President HH’s checklist
How it looks 9 months after he took office

19.05.2022

JACK ZIMBA
Lusaka

ON HIS ascendance to the office of President after a landslide victory in the August 12,2021 polls, Hakainde Hichilema promised to fulfil the party’s vision as set by its founder Anderson Mazoka when he formed the United Party for National Development in 1998. President Hichilema promised “A Zambia which is united prosperous and equitable’’. A Zambia that guarantees basic needs for all its citizens. A Zambia in which the fundamental human rights and property of its citizens are protected.” He promised a “new dawn”. President Hichilema then told a packed stadium of jubilating citizens: “Today, we begin our journey towards realising this dream.” A dream of re-uniting and re-building our mother Zambia.

It is now nearly nine months into that journey, which had six main targets: to achieve national unity, accountability and inclusion; to strengthen governance; economic transformation and job creation, as well as economic recovery and stabilisation.
The other targets were to institute public administration reforms, and to make Zambia a player in global affairs.

TARGETS MET

For a country that was tearing at the seams because of tribal talk, regionalism and political violence, national unity was paramount and it was one of the first successes Mr. Hichilema scored, first by stopping his own supporters from taking over the running of markets and bus stations, which were breeding grounds for political violence.

Following his strong stance on violence, which he has repeated many times since becoming President, political violence has, to a large extent, been curbed, and citizens are freer to exercise their freedoms regardless of the political party they belong to.

It was the first sign of regime change, and a huge departure from the old system where police, to a large extent, abused the Public Order Act to stifle dissenting voices, usually resulting in police brutality.

One of the freshest incidents of that abuse is the killing of public prosecutor Nsama Nsama during peaceful protests by UPND supporters in Lusaka.

And now Government, through Cabinet, has approved the review of the Public Order Act, promising to amend it. If the Public Order Act is repealed or amended, Mr. Hichilema will have done something that his predecessors failed to do despite public outcry.

There has also been a change regarding media freedoms.
In its latest quarterly report, Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia noted a marked improvement in the country’s media landscape, with far less incidents meant to suppress the media recorded.

President Hichilema has also shown willingness to be more engaging with journalists, promising to date them quarterly to answer their questions concerning the governance of the country. For instance, the President spent more than half a day interacting with journalists to mark World Press Freedom Day, something unprecedented in the history of media engagements by a head of State.

He has positioned himself as a leader with zero-tolerance for corruption and also a champion of good governance. Although there is yet to be a major conviction of those suspected to have stolen public resources, Mr. Hichilema has been unrelenting in his quest to end corruption and recover what was stolen.

In October last year, security agencies seized K65 million and US$57,000 from Faith Musonda. In addition, more than 400 properties, suspected to be proceeds of crime, have been seized. These are undergoing legal processes before they could be formally handed over to the people of Zambia.

That money that was recovered from Faith Musonda has since been channeled to support 2,200 university students from underprivileged backgrounds across the country.

Government has also set up a fast-track court to speed up the prosecution of cases involving corruption.

REVIVING ECONOMY

At the start of Mr. Hichilema’s tenure, the country’s economy was teetering on the brink of collapse, with a US$26.9 billion debt that had become unsustainable.
Zambia’s economic growth was in the negative and the government then was struggling to clinch a bail-out deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), while the cost of living had reached uncomfortable levels for many citizens.

In January 2021, the cost of living had skyrocketed to a new all-time high of K8,400 per month for a family of five, mainly triggered by high inflation, as reported by the Catholic think tank Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR).

The country had also become unattractive to new investors because of eroded investor confidence and poor rating by credit rating agencies.

In September 2020, the credit rating agency Fitch had downgraded Zambia to nearly junk status due to its mountain of debt.

The outlook could not be dimmer. Someone had to turn the ship around.
Although negotiations over Zambia’s debt restructuring are still in progress, there is now hope an IMF deal will be reached around mid-year. Last November, the country reached a Staff Level Agreement with the IMF, a major leap forward in the negotiations. And most recently, China, which Zambia owes US$6 billion, has also joined efforts to restructure the debt, giving the country and its citizens more room to breathe.

The economic outlook has since changed, and showing signs of recovery, even in the midst of another impending global crisis caused by the Russia-Ukraine war.

The annual inflation rate has declined to 11.5 percent from 23 percent last year, while the exchange rate has stabilised, and in recent days has been registering marginal improvements.

On Monday, JCTR recorded a marginal reduction in the cost of living, which has been a source of worry for many citizens.

President Hichilema has not been shy to admit that the current state of the Zambian economy is hurting many citizens. “I feel your pain,” he said at a recent press conference, commenting on the high cost of living in the country. But he has also been assuring about the country’s future, and what his government plans to do to revive its economy.

There are now signs that the country could be headed for economic recovery.
The investment climate has improved, with investors now making decisions to invest huge amounts in Zambia. Last week, for instance, First Quantum Minerals staked US$1.35 billion for Kansanshi Mine expansion, and opening of Kalumbila nickel mine.
It is the biggest single investment in a decade.

But there are also home-grown initiatives meant to spur economic growth.
One such initiatives that was recently laid on the table as a roadmap to economic recovery is the Public-Private Dialogue Forum, which will act as a platform for Government to work with the private sector to identify and remove bottlenecks to Zambia’s economic growth.

President Hichilema has also signed two key bilateral agreements with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Angola. The agreement with the DRC is meant to create a joint value chain for the now hyped electrical vehicle sector and clean energy sectors in both Zambia and DRC. The agreement with Angola is meant to promote trade between the two neighbouring countries.

Trade agreements have also been signed with Rwanda.

The increase in CDF from K1.6 million per constituency to K25.7 million is a major milestone meant to decentralise the operations of Government by taking financial resources to the people.
The move is also expected to spur economic development by encouraging small and medium-scale entrepreneurs to access cheaper capital through cooperatives.
The funds are being released quarterly, with guidelines issued on how citizens can access and benefit, but there is now also oversight from the Anti-Corruption Commission to ensure that there is no corruption in the process to access the funds, or theft by those administering the funds.

INTERNATIONAL STATESMAN

That Mr. Hichilema has stamped his foot on the global stage is without doubt, projecting himself as a pan-Africanist, whose interest is to unite the continent around trade and promoting peace.

His most recent trip was to South Africa, where he delivered a keynote speech at the mining indaba in Cape Town, getting a standing ovation for what some described as a “breath of fresh air”.

Mr Hichilema has also been keen to forge new partnerships with progressive countries on the continent, such as Rwanda and Botswana, and has often referred to himself as the country’s number one salesman.

But, unlike his predecessor, who usually travelled abroad with huge delegations, Mr. Hichilema is a “light” traveller, only carrying a handful of staff. He is said to have cut down his delegations by up to 90 percent, resulting in serious savings for the Treasury.

SAFETY NET

Without doubt, one of the most sweeping policies of the new dawn government has been the implementation of free education from Grade One to 12 – a dream come true for many poor and low-income households that were failing to take their children to school.

Government has also paid off 128,000 pensioners who had been waiting for their money, some for as long as 10 years.

The new Government has also paid off all the 15,000 Tanzania-Zambia Railways Authority workers, plus 34,000 council workers who were not receiving monthly salaries. Over 258,000 farmers who supplied maize to Food Reserve Agency have also been paid. The recruitment of 42,000-plus teachers and health personnel is in full swing and shall be concluded soon.

Corruption fight my foot!
By Hon. Munir Zulu MP

I have often said that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has no capacity and morality to fight any corruption, in it’s current form.

While I widely and publicly shared this thought, many thought I was making baseless assertions.

Well, developments from courts have proved me right.

But let me add to what has already been said;

The ACC uses the feelings of few people,either at that same institution or somewhere within the line of authority to deal with people whom they drag to court ,on charges of corruption which doesn’t exist. Therein lies abuse of authority.

Firstly,a genuine fight against corruption must be waged by people who are themselves clean of the very crimes they seek to eradicate. Corrupt people can never fight corruption.

Secondly, the court of public opinion must not be used as a yardstick to determine who is corrupt and not. Many of those who are today under any form of charge sheet by ACC have been judged corrupt in the public and have been convicted by the Court of Public opinion which ACC uses to determine who must be arrested. These people sit in their offices and drink tea funded by tax payers while surfing social media to check on whom the propagandists judge as corrupt, so that they can arrest such people, grab their property using “suspected proceeds of crime” and keep people in detention for no apparent reason.

A serious and genuine corruption fight begins with investigations and moves to arrest if there is enough reasons to believe one is corrupt or acquired something corruptly. Prosecution is only successful when there is a normal way of doing things.

Any arrest which puts the burden of proof on a suspect in criminal matters is merely persecution. ACC has in the recent past operated on a premise of making anyone they arrest to prove his or her innocence on a crime that has not been identified.

ACC is today capable of arresting school going children, confiscate their drinking bottles and ask them to prove how they own such things.

Corruption fight my foot!
I remain Munir Zulu

“How We Withdraw And Spend Dead People’s Money” – Bank manager Reveals Fraud in a Banking System
No one is praying to die unexpectedly but the obvious truth is that people die unexpectedly every day.

As you leave your house, it’s only God that knows whether you will make it home alive or not. We are not praying for the worst but we need to let at least one person in our family especially our wife or children know all the secrets of our bank accounts, ATM pins, and everything they need to know to withdraw money from our accounts in case something happens.

Read the confession and warnings of a bank manager. After reading this, share with your husband or wife, or children of the assets and money you have in bank accounts. Wives also inform their husbands.

Please read the warnings of a female bank manager…..

While talking with a female bank manager she made a scary revelation to me. She told me how Nigerian bank vaults are filled with monies of dead men who kept their bank accounts secret from their wives.

She explained it was against bank ethics or policies for an account officer to inform the relatives of a deceased customer of his account (without his permission). And since the man is dead without giving his permission the bank dubiously keeps silent on the money. She told me it is rampant among many businessmen, even the Christians. She revealed many instances of dead men whose families are still suffering even though they have millions stashed in their secret accounts.

She mentioned one that happened a few months back. The man died and the wife was crying all over the place, looking for money to bury him or even do his funeral. Whereas the man had nothing less than 60 million naira in his accounts. The banker said it got to a stage that she could no longer bear, her conscience was pummeling her.

She had to go against her bank rules, got in contact with the widow, and revealed to the woman how much her husband had in his accounts and how to claim them. She also told another story of one man who escaped death but his right hand was paralyzed.

He couldn’t sign his chequbook with his left hand and he was in a desperate situation that needed him to sign papers and cheques. That was how he learned his lesson the hard way. As soon as he got better, he immediately made his wife co-signatory to all his accounts and involved her in all his businesses. What if he had died? So, that was how his family would have suffered amid plenty.

SOME OF THESE REVELATIONS ARE TAUNTING TO US PF YOUTHS
————————————————————————
By Charlie The-engineer Simusokwe

Chifume kumukoshi …
By now , I know most of you friends have come to know how determined I personally am at remaining a PF member especially after noticing how Clueless the new Dawn government is as to where governance is concerned. Clearly , they have no clear road map for where they want to take this country.

That said ,I want to let you know that most revelations by the ACC and other investigative wings have been extremely perturbing.

Imagine waking up to the fact that MOST LEADERS you followed for involvement and help with projects/ideas that could sustain the party SAID ARE BROKE or simply NEVER ENTERTAINED a thought like that!

Most brilliant youthful projects aimed at building the party and making it attractive to society where either dumped or caressed into oblivion to the last hour!

Would you believe that Some of these leaders we are seeing being paraded with mansions and numerous vehicles suspected to be proceeds of crime actually pretended to be AS BROKE AS A COMMON MAN when approached for involvement with party activities ??? Activities that could have helped them remain relevant with those appointments !

Most of these kept youths you today think they eat with at arms length. The President’s office WAS COCOONED! All youth visits to State House and State Lodge were TABOOED!

Abengi twaleikalila ubukaya nechimwela because we couldn’t stand the mockery from friends outside of the Party had the truth come out 😢😂

We tried to cry! Only that we kept our cries in our blogs with admins spending sleepless hours to guard those cries from spilling out.

Most youths have been left pamyunga. Some with cases they can’t even understand how they got themselves involved with. Others I hear have even fled living families with noting to put a hand on for a mare meal.

Yet today , some are PROUDLY in courts of law defending their wealth. Wealth they kept amassing in secrecy whilst pretending they were the Lazaruses in the faces of the trying and begging youths.

Most offices that could have come to the aid of most youths kept promising and in most cases with shut doors.

That’s why ine kuma courts for solidarity I can only follow ECL if need arose because I KNOW HE GAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO MOST OF THESE LEADERS TO ACTUALLY DO THE WORK AND THEY LET THE MAN DOWN. It’s sad Zambians knew that the buck had to stop at his office hence our loss.

Otherwise I hope you guys with the mantle today are picking a lesson from this. Including you the useless praise singers, LEARN ! 😭😂

Bye! Nti Walufyanya Pa Last 🏃‍♂️

Documentary Title:

WHY HH’S CORRUPTION FIGHT IS GOING NOWHERE

NewsMakers is working on a documentary whose main objective is give insight on some activities which we judge are corrupt by the Patriotic Front administration. Of course, while we hold this view, we also find that the kind of corruption which we witnessed during the PF regime was done in such a way that it involved contractors themselves.

Contractors went into bed with corrupt elements in PF and got contracts at inflated costs. The added amounts were paid to PF officials or government officials in cash ($dollars) and sometimes through properties.

These properties have been concealed in other people and the monies have been hidden.

While it is clear that PF was a corrupt party, it is more difficult for the Hakainde Hichilema led administration to prove these allegations beyond reasonable doubt.

This documentary seek to highlight some of the dark areas which investigative wings must look at as they pursue criminal activities under the PF administration.

To give a few details, here is a summary of how things worked between PF and some of the corrupt Contractors they connived with

On 30th May 2017 the Patriotic Front administration controversially signed a contract with China Jiangxi Corporation for International Economic and Technical Cooperation for the construction of the 321 km Lusaka-Ndola dual carriage road at a cost of $1.2 billion.

The contract sum was immediately dismissed as smelling of corruption by Hakainde Hichilema. There was also public outcry but then Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Development Ronald Chitotela in a ministerial statement heavily condemned then main opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema for saying the true cost of the project was half its initial cost.

In total disregard to public outcry, the PF regime stubbornly went ahead to engage China Jiangxi.

Among key issues raised by the public is that the $1.2 billion was highly inflated and that much of the money would end up in the pockets of key government and party officials of the PF. Concerns were raised that PF was using China Jiangxi to defraud Zambians as there was no proper justification of heavily inflating the cost of the project from $600 million to $1.2 billion.

Secondly, the contractor China Jiangxi has been found to be a morally corrupt institution whose reputation is stained. This is against a background that, on January 3, 2014, the World Bank’s Suspension and Debarment Officer issued a Notice of Sanctions Proceedings against China Jiangxi Corporation for International Economic and Technical Cooperation, Mr. Zhu Hongfeng and Mr. Peter Lee pursuant to Section 4.0l (a) of the World Bank Sanctions Procedures, as adopted by the World Bank as of April 15, 2012.

The Statement of Accusations and Evidence – SAE prepared by the Bank’s Integrity Vice Presidency and appended to the Notice contained accusation that the Respondents engaged in sanctionable practices in connection with Ghana West Africa Transport and Transit Facilitation Project. It contained the •evidence gathered in support of this accusation with the specific accusation made that China Jiangxi engaged in fraudulent practices by including false past experience documentation in a bid for a construction contract in Ghana, and by later submitting additional fraudulent documentation in support of the earlier-submitted past experience documentation.

To many concerned Zambians, it was against this background that they believed that the basis of relations between PF administration and China Jiangxi was corruption and intent to swindle Zambians.

It is after change of government from PF to UPND that people got know that indeed the China Jiangxi quotation of $1.2 billion for the construction of the 321 km Lusaka-Ndola dual carriage road was nothing but pure intent to defraud Zambians.

Minister of Transport Frank Tayali revealed that following the cancellation of the contract by his administration, there are bids for the same at half the price.

And it has been stated that China Jiangxi is part of the companies that have bid for as low as $500 million to do the same road it earlier quoted $1.2 billion under the corrupt accused PF.

Former Transport Minister William Harrington says the recent revelations by transport Minister Frank Tayali that the contractor engaged to construct the controversial Lusaka-Ndola duo carriage way has offered to construct the road at 50 percent lower than the original cost of 1.2 billion dollars smells corruption.

Harrington is not the only one who feels that way. Several other people in the civil society and involved in anti-corruption crusade have stated that it is clear China Jiangxi and the former ruling party the PF were bedfellows in corruption over the contract.

Further, multiple sources within PF have revealed that financing of party activities for the former ruling party was done through contractors by giving them contracts at inflated costs whereas, the added money found itself in the pockets of senior PF officials.

According to one senior party member of the PF who opted not to be named, China Jiangxi managing Director David Wei had an open path to the secretariat of former ruling party.

With the UPND administration seemingly having cordial relations with the West, China has been technically shelved. Upon assuming office, the UPND administration embarked on halting, reviewing and halting all mega contracts issued by the PF administration.

This move is seen as targeting Chinese contractors like China Jiangxi that enjoyed the monopoly of huge contracts during the PF, such as the another controversial Kenneth Kaunda International Airport upgrade at a cost of $369,235,359 without the Attorney General’s approval whatsoever.

At the moment, the former ruling party has continued to inculcate its relationship with the Chinese and it is believed that contractors such as China Jiangxi are bankrolling their costs for the numerous corrupt related cases as well as the upcoming convention where the former ruling party hopes to replace their leader Edgar Lungu and wage a political battle against the UPND in 2026.

From the controversial Lusaka-Ndola dual carriage way and the upgrade of the KKIA, it remains unclear what role China Jiangxi and its managing Director David Wei played in the massive plunder that characterizes the PF legacy.

David Wei’s alleged continued relationship with PF and financing of their upcoming convention requiring K5 million, remains unknown.

SOURCE: NewsMakers

Butambi bwesu to seek leadership, says PF presidential aspirant Chishimba Kambwili.

But UPND chairperson for mines Percy Chanda said “the visit to the Chitimukulu by a bunch of shameless tribalists to seek tribal sympathy and solidarity from His Majesty is a dangerous gimmick that has potential to set this nation on fire.”

But another PF presidential aspirant Emmanuel Mwamba said by now people know that tribalists and those that rely on ethnic-driven politics see everything in their lenses.

During a meeting with the paramount chief of the Bemba people, Chitimukulu yesterday when several PF officials, members and presidential aspirants visited him at his palace for what they termed consultations on the state of the nation, Kambwili, chipping in to what the Chitimukulu said about how leadership in Bemba land was established through a vigorous process, described the scenario where a lot of Bembas are seeking to lead the party as intambi.

During the meeting, Chitimukulu said it was important to exchange ideas with all stakeholders, including the government and those in the opposition as Zambia belonged to all.

“We are Zambians and this is our country, a party just rules. This party comes and reigns and goes, another one comes in. But this is our country. We the Zambian people are the owners of this country…that is why we need to reflect on where exactly our country is going because this is our country,” Chitimukulu said, adding that if problems were being noticed it was wise to dialogue on how best to resolve them. “There is no use, abantu nkabaletekafye, baletekafye. Peace ifwile ukuba kubantu abengi…we have to make sure the one Zambia one nation is working and how is it working.”

He insisted that this country belongs to Zambians and not to a political party, hence the need to unite.

Chitimukulu said tribal wars finished a long time ago, and therefore tribal divisions could not be entertained now, saying Zambians had a lot of things in common, including inter-tribal marriages.

He said unlike in other countries where people identified themselves through things like the wearing of hats, such was very uncommon in this country as people have integrated well.

He said problems only arose when people felt burnt out politically and now started exploring other things such as tribe, when politics is supposed to be based on ideas as opposed to tribe.

“These things are not very very good. We have lived in Zambia very peacefully with each other but it will be bad if we start bringing in conflicts. We need these consultations, we need to be meeting,” Chitimukulu said.

He leadership was formed out of conflict rather than just following, saying the country tried the one party state but there were always pockets here and there thinking differently as people don’t always think the same way.

“They are different, let them express what they want,” Chitimukulu said, saying even in Bemba land leadership was birthed through a vigorous process.

Kambwili then chipped in saying people were wondering why there were so many Bembas seeking the presidency of PF.

“But iyo mukwai butambi bwesu (It’s part of our tradition),” Kambwili said.

Continuing, Chitimukulu said said democracy was there in the country therefore those who win must become leaders for all the people.

“Twala umfwanafye ngafilya tumfwana, ni change fye (we continue on the same unity path. What has happened is simply change). But it does not mean that the people have changed,” he said.

Kambwili said the consultation would not end with the paramount chief but would extend to the other Bemba areas and other provinces.

But the UPND’s Chanda accused those who visited the chief as wanting to plunge this country into tribal wars to cover up their crimes.

“The Chitimukulu must refuse to be a tool of the PF tribal reb… http://dailyrevelationzambia.com/seeking-leadership-is-part-of-our-bemba-tradition-kambwili/

LOCAL FARMERS OF LUBWE,MUKUMBI AND LWAMAZAMBO IN KALUMBILA DISTRICT HAVE THREATENED TO BLOCK THE ROAD LEADING TO THEIR FARMS WHERE BARRICK LUMWANA IS DOING SOME EXPLORATIONS IF THE MINE FAILS TO MEET THEIR DEMANDS

Story by Jacob Limbengo
18/05/2022

Speaking during a meeting organized by Kalumbila district farmers association, the visibly angry affected farmers expressed their anger at barrack Lumwana mine sustainability manager Christopher Mukala who was called to hear the cries of the local farmers who have stopped farming activities due mining explorations.

The farmers vowed to take law into their own hands should the mine go ahead with mining activities after explorations are concluded in July as they will not allow their traditional land which was given to them by Chiefs to be grabbed from them by the mine.

The farmers who reached to an extent of blocking the road with logs due to frustrations after premature conclusion accused barrack Lumwana of playing with their minds.

Barrick has told farmers in the affected areas to venture into vegetable production and stop cassava and any other crop cultivation to allow the mine do some mining explorations in a bid to open a new mine.

But responding to queries from the affected farmers’ Barrick Lumwana mine sustainability manager Christopher Mukala said the mine did not force itself to start explorations in the mentioned land but sat and agreed with Chief Mumena, Chief Mukumbi, Chief Matebo, stakeholders and the government after discovering copper in the area in 2005.

He said the mine has also managed to dig two bole holes after concerns were raised by local people on water pollution in the stream due to mining drillings.

He called on the affected farmers to remain calm and wait until explorations are done in July.

Speaking earlier Kalumbila District Farmers Association Chairperson Nsubula Hachipabeenda said they were forced to organize the meeting after noticing that Barrick Lumwana has started entering people’s land without their consent.

He said farmers will suffer terribly because their livelihood depends on agricultural products they produce like maize, cassava and others crops are on halt due to mining drilling currently going on and called on relevant authorities to look into the matter

@SOLWEZI FM

The government says the 30,000 teachers that are being recruited by the new administration are expected to start working by July 2022.

Minister of Education, Douglas Siakalima said money to pay the teachers once they are recruited is readily available.

Mr. Siakalima said the education sector in Zambia has a deficit of 115,000 teachers.

He said the committees have taken long time to complete the recruitment process because the ministry had underestimated the process in which the exercise was supposed to be completed.

Mr. Siakalima was speaking when he met the District Human Resource Management Committee (DHRMC) in Chipata yesterday.

He said the committees took a long time to finish as evidenced everywhere because they were only given six days, when the whole recruitment process had a lot of things to do.

“This is why I’m trying to more than thank them because the work was too huge. I think they became overwhelmed and that might delay my roadmap but if the provinces can catch up then we will still have the same roadmap,’’ Mr. Siakalima said.

Mr. Siakalima said government spent six months planning for the teacher recruitment exercise because the system was broken by the previous regime.

Mr. Siakalima further said there is a current deficit of teachers in schools because of the free education policy that the government has implemented.

“There are about 60,000 teachers who are unemployed while the government is only employing 30,000.The other 30,000 has been left while the country has a deficit of 115,000 teachers,” he said.

Mr. Siakalima said the real terms on the deficit of 115,000 teachers means there not enough teachers in the country.

“Now, what was going to happen in the next 30 years is that we were going to have a real deficit of teachers, we were to start importing teachers abroad because parents are not sending their children to colleges of education,” he said.

Mr. Siakalima disclosed that Khwame Nkruluma University in Kabwe did an analysis which indicated that from time the government was not employing teachers, there has been drop in enrollment.

“So we were going to face a real deficit but now with the 30,000, everybody wants to go for teaching. There is excitement now and if the President didn’t do this 30 years from now we were going to have a total deficit of teachers ,’’he said .

Meanwhile, Mr. Siakalima said his office has information on some teachers that went to campaign for a named political party during the 2021 general elections.

He further said the new dawn administration is cleaning the ministry because of the politics that had engulfed the education sector in the last ten years

“When these teachers came back from campaigning and the head teachers wanted to discipline them, they said they were connected. Am touching all the teachers no one is connected to anyone anymore. You are connected to the work and to your pupil,” he said.

Earlier, Chipata District Human Resource Management Committee Chairman, Thomas Bwalya informed Mr. Siakalima that the shortlisting of names for teachers in the district was completed on Monday.

Colonel (Retired) Bwalya said the district received a total of 618 applications with some names found to be appearing twice.

“Sir, I would like to inform you that from the 618 applications, the numbers dropped to 599 out of which the 203 slots was given to the district. In the middle of the selection process, we had to categorise them and open envelopes and at times you find that one envelope had two application letters for two different people,” he indicated.

GOVT CALLS FOR PROTECTION OF OVER 160,000 MOBILE MONEY AGENTS

Technology and Science Minister Felix Mutati has disclosed that the ministry is closely collaborating with security wings, financial institutions and other key sectors to ensure the protection of the over 160,000 mobile money agents.

The minister disclosed this yesterday at a joint briefing with AYO, a subsidiary of MTN Zambia, offering insurance products to Zambians using mobile money platforms.

Mr Mutati said in addition to the awareness campaign that government will continuously undertake, the insurance component will answer to some of the challenges of cyber security affecting mobile money agents.

Mr Mutati implored mobile telecommunication providers to assure the mobile money agents across the country that their monies are protected through insurance as a solution that addresses the country’s digital transformation strategy.

“We have over 156,000 mobile money agents. We need them to feel comfortable when they go to work that their money and earnings are protected so that whatever happens, somebody will be able to cover them. Let’s look after our mobile money agents, they need to be protected” Mr Mutati said.

And Mr Mutati observed that the low insurance penetration in Zambia which is currently at around 5 percent is attributed to challenges around affordability, access and availability, thereby having majority of the nation not insured.

He said while the acquisition and ownership of mobile phones amongst the people has increased, there is still a lot of work that has to be done in the aspect of financial inclusion which requires solutions and products that will create customer happiness.

Mr Mutati said even as the country embarks on the development of a digital strategy which should encompass insurance as a component, there will be need to address affordability, availability and access of services.

Mr Mutati also called on all players in the insurance industry to emulate AYO on their strategy especially that majority of their market segment is focused on the ordinary Zambians, enabling them access insurance products on mobile phones.

“Availability, access and affordability is at the heart of our digital strategy. Even as we look at insurance as a component of that digital strategy, it has to fit into the three A’s so that at the end of the day, we are looking at what the customer is expecting from the transaction” he said.

Speaking at the same meeting, AYO Group Chief Executive Officer Marius Botha said Zambia has a lot of opportunities for economic growth.

Mr Botha said about 80 percent of the customer base on their platform that are able to access insurance cover using the mobile money platforms are from low income households such as marketeers among others.

Meanwhile, AYO Zambia Limited Chief Executive Officer Andrew Nkolola disclosed that AYO insurance platform now has in excess of 2 million individual subscribers on board using MTN sim cards.

By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba

On Tuesday 17th May 2022, the Swedish and Finish Embassies flew the flags, on their premises, of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBTQI). The bassies stated that they did this in support and commitment to LGBTQI rights.

We demand answers from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Zambia has not recognised LGBTQI rights and the practice of homosexuality remains a criminal offence in Zambia. This issue raises serious traditional, cultural and religious concerns and the Zambian people have constantly rejected this matter everytime it has come up for both debate or policy consideration.

It is therefore surprising that these embassies chose to fly these flags at their premises without due regard to the law and cultural sensitive of Zambians and Zambia to the matter..

Under the 1961 Vienna Convention guiding Diplomatic Relations, Diplomats are mandated to respect the law of the receiving State and it is a serious breach of the Convention to break the law of the host country.

Similarly their premises, although enjoying immunities and privileges, must not be used for other purposes other than the approved and agreed purposes as guided by the Convention and host country.

Article 41 of the Vienna Convention provides that;

(1.) “Without prejudice to their privileges and immunities, it is the duty of all persons enjoying suchprivileges and immunities to respect the laws and regulations of the receiving State. They also have a
duty not to interfere in the internal affairs of that State.”
And
(3) “The premises of the mission must not be used in any manner incompatible with the functions ofthe mission as laid down in the present Convention or by other rules of general international law or byany special agreements in force between the sending and the receiving State.”

It is imperative that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation resolves this blatant disrespect of Zambian laws and the culture of its people and the utter disregard by these Embassies for the Convention regulating Diplomatic Relations between Zambia and their States.

STATE HOUSE SCANDALS WILL AFFECT IMF PROGRAM-TREVOR SIMUMBA

ECONOMIST Trevor Simumba says the bad headlines, State House official scandals, among other issues are sending a wrong signal to the IMF.

And Simumba says President Hakainde Hichilema must reset his government to show that he believes in the rule of law, accountability and transparency.

Meanwhile, Simumba has described government’s statement that it has no Plan B away from the IMF programme as wrong and scary.

In an interview, Simumba said the IMF was observing all the happenings in the country and wondering if Zambia had indeed transformed to a nation which upheld the rule of law.

“The thing is this, the people who make the decisions at the IMF in terms of these programmes it’s the executive board. And the executive board is representing all the members of the IMF and so those executive board members, they scrutinise these issues carefully. And remember that all the bad headlines that we have been seeing in the last two months, three months in this government, these executive board members are seeing them,” he said.

“When they are seeing opposition politicians being arrested for defamation, they are hearing the President threaten citizens because he feels that those citizens are criticising too strongly, they begin to ask themselves the questions is this really a change in Zambia? Is this really the government that believes in the rule of law? When they see that the State House and senior officials are involved in deals with the provisional liquidator of KCM, it sends the wrong signals.”

And Simumba asked President Hichilema to reset his government to show that believes in the rule of law, accountability and transparency.

“And for me, it’s very important that the President resets his government. He needs to reset his government, he needs to show clearly by his actions not just by words, by his actions, that he believes in the rule of law. He believes in accountability and he believes in transparency and allow the police, the anti-corruption commission and the DEC and all these law enforcement agencies to do their jobs effectively so that this corruption fight is not seen as partisan. At the moment, unfortunately, it is seen as partisan. At the moment for example, Milingo Lungu, suddenly he is a hero when we all know that that whole liquidation process was done very unfairly,” he said.

“It was not for the benefit of the country, it was to the benefit of individuals and many other interest groups within the Patriotic Front.”

Meanwhile, Simumba described government’s statement that it had no Plan B away from the IMF programme as wrong and scary.

“It is very wrong and it is very scary because there are no guarantees with the IMF. I will recall Greece, if you recall some years ago, Greece was in serious trouble. I remember the first time they started talking between the IMF and Greece, they were talking about a 20 billion line of credit. Suddenly by the time decisions were made, it went down to 10 billion. And actually, all it did was to create more debt for Greece and it took Greece a long time. In fact, the finance minister lost his job because of that failure of the first IMF programme. So Dr [Situmbeko] Musokotwane, I would advise he is skating on thin ice,” Simumba said.

He said government should treat the economic recovery plan developed by the previous administration as a Plan B.

“If you recall, both ministers are in this government – Mutati and Musokotwane. When Mutati was minister of finance, remember that Mutati developed the Zambia Economic Recovery Programme. And that programme is there in the Ministry of Finance and that programme was based on Zambia acquiring a $1.3 billion loan from the IMF and getting on a programme. So what is wrong with using that programme as a basis at least? Of course the UPND would want to add their own nuance to it, their own tax to it but it is there. The Zambia Economic Recovery Programme is there so I would urge you to ask the Minister of Finance, send him a query, the minister said there is no Plan B but what has happened to the Zambia Economic Recovery Programme? Because that would be a good Plan B of course taking into account the latest data, it would help,” Simumba said.

He insisted that as Zambia pursued the IMF programme, it needed to develop a plan on how it would grow the economy while on the programme.

“So we need to have a programme of growth. A programme of how we are going to grow the economy because you cannot just get this money from the IMF and then sit back. It does not work like that. We need to create an environment that will attract investment not just in primary production like mining agriculture, but in value adding because that’s a real game changer. If we can have more manufacturing across the country, adding value to our primary products, then we are going to have much more employment and also linking our SME to the sub supply chains into the agriculture sector into mining. We should be seeing Zambians supplying Zambeef, supplying all these big agricultural companies, national milling. Zambians should be supplying KCM, Mopani, First Quantum Minerals,” Simumba said.

“You know, First Quantum has announced a big expansion of one point something billion dollars. I would love to see in that expansion, a guarantee that 40 percent of that 1.3 billion will go to Zambian suppliers, contractors, labour and all this.”

Simumba also said government should quickly find a solution for KCM and Mopani.

“And for me, I would really love to see a solution to KCM and more importantly also Mopani. A strategic investor should be found. ZCCM should increase its shareholding in Mopani and also possibly in KCM. We should see more senior management in KCM that are Zambians. This thing of bringing people from India, and in fact, India is not even a mining country compared to Zambia, let us have credible Zambians to run KCM and they can run it efficiently. And one thing I forgot to mention, there were a number of senior Zambian managers at KCM removed by the provisional liquidator, those people should be brought back without condition, get back their jobs because they were unfairly treated,” he said.

Simumba said PF left the country in a mess.

“We know the mess that the PF left this country in. It is important for us, we have a new government, it is important to focus on solutions and the solutions require transparency, accountability and the rule of law. That is all we need from the government. If the government decides that for example, they don’t want Vedanta they want to bring someone else, explain to us clearly why you have taken that decision and how you are going to manage that process and how you are going to select those new investors. Because we also don’t want single sourcing,” said Simumba.

“We do not want let’s say, ‘let’s just give it to Anglo America, you know these are our friends they used to be here’, no! Let the process be clear and transparent and competitive. And that ensures that we get the best deal out of it for Zambia because the responsibility it is to us Zambians first, not foreigners.”

Everything has a price tag, we sale, or damage or destroy

The Lusaka Playhouse and the case of our collective destructive gene as…

By Sampa Kabwela

The destruction of the Lusaka Playhouse, I am afraid, represents a pattern I have seen across the country and among us, as Zambians; the effortless ability to destroy anything in our path, including indestructible things.

I have come to the painstaking conclusion that perhaps, as Zambians, collectively and individually, we possess a unique gene that destroys things, a destructive gene.

Years ago, I brought to the attention of the nation the decay and squalid state of the Playhouse in two articles – ‘Rape of the Lusaka Playhouse’ and ‘Deeper into the loot and rot of the Lusaka Playhouse.’ I detailed the destruction and concluded it should be coded as a crime against humanity. In response, the Lusaka Theatre Club management took me to court, and later withdrew, seeking relief for allegedly painting them in the same light as the former Liberian President, Charles Taylor, who had been charged for war crimes.

Between then and now a lot has happened at the Playhouse, now it is about to become a filling station.

But this is not the most disturbing part.

When the Lusaka Playhouse was built in 1958, it was registered as a cooperative society owned by members belonging to the Lusaka Theatre Club. It was a collective and public good, with membership open to all. This has been its status for more than five decades, until recently.

In the last five years or so, the Lusaka Playhouse was re-registered from a cooperative society belonging to all, to a closed one, belonging to 26 individuals who christened themselves as founders and shareholders.

In short, the 26, now ‘own’ the Lusaka Playhouse.

There was no consultation, participation, inclusion nor consensus of the larger art community and stakeholders to change ownership from collective, to private. In fact, the whole takeover was shrouded in secrecy.

It is these 26 founders and shareholders, who now want to lease part of the Lusaka Playhouse to turn the carpark into a filling station, supposedly, to help run it and bring returns to the shareholders. During a crisis meeting on Thursday held in the wake of the public backlash, the Board Chair — and one of the 26 shareholders — Henry Phiri, could not disclose the details of the contract nor the plans of the 25-year lease, nor explain how exactly a filling station would add value to the historical and cultural landmark.

There are many questions that will need to be answered in the next weeks and months.

The Playhouse, where our collective destructive gene finds its most vivid expression, once had everything it will ever need to stage a play.

It had a breath-taking library filled with hundreds of classic and contemporary works by poets, authors and playwrights from Shakespeare, Chaucer, Ngugi, Blake to Kipling, Faulkner, Biko, Keats, Elliot, Achebe, Seneca, Neruda, Soyinka, Yeats, Tolstoy, an endless list of books, upon plays by Greek, Latin, African, Asian, American and British authors. Where the library once stood as a shrine of knowledge is now amatebeto-style restaurant. And the books? Thrown away, most of them burnt to ashes, some rescued and taken by actors.

The lighting room at the auditorium entrance could transform the mood at the hands of gifted and trained lights men. It had a massive room known as the wardrobe, filled with hundreds of costumes and props that it would ever need to stage any play.

The wardrobe had fascinating costumes bought, donated, and collected since its opening in 1953. The wardrobe had lifelike crowns of kings, thrones, wedding dresses, colonial uniforms, army regalia, relics, boats, furniture, beds, shoes, everything and anything to stage any play under the sun.

Most stunning was the massive backstage with hundreds of switches, ropes, pipes, steel, timber and iron bars, curtains, each built with a specific function geared towards recreating an entire world that each play will ever need. This is the Playhouse where in 1979, President Kaunda hosted Prince Edward to watch performances by the national dance troupe among others.

The stage itself could be transformed into anything, including underground bunkers and a river. Legend has it that when it was exclusively for the white population, it had switches that could produce rain and snow on stage. The stage was equipped with in-built microphones and world-class acoustic standards. Even today, in its lifeless state, the Playhouse boasts some of the best acoustics in the country.

All the costumes have been emptied, the lights broken, the curtains pulled down. And you should see the third-grade job ‘renovations’ from the ZMK750K Youth Empowerment Fund. The contractor could not find or bother to replace the seat covers for the two rows of seats to match the rest. As for the toilets, – I pledge to renovate the ladies.

Again, what is it about us Zambians that destroy things?

Don’t take my word for it; go to the Post Office in Cairo Road. When you are done, go to Findeco house, Mindeco or just about any building – deplorable.

Go to any government building, starting with the Cabinet Office, if that is not enough, go to State House, and let me know if what you will find represents the best of any nation.

The two-kilometre traffic island from north-south end on Cairo Road, now squalor, was once a lush, beautiful park canopied by giant trees and palms right in the heart of the city.

Forgive me for asking, but what is the state of the public library in Katondo Street, opposite the Development Bank of Zambia?

Last year in June, at KKIA, in one of the offices, starched in the corner, was a masterpiece sculpture of Kenneth Kaunda, a priceless work of art, the kind western museums would pay millions for, and treasure till the end of time. But in our custody, it stands in the corner of some ticketing office, facing a wall, with bits broken and serving as a handbag hanger.

I would appreciate information from the National Airports Company where that sculpture is.

I recently visited three universities: Stellenbosch (South Africa), Al-Farabi Kazakh (Kazakhstan) and UNZA; the contrast is painful. Two of the universities are spectacular and cities in themselves, acquiring properties around them, while one keeps slicing itself away.

When I read about certain lodges in lower Zambezi not wanting ‘us’ on their properties, stories of Lusaka joints relocating to the furthest obscure hard-to-reach corners of the city to avoid us, I rage with anger about such blatant racism.

But then again, look at the Playhouse, the Lusaka Museum, the national stadium and a thousand other places; I pose and ask myself if this is entirely about racism or something else.

What is it about us Zambians that burn books, wreck schools, damage hospitals, break toilet cisterns and windows, uproot rail sleepers, hit traffic lights, remove stadium seats, throw litter from car windows, block drainages, break anything and everything?

What is it about us?

Twitter @ukusefya – lyrical.zambia@gmail.com

PRESIDENT HICHILEMA SUPPORTS GENUINE HUSTLERS NOT STEALING OF PUBLIC RESOURCES

As opposed to claims by clique of thieves that Hakainde Hichilema is jealous of those who are getting rich, The President has created a peaceful business environment for any genuine business to survive but not through looting of public resources.

Patents and Companies Registration Agency (PACRA) has registered more than double the number of businesses in the first quarter of this year compared to this time last year. This is clear evidence of the confidence people of Zambia have in the New Dawn Government to provide a good business Environment. In addition to this, President Hichilema has launched the Public Private Partnership Dialogue (PPD) forum which shall work towards the quick registration of businesses and make it less bureaucratic and more decentralized.

President Hichilema has also increased Constituency Development Funds (CDF) which means more local investment, more jobs and a better life for all Zambians. This not a President who is jealous of anyone.

We should never mistaken stealing of public resources to hardwork. You can’t steal money meant to construction of public universities and call that hardwork. Efforts to undermine the fight against corruption through propaganda and insults against the head of state will not be entertained. Any public servant is accountable to the people. Hakainde Hichilema made his wealth before joining Government and since becoming President has not received his salary because he understands that public office is meant to serve the people not to loot public resources.

As you UPND youths we support the President and Government’s efforts to uplift the living standards of our people and we also support the fight against corruption. We appeal to law enforcement agencies to increase the pace of their investigation because justice delayed is justice denied. The people of Zambia want justice on the FJT scandal and many other cases of corruption.

Lastly, we appeal to the youths in the country to exploit different business opportunities being presented by the New Dawn Government. Visit your constituency offices and learn more how you can access women and youth empowerment, bursaries and business contracts.

Zambia is getting better.

David Chikwanda

Deputy National Youth Information and Publicity Secretary-UPND