People Think I overtalk About God

I fear nothing – Chirwa

By Kombe Mataka

SOMETIMES people think I over talk about God, says Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) director general Mary Chirwa.

“I have survived because I believe in God 101 per cent. I fear nothing in anything and everything that I do,” she says.

Speaking ahead of the 2021/2022 awards slated for May that were founded in honour of her fearless and courageous leadership while she served at Financial Intelligence Centre executive director, Chirwa said it was not easy to work in a ‘man’s’ world.

“Sometimes people think I over talk about God in my life. Some people tell me ‘you it’s always about God. Just tell us the real thing’. The thing is it is not easy being a woman and working in an environment where it’s like it’s a man’s world but at the end of the day when you embrace excellence in anything you do, there is nothing like I am a woman or this,” she said.

“I almost lost my job because for so many months no one even bothered to check whether my contract was reviewed or not but I didn’t care. What was the right thing to do at that particular time? What is illegal, you must expose it. So, for me whether you’re a lady, others have found their way up by sleeping with men and so forth, if you do not know God then you will succumb to such things. Yes, we (women) will always be looked at as weaker vessels because I believe we have this inner strength. If you live your purpose, there is nothing that you are going to fear really.”

Chirwa said she was always proud of the candidates that scooped the prize from the award attached to her name and works.

“I think it is a blessing because if you see the essence of that Award is to appreciate courageous and fearless leadership. I feel that leadership is for every stage and level in life, and from an individual you must lead yourself first before you can lead others,” she said.

“This is an Award that was created in 2019 and every year it is awarded to those who prove themselves to be courageous in their line of work as long as you stick to doing the right thing.”

Chirwa said she feared no one when it comes to uncovering wrongdoing.

She however said it has not been easy for her in trying to do the best in the course of duty.
“When you talk about courage in adversity usually it is because of circumstances around us. I have survived because I believe in God 101 per cent. I fear nothing in anything and everything that I do. So, regardless of the field, I will exhibit the same Mary,” she said.

“The Award has brought gratitude to what God has made me and how he has protected me throughout my work. Of course, working in my space has not been easy. I have been in this realm of financial investigations for more than 25 years and even when I was a junior officer, I would still face threats but I think I am resolved from the word go. And I will do the right thing for the betterment of the Zambian person who doesn’t have an opportunity to sit in my seat.”
And Chirwa said she has now settled in her new role at DEC, acknowledging that it is a huge task.

“In terms of the mandate they are both two independent institutions but DEC is a much bigger assignment. And I think it came at the right time because God wants me to fulfill something. DEC has a structure of 1,800 employees currently. The mandate is wider for DEC but DEC goes into investigations and preparations of dockets for matters to be presented before [National Prosecution Authority] NPA in readiness for the courts of law; it is two institutions in one,” Chirwa added.

“It superintendents over two pieces of legislation. The narcotic and psychotropic substance Act which deals with drug and substance abuse, and then you have the money laundering Act which looks at financial crimes. So, these are two things that the country is looking at. These are one of the major issues that we are looking at. You have heard that there are a lot of suicide cases. You have seen junkies on the roads, so it is a big responsibility for me but I am able.”

Introduced in 2019, The Mary Chirwa Award for Courageous Name, was designed to recognise women who have a proven record of courageous leadership in a field related to one or more of the Sustainable Development Goal(s). The winner is awarded US $5,000 for their cause and is invited to a ceremony at the Peace Palace, in The Hague, the Netherlands.

Former Attorney General Likando Kalaluka has joined Arbitra International, one of London’s leading services providers to independent arbitrators.

Mr. Kalaluka, who served as Zambia’s chief legal adviser from 2015 to 2021, was also an ex officio member of the Cabinet appointed by former President Edgar Lungu.

A Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a member of the African Arbitration Association, Mr. Kalaluka has represented Zambia in civil, commercial and constitutional proceedings in Zambia’s superior courts, as well as domestic and international arbitration proceedings.

In April 2015, he was conferred with the rank and dignity of State Counsel on becoming one of the youngest Attorney Generals.

Whilst he served as Attorney General, his work as leader of the Zambian Bar saw him approve and advise on domestic and international commercial and investment agreements, treaties or conventions which the government of Zambia entered into.

Since leaving office after Zambia’s elections in 2021, he has been appointed as a member of the Beijing Arbitration Commission/Beijing International Arbitration Centre’s panel of arbitrators.

The move to Arbitra makes Mr. Kalaluka the second African arbitrator to join the firm, with Dentons’ Juvenalis Ngowi, who practices in Tanzania, having joined in October 2021.

Arbitra’s Chief Executive, Owen Lawrence, said, “I am delighted to welcome Likando to Arbitra. His move further deepens our foundations in Africa. It will enhance our offering to corporates looking to resolve their commercial disputes within Africa, benefiting from his local knowledge and deep government experience.”

“I see this move helping businesses and states to independently resolve their disputes neutrally, legally, effectively, and efficiently,” added Lawrence.

“As a senior African lawyer with sound arbitration experience, I see Likando, alongside Juvenalis, as one of a new wave of African arbitrators who will gain prominence in the international market as we grow this side of the business.”

Mr. Kalaluka said he was delighted to join Arbitra, which offers clients a perfect platform to choose the arbitrators best able to resolve their disputes.

“As Attorney General, I routinely advised the Zambian Government on dispute resolution and dispute avoidance; Arbitra allows me to further my interest in resolving such disputes on the international stage, building on its location in London and Washington, DC, two of the leading global centres for dispute resolution,” he commented.

Mr. Kalaluka, who will combine his practice as an arbitrator alongside practising at his firm, Likando Kalaluka & Co, has first-hand experience in high-value, complex arbitrations under the ICSID, ICC, UNCITRAL and PCA rules relating to energy, mining, infrastructure development, health, human rights, public procurement and intellectual property, the latter a long-term interest of his.

During his tenure as Attorney General, he represented Zambia in investor-state arbitration under ICSID rules arising out of mining rights over a disputed development agreement, which tested Zambian mineral royalty and VAT laws, as well as its Mines and Mineral Development Act.

He also appeared in PCA proceedings, including a dispute worth over $50 million, which raised complex issues of public procurement, sale of goods, breach and termination of a contract, as well as in high-value ICC energy proceedings worth $400 million.

South African legal firm Mbuyisa Moleele and its UK counterpart Leigh Day have filed further evidence in the Johannesburg High Court in an attempt to convince it that Anglo American SA should face a class action case in South Africa for lead poisoning that took place in Kabwe.

The contamination allegedly occurred at a now-defunct Kabwe mine, and the two firms are arguing Anglo American SA, which provided technical and other services to it, knew about the poisoning at the time.

Lawyers accuse Anglo American of being the mine’s operator for the period when it produced two-thirds of its lead, the company denies it ever owned the assets.

Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines operated the Kabwe mine for 20 years after it was nationalized until it was closed.

“Anglo’s attempt to blame its successor, ZCCM, for the present lead contamination does not stack up,” the legal firms said in an emailed statement.

“It is contradictory for Anglo to argue, on the one hand, that elevated soil and blood lead levels are not due to the mine and, on the other hand, to accuse ZCCM of ‘recklessness and neglect’ over its handling of the mining operations and failure to clean-up.”

Anglo American said it isn’t responsible for the current situation.

The operator was Zambia Broken Hill Development Company and while it provided services, it “at no stage owned or operated the mine,” the company said in an emailed response to questions.

Mbuyisa Moleele and Leigh Day first filed the suit in 2020 on behalf of a group they estimate of more than 100,000 people in Kabwe.

A hearing on whether the class action proceeds is expected later this year, the firms said.

The lawyers said blood lead levels there have caused cognitive impairment in a large proportion of the population and are higher than the levels of residents in Flint, Michigan, where a more than $600 million settlement was reached with people who suffered from lead poisoning.

“ZCCM’s own records show that there was a significant deterioration of operating standards under its ownership post 1974 –- with the collapse and eventual removal of the critical air pollution control devices -– and that the period post-1989 most likely represents the worst period of lead pollution,” Anglo American said.

Russian President, Vladimir Putin has reportedly fired one of its top generals as the country’s invasion of Ukraine continues to suffer major losses.

General Roman Gavrilov, 45, the deputy chief of Vladimir Putin’s Rosgvardia force – or National Guard – was detained amid claims he had ‘leaked information’ and ‘squandered’ much-needed fuel.

News of his arrest by the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB) was reported by three trusted sources, according to investigative news website Bellingcat.

But the real reason for his alleged sacking remains unclear – while a Russian official has since denied he was let go.

One source said he was fired over alleged leaks of military intel which ‘led to loss of life’, while two others said he was cuffed for ‘wasteful squandering of fuel.’

Gavrilov became deputy chief of the National Guard last June, according to the unit’s website, after serving 10 years in the country’s Federal Guard Service. But since entering Ukraine, his Rosgvardia force has suffered significant losses of life in the face of Ukrainian resolve.

According to ura.ru, Russian State Duma deputy Alexander Khinshtein denied that Gavrilov was arrested, writing on Telegram: ‘Absolutely fake. I just talked to General Gavrilov myself.’

Last week Oleksiy Danilov, head of Ukraine’s security council, said ‘around eight’ Russian commanders had been fired since the start of the conflict as Moscow scrambled to change strategy after its attempted ‘shock and awe’ blitz fell flat.

Putin was also said to be infuriated with commanders of the FSB security service – which he used to run – for handing him intelligence suggesting that Ukraine was weak, riddled with neo-Nazi groups, and would give up easily if attacked.

Philip Ingram, a security expert, and former senior British intelligence officer, told The Times that Putin was obviously ‘very angry’ and was blaming his intelligence agencies.

‘He blames them for seeding him the advice that led to the poor decision-making in Ukraine,’ he said.

That poor decision-making has led to Russia suffering much higher casualties than it expected in its attack.

Saudi Arabia has carried out its 100th execution for the year after four people were put to death on Thursday, according to an AFP tally based on official statements.

The latest executions reported by the official Saudi Press Agency come amid fresh condemnation of the kingdom’s human rights record after 81 people were put to death in a single day last week.

Saudi Arabia carries out its 100th execution of the year as four more prisoners are put to death

On Saturday, Saudi Arabia’s execution of 81 people in one day – on various charges, including terrorism-related offences – exceeded the total of 69 killed in the whole of 2021.

Human Rights Watch said it was ‘highly unlikely’ that the 81 men received fair trials, calling it a ‘brutal show of its autocratic rule’.

More than half of them, 41, belonged to the kingdom’s Shiite Muslim minority ‘who have long suffered systemic discrimination and violence by the government’, the New York-based rights group said.

Saudi Arabia said the men, who included seven Yemenis and one Syrian, belonged either to the Islamic State group, Al-Qaeda, Yemen’s Huthi rebels or ‘other terrorist organisations’.

These are the faces of 31 out of 81 men executed by Saudi Arabia in a single day at the weekend.

Half of those put to death were from the country’s Shia minority region which has seen anti-government demonstrations since the Arab Spring swept through the region in 2011.

Saturday’s mass execution was said by the Riyadh authorities to involve foreign terrorists and people convicted of ‘murdering innocent men, women and children’.

Others killed included prisoners accused of holding ‘deviant beliefs’.

These 31 men were put to death as the result of a bloody clampdown on Shi’ite Muslims from the eastern Qatif region which has historically been a flashpoint between locals and the Sunni-dominated government.

Asaad Makki Al Shub’bar Ali, 37, was arrested while driving his wife to the school where she worked and accused of participating in demonstrations and chanting political slogans as well as being in possession of a picture of a human rights campaigner and joining a terrorist organisation.

According to the European Saudi Organisation for Human Rights (ESOHR), his torture included ‘beatings with hands, legs, whips, wire and other instruments throughout his body and face with a focus on the lower back since the investigator knew that he had a back vertebrae injury, as well as beatings in sensitive areas of his body’.

Another executed was Mohammed al-Shakhouri, 27, who was tortured and kept in solitary confinement. Relatives had no contact with him for six months, according to ESOHR.

Saboi Imboela – SI
THE AUTOCRATIC AND SEXIST UPND HAS TAKEN US BACK TO THE ERA OF WOMEN BEING SEEN AND NOT HEARD

THE UPND is a very autocratic and sexist party and one only has to look at its structures at all levels, Cabinet and other appointees to prove what I am talking about.

Our first lady, Mrs. Mutinta Hichilema, always looks stunning. And if UPND respected women, we would be hearing her speak by now. It is now six months and she has not yet chosen a charity of her choice. She has not yet spoken a word, at least to us as her children. Being invited to one or two events is not enough, her office needs to be functional as the first lady office always is.

There is a reason why I keep insisting on her office being active and to choose a charity of her choice. Zambian businesses are not so giving as we see in other countries. In Zambia, companies give to charity only with the hope of getting more business in return. So if the First Lady’s office becomes active and she chooses to work with vulnerable women or children, many businesses will partner with her just so that they get close ro power. They will give to the women and children programmes more than they would if any organisation or person approached them. In fact, she would not even have to approach them, they would go to her. So we need that office to be as active as her predecessors’ for the sake of the vulnerable people that she will decide to help.

Sadly, the UPND have taken us back to the old era where they used to say that a woman should be seen and not heard. So we see her, but we do not hear her. I’m sure no one is happier than the UPND in this time and era where people have to wear marks, because it also looks like it is a sign for one to shut up. They are intolerant and lack respect for women as we see in their party, right here on Facebook and sadly it goes into Cabinet and all other areas.

We shall continue to hope for a better day and time for women under the UPND. But when we see that the first lady and their own female leaders are not given space and platforms to merely speak and work. They just show up at events. When we see how they allow and ignore their cadres who insult women day in and day out, I shudder to think what they plan for us women in the secrecy of their offices.

Saboi Imboela

President- NDC

HH REFUSAL TO SHIFT TO STATE HOUSE COSTING NATION
… Let him humble himself and leave Community House

By Edwin LIFWEKELO, PF Deputy Media Director

PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema should climb down from his perch of pride and save the nation millions of kwacha in tax payers’ money.
He should heed to the pleas by different stakeholders, including some of his closest cronies, and shift to State House.

His continued stay at his personal residence, Community House in New Kasama and daily trips to State House is a huge cost to the nation.

It is also a security risk as well as an inconvenience to the over 50 police officers who are diverted from normal duties to the degrading route lining.

Now, even police officers who are providing him with security are grumbling bitterly. He should be worried.

Recently, a chief inspector plucked up enough courage and opened up on the toll the President’s refusal to shift to his official residence is taking on him and his colleagues.
A complaint from an officer of that rank and his plea to the President, which was widely circulated on social media, should send a clear message to the President and his lieutenants.

“From the time President Hichilema took over the country’s highest office six months ago, we as police have been subjected to abnormal route lining hours,” the officer wrote.

“It was normal for him in the first two months because we thought he would move to State House but it seems he is not moving to State House now or anytime soon,” he complained.
We sympathise with our hard working security officers who are being abused daily to massage the ego of one man.

What is worse is that the allowances the route liners used to get in the past for such special duties have been scrapped. This is not only unfair but also cruel.

If the officers are being denied what they deserve as a cost saving measure then it is hypocriticy of the basest kind.

It is a joke. How much is governnent spending on fuel for the presidential motorcade in one month as he commutes to and from work? Can that be compared to the meagre allowances the government is stealing from these voiceless men and women in uniform?

Also, we sympathise with ordinary citizens who are inconvenienced and forced either to wait or use alternative routes every time the busy road is closed to provide safe passage for the President.

President Hichilema should have compassion for motorists, commuters and these civil servants who are made to line up on his route as early as 05:00 hours every day.

He should demonstrate good governance by helping the government to save the millions of kwacha it is spending on his daily runs between Community House and State House.

The explanation by the Vice President Mutale Nalumango and other leaders in the United Party for National Development (UPND) that State House is not befitting President Hichilema’s standards is an insult to the people of Zambia.

If the property, which housed previous presidents, is indeed not fit for his standards then he is not a servant of the people as he claims to be. A true leader is seen by the way he relates with the people he leads, by his humility.

Zambians, through the governnent, has provided President Hichilema with a house from where to govern them, but he says “no, this is not good enough for me. I will be ruling you from my expensive private home’.

What message does that send to the people who put him in office? That State House is too small or too dirty for him.

We share the suggestion by the aggrieved police officer that if the President insists on living at his private house then he should use a helicopter instead of closing such a busy public road four times every day. It’s also cheaper.

Prudent use of public resources demonstrates good governance and is a sign of good leadership.

Therefore, President Hichilema should humble himself and immediately shift to State House. His pride has already cost the nation, whose economy is on life support, millions of kwacha. The resources could have been channeled to the improvement of the economy and social safety nets.

Zambians have been patient enough.

By Fred M’membe

The war in Ukraine is ushering in a new period of heightened danger in world politics and the threat of a global conflict that would devastate humanity. Socialists and people who want peace need to recognise that the entire United States foreign policy and military establishment is now organised around great power conflict against Russia and China as the defining strategy for decades to come. It is essential to recognise that Russia, China and other countries are not being targeted fundamentally because of human rights, or this or that military action, but because they no longer accept the United States-dominated world order.

We must stand in opposition to this new Cold War-style period of confrontation. This major power conflict is not in the interests of the great mass of people, in the United States or worldwide. The logic of it will only produce severe economic pain, climate disaster, and ultimately catastrophic war. The working class, the poor have no interest in being dragged into such a conflict in the name of preserving the dominance of Wall Street and the Pentagon.

In the run-up to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and ever since, the corporate media in the United States and its allies has been working overtime to spread misinformation and confusion. They hope that inundating people with non-stop anti-Russian content will manufacture the consent necessary not just for a short-term military escalation in Eastern Europe, but so as to sign people up for a whole new Cold War.

Clearly, there’s need for increased unity for those who oppose United States imperialism and support peace. NATO provoked the war between Russia and Ukraine. The United States government has been intentionally escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine for years. From continuing NATO’s eastward expansion, despite promises not to, to supporting the pro-Western coup in Ukraine in 2014, to heavily arming the Ukrainian government, NATO’s aggressive actions set the stage for the war. The United States was determined to bring Ukraine into a Western sphere of influence, and so refused to acknowledge Russia’s legitimate security concerns about NATO expansion and advanced missiles being placed on its borders. Russia’s “red lines” were well known for decades and NATO did all of this knowing it could potentially lead to intervention. In some respects, it appears NATO set a deliberate trap that Russia fell into.

NATO’s drive to turn Europe into a staging ground for its military threats against Russia means that not only is Ukraine militarised, but that all of Europe is. Currently, the principal obstacle to establishing a peaceful Europe is the polarisation of the continent around NATO as a de facto anti-Russian alliance. NATO is a relic of the Cold War, and needs to be dissolved; its only purpose is to maintain United States military hegemony. The only way to have discussions about the many issues causing conflict between European nations – borders, languages, economic relations, etc. – without raising the possibility of war is through the dissolution of NATO, the demilitarisation of Europe, and the removal of United States troops, missiles, and nuclear weapons. Russia should follow suit with their own demilitarisation, step by step.

The UN Charter of 1945 was written, and agreed to, to protect against a “might makes right” world order where stronger, more powerful countries can do whatever they want while smaller, less powerful nations have no guaranteed rights. This sovereignty-based international system has never been fully realised, and in many ways has masked the imperialist reality and deep power imbalances of the global order. The UN Security Council, the only body empowered to authorise sanctions and military action against another country, functions in a completely undemocratic way by concentrating power into the hands of just five permanent members that can veto any resolutions. The Security Council should be abolished. What should be defended, however, is that the UN Charter creates a legal and political baseline to counteract abuses of power perpetrated by more powerful nations against lesser powers — and insists on the sovereignty and independence of formerly colonised nations in particular.

While the whole world is crying out for an end to the United States-dominated unipolar world order, “multipolarity” would not be progressive if it means becoming simply a competition of “unilateral” initiatives. Many left-wing and anti-imperialist governments believe that adherence to the UN Charter is an instrument to defend what is positive about “multi-polarity” – the space for counter-hegemonic projects to grow.

For decades politicians and the corporate media, liberal and conservative alike, have pushed a false equivalency between fascists and communists. At the end of the day, this anti-communist slander is also a sleight of hand that lets fascists in through the back door. In Ukraine, where the Communist Party is banned, the rapid and dangerous normalisation of Nazi Germany and its collaborators has taken place. Ukraine has integrated outright Nazis and Nazi-adjacent forces into the armed services and police. Now the United States media, which just a few years ago noted the neo-Nazi presence in Ukraine, assists in their rebranding as “patriots.”

Humanity is calling out for an alternative to capitalism, and we cannot allow the idea of socialism — of working-class power and international unity — to be taken off the table.

The underlying cause of this conflict, beyond NATO, is that we still live in a world that is divided into states run by capitalist elites who prioritise their own wealth and power above all else. The only way to build a world that allows for global cooperation and peace between all peoples, the elimination of poverty, the abolition of nuclear weapons, and the implementation of real democracy that puts the power in the hands of the people, is through socialism.

Mansa based Principal Resident Magistrate, Silvia Munyinya has recused herself in handling the case involving Ronald Chitotela and Nickson Chilangwa with five others.

This follows an application by Defense Lawyers to have the Presiding Magistrate recuse herself from the case in the interest of fair justice because she handled the similar case when she chaired the tribunal in the same court.

And the State had no objection to the application for the rescue herself or refer the matter to the High Court for determination of preliminary issues raised by the defence counsels.

When the matter came up this morning for continued hearing of the application from last night, Magistrate Munyinya ruled that she was recusing from handling the case.

She said it was not disputable that she chaired the tribunal in which the three accused persons in the case at hand were mentioned.

Magistrate Munyinya said going ahead in adjudicating the matter may be perceived by right thinking people that she was not impartial in her decisions since the defence counsels have expressed discomfort about her handling the case.

” It has come apparent clear that the three accused persons, Ronald Chitotela, Nickson Chilangwa and Kalumba Chifumbe were mentioned in the tribunal I chaired in September last year over the same arson case,” she stated.

The Principal Resident Magistrate has since allocated the case to another Resident Magistrate and adjourned the matter to April 08, 2022 for mention.

In this matter, Mr. Chitotela and Mr. Chilangwa with five others have been charged with arson, threatening violence, assault and malicious damage to property.

It is alleged that the two Law-makers while acting together with five other accused persons assaulted four UPND members, threatened violence and damaged the windscreen of the Mahindra motor vehicle before setting it ablaze on August 12, 2021 in Pambashe Constituency.

Mr. Chitotela and Mr. Chilangwa and five others are being represented by Jonas Zimba of Makebi Zulu Advocates, Andrew Kombe of Andrew and Partners and Benjamine Mwelwa of L.E. EYAA and Partners.

Principal Resident Magistrate Munyinya has extended police bond for all the seven accused persons.

Former Vice President Mike Pence’s name should not be expected to be mentioned alongside Donald Trump’s in the presidential election of 2024, according to his former running mate, who claims that people will not “accept it.”

“I don’t think the people would tolerate it,” Trump said this week in an interview with the Washington Examiner, referring to the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election and the Capitol riot on Jan. 6.

During the congressional certification last year, Trump, who has long claimed significant electoral fraud, frequently pressed his idea that Pence could have changed the election results.

“Mike and I had a fantastic relationship, with the exception of one crucial event at the end. “We had a great friendship,” the 45th president added, indicating that the two had spent time together.

In the last year, Pence has also distanced himself from Trump because of his bogus assertions.

Pence recently stated, “Elections are about the future.” “My Republican colleagues, we can only win if we unify around an optimistic future vision based on our finest ideals. We can’t prevail by refighting old wars or rehashing old arguments.”

Trump and Pence have distanced themselves from one another since the 2020 election.

While Trump stated that he “still” likes Pence, he criticized the former vice president’s choice not to challenge the election results.

“Mike thought he was going to be a human conveyor belt, that no matter how rigged the votes were, you had to send them up to the Old Crow,” Trump added, referring to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell by his moniker (R-Ky.).

“However, that proved out to be incorrect. Because, as you know, they’re trying hard to make it so the vice president can’t do what Mike said he couldn’t,” he said. “Clearly, they were lying, misrepresenting themselves, or didn’t know.”

“I was let down by Mike.”

It’s uncertain whether Trump would run for president again in 2024, but he has hinted at the prospect on several occasions. Following the midterm elections this autumn, he is expected to make an official declaration.

Pence has also raised doubts about whether he plans to run for president in recent weeks, refusing to rule out the notion earlier this month.

“Right now, all of my emphasis is on 2022,” Pence told Maria Bartiromo of Fox Business Network. “I believe we have a historic opportunity to recapture majorities in the House and Senate, to elect excellent Republican governors across the country, and to nominate a candidate who will be the next president of the United States of America in 2023,” he said.

Trump said he “still” likes Pence, but he remains critical of the former vice president’s decision not to try to overturn the 2020 election.

After Bartiromo questioned the former vice president if he wanted to see Trump run for president again, he said.

“But now, more than ever, with the war in Europe and an administration that appears intent on weakening our country and driving our country toward a European-style welfare state,” Pence said, “we need strong Republican majorities on Capitol Hill and strong Republican governors, and that’s exactly what we’re going to work to achieve.”

Did you know that Enoch Kavindele underwent circumcision in the village without anesthesia just to prove that he was being turned from a boy to a young man?

Amos Malupenga:

Thank you for the opportunity at last after pushing for this interview for a long time. In fact, from the time when you were still Republican vice-president…

Enoch Kavindele:

Thank you very much for coming, Amos. It’s been quite a while from the time we talked about this interview. But it could have been most inappropriate for me to give this interview whilst the petition was pending in the Supreme Court for the reasons that you will come to learn later.

I also thank you for bringing some rains here. We haven’t had some rains for a long time. Where I come from, the fact that you have come and it is raining is a good omen.

Amos Malupenga:

For a start, I will ask for your full names and a brief background in terms of when and where you were born. I know your background is quite long but you try to summarise it.

Enoch Kavindele:

My full names are Enoch Percy Chipalo Kavindele. I was born in clinic number one, Kantanshi township in Mufulira on the 7th of July, 1950. I am the first born in our family and I had four other brothers and one sister. Three brothers are dead. I am basically a businessman, a politician, a farmer and a pilot. The name Percy was given to me to signify that I had become of age after the mukanda [circumcision traditional] ceremony. For the tribes that undergo the ceremony, it is custom that a further name from the original is added on. In my particular case, the name Percy was adopted from an expatriate colleague of my father called Percy Roberts.

My father’s names were Abraham Simisi Mampale. The name Kavindele is, in fact, a nick-name that my father acquired from the community, especially the North-Westerners as a result of the job he did on the mines. He was one of the first people to go to Mufulira mine to work as a miner from North-Western Province. Earlier in his career, he worked underground but he had an accident and he was brought to the surface. And his job at the surface was that of a meter reader. He went around expatriate mine houses to read records of their water and electricity consumption. That’s a job he did for many years. In most languages spoken in the North-Western and Western provinces, “Vindele” means white persons and, therefore, Kavindele means “one who belongs to the whites.” This is because in his job as a meter reader he interacted mostly with white people. As a result, a nickname was coined which stuck. So, although his official documents had his original names, everybody else in Mufulira just called him Kavindele. As a miner, his Chingolongolo or identity number was 20079.

My mother, Senda Maria, like most women, was a housewife but her grandmother worked for the mines as a traditional midwife. She was very famous and it was believed that she could assist women who could not bear children to be able to conceive using traditional medicine.

In terms of my education, I went to Mufulira Mine School. After a while, I became of age and it was decided by my father that I be sent home to Kabompo as per custom to go for the mukanda ceremony. So, I was dispatched to a place called Kabulamema Mission which was an orphanage where my mother’s elder brother was a teacher. Whilst there, I went through the mukanda traditional ceremony without anesthesia. In my time, these things [circumcision] had to be done without any medical assistance. The idea was that they were turning you from a boy into a young man. …
An excerpt from Conversations with Memorable Personalities]***

BEST FRIEND TESTIFIES HOW LT MWABA SAID DR TASILA WAS AN ANIMAL WHO DESERVES TO DIE

LATE renowned doctor Tasila Tembo’s best friend wept when narrating how she received a text message in which the physician’s lover, Nigel Mwaba, allegedly said that she [Dr Tembo] is an animal who did not deserve to be alive.

Carol Simfukwe, 46, an accounts technician of Avondale, Lusaka, testified how Mwaba, who is also her step-brother, threatened to circulate the 47-year-old Dr Tembo’s nudes on social media.

“I tried to persuade him not to send the nude pictures, he was adamant, when I couldn’t, I cut the call and he texted me a few minutes and said: ‘Tasila is an animal’,” Ms Simfukwe said before breaking down, prompting judge Wilfred Muma to briefly adjourn the case.

This is in a case Mwaba,34, is charged with murder, an incident alleged to have happened between October 24 and 26, 2020 in Lusaka.

It is alleged that Mwaba killed Dr Tasila, whose body was discovered in a decomposed state near Mikango Barracks after the victim went missing for some days.

Mwaba, who was reportedly on the run at the time his lover went missing, was later apprehended at the grave of Dr Tembo, a month after she was buried.

Credit: Zambia daily Mail 

LATE renowned doctor Tasila Tembo’s best friend wept when narrating how she received a text message in which the physician’s lover, Nigel Mwaba, allegedly said that she [Dr Tembo] is an animal who did not deserve to be alive.

Carol Simfukwe, 46, an accounts technician of Avondale, Lusaka, testified how Mwaba, who is also her step-brother, threatened to circulate the 47-year-old Dr Tembo’s nudes on social media.

“I tried to persuade him not to send the nude pictures, he was adamant, when I couldn’t, I cut the call and he texted me a few minutes and said: ‘Tasila is an animal’,” Ms Simfukwe said before breaking down, prompting judge Wilfred Muma to briefly adjourn the case.

This is in a case Mwaba,34, is charged with murder, an incident alleged to have happened between October 24 and 26, 2020 in Lusaka.

It is alleged that Mwaba killed Dr Tasila, whose body was discovered in a decomposed state near Mikango Barracks after the victim went missing for some days.

Mwaba, who was reportedly on the run at the time his lover went missing, was later apprehended at the grave of Dr Tembo, a month after she was buried.

Credit: Zambia daily Mail

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT ON THE ROADMAP FOR THE RECRUITMENT OF 11,200 HEALTH WORKERS UNDER THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH

By Hon Sylvia T. Masebo, MP
March, 2022

Madam Speaker, I thank you very much for granting me this opportunity to issue a Ministerial statement following your directive that, “the statement should be made this coming Friday so that the people of Zambia are informed and there is clarity on the 11, 000 medical personnel that is going to be employed.”

From the outset Madam Speaker, I wish to state that I have not yet sought cabinet approval of what is contained in this statement. The aspirations guiding this statement is to respond to the questions raised on this floor regarding the recruitment of the 11, 200 health workers, and to build consensus around the process.
Madam Speaker, I am delighted to inform the House, and the Zambia people, that His Excellency, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, the President of the Republic of Zambia, promised that the New Dawn Government will this year provide for and support the recruitment of 11, 200 Health workers.

Madam Speaker, the New Dawn administration has set the goal of achieving good health and well-being for all Zambians in keeping with the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda and in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This unprecedented recruitment process will enhance health systems. As you are aware, Madam Speaker, Human Resource is at the pinnacle of effective Health Systems.

The New Dawn administration has set out an allocation amounting to Nine Hundred and Thirty Million, One Hundred and Fifty – Four Kwacha (K930, 154, 000.00) to equitably employ and deploy 11,200 health workers countrywide in a bid to transform the health sector in real terms and achieve Universal Health Coverage.

Madam Speaker, The House may wish to note that the current number of health workers in the health sector stands at 63, 838 against the approved establishment of 139, 590. This leaves a human resource gap of 75, 752 which represents 56% of the approved establishment. This dire situation has for a long time negatively affected the delivery of quality healthcare services to the Zambian people.

Madam Speaker, with the recruitment of the 11,200 health workers, It is expected that the staffing levels of the Ministry of Health will increase from 63,838 (46%) to 75,038 (54%) of the approved establishment.

I wish to emphasize that the recruitment of these health workers does not only mean doctors and nurses. Health workers include among others, dental surgeons, midwives, clinical officers, laboratory personnel, pharmacists, physiotherapists, environmental health staff, mortuary attendants, Porters, drivers, cleaners and security guards. All these workers are equally important in the delivery of quality health services in the country.
You may wish to know, Madam Speaker, that the Ministry will utilize this process to normalize, through promotions, some of the longstanding challenges. For example, some eligible Senior Resident Doctors that have been receiving salaries of Junior Resident Doctors will have their plight resolved. Also, some of the Registered Midwives that have been receiving salaries of mere Registered Nurses will have their appropriate salaries resolved.
Madam Speaker, I must hasten to mention here that the specific numbers regarding each cadre per district shall be spelled out in the advert that shall run this month.
Madam Speaker, Government is very much alive to the challenge of health workers that have specialized in various disciplines but are still occupying lower positions on the pay roll due to lack of vacant and funded promotional positions. I am happy to inform the House and the nation at large that this problem, however, will be addressed during the 2022-2024 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF).

Madam Speaker, now allow me to outline the roadmap for the recruitment process:

Prioritization of Health Workers to be recruited
The Ministry of Health, through a consultative process with the Civil Service Commission, Public Service Management Division, Cabinet Office and Ministry of Finance has finalized prioritization of the 11,200 health workers to be recruited in 2022. Madam Speaker, I wish to report that the priorities are based on the actual human resource needs that are affecting the sector. These include having at least one qualified health worker at a facility where there was none, increasing the number of health workers where they were inadequate and having the right mix of health workers. The priorities have also taken into consideration equity in the distribution of the health workers identified to enable effective provision of health services to as close to the family as possible. Madam Speaker, this breakdown will be well appreciated when the advert, referred to above, is shared with the public.

Treasury Authority
Madam Speaker, I wish to state that the Treasury Authority for this recruitment process will be effective 1st April, 2022. I further wish to report that the modalities of issuing the Treasury Authority have advanced and is expected to be concluded before the end of March 2022.

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Madam Speaker, as you are aware, the New Dawn Government has embarked on a decentralization programme whose implementation thus far has seen reforms that have channeled resources to the lower levels. This is because these lower levels are the implementing agencies hence need to be empowered.

In the spirit of decentralization, Government, through the Civil Service Commission, will decentralize the recruitment of health workers. It is envisioned that the Civil Service Commission should advertise the recruitment of the 11, 200 Health workers within the month of March 2022.

Madam Speaker, in line with the principles of decentralization, I wish to report that all applications shall be made to the respective District Health offices. The details of the application modalities shall be contained in the adverts. Following the New Dawn Government’s aspirations in supporting family values, the decentralized recruitment process will help in curbing separation of families as applicants will be encouraged to apply where their families are, unlike when using a centralized recruitment model.

Human Resource Committees
Madam Speaker, I am glad to report to this House and the Nation at large that in order to enhance transparency and fairness in the recruitment process, Government, through the Civil Service Commission, has established Human Resource Committees at District and Provincial levels. These committees, with specific terms of reference, are multi – sectoral in nature and will spearhead this recruitment process.

In this regard, the District Human Resource Committees, in collaboration with other Government entities, will create a database of all applicants, scrutinize the various applications received within their respective districts, shortlist, select and recommend to the Provincial Human Resource Committees. The Provincial Human Resource Committees will then validate the work and, through the Ministry of Health, recommend to the Civil Service Commission. In undertaking these processes, preference will be given to applicants that have done volunteer work at public health facilities. This, however, does not mean that applicants that have not had the opportunity to volunteer at any of the public health facilities will be precluded from the recruitment process.

Madam Speaker, the Ministry of Health headquarters will work with Public Service Management Division and Regulatory bodies in ensuring that the recommendations received from the Provincial Human Resource Committees are in conformity with the required human resource best practices.

The Civil Service Commission will scrutinize all the recommendations made by the Provincial Human Resource Committees before appointing the successful candidates. The successful candidates will be expected to report for duty in April 2022.

Publication of Names
Once the appointments are made by the Civil Service Commission, the names of all successful candidates will be published in the state print media. The respective districts will also be required to stick the names of the successful candidates in the various categories. This will enable the public to remain informed and successful candidates to keep track on the timeframe within which to report to their respective stations.
Zero Tolerance to Corruption

Madam Speaker, one of the pillars of the New Dawn Government is zero-tolerance to corruption. Any officer involved in this process found to be unprofessional, caught soliciting for payments to favor anyone or who gets involved in any corrupt practices, shall be visited by the law. May I take this opportunity to inform the public to be wary of unscrupulous people who might be soliciting for bribes from applicants for any favors.

I wish to appeal to the public to instead, report such individuals to the police. I, therefore, wish to urge everyone that will be involved in this process to act fairly and professionally.

Madam Speaker, the Ministry will work with the security wings such as the Anti – Corruption Commission during the recruitment process in order to mitigate corrupt practices as well as enhance the integrity of the process.

It is my hope that I have provided a clear roadmap to this House and the nation at large on the recruitment of the 11,200 health workers in the Ministry of Health. It is also my hope that the decentralized model of recruitment process through the human resource Committee approach will provide an equal opportunity to every qualified health worker to be recruited in the Ministry of Health. Further, it is hoped that this model will increase transparency in the recruitment process for our health workers.

Madam Speaker, as a Government, we shall continue prioritizing human resource for health in order to help achieve the Universal Health Coverage agenda. This recruitment will not only improve the quality of healthcare but also reduce the backlog of unemployed frontline health personnel.

As I conclude, I wish to pay glowing tribute to health workers across the country for their sacrifice, gallantry and professionalism even in the face of challenging situations like the pandemic. With the resilience, industriousness and dedication to duty of the many healthy workers in our country, I am very confident that as a Team we are ready to take on any challenge that comes our way.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

Russian television celebrities have slammed US sanctions, threatening a nuclear strike and calling for public executions in Ukraine if Russia wins the conflict, as well as demanding that the US return Alaska and California’s Fort Ross to Russia.

Since Vladimir Putin’s deadly invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin has flooded the airwaves of its state-run stations with pro-war propaganda that creates a different picture of reality and shields the Russian people from the horrors of Putin’s invasion.

On Monday, March 14, Oleg Matveychev, a member of the Duma who is also known as Putin’s “spin doctor,” appeared on Russian state television, laying out a list of demands for both Washington and Kyiv “when Ukraine’s demilitarization is achieved.”

He also backed the concept of publicly hanging Ukrainians who oppose Russia, something the Kremlin is said to be considering, according to Bloomberg. ‘You’re the thieves,’ he replied, ‘and our conversation with you is short: a bullet to the head.’

On Sunday Evening With Vladimir Solovyov, Matveychev said, “We should be thinking about reparations from the harm that was created by the sanctions and the conflict itself, because that too costs money and we should get it back.”

‘All Russian possessions, including those of the Russian empire, the Soviet Union, and present Russia, which have been confiscated in the United States, and so on,’ he said.

Solovyov asked if the lawmaker specifically meant Alaska and the former Russian settlement of Fort Ross, California. ‘That was my next point. As well as the Antarctic,’ Matveychev said. ‘We discovered it, so it belongs to us.’

Three Saints Bay, Alaska’s first Russian settlement, was established in 1784. The Russian-American Company was founded in 1799 by Czar Paul I as a trading monopoly to drive the Empire’s growth in North America.

Alaska was sold to the United States for $7.2 million in 1867, during Andrew Johnson’s administration, which would be approximately $144.4 million in 2021.

Fort Ross was erected in 1812 by a Russian-American enterprise less than three hours outside of modern-day San Francisco. In 1841, the village was sold to a private owner.

The remarks were made immediately before the Russian Foreign Ministry issued sanctions against President Joe Biden, his son Hunter Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Mark Milley, according to Russian state television.

Matveychev appeared to dismiss the idea of using nuclear weapons to achieve victory, declaring: ‘What for? We can take them down without it.’ TV Host Solovyov, whose two Italian villas were recently seized amid the flurry of sanctions, called for executions or even nuclear strikes for ‘those who took our money.’

‘I still think that those who took our money should be told, you have 24 hours to unfreeze our funds, or else we’ll send you what you know we’ve got. Your choice. Tactical or strategic, take a pick. You took our money, you’re the thieves, our talk is short with you: a bullet to the head,’ he said.

Matveychev continued: ‘There isn’t a single country in the world that is as easily manipulated as America.’ ‘Here’s what will be on the table after our victory… we’re going to raise the stakes,’ he promised. Matveychev began his list with ‘the dissolution of NATO,’ adding that ‘the presence of NATO in some countries is getting in our way.’

Then he added the ‘extradition of all war criminals,’ including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, former President Petro Poroshenko, and former deputy minister at the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs Anton Herashchenko.

Watch the video below

Pundits on Russian state TV advocate implementing public hangings in Ukraine once Russia’s dominance is established. If you speak Russian, here is one example (watch). Other pundits later agreed, one of them noting that DPR/LPR constitution conveniently permits the death penalty. pic.twitter.com/zCe3PfFhVM

— Julia Davis (@JuliaDavisNews) March 13, 2022

As President Vladimir Putin retaliated for punitive measures, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov imposed sanctions against President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and a number of other senior US officials.

The statement came as the US announced new sanctions against Belarus’s President Alexander Lukashenko and 11 top Russian defense officials.

The Russian action effectively prevents Biden and 12 other US officials from entering Russia, including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and C.I.A. Director Bill Burns.

Daleep Singh, a National Security Council economist who is widely regarded as the architect of Russia sanctions, is also on the list.

High-profile personalities on the list include White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki and President Donald Trump’s troublesome son Hunter.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who was also on the list, recognized the humor in the situation.

‘I’d like to express my gratitude to the Russian Academy for this Lifetime Achievement Award,’ she tweeted.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a statement that it was acting “in reaction to a series of unprecedented penalties” and that it was taking action “on the basis of reciprocity.”

The penalties come as the US and its allies have been putting growing pressure on Moscow in an attempt to isolate Russia and Putin’s cronies for weeks.

Russian forces appear to have halted in Ukraine, making little progress toward capturing the capital, Kyiv.

Instead, they have continued to strike Ukrainian cities and have utilized long-range missiles to assault sites in the country’s west.

On Tuesday, the State Department added to its list of restrictions, prohibiting Lukashenko and his family from entering the United States or transacting business with Americans.

‘Today’s designations show that the US will continue to impose clear and serious repercussions for those who participate in corruption or are linked to gross human rights violations,’ said Andrea Gacki, Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control.

‘We condemn Russia’s strikes on Ukrainian humanitarian corridors and demand that it end its unwarranted and barbaric war against Ukraine.’

Belarus has previously been sanctioned by the US for its support for the Russian invasion, and export control restrictions have been extended to the country.

Joe Biden, president of the United States, is one of the 13 Americans sanctioned by Moscow.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley

National security adviser Jake Sullivan

CIA Director Bill Burns

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki

Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economic Affairs, Daleep Singh

Samantha Power is the administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Hunter Biden is the son of Vice President Joe Biden.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

Wally Adeyemo is the Treasury’s Deputy Secretary.

President of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, Reta Jo Lewis

Entertainer and reality TV star Zodwa Wabantu has deleted all her posts on the social media platform Instagram. This has led to speculation that the raunchy dancer deleted all her photos in which she is skimpily dressed, ahead of her rebirth as a sangoma.

The deleting of the posts comes barely 24 hours after the “Zodwa Wabantu: Uncensored” star cryptically told her 2.1 million followers that many of them were going to miss her.

She wrote on Instagram,
Hours after this cryptic post, the dancer and businesswoman deleted all her previous posts on Instagram. In some of the posts, Zodwa Wabantu is skimpily dressed or dancing while wearing revealing outfits.

She then posted a single photo which she captioned,

Izulu Nomhlaba and a Man Do Not Attach yourself with Earth Things
When reached for comment on the latest developments, Zodwa reassured her fans and followers that she was okay. She explained that she would be moving to a new dimension, as she had accepted her great grand father’s wish for his spirit to possess her.

Speaking to online publication Daily Sun, Zodwa said,
“I have accepted my great-grandfather who was born in 1822, and I have to build him indumba where I should put him and welcome him because I have woken him up. He also woke himself up to be in me, and I have accepted him. That is the new dimension that I will get into.”
She attributed some of her successes to her mkhulu’s spirit and claimed that she was following in his footsteps. Zodwa said that her ancestral spirit was famous and well-travelled and had opened doors for her.

“Just like me, mkhulu was also famous. The fame that I have is because of him. He has a book that was written by people from London, UK. He has travelled all over the world and the travelling that I have done is because of him. The answer to people who question me on how I go all over the world because I don’t sing or act, is him,” she said.

“The fame that’s never-ending is because of him. No one can take me out. It’s his power,” said Zodwa.

The dancer went on to say that she is not yet sure if she will stay at the place where she will be helping people.

“Zodwa the entertainer is still going to be there. I won’t thwasa, but I see things. I am a prophet. What has happened is that mkhulu wants me to go home and speak to my family. He has given me messages to share with them and he wants my work to start at home. My family has confirmed all the things I’ve told them and have really accepted me and what I have to say.”

“However, at this point, I am not sure if I am supposed to sit at the place where I will build and help people. But I think the time will come, as it is a journey,” she said

A black schoolgirl was strip searched by police while on her period after being wrongly suspected of carrying cannabis.

The “traumatic” search by Metropolitan Police officers took place at the girl’s school without another adult present and they were aware that she was menstruating, a safeguarding report found.

According to the report, police arrived at the school after being called by teachers, who said they were concerned that the teenager had drugs in her possession because she smelt of cannabis.

She was taken to the medical room and strip searched by two female officers, while teachers remained outside.

During the ordeal her intimate body parts were exposed and she was asked to take off her sanitary towel, according to the review.

No drugs were found. She was then sent home by taxi, later sharing her distress with her mother.

The report concluded that the strip search should never have happened, was unjustified and racism “was likely to have been an influencing factor”.

Her family strongly believe the strip search was a racist incident, and the review found that her experiences are “unlikely to have been the same” had she not been black.

According to the report, the impact the incident had on the secondary school pupil was “profound” and the repercussions “obvious and ongoing”.

Family members described her as changing from a “happy-go-lucky girl to a timid recluse that hardly speaks”, who now self-harms and needs therapy.

In a written statement to the review, the girl said she cannot go a single day “without wanting to scream, shout, cry or just give up.”

She said: “All the people that allowed this to happen need to be held responsible. I was held responsible for a smell … but I’m just a child.

“The main thing I need is space and time to understand what has happened to me and exactly how I feel about it and getting past this exam season.”

She added: “I need to know that the people who have done this to me can’t do it to anyone else ever again, in fact so no one else can do this to any other child in their care.”

Scotland Yard has apologised and said the incident “should never have happened”.

Detective Superintendent Dan Rutland of the Met’s Central East Command said: “We recognise that the findings of the safeguarding review reflect this incident should never have happened.

“It is truly regrettable and on behalf of the Met Police I would like to apologise to the child concerned, her family and the wider community.”

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “This is a shocking and deeply disturbing case. I am extremely concerned by the findings of this report and no child should ever have to face a situation like this.

“It is entirely the right that the incident is being investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) and I will be following the outcome of that closely.

“It is absolutely vital that our police service is able to gain the trust and confidence of all the communities it serves so that every Londoner, regardless of background or postcode can feel safe, protected and served.”

WHEN THE PEOPLE’S VOICES ARE SILENCED: EXCLUSION FROM PARLIAMENT IN DEFENCE OF THE CONSTITUTION

We hold the role of the Speaker in the highest esteem and will always respect the office. We understand the importance of impartiality that comes with this critical function in a democratic dispensation. It is an office that calls for fairness and equal treatment for all members of the House.

Our defence of the Constitutional provisions and our desire to uphold the clearly defined and established tenets of the Rule of Law now find us removed from the House and a large portion of the electorate excluded from national affairs.

It is an immense honour to represent the various peoples, views and political affiliations of Zambia in the House, in particular the people of Chawama and we wish to continue to serve with dignity, and in addition, continue to uphold the Constitution while we carry out our parliamentary duties on behalf of the people of Zambia.

I thank you for the privilege to serve.

Tasila Lungu Mwansa

FROM HON. CHRISTOPHER KANG’OMBE, MP

Some facts about the Suspension of 30 PF MPs by Speaker of the National Assembly

1. Why did the MPs protest in November 2021 on the floor of the house ?

Answer: An error was noticed on page 1 of the Yellow Book when debating Head 01 .

2. What was the error ?

Answer: The mandate indicated for head 01 ( State House budget ) was erroneously drawn from Articles 33 and 34 of the Constitution of Zambia, Act No. 18 of 1996.

3. Are the constitutional provisions referred to legally valid and applicable when preparing the yellow book ?

Answer : They are NOT because the Constitution of 1996 was replaced by the Constitution of 2016 through amendments and consequently, Articles 33 and 34 are no longer valid.

4. Was it right for leader of Opposition to rise on a point of order highlighting the qouting of a wrong constitutional provision by the Minister of Finance ?

*Answer: Yes, he was right because proceeding to debate would have meant breaching the 2016 Constitution of Zambia.

5. Did the Minister of Finance go back to correct the error noticed by the PF MPs after the Protest ?

Answer: Yes, the Minister changed the wording to read the correct provision NOT the wrong 1996 provision.

6. Did the PF MPs protest again after the correction was done and budget estimates for State House brought back to Parliament for approval ?

Answer: No, we did not protest again.

7. Did the PF vote in support of the budget estimates for State House after the correction?

Answer: YES, the MPs supported the estimates under head 01.

Christopher Kang’ombe
Kamfinsa MP
15.03.2022

BREAKING NEWS: 30 MPS SUSPENDED FROM PARLIAMENT

Deputy speaker of National Assembly Attractor Chisangano has suspended 30 PF MPs from the National Assembly for 30 days for breach of parliamentary privileges in accordance with section 22 Powers and privileges Act.

The ruling is in the wake of the behaviour exhibited by the MPs last year where they thronged the Chambers of the speaker in December last year disrupting business after their fellow nine PF members whose elections were nullified by the High Court were asked to leave the Chambers by speaker of the National Assembly Nelly Mutti.

RULING BY THE HON MADAM FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER ON A POINT OF ORDER RAISED BY HON G G NKOMBO, MP, MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT AGAINST THE PATRIOTIC FRONT PARTY MEMBERS AND INDEPENDENT MEMBERS ON WHETHER THEY WERE IN ORDER TO MISCONDUCT THEMSELVES IN THE HOUSE, AND ON THE POINT OF ORDER BY HON M HAIMBE, MP, MINISTER OF JUSTICE ON WHETHER THE PATRIOTIC FRONT PARTY MEMBERS AND INDEPENDENT MEMBERS WERE IN ORDER TO REMAIN IN THE HOUSE AFTER
INTENTIONALLY DISRESPECTING IT

I order Hon B M Mundubile, Leader of the Opposition and Member of Parliament for Mporokoso Parliamentary Constituency, to go and stand behind the bar of the House. I also instruct the Sergeant-at-Arms to take the Speaker’s mace and go and stand behind the Member.

I also order the following twenty-nine (29) Patriotic Front (PF) Members of Parliament to stand in their place wherever they are:

1. Mr S Kampyongo, MP;
2. Mr R K Chitotela, MP;
3. Mr R Mutale, MP;
4. Mr M F Fube, MP;
5. Mr E Daka, MP;
6. Mr N Chilangwa, MP;
7. Mr K Kabaso, MP;
8. Mr A Z Lubusha, MP;
9. Mr S C Chanda, MP;
10. Mr G Mwila, MP;
11. Mr C Shakafuswa, MP;
12. Mr P Twasa, MP;
13. Mr E Tembo, MP;
14. Mr Elias M Musonda, MP;
15. Mr Emmanuel M Musonda, MP;
16. Mr L Chibombwe, MP;
17. Ms M Nakaponda, MP;
18. Mr C A B Katotobwe, MP;
19. Ms K S Mulenga, MP;
20. Mr F R Kapyanga, MP;
21. Mr C C Kang’ombe, MP;
22. Dr A D Mwanza, MP;
23. Mr A Kasandwe, MP;
24. Ms M Mabonga, MP;
25. Mr G K Chisanga, MP;
26. Mr S Mushanga, MP;
27. Ms M Phiri, MP; 28. Mr C Chibuye, MP; and
29. Ms T E Lungu, MP.

Hon Members, the House will recall that on Tuesday, 30th November, 2021, when the Committee of Supply was considering Head 01 – State House, and Mr M Kafwaya, Member of Parliament for Lunte Parliamentary Constituency was on the Floor, Hon G G Nkombo, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development raised a Point of Order. In his Point of Order, he inquired whether members of the Patriotic Front (PF) and some independent Members of Parliament were in order to misconduct themselves by converging in front of the Speaker’s Mace to express their displeasure about an issue. He further explained that the only permissible means for Members to express displeasure was by walking out of the House.

On the same day, when the Committee of Supply was considering Head 02 – Office of the Vice-President, Hon M Haimbe, Minister of Justice, also raised a Point of Order on whether the PF Party Members and some independent Members were in order to remain in the House after intentionally disrespecting it.

Hon Members, the Deputy Chairperson of the Committees of the Whole House, Hon M Moyo, MP, reserved his ruling on both Points of Order, to enable him study the matter. I have since studied the matter and wish to render a consolidated ruling because the Points of Order arise from the same incident.

Hon Members, the background to this matter is that on Tuesday, 30th November, 2021, Her Honour the Vice-President and Leader of Government Business in the House presented the policy statement for
Head 01 – State House. Thereafter, Hon B M Mundubile, MP, informed the House that the Yellow Book was showing that the mandate of the Republican President to discharge his constitutional function was derived from Articles 33 and 34 of the Constitution of Zambia Act No. 18 of 1996 of the Laws of Zambia. He explained that the said provisions were repealed and replaced by the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Act No. 2 of 2016. He, thus, submitted that the estimates of expenditure for State House were drawing their mandate from a non-existent constitutional provision. In that regard, he informed the House that there was need for the Yellow Book to be amended before members could debate the vote. He added that failure to do so would be a violation of the Constitution which Members had sworn to protect, and would result in members protesting. He concluded by seeking guidance from the Deputy Chairperson on the matter.

In response, the Deputy Chairperson stated that since Hon B M Mundubile, MP, had not risen on a Point of Order, he was actually debating the State
House vote. He then called upon the next Member to debate the vote. Hon B M Mundubile, MP, then rose and informed the House that he and other Members of the PF party and the independent Members of Parliament would proceed to protest to ensure that they were not party to the illegality. The members then protested by converging in front of the Speaker’s Mace. This resulted in the Deputy Chairperson adjourning business for twenty (20) minutes.

Hon Members, the Points of Order raise the following issues:

(i) a member causing an obstruction or disturbance within the precincts of the Assembly Chamber during the sitting of the Assembly or its committee; and
(ii) a member creating or joining in any disturbance which interrupts or is likely to interrupt the proceedings of the Assembly or its committee.
The National Assembly (Powers and Privileges) Act, Cap. 12 of the Laws of Zambia, provides guidance on both these issues. In that regard, section 19 (c) provides as follows:

“19. Contempts
Any person shall be guilty of an offence who-
(c) causes an obstruction or disturbance within the precincts of the Assembly Chamber during a sitting of the Assembly or of a committee thereof.”

Further, section 25 (f) of the Act provides as follows:

“25 Any person who –
(f) creates or joins in any disturbance which interrupts or is likely to interrupt the proceedings of the Assembly while it is sitting shall be guilty of an offence.”

From the foregoing authorities, it is evident that a member who causes or participates in a disturbance in the House commits an offence or a contempt of the House.

Hon Members, to ascertain which Members participated in the protest, I had recourse to a list compiled by the Office of the Clerk. A scrutiny of the list revealed that contrary to the allegation that some independent Members of Parliament had participated in the protest, only PF members participated in the protest. The PF Members identified as having participated in the protest were thirty-seven (37).
In line with parliamentary practice and procedures and the rules of natural justice, the Office of the Clerk wrote to all the identified Members requesting them to explain why they should not be found in breach of parliamentary privilege and contempt of the House for participating in the protest.

From the outset, I wish to state that five (5) of the Members who took part in the protest have since been barred from participating in parliamentary business following a ruling rendered by the Hon Madam Speaker on 7th December, 2021. These are Mr B C Lusambo, MP, Mr L Simumba, MP, Mr M Kafwaya, MP, Mr T Chewe, MP, and Mr J Malanji, MP. They are, therefore, excluded from this ruling.

Of the remaining thirty-two (32) members, thirty (30) responded through a single letter from the Office of the Leader of the Opposition signed by all of them. Two (2) members, Ms J Nyemba, Member of Parliament for Chifunabuli Parliamentary Constituency, and Dr C Chilufya, Member of Parliament for Mansa Central Parliamentary Constituency responded individually.

(i) Response by 30 PF Members of Parliament through a Single Letter from the Office of the Leader of the Opposition.

The Members submitted that the Points of Order were centred on the enjoyment of their fundamental rights and freedoms as enshrined in Part III of the Constitution of Zambia vis-à-vis the Privileges of Members of the House. They explained that their protest was caused by an attempt by the Executive to bring for consideration a Head of Expenditure which was based on a non-existent constitutional provision. They added that the situation was worsened by the Presiding Officer’s decision to ignore this important constitutional issue once it was raised by the Leader of the Opposition. They emphasised that the protest happened within the Chamber and was intended to ensure that the House debated Head 01 – State House without abrogating the Constitution. They, further, submitted that debate on the Head proceeded after the correction sought had been effected. This, they said, negated the need for any sanctions to be meted out to them for upholding the Constitution.

Additionally, the Members submitted that Members of Parliament reserved the right to protest when displeased with the manner in which the business of the House was being conducted. The Members requested for judicial notice to be taken that the right to protest and subsequently walk out was effectively exercised by the United Party for National Development (UPND) when it was in the opposition. They added that no disruption was caused although the Deputy Chairperson, in his wisdom, decided to suspend business for a few minutes. They concluded that the alleged conduct did not in any way contravene section 19 (c) and section 25 (f) of the National Assembly (Powers and Privileges) Act.

(ii) Response by Ms J Nyemba, MP

Ms J Nyemba, MP, denied participating in the protest. She explained that, during the protest, she was in her designated committee room, Wesley Nyirenda, with Mr L J Simbao, Member of Parliament for Luanshya Parliamentary Constituency, and Mr M Chinkuli, Member of Parliament for Kanyama Parliamentary Constituency.

(iii) Response from Dr C Chilufya, MP

Dr C Chilufya, MP, denied participating in the protest. He confirmed that, on the material day, he had logged into the system from the Chamber, but left the Chamber before the protest began.

Hon Members, while the list compiled by the Office of the Clerk included Ms J Nyemba, MP, and Dr C Chilufya, MP, a review of the video footage revealed that, indeed, they did not participate in the disruption of the proceedings of the House. In that regard, I am satisfied that Ms J Nyemba, MP, and Dr C Chilufya, MP, did not participate in the protest and, consequently, disjoin them from this matter.

I now wish to address the House on the alleged misconduct.

Hon Members, while parliamentary practice and procedure permits Members to protest, the acceptable way of doing this is through walkouts. A walk out is where Members leave the Chamber or a Committee in protest without disrupting the business of the House.

The erstwhile Speaker, Rt Hon Justice Dr Patrick Matibini, SC, addressed the issue of walk-outs on several occasions. In his ruling on a Point of Order raised by then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon H Kalaba, MP, against Members of the UPND who walked out of the House on Friday, 27th
November, 2015 (National Assembly Parliamentary Debates of 18th September – 10th December, 2015, pages 3282 – 3284 he stated, inter alia, at page 3283 – 3284, as follows:
“Walk-outs, per se, do not amount to a breach of the Rules of the House or, indeed, parliamentary practice and procedure. In view of this, the Hon Members of the UPND were not out of order to have walked-out of the House.”

Hon Members, in the matter under consideration, the Members did not walk out of the Chamber, but, instead, converged in front of the Speaker’s Mace. This conduct, ultimately, resulted in a disturbance and the disruption of the business of the House, forcing the Deputy Chairperson to suspend business. I, therefore, find the 30 PF Members of Parliament who participated in the protest in the Chamber in breach of parliamentary privileges and in contempt of the House.

Hon Members, I now wish to consider the sanction to mete out to the 30 erring PF Members. I note that all of them are first offenders. However, I also note the gravity of the offence committed, which caused a disruption of the proceedings of the House. Additionally, the members, in their response, were neither apologetic nor remorseful for their conduct. In view of this, I wish to invoke the provisions of section 28 (2) of the National Assembly (Powers and Privileges) Act, which provides as follows:

“28. (2) Where a Member is found to have committed contempt of the Assembly of a serious nature, and none of the other penalties are sufficient for the contempt committed by the member, the Speaker shall, on the resolution of the Assembly, suspend the member from the Assembly for a period not exceeding thirty days”.

I now turn to address the 30 PF Members.

The House is extremely displeased with your gross misconduct of carrying out a protest in the Chamber and thereby disrupting the proceedings of the House. The dishonourable conduct diminishes the respect due to you as members of this august House. This is a House of honour, decorum and dignity, and as such, your conduct ought to be exemplary and above reproach. I wish to make it clear that I will not tolerate gross indiscipline and misconduct from you or any Member of this House. The honour, decorum, integrity and dignity of the House must be protected and preserved at all times. I do trust that you will reflect seriously on your conduct and, in future, refrain from conduct unbefitting of a Member of Parliament.

Hon Members, it is noteworthy that the committee responsible for assisting me maintain discipline in the House is the Committee on Privileges and Absences. In this vein, any member of the Committee that is found guilty of misconduct loses his or her seat on the Committee. To this end, Standing Order 190(6) of the National Assembly of Zambia Standing Orders, 2021 states as follows:

“190. (6) Any member of the committee who is found guilty of misconduct shall lose his or her membership to the committee.”

Hon Members, regrettably, among the protesters were Hon B M Mundubile, MP, and Mr C Kang’ombe, MP, who are members of the Committee on Privileges and Absences. Therefore, in accordance with Standing Order 190 (6), Hon B M Mundubile, MP, and Mr C Kang’ombe, MP, cease to be members of the Committee with immediate effect. The members to replace them on the Committee will be announced in due course.

Hon Members, in accordance with section 28 (2) of the National Assembly (Powers and Privileges) Act, which requires a resolution of the House to suspend a Member from the House, I now put the Question: The Question is, that the House suspends the thirty (30) Patriotic Front Members of Parliament that participated in the protest in the Chamber for a period of thirty (30) days.

As many as are of that opinion say ‘Aye’;

(Pause)

Of the contrary say ‘No’;

SCENARIO 1

I think the ‘Ayes’ have it. [Pause]. The ‘Ayes’ have it. The question is resolved in the affirmative.

Hon Members, the suspension is with effect from today, Tuesday, 15th March to Wednesday, 13th April, 2022. However, with regard to Ms T E Lungu, MP, who is currently in the United Kingdom attending a Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Seminar, the suspension is with effect from Monday, 21st March to Tuesday, 19th April, 2022.

Hon Members, before you take the walk of shame, I wish to inform you that in accordance with section 28 (3) of the National Assembly (Powers and Privileges) Act, during the period of your suspension, you shall not:

(i) enter the precincts of the Assembly, and this extends to the National Assembly Motel;
(ii) participate in an activity of the Assembly or any committee that you are assigned in, in your capacity as Member of Parliament; and
(iii) be paid the salary or allowance that you are entitled to as a member.

I now order you, suspended PF Members of Parliament, to immediately leave the proceedings of the House on thirty (30) days suspension. Those in the Chamber should leave through the Main Entrance of the Chamber. Those attending from designated committee rooms should immediately leave the committee rooms. Those logged into the proceedings via Zoom should immediately log out. I further instruct the ICT officers to ensure that all suspended members are logged out of the system.

I THANK YOU.
________________
SCENARIO 2

As many as are of that opinion say ‘Aye’;

(Pause)

Of the contrary say ‘No’;

I think the ‘Noes’ have it. [Pause]. The ‘Noes’ have it. The question is negatived.

I THANK YOU.

To be announced on: Tuesday, 15th March, 2022
Copies to: The Clerk
Chief Hansard Editor

NEW ZRA BOARD APPOINTED

The Government has appointed a new board for the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA). This is pursuant to the provisions of Section 12 (1) of the Zambia Revenue Authority Act Number 321 of the Laws of Zambia. The previous board was dissolved on 6th December, 2021.

Finance and National Planning Minister Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane, MP, now announces the newly appointed ZRA board members as:

1. Dr. CALEB FUNDANGA, Member (General public representative);

2. Ms. VALERIE A. NAMBEYE, Member (Zambia Institute of Chartered Accountant representative)

3. Ms. GRACE NEO LIKANDO, Member (General public representative)

4. Ms. VENUS HAMPINDA, Member (Bankers Association of Zambia representative)

5. Mr. ALAN NYIRENDA, Member (Zambia Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry {ZACCI} representative)

6. Dr. DENNY KALYALYA, Member (Bank of Zambia representative)

7. Ms. NANA MUNSANDA MUDENDA, Member (Law Association of Zambia representative)

8. Mrs. MUTINTA MUSHABATI PENSULO, Member (Ministry of Justice representative)

9. Mr. WILLIES CHIPANGO, Member (Ministry of Finance and National Planning representative)

In a congratulatory message to the appointees, Dr. MUSOKOTWANE has expressed concern over the low compliance levels across several tax types. He has asked the board to strengthen the measures being administered by ZRA in domestic resource mobilization, through enhanced usage of electronic platforms and increased compliance surveillance – to curb smuggling and tax related fraud.

He has affirmed Government’s expectation for the board to address this by guiding ZRA to enhance tax payer engagements, to showcase the benefits of paying taxes, and to increase automation in order to collaborate tax information, and reduce administrative inertia and fraud.

The Minister has tasked the new board to develop an action plan to address the challenges in tax administration and ensure that ZRA attains the revenue collection target of above 21 percent of GDP over the medium term.

Dr. MUSOKOTWANE has emphasized the resolve of the Government to ensure that fiscal sustainability through enhanced revenue collections is restored; over and above the expenditure rationalization measures that are already being implemented. ZRA is pivotal in attaining this objective.

The Board Chairperson will be elected by the board from among the members.

Felix Nkulukusa
Secretary to the Treasury
MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND NATIONAL PLANNING

By Kennedy Limwanya.

As the nation mourns the departure of Zambia’s fourth president Rupiah Bwezani Banda, history should continue being recorded.

Today, 15 March, 2022, marks exactly nine years since 80 Patriotic Front (PF) Members of Parliament voted in favour of a motion to remove Mr Banda’s immunity against prosecution.

The previous day, Mr Banda had petitioned the Lusaka High Court to declare that the National Assembly could not debate grounds for the lifting of his immunity without according him an opportunity to be heard.

But despite the matter being in court, Speaker of the National Assembly Patrick Matibini had gone ahead to accept the inclusion of the motion on the order paper of that day.

The following morning, Mr Banda received a call-out to appear before the Anti-Corruption Commission at the Drug Enforcement Commission offices in Lusaka.

The lifting of Mr Banda’s immunity had come exactly one year after the former president had said calls for the stripping of his immunity were ill-conceived.

On 15 March 2012, Mr Banda had addressed a press conference at his New Kasama residence to announce that he was stepping down as president of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy.

In responding to journalists’ questions on a sustained campaign for the lifting of his immunity, Mr Banda had the following to say:

“I am not afraid of losing my immunity as long as those calling for its removal have genuine reasons and do not deliberately persecute me and my family.

“I have avoided commenting on the issue because I want the authorities to make the decision without my interference.

“But removing my immunity will set a bad precedent for future generations.

“After me, the next former president will be Mr Sata and if we inculcate in our people and our children the mentality that everyone who goes must be treated the same way as the previous one, we will never stop it.

“I am not trying to protect myself but if you say something about me, there should be no malice involved.

“I do feel that I’m being persecuted but, again, the beauty about persecution is that it hurts the one who persecutes than the one who is being persecuted.

“If I do not sleep because my family is being persecuted, I’m sure even those who are planning to give me sleepless nights and persecuting my family do not sleep.

“I’m sure the people scheming against me are worried by their actions because they are aware that persecution means attacking somebody who is innocent.

“I have no ill feelings against anybody. Everyday I’m attacked, I say to myself, ‘Please, please, God, give me the strength not to dislike these people”.

The man had a big heart.

Kennedy Limwanya is a Former Chief Analyst for Press and Public Relations at State House under Late President Rupiah Banda.

ZAMBIA NEEDS TO INCREASE FOOD PRODUCTION TO REDUCE THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF THE WAR IN EASTERN EUROPE ON ITS ECONOMY

By Alexander Nkosi

According to business today, Russia and Ukraine constitute 25% of global wheat exports. As of this week Russia has suspended wheat exports, and given that the war is being fought in Ukraine, it will also be unable to export. There will be a reduction in the supply of wheat. Demand for substitutes will rise and global prices for both wheat and substitutes will increase. The rising prices of crude oil will further drive food prices up.

While Zambia will also be badly affected by high fuel prices and general poor performance of the global economy, it has an opportunity to increase production of wheat and maize. In view of this, government should actively engage farmers to discuss how they can be supported to increase all year round production of wheat and maize. ZNS can also increase wheat and maize production since it has huge irrigated farms.

Zambia should proactively take advantage of this to increase production of food. This will help reduce the expected negative impact of the war. The likely negative impact of the war will include: 1) Reduction in aid as donors will turn their focus to supporting Ukraine. The USA Congress approved USD 13.6 billion emergency aid to Ukraine. They will also focus more on supporting their domestic economies which will also be badly hit. 2) Reduction in capital inflow as investers will most likely withhold their expansion plans and focus on keeping their current investments going. 3) General rise in prices of imported goods and services. 4) All these factors will lead to kwacha depreciation. This will also affect 2022 budget performance and the pace of economic recovery.

This is why we need to work proactively, project economic impact and work on increasing food production amidst all these challenges. It won’t be easy as the cost of producing food will also go up but we can engage farmers and explore ways of supporting them. It is good that the President is actively engaging the world bank group as this can be a source of support for the agriculture sector through concessional loans.

Thank you.

DEMOCRACY & FREE SPEECH SHOULD BE THE HALLMARK OF OUR PARLIAMENT

In a democratic set up like ours, the independence and autonomy of the three arms of government is paramount, if not sacred. The separation of roles helps to entrench the principles of democracy and the rule of law. Over the years, our Zambian Parliament has operated on the fair application of these principles which has seen it become a highly regarded and cherished institution in the region.

Regrettably, since the election of Speaker Madam Nellie Mutti, we have seen a steady departure from those principles which made the Zambian Parliament a model legislative assembly in the region and beyond. Since her election, Speaker Mutti has been on a path to silence the voice of the opposition in the House, she has introduced and enforced strange Standing Orders, made absurd rulings that curtail debates and only seek to protect the Executive. She has allowed members of the Executive including the Vice President to lie on the floor of the House without reprimand.

Perhaps unbeknownst to her, she has succeeded in lowering the reverence of the House in the estimation of many citizens. Decorum and seriousness attached to Parliament has been thrown out of the window.

To be fair, we cannot entirely blame her, As a Lawyer, she was plucked from private practice with a checkered record. We will blame the one who methodically nominated her for the role.

We are therefore elated to learn that Madam Speaker has travelled to the UK on a tour of the UK Parliament. We are happy because this will serve as a great learning opportunity for Madam Speaker to understand the true functioning of Parliament.

We are confident that between the House of Commons and the House of Lords, Madam Speaker Mutti will be accorded enough time to interact and learn from Sir Lindsay Hoyle and Lord McFall of Alcluith on how to fairly apply herself when conducting parliamentary business. Founded in 1801, the UK Parliament offers the best learning platform for her since most of our parliamentary practices were borrowed from there.

We wish to wholeheartedly thank British High Commissioner to Zambia His Excellency Nic Woolley for having facilitated this very important trip.

As citizens of Zambia and Members of Parliament alike, we have a duty to ensure that the principles of free speech and free debate are promoted within the Zambian Parliament and any tendencies that suggest a departure from universally accepted standards of conducting parliamentary business are repelled.

We wish Madam Speaker and her team a great stay in the UK, enjoy the fish and chips and the happy learning.

Yes We Have a Critical Shortage of Medicines in Hospitals, Clinics and Health Centres-Prof Kasonka

MoH confirms shortage of drugs, medical accessories

By Kombe Mataka

MINISTRY of Health permanent secretary in-charge of technical services Lackson Kasonka has admitted that there is a shortage of drugs and medical accessories because procurement has delayed in a bid to correct anomalies experienced under the PF regime.

In an interview, Professor Kasonka said he was aware of the critical drug shortages currently being faced by public health facilities.

“The systems have changed because we don’t want a repeat of the Honeybee (scandal). When we almost procured some participants in the procurement process raised some concerns. They said ‘no there was no transparency’. This government is very sensitive. Any complaints that are being generated by the members of public need to be taken into account. So that is how we stopped the procurement of drugs, procurement that could have been effected two months ago,” he said.

“We wanted to address the concerns of other participants in the supply system. In the past, procurement used to be done by one company that is compliant with the system. We do not want that. So, when the concerns were raised by two of the pharmaceutical companies, we stopped so that this does not affect the people.”

He said the same issue was earlier raised by health minister Sylvia Masebo a few weeks back.

“If you remember, in one of the pandemic updates someone took to the microphone and addressed the minister saying ‘the procurement was not transparent because it was done during the transition’. We, the PSs, just came in and we did not participate,” Prof Kasonka said.

“So, the minister said ‘look, because there are complaints from some of the suppliers in the supply system that are aggrieved, let us address this’. That is how we stopped this and went to the drawing board and started again.”
He however acknowledged concerns from the Resident Doctors Association of Zambia (RDAZ), describing them as legitimate.
Prof Kasonka said he was also personally concerned about the shortage of medicines in health facilities.

“Procurement of medicines for 18 million people is a big undertaking so it is supposed to go through various stages approved by the Zambia Procurement Authority (ZPPA). That is the stage we are at. But me I am very concerned with the absence of medicines in the hospitals and the concerns by the young doctors is also legitimate, if you put it this way,” he said.

“But what is important is that we do the right thing. We want to put things correctly so that there is no outcry. There is no doubt, there is no frustration, or suspicions associated with corruption as has been the case in the past. It has taken three months. I am hoping that in the coming few days, we have medicines. What I can say is, procurement has reached an advanced stage.”

Prof Kasonka bemoaned pilfering of medicines, adding that the government was working on ceiling the loopholes.

“Now procuring medicine is one thing. What is of importance to me is that when procurement of medicine is done, the expectation is high. People are waiting. We have to put in measures to ensure security of those medicines. When the medicines go into pharmacies, you know people have a mentality ‘ni va boma’ (it’s government supplies) when that is huge amounts of money,” Prof Kasonka added.

“We have to make sure the prescribers, the same junior doctors who are talking and then the pharmacist, secure the medicines so that government does not procure medicines using lots of money – in a few weeks and months, we start procuring again. Like the same old situation, we don’t want that.”

He however said money was available for procurement and that what was delaying was to ensure the process was transparent.

“Procurement is supposed to be done in a transparent manner. It should not raise any suspicion of corruption. Money, we have, government has allocated money. We can procure tonnes and tonnes of medicines to last five years but that medicine can just last one year because people get excited. They say ‘niva boma’ or there is plenty. They start to pilfer, steal,” he said.

Prof Kasonka explained how government medicines have found themselves in private health facilities.

He emphasised the government’s quest to seal loopholes in medical supplies pilfering.

“Remember, we have got private outlets selling medicines and what we are insisting and why things are taking long is that those who will supply the medicine to us should label the medicines as for GRZ so that this medicine does not find itself in private facilities,” Prof Kasonka said.

“You agree with me that private facilities are over town. So for me sitting at Ndeke House (Ministry of Health headquarters), how do I make sure that the medicine I have supplied to UTH doesn’t find itself in the commercial outlet just next to it or in any of those Kabwata stores? So, the story will continue that government does not have medicine yet there is government medicine in the commercial outlets. So, we want to put in place all these full proof measures such as to engrave the medicine or label the medicine. Currently, it is not everything that is labelled – it is just IV fluids. All these penicillins are not.”

Prof Kasonka said although labeling the medicines was a cost it would still be done to correct the situation.

“We want to see that all those who should supply to us they should make sure that it is labelled. As you know it is an investment. It is a cost for those to label and it is not every supplier that has the capacity. So those suppliers who do not have that capacity will say you are sideling us! It is a big vicious circle. These are the different issues we go through with the intention of satisfying everybody so that there is no outcry,” he said.

“You see, labelling is not taking a pen and writing on the medicine. It is incorporating it into the manufacturing. Many, especially the small-scale suppliers, cannot do that. Nevertheless, we have to take care of all these.”

Prof Kasonka said he sympathised with hospital authorities and patients about the drug situation but that it was wrong for people to say the procurement was delaying at the expense of people’s lives.

“So, it is a question of how do I sit here at Ndeke House and trust my pharmacist and doctors who are crying the loudest that there is no medicine in the hospitals? Some of these are singing this because it is for their own benefit. It is not that they’re singing for the patient. They want the medicine to come so that they earn a living because as government we will just be opening a tap and the water will just be draining out to the bottom,” he said.

“You heard what happened at Kasama General Hospital, a pharmacy technician in collusion with other members of the community at night they were coming and opening the pharmacy. They load it and take it over. To say that we are doing it at the expense of deaths is not correct. Yes, I know there are things like swabs, IVF fluids, are also absent. And of course there are a lot of things that are required even for the operations that are done in their theatre, for instance. So, we are trying to ensure all that is procured.”

He accused doctors of sometimes making bad prescriptions for patients, hence the shortages in medical supplies.

“The same fellows who are crying, my junior doctors, they will be the first ones to make bad prescriptions. When I say bad prescriptions, I mean if a person who has malaria goes to the clinic, they will prescribe even what a patient does not need because it is available. Ni va boma. It is free but nothing is free because someone is paying for that,” said Prof Kasonka.

“They will prescribe four different types of medicines. For God’s sake you will kill a person! It is not every illness that requires medication. Some of that medicine can injure your kidneys when combined. So, because there are not so many drugs they are feeling that they are not doing their job.”

I AM AWARE OF PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES – NAKACINDA

… asks whether the recent request to exculpate himself before parliament following a complaint by UPND lawmaker is a connivance to attain a predetermined outcome pending ruling by the Speaker.

Lusaka … Tuesday, March, 15, 2022 [Smart Eagles]

PF MCC in charge of Information and Publicity Raphael Nakacinda says he understands the procedures of parliament as he was once a member and wonders the motive behind continued calls to exculpate himself on a matter that is pending ruling by the Speaker of the National Assembly.

This is in a matter in which UPND Lukulu member of parliament Dr. Christopher Kalila officialy complained to parliament following an article published in the Daily Nation Newspapers attributed to Mr. Nakacinda where he accused Speaker of the National Assembly Nelly Mutti of being emotional towards PF lawmakers.

Mr. Nakacinda questioned the impatiality of the Speaker in the execution of her duties and Dr. Kalila sought a determination on whether or not Mr. Nakacinda was in contempt.

Mr. Nakacinda who refused to appear before a parliamentary committee on 3rd March 2022 on account that he was not member was once again given upto Monday 14, March, 2022 to exculpate himself on whether or not the statement in the article published in the Daily Nation Newspaper was correctly attributed to him.

But in his response today, Mr. Nakacinda asks whether the recent request to exculpate himself before parliament in a followup letter signed by clerk of the national assembly Dominic Mwinamo, is a connivance to attain a predetermined outcome of the same matter pending determination by the Speaker.

” I note that this issue of the complaint is contained therein and I have the following issues to raise before I can respond to the missive, Kindly advise if this is a new complaint .I note that the complaint raised by the standing order has not been resolved yet and the outcome of the same has not been attended to by way of the ruling on the floor of the house by Madam Speaker to have the same disposed off as per procedure as this matter was raised on the floor of the house, He said.

“I am aware of the procedures of the house as I was a member of the said house. I begin to wonder whether this is a way of to attain a predtermined outcome or something out of this world,” stated Nakacinda in his short response the Clerk of the National Assembly.

By Dr. Fred M’membe

THE war in Ukraine is ushering in a new period of heightened danger in world politics and the threat of a global conflict that would devastate humanity.

Socialists and people who want peace need to recognise that the entire United States foreign policy and military establishment is now organised around great power conflict against Russia and China as the defining strategy for decades to come.

It is essential to recognise that Russia, China and other countries are not being targeted fundamentally because of human rights, or this or that military action, but because they no longer accept the United States-dominated world order.

We must stand in opposition to this new Cold War-style period of confrontation. This major power conflict is not in the interests of the great mass of people, in the United States or worldwide. The logic of it will only produce severe economic pain, climate disaster and ultimately catastrophic war. The working class, the poor have no interest in being dragged into such a conflict in the name of preserving the dominance of Wall Street and the Pentagon.

In the run-up to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and ever since, the corporate media in the United States and its allies has been working overtime to spread misinformation and confusion. They hope that inundating people with non-stop anti-Russian content will manufacture the consent necessary not just for a short-term military escalation in Eastern Europe, but so as to sign people up for a whole new Cold War.

Clearly, there’s need for increased unity for those who oppose United States imperialism and support peace. NATO provoked the war between Russia and Ukraine. The United States government has been intentionally escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine for years. From continuing NATO’s eastward expansion, despite promises not to, to supporting the pro-Western coup in Ukraine in 2014, to heavily arming the Ukrainian government, NATO’s aggressive actions set the stage for the war.

The United States was determined to bring Ukraine into a Western sphere of influence, and so refused to acknowledge Russia’s legitimate security concerns about NATO expansion and advanced missiles being placed on its borders. Russia’s “red lines” were well known for decades and NATO did all of this knowing it could potentially lead to intervention. In some respects, it appears NATO set a deliberate trap that Russia fell into.

NATO’s drive to turn Europe into a staging ground for its military threats against Russia means that not only is Ukraine militarised, but that all of Europe is. Currently, the principal obstacle to establishing a peaceful Europe is the polarisation of the continent around NATO as a de facto anti-Russian alliance.

NATO is a relic of the Cold War, and needs to be dissolved; its only purpose is to maintain United States military hegemony. The only way to have discussions about the many issues causing conflict between European nations – borders, languages, economic relations, etc. – without raising the possibility of war is through the dissolution of NATO, the demilitarisation of Europe, and the removal of United States troops, missiles, and nuclear weapons. Russia should follow suit with their own demilitarisation, step by step.

The UN Charter of 1945 was written, and agreed to, to protect against a “might makes right” world order where stronger, more powerful countries can do whatever they want while smaller, less powerful nations have no guaranteed rights. This sovereignty-based international system has never been fully realised, and in many ways has masked the imperialist reality and deep power imbalances of the global order.

The UN Security Council, the only body empowered to authorise sanctions and military action against another country, functions in a completely undemocratic way by concentrating power into the hands of just five permanent members that can veto any resolutions. The Security Council should be abolished. What should be defended, however, is that the UN Charter creates a legal and political baseline to counteract abuses of power perpetrated by more powerful nations against lesser powers — and insists on the sovereignty and independence of formerly colonised nations in particular.

While the whole world is crying out for an end to the United States-dominated unipolar world order, “multipolarity” would not be progressive if it means becoming simply a competition of “unilateral” initiatives. Many left-wing and anti-imperialist governments believe that adherence to the UN Charter is an instrument to defend what is positive about “multi-polarity” – the space for counter-hegemonic projects to grow.

For decades politicians and the corporate media, liberal and conservative alike, have pushed a false equivalency between fascists and communists. At the end of the day, this anti-communist slander is also a sleight of hand that lets fascists in through the back door. In Ukraine, where the Communist Party is banned, the rapid and dangerous normalisation of Nazi Germany and its collaborators has taken place. Ukraine has integrated outright Nazis and Nazi-adjacent forces into the armed services and police. Now the United States media, which just a few years ago noted the neo-Nazi presence in Ukraine, assists in their rebranding as “patriots.”

Humanity is calling out for an alternative to capitalism, and we cannot allow the idea of socialism — of working-class power and international unity — to be taken off the table.

The underlying cause of this conflict, beyond NATO, is that we still live in a world that is divided into states run by capitalist elites who prioritise their own wealth and power above all else. The only way to build a world that allows for global cooperation and peace between all peoples, the elimination of poverty, the abolition of nuclear weapons, and the implementation of real democracy that puts the power in the hands of the people, is through socialism.

PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE: EXPLORING THE CONCEPT OF “CHIMBUYA” IN ZAMBIA

One of Zambia’s proudest accolades is the fact that for many generations the various ethnic groups in the country have been able to co-exist peacefully and foster a relationship of unity in diversity. Traditional practices have been at the center of cementing this unity. One such traditional practice is “Chimbuya”

The term “Chimbuya” refers to the practice of traditional tribal cousinship. Tribal cousinship is a cultural norm that is rooted in humor, jokes and mutual respect. In Zambia today, humor based on tribal cousinship is part of everyday life. When Easterners and Northerners meet, they exchange jokes and mock each other. In a similar way, when Southerners and Westerners meet, they exchange jokes and make fun of each other. This humorous interaction among traditional cousins is most prominent during traditional gatherings such as marriage and funeral ceremonies. During funerals, it is common to see tribal cousins throwing powder and mealie-meal at each other as a way to demonstrate “Chimbuya”. It is also common to see incidents such as one group “taking over” a social event organized by their cousin group and doing things like supervising the kitchen or getting all the food as a way of demonstrating their “power” in a light hearted manner. Incidents where one group causes mischief in a cheerful manner during a traditional ceremony of their cousin group is also a demonstration of this intriguing relationship.

In order to have an appreciation of the importance of the concept of “Chimbuya” in Zambia society, it is important to explore the origins of this “traditional cousinship”.

Chimbuya is believed to have been coined by the Bembas and Ngonis in the 19th Century at the height of a fierce rivalry between the two groups. Frequent wars erupted between the two groups as they fought for superiority. Ngonis who took pride in their status as a kingdom of warriors went toe-to-toe with Bembas who felt they had military superiority because of the guns they had acquired through trading with Arabs.

In view of the tragic consequences that war had for both groups, they both saw no point in continuing with military hostility. It is believed that the concept of “Chimbuya” was introduced to control the antagonism between the two groups and enhance social cohesion. With time, the concept of “Chimbuya” became entrenched through mutual respect. Other groupings found in the Eastern part of the country such as the Nsenga, Chewa and Tumbuka also cultivated this relationship with the Bemba speaking people in the North. In Zambia today, anyone who is from the North is seen as the tribal cousin of one who is from the East.

The traditional cousinship that exists in other parts of the country also originated from some form of inter-tribal conflict. For example, conflict between Tongas and Lozis also created a rivalry that was pacified by the creation of tribal cousinship. Kaonde, Lamba and Lozi cousinship came into existence as a way to put an end to the armed attacks among these groups. Overtime, groups like the Lundas, Luvales etc all became part of this combination of tribal cousinship.

As generations have passed, the wars of the past are now a distant memory. Peace, love and unity are what characterize Zambia’s tribes as they interact with each other. In the eyes of many people, “Chimbuya” has been a very important factor in fostering national cohesion.

It is therefore important that the practice of “Chimbuya” is kept alive and thriving for the next generation. Feel free to explain in the comments section some of your memorable experiences when doing “Chimbuya” with your tribal cousins.

(By Zambian Footprints)