need for the creation of a conducive environment for active participation of NGOs in national development through putting in place appropriate legislation is the best way for both Government and the Non-Governmental Organisations.

4. Appointments to the Zambia Law Development Commission.

During the same Meeting Cabinet approved the appointment of a thirteen (13) member team of the Zambia Law Development Commission in accordance with the Zambia Law Development Commission Act Chapter 32 of the Laws of Zambia as amended by Act No. 4 of 2019 and Act No. 17 of 2021.

Currently, there are no members of the Commission in place since the tenure of the previous office holders expired in June, 2021. The appointment of the members will ensure effective discharge of the mandate of the Zambia Law Development Commission.

5. Implementation of the Cash Plus Approach.

In winding up deliberations for the day, Cabinet approved the implementation of the Cash Plus Approach in order to enhance the efficacy of social protection programmes and offer the ultra-poor and vulnerable in the country, an opportunity to be lifted out of poverty.

Cash Plus is an approach to Social Protection that provides regular cash transfers with other social assistance programmes, social insurance, social security and livelihoods and empowerment interventions.

Cabinet has indicated that Cash provision alone to the targeted beneficiaries country-wide only provides a safety net to prevent absolute destitution, however, with the implementation of the Cash Plus, this will increase income and diversity in production for poor and vulnerable households which will enhance their graduation from abject poverty.

Hon. Chushi Kasanda, MP
MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND MEDIA AND CHIEF GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON

14th June, 2022

HERE IS A CHALLENGE TO THOSE SAYING HH AND THE UPND HAVE DONE NOTHING

We have noted some sentiments from the opposition PF leaders and their surrogates alleging that President Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND government have done nothing so far.

With the freedom of movement and free speech and environment President Hakainde Hichilema has brought in so far, here is the challenge.

1. Go out to the poor rural communities and tell those orphans, and other vulnerable children to stop going to schools under the free education policy because, according to the opposition, this policy has failed. Go and tell the kids to go back into the streets.

2. Go and tell the poor university students who are recipients of increased bursary allocation to stop their education because government has failed.

3. Go and tell the poor communities who are recipients of increased allocation towards Social Cash Transfer to stop getting the money because government has failed.

4. Go and tell the bus drivers, marketeers and other people operating in public places that PF thugs should go back in these places and start what they were doing such as hacking citizens, because the UPND government has failed.

5. Go and tell the citizens in all Constituencies that the increased CDF should be brought back to Lusaka instead of the communities because government has failed.

6. Go and convince media houses that they were better off operating under the previous PF regime where they were being closed and harassed, but now the UPND government is worse off than PF.

8. Go and tell the farmers that they were better off under the previous PF regime getting three pockets of fertiliser than now when allocation has increased.

9. Go and tell any economist that the runaway inflation, unstable exchange rates and other economic variables were better off under the previous regime than now.

10. Go and tell citizens that the Zambia Police service and other law enforcement agencies were more professional under the PF regime, detaining citizens for days, weeks, months, in police custody without police bonds.

Go and tell the people these messages then come back and tell us how citizens would react to you.

Percy Chanda
UPND Chairperson for Mines

By Isaac Mwanza

A lot has been said about appointments by Republican President Hakainde Hichilema and his administration. The latest being bold sentiments by Dr. Fred M’membe, certainly, one of my favourite politicians of our time, are beginning to silently being believed by average Zambians. But here is my take:

If President Hichilema replaced some head of an institution who hailed from Eastern Province with another one who hails from either Southern or Western Province, how is the firing negatively affecting the entire people of Eastern Province or how is the new appointment benefiting the people of Southern Province as a whole?

Was the replaced person with an Eastern surname sharing his emoluments or benefits or whatsoever with my fellow kinsmen in Eastern Province or will the new person with a Southern or Western surname now be sharing his proceeds with people from the Province he hails from?

Of course, we all must be resolved to never endorse regional or tribal appointments but we equally not pity the entire province against the one person who has been removed nor create a narrative that the newly appointed guy from the other province will now become a blessing to one entire Province. If that was the case, Luapula, Northern, Central and Eastern Provinces would have been the most developed provinces in Zambia?

I don’t see how, having a President who is Bemba or Easterner benefited the entire Bemba speaking province(s) or Eastern as a whole. If anything, Southern Province is one of the most developed provinces in Zambia aside of Lusaka and Copperbelt despite it not having had a President for over half a century after Independence.

All past Presidents in Zambia, including the saintly, Levy Mwanawasa had appointed his kinsmen (including sons, brothers and sisters) or had his lieutenants appointment them to positions of responsibility.

Hakainde Hichilema is not a god to do what others had not humanly done before him. The plain truth is this: things have remained the same as they were before, for our people in our provinces and for those in other provinces.

Many of our ordinary people had no easy ticket to enjoy privileged appointments. Individuals were appointed them and individuals are being appointed now. We must end the false narrative that individuals who were appointed by previous regimes were done on regional basis than they are being done now.

Everyone must know by now that President Hichilema has pressure to reward those who worked him – even those who come from his village and remained loyal to him. President Hichilema is not doing anything different from what all other President did before him. Hakainde Hichilema is into politics and not church.

At least, I have never worked in any government at a time when i was close to President Rupiah Banda or Edgar Lungu. I had a chance to ask for such a favour to join governments and am sure they would have created a position as the current regime has done to many political appointees in government. But Presidents have a country to run and they must choose whom they want to work with to make a difference.

However, the buck stops on President Hichilema personally and his administration to listen and not loosely discard views that may soon take root in the nation about his appointments. He must assess whether they are a break from what past regimes had done. If he thinks the pattern is okay or wrong, well he is the Republican President.

CURRENT LOW INFLATION IS AS A RESULT OF LOW SPENDING AS THERE IS NO MONEY IN CIRCULATION

FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ZAMBIAN ECONOMY, READ QUESTION AND ANSWER BELOW

Malcolm Jhala asked the following question:

I’m trying to wrap my head around this contractionary fiscal policy we have embarked on as a country.

With cuts in government spending, slow down in government debt contraction, relatively high interest and tax rates; the visible consequences are the diminishing of purchasing power of households, lower inflation, stable kwacha, and a slowing economy.

How long is Goverment going to sustain such fiscal policy before we go bust?

Is the IMF deal and subsequent debt restructuring going to the the trigger for Government to move into an expansionary fiscal policy?

Something has to give!!!

Those with BA Econ from YUNZA, help us out here…how long to we have to hang on?

Temwani Nyondo answered below:

OMO – open money operations are ideally a short term measure. We have what is called a supply induced inflation problem at the moment I.e production factors are becoming more costly and this is eventually being passed on to the end user (consumer) via higher prices of goods.

One production factor- labour – however is not often addressed well enough, that’s to say, our salaries don’t get increased in line with other production factors (God knows why). Because our salaries aren’t increased, the cost of living becomes unsustainable ultimately and government/central bank has to react one way or another.

By increasing interest rates, the central bank takes liquidity out of the market and reduces the rate at which prices of goods and services rise, because there’s generally less spending happening. This is a short term effect that gives consumers a breather. You’re absolutely correct to say it would contradict governments plan to grow the economy, however economic growth and contraction are slower to react to OMO (open market operations) movements than things like inflation are.

The government, in the time lag (or in the interim) can pursue other measures to encourage economic expansion programs, I.e policies to boost investor confidence and lower the exchange rate ( mining indaba, IMF negotiations, public private corporation, tax incentives for targeted sectors).

These measures described above are part of the supply side policies that address the need for GDP growth in the long run. The MPR (monetary policy rate or interest rate from BOZ) will continue to be a reactionary measure to cross hurdles as the government pursues its ulterior motives or (growth plans).

PF COMPROMISED THE CIVIL SERVICE BY EMPLOYING THEIR CADRES

The Scoop Editorial: June 13, 2022

ZAMBIA today has a fragile, unpatriotic civil service all because of the Patriotic Front (PF) way of doing things. Since independence, at no time in our history did we have a civil service so driven by cadres as seen under the PF misrule.

Tiptoe into the past before PF came on the scene, you will see what it meant to have a professional, unadulterated, and uncompromising civil service. Government and quasi-Government institutions were run by professionals. In the past, there was integrity in the civil service. But it was after PF came into power that we saw a total disaster. The civil service simply degenerated into an animal farm led by a cluster of cadres most of which were not even suited for the positions they held.

So, when we see seemingly intelligent individuals crying foul over the non-renewal of contracts or dismissal of these same elements that held these senior positions on partisan lines, we realise how unread most Zambians are, including some misguided charlatans in the opposition who have no clue where the current problem is stemming from.

Here are facts which some people have ignored and we challenge those who are crying the loudest and accusing the appointing authority of being vindictive, to explain to the people of Zambia what they would have done if they were in power:

The PF appointed everyone on party lines. You could be educated from any university under the sun but under the PF regime, you would never be given any senior position anywhere as long as you are not a bonafide PF member. For you to pass the first litmus test and get a job under the PF, you needed to be a bonafide PF member first regardless of how qualified you were for any position.

For those of you who are making noise blindly in the name of opposition over this matter, have you read the PF constitution in totality? Have you understood it clearly? Have you taken time to analyse the correlation between their constitutional provision on this matter and how appointments to senior positions were done?

Let us break it down for you; Article 3 of the PF constitution under the heading “Public Institutions” clearly states that the party shall ensure that all the public institutions, state-owned enterprises, and popular mass, and similar organizations are led by persons who are members of the party and who are uncompromisingly committed to achievements of the party.

This means that for you to be Zesco Managing Director, first, you must be a PF stooge before they even look at your qualifications; for you to be Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) Commissioner General; you needed to trace your footprints from the PF; If you were to be appointed to any board, at least you or your grandfather should have been PF or else, your qualifications would continue yawning in the baking sun or be used to wrap vitumbuwa at the nearest market.

This is the reason when Michael Sata became president in 2011, he fired nearly everyone in senior or strategic positions serve for those who were staunch PF members. Why? Because the party constitution provides that appointments are a preserve for party cadres.

The dismissal broom swept across the civil service in such a barbaric manner never see before and the same chaps who are ranting about the non-renewal of some people’s contracts in Government today, never said anything then, just because it served them right.

This is the reason we saw District Commissioners (DCs), District Education Board Secretaries (DEBS) Permanent Secretaries (PSs), Directors, board members, etc all over campaigning for the PF during elections because they were PF cadres and stooges and they had to do it for the sake of the party or else they risked being booted out.

This is why PF cadres had no respect for civil servants and would pounce on anyone they felt was not benefiting the party in any way. They could make orders to directors and their instructions would be carried out religiously without question. This is why theft and corruption under the PF especially in their last five years in power became rampant because it was a prescription by the party which was executed by their foot soldiers in Government.

This is why up to now, the PF are still bragging that they are still running Government because they know that the people they left to run the civil service were all cadres and still pledge their allegiance to the party.

For this country to return to days when we had a professional civil service, there is need to get rid of all PF cadres, some of which are not even qualified for the jobs they hold so that qualified and uncompromised people can take over. The civil service is about service delivery and the line between service delivery and economic sabotage is very thin such that if you are not careful, the very people entrusted with public responsibility can mess you up.

We have no problem with the opposition providing checks and balances to those in power but the pettiness with which some of these so-called opposition politicians debate issues is so off the tangent that it is difficult to make sense out of most the things they make noise over.

Given an opportunity to lead this country, these same complainants would probably do it even worse than the way Government is doing it in trying to restore sanity to the civil service. After all, who would entrust responsibility in a well-known cadre supporting the opposition?

Yes, let the rightful people, fit to drive the New Dawn Government’s agenda, be appointed to these positions because Zambians who gave the UPND the chance to lead this country are yearning for development and this agenda cannot be driven by those who were appointed on political patronage by the former ruling party

DefenceWeb, a respected military and defence publication has stated that recently created United States’ Office of Security Cooperation in Zambia is not to be confused with a US military base.

Recently, leader of the opposition in Parliament Brian Mundubile, asked Vice President Mutale Nalumango, a question during the Vice President’s Question Time in Parliament, about the relevance of American security and Zambia.

He asked: “There have been no consultations between Zambia and SADC member states on Africom [Africa Command] and other members have rejected it. To allow it to be set up in here casts Zambia in a bad light. Shouldn’t Zambia rethink this decision?”

The Vice President in May said in Parliament that, “The office being created is an office of security cooperation that will be located at the USA Embassy. This office will work with the Zambia security services. Zambia has no intention of hosting any military base on Zambian soil.”

The MP is not the first to publicly question Zambia-US security ties.

Indeed, African adversarial critics, Southern African media reports, and African analysts have raised alarm bells following the US Africa Command public affairs office publishing confirmation of the April 25th opening of an Office of Security Cooperation at the US Embassy in Zambia.

An Office of Security Cooperation is not a US military base.

The Office of Security Cooperation plans and manages US security assistance programmes, facilitates the transfer of requested defence materials, training, and services to partner nations, and promotes military-to-military engagements, defenceWeb has learned.

Security assistance is a core US foreign policy activity jointly developed, funded, and implemented by US Department of State and the US Department of Defence.

In Zambia, the United States provides pre-deployment training assistance for Zambia’s deployment to the UN peacekeeping operation in the Central African Republic as well as institutional capacity staff development and facilities enhancements for Zambia’s peacekeeping training centre at Nanking.

It is understood, from a State Department spokesperson with direct knowledge of the command’s programme, that the US also provides international military education and training (IMET) to professionalize Zambia’s military forces.

The Department of Defence HIV/AIDS (DHAPP) programme provides $12 million annually to support Zambian security forces with technical assistance and mentoring to prevent, manage, and treat HIV and AIDS.

In Africa, many US Embassies have either an Office of Security Cooperation or Defence Attaché Office which oversee security assistance programmes, defenceWeb has learned.

The recently created office in Lusaka is not unique.

The United States says it works with partner countries to counter transnational threats and malign actors, strengthen security forces, and respond to crises to promote regional security, stability, and prosperity.

The US-Zambia security partnership will help advance stability in the southern Africa region, a State Department spokesperson said.

US Africa Command is keen to emphasise its partnership strategy and help states like Zambia to strengthen security forces and respond to crises to promote regional security, stability, and prosperity.

US Africa Command emphasizes that it focuses, “on the development of professional militaries which are disciplined, capable, and responsible to civilian authorities and committed to the well-being of their citizens and protecting human rights.”

Britney Spears’ ex-husband, Jason Alexander, has pleaded not guilty to four charges after he was accused of trying to gatecrash the pop idol’s wedding last week while armed with a knife.

During his arraignment at a court in Ventura, California, on Monday, June 13, Alexander, 40, denied one count of felony stalking, one of battery, one of vandalism, and one of trespassing and refusing to leave Spears’ $7.4 million Thousand Oaks estate where she married longtime fiance Sam Asghari that day.

Britney Spears

At the 15-minute hearing, Ventura County Superior Court Judge Catherine Voelker set bail at $100,000 and ordered Alexander to appear again on Wednesday for ‘pre-trial risk assessment.’

The judge told Alexander – who appeared in court via video hookup from the local jail – that if he managed to raised the $100,000 bail, because of the felony stalking charge, he would not be allowed ‘to contact, annoy, harass,’ Britney and her new husband, and not to come within 100 yards of them for three years.

Spears married Alexander, her childhood friend, in Las Vegas in January 2004. The marriage was annulled 55 hours later with Spears’ lawyers claiming the singer ‘lacked understanding of her action.’

Spears was previously married from 2004 to 2007 to Kevin Federline, with whom she shares two sons, ages 14 and 15.

She met Asghari in 2016 on the set of the video for her song “Slumber Party.”

Judge Voelker also told him that if he made bail, he would not be allowed to buy or possess any firearms or other dangerous weapons and any he already has would have to be turned in.

Asked by Alexander if he agreed to those bail terms, he said ‘yes.’

Alexander also has an outstanding 2016 arrest warrant in Napa County, Northern California for stealing a $2,000 sapphire and diamond tennis bracelet from a woman who was renting him a room, and later pawning it for $180.

The warrant charges include grand theft and buying or receiving stolen property.

INFLATION RATE IS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF AN ARTIFICIAL ECONOMY

….and that is why the cost of living is still escalating – Dr Fred M’membe

LUSAKA, Monday, June 13, 2022 (Smart Eagles)

Let’s not be excited that inflation rate is going down, leader of the opposition Socialist Party Zambia Dr Fred M’membe has warned Zambians.

Dr M’membe has explained the reason inflation rate is seemingly going down while the cost of living is escalating. He said the performance of the inflation rate is based on what he termed as the artificial economy and not the real one.

The opposition leader disclosed this when he featured on Diamond TV Zambia’s “COSTA” yesterday.

“Any student of political economy, not just mere economy will tell you that we have two economies. There is the real economy, that is based on the goods being produced. There is what we call, for lack of a better term, an artificial economy that just deals with the exchanging economies and you make money,” he said.

“Today you can incorporate a company saying there is uranium found in Chongwe. And that company starts to sell shares because they believe that the grade of uranium is very high in Chongwe that you have found. You list that on the stock exchange, it will start to make money. It may take Ten years to actualize that project but shares are being exchanged. No production at all.”

The opposition leader explained that what is being seen with the figures of inflation is not coming from the production of goods or services being traded.

Dr M’membe said the figures are coming out of simply playing with monetary issues.

“Then later on in the Ninth or Eighth year, they realize that actually the grade of the uranium you are talking about in Chongwe is of low quality. So that project will not take place. You had all this economy that you created, all these business, people are making money from the artificial economy. What you are seeing with the figures of inflation is not coming from the production of goods or services being traded. It’s coming from simply playing around with monetary issues,” he said.

“Demand and supply, you reduce it. You suppress a bit of demand from the Kwacha, from the Dollar and so on. That pushes the exchange rate a bit lower. That also helps lower inflation and so on. Have you reduced the cost of living? No. are prices really coming down? Have prices really been coming down the way the rate of the inflation rate is coming down? Or prices have been going up? On the real economy, prices have been going up.”

Kasebamashila Kaseba
HOW UPND IS DUNUNA REVERSING ON CONSTITUTION, CYBER ACT, ATI FASTER AND WORSE THAN PF

— 20 (2) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution a law shall not make any provision that derogates from freedom of the press. —

— Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. U.S Constitution First Amendment —

Firstly, change of government, as say in the first 100 days and the rest of the term, is not change of persons, from EL to HH or personnel in the civil service but change of laws in Zambia change of the Constitution.

Zambia of UPND, MMD, PF and UPND inherited colonial or predecessors’ bad laws they maintained or worsened enjoyed than repealed.

For example, the Public Order Act or UNIP re-declaration and maintenance of State of Emergency.

Unfortunately, UPND like PF at its end has no law reform agenda at its beginnings.

UPND has not prioritised the draft Bill of Rights with stand-alone press freedom, stand-alone ATI article.

Instead, UPND has prioritised UPND media self regulation (self censorship) contrary to Article 20 (2) above.

In other words, the works of self regulation is against the Constitution as it stands in agreement with the US Constitution first amendment.

Otherwise, the best example of self regulation or self censorship is self-regulating and IBA-indepenfent ZNBC of PF doing damage especially to UPND denied the right of reply (now in the draft Bill of Rights) through “was not available by broadcast time” or “the phone went unanswered”.

Further, UPND government is pushing the agenda of UPND media self regulation when it is UPND itself and not media regulation and is using non media-trained Minister among others as part of and leading self regulation.

UPND is also working with some media NGOs that themselves rejected the PF NGO regulation or NGO self regulation.

That is how PF also enforced MMD’s SI 65 of 2011 through ZICTA enforced SIM Card regulation targeted at PF radio phone callers than protect citizens and their more expensive phones or gadgets.

UPND has changed its position on SIM card registration or regulation as well as Cyber Act.

Just as UPND is working contrary to its own Zambia Law Development Commission report (MMD and PF bequeathed) submission of the repeal of defamation of the President section 69.

Where the Constitution has clearly guaranteed of no derogations or crawbacks, UPND reneged to instead guarantee press freedom with the words of mouth of HH.

Where the PF sponsored draft bill of rights (UPND blocked in the 2016 referendum) even expressly provides for ATI, UPND wants its own UPND media self regulation.

Where the PF of EL in its early days lost a High Court judgement without appealing it when the judge expunged the Penal Section 67 on False news, UPND and HH seem to reinstate it especially and ironically at his two press conferences right under the media lights.

For where would a press be a press without freedom or access to information or democracy without press or a press accountable to government than vice versa?

Other political parties, democracies, IMF are watching with interest
the shrinkage of media space and UPND expanded press coverage or enjoyment of press freedom and expression or UPND derogation of press freedom by UPND media self regulation.

In the end, the ‘progress’ PF made in Constitutional and media law reforms, UPND media self-regulation has made regress or dununa reversed or donchi kubeba-ed to self-censorship worse and faster than PF and EL or MCS.

Kellys Kaunda

POLITICIANS AND MISTAKES

Because they are human, political leaders are bound to make mistakes. Because they are not necessarily experts in their assigned roles, they are bound to make mistakes. Because they are politicians, they would want to come out knowledgeable and give a sense of confidence to their supporters. Because the democratic space was only reopened in 1991, the majority of people ascending to positions of power are no different from interns assigned sensitive roles.

So, President Hakainde, Vice President Nalumango, Cabinet Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, District Commissioners and Ambassadors will, from time to time, make mistakes in various ways that include the diagnosis of policy problems, and perpetuation of common errors that the public may have always believed as the truth, among others.

True to their identity as Zambian politicians, they will not walk back their statements and apologize. But not to worry, the world will not come to an end on account of that. Thanks to social media and other sources of news and information, you could learn something that politicians cannot teach you.

For instance, to assume that private-sector performance metrics can work in the public sector without significant modifications as advocated by government is a fatal mistake in public policy. Any well-schooled and educated policy advisor will tell that. To think that a piece of land occupied by an embassy becomes the sending country’s territory is incorrect. No diplomatic school of repute will ever teach that. If you are an international relations student, DO NOT EVER WRITE OR SAY THAT!

The ongoing shortages of drugs in hospitals is yet another example of how elusive service delivery is, a well-known and often studied phenomenon in implementation literature. Politicians keep pushing the envelope creating the impression that they have matters under control and everybody else, especially critics are ignorant.

Other than the cabinet that FJT created after the 1991 elections, most cabinets we have had since then have had new entrants to governance and assigned to portfolios where they have had no experience. To add salt to injury, the only qualification you need to enter politics is just a basic general certificate of education which, by its very definition, does not give you any professional skills. Consequently, we have many policy makers, who are supposed to provide strategic direction, that are in essence pretenders to the throne because they bring nothing of substance to their assigned roles.

And the only reason they survive is on account of political supporters who cannot care less about professionalism, expertise, efficiency and yet, as victims of poor service delivery arising from poor leadership, they are the first to suffer and cry for help.

The Lagos State Police Commissioner’s Special Squad has detained five policemen attached to singer, Damini Ogulu, aka Burna Boy, for attempted murder after they shot two men identified as Irebami Lawrence and one Tolu at Club Cubana on Victoria Island, Lagos, on Wednesday, June 8.

Punch reports that a preliminary report by the Bar Beach Police Division states that trouble started when the singer and five police escorts visited the nightclub around 4am on June 8. About four policemen waited outside while one of the policemen, identified as Inspector Ibrahim, who was in mufti, accompanied the Grammy-Award-winning artiste into the club.

The publication stated that according to multiple witness statements, the singer was in the VIP section with three women when he spotted another woman. He was reported to have told Ibrahim to invite the woman to join him. Unknown to him, the lady was with her husband who got angry and accused the singer of making advances on his wife when he was with her.

After some minutes, Burna Boy allegedly made fresh advances at the woman. This infuriated her husband further and his friends who had gathered at the club.

“As things were getting heated, Ibrahim brought out his service pistol and shot multiple times while Burna Boy was laughing,” said a senior policeman

In the process, 27-year-old Lawrence was shot in the thigh while his friend, Tolu, was hit in the head by a bullet. This caused a commotion in the club.

It was learnt that Burna Boy and his crew then drove off to one of his properties at the Elegushi end of the Lekki-Epe Expressway before leaving for Lekki Phase 1.

“Aware of what he had done, Burna Boy took the next flight out without even informing the policemen. He only made a video call to them to inform them that he had traveled to Spain. All his police escorts have been arrested and are currently at the Command headquarters,” said a top source at the office of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police.

A friend of one of the victims said they came into Nigeria from the UK and US for a wedding, before the unfortunate incident happened.

”My Guys came to 9ja from England & Usa Respectively 4 a wedding.I invited dem out to club cubana a petty altercation with Burna Boy’s people arose (Cos of woman).The next thing Bullets started flying , one got scraped in the head by a bullet and the other one got shot in the leg.

When we rushed him to the Naval Medic Center they said they had no blood and he needed 3 pints of O+ blood , they said none of us can donate because we had been drinking from the club and then my friend started to shake on the hospital bed like he was losing his life

Good samaritan soldiers then offered to give a pint of blood each which was then used to stabilize him. The doctor said the iphone in his pocket which the bullet went through slowed down the bullet making it less fatal , the iphone saved his life”

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BurnaBoy is yet to make any statement regarding the allegation.

Confirming the incident, the spokesman for the Lagos State Police command, Benjamin Hundeyin, said the focus of the investigation was the policemen. Hundeyin said that the police had not received any complaint from any victim.

Burna Boy?s police escorts detained for allegedly shooting two men at the a club after one of them confronted the singer for Burna Boy?s police escorts detained for allegedly shooting two men at the a club after one of them confronted the singer for Burna Boy?s police escorts detained for allegedly shooting two men at the a club after one of them confronted the singer for Burna Boy?s police escorts detained for allegedly shooting two men at the a club after one of them confronted the singer for

Floyd Mayweather couldn’t hold back his tears as he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall Of Fame on Saturday night, June 11.

The retired American boxer was emotional as he collected the accolade, which is recognized as one of the most prestigious honours a boxer can receive. He had to be comforted by Laila Ali, the daughter of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, who was also a top fighter in her own right.

“I don’t really know what to say,” Floyd said as he started his acceptance speech. “I told myself I wouldn’t cry, but this is something beautiful. This is one of the best days of my life.”

“To all these champions up here,” he said, turning to other inductees around him. “All these champions to me … they molded me to be who I am today.

“The champions from the past, I could name so many fighters, the list goes on and on. I’m so proud of these fighters. I’m not even here to talk about me, because without them, there would be no me.

“I’m happy that Juan Manuel Marquez, Shane Mosley are in the Hall of Fame. All of these legends. Bernard Hopkins and James Toney. The list goes on. Andre Ward, Laila Ali. I’m so proud of you guys.

“This isn’t just about Floyd Mayweather,” he said.

Mayweather praised his family members, including Floyd Mayweather Sr. who helped train him, and Josie Harris — the mother of two of his children, who died two years ago.

“I love my dad because if it weren’t for him, this wouldn’t be possible,” he said.

“And I said to myself, I told myself over and over, ‘When I get up here, I’m not going to cry. I’ll give a great speech, and say how proud I am of my mother, my father, my family.’

“You guys always see my dad — the best trainer. They’ll never be another trainer like my dad.

“They call [boxing] the ‘Sweet Science,’ so what my dad said, ‘You know what, son? The less punches you take, the longer you’ll be able to last in the sport of boxing.’

“I said, ‘I’ll take less punches, retire on my own terms, and make smart investments so I can live a comfortable life long after retirement’.”

Mayweather continued: “Boxing is blood, sweat, and tears. Shit, I cry on a great day like this? These are tears of joy.

“My body of work is amazing. To fight guys like Shane, Manny Pacquiao, these guys are amazing, unbelievable, great champions — I love all these guys.”

The fighter then commented on what motivated him in sport. “When they say I can’t do something, that make me work that much harder. I push myself and push myself and push myself to be the best.”

The former five-weight world champion retired from pro boxing in 2017 after beating the UFC star Conor McGregor in the 10th round of a landmark, crossover bout.

Mayweather is regarded as one of the most successful boxers in history after he retired with an unbeaten record (50-0), which saw him hold titles from super featherweight to light-middleweight across his career.

UPND SECRETARY GENERAL’S RESPONSE TO WYNTER KABIMBA AND LUCKY MULUSA

PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

12th June 2022

*GIVE HH TIME TO RUN THE COUNTRY…KABIMBA , MULUSA A FAILED POLITICAL PROJECT* .

We note with concern a malicious submission by Economic Front(EF) leader Wynter Kabimba and his counterpart Mr. Lucky Mulusa, in which they are urging Zambians not to allow the UPND to go beyond 2026.

Firstly, Wynter Kabimba is PF and PF is Wynter Kabimba. This is why he went to bed with PF even after they expelled him from the PF.

Kabimba’s assertion that UPND should not go beyond 2026 is not only a day dream but a sign of bitterness which sent his alliance Partner PF out of leadership.

Kabimba knows that it cannot take less than a year to fix the nation which the PF and Kabimba destroyed in 10 years. However, good fruits are there for all to see that there is order and fiscal discipline in the country now.

Where there is order and fiscal discipline, an economy thrives.

Zambians have not forgotten how Kabimba went into an alliance as an individual with PF to stop President HH from standing using Bill 10.

Further, Kabimba has never succeeded politically; he was dumped by PF , later on by Fred M’membe due to his poor political reasoning.

We urge Zambians not to admit evil politicians who celebrated bloodshed ,corruption and gassing under the PF leadership through their support of the PF ideology.

Kabimba is part of the group which pushed an agenda to divide the nation on tribal lines. They clearly had no agenda for this country.

Allowing Kabimba and the PF back to rule is like re-admititng satan back in heaven.

As for Mr. Lucky Mulusa; this is a man who has no political direction, and has nothing completely to offer to the people of Zambia. President Edgar Lungu gave him chance to work as Minister of National Development Planning , and was soon fired for gross misconduct. There is literally nothing to write home about him.

The UPND has clear policies whose fruits have started manifesting through drastic reduction in inflation, free education , clear roadmap on debt restructuring, creation of a favourable environment for business, and commencement of social cash transfer targeting over 1 million people.

For reminder’s sake, let me take this time to mention a few things that our capable government has done so far;

1. Health workers recruitment is going on (11, 200).

2. Teacher recruitment is ongoing (30, 000.While PF only made replacement of 1200 teachers, meaning they did nothing, UPND is taking up 30,000 teachers. Kabimba and the PF must be ashamed of themselves.

3. K805 Million CDF fund released.This is a milestone. As soon as all the technicalities are resolved , citizens will be smiling.

4. Retirees have been paid off their monies.

5.Paying off all the 15,000 TAZARA workers which the PF government failed to do in 10 years time.

6.Paying off all the 128,000 pensioners which the PF government failed to do in 10 years time.

7.Paying off all the 34,000 council workers who were not receiving salary every month which the PF government failed to do in 10 years time.

8. Paying off all the 258,000 farmers who supplied maize to F.R.A under the PF.

9. Releasing the money for equalization fund for 2021 for all the 116 councils countrywide which the PF government failed to do.

10. Releasing of the 2021 CDF for all the 156 constituencies which the PF government failed to do in 7 years under President.

11. Freedom of expression is there for anyone to see.

12. Freedom of movement is there for anyone to see.The freedom of assembly is also being enjoyed by PF today.

13. No public order act to victimize anyone .

14. Media freedom is there for anyone to see . The opposition can freely go on any media and criticize government.

15. Separation of powers is given to the three organs of government .This is evidenced by the judgements , some of which are against the state.

16. No cadrism in the markets and bus stations. The President has made it clear that whoever breaks the law is on their own.

17. No police brutality . The rule of law has been restored. Bullets are no longer used against political opponents as was the case under the PF rule.

18.Cabinet has been reduced.

19.Presidential entourage has been reduced by more that 90%.

20. Recovery of stolen national asserts and monies are underway. So far we have seen considerable matters being brought before the court.

21. Unification of the country is 100% implemented. We now have a cabinet which represents all the 10 provinces of Zambia , just as President Hichilema promised Zambians during the campaigns.

22.Negotiations over Zambia’s debt servicing default are things of the past. We have reached an advanced stage. But this is what the PF failed to do in 10 years.

23. Political party members can now put on their party regalias without fearing political attacks.

To sum it up ,running the country is a process, and soon fruits will begin to show.

Better days are coming and we shall party together soon.

Issued by:
Hon Batuke Imenda
SECRETARY GENERAL.

Fantastic conversation with the people of Chiwempala in Chingola constituency earlier today.

Just nine (9) months ago Chingola was a NO GO AREA for us and people’s freedoms such as association and assembly were simply cut off by the former regime but not anymore because freedom is here.

Abena Chingola, your loyalty to campaign, vote and protect the votes during the last election has already started paying off via free education, ending lawlessness, ending caderism and bringing about fresh air in which a mother at Nakadoli market, navutika market, Chipulukusu and all can freely trade without insomnia that a cadre will beat them or ransack their trading rights.

Like in opposition. We envision a united, prosperous and equitable Zambia and this is what we are working on right now.

We are here to work for all Zambians including those who wished us or indeed Zambia calamities.

We are one Zambia! One Nation and One People!

And no matter the challenges we are in and lie ahead, together we shall WIN and WIN BIG.

Long live Chingola! Long live Zambia.

May God bless you all.

Hakainde Hichilema
President of the Republic of Zambia.