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.
Access Bank Plc, Africa’s biggest bank by customer base, is set to acquire an 83.4% stake in Kenya’s Sidian Bank. The acquisition is valued at 36.7 million USD which is about 15 billion NGN and 4.3 billion KES. The shares currently belong to Centum Investment Plc., a Kenyan investment company, and its subsidiary Bakki Holdco Ltd.
According to TechCabal, this will be the Nigerian bank’s second bank acquisition in Kenya. The first was in February 2020 when the bank acquired nearly 100% of Kenyan Transactional Bank Plc for 12.8 million USD (1.56 billion KES/ 5.4 billion NGN). Since then, Transactional Bank became Access Bank Kenya.
Roosevelt Ogbonna, the CEO of Access Bank said this deal will aid the bank’s efforts to strengthen its presence in Kenya and amp up its diversification and geographic earnings growth strategies. Access Bank also plans to consolidate Sidian Bank with Access Bank Kenya to form a stronger banking institution and make the latter a Tier 2 bank in Kenya.
“Through this transaction and the subsequent merger with Access Bank Kenya, we will be well placed to promote regional trade finance and other cross-border banking services,” said Ogbonna.
According to a statement released by Access Bank on Wednesday, the deal is still pending some regulatory approvals in Nigeria and Kenya. Access Bank also said the purchase consideration includes the price to book 110% based on the audited March 2022 shareholders’ equity of Sidian Bank.
Since its establishment as K-rep Bank in 1999 and rebranding to its current name in 2016, Sidian Bank has especially focused on small and medium enterprises and trade finance. Between 2012 and March 2022, the bank grew its balance sheet from 162.2 million USD (19 billion KES) to 256.2 million USD (30 billion KES).
James Mworia, Centum Investment CEO believes the deal will bring in required monetary value which can then be used to invest in other strategic sectors across East Africa.
“This transaction stands as one of the largest private equity transactions in East Africa and reflects a strong commitment by Access Bank to the future of the Kenyan economy,” he said. “It advances Centum’s vision to be Africa’s foremost investment channel, and bolsters our track record of attracting foreign investors into Kenya and the region to invest in extraordinary enterprises.’
Herbert Wigwe, the former CEO of Access Bank and current group chief executive of Access Corporation also considered the larger East African market. “The acquisition of Sidian is a significant step-up in scale and potential for Access Bank in Kenya which represents the largest market and trade corridor in East Africa,” said Wigwe.
Access Bank has previously acquired numerous banks across Nigeria and Africa. It acquired Diamond Bank Plc in 2018, a process which was completed in 2019. In 2020, it acquired Zambia’s Cavmont Bank Ltd. through a merger deal that was completed in 2021. In 2021, it acquired South Africa’s Grobank and 78.15% of African Banking Corporation of Botswana Ltd.
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.
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.
Fred feared an HH presidency shatters his presidential dream and wanted to knock out UPND Presidential candidate Hakainde Hichilema in the 2021 elections in order to stand the best chance of defeating the PF in 2026, reeling from a huge split over the successor to Edgar Lungu both as party and eventually republican president.
Throughout the election cycle, Dr M’membe and the Mast newspaper which reflects the political thinking of his Socialist Party boasted that the Socialists would spring a huge surprise on Zambians on a scale only parrallled to the movement in France which swept Emmanuel Macro to power. They were joined by former UNZA lecturer, Dr Sishuwa Sishuwa who predicted a strong showing for the Socialists in Dr M’ M’embe’s maternal homeland ( Western Province) and in few constituencies in Lusaka, by implication , Kanyama and Kabwata ( Dr Sishuwa did not predict a M’membe presidential victory).
It was against this background that Dr M’membe anchored his 2026 election campaign. On billboards, in the print and electronic media, Dr M’embe’s unresonating message was : ” Don’t vote for a 5 times loser, don’t vote for a businessman, the poor should vote to rule themselves, so on and so forth. This was a big blunder because it underestimated the masses’ thirsty for change of government and their conviction that only HH had demonstrated capacity to uproot President Lungu and the PF, having come within the striking range of doing so in 2015 and 2016. M’embe also failed or pretended not to understand that most Zambians were convinced that HH’s victorues in 2015 and 2016 were stolen by the PF and hence their resolve to turn out in large numbers to vote to pre- empty any cheating.
Even the top structure of PF party shows it was designed to stamp out the UPND in Barotseland: M’membe himself, his first vice president Dr Cosmas Musumali and his second deputy vice President Dr Ngenda are all from Barotseland. This is a similar strategy then then Opposition UNIP President used to counteract Humphey Mulemba’s National Party in Barotseland in the period 1994- 1998. Since Mulemba’s vice president and National Chairman, Daniel Lisulo and Arthur Wina were Lozi, Kaunda also appointed Senior Chief Inyambo Yeta and General Malimba Masheke as UNIP vice- President and National Chairman, respectively. The rest is history, despite huge resources mobilised from socialist and communist countries and parties, M’membe lost.
Below: Fred Mmembe wails at First President Dr Kenneth Kaunda’s funeral.
Mr. Sean Tembo shared an article highlighting challenges and opportunities inherited by the New Dawn administration and what he would have done to take advantage of the opportunities. I appreciate this type of debate from our leaders. Whether his arguments are valid or not, we would be better as a country if we spend more time discussing alternative solutions than wasting time on tribal and divisive talk. However I have reservations with most of his arguments on the basis that some of them contradict his earlier pronouncements while others are simply a misrepresentation of facts.
1. SPECIAL DRAWING RIGHTS
MR. TEMBO: Mr. Tembo argued that the New Dawn Government benefited from a Special Drawing Rights (SDR) allocation from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and should have taken advantage of this.
MY RESPONSE: The New Dawn Government does acknowledge the USD1.3 billion special drawing rights, and part of it is being used to finance the 2022 budget as indicated by Dr. Musokotwane in paragraph 143 of his budget speech: “In 2022, we shall only manage to finance other activities because of grants or
gifts we shall receive and borrowing. In particular, I wish to thank the Management and Board of the IMF who granted Zambia a
condition-free Special Drawing Rights gift equivalent to US $1.33 billion in August
2021. Part of the Special Drawing Rights will be used to support the 2022 Budget.”
2. INCREASE TAX RATES
MR. TEMBO: The last known study in the mining sector established that Zambian open pit mines were able to make a net profit when copper prices were above USD2,500 per metric tonne, and underground mines when the price was above USD2,950 per metric tonne. A Sean Tembo administration would have fully taxed the mines. We could easily raise as much as USD4 billion more per annum in tax revenue from the mines. This money can fund our national budget without the need for an IMF loan.
MY RESPONSE: While I want us to maximise benefits from our natural resources, I also acknowledge the politics that surround mining tax regimes in copper producing countries like Zambia, Chile, Peru and Congo DR. The overdependence on copper for revenue/forex makes these countries have less bargaining power. Any prolonged disputes would lead to a serious economic crisis. Norway has succeeded because its approach with investers is that they either take it or leave it and this is because government controls a large share of the oil and gas industry and it has a diversified resource base. In this context it is less vulnerable to being arm-twisted by foreign investers. This is not the case with these other countries I have listed and this is why the Zambian government under the PF regime had to make quick policy reversals on tax on copper concentrates. If it was as easy as Mr. Tembo puts it, PF would have financed all its development projects using tax from the mines as prices were way above the USD2500 and USD2950 profitability threshold he has listed. Depsite this opportunity, PF led government left USD12.9 billion external debt, K189.7 billion domestic debt and K46.9 billion domestic arrears. The copper prices weren’t as high as they are today but they were still way higher than the thresholds Mr. Tembo provided.
The other thing is that Mr. Tembo is not being consistent on the issue of tax rates. In his 2022 alternative budget, he argued that he planned to increase domestic revenue from the current K98.9 billion to K162 billion by reducing tax rates so as to increase compliance. He produced his alternative budget when copper prices where already high, close to USD10,000 per tonne. In his alternative budget, he only proposed a USD300 million increase in mineral royalty tax. He also proposed an increase of USD750 million in Company Income Tax (not just for the mines). Today he is arguing that in his 2022, budget he could have earned USD4 billion more than government is currently earning. He is clearly not being consistent. Copper prices have not doubled since the time his alternative budget was produced so he cannot even base his USD4 billion projection on current exchange rate.
3. GOODWILL TO ATTRACT FOREIGN INVESTERS
MR. TEMBO: Mr Tembo argues that the goodwill that existed at the time the New Dawn assumed office has diminished. He argues that President Hakainde Hichilema lost the goodwill when he gave that interview to CNN, a day after he was sworn into office, where he said that the previous administration had not provided accurate debt figures. He further argues that President Hakainde Hichilema unnecessarily alarmed the international business community, much to the detriment of our country.
MY RESPONSE: The New Dawn Government has been accused of focusing more on foreign investers and not not local solutions. When FQM committed to invest USD1.35 billion in expanding copper production and the nickel project, critics argued that we need to focus on local investers, I’m happy that Mr. Tembo has now acknowledged the importance of international business community to Zambia’s economic recovery. Has the goodwill been lost? I don’t agree with him, it is the exactly opposite and most critics are concerned with the increased goodwill.
4. USING SDR TO PAY DEBT
MR. TEMBO: Mr. Tembo argues that the the New Dawn administration shouod have used part of SDR to settle debt. He further argues that on 22nd September 2022, the country will be required to pay the $750 million Eurobond, as it will mature. The ideal situation would have been to refinance about half of this amount and pay off the other half.
MY RESPONSE: The problem with Mr. Tembo is that he is so inconsistent. In the same article he is presenting how he could have raised an additional USD4 billion per year from the mines, but he is now suggesting we use part of SDR to pay debt and also consider refinancing part of the Eurobond. Why should we do this when according to him we can have an additional USD4 billion from tax? My assessment of the debt situation is that the New Dawn has this far managed it well as follows:
(i) As part of our debt management and negotiation, in October 2021, government signed the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) with a number of lenders who included: members of the Paris Club, Kuwait Fund, Saudi Fund, DBSA and many others.
(ii) China and Western creditors have agreed to sit and discuss debt restructuring with China and France co-chairing.
(iii) The Minister of Finance has on several occasions explained that part of the budget financed through borrowing is meant for refinancing of the eurobond.
5. CONCLUSION
While I don’t agree with Mr. Tembo on a number of issues, I really find articles like the one he just shared beneficial as they stimulate constructive debate. I don’t agree with his exaggerated mining tax revenue targets, but I do admit we need increased dialogue on this topic. We know the incentives we have provided to the mining firms but what we need is to state the estimated revenue collection expected from these measures per year for the next 10 years. We further need clarity on how we hope to grow local participation in the sector in the short, medium and long term.
PRESIDENT HAKAINDE HICHILEMAS DIRECTIVE TO MPS AND COUNCILORS AN ASSALT ON DEMOCRACY. ——————————————————
President Hichilema, while speaking in Mufulira directed that he had given two months to all MPs and all councilors to ensure that there are no problems in accessing CDF.
I find this directive as a serious assault on democracy. And this is so because:
(1) the president did not elect any MP. Therefore he has no authority on any one of them. As such, it is impossible for him to issue directives to MPs.
(2) all MPs belong to the legislative arm of government where there is another head, not the president but the speaker. Accordingly, issuing directives in this manner amounts to assuming unavailable authority on the part of the president and also undermining the legislative arm of government.
(3) the only MPs who found their way to the National Assembly via presidential nominations do not have CDF.
(4) the president didn’t elect councilors either. These like MPs were elected by people. They are responsible to those who elected them, not to their fellow beneficiary of elections.
OTHER VIEWS ON THE MATTER. —————————————————-
Following the misconception of CDF as a vehicle for decentralization by the UPND government, directing MPs and councilors to solve problems in the CDF process means placing decentralization on the shoulders of these players. This is inconceivable as decentralization is a function of the executive arm of government.
CDF access is a product of policy creation, authorization, application, review and refinement. All these issues belong to the executive arm of government. At what point should an MP and a councilor come in?
Getting comfortable with directing everybody in all arms of government by one person is an attack on the doctrine of separation of powers.
Implications ——————-
What will the president will do to MPs and councilors if his instructions are not met in 60 days. As I can see, these instructions will not be met because this act is a new policy altogether which may require legal framework adjustments.
And as CDF new guidelines have demonstrated, it may take months to years before this new policy direction is accepted and instituted.
My recommendation. ———————————
Let all three heads of government arms, viz the judiciary, executive and legislature be left to direct business in their respective arms independently. This will ensure that no arm produces work inspired by another arm.
Happy Sunday.
Hon Mutotwe KAFWAYA, MP Restoring EVERYTHING PATRIOTIC.
SPORT, Youth and Arts minister Elvis Nkandu says it is good to hear PF national chairman Davies Chama confirming that party cadres in the former ruling party used to supply air to the government.
And government has demanded a refund from Mahogany Air chief executive officer Jim Belemu for the costs incurred when the company failed to deliver a chartered plane that was supposed to pick the national team from Ivory Coast last week. Last Thursday, Mahogany Airline failed to deliver a chartered plane despite being paid the full amount, which resulted in the government delegation and supporters failing to travel and subsequently delayed the national team’s return from Yamossoukro, Ivory Coast. Several stakeholders have commented on the matter, with Chama, a former defence minister in the previous regime, accusing Dr Belemu of being a UPND cadre who has supplied air to the government.
Chama further called on President Hkainde Hichilema to take action on Mahogany Airline. “They have been saying PF allowed people who supplied air; this is what this government has been complaining about to the Zambian people. They accused suppliers under our government of supplying air. And now their own cadre Belemu has supplied air at a time when we have no resources in the economy,” said Chama. “I am challenging President Hakainde Hichilema to tell the nation what he will do to his permanent secretaries at Cabinet Office who processed and approved this payment. How do you spend $275,000 to just go and watch football for 90 minutes and you come back? The President should tell the nation what he will do about this scandal where his own government pays money to someone who does not deliver. Are they going to recover this money or are they going to blacklist Belemu the same way they have backlisted contractors who dealt with the PF government? Their own cadre has also delivered air. So I don’t expect the President to keep quiet about this because he has been preaching prudence and transparency in his government.”
But addressing journalists at his office on Wednesday, Nkandu said Chama and his colleagues from the PF should be the last to comment on such matters because he did not understand the issues. “I am happy that Chama has just confirmed that cadres in the previous regime used to supply air. First of all, let me say, in my language we say uwakupata takakwebepo ati busuma bobe (a person that hates you will never tell you how beautiful you are),” he said. “Davies is lucky to [have] been a minister because he has never been elected anywhere. He has never been scrutinised by the Zambian people. He was just appointed. Me I was elected by the people of Kaputa. Therefore, he can’t challenge President Hakainde Hichilema because him and President Hichilema are very far apart.”
He disclosed that Mahogany had been dealing with government as far back as 2015 when the PF was in power. Nkandu wondered whether Dr Belemu was a PF cadre that time and only switched to UPND after the August 2021 general election. “Chama has no moral right to talk about issues because he and his government were architects of all manner of wrongs that exist. The new dawn administration does not engage in that. The records that we found show that this is not the first time Mahogany is being contracted. Since 2015 they have been dealing with government,” Nkandu explained. “Now, is Chama saying Dr Belemu was a PF cadre? You see, a criminal will always think of others as criminals. The PF has just confessed that they really supplied air to the government and saying our cadres have now started doing the same. No, we don’t operate like that in the new dawn. For us, it’s the quality and timely delivery at the right price.”
He said Mahogany issued the cheapest quotation of the three that were sent to the ministry, with the other two indicating US $290,000, the other one was US $283,000 and Mahogany’s US $224,000.
But Nkandu said the government was very disappointed that Mahogany did not provide the service after being paid in full. “We have demanded for a report from Mahogany and a refund for the expenses we incurred, we suffered because we now had to look for accommodation for the team in Yamossoukro,” he said. “And also, here at the airport we have to spend money. Also, we paid for going and coming but we didn’t go and only players were brought back. So, in a layman’s language, it was just one way instead of two and we are demanding a refund on these terms.”
During the same briefing, Dr Belemu regretted the inconvenience caused and explained that the plane was discovered to have developed a mechanical fault after it had already left South Africa and was forced to return to base so that it could be worked on. He reluctantly agreed to the government demand to refund part of the money and the expenses incurred after his team did calculations. But Dr Belemu’s lack of clarity when asked why he seemed unwilling to refund the money did not sit well with Nkandu who said thoiyoe ministry paid the ticketing office at Cabinet Office which was later paid to the airline.
Nkandu put it firmly to Dr Belemu that the money needed to be refunded because there was no space for wastage of public funds in the new dawn administration, stressing that the money that was lost could have been used on other sporting needs. Dr Belemu said he had taken the minister’s demands into consideration and further explained the technicalities involved in the airline charter business.
He also subtly complained of being labeled a cadre, saying Zambians needed to support each other’s businesses in order for calls for local citizens to participate in the economy to bear fruit.
In the recent few weeks, there has been debate on whether or not the declining rate of inflation in Zambia is real, given the high cost of living in the country. Some people even believe that the drop in INFLATION RATE being announced by the Zambia Statistics Agency (ZAMSTATS) , formerly the Central Statistics Office (CSO) is just propaganda by the New Dawn Administration.
Perhaps, the question to be answered is; is the INFLATION RATE the same as the COST OF LIVING? The answer is NO. Here is why. Inflation is defined as the RATE OF INCREASE in prices of goods and services in a given period of time. In a layman’s language; it is the speed at which prices are increasing over a period of time. The speed can be faster or slower as is the case in motor vehicles. One can argue that inflation in Zambia moved from 8 percent before the PF government took over power to 24 percent at the end of its rule last year. One can also argue that the rate of inflation has dropped from 24 percent in August last year when the UPND took over government to 10.2 percent in April this year. Of course, the argument by some people is that despite the decline in the inflation rate, they can’t feel the impact as the cost of living is still high.
What is the cost of living then? The COST OF LIVING is defined as the amount of money One needs in order to sustain a certain lifestyle in a given place. In Zambia, the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflections (JCTR) has over the years developed a cost of Living index called the Basic Needs Basket. The cost of living index takes into account income needed to purchase the goods and services while the inflation rate calculates the speed at which prices are increasing or falling.
According to the JCTR, the Basic Needs and Nutrition Basket stood at K9,326.41 in April 2022, down by K85.13 from K9,441.50 in March 2022 for a family of five. The cost of living is determined by comparing the prices of a range of goods and services on which consumers spend their money. It is important to note that not everything we buy goes into the calculation of either the inflation rate or the cost of living index. Only a sample is taken.
Is Zambia worse off or better off in terms of inflation and the cost of living? Statistical comparisons might help to answer the question. The lowest inflation rates in the world are found in Qatar (negative 2.72%), Fiji (negative 2.59%), Bahrain (negative 2.32%) and United Arab Emirates (negative 2.07%).
The countries with the highest inflation rates are Venezuela (1,588%), Sudan (359%), Zimbabwe (98.5%) and Yemen (63.7%). In Africa, Zambia is at 10.2 percent, Angola (25.7%), Nigeria (16.9%) and South Africa at 5.9 percent. Other notable countries are China (8 percent), UK 9% and USA 8.3%. Refer to Statista.com.
The optimum rate of inflation recommended by economists is 2%. A negative inflation rate is not ideal because it inhibits economic growth while a high inflation rate is also destructive to the economy. Zambia’s aim is to achieve a single digit inflation rate of below 10%. In terms of the cost of living, the most expensive countries in the world are Bermuda ( $9,353 per month), Switzerland ($6,885 per month), United Kingdom ( $3,319 per month) and the USA ($5,343) for a family of four people per month. While inflation rates may be lower in some countries, the cost of living is however high.
It is estimated that Zambia is 22.8% cheaper than South Africa. Sounds unbelievable but true. Check http://www.mylifeeseverywhere.com. Sometimes, the inflation and cost of living are also confused with the STANDARD OF LIVING. The standard of living refers to the level of wealth, comfort, material goods and necessities of life available to a certain social economic class or geographical area. It can be measured in terms of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita or Gross National Income (GNI) per person. Sometimes, people loosely also use interchangeably the words Standard of Living and the Quality of Life . The quality of life is more subjective than the Standard of Living. The quality of life is the wellbeing or happiness of the people in a given area or country. One would expect the USA and other rich countries to have the highest standards of living. However, the Scandinavian countries like Finland, Norway Sweden, Denmark and Switzerl have higher standards of living of over 90 percent in terms of meeting basic needs, foundations of well-being and personal freedoms.
In conclusion , it can be argued that when prices rise, they decrease the purchasing power of our money. When prices drop, they increase the purchasing power of one’s money. Inflation is bad because it erodes the purchasing power of our money. Inflation should be brought down in order to eventually bring down the cost of living and improve the standard of living. Inflation is the Father, Cost of Living is the Mother and Standard of Living is the Child. They are all members of the same family.
TENSION IS SIMMERING IN UPND …they over promised but things are not happening – Fr Chikoya
By Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
THERE seems to be tension simmering in the UPND, observes Fr Emmanuel Chikoya. Fr Chikoya, the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) general secretary, says the cost of living is the biggest challenge for the UPND and “I think they over promised and people expect a lot of things but things are not happening.”
Reflecting on now the UPND’s performance thus far, Fr Chikoya observed that the police seem to be still scared of political cadres. “Cadres are still insulting us. What I saw on state television of cadres is uncalled for and the police were there but could not do anything. But if it was [PF central committee member Raphael] Nakacinda he would have been lifted.
There seems to be tension simmering in the UPND. We should not have a honeymoon period and only get back to being beaten by cadres,” he said.
Fr Chikoya was however quick to state that so far “we are much better”. He noted several areas of concern that need to be addressed by the UPND government such as constitutional reforms, amendments to archaic laws such as the public order Act and the fight against corruption.
Fr Chikoya, who is also Christian Churches Monitoring Group (CCMG) head, said the fight against corruption was haphazard. “The fight against corruption is not being done properly. It is haphazard and there is a strong belief that it is political persecution. There is need to change. There is also need not to play to the gallery. They should keep silent until there is prosecution. However, the fight against corruption must go on and not to be left to another government,” he said. On infrastructure development, Fr Chikoya said the government should not wait for public-private-partnerships to work on deplorable roads especially in rural areas.
“The bottom line is to improve the lives of the poor people and whatever they (UPND) say won’t matter to the poor people in Shangombo. The issue of PPPs may leave some people behind which is contrary to the agenda of not leaving anyone behind,” he said. “Yes the roads must be done, but the poor need urgent access to health care facilities and we as a Church will not spare them (UPND) when they say they will wait for PPPs.”
On communication, Fr Chikoya observed with sadness the poor connectivity even just 30 kilometres out of Lusaka. He said communication was muddy and blared. “We need cost effective and very efficient internet connectivity and communication. On constitutional reforms we see relaxation. Today they say something and late they drag their legs. I think they over promised and people expect a lot of things but things are not happening,” Fr Chikoya noted.
He said the biggest challenge being faced by the UPND is the high cost of living. Fr Chikoya said Zambians do not need good people, but want a good Constitution. “We pray for our President Hakainde Hichilema and all our leaders,” said Fr Chikoya.
OUR FOOD SECURITY IS THREATENED UNLESS WE START HAVING AN HONEST CONVERSATION OVER FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTION.
On friday the leader of government businesses in parliament (The Vice President)during the questions and answers session informed the nation that the government was still continuing with the FISP program which is a program where govt gives subsidised fertilizers to about 1million farmers accross the country.
The key to ensuring the success of this program however is proper planning esp early distribution of the fertilizers to the farmers . We all know that southern province and eastern are the biggest contributors to the national grain basket.
Eastern province as an example gets about 610,000 metric tones of fertilizers which is ferried using trucks to the various districts of eastern province which fertilizers come through the Mozambique port of beira.Now to manage the distribution in time, the exercise has to commence in April because there is no rail line for faster and bulky (one- time) distribution .Today is June and theres no sign of the distribution exercise commencing for the eastern province can you imagine how worried the farmers are getting and how the field preperations will be affected and eventually how production will be affected and the subsequent threat to our national food security.Last year am told most farmers did not even receive these fertilizers despite assurance that trucks had started moving.
Dont forget that we dropped by 25% on production from the last farming season and now we are looking at to much more groomy picture coupled with the anticipated high prices of fertilizers for this coming farming season which may go beyond K1000 per 50kg. Can you imagine what will happen to the cost of our stapple food ,mealie meal next, if we mess up at this stage. Meanwhile in parliament we are busy politicking and doing cho chise yet the reality on the ground says a different story.
We need for once to stop politicking and start having mature ,decent and honest conversations over issues affecting this country ladies and gentlemen. The sad part is that even the very best brains we have have gotten so politically indoctrinated that they now look at every issue with political lenses.
I repeat “OUR FOOD SECURITY IS AT THREAT UNLESS WE STOP POLITICKING AND START LOOKING AT THE SOLUTIONS AND WE START MOVING TO ADDRESS THESE FEARS.
NEW Heritage Party president Chishala Kateka says the country needs to examine some of the Acts in governance institutions that give the President too much power.
Commenting on the President Hakainde Hichilema’s non-renewal of contracts for Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) chairperson and vice-chairperson, justice Esau Chulu and Emily Sikazwe respectively, Kateka said there was need to deal with the law that required the President to appoint heads in such institutions.
“According to the Electoral Commission of Zambia Act S5 (3) states, ‘A member of the Commission shall hold office for a term of seven (7) years and may be re-appointed for a further term of seven (7) years’. We at the New Heritage Party, therefore, do not see the need for the President to make the announcement of non-renewal of contract for justice Chulu,” she said. “It is a mute statement. With regard to Dr Emily Sikazwe, S5 (5) F states that a commissioner ceases to hold office if ‘that Commissioner is removed by the President’. Clearly, in this case, the President has exercised his rights. What the President (and presidents before this) has done is in accordance with the Act.” Kateka argued that if presidents continued appointing heads of the ECZ and other key institutions, it would never remove public suspicion of patronage.
“Should we perpetuate this clearly flawed Act that enables an incumbent president to choose persons aligned to him or her to head an institution that requires the utmost professionalism, neutrality and objectivity? Even if the persons appointed by the President are professional, neutral and objective, they will be perceived to not be so and as a result, we shall continue with this practice of changing personnel with each new government,” she said.
Kateka said it would take a president that had the best interest of the nation to reduce their powers for the betterment of the nation. She said Zambians should ask themselves who the replacements of the two would be and where their allegiance would be.
“The question we as Zambians should be asking ourselves is, who will be the replacements for justice Chulu and Dr Emily Sikazwe? The new appointees will owe their allegiance to the incumbent President. What sort of performance can we expect from them as a result?” asked Kateka. “Let us re-examine some of our Acts that give the President too much power. It will, however, take a president that has the best interest of the nation at heart to allow the divesting of his or her powers for the betterment of the nation.”
OUR FOOD SECURITY IS THREATENED UNLESS WE START HAVING AN HONEST CONVERSATION OVER FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTION.
On friday the leader of government businesses in parliament (The Vice President)during the questions and answers session informed the nation that the government was still continuing with the FISP program which is a program where govt gives subsidised fertilizers to about 1million farmers accross the country.
The key to ensuring the success of this program however is proper planning esp early distribution of the fertilizers to the farmers . We all know that southern province and eastern are the biggest contributors to the national grain basket.
Eastern province as an example gets about 610,000 metric tones of fertilizers which is ferried using trucks to the various districts of eastern province which fertilizers come through the Mozambique port of beira.Now to manage the distribution in time, the exercise has to commence in April because there is no rail line for faster and bulky (one- time) distribution .Today is June and theres no sign of the distribution exercise commencing for the eastern province can you imagine how worried the farmers are getting and how the field preperations will be affected and eventually how production will be affected and the subsequent threat to our national food security.Last year am told most farmers did not even receive these fertilizers despite assurance that trucks had started moving.
Dont forget that we dropped by 25% on production from the last farming season and now we are looking at to much more groomy picture coupled with the anticipated high prices of fertilizers for this coming farming season which may go beyond K1000 per 50kg. Can you imagine what will happen to the cost of our stapple food ,mealie meal next, if we mess up at this stage. Meanwhile in parliament we are busy politicking and doing cho chise yet the reality on the ground says a different story.
We need for once to stop politicking and start having mature ,decent and honest conversations over issues affecting this country ladies and gentlemen. The sad part is that even the very best brains we have have gotten so politically indoctrinated that they now look at every issue with political lenses.
I repeat “OUR FOOD SECURITY IS AT THREAT UNLESS WE STOP POLITICKING AND START LOOKING AT THE SOLUTIONS AND WE START MOVING TO ADDRESS THESE FEARS.
The Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission a Body Corporate established under the Citizens’ Economic Empowerment Act No. 9 of 2006 to enhance broad-based economic empowerment, foster citizens’ economic ownership, control and management of economic resources, as well as to promote economic empowerment of targeted citizens is inviting applications from suitably qualified Zambians to fill the following positions:
1. DIRECTOR CREDIT & RISK MANAGEMENT (1 POSITION) – LUSAKA 2. DIRECTOR CORPORATE SERVICES (1 POSITION) – LUSAKA 3. DIRECTOR – BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & MSME (1 POSITION) – LUSAKA 4. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER (1 POSITION) – LUSAKA 5. CREDIT MANAGER (1 POSITION) – LUSAKA
1. When the New Dawn administration was ushered into office in August 2021, the Zambian economy had some weaknesses and threats as well as opportunities and strengths. Let us delve into alternative decisions that could have been made and how those compare with the economic decisions that were actually made by the New Dawn administration in the past 9 months.
2. In terms of weaknesses and threats the key one is too much borrowing by the previous regime. As at August 2021, Zambia’s domestic debt ( treasury bills, government bonds etcetera) was around K80 billion ($4.5 billion). Our foreign debt ( Eurobond etcetera) was about $13 billion and our domestic arrears (owed to suppliers and contractors of various goods and services to Government) was about K30 billion ($1.5 billion). So in total, the country owed about $19 billion, which excludes Government guarantees to parastatals such as ZESCO. So perhaps, we could just round it up to $20 billion.
3. In terms of strengths and opportunities, there are several. Firstly the New Dawn Government benefited from a Special Drawing Rights (SDR) allocation from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Because of the adverse impact of the pandemic on the world economy, the IMF decided to give grants to almost all countries across the world, as a way of improving liquidity and spurring world economic growth. Zambia was allocated 937,600,000 SDR which translates to about $1.3 billion at an exchange rate of 1SDR = $1.387. This money was a free gift from the IMF, and it reflected in the Bank of Zambia (BOZ) account on 24th August 2021; the same day that President Hakainde Hichilema was inaugurated at Heroes Stadium. Consequently, this gift from the IMF increased Zambia’s foreign reserves from about $1.6 billion to about $2.9 billion. For the record, this is the highest amount of foreign reserves that Zambia has ever had since March 2009. Also for the record, when the MMD were voted out of office in 2011, they left about $2.5 billion in foreign reserves at the Bank of Zambia. So to put it into context, the UPND administration inherited more foreign reserves ($2.9 billion) from the PF, than the PF administration inherited from the MMD ($2.5 billion).
4. The second key opportunity that existed at the time the New Dawn took office in August 2021, which actually still exists until now, is the high copper prices of up to $13,000 per metric tonne. The last known study in the mining sector established that Zambian open pit mines were able to make a net profit when copper prices were above $2,500 per metric tonne, and underground mines when the price was above $2,950 per metric tonne. This means that when copper prices reach as high as $13,000, the mines make supernormal profits. The Zambian people have a right to benefit from those supernormal profits. Late Former President Levy Mwanawasa responded to the high copper prices that existed around 2006 by introducing windfall tax. This ensured that Zambia as a country benefited from the high copper prices. To the contrary, the New Dawn administration decided to give a de facto tax holiday to the mines. Their argument is that such a de facto tax holiday will encourage mining companies to invest more in the sector in future. One would have thought that the high copper prices on the world market would be an incentive enough to any prospective mine investor. A Sean Tembo administration would have fully taxed the mines. We could easily raise as much as $4 billion more per annum in tax revenue from the mines, at current copper prices. This money can fund our national budget without the need for an IMF loan.
5. The third key opportunity that existed at the time that the New Dawn assumed office in August 2021, which has perhaps diminished by now, is international goodwill. President Hakainde Hichilema came with all the right credentials, at least on paper. Based on the apparent success that he had scored running his personal businesses, the international community expected that he would extend his business acumen to turning around the Zambian economy. However, goodwill being an intangible asset, it is difficult to acquire but very easy to lose. In my opinion, President Hakainde Hichilema lost the goodwill when he gave that interview to CNN, a day after he was sworn into office, where he recklessly said that the previous administration was hiding debt, and that the economic damage was bigger than he expected. Immediately, international bond yield rates for Zambia dropped significantly by more than 100 basis points. After realizing the damage that had been done, President Hichilema told his spokesperson Anthony Bwalya to issue a statement the following day to assure international bond holders that Zambia will still uphold its financial obligations. But the damage had already been done. The international markets hardly responded to Anthony Bwalya’s assurances. Suffice to mention that the President subsequently failed to prove that there was any hidden debt. A list of creditors that was subsequently published by the Ministry of Finance indicated that the debt disclosures made by the previous regime were infact accurate. Therefore, President Hakainde Hichilema unnecessarily alarmed the international business community, much to the detriment of our country.
6. The fourth key opportunity that existed at the time the New Dawn administration was taking office in August 2021 is that as at that time, the previous administration had only defaulted on two debt payment obligations. One for about $43 million and another for about $56 million, both totaling about $99 million. Given the fact that the New Dawn had just benefited from the $1.3 billion SDR gift from the IMF, they should have cleared this $99 million overdue debt obligation, so that Zambia is no longer in default. However, they did not do that. Instead, they continued to default on subsequent loan repayments, with the total overdue amount now rising to more than $300 million, compared to the $99 million which they inherited from the previous regime. Meanwhile barely 3 months from today, on 22nd September 2022, the country will be required to pay the $750 million Eurobond, as it will mature. The ideal situation would have been to refinance about half of this amount and pay off the other half. But the New Dawn administration has since lost the goodwill that they had with the international community, therefore any attempts to refinance are unlikely to succeed. Even the IMF appear to have lost faith in the current administration. Although for obvious diplomatic reasons, they cannot say it out loud.
7. Apparently, all the above are issues which we consistently and continuously advised the New Dawn administration on, but to no avail. If properly taxed, the mines have the potential to generate enough tax revenue to pay off all our debts within the next 5 years. But instead, our debts are accumulating, we have continued to default carelessly and the mines continue to go scot free without paying an appropriate amount of tax. Indeed, you do not require to be an extremely brilliant person to successfully run Zambia’s economy, clear the debts and reduce the cost of living. You just need to be a man of integrity who will put the interests of the nation above personal interests.
PF APPOINTS INONGE WINA AS MEMBER OF COUNCIL OF ELDERS
Statement: The Central Committee of the Patriotic Front yesterday convened to deliberate on a number of pertinent issues affecting the Party and the nation.
The meeting was chaired by Acting Party President, Hon Given Lubinda.
The Central Committee made several resolutions which include but not limited to the following:
APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS OF CENTRAL COMMITTEE
The Central Committee ratified the appointment of the following individuals as Members of the Central Committee of the Patriotic Front;
a) Hon. Chishimba Kambwili b) Hon. Bowman Lusambo c) Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba d) Hon. Mutotwe Kafwaya e) Hon. Japhen Mwakalombe f) Dr. Canisius Banda g) Ms. Charity Kapona g) Ms. Tapiwa Muhango
Further, Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba has been appointed as Deputy National Chairperson for Information to deputise Hon. Raphael Nakachinda.
Meanwhile, Dr. Canisius Banda has been appointed National Chairperson in-charge of Health.
APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL OF ELDERS
The Central Committee ratified the appointments of the following individuals as Members of the Council of Elders of the Patriotic Front;
a) Mrs. Inonge Wina b) Hon. Ng’onga Mukupa c) Dr. Dennis Wanchinga d) Amb. Paul Lumbi e) Amb. Fidelis Kapoka;
Additionally, Acting President Lubinda has appointed Mr Robstar Mwanza to take over the role of PF Deputy Chairperson for Lusaka Province.
EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL CONFERENCE
The Party is expected to hold its Extraordinary General Conference to elect a new Party President.
The Committee tasked with the preparedness of holding the Extraordinary General Conference rendered a Report to the Central Committee.
The Central Committee has taksed the Committee to finalise specific preparations related to logistics, venue of the Conference, Electoral College, Rules of the Conference, transport and all other matters incidental to the holding of the Conference and revert to the Central Committee at its next sitting in 30 days time.
The Central Committee hereby encourage all members of the Patriotic Front to continue exercising patience and loyalty to the Party as the party is determined to hold the Extraordinary General Conference as soon as it is practically possible.
Issued by Hon. Nickson Chilangwa, MP, MCC, AIH Acting Secretary General Patriotic Front
Hichilema´s close ally Sishuwa unmasks him …condemns loud silence to criticise the President´s failures
By Staff Reporter
11.06.22 LUSAKA
Dr. Sishuwa Sishuwa, one of the most ardent supporters of President Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND has cast aside diplomatic decorum and called Mr Hichilema´s bluff.
Before the 2021 polls, Dr Sishuwa, a political scientist and Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences at UNZA was a “die hard” academic supporter of Mr Hichilema who blazed the trail of Mr Hichilema in Europe and part of the United States.
The current President secured himself a berth as an “upcoming” African statesman through the personal works of Dr Sishuwa, but the love affair has ostensibly faded and lost its glow like a candle in the wind.
In a fiery blunt no holds barred tweet, the normally quiet and respected Dr Sishuwa wrote: “I sometimes wonder what explains the ´deafening silence´ of intellectual and professional elites such as lawyers, journalists, academics, economists, and activists who were critical of the governance pitfalls of the PF. Or is everything in Zambia now fine for them?”
Dr Sishuwa´s candid question comes at a time scores of Zambians are outraged about the critical shortage or lack of drags in hospitals and health centres countrywide, including the prices of fuel that increase every month in Zambia since Mr Hichilema assumed office on the chant of making life better for Zambians.
Dr Sishuwa, an ´A´ grade scholar from Oxford University called on Zambians to call a spade a spade and not bury their heads in the sand when it comes to providing checks and balances on Mr Hichilema´s administration with the same vigour they checked President Edgar Lungu´s administration.
His candid objective observations have, however, not sat well on the tables of known sympathisers of Mr Hichilema such as former broadcaster Chibamba Kanyama who has quickly sprung to Mr Hichilema´s defence in a counter tweet.
Mr Kanyama said, “We (in reference to his own person) here advising government on what ought to be done. We are not career critics my younger brother. We only come in the open when there´s gross negligence. We talk but very privately.”
Pundits, however, Kanyama currently on government assignment in Finland has not business springing to Mr Hichilema´s defence when he never got his hands as dirty as Dr Sishuwa did publicly.
Dr Sishuwa who is never shy of an intellectual jibe went back at Kanyama, a known Hichilema supporter with full force.
Dr Sishuwa likened Kanyama and others like him to “hypocrites” that spoke loudly when Zambians were treated unfairly under the PF but choose silence under Mr Hichilema.
CHIBAMBA KANYAMA AND HIS LIKES ARE COWARDS AND HYPOCRITES TWEETS DR SISHUWA SISHUWA
“You criticised Lungu, but you stay quite when the same (harassment) happens under HH. This is hypocrisy. I remember that even under PF we had opportunists and cowards claiming to be advising Lungu privately,” Dr Sishuwa reflected.
Kanyama has since remained mute after Dr Sishuwa´s brutally factual comeback on cowardice and hypocrisy, setting into motion mixed emotions amongst Mr Hichilema´s once upon a time staunch disciples that would take a bullet for him.
Discontent and disquiet has been mounting in Zambia less than ten months of Mr Hichilema´s take-over of power at a last August poll, as the cost of living continues to rise.
THE HIGH COST OF LIVING IN ZAMBIA ANGERS MANY
The prices of basic essential commodities such as mealie meal, cooking oil and transport have been shooting through the roof daily leaving many wondering whether voting Mr Hichilema was a better option. Many families are going hungry in Zambia today according to independent studies by NGOs.
Away from the public spat among Mr Hichilema´s disciples, impeccable word is that “all is not well” in and outside State House as his followers wait to get a bite at an elusive pie in the sky.
But as long as he continues to enjoy silent support from the usual critics and even the donor community such as the EU and the US, Mr Hichilema will continue leaving in a bubble, insulated by complacent praise singers.
About Dr Sishuwa Sishuwa below ahead of a much-anticipated analysis of Mr Hichilema´s rule so far to be published in the Washington Post and Mail and Guardian among others:
ZAMBIA MINISTERS AND DRC KATANGA REGION GOVERNOR CONFERS
Copperbelt Province Minister Hon Elisha Matambo and his counterparts from the Ministry of Commerce, Mines and Transport hosted Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC’s) Katanga Province Governor Hon Jacque Kyabula Katwe on Thursday in Chingola.
The Minister who was delighted to welcome the DRC officials, in his welcoming remarks said just as Copperbelt Province and Katanga Province of the DRC are considered twins so is his relationship with the Governor.
Mr Matambo noted down some of the many similarities between the two countries among them being the tribes (Kaonde, lamba and Kalunda), the good Soil and the Minerals resources.
The Minister is optimistic about the coming of Presidents Hakainde Hichilema and Felix Tshisekedi as leaders of Zambia and DRC respectively, starting a new page that will strengthen trade and the relation between the two countries.
And the Minister of Transport and logistics Hon Frank Tayali is optimistic that time has come for Africa to change the narrative that previously made the continent status decline which unfortunately the world has ignored and has left Africa behind.
He explained that the queue of tracks on the Zambian side of Kasumbalesa border has been building up, running close to 50 kilometers. The Minister said that these trucks are just passing through Zambia and destined for DRC adding that Zambia’s developmental plans are not only focused on Zambia but also the DRC.
Meanwhile Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Hon Mulenga Chipoka said the meeting was a clear demonstration of the two Countries desire to work together.
“I am certain that Zambia and DRC are shaping how Africa should live in peace and harmony “, Hon Chipoka said.
Furthermore the Minister assured both Countries that Zambia is not going to sit and watch Kasumbalesa remain the only border post linking the two countries adding that the aim of the New Dawn Government is to open more border posts namely; Sakaya, Kasomena mwenda, Kipushi and many more in Solwezi which will have access to the border entries.
1. I am an adult South African male and the complainant herein.
2. Over the years I have served in various positions both in the government of the Republic of South Africa and in the private sector.
3. Most recently, I served as the National Commissioner for the Department of Correctional Services (‘DCS’), a position I served in from 18 April 2018 to 26 September 2021.
4. Immediately prior thereto, I served as the Director-General: State Security Agency (‘SSA’) with effect from 26 September 2016 until 17 April 2018. I previously also served as the Deputy Director-General: Operations in the National Intelligence Agency (“NIA”) from December 2005 until November 2010 and as the Provincial Head: Western Cape from 1998 to 2004.
5. By virtue of my experience, my advice is regularly sought in relation to security and intelligence matters. Similarly, unsolicited information is also regularly brought to my attention by various people and entities.
PURPOSE OF STATEMENT
6. I attest hereto solely in pursuance of requesting the South African Police Service (‘SAPS’) to investigate the conduct of the President of the Republic of South Africa, President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa (‘President Ramaphosa’ and or ‘the President); the Head of SAPS’ Presidential Protection Unit, Major General Wally Rhoode (‘Major General Rhoode’); and that of others, which, inter alia, amounts to money laundering, in contravention of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act No. 121 of 1998 (‘POCA’) and corruption, in contravention of the Prevention of Corrupt Activities Act No. 12 of 2004, as a result of information, documents, photographs and video footage that has. been brought to my attention.
7. I appreciate that it is no small matter to lay criminal charges against a sitting President, but I am guided by the dictates of the interests of justice and our Constitution.
BACKGROUND
8. On or about 9 February 2020, trespassing and housebreaking occurred at the main farmhouse at Phala Phala, a wildlife farm situated in Bela-Bela, Limpopo, which is privately owned by President Ramaphosa, during which incident large undisclosed sums of United States Dollars (‘US$’), concealed in the furniture in the main farmhouse had been unlawfully removed from the President’s premises by the assailants.
9. The incident was not officially reported to the police to investigate. However, President Ramaphosa instructed Major General Rhoode to immediately investigate the incident, to apprehend the suspects and to retrieve the stolen US$.
1O. Major General Rhoode subsequently acquired the services of a local farmer with investigative experience and capabilities to assist him with the investigation.
11. Major General Rhoode immediately, illegally, constituted a team, consisting, inter alia, of former SAPS members and serving members of SAPS’ Crime Intelligence Unit, along with the local farmer to investigate the matter at the instance of President Ramaphosa
12. The team, as I have been advised, collected video and photo evidence; interviewed the domestic worker concerned and some of the suspects; recovered some of the stolen loot and obtained documentary proof of how some of the stolen US$ had been spent by the alleged perpetrators. Some of the videos, photographs and documents to which I refer herein, were handed to me by one of the members of the investigative team.
13. In addition to the above, I was also informed of the following by a member of Major General Rhoode’s team:
13.1 One of the domestic workers employed at Phala Phala discovered undisclosed sums of US$ concealed in the furniture of the President’s residence on the farm.
13.2 The domestic worker hails from an informal settlement in proximity to Phala Phala, known as Cyferskyl, which is predominantly occupied by Namibian citizens.
13.3 Upon discovering the undisclosed sums of US$ concealed in the furniture of the President’s residence, the domestic worker conspired with members of Cyferskyl informal settlement who facilitated the following persons resident in Cape Town, namely, (i) Urrbanus Lomboleni Shaumbwako (‘Mr Shaumbwako’), a Namibian citizen; (ii) Petrus Fikeipo Muhekeni (‘Mr Muhekeni’), a Namibian citizen; (iii) Erkki Shikongo (‘Mr Shikongo’), a Namibian citizen; (iv) lmanuwela David (‘Mr David’), a South African citizen; and Petrus Afrikaner (‘Mr Afrikaner’), a Namibian citizen, to break into the President’s residence at Phala Phala to steal the US$ concealed in the furniture in President Ramaphosa’s property.
13.4 The assailants unlawfully entered the perimeters of Phala Phala farm at approximately 22h17, 9 February 2020, by cutting the wire perimeter fencing, after which they surreptitiously approached the President’s residence. (A copy of a topographical image depicting Phala Phala; places where the fences were cut; and where visible spoor were found, as handed to me is annexed hereto marked ‘AF 1’; whist a picture depicting a cut fence, which was also handed to me, is annexed hereto marked ‘AF 2’).
13.5 Entry was gained through a window on the ground floor of the President’s main residence on the farm. (A copy of a picture in confirmation hereof, which was handed to me, is annexed hereto marked ‘AF 3’).
13.6 The break-in to the President’s residence at Phala Phala was captured by both external Security Cameras strategically situated outside the farmhouse and internal Security Cameras strategically situated inside the President’s residence. (Security Camera Footage from external Camera 1 at 22h14:14s depicting two of the assailants outside the premises and the voices of investigators viewing the footage is annexed hereto on a removable flash drive, marked ‘AF 4’.
The removable flash drive also contains Security Camera footage from external Camera 1 at 22h17: 01s depicting one of the assailants on the outside of the premises; Security Camera footage from external Camera 4 at 00h33: 34s depicting two of the assailants on the outside of the premises removing the window where entry was gained into the premises and which contains the voices of investigators viewing the footage;· Security Camera footage from internal Camera 1 and another undisclosed internal camera depicting some of the assailants inside the premises at around 1h44:08s. The Security Camera footage referred to herein was also handed to me by a member of Major General Rhoode’s team).
13.7 The alleged perpetrators subsequently ransacked the President’s residence at Phala Phala by removing the undisclosed amount of US$ that was concealed in the furniture in the residence.
13.8 The perpetrators thereafter immediately returned to Cape Town.
13.9 Although there was not any certainty as to the precise amount of US$ stolen from the President’s residence, the quantum was speculated to be in the region of approximately US$4 million to US$ 8 million.
13.10 Staff members, including the domestic worker, were interrogated at the President’s residence at Phala Phala. (A picture of the domestic worker is annexed hereto marked ‘AF 5’. The picture was purportedly taken by members of Major General Rhoode’s investigating team on the day the domestic worker was interviewed).
13.11 The domestic worker was subsequently initially dismissed from her employment at Phala Phala, but was later reinstated following discussions between President Ramaphosa and the domestic worker’s father.
13.12 Upon reinstatement the domestic worker was paid an amount of R150 000 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Rand) cash in lieu of her undertaking not to divulge any information of what had transpired at Phala Phala.
13.13 This notwithstanding, residents of Cyferskyl informal settlement knew about the theft that had taken place at President Ramaphosa’s farm.
13.14 I annex hereto as ‘AF 6’ a picture of a further suspect that was interrogated whilst handcuffed in the President’s residence at Phala Phala.
13.15 The investigating team constituted by Major General Rhoode traced some of the alleged perpetrators back to Cape Town where they were apprehended under the ruse of an official police investigation and were interrogated.
13.16 Copies of the alleged suspects’ identification documents were obtained (which were also handed to me). Attached hereto are copies the following:
13.16.1 The Namibian Passport of Mr Shaumbwako, marked ‘AF 7’;
13.16.2 The South African Driving Licence of Mr Shaumbwako, marked ‘AF 8’;
13.16.3 The South African Identity Document of Mr Shaumbwako, marked ‘AF9’;
13.16.4 The South African Identity Card of Mr Mukekeni, marked ‘AF 10’;
13.16.5 The Namibian Passport of Mr Shikongo, marked ‘AF 11 ‘;
13.16.6 The South African Identity Card of Mr David, marked ‘AF 12’;
13.16.7 The South African Driving Licence of Mr David, marked ‘AF 13’;
and,
13.16.8 The Namibian Identity Card of Mr Afrikaner, marked ‘AF 14’;
13.17 The stolen US$ were exchanged for South African Rands at an informal foreign exchange service ordinarily run by persons of Chinese nationality, situated at 25 Hout Street, Cape Town. (A copy of a photograph of the said business is annexed hereto marked ‘AF 15’).
13.18 The alleged suspects had thereafter commenced spending the stolen loot on various high-end purchases and cash deposits into bank accounts. (Attached hereto is a copy of a handwritten note compiled by one of the investigators in the team constituted by Major General Rhoode, marked ‘AF 16’, which provides a scant breakdown of how some of the money was spent).
13.19 On 14 February 2020 Mr Mukekeni had purchased a 2019 Ford Ranger 2.0TDCi Wildtrak 4×4 bakkie, which he insured through King Price Insurance. (Copies of the relevant documents in confirmation hereof, including a photograph, is annexed hereto and respectively marked, ‘AF 17(1}’ to AF 17(3)’.
13.20 On 15 February 2020 Mr Shikongo transferred R300 000-00 (Three Hundred Thousand Rand from his Gold Cheque Account held at First National Bank to Barons, Culemborg and a further R415 000-00 (Four Hundred and Fifteen Thousand Rand), again to Barons, Culemborg on 16 February 2020. Copies of the transactions are annexed hereto respectively marked ‘AF 18’ and ‘AF 19’.
13.21 A red Volkswagen GTI was subsequently registered in Mr Shaumbwako’s name on 19 February 2020. Copies of the relevant documents are annexed hereto marked ‘AF 20. and ‘AF 21’. Attached hereto are three further pictures of some of the suspects with new vehicles, marked ‘AF 22 (1)’ to ‘AF 22(3)’. Also included in the removable flash drive (marked ‘AF 4’ herein) is a video of one of the suspects and a red Volkswagen Golf with registration number CM 148 – 219.
13.22 Another suspect was traced and found to have fled to Namibia.
13.23 President Ramaphosa sought the assistance of the President of Namibia, President Hage Geingob in apprehending the suspect in Namibia.
13.24 This resulted in Major General Rhoode traveling to Namibia where the suspect was interviewed and stolen monies seized from him. Major General Rhoode had travelled to Namibia utilising official government resources and had not been legally processed through border control to have left the country nor that he returned to the country.
13.25 A person named Mandia Ofentse had sent a message to an unknown person on or about 27 February 2020 advising ‘/ have information about those who stole in phala phala but scared for my safety.’ A copy thereof is annexed hereto marked ‘AF 23’.
13.26 A message was forwarded to Major General Rhoode containing pictures of one of the suspects. A copy of the screenshot of the telephone in confirmation thereof is annexed hereto marked ‘AF 24’.
13.27 Numerous screenshots of text messages between a woman named Precious Moloto (who seemed to know the alleged suspects and investigators) and unknown persons, detailing attempts to trace the suspects in relation to the theft at Phala Phala is annexed hereto marked ‘AF 25’.
13.28 After interrogating Mr Shaumbwako; Mr Muhekeni; Mr Shikongo; Mr David; and Mr Afrikaner, Major General Rhoode’s team confiscated large sums of money and valuables from these suspects.
13.29 Major General Rhoode and his team, on the instruction of President Ramaphosa paid Mr Shaumbwako; Mr Muhekeni; Mr Shikongo; Mr David; and Mr Afrikaner Ri 50 000-00 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Rand) each in cash to conceal the events that took place at Phala Phala on 9 February 2020.
14. As the first citizen of the Republic of South Africa, President Ramaphosa has a duty to uphold and respect the rule of law, due process, our constitutional values and most importantly, his oath of office. President Ramaphosa took an oath to protect and uphold the Constitution and the laws of the Republic. The same applies to Major General Rhoode.
15. The mere fact that President Ramaphosa had large undisclosed sums of foreign currency in the form of US$ concealed in his furniture at his Phala Phala residence is prima facie proof of money laundering in contravention of section 4 of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act No. 121 of 1998 (‘POCA’). In this regard it is prudent for the SAPS to establish the origins of these large sums of foreign currency. The President’s conduct may also amount to a contravention of section 36 of the General Law Amendment Act No. 62 of 1955 (i.e. unexplained possession of suspected stolen goods) and contraventions of our various fiscal, currency and exchange control and custom and excise laws and regulations.
16. Similarly, Major General Rhoode’s conduct in assi-sting both President Ramaphosa; Mr Shaumbwako; Mr Muhekeni; Mr Shikongo; Mr David; and Mr Afrikaner, falls foul of section 5 of POCA.
17. The payment by President Ramaphosa, Major General Rhoode and his team of R150 000 (One Hundred Thousand Rand) in cash each to the domestic worker; Mr Shaumbwako; Mr Muhekeni; Mr Shikongo; Mr David; and Mr Afrikaner to not divulge any information in relation to the huge sums of US$ taken from President Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala residence, where same was concealed, not only amounts to corruption in contravention of the Prevention of Corrupt Activities Act No. 12 of 2004, but is also intended to defeat and/or obstruct the course of justice.
18. It is further evident from the conduct of Major General Rhoode and his team, acting at the instance of President Ramaphosa, having forcefully interrogated the alleged suspects, that their conduct amounts to kidnapping, in that they unlawfully and intentionally deprived the alleged suspects of their respective personal freedom of movement and constitutional rights.
CONCLUSION
In the light of the above information which was brought to my attention, I request the SAPS to investigate the allegations herein and reiterate my availability to render any further assistance herewith as may be required.
Signed under oath at Rosebank police station on 1 June 2022 by ARTHUR JOSEPH PETER FRASER
A US district judge has dismissed a rape lawsuit against football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, castigating the legal team behind the complaint.
Judge Jennifer Dorsey threw out the case brought by Kathryn Mayorga, a former model and teacher, who alleged she was assaulted by the Portuguese soccer star in a Las Vegas hotel room in 2009.
The 37-year-old Manchester United player has always denied the allegations and maintained that the relationship with Mayorga was completely consensual.
In a 42-page ruling released Friday, the judge accused Mayorga’s attorneys of “abuses and flagrant circumvention of the proper litigation process” and said that as a result, “Mayorga loses her opportunity to pursue this case.”
Her attorneys had actually moved to dismiss the case voluntarily last month, US media said, but Dorsey decided that their repeated use of illicitly obtained confidential documents meant the case had to be dismissed “with prejudice” — meaning it cannot be revived.
“Nothing less than a with-prejudice dismissal will purge the taint that has permeated this case from its very inception and preserve the integrity of the litigation process,” Dorsey wrote.
A criminal case based on the rape allegation against the Manchester United forward was dropped in 2019, with a district attorney saying it “cannot be proven beyond a reasonable doubt” that a sexual assault occurred.
But Mayorga, who waived her right to anonymity, also took up a civil action seeking millions in damages.
She filed a complaint in 2018 alleging she was sexually assaulted by Ronaldo, who strongly denied the accusations.
Mayorga said that while she had agreed to a financial settlement with Ronaldo shortly after the alleged incident — reportedly for $375,000 — her emotional trauma at the time did not allow her to participate in the mediation process.
But in trying to revive the case, Dorsey found, Mayorga’s lawyer Leslie Stovall made repeated use of “cyber-hacked attorney-client privileged documents.”
Those documents included “internal emails between Ronaldo’s lawyers discussing settlement strategies and potential liability” and were “emblazoned with notices that their contents contain attorney-client communications,” the judge wrote.
Stovall’s use of the documents was “bad faith,” the judge ruled, “and simply disqualifying Stovall will not cure the prejudice to Ronaldo, because the misappropriated documents and their confidential contents have been woven into the very fabric of Mayorga’s claims.”
Ronaldo is one of the biggest stars of world football and is a five-time winner of the Ballon d’Or award for the world’s best player.
He told Portuguese television in 2019 that the allegations had led to “the most difficult year” he had known.
Equatorial Guinea’s vice president, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, threatened Friday to expel the French ambassador over a row triggered by a corruption case in Paris.
A top French court last year upheld a three-year suspended term against Obiang over property bought in France with funds suspected to have come from plundered state assets.
The decision opened the way to confiscating property in Paris’s top-end Avenue Foch — a 3,000-square-metre (32,000-square-feet) mansion worth an estimated 107 million euros ($113 million) that houses Equatorial Guinea’s embassy as well as apartments.
An appeal court on Wednesday rejected Equatorial Guinea’s bid to overturn the ruling, opening the way, in theory, for the embassy to be forced out of the mansion.
“If Paris goes ahead with expelling our diplomats from our embassy building, we will give the French ambassador 24 hours to leave the territory of Equatorial Guinea,” Obiang warned on Twitter.
Obiang, better known as Teodorin Obiang, is the son of Equatorial Guinea’s iron-fisted 80-year-old president, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.
He has ruled the small oil-rich central African state for more than four decades, and for the last two years his son has been widely viewed as his successor.
The tweet was published on Obiang’s personal account, not his account as vice president, and it was unclear whether the expulsion threat was official policy.
The French foreign ministry, approached by AFP, refused to comment.
Obiang, 53, was also fined 30 million euros in the case, which had rolled on for years before culminating in last July’s verdict, hailed by campaigners as a landmark in the fight against graft.
In its appeal, Equatorial Guinea had argued that the younger Obiang had sold the building to the state in 2011, which had purchased the property in “good faith.”
– ‘Immunity’ question –
The country’s legal representative in France, Kevin Grossmann, predicted the French authorities would be unable to expel the embassy and its staff from the building because of diplomatic immunity.
“The building is indeed in the hands of the courts. I am not aware of any expulsion decision by France,” he told AFP.
“(…) To carry out an expulsion order would be tantamout to throwing out the ambassador and the embassy services. This isn’t about to happen,” he said.
The only Spanish-speaking country in sub-Saharan Africa, Equatorial Guinea is one of the most enclosed nations in the continent, and Obiang senior is frequently accused by rights groups of abuses.
Despite its oil riches, most of the country’s 1.4 million people live below the poverty line.
Equatorial Guinea last year closed its London embassy after Britain accused Teodorin Obiang of siphoning off state assets to fund a jet-setter lifestyle.
His purchases allegedly included VIP mansions around the world, luxury cars and the crystal-covered glove that Michael Jackson wore on his 1987-89 “Bad” tour.
The French judicial authorities have estimated at 150 million euros the amount the younger Obiang allegedly laundered in France.
His assets included cars valued at 5.7 million euros with three Bugattis, a Rolls-Royce and two Maseratis. AFP
Former PF Lusaka City Mayor and Diplomat to the Republic of China Daniel Chisenga has urged his party to stop imposing MCC’S members on the General membership of the party.
Mr. Chisenga in an article below says the formular being used by the party is not right as it is not inspiring to ordinary members but to a handful of those being apointed.
He also wonders why the party has suddenly gone quite on the highly anticipated convention to elect a new party president.
In 2006, Mr. Chisenga was PF’S youngest councilor in Lusaka rising through the ranks. ………………………………………………………
PF and Rebranding reloaded!
I have been following with keen interest and observing the happenings in my Party PF which I joined in 2001 when I was just a very young man and became their first youngest Councillor in Lusaka in 2006. So much need to be desired at the route of rebrand being taken. Looking at the recent appointments in the MCCs shows now that for one to be relevant in my party they have to be Central Committe Members.
What is astonishing is that there is no formular whatsoever on who qualifies to be admitted as MCCs as long as you make noise or you have some connections your in! Simple as that!
What is more worrying is that most of these appointments are from two regions of this great country! For instance let’s look at the recent exits by few MCCs have have gone back to their Party the UPND, which regions did they come from? Was it not prudent that the replacements emanate from the said regions?
PF is a party that has a constitution, their is always a way to elevate hard working members who have been for the party for many years, we have had many Provincial Chairmen, Countless DC’s including the immediate past ones, several Permanent Secretaries, Former Diplomats, Countless Chairladies, Councillor’s, Mayors and not forgetting our current sitting MPs that are over 60 on the Party Ticket! Scrutinizing the all list of MCCs I won’t be suprised in the coming few months that the LIST of MCCS will exceed 120 plus The PF we had prior to the 2011 elections when Sata was being ushered into state house is totally different from this PF that is in the opposition because at that time Sata was very popular and could hold a convention ti appoint and anoint MCCs without anyone raising eyebrows !
Prior to the 2021 defeat, our general membership demanded and cried that they are given an opportunity to choose democratically their own members, this fell on deaf ears as the Party still felt it was very popular and could use the Cobras 🐍 formular! What did we see, many candidates spent so much resources to campaign and only to be told that the MCCs have been appointed! Many received the shock of their lifetime. And while our colleagues in the UPND were labelled always as dictators, they went ahead with a transparent Virtual Conference and democratically elected their National Management Committes. Ala Tatusambilila, let’s continue imposing the MCCs on the people and see how the rebrand will go.
Today is June 11, the countrywide membership wanted to even just hear about the long awaited Conference and it’s all quite kwati menshi yapakashima.
We may be happy as few members to celebrate that yes ba Kambwili, ba Mwamba, ba GBM, ba Mutofwe are now in the MCC, what about the rest of the membership who deserve to there and are fully qualified!
Others will not tell you but because I have an independent mind and can make an observation others will keep quite and all you will say when you hear they are socialists or KBF or UPND continue saying they are non factors, and wait for your MPs in 4 years if you continue with your route if your numbers will go up!
Let the party become more democratic than it was before it formed Government better still that they are off the Rail now! Let’s Preach what we practice!
Daniel Chisenga Former Government Official See less
Zambia Correctional Service (ZCS) Commissioner-General, Fredrick Chilukutu, has revealed that the correctional institution has suspended 12 officers for corrupt-related offences.
Mr Chilukutu said the institution, instituted an inquiry, especially in the recruitment process, which has been concluded and has revealed some elements that the officers misconducted themselves.
He said the correctional organisation has taken drastic measures and that so far 12 officers have been suspended for corrupt practices.
“It is interesting to learn that members of the public can go and expose themselves through paying officers to have their people recruited.
That is being an accomplice in a corrupt matter or practice. It calls for those members of the public to be found and arrested because that is aiding corruption,” Mr Chilukutu said.
The Commissioner-General noted that the institution is currently reviewing the cases and has warned that if the evidence will be overwhelming, the affected officers will be dismissed from the service.
He disclosed that the institution has interacted with relevant authorities, including the police and is presently looking for those members of the public so that such behaviours are discontinued.
“We have instituted an inquiry which has come to conclusion and have found elements from among us that misconducted themselves and collaborated with the members of the public. We are taking very drastic measures and so far we have suspended 12 officers.
We are reviewing their cases and when we have concluded and found that evidence is overwhelming, they will definitely be dismissed,” he said.
And Mr Chilukutu has described the Mukobeko Maximum Correctional Facility murders that shocked the nation last year, as the lowest point in the history of the reformatory institution.
Mr Chilukutu said the institution did what was supposed to be done under the circumstances and as far as the system was concerned, one of the suspect inmates portrayed all the good traits of a well-behaved and well-reformed inmate.
“We did not know his heart was something else. I think we say we mourn with our citizens over what transpired. It is still a very sad occurrence and very disturbing even to talk about it,” Mr Chilukutu said.
He, however, said that measures have been instituted to discipline erring officers who were at the formation where the inmate was domiciled at the time of the crime.
Mukobeko Maximum Correctional Facility came into the public eye last year following a series of murders that were committed by allegedly serving inmates and is currently the case in the courts of law for trial.
Meanwhile, ZCS Commission Chairperson, Evaristo Kalonga, notes that the law will take its course against officers associated with the Mukobeko Maximum facility murder saga.
Mr Kalonga said what happened at the country’s biggest correctional facility is crime and officers involved must be disciplined.
“Officers involved in the Mukobeko Maximum Correctional facility murder saga, the law will take its course. What happened at the highest security facility was criminal and such officers need to be disciplined,” Mr Kalonga said.
The ZCS Commission Chairperson, who was responding to the media, explained that discipline has many facets that include dismissal from service and demotion in rank among others, depending on the gravity of the case.
Mr Kalonga has also said the institution will not entertain corrupt acts and engage in partisan politics among the correctional officers.
He has since announced that an audit will be carried out to ascertain the allegations that some officers who could have graduated from Nyango Training School did not have the requisite qualifications or maybe corruption was involved.
On Wednesday June 8, 562 Nigerien beggars from the streets of Accra landed in Yamal City, Niger on orders of deportation. The beggars had been illegally residing in Ghana. The deportation was not carried out in hostility to Niger as the Nigerien Embassy in Ghana collaborated with the Ghanaian government to make it happen.
In an interview with Accra FM, Abdallah Mohamed Hassan, a spokesperson for the Nigerien embassy said about 1,000 more Nigerien beggars including children had been mobilized and were set to be fully repatriated to their home country.
Hassan deemed this deportation necessary to rid the streets of Accra of the nuisance constituted by the beggars. He also explained that the deportees would be cared for by the Nigerien government and taught some skills to enable them to earn a living.
The repatriation of the beggars is just one step Ghana has taken in order to tighten its immigration control. The Ghanaian government complained about its borders being infiltrated too easily of recent. Most of its immigrants are reportedly from poor Islamic countries in Africa.
Nigerien beggars are also littered across the streets of Nigeria in thousands. They are especially able to blend in in northern Nigeria as they can communicate in Hausa which is the lingua franca in that region. Also, there is the Fulani tribe in northern Nigeria which speaks Fulfulde, one of Niger’s national languages. The country shares a border across several northern Nigerian states, making it easy to cross over.
n the other hand, Nigeriens have to cross Burkina Faso or Benin and then Togo to get to Ghana. Ghana also has a sizeable Hausa population, with over 280,000 people.
Niger borders 7 countries including Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Algeria, Libya, Chad, Benin and Mali.
Poverty in Niger
Niger, located in West Africa, is known for its extreme poverty among other things. According to World Bank, over 10 million people – almost half of the population – were living in extreme poverty in Niger in 2021, earning less than $1.9 a day. Over the years, issues related to health, climate, and insecurity have bedeviled Niger’s economy. These are all beside the glaring corruption of Niger’s government.
The country’s economy saw a growth of 5.8% in 2019 which fell to below 1.5% in 2021, a significant regression compared to the initial projection of 5.5%. However, a boom in oil production could cause the economy’s growth to reach as high as 10% if all goes well.
The sometimes poor climate conditions has adverse ramifications on Niger’s agriculture sector which accounts for 40% of its GDP. Over 70% of Niger’s population works in subsistence farming.
According to Concern USA, 20% of Nigeriens cannot afford to meet basic day to day feeding needs. They also reported as of January 2022 that there were 313,000 internally displaced Nigeriens.
The country also has its fair share of illegal occupants. In March 2022, there were reportedly 250,000 refugees, mostly fleeing from conflicts in Nigeria and Mali.
Let’s call a spade, a spade: The Vice President of Zambia, Mrs. Mutale Nalumango made a serious misleading statement when she defined the plot on which an embassy is located as foreign territory. In fact, this is one of the major risks in diplomacy when principals speak on matters they have no expertise or speak on matters where they have been ill-advised.
With that statement coming from such a high office, we risk being run over by foreign powers who will now feast on our leader’s uninformed positions in the process pushing an agenda inimical to our cherished values.
It is our patriotic duty as Zambians to correct this fundamental error by the UPND leadership and assert our sovereignty. Zambians must employ the power of democracy by voicing their concerns on matters where they have been misrepresented.
For you in power, just because you were elected doesn’t mean you have the monopoly of wisdom on all matters of governance. In fact, a good number of you are so new to governance, the risk of being run over by civil servants and outsiders is extremely high.
If you must know, the origins of the concept of privileges and immunities can be traced to ancient days when messengers would be imprisoned, ill-treated even killed if they presented to foreign rulers messages they didn’t like. So later, nations agreed on privileges and immunities. Modern diplomacy strengthened and codified them in the 1961 Vienna Convention.
The police, for example cannot force their way into an embassy even if you broke the law. What government can do instead is to ask you to leave the country. This is what the Zambian govt did in the case of the American Ambassador.
So just because force cannot be used to enter an embassy does not declare it foreign territory. Instead, diplomacy calls for peaceful settlement of disputes which would include summoning Ambassadors of concerned embassies to our Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Because what these embassies did was public, the Zambian govt must report to the Zambian people what measures it has taken. That’s what democratic governance demands.
Madam Vice President, you have seriously compromised the sovereignty of this country. The damage and injury to our statehood may take ages to repair unless President Hichilema takes immediate remedial measures.
Critic, Dr Masimba Mavaza writes accusing CCC leader Nelson Chamisa of stealing Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema’s yellow party colour when he formed a new political organisation in January this year.
By Dr. Masimba Mavaza | A story is told of two neighbours who lived in Zengeza 3 Chitungwiza. Every morning one neighbour observed the other neighbours as they went off and came back from work. She confronted her husband and said have you ever taken time to see how the neighbours do? The husband is so romantic. He opens the door for his wife and closes it for her.
Yesterday he bought a brand new Toyota Corola for his wife. Still he opens the door for her. Why don’t you be like him. Ask him how he does it,” the husband was embarrassed he summoned courage and went to chat with his neighbour. That evening he sat with his wife and started “ my sweet dear wife, I would like to do what our neighbour does. I will start tonight.
Masimba Mavaza But I need you to know how our neighbour became so romantic. He made his wife’s sister and the maid pregnant. So he is being nice to atone his sins. The Toyota was a sorry offering for having a child with his secretary and making the other receptionist pregnant. So in the morning i will pass through our maid’s room on my way to the car” Sometimes copying our neighbours while we do not have any knowlledge of why they are where they are now.
This story reminds me of Chamisa and his party who celebrated the win of Zambia. Chamisa has copied everything HH of Zambia did to win Zambian elections, even to adopt yellow as a colour of the party. But behind all the excellence shown by HH and Zambia there was always America behind their backs.
HH was very correct when he said during one of his campaigns “ I will have America here with dollars as soon as I enter the office.” Chamisa even stole the same saying and repeated it verbatim in one of his rallies.”
But true to his word HH shocked Africa on April 25, the U.S. government announced the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) will open an Office of Security Cooperation at the U.S. Embassy in Zambia. Visiting AFRICOM Brigadier General Peter Bailey, Deputy Director for Strategy, Engagement, and Programs, made the announcement during a meeting with His Excellency President Hakainde Hichilema. Building on the foundation of U.S.-Zambia shared security interests, the new Office of Security Cooperation will enhance military to military relations and expand areas of cooperation in force management, modernization, and professional military education for the Zambian security forces.
General Bailey commended President Hichilema and his New Dawn Administration for its steadfast commitment to regional peace and stability and stated the U.S. government looks forward to building on its strong bilateral ties with Zambia to enhance security cooperation. General Bailey also praised the Zambian Defence Force for its professionalism and contributions to United Nations peacekeeping missions.
During his visit, General Bailey will also meet with the Minister of Defense, Honorable Ambrose Lufuma, and will represent AFRICOM at the official opening ceremony for the start of pre-deployment training for the eighth Zambia Battalion (ZAMBATT VIII). This is a thank you to America for assisting HH to beat Edger Lungu in the past General elections.
This is what Chamisa will do he will give part of the land to America and most of his handlers.
The opening of the Command centre in Zambia gives America an opportunity to spy on Zimbabwe without any problems. While U.S. embassies in Africa have been woefully understaffed for decades, the U.S. military presence has increased, serving as a crucial signal to African partners that the United States is a steadfast ally. This clearly means America now controls Zimbabwe by spying on it from the comfort of Zambia. It is not a secret that America has a frosty relationship with Zimbabwe. Now stationed in Zambia America poses a serious security threat for. zimbabwe. This is what our neighbour has brought unto us. You can see the seriousness of the matter.
While we are wondering as to what America will do next Zambia gets the envelope and claim that they are geniuses in economic management. But why the U.S. Military Presence in Africa is Vital Beyond Counterterrorism The most profound benefits to U.S. national security from military engagement in Africa have little to do with the headlines. The expansion into Southern Africa is a ploy to control and change governments which are deemed to be against America. With Zidera still warm in the oven there is no doubt that America is spreading its arms towards Zimbabwe. Foreign military motivations is not always good but it spells evil for those in the bad books.
Knowing that Zimbabwe is on its knees because of ZIDERA. It is clear that not only the Horn is the epicentre of foreign military activity in Africa. Foreign troops have been deployed there to counter threats to international peace, subdue terror groups and pirates, and support foreign security initiatives but there is really no reason to stretch to Southern Africa. Southern Africa is not known for terrorism or piracy. American presence in Zambia is a security concern for Zimbabwe. The U.S. occupation of Africa has become self-justifying. The U.S. military now must stay in Africa to protect the interests of the U.S. military in Africa. This is how strange this is.
The current government of Zambia has clearly told us that it is better the devil you know than the one you do not know. Past presidents of Zambia had resisted the American expansion. They realised the treachery America was employing, they realised that their own pleasures was not important than the freedom of Africa. The heroes of African freedom are turning in their graves. You can imagine how Nkwame Nkurumah will feel on seeing the colonialism in a new shape being assisted by our own children. Liberation Heroes like Samora Machel,Kenneth Kaunda, Julius K Nyerere,Patrice Lumumba cde Robert Mugabe and many others.
The behaviour of Zambia is clearly a betrayal the nations give to the youth. Zambia gives a very sharp warning to the Zimbabwean youth. Do not say you have not been warned.
Tendai Biti even boasts that once he is in power he will start speaking in Oxford and Cambridge accents. He told Zimbabwe of people who will come and call him Mr Bhiti. Chamisa declared that he is a phone call away from flooding Zimbabwe with the white people. True to their word they do not have manifest or simply they do not have any plan except a phone call after they win elections. No constitution why bother the owners of the party will be taking over. The role of the U.S. military in Africa isn’t clear to anyone. And that will only hurt American interests.
The U.S. military has been expanding its presence and operations in Africa over the past decade. In doing so, it has obscured the nature of its actions through ambiguous language and outright secrecy. It limits the amount of information available about the objectives of its operations, how those operations are carried out, the facilities it uses, and how it partners with governments in the region.
At times, this has involved subverting democratic processes in partner countries, an approach that runs counter to years of diplomatic engagement ostensibly designed to strengthen governance institutions. Zambia is simply giving Africa in the hands of America. Zimbabweans should draw lessons from Zambia. Indeed the youth have been told that Zambia did it and Zimbabwe can do it too. What was there to be done. The youth was busy being sold a snake wrapped in a golden cloth.
America’s expansion is not a development for Zambia. It is a clear exploitation. Since the September 11, 2001 attacks, U.S. military and security agencies have claimed an unlimited mandate to pursue what they deem terrorist threats. For the Zimbabwe’s neighbour the Americans are there to stay without limitation.
The new wave of the youth in government alone is a new destructive path Africa has been plunged in. Having unprincipled people who have no respect of the values which made them people is a disaster.
When Zambians cried change in the streets of Zambia they never realised that they are selling their birth rights to America. Why foreign countries are scrambling to set up bases in Africa.
Recent media reports claim that a covert Kenyan paramilitary team is responsible for the unconstitutional killing of terror suspects in nighttime raids. The reports are based on interviews with US and Kenyan diplomatic and intelligence officials. The team was trained, armed and supported by US and British intelligence officers. It has been reported that since 2004, a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) programme has been operational in Kenya without public scrutiny. For its part, the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) has played a key role in identifying, tracking and fixing the location of targets. This has drawn renewed attention to the reality of widespread foreign security operations in Africa. This mechanism of unchecked military operations on those who are suspected of being terrorists will come back to haunt us. In preparation of a blood bath in Zimbabwe the American and CIA sponsored party CCC has started labelling the Zimbabwean government as a terrorist government. This is a preparatory stage so that when the CIA trained Zambian or Zimbabwean snipers kill Zimbabwean citizens they will be justified since the government is already considered to be a terrorist government. Are we listening are we seeing around us.
Several African governments are hosting foreign military bases. This is despite the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council’s ongoing concerns about the proliferation of foreign military bases on the continent. The AU is also concerned about its inability to monitor the movement of weapons to and from these military bases. Regardless, a host of bilateral agreements between AU member states and foreign powers underlie the spread of foreign military forces across the continent. At least 13 foreign powers have a substantial military presence on the continent. The US and France are at the forefront of conducting operations on African soil. For some observers it might seem like foreign governments are imposing their militaries on Africa, but, in fact, many African governments are keen to host them. This is the situation in Zambia. The so called new dawn government has posted the sun towards a wrong direction. There is no new dawn. Bilateral agreements with major powers generate income for African states. So Zambia did not wait to think for others. It did not wait to give a thought to their actions. Their behaviour is very careless. African countries are not agreed on how to regulate foreign security and military activities. The approach so far has been disjointed. Though Africa’s peacekeeping capacity has increased significantly, the AU is still highly dependent on external funding and resources for its peacekeeping operations. It does not have the freedom to take independent strategic, operational and even tactical decisions in its operations. As long as these shortcomings exist in Africa’s response to armed conflict, foreign militaries and intelligence services will continue to operate on the continent. These are matters that have to be addressed before African states can heed the AU Peace and Security Council’s concerns about extensive foreign military involvement on the continent. Zambia has effectively sold out and Zimbabwe must consider this as a serious warning. With general elections coming next few months our sovereignty is at stake.
Some African countries are so desperate for donations and are prepared to sell their soul for a song. Africa is poised to become one of the world’s most important economic regions. When the 54-country African Continental Free Trade Area is fully implemented, it will comprise the fifth-largest economic bloc in the world, representing a huge source of jobs, consumers, innovation, and power to shape the global economy.2021. This explains why the West is stampeding to Africa. Leaders of African countries are naive and quickly surrender their birth rights for donations.
The choices made by Zambia are seriously hard to swallow. . The situation in crucial parts of the continent has taken a clear turn for the worse in the last four years, with earlier hopes for an “African renaissance” now replaced by the reality of spreading conflict and the impending devastation caused by AIDS. Attempts by the United States to mediate and promote negotiations in African conflicts have not brought peace anywhere, while gaining the country few friends but many enemies. Support for economic reform in Africa has led to growth in only a few countries, but has also created mounting resentment against externally imposed structural adjustment programs. Most seriously, such reforms have given renewed credibility in African countries to the same concept of inward-looking and state-controlled development that created their economic crisis in the first place. Governments that feel, and rightly so, that they have made much progress in restoring war-devastated countries feel unjustly criticized for not having done even more; efforts by international organizations to curb corruption are seen as attempts to distract attention from the failure of western-imposed economic reform programs, putting the blame instead on Africans. And the demands of activists from the industrialized countries seeking to protect workers’ rights or the environment are perceived by many Africans as manifestations of a new and insidious form of protectionism that can only hurt the poorest countries. It should be equally obvious that the military can’t be the foundation of U.S. relations with a rising Africa. So Zambia has no reason to have a command post established in their country. If the Pentagon may be able to provide weapons, training and vehicles to African militaries, why can it offer trade deals, infrastructure projects or advice on agriculture. The U.S. military may attempt, with varying levels of success, to professionalize African militaries, but it can’t work with civilian governments, political parties or social movements to promote democracy and human rights. Indeed, Washington’s obsessive counterterrorism focus in Africa has little positive to show for its efforts, and actually risks increasing unlawful removal of democratically elected African governments.
Simply put, the U.S. military is attempting to prepare African countries to fight an enemy they actually may not have (or at least not to the extent that Washington imagines), while the U.S. government is failing to help those same countries deal with the real killers — namely, poverty and corruption.
Zimbabwe has been put in a precarious position and its a pity these so called progressive movements are progressing towards reversing the fruits of independency.
We should be very thankful to Zambia for showing us that our future is bleak with these now now political parties. This is the time to stand up and protect our country. We mudt never ever be carried away by the winds of CCC it is demonic and satanic. Zimbabwe is the only country we can call ours in the whole world. We must defend it. It is now for our country and for peace. Do not envy what is coming from your neighbour what looks romantic stinks. Stand up Zimbabwe and be counted. The new dispensation has made vital contributions across the nation to economic integration, security, democracy, climate, health, and more. Zimbabwe has made it under Zidera.
Zimbabwe’s strengths is undeniable a dynamic democracy, a robust economy, and a very powerful civil society. The challenges we face are undeniable as well including the disruption and insecurity caused by sanctions and opposition which is controlled by the foreign powers.
Then there’s Zimbabwe’s cultural influence. But in short, what happens here in Zimbabwe is felt around the world and this must never be threatened by actions of our neighbour. Zambia makes her decisions we can only complain but we should believe in ourselves. We are Zimbabweans we must be confused by the colour of the enemy. We know that, on most of the urgent challenges and opportunities we face, Zimbabwe will make the difference. Zimbabwe is not just a leaders, they are increasingly prominent around the world beyond this region, and they’re deserving of a prominent seat wherever the most consequential issues are discussed. The United States must know that it’s time to stop treating Zimbabwe as a subject of geopolitics – and start treating it as the major geopolitical player it has become and a sovereign state. Zimbabwe is a country of young people – energized, innovative, hungry for jobs and opportunity we must not be taken advantage of by the greediness of our neighbours. Zimbabwe is going towards a highly contentious and likely tumultuous presidential election that could alter the future of the country’s political system if the Americans are allowed to take over the government through CCC. Zimbabwe will hold general elections to elect the president, members of the National Assembly and Senate, and various county positions. However, the presidential ballot is shaping up to be a hotly contested race, with two political gladiators as frontrunners president Mnangagwa and Nelson Biden Chamisa. The implications of the results of the elections on Zimbabwe could be far-reaching, especially if America wins through Chamisa. Zimbabwe has to trust in its people to succeed because many countries lime Malawi Zambia are already being controlled towards side lining Zimbabwe unless America wins through Chamisa. Hichilema and President Lazarus Chakwera’s victories in Zambia last year and in Malawi in 2020 respectively changed the electoral narrative in the region where incumbents hardly lost power through polls. America assisted these parties by starving the citizens to rebellion. They applied the politics of stomach and the Pan African leaders were kicked out. It is only now the cat jumped out of the bed. We know why the Americans are interested in regime change in Zimbabwe. Hichilema visited South Africa recently as an invited guest speaker at a book launch where he met Chamisa. He also paid a courtesy call on South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at his Mahlamba Ndlopfu official residence in Pretoria. Hichilema was guest speaker at the launch of a book titled Expensive Poverty: Why Aid Fails and How it can work written by his friend Greg Mills, director of the Brenthurst Foundation, a Johannesburg-based organisation established by the Oppenheimer family in 2005 to promote new ideas and innovation to strengthen economic performance in Africa. The same foundation has secretly sponsored CCC and they are the known funders of Hopewell Chin’ono. We might have our eyes closed but we are awake.
It is not proper for America to play big brother to Zimbabwe or Africa at large simply because they are powerful. America will not lose sleep if Zimbabwe is wiped off the face of the earth because that is exactly what they would want and being in Zambia is a step forward to their evil plans against Zimbabwe. So Americans did not lose sleep when their lawmen spent long days and nights crafting the Zidera document, or perhaps they didn’t as Biti drafted it for them. And so Americans don’t lose sleep if Zimbabwe is destroyed but lose sleep when Job Sikhala and Chin’ono are arrested or that Mamombe be allowed to demonstrate? America will not be a good neighbour especially where it is called ZAMBIA.
At the end of the century, nearly 40 percent of the world’s population will be African. Yet, instead of preparing to build a relationship that can grow with the continent, based upon diplomatic cooperation, the United States is doubling down on more than a decade of reliance on its military as the primary vehicle of engaging with Africa. The consequences, as one might expect, are overwhelmingly negative. This growing military presence is displacing diplomacy. Military advisers outnumber diplomats in embassies across the continent. Career diplomats who focus on Africa are often ignored in favor of military commanders. It should come as no surprise then that the aggressive U.S. military presence has done little to strengthen U.S.-Africa ties so Zambia must not expect anything better from allowing the American army to camp on Zambia. Protests against bases and troop deployments have taken place in Ghana, Niger, Cameroon, Liberia and several other countries. U.S. Africa Command is actually headquartered in Germany, largely because no African country wants to host it. The unease with American militarism is likely only to grow — particularly as countries become less dependent on U.S. aid, and as certain U.S. military missions potentially provoke an increase in violent extremism.
So the question remains. ZAMBIA PLEASE ZAMBIA WHY?
SATA AND LEVY WERE RIGHT ABOUT BALLY
….we have given power to an under 5 politician – Lubinda
LUSAKA, Saturday, June 11, 2022 (Smart Eagles)
ALL OF US Zambians have realised that we have given the power to an under five politician, PF Acting president Given Lubinda has said.
Hon Lubinda said President Hakainde Hichilema doesn’t even have the courage to apologise to Zambians for the failed promises because he is an under five.
He said this when he and 11 other opposition leaders met to discuss national affairs in Lusaka yesterday.
“The opposition are coming together to handle matters of common interest. And our common interest is driven by realisation that Micheal Chilafya Sata was right and Levy Mwanawasa was right. When Micheal Sata said under five politicians cannot be given authority to govern over a country, he was right. All of us Zambians have realised that we have given the power to an under five politician,” he said.
“Under five because everything he said and he is not delivering on, he doesn’t even have the courage to apologise, that is exactly what an under five child does. Because an under five child does not commit to anything. And you cannot incriminate an under five child if they deceive you, if they don’t deliver on their promises.”
The opposition leader said this is the reason why “President Bally – Sammy Hichilema thinks that he can just get away with this without apologizing to the Zambian people.”
“But also this vindicates President Levy Mwanawasa when he told the author of his biography about how unfaithful and how untruthful about how One Hakainde Hichilema is. Levy, in the book written by Malupenga said you can’t trust him, he never tells the truth.”
And Hon Lubinda said if the regrouping of the PF is giving President Hichilema headaches, it’s a good day for the President to realise that the bed on which he sleeps is not a rosy bed because the opposition have decided to come together.
Meanwhile, the PF Acting president reprimanded the Head of State for always wanting people to applaud him.
He indicated that the President who ascended to power on lies should respect his predecessors.
“Gule wamukulu wamene ayenda kukavina, akalibo vina ayambo uza bantu totani choyamba nikalibe kuvina because I am the best dancer ends up being the worst dancer. President Bally is always looking forward to people applauding him. He wants people to clap. Can you imagine him saying to the Zambian people this is the very first time that we are meeting Europeans in Zambia,” he said.
“Europeans have been in Zambia all the time. He has a meeting, then he says this is the first meeting for Europeans and the government. He brings the minister of chani chani from Britain ati he is the first Minister who has come to Zambia, he forgets that even the Queen was in Zambia before – in 1979 when him and I were still in primary school, the queen was here but he can’t remember.”
Hon Lubinda warned the President that he will have a disastrous ending if he continues discarding the wisdom of his predecessors as he said that “the ones who went before us will always be wiser than us because we only learn from them.”
DON’T LET UPND GO BEYOND 2026, KABIMBA IMPLORES ZAMBIANS
…as Mulusa notes that Zambians have been greatly disappointed
LUSAKA, Saturday, June 11, 2022 (Smart Eagles)
ECONOMIC Front (EF) Leader Wynter Kabimba has called on Zambians to give the UPND only one term in power.
Mr Kabimba said yesterday that citizens should not wait longer than five years to kick out the new dawn administration.
He said the distraction UPND will cause will be irreversible if left in power beyond one term.
“My message is very clear that the UPND government came into power with a trade mark of lying. That HH and the UPND have continued to lie to the Zambian people that even as their campaign promises have not been delivered, the man has no sense of humility to apologize to the Zambian people,” he said.
“Therefore, our appeal as EF, our appeal as members of this opposition coalition is to say to the Zambian people, you gave MMD 25 years, PF 11 years, give the UPND only five years. HH and the UPND in 2026 must go. Don’t wait for them longer than that because the distraction that they are going to cause to this country will be irreversible.”
Meanwhile, former Minister of National Development Planning Lucky Mulusa said Zambians have grossly been disappointed by the way UPND is running the affairs of the nation.
Mr Mulusa said there is need to reclaim the Zambian interest.
“The Zambians have been greatly and grossly disappointed. We have noticed that what we fought for was not on behalf of the Zambian people but on behalf of foreign interest and personal interest where you want to achieve certain goals, probably to be the first multi billionaire Zambians in terms of dollars. I think that is what the current leadership is competing for,” he said.
“And it is incumbent upon ourselves to come together, create critical mass……. reclaim the Zambian interest and make sure that the Zambian victory does not continue reflecting into Zambian cries.”
He told the UPND administration that they cannot start celebrating reducing the levels of inflation rate by simply squeezing money out of the economy.
“Zambian at the moment are crying. You cannot start celebrating reducing the levels of inflation rate by simply squeezing money out of the economy,” he said.
“Those that are selling goods and services do not have customers, customers do not have the disposable income to be able to look after their welfare. And for you, you start celebrating, putting a smile on your face when your mandate was putting a smile on the Zambians that voted for you.”
Republican Vice President Mutale Nalumango has described as rubbish discussions that border on the tribe. Mrs Nalumango said she detests tribal sentiments that are perpetuated by some people.
Featuring on the first edition of the revived Frank Talk Show on ZNBC TV on Thursday night, Mrs Nalumango said she was not bothered by tribal allegations against the United Party for National Development (UPND) at the time she was joining the ruling party from MMD.
The former Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly joined UPND after the 2011 General Election which her party at the time lost to the Patriotic Front.
Mrs. Nalumango revealed that the UPND constitution and manifesto attracted her to join the party even if it was labeled tribal.
“I don’t listen to such (tribal sentiment). Sorry if I use your platform to use one-word rubbish. I don’t believe in tribalism. If you have justice on your mind you don’t look at people through the eyes of a tribe and you know ukususha ilungu kwendamo. If they were those allegations (tribal allegations) I go in and see and because they (UPND) had a beautiful manifesto and a beautiful constitution. I will say this; my colleagues from UPND may not agree there was little difference between UPND and MMD and therefore I was home. You don’t hear me calling MMD names. And I sit there and my colleagues are seeing what they saw in MMD which I was part of,” said the retired teacher.
Mrs. Nalumango said there were similarities between UPND and MMD at the time she was making up her mind to join UPND.
“Sometimes I say can you make comparisons, particularly with the outgoing (PF). I remember one time saying now you see how PF are ruling? What are you still saying about us as MMD? And one man, who is now late in our office, said huh it’s like comparing apples to lemons because they had come to realise that MMD was not that bad. So I did not move from MMD. I can’t lie again to the people because MMD was so bad. No, I moved because they were failing. Leadership was falling to come together and galvanize the support that we needed and that is why I saw hope in the UPND,” she said.
Mrs. Nalumango served as UPND National Chairperson before she was chosen as President Hakainde Hichilema’s running mate in the run up to the 2021 General Elections.
“When I was picked number one as Vice President for the party, I made a statement that I was not prepared. I didn’t know that day that would happen but just because it is in me I don’t see positions for benefit. I see a position for responsibility. It leaves me nervous and people must know that I get very nervous because I want to perform and when I think I may fail it is terrible I need encouragement. So for me I see responsibility and immediately I am appointed. I am saying Lord huh why will I do it? What will I do? I was literally shaking,” she said.
Mwepu and Emmanuel Banda Spat Speaks Of Deep-Seated Disunity
The cameras missed it!
Many an eye in the stadium caught it.
I am reliably informed, since I was relying on cameras, that midfielder Emmanuel Banda and skipper Enock Mwepu had visible disagreement on the pitch during the Zambia v Comoros Africa Cup qualifying match.
That disagreement arose after Banda had passed the ball to Mwepu who, seemingly as a result of a lack of concentration, lost possession. A displeased Emmanuel approached his team captain who didn’t take take the reproach kindly and things degenerated into an ugly scene.
For some reason, it was calmed down but it was bad I am told.
I hoped to see an article in the media either quoting Mwepu or Emmanuel as to what happened. I have seen none.
Well, let me be the first one who (hopefully) didn’t see but has been adequately briefed by people I can’t doubt.
Of course, I am disappointed in my fellow sports journalists for denying Zambians an opportunity to be informed.
I am informed this incident was visible to many, including journalists in the stadium.
It’s a snippet of the challenges our team is facing; deep-seated disunity and the lack of leadership. These are some of the reasons that may cause our failure to feature at AfCON 2023.
There’s a lot of information emerging out of camp that is glossed over by us sports journalists, bloggers, belly-based analysts and credible analysts alike.
It makes me wonder if this is why a lad like Fashion Sakala would have the guts to even say journalists in Zambia are beggars, a damning (but perhaps true) allegation to our profession.
But if we can’t call out such unacceptable behavior by the likes of Mwepu or Emmanuel, it leaves our profession vulnerable to allegations of compromise especially that known journalists beg for Kopa replicas from FAZ and selfies with players and their jerseys.
Seats on chartered planes, eWallet and air time have completely impaired our coverage of those who dispense with such freebies to us. How then can you objectively cover your sources like this if they are found wanting?
The fact that Mwepu and Emmanuel are big stars, play in Europe does not make them immuned to correction.
Leaving the situation as is makes the likes of Mwepu and Emmanuel feel like demigods; as if they are omnipotent.
Mwepu should know and understand that being a leader does not make you a boss on the pitch, but a servant of the team.
If Mwepu had made a mistake – which is human as we all do – he should have acknowledged and calmed the situation. Emmanuel has every right to call his captain to order if he deemed it fit. There was absolutely no need for Mwepu to take offense.
Zambia does not belong to a single individual no matter their skill, riches or contribution. We all have a responsibility to contribute to its success in whatever form.
This animosity must be addressed to encourage team unity and cohesion for a complete and successful Chipolopolo.
Republican Vice President Mutale Nalumango has denied suggestions that she owns land in the controversial Lusaka East Forest Reserve No. 27.
Lusaka East Forest Reserve No. 27 is said to be the only public protected area and large natural green space in the immediate proximity of Zambia’s capital city, Lusaka.
It is not very clear how several people acquired plots within the reserve area.
Featuring on the first edition of the revived Frank Talk Show on ZNBC TV on Thursday night, Mrs Nalumango said she does not own any property within Forest Number 27.
She was responding to a question from activist and singer Maiko Zulu who was part of the Frank Talk Show audience.
Mr. Zulu wanted to find out whether Mrs Nalumango owns property in Forest 27 and whether the UPND government will fulfill its promise of restoring Forest 27 as a reserve area.
The Republican Vice President condemned the de-gazetting of Forest 27 and the allocation of plots in the reserve area.
“De-gazetting forest 27, I will start by saying no sir I don’t have not even when I was in government as a minister did get land unfortunately even straight from government. Whatever little piece of land we have we bought from individuals who had titles. So personally you said I am, I don’t know whether I am honest but I am truthful (laughs) because you can choose to define words. No, I own no property and I don’t think it was done in good faith,” Mrs. Nalumango said.
She said the allocation of plots in the forest was a drawback as Zambia and the world fights climate change.
“Colleagues you don’t, today with all the issues to do with climate change to start with which is affecting us so negatively and affecting the world. Why? And you see that many people who are in Forest 27, I have no concrete evidence but you will find that these are people who own land elsewhere too. How selfish, how selfish. It was not done in the public interest. It is wrong. It was wrong to de-gazette Forest 27 and like I said there is law but law was made by man,” Mrs. Nalumango said.
She said citizens should allow the law to prevail over the issue of allocating plots in Forest 27.
“We are still struggling with how we handle this. If Zambians understood that there is no malice in what we are doing. We should bring down this and allow the law, the right law. This was wrong sir (Maiko Zulu) and I am passionate about that. I don’t care who is there (Forest 27) they may be my relatives, you were wrong to do what you did,” Mrs. Nalumango said.
The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources last September halted all development projects taking place at Lusaka East Forest Reserve No. 27.
This was in order for the New Dawn government to find out how plots were acquired within the reserve area.
Lands and Natural Resources Minister Elijah Muchima instructed the director of the commission of lands to take stock of all activities that have been happening at the forest reserve.
Mr. Muchima expressed sadness over the amount of land that has been taken up for development in Lusaka East Forest Reserve No. 27 which is also called Chalimbana system recharge area.
Local Government and Rural Development Minister Garry Nkombo who was with Mr. Muchima at the time said the government will ensure it protects the recharge area in order to help people around Chalimbana and Chongwe river areas.
Meanwhile, when the UPND was in opposition Mr. Nkombo promised that after forming Government the UPND would restore Forest 27 as a reserve area.
BANK of Zambia governor Denny Kalyalya says there are governors at BoZ that have been serving since independence without a specified tenure of office.
Speaking when he appeared before the parliamentary committee on national economy, trade and labour matters to discuss the consideration of the Bank of Zambia Bill No. 5 of 2022, Dr Kalyalya said there was need for clearly spelt out procedure of appointment and removal of governors.
“The other aspect that comes out in the bill is the institutional arrangements. Now one of the things that has been clearly spelt out are the procedures for the appointment and removal of the governor and deputy governors. Previously that was a grey area so to speak. Chair if you come to the Bank of Zambia you will see faces of governors who have occupied that position. You find that they are 15 in a space of 55 years, 57 years but if you look at the Auditor General (office) you are talking about four, that shows stability. So part of this arrangement is to ensure that we have stability in the governance of that institution,” he said. “The other aspect in the institutional arrangements is that we had for example, in 2020, a situation where when the governor was removed, it was very difficult to find an acting governor. A situation which was unfortunate because that should not be left to chance. The current law is proposing have a clear position where that will not be allowed to happen. The other one is the fact that for purposes of transparency and accountability, the governor and deputy governors have to declare their assets and liabilities 30 days following the enactment of the bill. This is to give transparency which also you honourable members are subjected to as public officers.”
He said the bill would also include two committees to enhance operations of the bank. “Then operational matters, we have heard some comments on two particular committees that are being established. One is the monetary policy committee and the other one is the financial stability committee. Chair, these committees stand out. They are not subcommittees of the board. This is why they are being projected in the bill to be autonomous committees. We have heard some questions on how is it that the governor who is chair of the board can also be a chair of the committee. In any case, even in other countries when there is separation between the chair of the board and chair of monetary committee the governor does chair that,” he explained. “So this is to be established by law. The decision of the monetary policy is final. The board cannot alter once it is pronounced but there has to be accountability for that. In other countries individuals can appear publicly, individually, to defend what they stood for in those meetings.” Dr Kalyalya said the bill would institutionalise operational autonomy, enhance the other aspects of good governance, which was previously dependent on the relationship that the governor had with the minister of finance.
“Chair, up to that point, the bank didn’t have any legally enshrined operational autonomy. The Bank operated mainly on the basis of the relationship the governor and then ministers of finance had. So if there was an unhappy relationship that also affected the operations of the institution but I am happy to say that even without that legal provision, since 1996, there had been some very good working relationship with the bank and the various ministers who occupied the position of minister of finance. But in 2016, the country saw it fit to actually to provide that (legal autonomy) in the law and that is what we have here as Article 213 subsection 5 which states that ‘the Bank of Zambia shall not be subject to the direction or control of a person or an authority in the performance of its functions’,” he said. In his intervention, Pambashe PF member of parliament Ronald Chitotela feared that the BoZ was asserting powers which should ordinarily be for the Ministry of Finance.
“The bill is stating that the conditions that apply to a judge should apply to the BoZ governor when at recruitment stage the bill does not include on how. It just gives the powers to the President, the BoZ governor who is ratified by parliament but in the case of a judge there is a JSC, the Judicial Service Commission that advertises among judicial officers and they apply and JSC interviews and shortlists proposed nominees and submits the President. That is the process of scrutiny and recruitment. But here we seem more concerned to secure the exit process more than the entry process,” he noted. “In an event honourable (committee chairman Mutotwe) Kafwaya becomes president and appoints somebody who fails to perform, and because of the political nature we have where colleagues in parliament ratify and the party with the majority numbers ratifies, where if your party votes yes, you cannot go against it in an event that person fails to perform…The second issue is on the composition of the board. There is a representative from Secretary to Treasury but the details of the Act restrict that that sectary will not count for the purpose of the quorum and will not vote but meanwhile the Act empowers you to participate in debt management and to assist government in terms of debt management which is a department under Ministry of Finance? So that is an added responsibility you are assuming as a bank. In the committee you participate in terms of voting but you don’t want the Ministry of Finance to vote,” he challenged.
Chitotela said the 1996 BoZ Act does not allow to engage in business transactions. “But the proposed bill is allowing to participate in business transactions both domestic and intentionally as a regulator but if for example Bank of Zambia chooses to buy shares in Zambia National Commercial Bank or Standard Chartered Bank, how do you intend to discipline or control the institution where you have interest?
According to the Constitution of Zambia you are mandated to be the chairperson of the BoZ and the BoZ is proposing to establish two sub committees, it gives a mandate to supervise and be a chair of those committees. Why can’t we propose that the deputy BoZ governor in charge of operations will be able to chair those? Why should it be the governor?” asked Chitotela. But Dr Kalyalya said the proposed bill was a culmination of contributions from various relevant stakeholders. And in response to Sinazongwe UPND member of parliament Gift Sialubalo who wanted to know why the enactment of the bill had become a priority after his firing in 2020, Dr Kalyalya said the matter had been on the cards since 2016. Dr Kalyalya said the bill had undergone scrutiny by various sectors.
“…as regards the developments elsewhere regarding the operations of Central Bank, this is where we are getting our insights from. Yes, judges are appointed after recommendation from the Judicial Service Commission but there are other aspects which are different for example our judges have security of tenure which they can enjoy until they 67, up to 70 years. Here at most the governor will only have 12 years depending on when you were appointed. There are other constitutional officers which do not get scrutinised in that manner for example, the DPP (Director of Public Proseuctions). I could be wrong,” he said. “What we are saying is when you are going in you are subjected to this double veto but when you are going out there is no veto. That is where the balancing is been…”
On the issue of him sitting on the board, Dr Kalyalya said, “it is important to keep an eye that there is coordination because you have to have coordination between fiscal and monetary policy. In fact outside the provision of the law there are memoranda of understanding which are drawn to govern that relationship so that you don’t leave things in ad hoc fashion.” On assistance of debt management by the governor, Dr Kalyalya said: “this is a matter which has arisen. Many countries have gotten into debt problems and our country is no exception”.
“So received wisdom has it that you should involve those organs that are also responsible for some of the aspects of the fiscal [policy]. For example, in the proposed bill we are mandated to serve as a fiscal agent to the government which means we issue instruments of debt on behalf of the government. Surely wouldn’t you want to get some insights from a person who does that for you?” he said. And BoZ deputy governor operations Francis Chipimo said the issue of debt has a direct impact on monetary policy hence the need for advice from the Central Bank.
“You have to have that collaboration with government in what happens,” added Dr Chipimo. On participation of the Bank in business, Dr Kalyalya said, “This is carefully crafted that it is in furtherance of the objectives of the Bank. It is not that the Bank will work up one day and undertake some business activity. It has to be demonstrated that that is linked to the furtherance of the Bank. It is not any business honourable.”
Chitotela however insisted that there should be safety valves provided. And Kafwaya argued that the governor would not be accountable if allowed to chair the board of the bank and the proposed subcommittees. “This law is also providing that the governor can be removed on incompetence, but who is going to assess that competence? Who is going to assess the performance of the governor because you are literally the boss of everyone in the system?” asked Kafwaya. Dr Kalyalya said the functions of the Central Bank would be to provide for price and financial systems stability.
“So in the bill it has been made very clear that, in an event that there is a conflict between the price and financial stability functions, price stability will take precedence. That specification was important,” Dr Kalyalya said.
Currently the Bank operates under the bank of Zambia Act number 43 of 1996 which as read together with the Constitution amendment Act number 12 of 2016 provides the legal framework for the creation and establishment of the Bank of Zambia.
Rwanda’s defence ministry on Friday said the Democratic Republic of Congo’s army fired two rockets into its territory in the latest of a series of tit-for-tat allegations.
The charge from Kigali came after Kinshasa accused neighbouring Rwanda on Wednesday of deploying 500 special forces troops on its soil, as tensions flare between the two East African states.
“The DRC armed forces, FARDC, fired two 122mm rockets into Rwanda from the Bunagana area,” in the west of the country around midday, the ministry said in a statement.
“There were no casualties but the local population is terrified,” it added.
The statement said similar shelling by DRC forces took place on March 19 and May 23 and had caused casualties and damaged property.
The accusations come amid a sharp deterioration in relations over the recent resurgence of the M23 militia in the DRC’s volatile east.
The DRC has accused Rwanda of backing the rebel group and last month said it had detained two Rwandan soldiers in its eastern region, holding this as proof of Kigali’s involvement.
Rwanda has repeatedly denied backing the M23.
On Wednesday, the DRC’s army spokesman in eastern North Kivu province, General Sylvain Ekenge, accused Rwanda of fielding hundreds of troops beyond its borders.
“Rwanda has changed the uniform of its soldiers to conceal its presence in Congolese territory alongside the terrorists of M23,” he said.
Rwandan government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo told AFP: “We have no interest in a crisis and will not respond to baseless accusations.”
Relations between the DRC and Rwanda have been strained since the mass arrival in the eastern DRC of Rwandan Hutus accused of slaughtering Tutsis during the 1994 Rwanda genocide.
The M23, a primarily Congolese Tutsi group, is one of more than 120 armed groups roaming eastern DRC.
It briefly captured North Kivu’s capital Goma in late 2012 before the army quelled the rebellion the following year.
But M23 resumed fighting late last year, accusing the Congolese government of failing to respect a 2009 agreement under which its fighters were to be incorporated into the army.
M23 rebels wounded three United Nations peacekeepers in North Kivu in an attack this week, the UN said on Wednesday.- Daily Monitor
Jamaica officially begins process of becoming a republic that could see Queen Elizabeth ditched as head of state by 2025 Jamaica has began the process of becoming a republic, which might result in the removal of Queen Elizabeth as the country’s head of state by 2025.
The head of the Caribbean nation’s legal ministry revealed to the country’s parliament that the procedure to depose Her Majesty will start soon, with the goal of finishing before the next election.
It was also disclosed that it will be incorporated in the development of a new Jamaican Constitution, which, if passed, will turn the island into a republic without a monarchy.
A number of critical votes are likely to take place in both houses of the Jamaican parliament, the House and Senate, followed by a public vote, in order for Jamaica to become a republic.
This comes after the Prime Minister of the island discussed the problem with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during their Caribbean tour earlier this year.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness clumsily informed them that his country was “moving on” from monarchy.
‘There are unresolved concerns here,’ says Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness to William and Kate.
If given the chance in 2020, a poll found that more than half of Jamaicans would vote to depose the Queen as head of state.
Marlene Malahoo Forte QC, head of the Ministry of Legal and Constitutional Affairs on the island nation, told its parliament on Tuesday the move would show Jamaica’s ‘self-determination and cultural heritage’, The National reports.
She said: ‘The goal is to ultimately produce a new Constitution of Jamaica, enacted by the Parliament of Jamaica, to inter alia, establish the Republic of Jamaica as a parliamentary republic, replacing the constitutional monarchy, and affirming our self-determination and cultural heritage.
‘I am pleased to advise this honourable House that the work to achieve this goal, while being done in stages, has formally commenced.’
She added that a cross-party committee would be set up to look into the exact form the new constitution should take.
Ms. Malahoo Forte added: ‘The reform work to be done in order to achieve the goal of a new constitution requires cooperation between the government and the parliamentary opposition, as well as the seal of the people.’
There is now a growing desire to remove the Queen as head of state in the country, which became independent from Britain in 1962.
Back In November, fellow Caribbean nation Barbados transitioned into being a republic, replacing Her Majesty with an elected President.
Guyana, Dominica, and Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean removed her as head of state in the 1970s, while Mauritius in the Indian Ocean declared itself a republic in 1992.
Donald Trump has rebuked his daughter Ivanka after she told January 6 committee she didn’t believe his claims that the 2020 election was stolen, claiming his daughter had already “checked out” before the election.
The former president also raged at his former Attorney General Bill Barr for turning on him during the insurrection investigation.
On Thursday night, the House panel played parts of their interview with Mr. Barr, who said that Mr. Trump’s false claims of fraud were “bulls***” and that he didn’t want to be “a part of it”.
“I had three discussions with the president that I can recall,” Mr Barr told the committee. “One was on November 23, one was on December 1, and one on December 14, and I’ve been through sort of the give and take of those discussions and in that context, I made it clear I did not agree with the idea of saying the election was stolen and putting out this stuff, which I told the president was bulls***,” he added during the prerecorded interview first shared with the public on Thursday night.
“And I didn’t want to be a part of it and that’s one of the reasons that went into me deciding to leave when I did. I observed, I think it was December 1, you know, he can’t live in a world where the incumbent administration stays in power based on its view, unsupported by specific evidence that there was fraud in the election,” he added.
Ivanka, one of her father’s most trusted advisors, also told the panel that she didn’t think the 2020 election was stolen, saying that what Mr. Barr told her about the election changed her point of view.
“It affected my perspective,” she told the committee. “I respect Attorney General Barr so I accepted what he said.”
Reacting on his social media platform, Truth Social, on Friday morning, June 10, Trump said: “Ivanka Trump was not involved in looking at, or studying, Election results. She had long since checked out and was, in my opinion, only trying to be respectful to Bill Barr and his position as Attorney General (he sucked!).”
Mr. Trump also slammed Mr. Barr on Truth Social.
“Bill Barr was a weak and frightened Attorney General who was always being ‘played’ and threatened by the Democrats and was scared stiff of being impeached,” Mr Trump wrote.
“How do you not get impeached? Do nothing, or say nothing, especially about the obviously rigged and stolen election or, to put it another way, the crime of the century! The Democrats hit pay dirt with Barr, he was stupid, ridiculously said there was no problem with the election, and they left him alone. It worked for him, but not for our Country!” Mr Trump added.
In a second post, Mr Trump wrote that Mr Barr “was a coward who would not let his US Attorney in Philadelphia, where election fraud was rampant, to even think about looking at it … I believe that by their inaction, others were told this also!”
“The so-called ‘Rush on the Capitol’ was not caused by me, it was caused by a Rigged and Stolen Election!” Mr. Trump claimed.
“I NEVER said, or even thought of saying, ‘Hang Mike Pence’. This is either a made-up story by somebody looking to become a star, or FAKE NEWS!” Mr Trump wrote regarding evidence that he reacted positively to the chants of his supporters to hang the vice president for refusing to help to overturn the election.
“Many people spoke to me about the Election results, both pro and con, but I never wavered one bit – follow the facts and proof. The 2020 Presidential Election was Rigged and Stolen…And look at our Country now – not pretty!!!” Mr Trump posted on Truth Social, repeating his false claims of election fraud.
46-year-old golf legend, Tiger Woods has officially been declared a billionaire.
According to Forbes, the golf legend has a net worth of at least $1 billion based on his lifetime earnings. Notably, he is the third-ever athlete to achieve this feat after NBA stars Michael Jordan and LeBron James.
He reportedly raked in over $1.7 billion in salary, endorsements and other income over the course of his 27-year career, more than anyone else Forbes has tracked.
Woods reached that rarified air despite reportedly turning down a “mind-blowingly enormous” offer from the new Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour, a deal that LIV CEO Greg Norman told the Washington Post would’ve been in the “high nine digits.”
Yet to this point, less than 10% of Woods’ career earnings, and net worth, comes from golf winnings. The bulk of his fortune comes from enormous endorsement deals with more than a dozen brands, including Gatorade, Monster Energy, TaylorMade, Rolex and Nike, with whom he signed in 1996 and which remains his biggest backer.
Woods has also used his status and earnings to expand into an array of other ventures, which now include a golf design business (TGR Design), a live events production company (TGR Live) and a restaurant (The Woods). Through TGR Ventures, Woods has taken stakes in Full Swing, a golf technology training tool; Heard, a hospitality software startup; and PopStroke, a luxury mini-golf experience with four locations in Florida and plans to open a half-dozen more locations across the country in 2022. Woods is also identified as a partner in a SPAC announced in January, and he is an investor alongside British billionaire Joe Lewis’ Tavistock Group, golfing rival Ernie Els and Justin Timberlake in NEXUS Luxury Collection, a group of clubs and resorts.
The athlete’s impact on golf’s TV ratings, and purse sizes, cannot be overstated. In the early 2000s, according to former CBS president Neal Pilson, TV audiences would drop 30% to 50% when Woods was not in contention at a tournament. This so-called “Tiger Effect” contributed to PGA Tour winnings nearly tripling between 1996 and 2008, a stretch in which Woods won 14 major championships. (He is still a major draw, but less so these days.)
At his peak, Woods was the most prolific athlete endorser in history, earning north of $100 million per year off the course. He held the No. 1 spot in Forbes’ highest-paid athletes list for ten consecutive years, ending in 2012. Not even his dramatic fall from grace after his 2009 Thanksgiving car crash derailed his earnings power. Over the last 12 months, despite hardly ever teeing up the ball while recovering from a serious car accident, Woods collected $68 million in off-course income, enough to make him the 14th-highest-paid athlete in the world.
Away from the course, Woods enjoys a luxurious lifestyle that is befitting of his billionaire status. He lives in the exclusive area of Jupiter, Florida and resides in a stunning $48m mansion.
Not only does it have its own four-hole golf course, but the pad features a 100ft swimming pool, outdoor basketball area and tennis court.
APNAC ZAMBIA CHAPTER PRESS STATEMENT 10/06/2022 ON THE ABORTED MAHOGANY AIR $224,000 CHARTERED PLANE TO FACILITATE TRAVEL FOR THE SPORTS MINISTRY OFFICIALS AND ZAMBIA FOOTBALL FANS
The African Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption (APNAC) Zambia Chapter is highly concerned with developments surrounding the Mahogany Air chartered plane that was expected to fly the sports ministry officials and Zambia football fans to Ivory Coast to provide moral support in the encounter between Zambia and that respective country.
It is unfortunate that while huge sums of money to the tune of US$224,000 was paid to the charterer, the service was not provided at all. We wish to strongly place on record that this does not in any way demonstrate prudent use of public resources.
It has further come to our attention that the charterer is now apprehensive on the call to refund the money paid on grounds that they are owed historical debt by government from 2021.
We now believe the $224,000 was collected out of Government hands by false pretense with impunity by the charterer predetermined not to provide the service.
We are dealing with public funds here and surely someone must be held accountable this financial anormally bordering on courruption.
In the spirit of transparency and accountability, APNAC Zambia Chapter would like to demand as a matter of urgency that;
1. Government explains the criterier that was used to identify the charter plane at $224,000. Was it single sourced?
2.Government explains why there was such a huge difference in pricing between the charterer offered and for a later identified bigger 120 seater plane from Proflight. Why Mahogany Air was first option despite the steep pricing?
3. What was the source of the $224,000 as it is not in any Budget line for 2022. Was it from a well wisher and if so, what is the anticipated quid pro quo?
Was the payment done via Bank transfers or via Cash?
4. Government should instantly report the Mahogany Air and its CEO Dr Jim Belemu that received the money to the Police and relevant law enforcement agencies as we deem this transaction to have been premeditated and bordering on criminality of public resources.
We submit as we work together towards a corrupt free Zambia.
Issued by: Hon. Miles Sampa MP
CHAIRPERSON-APNAC ZAMBIA CHAPTER
Opposition Patriotic Front (PF) member and business tycoon Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba popularly known as GBM has charged that he is being politically persecuted for ditching the UPND prior to the 2021 General Elections.
GBM was last Tuesday arrested and detained over allegations of Conflict of Interest and possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime as a typical example of a vindictive fight against corruption.
He resigned from the UPND in 2019 to rejoin the PF which was ruling at the time.
GBM appeared in court yesterday for counts he faces of being in possession of property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime and conflict of interest involving millions of Kwachas and thousands of dollars respectively.
The former UPND Vice President has since been granted bail of K300, 000 by the Lusaka Magistrate Court.
The joint investigations team charged GBM with 8 counts of Conflict of Interest and 19 counts of being in possession of property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime.
Speaking to journalists after being released from custody when he was granted bail, Mr. Mwamba said he was not shaken by the arrest and detention.
The former Kasama Central Member of Parliament said he is used to being arrested.
“Ulya alencusha kapokola alikwi? (Where is that police officer who was mistreating me?) Bacepa sana.I feel nothing. Nothing has changed because I knew what was happening and what is still happening and nothing will change me. I will always be GBM. That one, no one will steal it away from me. 25 is the count, that is what they think in their heads but maybe it is one count mind you. At the end of the day, we have very good lawyers, I think they will be able to reduce the counts to probably even to zero. So that is not worrying me at all. They kept me like any other detainee. They kept me like a detainee but I am used to it,” he told reporters in Lusaka.
“I think this is not the first time as you all know that even through PF I went through the same, even with Hakainde Hichilema who is now the president I went through it with him. I have been detained several times so this is not strange to me. Who? Since when can I be shaken? Have you ever seen me shaken over these orchestrated detentions? I have never been shaken. I have never been shaken and no one will shake me. You know what it is, political persecution. They are talking about a case which happened when I was Minister of Defence and they have no facts that I interfered in the procurement of that contract. They have no defence whatsoever and I don’t happen to appear anywhere but you see it is because of what I did,” Mr. Mwamba said.
He promised to break his silence in order to start mobilizing his party PF.
“Just because I resigned from UPND you see. Just because of my resignation, leaving UPND that is the problem that I have made. But I can tell you that I am still strong. In fact, I am getting stronger and stronger by the day. You see, I have been quiet for too long. I think this is about time I start mobilizing my party PF,” Mr. Mwamba said.
STOP USING THE NAME OF THE RULING PARTY IN YOUR BUSINESS BATTLES CHINESE NATIONAL WARNED
In a strange turn of events, a Chinese national by the name of Li Dingsheng has been reported to the police by a Chinese company for alleged theft involving more than $50,000 but Mr Li is threatening to have the company closed using his connections in the ruling party.
Li Dingsheng who was working for a chinese company called Zamfastest logistics before starting his business in chambeshi is being accused of stealing huges some of money from his former company where he was working as a manager. In order to escape the criminal activities, Li has been pushing for the closure of his former company by sponsoring propaganda that the company is mistreating workers aligned to UPND. Officers from the Ministry of labor quickly moved in to investigate the allegations but all the workers denied any mistreatment or discrimination on Party lines.
When contacted Li Dingsheng expressed ignorance on the matter and refused being behind the propaganda against his fellow Chinese national but some of his agreed that their boss was accused of stealing a lot of money and some his workers have been trying to help him by making propaganda without his consent.
“Yes our boss was accused of stealing money but he not behind those things you see in the media, it’s just some of his drivers who also used to work with him at the same company. He got them and they’re working for him and he is treating them well so sometimes they just write bad things about Zamfastest logistics because they want it closed as competitor” said one of Li’s workers.
Zamfastest logistics has reported Li Dingsheng to the police and he due to appear today Friday 10th June 2022. And UPND youth have warned Li against the using of the name of the party to fight business battles.
“Knowing senior officials in UPND cannot shield anyone from prosecution if indeed that person stole. We appeal to the police to investigate this matter further. No one should use the name of the party in their business fights. We know that Li he does not belong to UPND and does not have any authority to threaten anyone using the name of the party” said Deputy national youth IPS.
Tomorrow marks exactly one year since I and your daughter here exchanged vows. I’d really like to impress you by saying that its been easy. No. Am not a lier. Neither do I intend to be one.
This letter thus, is a summary of my observations on your daughter Cathy. And a way forward. So mama, read carefully.
Cathy here is a perfect cocktail of both joy and sorrow. For an average man out there, Cathy would not last a week as a wife. This lady here is annoyingly extra. Her dream has always been to get a man who would take her into his arms, throw her into bed, and clean up the entire house as she sleeps.
I try.
They say that women are unpredictable. But I guess Cathy’s case is beyond that. One moment she’s is all sweet and caring, the next moment she’s wildly acidic. Cathy goes to any possible length to prove a point. Especially when she is right on a matter. You rarely see Cathy’s tears. Cathy is not in any Chama. She dismisses them as silly gossip caucuses meant for idlers. According to her she isn’t one. Cathy stays out late. At work though. For according to her, its only by soiling your hands in honest labour, that you can feed nations. But wait, am I Nations?
Mama, at this point you want to ask if I want to divorce her.
NO.
Cathy is of an emerging tribe. An interesting tribe of women. For you to marry any woman of Cathy’s ‘tribe’ you must open your eyes to the reality that for our women, things have changed and the ground has moved beneath our feet. This women from this tribe are not rude, they are just self aware. These women are not proud, they are only aware that they are great. They are not feminists, they are only advocates of a balanced social structure.
So mama,
Thank you for not confining Cathy into the retrogressive demands of tradition. Thank you for making her believe that she too can go full length with her career pursuits. And thank you for always reminding her that a dollar earned, is far more precious than a dollar given. For a man with diverse view points on life like me, there will never be a dull moment with Cathy. I am excited and looking forward to more adventurers years with her as wife (a comrade in life’s pursuits). Am looking forward to living my life on the edge, knowing perfectly well that mine is a wife who knows her worth, plants her feet on the ground and roars confidently in her brilliance.
Mama,
With God’s blessing, I and Cathy will definitely have a daughter someday. Am hopeful that society will not pull her down as a lady. And that she will remain open minded and ruthlessly aware of herself. Just like her mummy here. And that her too, she will join the tribe of women who will breath new meaning into a world saturated with double standards.
That she too will be part of a larger female citizenry that knows how to seek relentless joy and also know how to laugh with their whole heart. The women who are confident enough to speak to strangers, because they have nothing to hide in their hearts. The women who are not afraid to show men out of their hearts, if he no longer honors her worth. The women who flip gender norms and false limitations and go full throttle into the direction of their ambitions. The women who hold people who harass them into fierce accountability!
That is the tribe of my wife Cathy. And I hope my unborn daughter becomes one of that tribe too.
Once again Mama Cathy, thank you. Pass my regards to my father in law. See you guys soon
