Higher education sector under President Lungu (2015 2021)

We are so happy that our former President Mr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu wants us to be honest with each other as a nation and begin to tell it as it was. We gladly welcome this sincere life that Mr. Lungu is espousing. This will definitely bring about true reconciliation and peace.

In doing so, with sincerity and purity of heart and mind, we reflect on Mr. Lungu’s performance sector by sector. I take on the higher education sector under Mr. Lungu’s presidency as other people would review other sectors. The following review applies to the higher education sector:

1. In government colleges and universities promotions were based on political patronage. Interviews for promotions and appointments were merely academic exercises as what counted the most was one’s tribe and connection to the former ruling party.
2. Polarization of scholarship and loans award- increasingly, one needed political connections to access scholarships for overseas studies. It is not surprising to note that those students studying in Russia, Ukraine, Morocco, Cuba, United Kingdom, and Australia are mostly connected to former PF officials.
4. Retiring of lecturers in national and public interest- lecturers in government colleges perceived to be sympathizers of the opposition UPND were selectively punished through retirement in national and public interest. Many of them their only crime was their tribe.
5. Scrapping off of student meal allowances- at the height of student protests arising from delayed meal allowances, PF decided to scrap of student meal allowances. This decision was not made in public interest but rather in the interest of the party as it struggled to meet it’s obligations at the peak of swelling domestic and foreign debt.
7. Students’ unions were banned – in a rather autocratic tendency, the PF could not contend divergent views. They lived a false life and glorified self praise. Any opposing voices mercilessly dealt with. It remains a Shane that even students unions were perceived to be a threat to the PF hold of power, hence the illegal move to outlaw students unions in public universities.
9. Deregistration of the University of University of Zambia Researchers and Lecturers Union( UNZALARU)- the union found itself battling for it’s survival during the whole of Mr. Lungu’s presidency. It’s deregistration was only reversed by the court. Under the PF, UNZALARU was seen as a dangerous grouping that could sway public opinion against the PF. Thus it was undesirable as it threatened the PF hold to power.
11. Increased cases of students being expelled- shockingly, under the PF everyone was expected to be a PF member or sympathizer. The party operated more or less like it was in a one party rule. Students’ freedoms of association and assembly were curtailed. Those students found associating themselves with the opposition UPND suffered several forms of mistreatment such as termination of Bursary/loan contracts and/or expulsion from school. As I write, my heart is with Lishebo Lisimba, Longpath Chakaya, Iñutu Kabika, Tobias Kapanga, Inonge Milensu, Kennedy Mokomani, Obert Shapande, Milimo Hambulo, Sitwala Mukubesa, Chrisencia Zulu, and Regan Mweemba who were expelled from from UNZA, CBU, Evelyn Hone College, and Mulungushi University on grounds that they were UPND (disguised as inciting riotous behaviour).
13. Brutal use of force on students- it was a new trend under Mr. Lungu’s PF to apply disproportionate force on students every time they protested. Live ammunition were used with restrain and several students suffered bullet wounds from police shootings. In unfortunate circumstances, deaths were even recorded.
15. Politicization of the higher education sector. The higher education sector became highly politicized to an extent that appointment to management positions in the Ministry of Higher Education, public universities, colleges and across agencies in this sector became hugely influenced and decided by the PF. Justifiably so, the PF manifesto required that all heads of such institutions were uncompromising members of the PF. Besides, decisions by technocrats in the Ministry of Higher Education became so partisan as they were made in the interest of the PF and not in the best interest of the country.
17. Loss of academic freedoms. The insecurities of the PF saw academics fail to express themselves for fear of retribution. Those that were brave enough to speak their mind or publish what was perceived to be threatening the PF’s hold to power were severely scathed by the PF and their agents. The climax of this degeneration of academic freedoms was experienced when a renowned political historian Dr. Sishuwa Sishuwa observed that the PF had deeply divided the country to near civil war and that victory by the PF could just lead the country into turmoil. Dr. Sishuwa was attacked from all corners by the PF and their agents who dragged him to court. His life was threatened and his job too as UNZA management fell into the political gallery. Not to forget that he was even accused of treason by the former Zambian Ambassador to Ethiopia Mr. Emmanuel Mwamba.
19. Fights between the Minister of Higher Education and Lecturers/students – never before in the history of our country had we recorded such a fierce relationship between the Minister of Education and the students/ Lecturers. The animosity that existed between Prof. Nkandu Luo and the Lecturers in universities and colleges as well as students caused national anxiety. It was a relationship of a cat and a mouse. Her anger towards students and Lecturers was always let out whenever she spoke. Her venom manifested in repeated closures and the ultimate scrapping off of meal student allowances. The nation is still shocked that President Lungu settled on Prof. Luo as his running mate in the August 2021 election. With that choice, we can safely say that the PF had a scary plan for the higher education sector!

Shall the others take on the other sectors and tell it as it was in the spirit of healing the nation. Let’s end hypocrisy!

Martin Mushumba
A sincere citizen

THE NEED TO COUNTER-CHECK ISSUES BEFORE COMMENTING

By Chishala Kateka, President of the New Heritage Party

Dear Friends, we continue to share our thoughts on issues affecting us.

Now that the dust appears to have settled over Zambia Law Development Commission’s recommendations on the review of the Penal Code Act, Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia and the Criminal Procedure Code Act, Chapter 88 of the Laws of Zambia, some aspects of which caused a lot of dust, we would like to send a word of serious caution to fellow Zambians, especially to those in leadership positions, to be very careful with how we comment on important matters that are likely, one way or another, to affect the general public or manipulate their opinions.

When the Zambia Law Development Commission (ZLDC) handed over the review report to the Minister of Justice on 15th February, 2022 containing proposed changes to and harmonization of certain laws, the areas that received the most interest had to do with Bigamy, Polygamy and Abortion.

In the immediate aftermath to the Report launch, we heard mostly from well-established men and women of God together with some political leaders, offering their opinions against what they purported to be manouevres to “change the laws so as to make Bigamy not punishable by the law” as well as “legalizing abortion”.

Much was also said against “changing our laws to accommodate polygamy” in our statutes. They espoused such moves were contrary to our standing as a Christian Nation; that they would tend to legitimize and worsen sexual immorality while opening doors for future changes to our laws that would likely accommodate gayism and other abominations.

As the New Heritage Party, we are compelled to express our disappointment and voice out our concerns as to how our clergy as well as some political leaders handled this whole matter of the ZLDC Report for the following reasons:

• [x] their reactions were unresearched and therefore based on hearsay; and
• [x] their statements ended up being unduly alarmist in nature because in no way were the ZLDC proposing to legalize Bigamy and Abortion.

It is our well-guarded view that those clergy and politicians who commented could have done well to first read the report, which is in the public domain and can easily be accessed, in order to appreciate the specific findings and recommendations, or to meet with the ZLDC and get the correct picture of what was being proposed, the background and the justification.

This is what we did as New Heritage Party and must hasten to laud the ZLDC for availing us a full and very cordial audience where all these and other matters pertaining to the exercise they had undertaken and its subsequent Report were clearly explained, thereby exposing the many inaccuracies and ultimately unfairness of the criticism directed at them.

The important lessons from this sad occurrence (sad because some people have not had the privilege of hearing the rebuttals of the accusations labeled against ZLDC and will still hold the inaccurate information as the status quo) are:

(i) that those of us who are opinion makers and will most likely make news headlines must ensure to verify all matters on which we comment for truth and accuracy; and

(ii) that we should never be in haste to offer our opinions lest we base our comments on hearsay and mislead people when we have the capacity to countercheck matters to ensure our guidance is as accurate as it is needed to be.

The Book of James, in Chapter 1 verse 19 advises us all to “be quick to hear (and) slow to speak…”!

Our advice as above applies to all opinion makers including traditional rulers, politicians, and civil society organizations. In a country that is badly polarized on the basis of many worrisome considerations like ethnicity, regionalism, politics, religion, and even gender, we all need to guard against quickfire reactions, and subsequently issuing unresearched comments as these can, in the end, be the little matchstick that lights a fire big enough to consume our entire nation.

Chishala Kateka
President, New Heritage Party

UPND WILL NOT BE DISTRACTED BY CRY BABIES – IMENDA

The Bemba speaking people have a powerful adage which says Ulelila tabamucheba pakanwa The UPND wishes to advise Zambians to look at the lamentations of the defeated PF with this adage in mind because the party wants to blame everyone and not themselves for their electoral defeat courtesy of the people of Zambia.

We have noticed some reckless statements coming from the rank and file of the PF against the UPND led government with their Secretary General Hon Nickson Chilangwa freely convening a women’s conference in Ndola to disparage the UPND and its leadership in government.

How can the PF today insult the intelligence of Zambians who democratically elected the UPND into office by insinuating that the then opposition political corrupted its way into government.

Who doesn’t know how much the PF attempted to manipulate the elections from the imbalance in the NRCs issuance to suppression of voters registration in certain regions of our country?

While we agree that the PF has the right to cry and lament,we urge them not to remind the Zambians of their brutal and dictatorial regime at the time when the citizenry are getting used to freedoms under the UPND.

We urge the PF to remain grateful and thank the Head of State President Hakainde Hichilema who has provided a peaceful environment for them to be freely assembling and continue mourning their loss, an opportunity which they never accorded others.

During the brutal PF rule, that whole venue for yesterday’s meeting in Ndola would have been a war zone raining teargas with the leaders locked up in police custody for more than a week without a charge.

Unfortunately this is the freedom the PF leadership is now abusing to the extent of insulting and demeaning the Head of State in their forums.

It is however gratifying to note and assure the nation which include PF leaders that the UPND led government will not sink so low as to reduce the space for free thinkers but will allow people such as Hon Chilangwa and Nakacinda to freely express themselves as it is their democratic right.

Ours is to continue and concentrate on the development agenda as espoused in our manifesto because that is what Zambians expect us to do between now and 2026.

We shall not let you down. For those still want to mourn,we have invoked Constitutional provisions of part three which guarantees you freedoms to assemble and freely express. For us it is still Zambia Forward.

@The Falcon

ON 18th MARCH I CLOCKED 1 YEAR SINCE I PUBLICLY DECLARED MY HIV STATUS…

It’s really a good experience to be public with my status so far.

On 18th March 2021, I made a bold move to go public with my status. It all started with this caption;
“Am HIV positive and not ashamed of myself.

ISayNoToStigmatisation

ISayNoToDiscrimination

TeamNoShameBeingHiv+

If you are not infected then you are affected. Together we can. “
From the time I started talking about my status publicly, I have received a lot of messages from different people both negative and positive messages. HIV Stigma and discrimination is REAL. I have experienced it the time I decided to go public. And hey both positive and negative comments and messages they made me strong and made me to realize that people still lack knowledge about HIV, so I won’t stop talking about no matter how bad things you say! Actually you will just waste your time sending me a negative comment or message, I accepted myself. HIV is part of me and there’s nothing you can do about it.

I have improved so much from the time I started talking about my HIV status public, I never used to do public speaking (I was so shy🙈) now ka nsoni kalipwa. I can now talk to people without being shy. I have learnt so much this same period. I learnt how to handle different cases, am able to give mental and emotional support to my friends out there. Not to forget, I have made and met a lot of people who appreciates my work.

The most challenging and fun part shosho media😂😂
Social media has different people, these people can talk all kinds of things 😂I have come to understand that, the most broken people are the ones who will always want to break others. They always find comedy out of things which are hurtful and painful to others. Making fun of serious situations. When mocking someone, it’s not only the victim who is going to be hurt, they might be someone following your comment in the same situation and they can’t handle it. I’ll appreciate if the negative messages are sent directly to me, this way that someone going through the same situation won’t see them and it won’t break them. That way you will protect their mental health. 😊

If you are HIV positive and reading this, please take your medicine, people will always talk and they won’t stop. Those same people talking bad about HIV they’re the same people who will say, why were you not taking your meds when things go bad for you. Don’t listen to people, do things for YOU!!
Team U=U, #MyNameIsNAOMINotHiv.

By NAOMI the Positive Optimist

By Godfrey Chitalu
HELD at the center of the village, sitting on a hill, the “After Burial” or Isambo Lyamfwa was a somber ceremony open to anyone who opted to attend. By dawn, thousands had gathered around the venue waiting for their turn.

Since the deceased was a renowned truthful king, only those who passed a rigorous lie detector and hypocrisy test and truthfully answered questions were allowed inside by specially selected village elders.

A lanky humble figure presented himself with an introduction that he was the undisputed previous Induna who should be given the first chance.

He was asked a simple question whether he was tall or short to which he replied that he was actually the shortest in his family. Questions on how he had managed the previous village economy and his militant youth wing kept popping up. For reasons best known to the elders, he was denied entry.

At that same moment, a bespectacled woman mesmerized her way to the front. She insisted that she was in charge of all health facilities in the village and beyond. The elders asked her about the 11200 traditional birth attendants waiting to be employed.

They asked why the advert was overtaken by non-medical staff like cleaners and drivers. They also quizzed her on why it had taken more than six months to deliver medical supplies to all the villagers.

Unfortunately based on her answers she was also denied entry despite her mumbled protestations.

As the crowd started protesting about the slow process, a seemingly educated Induna thrust his big body to the front. He was greeted with a question; what do you know about the yet-to-be-employed 30,000 village teachers?

The perplexed Induna opted to remain quiet. He has quietly whisked away and told he stood no chance of attending the Isambo Lyamfwa.
It was almost dusk when one wise old man in charge of roads insisted to be interviewed. He was asked to state the difference between a viable and non-viable road. It looked like he was not expecting this question but had prepared on the cost estimates.

By saying he didn’t know the difference, he denied himself entry into the main arena. Even the potbellied Induna who failed to answer truthfully the calculations on the cost of fertilizer was thrown out!

As it transitioned from dusk to pitch darkness, none of the people interviewed had managed to convince the council of elders. Worried that the after burial might not take place; a call was made for common people to come forward.
To say there was almost a stampede was an understatement. The council of elders now had to use a megaphone to ask only two questions. Did the past Induna meet your expectations?

Is the present Induna meeting your expectations? The crowd answered in unison a deafening – NO! That is how all commoners were allowed to take part in the Isambo Lyamfwa.

As for the resolutions of the meeting, I can’t say anything because I was also not allowed to take part. I remained outside mingling with other hypocrites.

The author is a social commentator who writes for pleasure.

For reactions and feedback call: 0977466284| 0963013760, Email: goddychitty@gmail.com (@goddychitty) Twitter|Facebook)

LUNGU TOTALLY IRRESPONSIBLE

…instead of thank you, we’re treated to arrogance – Mwenye

By Staff Reporter(Mast Newspaper)

FORMER Attorney General Musa Mwenye says former president Edgar Lungu’s hypocrisy statement was completely irresponsible and is a stark reminder of the arrogance Zambians were subjected to during his time in power.

On Friday, in an interview with ZNBC soon after Rupiah Banda’s burial at Embassy Park, Lungu called for dialogue without hypocrisy.

“If we learn to dialogue with one another as we have experienced during the days of mourning, probably we can get somewhere as a country. Dialogue, genuine dialogue between all of us. Those who were in government before, and those who are in now. But what we are seeing is hypocrisy,” said Lungu.

“Where people say good things and then do bad things. And if we can expunge the hypocrisy from our lives and just say it as it is, between now and embarking into the future, it’s a lesson we are learning from Rupiah Banda’s legacy. People have said a lot of good things. May those good things become part of us.”

Reacting to Lungu’s statement, Mwenye wondered if former presidents have people who advise them.

“The word ‘hypocrisy’ is trending today for all the wrong reasons! Do former presidents have people who advise them? After being accorded the kindness and consideration one never accorded others, instead of ‘thank you’ we are treated to the arrogance we were served for seven years,” he noted in a Facebook posting.

He said President Hakainde Hichilema had shown a lot of magnanimity during the funeral of late Banda and those in the UPND government “have treated former PF leaders better than they treated them or would have treated them had they won”.

“They must be commended for facilitating an all-inclusive and dignified send off for our late former president. It was therefore disheartening to hear former president Lungu say what he said. More disappointing was the fact that he said it at a time we are mourning the former president,” said Mwenye.

“Instead of honouring the man he called his brother, we are now forced to focus on his unfortunate words. With due respect to former president Lungu, that was completely irresponsible and is a stark reminder of the arrogance we were subjected to during his time in power.”

FUN FACT

Did you know that veteran politician Sikota Wina, at the height of his romance with Princess Nakatindi in the early 1970s disappeared from his ministerial duties for several days until Dr Kenneth Kaunda used the intelligence wing to locate him?

(For details, follow the excerpt below from Conversations with Memorable Personalities)

Amos Malupenga:

Some of your old friends tell me that it is true that you used to be very popular among women and that one time you disappeared from Dr Kaunda when you were still minister. Dr Kaunda was busy looking for you because you just disappeared without getting permission. I am told he failed to locate you until he asked officers from the intelligence to find you and they located you at Lusaka Hotel with the lady who is now your wife…

Sikota Wina:

(He laughed and said:) No, it was Victoria Hotel. It is now called Fairview Hotel. That was the time when our romance was at its highest.

You know President Kaunda liked me a lot and I regard him as a parent. When I married, I went humbly to request him to be the guest of honour. He was very happy to do that and he came to the Mulungushi International Conference Centre and sent the crowd rolling when he advised me publicly that from now on, ‘no more breasts’.

But I nearly had a big difference with him because after my wedding, I took my wife to Lealui to the Litunga to report this marriage and for me to get my proper title as the Prince Consort.
That can only be conferred upon me by the Litunga himself. That took us another week. From there we went to our home in Sesheke for another feast. From there we went to my original home at Namboma. This took about one month, going from one ceremony to another ceremony.

In the meantime, Dr Kaunda was looking for me because we had a national council coming and he liked me to be near him because I used to bring in a lot of ideas. So he left a message here [at his house] and a government flight that immediately I come back from what he called ‘gallivanting’, I must be told to catch that plane and follow him to Mfuwe where he went on holiday to prepare for the national council.

When I arrived here [his house], I was told by the security people that you have to leave immediately. So I flew to Mfuwe and when I arrived I found him standing in the doorway and he was angry. He told me ‘you are not the first one to get married. Where have you been, in the mean time the nation has been looking for you. What’s wrong with you? Don’t you know there is a job to be done?’

You know when Kenneth Kaunda got angry he literally got angry and there I was facing him. Afterwards, he kept quiet for some minutes just looking at me until he got over it. He was like that. He is a short tempered man but over the years he managed to control his temper. I don’t know how he managed to do that.
After a few minutes it went off and he said ‘get in’. So I got into the lodge and he said ‘breakfast young man?’ I said ‘no Sir I had breakfast before I came’.

He said ‘alright what can you tell me?’ I said ‘no Sir according to the way I was brought up in our tradition, when a father is angry you don’t reply. So I am going to write a letter to reply’. He said ‘you will excuse me, I am angry because I value you. If I don’t value you, I wouldn’t be wasting my breath. So I am not angry for nothing’.

That was Dr. Kaunda. He had a lot of time for me, and I learnt a lot from him. That’s why when his son Wezi was shot dead, despite the word that went round to all MMD leaders that they should not attend the funeral, my wife and I, without even a second thought, just drove to Kenneth Kaunda’s house and entered the crowd. Dr. Kaunda just hugged me and the crowd started crying. This was a bond between us irrespective of what happened later on.

(An excerpt from Conversations with Memorable Personalities)

Picture below: Sikota Wina with his late wife Princess Nakatindi Wina

Russian allegedly has a plot to ‘poison’ Vladimir Putin and instil a successor who will restore trade ties with the West, according to Ukrainian intelligence.

According to Ukraine’s Chief Directorate of Intelligence at the war-torn country’s Ministry of Defence, a ‘group of influential’ individuals in Russia have begun plotting to remove the dictator from office.

The Ukrainian intelligence service says that FSB director Oleksandr Bortnikov is the chosen man to replace Putin, leading the agency which the successor to the fearsome KGB.

Putin was the director of the Russian intelligence agency before he took the mantle of President and he and Bortnikov both served in the KGB together in Leningrad.

The insiders are reportedly incensed by the invasion of Ukraine’s effect on the Russian economy which has been hard-hit by sanctions.

The Chief Directorate of Intelligence said: ‘It is known that Bortnikov and some other influential representatives of the Russian elite are considering various options to remove Putin from power.

‘In particular, poisoning, sudden disease, or any other ‘coincidence’ is not excluded.’

Bortnikov has fallen out of favour with Putin after military losses in the first three weeks of the Ukraine war – in which time he has also sacked eight generals.

According to Ukrainian intelligence, Russia has lost an estimated 15,000 troops in Ukraine.

One Ukrainian intelligence source said recently: ‘It is noteworthy that Bortnikov has recently been disgraced by the Russian dictator.

‘The official reason for the disgrace of the FSB leader is the fatal miscalculations in the war against Ukraine.

‘Bortnikov and his department were responsible for analyzing the mood of Ukraine and the ability of the Ukrainian army.’

Bortnikov is believed to have a network of insiders working and living within Ukraine, where he ran a network of agents for many years.

A western source told the Daily Mirror: ‘These rumours and suspicions within the Moscow inner-circle will sow the seeds of paranoia and doubt in the leadership.

There is no doubt that as the Russian elite feel the pinch of sanctions that they will be looking at the future with an eye on what a catastrophe this war is for them – and it’s going to get worse.

‘There is a significant suspicion that a small number of people might actually now try to get rid of the Russian President but whether they will succeed remains to be seen.

‘Certainly, they are being given an awful lot of encouragement by various influential figures in the west and the feeling amongst most people is that enough is enough.

‘Crucially, although Ukraine has suffered immensely from this invasion it has wrong-footed Russia’s military at every step, predicting their military moves and crippling their forces.

‘It is very possible that somebody has been leaking information and given every bit of encouragement to do so- perhaps with an offer of a future in the west or even in Russia itself.’

By Dr Nevers Sekwila Mumba
So, arising from my post yesterday ( which a lot of PF leaning readers chose to misunderstand), there’s been some backclash on social media. One such case is where a gentleman called Chanoda Ngwira has gone to town issuing careless comments and statements both on my own wall and all over social media.

I have one simple response to Chanoda, and plenty folk like him:

DEAR MR. CHANODA NGWIRA.

There is a very good reason that women, for a very long time avoided being in the public eye and in particular, they never sought political office. It is the very reason that most believers, or people that come from resectable professional backgrounds avoided getting into the public eye.

It is because of the spurious and callous disregard most politicians have for others, and the blatant use of lies, insults and cheap tactics of intimidation and threats, and where possible, blackmail to try and break the resolve of those that may think differently. All these tools, are firmly at your disposal Mr. Chanoda Frackson Ngwira.

Just remember that you are too late!

Too late to break the resolve of somebody that has been to the top of the mountain and come back…
Too late to intimidate someone that has stood up to people more powerful that you can ever imagine…
Too late to take away a resolve that is anchored in four simple words, Zambia Shall Be Saved.

I neither cower from, nor get moved by, your type of politics.

I have been to prison, been tear-gassed, have climbed walls escaping gunshots, been to over twenty Police Stations and all the levels of our Courts/Legal system over a span of time, all in the pursuit of Justice and a better Zambia for all.

There is nothing I see in you apart from a disgruntled, over compensated, immature young man, who dares to threaten someone as good as his own father, just because the source of his ill gotten wealth is under threat.

Ba Chanoda, muyi cheme!

Your threats mean nothing to me. I Fear God only, not man. And if God says I should advise President Lungu, or President Hichilema I do it without skipping a beat.

I know you very well Mr. Chanoda Ngwira and I know who you work with and the interests you are protecting from the truth.

I have an entire body of believers behind me, and while they may not be as loud as you are, they remain firm and resolved in their defence of what is right, I can assure you, TAKE OUT NEVERS MUMBA today, and you will have a million other ZAMBIANS of a moral character to take up my place. Zambia shall never again allow itself to be presided upon by a regime as brutal, careless and destructive as what you and your paymasters showed.

IYO INSHITA, YALIPWA. It is really, a New Dawn!

WHO IS NYAMBE MUYUMBANA A UPND CANDIDATE FOR MONGU MAYORAL ELECTIONS

WORK EXPERIENCE

1.Secretary General at the National Association for Medium and Small Scale Contractors of Zambia (NAMSSC)

2. Secretary at Western Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WCCI)

3. Managing Director at Y & M General Dealers LTD

4. Managing Director at Capital Media Services LTD

5. Vice Board Chairman at Zambia Aquaculture Cooperative Society Limited (ZACOSO)

6. PTA Chairman at Katongo Secondary School

7. Past Provincial Secretary at National Association for Medium and Small Scale Contractors (NAMSSC), Western Chapter

8. Former Provincial IPS at UPND Western Chapter

9. Managed the UPND Presidential PVT for WP in the 2016 Tripartite Elections

10. Former Legal Assistant at ICN Legal Practitioners

11. Media Consultant for the establishment of Kuandu Community Radio Station

12. Former Station Manager at Solwezi Radio Station

13. Former Station Manager at Kasempa Radio Station

14. Chaired the Kasempa District Consultative Forum on drafting the Zambian Constitution

15. Past Governor of the National Governing Council of the Zambia Media Council (ZAMEC)

16. Past Chairman of Human Rights & Gender at Zambia Media Institute of Southern Africa

17. Former News Editor at Radio Lyambai

18. Former News Correspondent at the Post Newspapers

19. Former News Correspondent at Times of Zambia

20. Past Journalist Intern at ZNBC

21. Commissioner on the National Constitution Conference (NCC)

22. Chaired and Initiated the HIV /AIDS work place policy at MISA Zambia

23. Past Chairman at Mongu Press Club

24. Past Chairman of the Zambia Community Media Forum (ZaCoMeF)

25. Past Mongu District Publicity Coordinator for ECZ in the 2010 Voters Registration Exercise

EDUCATION

1. 2017 – Bachelor’s Degree in Law, Zambia Open University – Zambia

2. 2007 – Diploma in Public Administration, University of Zambia – Zambia

3. 2005 – Diploma in Journalism & Democracy, Kalmer University – Sweden

4. 2004 – Certificate in Advanced Public Administration, University of Zambia – Zambia

5. 2003 – Certificate in Project Management, University of Zambia – Zambia

6. 2003 – Certificate in Journalism, University of Zambia –Zambia

7. 2001 – Diploma in Journalism & Public Relations, Norma Jean College – Zambia

8. 1999 – Grade 12 School Certificate, Sesheke Secondary School – Zambia

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

1. Attained a Certificate in Multimedia Journalism: changing perspective on gender – Kigali, Rwanda organized by the Radio Netherlands Training Center, 2014.

2. Attained a Certificate in Radio Management at Wits University – Johannesburg, South Africa, 2012.

3. Attained an Advanced Diploma in Journalism at Southern African Media Training Trust (NSJ) (2006-2008). Modules covered;

a. Reporting National Economics, Johannesburg, South Africa.

b. Reporting Africa, Grahamstown South Africa.

c. Reporting National & International Politics, Mbabane, Swaziland.

4. Attained a Certificate in International Broadcasting Journalism for Radio & Internet at Radio Netherlands Training Centre – Hilversum, Netherlands, 2006.

5. Attained a Certificate in Election Reporting at Zambia Institute of Mass Communication Trust (ZAMCOM) – Lusaka, Zambia, 2006.

6. Attained a Certificate of Attachment in On Hand Sub Editing and Basic Reporting – Southern African Media Training Trust (NSJ) Maputo, Mozambique whilst attached to Capital Radio Blantyre, Malawi, 2005.

7. Attained a Certificate in Reporting on HIV and Maternal Health, Institute of Mass Communication Trust (ZAMCOM) – Lusaka, Zambia, 2005.

8. Attained a Certificate on Development of Community Radio Stations in Zambia at Institute of Mass Communication Trust (ZAMCOM)– Lusaka, Zambia, 2004.

(C) THE FALCON NEWS

A JOURNALIST ADOPTED AS UPND CANDIDATE IN THE MONGU MAYORAL ELECTION

Lusaka~20th March, 2022.

The UPND has adopted journalist turned businessman Nyambe Muyumbana as its candidate in the forthcoming Mongu Mayoral by-elections slated for 14th April, 2022.

The Mongu Mayoral seat fell vacant following the death Matakala Nyambe in a Road Traffic Accident in Mkushi.

Muyumbana,a journalist by profession who once served as News editor for Mongu’s first privately owned Lyambai radio station also served on the MISA ZAMBIA governing council after 2006 and represented the organisation on the National Constitution Conference,NCC during the reign of late President Levy Mwanawasa.

Muyumbana left active journalism and joined the UPND where he served as western province information and publicity secretary until after the 2016 General Elections.

The adopted mayoral candidate is currently engaged into fish farming and consultancy in mongu.

Making the announcement at the party secretariat in Lusaka this morning, UPND Elections Chairperson, Gary Nkombo expressed confidence that the Zambia Police and the Electoral Commission of Zambia will effectively carry out their mandate of policing and refereeing the process as he challenged other political players to maintain and promote a violent free campaign.

The UPND has also settled for Peter Chanda for Lubasenshi’s Lukutu Ward and Brian Chingula for Katimba Ward in Monze.

The ECZ has since prescribed March 22nd as the date for filing in of nominations for the forthcoming elections.

(C) THE FALCON NEWS

ZAMBIA, A SAD COUNTRY 😢. FINLAND A HAPPY COUNTRY 🤣

The 2022 happiest country report reveals that Zambia is one of the saddest countries in the world. It has been ranked as the 134th happiest country out of the total of 146 total countries recorded. Finland maintains the 1st slot for the last 4 years in a roll.

To determine the world’s happiest country, researchers analyzed comprehensive Gallup polling data from 149 countries for the past three years, specifically monitoring performance in six particular categories: gross domestic product per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom to make your own life choices, generosity of the general population, and perceptions of internal and external corruption levels.

In order to properly compare each country’s data, the researchers created a fictional country—christened Dystopia—filled with “the world’s least-happy people.” They then set Dystopia as the rock bottom value in each of the six categories and measured the scores of the real-world countries against this value.

All six variables were then blended to create a single combined score for each country. Interestingly enough, the top seven happiest countries in the world for 2021 were all Northern European countries.

Guys Zambia is sad 😢

The youth wing of the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) says President Hakainde Hichilema is not hypocritical.

Former President Edgar Lungu has sparked debate after speaking against hypocrisy in an interview with ZNBC Television during the burial of Fourth Republican President Rupiah Bwezani Banda in Lusaka on Friday.

Mr. Lungu bemoaned what he termed as the hypocrisy that is being seen where people say good things and then do what he described as bad things.

“Dialogue, genuine dialogue between all of us. Those who were in government before, and those who are in now. But what we are seeing is hypocrisy. Where people say good things and then do bad things. And if we can expunge the hypocrisy from our lives and just say it as it is, between now and embarking into the future, it’s a lesson we are learning from Rupiah Banda’s legacy. People have said a lot of good things. May those good things become part of us,” Mr. Lungu remarked.

Some people suggest that Mr. Lungu was referring to President Hichilema and his New Dawn Government when bemoaning hypocrisy.

But UPND Deputy National Youth – Information and Publicity Secretary David Chikwanda branded President Hichilema as a mature and diplomatic leader.

“HH had an option to talk about how he was treated during Dr Kenneth Kaunda’s funeral or how bad he was treated by the previous regime. He had an option to stop Edgar Lungu from attending the funeral of Rupiah Banda. He had an option to talk about the hypocrisy of those who had a day of prayer and reconciliation but behind the scenes were killing people in cold blood. HH chose a path of peace and chose to respect the funeral of the late statesman. HH brought his enemies closer in the spirit of love because the whole world was watching what was happening in Zambia,” he said.

“Yes we have a lot of issues affecting our nation which includes the looting of public resources by the previous regime but the funeral was not a platform for such. This is the point and wisdom Edgar missed. All he could have said was “We thank the state for according the late President a befitting send off in a peaceful and respectful environment” chapwa,” Mr. Chikwanda stated.

“In the recent past a number of people including the clergy have expressed their displeasure in the perceived manner that HH has treated people who allegedly stole public resources. A number of people feel HH has treated the criminals with kid’s gloves. I also agree. But despite this feeling, we were all happy in the manner President Hichilema treated president Lungu in respect to the funeral of RB. The whole nation thought this was a turning point and the beginning of the new era in Zambian politics. But we were wrong,” he said.

Mr. Chikwanda, the former Copperbelt University Students Union President, said Mr. Lungu’s comment was ill timed.

“No matter how much we might defend the statement by President Lungu, the fact still remains that the statement lacked wisdom and was ill timed. Edgar should have behaved like a statesman that people expect him to be. Yes we have known President Lungu to be careless with words but we didn’t expect it at this occasion. HH was not being hypocritical but exhibited diplomacy, maturity and respect required or expected of any human being at a funeral,” he said.

“We applaud HH for according president Banda a befitting send off but we wish to remind him (HH) that the ‘funeral is over’ let us treat criminals as criminals, murderers as murderers. At the same time this is an eye opener for HH not to be careless with enemies otherwise he will lose his life in return. Criminals are ruthless,” Mr. Chikwanda said.

NEWS RELEASE
19.03.2022

Contact : UPND Media Director, Ruth Dante, +260976503165

Email: upndzambia@gmail.com

HEALING THE NATION AN AMAZING BREAKTHROUGH BY PRESIDENT HICHILEMA

Lusaka 19.03.2022 The United Party for National Development wishes to express its profound gratitude to the many Zambians who exhibited a great sense of love during the period of national mourning in honor of late 4th Republican President Rupiah Banda in a show of confidence towards the leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema and his call for peace in the nation.

Many Zambians using different media platforms have all spoken with utmost appreciation the manner President Hichilema has united the country in mourning the former Head of state late President Banda with love, respect and peace. Listening to them carefully something clearly comes that Zambia is healing.

President Banda deserved to be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged with one heart and one voice by the whole country as a lover of peace. However, what remains something of a marvel to look at was the unity that prevailed during the mourning period across all socio-economic and political divides that not so long fiercely worked against each other.

The convergence of thousands of people from across political divide and their messages of condolences just proves the growth and maturity of Zambia’s Democratic credentials which have reinforced President Hichilema’s consistent call for unity and peace in the country during this period and posterity.

It is further gratifying to note the peaceful atmosphere that existed between the various political players and their followers during the mourning period. As the ruling Party, we wish to commend our supporters for extending their love to other political players by avoiding any form of violence that had previously characterised most state funerals and other functions.

This is a demonstration of the successes scored this far by President Hichilema in his crusade to unite the country. It is a demonstration of his big heart, loving personality, patriotism and magnanimity towards those in opposition.

The nation watched with delight as President Hichilema and his predecessor Edgar Lungu stood side by side during the state funeral warmly welcoming foreign dignitaries in a clear demonstration of President Hichilema’s ability to transform the nation so much within just six months of his time in power.

Broadly speaking, one can discern that Zambians are once again ready to put aside their differences to join hands and move forward in developing this country. During President Hichilema’s rule, peace has been preserved across the country, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere.

From the beginning, President Hichilema has stressed that peace and unity are the foundations for socio-economic development that the country desires, and that without it we cannot reach our national goals. He has on several occasions stressed that for people to work together towards a common cause, we needed peace and unit and that socio-economic development cannot be treated separately from peace and unit.

On 11th March, 2022 during the State of the Nation address at Parliament, President Hichilema stressed his desire to lead a united people. The President’s emphasis has been on healing the nation and ending hostilities against each other as the foundation for development. His peace crusade can thus be summed up as a campaign for concerted action towards ending tribal and politically driven marginalisation at all levels in the community including among others in our health, judicial, and education systems.

As the country watched President Hichilema and former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu standing side by side at Show Grounds warmly welcoming foreign dignitaries to the state funeral and I found myself in awe of President Hichilema’s ability to transform the nation so much within just six months of his time in power. We as the ruling party commit ourselves to the values of love, peace and unity that our President is warmly sharing with this nation

We as the ruling party commit ourselves to the values of love, peace and unity that our President is warmly sharing with the nation and its people.

In the words of former Botswana President Ian Khama, “this country is safe in the hands of President Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND and we call on its citizens within and outside the country to rally behind his leadership as he works at uniting this once divided nation.”

God bless Zambia and may it grow into a prosperous, peaceful and united country.

For more details contact:

Information and Publicity Department
UPND Secretariat
Party Headquarters
Lusaka

LUNGU AND HIS PF CLIQUE MUST BE REMORSEFUL- KANEMA

…..As he condemns the former republican president Mr Edgar Lungu for referring hypocrisy to Government efforts to unity the country.

19/03/2022

UPND North Western province Youth Chairperson Mr Bruce Kanema has condemned the remarks made by the former president Mr Edgar Lungu yesterday at the Embassy park after the burial service of the late president Rupiah Banda.

Mr Bruce kanema has condemned the hypocrisy statement issued by former president ECL in which he said it’s high time that president Lungu must have a unifying language and avoid divisive language which the late president RB spoke against.

Mr Kanema also stated that the remarks made by the acting PF president Given Lubinda in which he challenged the Government to arrest those who stole Government resources instead of telling them to surrender which he said was a mockery to the Government of the republic of Zambia.

He stated that these statements means both the former president Edgar Lungu and his clique member Mr Given Lubinda are not remorseful for the wrong things they did and they eventually do not appreciate the methodical way of handling national matters by the UPND New Dawn Government.

Mr kanema has called on the Government to up their fight against corruption and recovery of what was stolen with full force because the clique is now on it’s way to continue fooling Zambians and sound relevant to the public.

He has challenged all the Government investigative wings to take seriously the spirit of fighting corrupt without using kids cloves and waiting for instructions but doing what the law demands.

He emphasized that His Exellence president HH must be helped by all well meaning Zambians to achieve his good vision for the benefits of every citizen of this country regardless of their political, social or economic status in society.

He stated that the clique are back and are speaking louder because the assets which they have managed to hide the stolen assets including unregistered motor vehicles which are now back on the streets without fear or shame.

Mr Bruce Kanema has challenged the former president Mr Edgar Lungu to avoid using divisive language when the country is healing from total division on political and regional lines which was spearhead by the PF regime under his leadership.

(C) THE FALCON

Critical Shortage of drugs in hospitals and Clinics, Who Will Pay for the Lives Lost?

By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba

The fact is no longer in contest.

There is an established critical shortage of medicines and medical supplies in hospitals, Clinics and health centres in Zambia in the last six months.

The number of loss of lives attributed directly to this sad development is yet to be made public.

This is because, during this period, the Ministry of Health has not bought any medicines, has refused to pay previous suppliers, has abolished the Procurement Unit and is in the process of picking “new” suppliers.

The portfolio Minister, Hon Sylvia Masebo proceeded to abolish all boards and management of sub-sector entities involved in the regulatory and distribution of drugs.

Further it is extremely surprising to hear Hon. Masebo, in her Ministerial Statement in Parliament, express ignorant shock that Hospitals have not taken the initiative to buy medicines and medical supplies using administrative and operational funds that the Ministry has disbursed!

She even dares to accuse hospital administrators of having masters elsewhere ( PF) other than the current Government!

This statement alone is a scandal on its own!

Does she expect Hospitals to utilise administrative and operational funds, to buy medicines?

Does she expect Administrators to take quotations from the streets and buy medicines from there?

Does she know how public funds are utilized? Has she read the Auditor General’s Reports?

Is her request for such an initiative even legal in Zambia?

Her last stay at a Ministry ( Ministry of Tourism) in 2012 ended in tears as she was arrested and arraigned before the court of law for abuse of office and interfering in the procurement process as a Minister…guess nothing has changed in her outlook.

Has she heard of ZAMRA?

The Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority is the Statutory Body established under an Act of Parliament; the Medicines and Allied Substances Act No. 3 of 2013 to regulate and control the manufacture, importation, storage distribution, supply, sale and use of medicines and allied substances.

Has the Minister heard about Medical Stores Limited (MSL) now transformed as the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA), an autonomous government agency established under the companies act with the express objective of furnishing to the nation good quality drugs and various medical equipment and supplies?

Over the years, the Ministry of Health, its development and cooperating assistance partners have invested substantial amounts of money in the public-sector drug procurement and distribution system.

Zambia has a well-functioning supply chain for essential medicines.

Zambia has a three-tier system with storage of medicines and medical supplies at each level (Storage at National Distribution Center, District Health Office and Health Facility).

Government constructed regional hubs in line with Government’s decentralization policy, across the country.

By criminalizing all companies that supply medicines and medical supplies, by firing all Permanent Secretaries, by dissolving all boards at ZAMMSA and ZAMRA, and by abolishing the procurement unit, Masebo is trying to re-invent the wheel and not cleaning up.

What Masebo and her technical staff are currently doing is to dismantle a heavily invested in, well-established and well-functioning system built over the years.

Clearly this wayward gamble by Masebo has cost many dear lives as a result of lack of medicines at hospitals, clinics and health centres in the last six months.

Who will pay for the loss of these lives?

Isn’t life sacred with the New Dawn Government?

THANK YOU ZAMBIA!

By Dickson Jere

What a great send off for President Rupiah Banda! He must be wearing his trademark smile and happy in the matter Zambia mourned him. Very dignified – as he wished – and the unity that brought everyone on board.

A very big “Thank You” to President Hakainde Hichilema for making sure that the oldboy was given a benefiting funeral. Logistics and other support was in place and the President took personal interest in making sure that the process was smooth. He made sure no-one was harassed or stopped from mourning and attending the funeral – exactly what RB would have wanted. Thank you President!

Political parties and their choirs took turns in singing in harmony – including the nearly defunct MMD showed up, dressed in RB regalia! What a beautiful sight it was…

Leaders from different backgrounds sat together in church and talked the way RB would have wished for his funeral. While everyone is focused on the politicians, for me, it was seeing Paramount Chief Mpezeni and Paramount Chief Gawa Undi together. I shed a tear. That was what RB had always wanted – to bring these two together – and he did it in death! RB a “reconciliator” even in his death. The two Chiefs even inspected th grave together and later laid wreaths together. That was the highest point of that funeral for me – RB during and after his presidency wanted unity between Ngoni and Chewa speaking people. He was both and once asked to be cut in half if these two groups were not united.

Thank you the defence and security for giving your 4th Commander In-Chief the benefiting funeral. The 21 gun salute and guard of honor was on point! The fly past was done meticulously!

To the family, we salute you for showing unity and morning RB in a dignified manner. Even though sorrowful, we also rejoiced and celebrated his life in style – everyone had a story to tell about RB and how he impacted on them. We had problems at Church yesterday to accommodate everyone as RB children – Blacks, Indians, Greeks, Whites, Jews – all showed up from various parts of the world. They wanted to sit on the family side and nowhere else.
Go well President of all Zambians. Yours was life well lived.
It is well!

Former President of Mozambique, Joaquim Chissano, has praised Zambians for demonstrating solidarity during the funeral and burial of late fourth President Rupiah Banda at Embassy Park yesterday.

Mr. Chissano said the great multitudes of Zambians that attended the funeral church service yesterday was symbolising a spirit of solidarity and unity among themselves.

He has since urged the Zambian people to keep solidarity in their hearts in order to realise economic development in the country.

He was speaking before departure at Kenneth Kaunda international Airport this afternoon.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Chissano attended the funeral church service of late Mr. Banda, who died on March 11, 2022.

Mr Chisano further urged Zambians to emulate the iconic leader who preached peace.

“The one Zambia one nation motto was repeated at both church service and Embassy Park where a spirit of solidarity and unity was demonstrated. I hope this solidarity will be kept forever in the country,” he said.

He said he was impressed with the spirit of oneness, unity and solidarity, adding that he was honoured to attend the funeral and represent his country, Mozambique.

The former President of Mozambique, who left at exactly 16:00 hours, said Zambia should forever keep the solidarity and peace the country has been enjoying.

He was seen off by staff from the Mozambique embassy in Zambia.

Yesterday the late fourth republican president Rupiah Banda, who died on Friday 11th March 2022,was put to rest at the presidential burial site at the Embassy Park in Lusaka.

A sombre mood characterised the occasion which was led by President Hakainde Hichilema, first lady Mutinta, former Mozambican president Joaquim Chissano, various dignitaries, paramount chiefs Mpezeni of the Ngoni people of Eastern Province and Kalonga Gawa Undi of the Chewe people of Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique.

Chief Mbelwa of Malawi and other traditional leaders from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique also attended the burial of the late Mr. Banda.

Before the burial commenced, paramount chiefs Mpezeni and Kalonga Gawa Undi were asked to inspect the grave and later members of the clergy led by Council of Churches in Zambia Secretary General Emmanuel Chikoya were made to bless the grave.

The Zambia Army accorded the late former commander-in-chief a 21 gun salute while the Zambia Airforce did a fly-past as the casket was been lowered into the grave.

Canon Thomas, the Dean and Vicar General of the Anglican Diocese, led committal of the grave before the engineers from the defense force closed the grave with a tomb stone which was unveiled by the late president Banda’s grandchildren.

Children of the late president were the first to lay their wreaths followed by President Hichilema and first lady Mutinta, the former first lady and widow of Mr. Banda did not lay a wreath due to her faith.

In a vote of thanks, niece to the late President, Dorika Banda, thanked government and the people of Zambia for the support during the time of sickness and death of the former president.

Ms. Banda said former president Banda died a happy man knowing that the country, which he loved, was always at peace.

In his closing prayer, Bishop of Chipata Diocese, George Lungu, quoted from Romans 8 verse 39 and said nothing can separate people from the love of God.

Others that attended the burial ceremony included Speaker of the National Assembly, Chief Justice, members of the diplomatic corp, current and former Cabinet Ministers, Permanent Secretaries and Members of Parliament among others.

SINDA DISTRICT COMMISSIONER (DC) MR DAVID TEMBO WRITES:

Dear Family and Friends, always remember that life is a journey.

Allow me to share the untold story of a man in the picture,in order to encourage someone who thinks suicide is the solution.

Having been born from a retired civil servant in the Kaunda days at cabinet office(George Lamecks Tembo)alive, and uneducated nsenga mother but full of wisdom,love for all and family unifier(Mary Maria Zulu Tembo)late, I learnt my human surviving skills at an early age.

Being the 4th born out of eight(8), five(5)ladies and three ( 3) gents and the only person to have reached university levels. Life has not been an ice cream kind of journey.

I have been a street kid before(beggar),a bus conductor/inexperienced driver,a street business person(tamanga),a school drop out at some point,a failure,a laughingstock,despised and humiliated,I have been appointed and disappointed before,fired and hired,promoted and demoted,sidelined,rejected and ejected,accused and justified,persecuted and betrayed,uncounted in matters of importance and all bad things you would think of people go through to have depression.In all these experiences,I have seen God and one thing I can publicly confess is that our surviving Father only provided God to our lives and that’s all we had.

Because of the Almighty God we were given, today we are reaping the fruits of trusting in him.God re-wrote my name by redefining me.He gave me a new name,
connected me to the right people/destiny helpers and today,no one would tell that we had gone through tough situations because Jesus picked, washed, ironed and exposed us to his glory for the manifestation of his goodness.

Kindly know that you don’t just become without being combed.

To cut the long testimony short.Out of what you are going through don’t think of taking your life because that’s the worst cawardice idea.Learn something out of that situation and ask God to guide you through.

Life is more important than what you are going through.That situation is just but temporal which will come to an end soon but when you take your life, the end destination is hell and there it will be forever in pain.You are not the first one to be there,someone passed through that before and they conquered.

Thank you,May God heal and deliver you in Jesus Christ name.

Happy Sabbath 👏🏻

Sinda_District_Commissioner

David Tembo

I always wanted to marry a highly educated woman.
I have changed my mind.

I was late for my flight to Eldoret. I knew that if the traffic at Mombasa road didn’t easen up, I would miss my flight and that wouldn’t have gone well with the client I was meeting in Eldoret. To cut the long story, I got to Wilson Airport just in time for the departure. I serve a living God, what did you expect… 🙂

After the usual airport formalities and tiring safety protocols, the air bus soon tore its massive body into the air and soon we were 34,000 ft above sea levels.

Seated next to me was a lady.

This one was fire on ice. Annoyingly cute with a graceful height. Her skin tone was refreshingly sapple and her eyes were snow white and soul searching. I did summersulting calculations and boom! I had less that 1 hour 15 minutes to win this power girl. GAME LIVE!
Being the Socrates that I am, I knew I wasn’t basic. So instead of asking her random stuff like what she does for a living and what her favorite color was, I asked if we could play a small game.

Her name was Nancy.

Nancy mentioned that she was tired and politely rejected my offer to a game. She also mentioned that all she wanted was to take a nap as she was having a connecting flight from Eldoret to Kisumu. Upon politely regecting my request to a game, cute Nancy then rolled over to the window to catch a few winks.
Again, being the Socrates that I am, I insisted. I told Nancy that the game was simple yet fun.
I told her that in the game, I was to ask her a question. If she didn’t know the answer, she’d pay me 1K. And Vice versa.

Again, Nancy declined and tried to get some sleep.

Feeling agitated and my manly ego terribly bruised, I told her that if she didn’t know the answer, she’d pay me the 1K. But if I didn’t know the answer, I would pay her 15K.

This caught Nancy’s attention 😉 🙂.
Look at the lengths we go to get a cute woman’s attention. It’s important to note that I knew I would answer all her questions. I knew that anything she would ask would be simple. I was good with challenges and riddles, so the 15K was a bait to get this cute person to be interested. That’s all.

Nancy realized that I was the persistent type and knowing too well that there was no end to this torment unless she played, she agreed to the game.
I shot the first question.
‘Nancy, what’s the distance between the moon and the earth surface?’
My cute crush didn’t say any word. She reached her purse and pulled out a new 1K note and handed it over to me. Damn! Boychild winning at first half.

I looked at her deep blue eyes and with a suggestive wink, I whispered.. `Your turn dear’
Nancy adjusted her explosive feminine gait. She looked at me deeply into the eyes, breathed in slowly and threw her question.
‘Socrates sir, now that you seem to know everything. What goes up a hill with 3 legs and comes down with 4 legs?’

Jesus!

I pulled out my laptop and dived into the internet. No response! I reached out to all sites that have responses to riddles. Nothing! Frustrated, I posted the riddle on whatsapp status, no reply! I tried a few friends I thought knew a thing or two about this and that. ZERO!
After one hour of traumatizing research, I woke Nancy up from her flight slumber, took 15K from my briefcase and handed it to her.
Suprisingly, Nancy says a hurried ‘thank you so much’ and goes to continue with her sleep.

Feeling a little bit disoriented and shocked, I wake up Nancy and meekly asks her what the answer to her question was.
Without a word, this woman reached out to her bag, removed a 1K note, handed it over to me and went back to sleep!

Wait..

She too didn’t know the answer?

Damn!

Written by Socrates