By Dr. Nevers Sekwila Mumba
MMD Leader and Fmr Vice President of Zambia

March 5th 2022

Voting in favour of the resolution was the right thing to do, and is consistent with the principles of Zambia’s foreign policy which we first formally codified in 1969.

The action by Russia has breached some of these principles, including:
i) the inviolability of national borders;
ii) the respect for sovereignty & territorial integrity of States;
iii) the non use of force, or threat of force, in the settlement of disputes;
iv) the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by force;
v) non-support for unilateral declaration of independence or illegal cessation of territory; amongst others.

These principles are enshrined in the UN Charter & the Constitutive Act of the African Union.

The UN has established mechanisms for addressing disputes, including that of security concerns, which Russia could have utilized, rather than to take unilateral direct action, as it did.

It’s only by standing on principle, and not on whether one is friend or foe, that we can justify the positions we should take during such votes. This is what gives us the moral high ground to support the Palestinians or Western Sahara, or the Malvinas (Falklands), or Chagos (recently), etc.

There are many missteps done by Ukraine & Western countries, and plenty of history that may give sympathy to Russia’s grievances, but not to the point of justifying the invasion. Indeed, other big countries have done similar things, to different degrees. All of these are unacceptable.

In our view, war is unacceptable. It should be made a crime against humanity.

The argument by some that Zambia has changed her foreign policy by this vote is misplaced. It is important to note that the policy of non aligned status existed during the time of the cold war. It is not our permanent foreign policy. What is permanent is our policy of promoting peace both at home and abroad. Zambia is globally known as the country of peace, and any time we are presented with a choice between peace and war, we shall always choose peace. Recently at the UN, the opportunity to choose between peace and war presented itself and we voted for peace. This is who we are and this is our foreign policy.

This decision however does not imply that we have turned our backs against our all weather friend, Russia. We have only rejected the proposition of war. We have voted against war and not Russia.

I am sure Russia would vote the same way if Zambia unilaterally invaded Malawi without exhausting all the available mechanisms at our disposal. We have opportunities to resolve such conflicts at Bilateral, Regional(SADC), Continental(AU) and finally at International levels (UN).

The UN GeneralAssembly overwhelmingly adopted a resolution demanding that Russia immediately end its military operations in Ukraine. Zambia voted for this resolution along with other 140 nations.

-Dr. Nevers Mumba

By Alexander Nkosi

When we talk about job creation, it comes as a consequence of a recovering economy. It is difficult to create a significant number of jobs in an economic environment that is not conducive.

The prime role of government is to create an economic environment that allows private players to start up new businesses or expand existing ones. It is through this creation and expansion of entreprises that jobs are created. So, what makes the environment less conducive for private players to flourish? What are the major challenges private players are facing? In Zambia, access to credit is a challenge as the cost of borrowing is high. The cost of production is also high. This raises a challenge of profitability, making it hard for firms to survive.

One sector with huge potential for job creation is the manufacturing sector. Existing and new manufacturing firms need funds to fund new business ventures as well as expand existing ones. For them to produce better products, they need to import machinery. Due to weak kwacha, the cost of importation is high. This coupled with other high internal costs like transportation, power, rent, water – increases the cost of production. At the end of the day, their products have to compete with foreign products that are produced at a relatively lower cost depsite being of high quality and better brand appeal. The result is that most local firms fail to pay their businesses loans and they collapse.

Another sector with high potential for job creation is the agriculture sector. The problem is that the major inputs in production are imported. The prices of inputs are very high, significantly pushing up the cost of production. However, depsite production costs being high, the prices of agriculture products are usually low and unpredictable. The result is that most farmers make huge losses and fail to expand to allow for rapid job creation.

It is clear from the two examples that without addressing the underlying economic challenges, it is hard to grow the private sector and create millions of jobs. So, what are these underlying economic challenges and how exactly do they affect private sector growth and job creation?

Why are interest rates high? Government borrows heavily, crowding out the private sector. Banks would rather lend to government than high risk individuals. This pushes up interest rates. But why can’t government stop borrowing from the domestic market? Currently our domestic revenue for 2022 is K98.9 billion. Allocation to debt service is K78.6 billion. When we add the wage bill, all the domestic revenue is exhausted. If government does not borrow how does it finance the rest of activities for the year since two items exhaust the entire budget? Do we fire all civil servants to create room in the budget? This is not feasible! Do we increase taxes and rates to collect more revenue? This will further hurt the economy. Do we borrow heavily from the capital markets at commercial rates? This will worsen our debt crisis.

A clear and feasible option we have is dealing with the K78.6 billion we are losing through debt service as this keeps increasing and we risk a situation where it takes up the entire domestic revenue. How do we reduce the amount we spend on debt service? Through debt restructuring. For the people we owe to trust us with debt restructuring, we need to be on an IMF program where economic management is being closely monitored. This is where the IMF program comes in. If we restructure our debt, the amount we spend on debt service reduces. Where we are paying K78.6 billion, we could be paying K28.6 billion, this means we have created K50 billion within our domestic revenue which otherwise could have been raised through borrowing. Cutting down on domestic borrowing reduces the pressure on interest rates. This allows more individuals and firms to access credit at low rates. Cheap credit allows for profitability and expansion of production, creating more jobs.

Last year inflation went as high as 24%. Under such circumstances, if the Bank of Zambia does not manage money supply when inflationary pressure is building, we risk a situation where prices rise fast and the cost of production increases every day making it even more difficult for firms to plan and operate. So the Bank of Zambia has to monitor money supply closely and ensure there is balance. This is what informs the monetary policy rate which in turn affects interest rates. This is why at a time we need to lower interest rates, the Bank of Zambia does not reduce the monetary policy rate. It is all in the interest of the economy and entreprises.

The other economic fundamental that needs addressing is exchange rate. Farmers use imported inputs, manufactures use imported machinery and some other imported inputs. With an unfavourable exchange rate, the cost of importation goes up. Why is exchange rate unfavourable? We earn less dollars from exports, remittances and capital inflow but we lose more dollars through servicing foreign debt, procurement of fuel, fertiliser and other things. This weakens our kwacha, further pushing up the cost of production. Debt restructuring will reduce the amount of foreign debt we pay every year, thereby reducing amount of dollars we lose. This will reduce pressure on the kwacha. This hinges on an IMF program. Other things which will lead to kwacha appreciation are capital inflow and an expansion of production such as the mining sector with the tax incentive they got.

Also note that when government spends less on debt service after debt restructuring, it will have more money to provide more economic empowerment funds to Zambins that cannot get bank loans. It will have more money to invest in infrastructure required for entreprises to thrive. It will also have more money to clear arrears and allow entreprises owed to expand their production. Currently, our domestic arrears stand at K46.9 billion.

Being on an IMF program will also allow us to have increased access to concessional borrowing. Concessional loans come with very low interest rates and very long span of repayment. This allows us to borrow less from domestic market, it also allows us implement development programs without significantly increasing annual debt service outlays. This is what we need to allow private sector flourish.

This is why job creation and overall economic recovery hinges on addressing these underlying economic challenges. This is why the success of domestic solutions hugely depends on us addressing these challenges which require increased interaction with foreign entities. What some people call foreign solutions are a prerequisite to the success of what they call local solutions. For me, there are no foreign or local solutions, I simply call them solutions.

Given this background, the many foreign interactions the President has been having with IMF, World Bank, African Chamber of Commerce, European Union, European Investment Fund and many investers- form part of a critical component of addressing the underlying economic challenges. This will earn us an IMF program, debt restructuring, concessional loans, capital inflow, joint ventures. All these are very important for the success of the private sector and job creation. Is the President actively pursuing these? Yes he is!

At local level, debt restructuring will allow for more investment in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, tourism and other key sectors. Attracting joint ventures will allow for increased capital, better production methods, better branding and easy access to foreign markets. Low interest rates will allow for increased access to credit required for expanding production. Increased CDF and economic empowerment will allow youths and women access funds for business. Strong kwacha will lower the cost of importing raw materials. Transitioning from FISP to comprehensive agriculture support program will help farmers access increased support. Tax incentives in the mining sector will allow for $2.5 billion investment in expansion.

In conclusion, government is actively implementing both economic recovery and job creation agenda. The few hitches like high fuel prices are due to the huge amount we owe making it hard for us to increase subsidies. We are currently still subsidising atvaround $41 million per month through foregone tax.

What government needs to urgently address is communication. Ministries should step up communication. Tell Zambians the state of each sector, challenges identified and how these are being addressed.

Thank you!

Democratic Party President Harry Kalaba has called on the government to avail to the public reasons why Zambia voted along with 141 nations at the UN emergency meeting to reprimand Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

He has challenged the government to state if it has departed from its long-held non-aligned stance when it joined others Countries to vote against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and demanded that Moscow stop fighting and withdraw its military forces.

Mr. Kalaba said Russia has been a true friend of Zambia and the two countries have been collaborating in various areas of interest with Zambia buying military equipment and fertilizer from Russia.

He said the government could have taken a neutral stance as opposed to voting against Russia.

And Patriotic Front PF Members of Parliament have accused The UPND administration of President Hakainde Hichilema of departing from Zambia’s non-aligned foreign policy.

Hon Ronald Chitole and Hon Miles Sampa both PF MPs said Zambia’s decision to vote for a United Nations resolution against Russia’s aggression on Ukraine may have ramifications on bilateral relations with Moscow which have existed since 1964.

They said at Different times in Parliament that the former ruling Party PF is shocked at Government’s shift in its foreign policy without consulting the people of Zambia through Parliament prompting hence the points of order from Hon Chitotela and Hon Sampa.

However, UPND’s government critic, opposition Patriots for Economic Progress(PEP) leader Sean Tembo, has backed Zambia’s vote at the recent United Nations emergency general assembly saying a wrong must be condemned wherever it manifests itself.

Commenting on this development, Mr. Tembo said that Zambia cannot just look at a country invading another country and causing so much destruction and loss of lives on the basis of flimsy excuses.

He says Zambia should be a courageous and proud nation with strong principles and moral values and was therefore on firm ground to vote to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, at the United Nations.

In a statement, Mr. Tembo said that if as a result of Zambia’s vote to condemn the invasion of Ukraine, Russia gets upset and decides to close their embassy in Zambia, they should go ahead.

The Saboi Imboela led National Democratic Congress Party (NDC) has supported Zambia’s decision to vote in the United Nations General Assembly that Russia withdraws from attacking Ukraine.

The United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday adopted an important resolution which was voted in, demanding that Russia withdraw from Ukraine.

141 countries voted for the resolution while 35 states abstained and 5 states voted against it.

Some local stakeholders have condemned the government of the Republic of Zambia for voting against Russia.

Former Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia Emmanuel Mwamba has suggested that Zambia should have abstained from the vote because it enjoys a good relationship with Russia.

But NDC President Saboi Imboela, who has been a critic of the New Dawn Government, said Zambia’s decision to vote on the draft resolution at the United Nations, UN, first emergency General Assembly since 1997 to hold Russia accountable for the invasion of Ukraine was welcome.

Ms. Imboela said the invasion of Ukraine by Russia is a blatant violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and has caused instability all over the world.

She said abstaining from the vote would not have been right because Russia was literally attacking Ukraine with impunity.

“As National Democratic Congress Party, NDC, we commend the government of the Republic of Zambia for voting YES on the draft resolution at the United Nations, UN, first emergency General Assembly since 1997 to hold Russia accountable for the invasion of Ukraine. Demanding that Russia stops its offensive against Ukrainians and to immediately withdraw its troops from Ukraine is the right way to go. Impressively, 141 voting in favor of the resolution, 35 abstaining and five voting against it, is a show that the world is not in favor of Russia’s actions,” Ms. Imboela said.

She urged the Zambian Government to continue engaging the Russian diplomatic staff here in Lusaka for continued dialogue, de-escalation and possible withdrawal of the Russian troops in Ukraine.

“The actions by Russia to invade Ukraine is a blatant violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and has caused instability all over the world, with the situation likely to escalate further into world suffering and further conflicts. The Actions by Russia to invade Ukraine will distort the world economy and slow down global growth rate from the Pandemic. We urge the UPND government to continue engaging with the Russian diplomatic staff here in Zambia for continued Dialogue, de-escalation and possible withdrawal of the Russian troops from Ukraine in the best interest of Humanity,” she said.

“Zambia has always been a member of the Non Aligned Movement, and has always abstained from voting for the West or East, as championed by our Pan Africanist forefathers. But this war is a war where brother has risen against brother, and instead of folding our hands, we are happy that our current UPND led government made a stance to vote in favour of the UN resolution. We are aware of the historical and current dynamics that led to this assault on Ukraine, but are of the strong view that the countries of the world should play their part to make the war come to an end as soon as possible and begin to have talks with Russia to have permanent solutions to the problem, that does not involve nations going to war with each other.

Ms. Imboela bemoaned the impact of conflict between Russia and Ukraine on humanity.

“As always, women and children will be the worst hit if this war escalates and we call on the nations of the world to help save our children, women, men and humanity in general,” she said.

Meanwhile, thirty-five members including China abstained and five countries including Russia, Syria, and Belarus voted against the resolution. While General Assembly resolutions are non-binding, they carry political weight.

Among the African and other world nations which abstained from condemning Russia include South Africa, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan, Sudan, Mali, Mozambique, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, among others.

The last time the Security Council convened an emergency session of the General Assembly was in 1982, according to the U.N. website.

By Paul Shalala

Congratulations to Chingola District Deputy Officer Commanding Mr Nicholas Yulu who has been awarded with the Long Service Medal for being dedicated to work during the Police Day commemorations in Chingola today.

Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Chipoka Mulenga was on hand to decorate the hardworking officer who has given 20 years of his life to serving the nation through the Police Service.

Remember gassing and hacking all started in Chingola and Chiwempala Township was the epicenter.

Before his recent promotion to be the Second in Command in the District, Mr Yulu was the Officer-In-Charge at Chiwempala Police Station.

Under his command, his officers fought gassers, they fought the hackers and they even fought looters.

I remember covering the riots which broke out in Chiwempala, Mikiloni, Maiteneke, Costa, Chabanyama and many other areas and Mr Yulu was in the thick of things.

I remember hiding in a Police vehicle at Chiwempala Market as stones were flying all over but Mr Yulu assured us that the situation would be brought under control.

His officers were outnumbered by the rioters but they stood their ground and brought the situation to normalcy.

Mr Yulu deserves this medal, he is a rare officer who has shown dedication to duty despite the challenges Police officers face daily.

I will also not forget another dedicated Police officer who should have also been awarded today if he was in the country.

Kennedy Ngulube the Officer-In-Charge at Nchanga Police Station is another exemplary officer who did all he could to bring peace to Chingola.

Today, Mr Ngulube is proudly serving the nation under the United Nations in one of the peacekeeping missions in a war-torn country in Africa.

During the gassing and hacking periods, these two officers temporarily left their homes and were spending nights at their respective Police Stations were they were commanding their troops on day and night patrols.

We have a very good cadre of Police officers who have the heart for the nation and awarding them on Police Day motivates them and their colleagues to work even harder.

Happy Police Day!!!

CHIEFS’ SUBSIDIES WON’T BE USED AS WEAPON TO BLACKMAIL ROYALTY – STATE HOUSE

Special assistant to the President for political affairs Levy Ngoma says the UPND government does not want chiefs’ subsidies to be used as a weapon to punish or blackmail royalty, as was the case in the recent past.

Mr Ngoma was speaking when he paid a courtesy call on chief Ndake of the Nsenga people of Nyimba district.

He says President Hakainde Hichilema is determined to work with all chiefs in the country.

Mr Ngoma notes that about 70 per cent of Zambia’s landmass is presided over by chiefs and that as such, traditional leaders are key partners in matters of national development.

“If the President leaves their royal highnesses behind, he will be a loner and he will not achieve,” Mr Ngoma says.

“President Hakainde Hichilema wants to work closely with you for the benefit of your subjects. The President believes that two are better than one and so, he wants to work with other royal highnesses in the country. He doesn’t want any chief in Zambia to be segregated and subsidies will not be used as a weapon to punish or blackmail royalty the way it was in the past.”

He adds that he is a bearer of a message from President Hichilema that government will build chiefs’palaces across the country.

Chief Ndake thanked the President for sending Mr Ngoma to his chiefdom.

“This is an honour that the President has accorded me. He is no stranger in this palace. As a chiefdom we wish him well. As Ndake Royal Establishment, we will do our best to work with this government of President Hichilema. We are prepared to work with him so that development can be delivered to my subjects,” chief Ndake says.

“My core objective is to uplift the welfare of my subjects. Without working with the government of the day, no single chief can deliver development.”

Chief Ndake is happy that the usage of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) has been entrusted to the local people, through the decentralisation policy.

“It’s not possible for the UPND government to finish developing Zambia in five years. Development is not an event; it’s a process. That’s why even countries that have been independent for centuries are still developing. I’m very expectant that with the way we are moving, a lot can be achieved by this government. I want to see that corruption loopholes in the councils, especially in the procurement sector, is curtailed.”

During his tour of Eastern Province, Mr Ngoma met chiefs who included paramount chief Mpezeni, Nzamane, Madzimawe, Kapatamoyo, Mishoro, Maguya, Mnukwa, Mshawa and Sairi (all Ngoni chiefs).

He also had meetings with chiefs Kawaza, Mbang’ombe, and Kathumba (Chewa chiefs) of Sinda and Katete districts.

Further, Mr Ngoma had meetings with Nsenga chiefs in Sandwe (Lusangazi district), Ndake and Luembe (Nyimba district).

VIEWPOINT: IS POLITICS UNFAIR TO THE LIKES OF MWALITETA & BO MUBITA NAWA

Dear Mr President

Loyalty is what defines how we relate with one another in politics and basically it is the only determining factor on who should be around us, Sir you Appointed Mubita Nawa from the Private Sector to be part of your Team as As Advisor for Special Duties a position which is very senior and admirable to many. But that didn’t make him immune to making mistakes, I can confirm that walking in the corridors of power is the most difficult thing more especially when you are new to the entire system Mubita Nawa might have made some mistakes along the way but deep down we can all tell that his loyalty for President HH can never be a questioned in any way!!

I remember my first days through the corridors of power and how many mistakes I made, my Elder
Brothers Kaizer Zulu and Amos Chanda can attest how hard it was to Mentor me through out the entire journey of endless protocols, rules, values and serious principles to uphold each time I walked with them and the Entire Presidency. My Journey through out President Lungu’s leadership was never short of mistakes but what mattered the most were the lessons I learnt from my mistakes and how I picked up each time I fell.. Power comes with a lot of things which requires one to be extremely patient and tolerant more especially to his servants and people surrounding him. Mr President please forgive this Gentleman if he has wronged you in anyway. Usually the sad part about Politics is that people who labor the most for political success never really get the much deserved rewards. It’s just what it is

Usually when I talk about Loyalty the first Name that comes to my mind Is Hon Obvious Mwaliteta, this man was one of the first people who fought tirelessly for President Edgar Lungu in 2015 during the struggle for party Leadership. Hon Mwaliteta was the first person who signed the book to petition then President Guy Scott to step down and allow President Lungu to Stand on the PF ticket, sadly after PF won He was one of the People who was frustrated by Greedy leaders who were not even part of the struggle. Let’s face it even when he joined the UPND Mwaliteta was unfairly Jailed Several times because of his unconditional love and loyalty for President HH but were is he today. I don’t know the President’s plan but honestly I think Politics is too unfair more especially to people who fight tirelessly with there lives. I only wish one day that the President can look at the people who died a little for him when the Presidency was far from his reach!!

Credit: Chomba Kaoma

DETHRONED National Democratic Congress (NDC) leader Mwenya Musenge, claims his life is in danger as some rivals want to get rid of him permanently so that they can take over the party.

Mr Musenge said in an interview that his life was in real danger because there were individuals allegedly paid to kill him over the NDC top post and as such he has decided to give up.

“My life is in danger as hired guns that are hell bent on taking over the party are even scheming to kill me,” Mr Musenge has said.

Mr Musenge said he was even scared for his life because there were some individuals that had been paid by some individuals in the UPND who wanted to swallow the NDC.

He said that the people that had imposed Mr George Sichula were being funded by some members of the UPND who wanted to do away with the alliance.

Mr Musenge said the environment was very toxic to an extent that he was fearing for his own safety and that he had a serious feeling that there was someone behind all this.

Mr Musenge said that he was sure that the people who had usurped power from him were junior members and for them to have such audacity meant they had backing from the powers that be.

He said that he did not have the energy to start fighting and that he would not take any legal action against the culprits who had disposed him from the presidency.

“I didn’t lobby for the presidency. In fact I even refused but the president then Mr Josephs Akafumba insisted that I take over the mantle,” he said.

Mr Musenge said that there was more to this than met the eye but that he was not willing to die over the NDC and that he would step back for sake of his life.

But newly appointed NDC leader George Sichula said there was no need for Mr Musenge to be scared because there was no one who was power hungry to an extent of wanting to end his life.- Daily Nation

BLACK MOUNTAIN: A UPND AFFAIR, SAYS JERABOS

By ROGERS KALERO

FORMER miners at the Black Mountain have complained that mining activities at the Black Mountain have a new scheme which has been reduced to a mere UPND affair.

A group of women and youths led by Samuel Banda, Noria Chibuta and Christine Njovu said the whole thing had been turned into a UPND affair where the ruling party cadres had formed cooperatives comprising themselves.

They said that senior ruling party officials were dictating conditions which were not in the interest of various stakeholders thereby delaying the beginning of the operations.

Ms Chibuta said from the time the Minister of Mines and Mineral Development, Mr Paul Kabuswe handed over the Black Mountain, it had been a UPND affair with ruling party cadres running the show and no member of the community has a say.

“This is why to start with, they said a consortium of cooperatives, but when you ask what is the name of the consortium, they don’t know. If you ask them how many cooperatives, they don’t know. If you ask them to mention even one name of the cooperative, they will not mention any.

“They cannot answer any of the questions now because they don’t know because that is when they are making the consortium, that is when they are making the cooperatives. They have taken long because they are working to ensure it is really a UPND affair,’’ Ms Chibuta said

And some community members from Wusakile, Bulangililo, Ndeke and others told the Daily Nation that the operations at the “Black Mountain” which were set to begin on Monday had failed because of various issues ranging from operational and payment modalities to self-enriching conditions which UPND officials were making.

More than two weeks ago, Emerald and Semi-Precious Stones Association of Zambia official Shadreck Mwape, said investigations had revealed that some ministers had come with “fake” cooperatives from Lusaka so that they could use them to benefit from the “Black Mountain.”

Mr Mwape said during the handover of the “Black Mountain” by the minister last week, his association demanded to know how many cooperatives were there and their names, but no convincing answer was given.

Mr Mwape, however said some aggrieved UPND cadres told him that some of the cooperatives who had come at the “Black Mountain” had come with a named minister from Lusaka so that he could use them to benefit from the Black Mountain.

A day later, Mr Mwape challenged Mr Kabuswe to explain how the operations at the “Black Mountain” will be carried out and how payments will be done after loading so that various suspicions could be put to rest.

The minister defended himself saying he was innocent in the matter and that he had consulted the relevant authorities.

Most members of the cooperatives have rubbished the idea of cooperatives not being present at the “Black Mountain” during loading, but waiting to be paid their money from their respective homes in various townships.

PRESS STATEMENT BY THE ACTING PRESIDENT OF THE PATRIOTIC FRONT, HON GIVEN LUBINDA ISSUED ON FRIDAY, 4TH MARCH, 2022

IN ONE OF MY PREVIOUS BRIEFINGS I INFORMED THE NATION THAT TWENTY (20) OF OUR SENIOR MEMBERS AND THOSE ASSOCIATED WITH THE PATRIOTIC FRONT HAVE EITHER BEEN SUMMONED, BROUGHT BEFORE COURTS OF LAW OR HAD THEIR HOMES SEARCHED BY INVESTIGATIVE WINGS OF GOVERNMENT. I WANT TO REPORT TO THE NATION THAT THE NUMBER HAS SINCE INCREASED TO 30. THE LATEST VICTIMS OF THIS HARASSMENT AND PERSECUTION NOW INCLUDES OUR FORMER DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL, HON. MUMBI PHIRI, FORMER MINISTER OF MINES, HON. RICHARD MUSUKWA, WIFE OF OUR FORMER PROVINCIAL MINISTER, MRS LUSAMBO, AND MYSELF, GIVEN LUBINDA.

ON THE VOTING DAY IN THE RECENT KABWATA BY-ELECTION, MY HOUSE WAS COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY HEAVILY ARMED POLICE OFFICERS FROM 23:00 HOURS OF THE PREVIOUS DAY TO 08:00 HOURS THE FOLLOWING MORNING. TO DATE, POLICE HAVE NOT YET EXPLAINED THE REASONS FOR THE SIEGE OF MY RESIDENCE.

LET ME ADDRESS THE HOT ISSUE OF THE LATEST INCREASE IN THE PUMP PRICE OF FUEL AND OTHER RELATED MATTERS AFFECTING THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL WELL-BEING OF OUR PEOPLE.

AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE UPND GOVERNMENT THAT IT HAD REDUCED THE PRICES OF FUEL SHORTLY BEFORE THE KABWATA PARLIAMENTARY BY-ELECTION, I WARNED THAT THAT REDUCTION WAS COSMETIC AND A MERE POLITICAL GIMMICK TO WOO VOTERS IN KABWATA. I SAID WE HAD INFORMATION THAT THE PRICES WOULD BE INCREASED SOON AFTER THE ELECTION, AND IT HAS COME TO PASS.

THIS UNCARING UPND GOVERNMENT FOUND THE PRICES OF FUEL AT K17.62 FOR PETROL AND K15.39 FOR DIESEL RESPECTIVELY. INSTEAD OF REDUCING THE PRICES FURTHER AS THEY PROMISED DURING THE CAMPAIGNS THEY INCREASED THE PRICES BY THAN TWO PER CENT TO K21.16 AND K20.15 FOR PETROL AND DIESEL RESPECTIVELY.

WE WARNED THE NATION THAT WE SHOULD BRACE OURSELVES FOR MORE FUEL PRICE INCREASES AND A RISING COST OF LIVING. FORTUNATELY, HISTORY IS ON OUR SIDE. ON SEPTEMBER 25TH 2019 PRESIDENT HICHILEMA BOASTED THAT IF GOVERNMENT IMPLEMENTED HIS PROPOSED MEASURES, WHICH HE PUT IN FORM OF A TABLE AND POSTED ON HIS FACEBOOK PAGE, THE PRICE OF FUEL WOULD DROP BY K4. IF WE WERE TO DEDUCT K4 FROM THE K17 AT WHICH THE PF LEFT THE PRICE OF FUEL IT WOULD HAVE DROPPED TO K13, AND THAT IS WHAT ZAMBIANS WERE EXPECTING FROM THIS GOVERNMENT. BUT ALAS! THE PRICE IS NOW AT K21.96 FOR PETROL AND K21.54 FOR DIESEL.

I WANT TO STATE HERE THAT THE JUSTIFICATION OF THE LATEST INCREASE BY THE MINISTER OF FINANCE, MY BROTHER HON. SITUMBEKO MUSOKOTWANE, AND THE ENERGY REGULATION BOARD (ERB) CAN’T HOLD WATER FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS:

1. WE ARE USING THE SAME OLD STOCK THAT WAS PURCHASED UNDER THE IMPORT DUTY WAVER THAT THE UPND GOVERNMENT HAS EXTENDED FROM THE PF GOVERNMENT SO THE ISSUE OF RISING COSTS OF FUEL ON THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET CANNOT BE USED TO JUSTIFY THE LATEST INCREASE OF THE PUMP PRICE AS WE ARE USING STILL THE OLD STOCK.
2. WE HAVE NOT IMPORTED ANY NEW STOCK YET SO THE LIES ABOUT THE EXCHANGE RATE CANNOT HOLD WATER BECAUSE AT THE TIME THE CURRENT STOCK WAS IMPORTED, THE KWACHA WAS TRADING AT K17 PER DOLLAR AS OPPOSED TO CURRENT EXCHANGE RATE OF ALMOST K19 TO A DOLLAR.
3. WITH OR WITHOUT THE WAR IN UKRAINE, WHICH THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ERB ARE USING TO JUSTIFY THE FUEL PUMP PRICE INCREASE, THE INCREASE IS UNJUSTIABLE BECAUSE THE CURRENT STOCK OF FUEL THAT WE ARE USING WAS PURCHASED WAY BEFORE THE WAR IN RUSSIA AND UKRAINE HAD BEGUN.

LET ME GIVE MY PARTY’S POSITION ON THE CONTINUED PROTESTS BY OUR UNEMPLOYED DOCTORS; THE UPND GOVERNMENT HAS PROMISED TO EMPLOY 11,300 HEALTH PRACTITIONERS. THEY PROMISED TO EMPLOY ALL THE 800 DOCTORS BY END OF JANUARY, 2022. TODAY IS 4TH MARCH AND STILL THEY HAVE FAILED TO RECRUIT EVEN ONE DOCTOR.

TO WORSEN THE SITUATION, ZAMBIANS WERE TOLD ON TUESDAY THROUGH HON SLYVIA MASEBO, MINISTER OF HEALTH THAT GOVERNMENT HAS NOT EVEN YET RECEIVED TREASURY AUTHORITY TOPRESS STATEMENT BY THE ACTING PRESIDENT OF THE PATRIOTIC FRONT, HON GIVEN LUBINDA ISSUED ON FRIDAY, 4TH MARCH, 2022

IN ONE OF MY PREVIOUS BRIEFINGS I INFORMED THE NATION THAT TWENTY (20) OF OUR SENIOR MEMBERS AND THOSE ASSOCIATED WITH THE PATRIOTIC FRONT HAVE EITHER BEEN SUMMONED, BROUGHT BEFORE COURTS OF LAW OR HAD THEIR HOMES SEARCHED BY INVESTIGATIVE WINGS OF GOVERNMENT. I WANT TO REPORT TO THE NATION THAT THE NUMBER HAS SINCE INCREASED TO 30. THE LATEST VICTIMS OF THIS HARASSMENT AND PERSECUTION NOW INCLUDES OUR FORMER DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL, HON. MUMBI PHIRI, FORMER MINISTER OF MINES, HON. RICHARD MUSUKWA, WIFE OF OUR FORMER PROVINCIAL MINISTER, MRS LUSAMBO, AND MYSELF, GIVEN LUBINDA.

ON THE VOTING DAY IN THE RECENT KABWATA BY-ELECTION, MY HOUSE WAS COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY HEAVILY ARMED POLICE OFFICERS FROM 23:00 HOURS OF THE PREVIOUS DAY TO 08:00 HOURS THE FOLLOWING MORNING. TO DATE, POLICE HAVE NOT YET EXPLAINED THE REASONS FOR THE SIEGE OF MY RESIDENCE.

LET ME ADDRESS THE HOT ISSUE OF THE LATEST INCREASE IN THE PUMP PRICE OF FUEL AND OTHER RELATED MATTERS AFFECTING THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL WELL-BEING OF OUR PEOPLE.

AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE UPND GOVERNMENT THAT IT HAD REDUCED THE PRICES OF FUEL SHORTLY BEFORE THE KABWATA PARLIAMENTARY BY-ELECTION, I WARNED THAT THAT REDUCTION WAS COSMETIC AND A MERE POLITICAL GIMMICK TO WOO VOTERS IN KABWATA. I SAID WE HAD INFORMATION THAT THE PRICES WOULD BE INCREASED SOON AFTER THE ELECTION, AND IT HAS COME TO PASS.

THIS UNCARING UPND GOVERNMENT FOUND THE PRICES OF FUEL AT K17.62 FOR PETROL AND K15.39 FOR DIESEL RESPECTIVELY. INSTEAD OF REDUCING THE PRICES FURTHER AS THEY PROMISED DURING THE CAMPAIGNS THEY INCREASED THE PRICES BY THAN TWO PER CENT TO K21.16 AND K20.15 FOR PETROL AND DIESEL RESPECTIVELY.

WE WARNED THE NATION THAT WE SHOULD BRACE OURSELVES FOR MORE FUEL PRICE INCREASES AND A RISING COST OF LIVING. FORTUNATELY, HISTORY IS ON OUR SIDE. ON SEPTEMBER 25TH 2019 PRESIDENT HICHILEMA BOASTED THAT IF GOVERNMENT IMPLEMENTED HIS PROPOSED MEASURES, WHICH HE PUT IN FORM OF A TABLE AND POSTED ON HIS FACEBOOK PAGE, THE PRICE OF FUEL WOULD DROP BY K4. IF WE WERE TO DEDUCT K4 FROM THE K17 AT WHICH THE PF LEFT THE PRICE OF FUEL IT WOULD HAVE DROPPED TO K13, AND THAT IS WHAT ZAMBIANS WERE EXPECTING FROM THIS GOVERNMENT. BUT ALAS! THE PRICE IS NOW AT K21.96 FOR PETROL AND K21.54 FOR DIESEL.

I WANT TO STATE HERE THAT THE JUSTIFICATION OF THE LATEST INCREASE BY THE MINISTER OF FINANCE, MY BROTHER HON. SITUMBEKO MUSOKOTWANE, AND THE ENERGY REGULATION BOARD (ERB) CAN’T HOLD WATER FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS:

1. WE ARE USING THE SAME OLD STOCK THAT WAS PURCHASED UNDER THE IMPORT DUTY WAVER THAT THE UPND GOVERNMENT HAS EXTENDED FROM THE PF GOVERNMENT SO THE ISSUE OF RISING COSTS OF FUEL ON THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET CANNOT BE USED TO JUSTIFY THE LATEST INCREASE OF THE PUMP PRICE AS WE ARE USING STILL THE OLD STOCK.
2. WE HAVE NOT IMPORTED ANY NEW STOCK YET SO THE LIES ABOUT THE EXCHANGE RATE CANNOT HOLD WATER BECAUSE AT THE TIME THE CURRENT STOCK WAS IMPORTED, THE KWACHA WAS TRADING AT K17 PER DOLLAR AS OPPOSED TO CURRENT EXCHANGE RATE OF ALMOST K19 TO A DOLLAR.
3. WITH OR WITHOUT THE WAR IN UKRAINE, WHICH THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ERB ARE USING TO JUSTIFY THE FUEL PUMP PRICE INCREASE, THE INCREASE IS UNJUSTIABLE BECAUSE THE CURRENT STOCK OF FUEL THAT WE ARE USING WAS PURCHASED WAY BEFORE THE WAR IN RUSSIA AND UKRAINE HAD BEGUN.

LET ME GIVE MY PARTY’S POSITION ON THE CONTINUED PROTESTS BY OUR UNEMPLOYED DOCTORS; THE UPND GOVERNMENT HAS PROMISED TO EMPLOY 11,300 HEALTH PRACTITIONERS. THEY PROMISED TO EMPLOY ALL THE 800 DOCTORS BY END OF JANUARY, 2022. TODAY IS 4TH MARCH AND STILL THEY HAVE FAILED TO RECRUIT EVEN ONE DOCTOR.

TO WORSEN THE SITUATION, ZAMBIANS WERE TOLD ON TUESDAY THROUGH HON SLYVIA MASEBO, MINISTER OF HEALTH THAT GOVERNMENT HAS NOT EVEN YET RECEIVED TREASURY AUTHORITY TO RECRUIT OUR HEALTH WORKERS MEANING THAT THE RECRUITMENT OF HEALTH PRACTITIONERS IS ACTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE AS THINGS STAND. FURTHER, HOW POSSIBLE IS IT FOR GOVERNMENT TO RECRUIT 11,300 HEALTH WORKERS WHEN IT IS FAILING TO RECRUIT A PALTRY 800 DOCTORS? THIS IS A HOAX.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT FOR THE DOCTORS TO BE ALLOWED TO WORK ANYWHERE THEY FIRST NEED TO UNDERGO INTERNSHIP FOR ONE YEAR AND SIX MONTHS AT EITHER A GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL OR MINE HOSPITAL. IT IS THEREFORE UNFAIR FOR THE UPND AND ITS SYMPATHISERS TO SUGGEST THAT THE PROTESTING DOCTORS SHOULD LOOK FOR EMPLOYMENT IN PRIVATE MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS WHEN THEY HAVE NOT BEEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THEIR STATUTORY INTERNSHIP.

THE COST OF LIVING HAS STEADILY BEEN RISING BEYOND THE REACH OF MANY OF OUR PEOPLE . IT WAS, QUITE FRANKLY VERY DISHEARTENING TO HEAR HER HONOUR THE VICE PRESIDENT, HON MUTALE NALUMANGO, A FEW DAYS AGO, BRAGGING AND MOCKING ZAMBIANS THAT THE ECONOMY IS DOING VERY WELL. THE VICE PRESIDENT’S ASSERTION IS NOT ONLY SHOCKING BUT ALSO A CONFIRMATION THAT THIS GOVERNMENT IS OUT OF TOUCH WITH THE REALITY ON THE GROUND WITH REGARDS THE SUFFERING OF OUR PEOPLE.

FOR MADAM NALUMANGO’S OWN INFORMATION, THE HOUSEHOLD FOOD BASKET WHICH WAS AT K8,300 AT END OF DECEMBER 2021 HAS NOW BALLOONED TO K9,034 AS AT END OF JANUARY 2022; A FIGURE WHICH IS BEYOND THE REACH OF MANY OF OUR PEOPLE. SINCE THE UPND CAME INTO POWER THE COST OF LIVING HAS INCREASED BY K734. SO, ACCORDING TO HER THIS MEANS “THE ECONOMY IS DOING VERY WELL”. SHAME!

THE LATEST INCREASE IN THE PUMP PRICE OF FUEL WILL TRIGGER A RIPPLE EFFECT ACROSS THE ENTIRE ECONOMY, FURTHER PUSHING UP THE COST OF LIVING, MAKING LIFE UNBEARABLE FOR OUR POOR CITIZENS.

IT IS QUITE CLEAER THAT THE UPND GOVERNMENT HAS GOT NO ECONOMIC PLAN WHATSOEVER. THE PRUDENT THING THEY NEED TO DO IS TO ACCEPT THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE NO PLAN AND SEEK THE INTERVENTION OF OTHER PLAYERS IN THE ECONOMY TO ASSIST THEM WITH BANKABLE IDEAS TO CRAFT AN ECONOMIC RECOVERY PLAN TO SALVAGE ZAMBIA’S ECONOMY BEFORE IT TOTALLY COLLAPSE.

I THANK YOU RECRUIT OUR HEALTH WORKERS MEANING THAT THE RECRUITMENT OF HEALTH PRACTITIONERS IS ACTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE AS THINGS STAND. FURTHER, HOW POSSIBLE IS IT FOR GOVERNMENT TO RECRUIT 11,300 HEALTH WORKERS WHEN IT IS FAILING TO RECRUIT A PALTRY 800 DOCTORS? THIS IS A HOAX.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT FOR THE DOCTORS TO BE ALLOWED TO WORK ANYWHERE THEY FIRST NEED TO UNDERGO INTERNSHIP FOR ONE YEAR AND SIX MONTHS AT EITHER A GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL OR MINE HOSPITAL. IT IS THEREFORE UNFAIR FOR THE UPND AND ITS SYMPATHISERS TO SUGGEST THAT THE PROTESTING DOCTORS SHOULD LOOK FOR EMPLOYMENT IN PRIVATE MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS WHEN THEY HAVE NOT BEEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THEIR STATUTORY INTERNSHIP.

THE COST OF LIVING HAS STEADILY BEEN RISING BEYOND THE REACH OF MANY OF OUR PEOPLE . IT WAS, QUITE FRANKLY VERY DISHEARTENING TO HEAR HER HONOUR THE VICE PRESIDENT, HON MUTALE NALUMANGO, A FEW DAYS AGO, BRAGGING AND MOCKING ZAMBIANS THAT THE ECONOMY IS DOING VERY WELL. THE VICE PRESIDENT’S ASSERTION IS NOT ONLY SHOCKING BUT ALSO A CONFIRMATION THAT THIS GOVERNMENT IS OUT OF TOUCH WITH THE REALITY ON THE GROUND WITH REGARDS THE SUFFERING OF OUR PEOPLE.

FOR MADAM NALUMANGO’S OWN INFORMATION, THE HOUSEHOLD FOOD BASKET WHICH WAS AT K8,300 AT END OF DECEMBER 2021 HAS NOW BALLOONED TO K9,034 AS AT END OF JANUARY 2022; A FIGURE WHICH IS BEYOND THE REACH OF MANY OF OUR PEOPLE. SINCE THE UPND CAME INTO POWER THE COST OF LIVING HAS INCREASED BY K734. SO, ACCORDING TO HER THIS MEANS “THE ECONOMY IS DOING VERY WELL”. SHAME!

THE LATEST INCREASE IN THE PUMP PRICE OF FUEL WILL TRIGGER A RIPPLE EFFECT ACROSS THE ENTIRE ECONOMY, FURTHER PUSHING UP THE COST OF LIVING, MAKING LIFE UNBEARABLE FOR OUR POOR CITIZENS.

IT IS QUITE CLEAER THAT THE UPND GOVERNMENT HAS GOT NO ECONOMIC PLAN WHATSOEVER. THE PRUDENT THING THEY NEED TO DO IS TO ACCEPT THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE NO PLAN AND SEEK THE INTERVENTION OF OTHER PLAYERS IN THE ECONOMY TO ASSIST THEM WITH BANKABLE IDEAS TO CRAFT AN ECONOMIC RECOVERY PLAN TO SALVAGE ZAMBIA’S ECONOMY BEFORE IT TOTALLY COLLAPSE.

I THANK YOU

By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba

The recently released monthly report by the Zambia Statistical Agency ( ZamStat), for January 2022 indicates a growth in copper output for the year 2021 to slightly over 900,000 metric tonnes.

As regards the contribution to the economy, mining still remains the largest industry, and in terms of export earnings, mining accounts for about three-quarters of Zambia’s foreign exchange earnings.

Mining of copper is undoubtedly still the largest industry, the biggest contributor of tax to government, the largest provider of formal employment, besides government.

The importance of mining in Zambia cannot be overemphasized.

Zambia is endowed with so much mineral wealth beneath it, and the owners of these minerals are the Zambian people.

It is therefore, important that the exploitation of these minerals is lawful, is professionally done, is transparent, is closely supervised and the returns are fully accounted for to the Zambian people.

Unfortunately, the approach taken by government appears to lack most of these ingredients and therefore, a cause for deep concern.

Other than copper, Zambia is also a producer of other minerals, including emeralds in Lufwanyama, manganese in places like Luapula and gold in many places including Northwestern Province.

The total mineral output, and accordingly the taxes paid to the revenue authority, are unknown to Zambians because a number of mining activities happen in black market mode.

Video evidence from mines such as Kasensele Gold and manganese in Luapula raises some obvious concerns in regard to adherence to safety laws, professionalism and accounting for minerals extracted.

This is clearly a breach of Zambian mining laws, including Mining Regulations and Explosives Regulations.

When he was appointed as Finance Minister, Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane hit the ground running and was all over the media setting his economic priorities.

One of the ambitious growth pronouncements was that Zambia would push copper output to 3 million tonnes per year within 10 years.

Six months down the line, there is still no policy direction nor roadmap on how this plan would be actualized.

EXPECTATIONS

His conversion of Mineral Royalty Tax payable from non-dedictible to deductible is a controversial decision and has not yield benefits to Zambia in the past.

The expectations among mining experts was that government would take advantage of the low-hanging fruits, KCM and Mopani, the two large Copperbelt-based mines that are producing far below installed capacity.

These two recently nationalized firms are facing some legal, technical, and financial challenges that have adversely affected their production.

There is disappointment that no actual policy priorities nor initiatives have been presented to the Zambian people.

The two mines are the backbone of the economy of the Copperbelt, and hence their continued underperformance is affecting many stakeholders in the value chain.

I hope that the two mines KCM and MCM will continue to be majority-owned by Zambians as part of the family silver.

The investors should be minority shareholder.

Beside the problems requiring quick fixes at Mopani and KCM, there are also some incomplete projects that gobbled so much money and raised hope but are not operational – Mopani’s Nkana Syclinorium Project and KCM’s Konkola Deep Mining Project (KDMP).

Noting the silence from the New-Dawn Government over mining policy for over six months, observers were confident that the Ministry of Mines was working behind the curtains and was being methodical.

An announcement of a comprehensive direction had been expected.

BLACK MOUNTAIN, VEDANTA’S RETURN, POPULIST DECISIONS WIN AGAIN

Unfortunately, the new announcements are less-than encouraging: the government has surrendered the slag dumps (Black Mountain) to cadres or cooperatives of their preffered youths and cadres; and the two leading labour unions of mineworkers, MUZ and NUMAWU say they will lobby government to return KCM to Vedanta and are ready to work with the Indian investor.

The announcement came from junior union officials and a basic enquiry revealed that the activity appears to be orchestrated by a named VEDANTA official.

Suspicions greeted this announcements by junior union officials as it was the labour unions that encouraged government to reposses the mine and eject the investor for gross mismanagement, abuse and lack of investment in the mine, just a few years ago.

Whatever the motives at both Black Mountain and KCM, the worry remains that partisan interests have again taken precedence over professionalism, clear policy, transparency and accountability. This is worrying.

As regards the Black Mountain, there is nothing wrong with Zambians owning mines. It is something I sincerely advocate.

However, mining in Zambia is regulated by law in order to ensure the safety of those involved in the activities and to account for the mined minerals to the government.

Black Mountains are man-made dumps common beside copper smelters. There is one in Kitwe near the old Rokana Smelter, one in Mufulira and another one in Luanshya among others, and were dumping grounds of slag from the processing of copper.

These dumps have grown from the 1930s and contain residue copper and cobalt of up to 1.2% and 0.3% respectively.

Modern technology can reprocess and reclaim these minerals in a profitable manner.

By law, the excavation and loading of slag into trucks for onward transportation to processing plants across the Copperbelt constitutes mining and is therefore, subject to regulation or adherence to mining laws.

Mining Regulations and other provisions guide on an array of processes, including the competences or skills of the employees, the qualifications of supervisors/engineers, the equipment to be used, the standard methodologies for operations, the stringent requirements for safety, the obligation to file mineral returns, on whose basis tax is calculated and paid to government.

Unfortunately, the decision of the government to transfer Black Mountains and accordingly permit mining activities there by cadres, is inconsistent with common sense and a catalyst for lawlessness: youths without any requisite mining training will flock to the dumps; nor qualified supervisors or engineers superintend over the activities; the basic standards of safety are absent; there are no verifiable returns filed with government to determine how much is mined or to help pay tax.

As was done in the past, populist decisions have always taken precedence.

Similalry put, the Black Mountain initiative by President Hakainde Hichilema represents the same previous lawlessness, and hence another broken promise on his pledge, delivered in the inaugural address, that he would govern on the principles of professionalism, rule of law and orderliness.

Quite to the contrary, mining by youths and women at the Black Mountain is a mockery of the Mining Regulations of 1971 and 1973, important pieces of law that have helped to save people’s lives and serve the revenue authorities.

This, and the lawlessness in manganese mines in Luapula or makeshift gold mines gives cause for concern and brings into doubt the claim by government that it will strictly regulate mining in the Lower Zambezi National Park.

Mining is the Zambian economy; the Zambian economy is mining. Such basic blunders on mining are too early and too worrying.

ABOUT ZAMBIA’S UN VOTE ON THE RUSSIAN-UKRAINE CONFLICT

By Sean Tembo – PeP President

1. Two days ago at the United Nations headquarters during an emergency session of the UN General Assembly, Zambia joined 140 other countries in voting to condemn Russia for its aggression in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Some pundits have come forward to condemn Zambia’s vote, arguing that we should’ve abstained, in keeping up with the principle of neutrality and non-alignment between the West and the East.

2. I beg to differ. The question here is not one of alignment between East and West but rather, one of ascertaining whether Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was justified or not. In determining whether our UN vote was right or wrong, one needs to focus on this particular specific question; was Russia justified to invade Ukraine? If the answer to this question is yes, then we should not have voted to condemn Russia. If the answer is no, then we voted correctly to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

3. I have listened to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s arguments very carefully as to why he had to go to war in Ukraine. His first argument is that he needed to protect Russian speaking people in eastern Ukraine whom he claimed were being brutalized by the Ukrainian Government. His second argument is that the possibility of Ukraine joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) would seriously undermine Russia’s national security because the forces and sophisticated arms of the enemy would be right at Russia’s doorstep. Suffice to mention that prior to these latest accusations, Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.

4. Let us assume that both of Putin’s claims are true. Let’s say Ukraine was indeed brutalizing Russian speaking people in the eastern Donbas region which is made up of Donetsk and Luhansk. Let us also assume that indeed Ukraine did intend to join NATO. Would this be justifiable provocation for Russia to invade Ukraine? My answer to this question is a definite no.

5. The argument that Ukraine was engaging in genocide against its own citizens in the Donbas region does not carry water as a basis for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. An independent neutral body such as the United Nations should have been allowed to undertake an investigation and if Ukraine was found culpable, then it should’ve been punished accordingly through sanctions or other appropriate measures. It is flimsy for Russia to invade another country on the basis of allegations that Russian speaking citizens of that country are being ill-treated.

6. Coming to the second allegation that Ukraine intended to join NATO and that such a move would undermine Russia’s national security and therefore Ukraine needed to be invaded in a preemptive strike. This argument again does not carry water. Russia has no standing to dictate which club or association another independent country should belong to or join. At the height of the Cold War, the East and west each had a military alliance. The West had NATO and the East had what was known as the Warsaw Pact which included countries such as Cuba, which is only 60 kilometers away from the US state of Florida. No one prevented Cuba from joining the Warsaw Pact, despite its proximity to the United States, so why should anyone prevent Ukraine from joining NATO because of its proximity to Russia?

7. We all remember that problems only arose when Russia decided to deploy nuclear ballistic mussels to Cuba which resulted in a blockade and stand off between then US President John F. Kennedy and then Soviet Union President Nikita Khrushchev. The issue that gave rise to the Cuban missile crisis of 1962 was not Cuba’s membership to the Warsaw Pact, no. Rather, it was the then Soviet Union’s deployment of ballistic nuclear missiles to Cuba. We have all seen that despite many Eastern European countries such as Poland joining NATO in recently times, NATO has not deployed any nuclear weapons to the doorstep of Russia.

8. If Putin wanted to respond to Ukraine’s wish to join NATO, he should’ve considered reviving the Warsaw Pact and enticing other countries including Canada, Mexico and Cuba to join it. I do not think America would invade Mexico simply because it has decided to join Russia’s Warsaw Pact. Every independent nation in the world has a right to self-determination. That is what makes Russia’s two excuses for invading Ukraine very flimsy and unjustified.

9. Therefore, Zambia was on firm ground to vote to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, at the United Nations. We need to be a country of principles, and being a country of principles requires that we condemn a wrong wherever it manifests itself. A wrong is a wrong. We cannot just look at a country invading another country and causing so much destruction and loss of lives on the basis of flimsy excuses, and we remain silent because we do not want to rub Putin and his Russia the wrong way. What would that make us really? Cowards would be an understatement. It is my submission that Zambia should be a courageous and proud nation with strong principles and moral values. If our uprightness rubs another country the wrong way and upsets them in the process, then too bad for them. If as a result of our vote to condemn the invasion of Ukraine, Russia gets upset and decides to close their Embassy in Zambia, then let them go ahead. As a nation, we should not be cowed by any foreign power.

10. However, our uprightness must apply both ways, meaning that the next time America and its allies engage in a senseless war the way they did in Iraq, we should not hesitate to condemn them too.

/// END

SET 04.03.2022

WE WILL STICK TO MONTHLY PRICE REVIEW OF FUEL, INSISTS ENERGY MINISTER

MONTHLY REVIEW OF FUEL PRICES IN ZAMBIA

By Hon. Peter Kapala

We have adopted a monthly review of fuel pump prices in Zambia because it is better than a quarterly review, which lags behind in passing on the benefits onto the users when there is a drop in real costs and international prices. This week, we have seen fuel pump price increases in many countries. But because these countries don’t review their prices regularly, they missed a chance to reduces prices last month when Zambia did.

I wish to assert that there is no intention to go back to quarterly or yearly reviews of fuel pump prices. The country has tried long term review cycles before and we ended up with large fuel price increases and a very large government debt from unpaid fuel bills. This was due to the fact that the government couldn’t sustain subsidies and couldn’t pay suppliers on time. Delaying price reviews doesn’t make the problems disappear. This only compounds the problem, like papering over cracks on a wall.

Whereas some businesses and entrepreneurs are complaining about disruptions in their planning, especially in the short-term, they cannot deny the fact that the same businesses will enjoy instant savings when a reduction in pump prices has to be effected due to a drop in international prices of the commodity or a favourable change in inflation or currency exchange rates.

As a government, we appreciate the fact that the greatest risk to the country, in terms of fuel, is security of supply. The only way we can assure security of supply is to make sure we match – as closely as possible – all movements in the exchange rates and international oil prices. If we don’t do so, we shall then be second-guessing these movements. What will then be prevailing at the pumps will not be real prices but guesswork. And any attempts to pre-empt price movements before they actually occur would result in prices that are excessively high and punitive to the public or too low to the point that someone has to then subsidise the price. This would then defeat the whole purpose of removing subsidies and having cost-reflective tarrifs, prices and fees within the energy sector.

The reality on the ground is that the supply chain and cost-factors of fuel have changed from what they last month or the month before. There is now a war in Ukraine involving Russia. Russia is a major supplier of fuel in the world. This war with Ukraine creates instability in the supply of Russian oil. For example, sanctions have been imposed on Russia by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) members and these sanctions include blocking Russian ships from disgorging fuel at ports in places like the UK albeit the Russian oil itself hasn’t been embargoed. With possible reduction in Russian oil available on the market, it is not surprising that all this has, consequently, led to the increase in world fuel prices. This increase in world oil prices directly affects fuel pump prices in Zambia in a not-so-positive way. Compounded to this is a slight depreciation in the exchange rate of the Zambian Kwacha to the dollar in the last month.

As the New Dawn Government, we are strongly resolute in serving all 18 millions zambians and will not take actions that are seemingly porpular but do not work for the common good and the sustainable growth of the Zambian economy. Be assured that we do pay attention to all concerns but we will always soberly reflect on what is needed to move the nation forward. Monthly reviews are part of that needed blueprint.

It is for this reason that I wish to discount all suggestions that the reduction last month was politically motivated. Anyone who cares to check will see that last month, the Kwacha was slightly stronger and Brent Crude prices were lower.

Good morning.

Hon. Eng. Peter Chibwe Kapala
Minister of Energy

3. 2022

By Fanny Kalonda

GOLDEN Party of Zambia president Jackson Silavwe says the new dawn administration needs serious economic help with regards stabilising the economy.

In an interview, Silavwe said the economic situation should not be politicised but politicians should help the UPND administration as it is clear that they do not know what they are doing.

Silavwe recalled that the new dawn administration was told not to continue with the 30-day review period for fuel prices but had ignored the recommendations.

He said it was now clear that they do not know what to do and where to start from in stabilising the economy.

On Monday, the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) increased the pump prices of petroleum products by K2.12 per litre for petrol and K2.61 per litre for diesel, while the price for kerosene has remained unchanged.

“The upward adjustment in prices is inevitable to ensure the sustained supply of fuel to the Zambian market in the short to medium term. Notably, there has been a steady rise in international prices of petrol and diesel recorded throughout the month of January into February 2022. This has had a major impact on local fuel prices, with the price of both imported products rising above the US $100 per barrel mark,” said ERB chairperson Reynolds Bowa. “As has been reported, the supply disruptions being experienced on account of the ongoing geopolitical tension between Russia and Ukraine have had an immediate adverse impact on oil prices. Further, compounding this was the continued depreciation of the kwacha against the United States dollar, between the last price adjustment in January 2022 to mid-February 2022.”

Silavwe said he seen the statement from the ERB. “The fuel price increase announced by the Energy Regulation Board on 28th February, 2022 is a clear and urgent call for economic help. It’s time for all of us to get involved. I don’t think the situation in Ukraine is the reason for the rise in the prices of fuel pump prices. I had a different view when I saw the statement from ERB. Now my view is that the UPND needs serious economic help as it shows that they do not know what they are doing. They do not even know where to start from,” he said. “This is serious. Politicians should not politicise the rise in fuel prices but offer help because the new dawn needs serious economic help. We warned them about against the 30-day review period for the review of prices but they ignored us. I am not even bashing them. I know this will not help. I think that the UPND needs serious economic help on how to manage the country. They clearly don’t know where to start from, they do not know what to do.”

Silavwe has since called for an economic indaba for stakeholders on the economic situation in the country.

He said he is aware that President Hakainde Hichilema has an economic council, but that what the country needs is beyond an economic team.

“With the high cost of living and doing business currently prevailing in our country, Zambia needs a grand economic reset urgently to save our people from poverty and protect industrial production. Our economic turnaround should no longer be a subject of politicking. President Hakainde Hichilema and the new dawn government needs serious help to turnaround the economic fortunes of our country. We call upon the Republican President and the new dawn administration to convene an economic indaba that would make critical recommendations to the government on defined aspects of our economy,” he urged. “…the President has an economic council advising him like Professor Oliver Saasa. But what we need is beyond an economic team. We need an economic indaba where stakeholders can come together to make recommendations to government on the economic direction of the country. An economic Indaba held in good faith can provide solutions for a more resilient local economy, for a prosperous Zambia. The government must move swiftly before we sentence our people to a life of poverty.”

Silavwe warned that by end of the week, the kwacha would trade at the same level as the fuel prices.

He noted that the economy was unstable hence needing urgent attention.

“Because of what is happening in the country, I feel a lot of our people are going to suffer. The economy is very unstable. Just yesterday (Monday) the kwacha jumped to K18 and my assumption is that by the end of this week it will be able to trade at the same number as the fuel prices,” said Silavwe.

Lady in pain as husband plans to marry her mother as second wife after impregnating her

A woman has narrated how her husband impregnated her own mother and plans to get married to her as second wife.

Sharing her story, the heartbroken mother of one who pleaded anonymity, revealed she was shocked after she found out that her mom was pregnant for her husband.

Read her story below:

“In 2009, I got married to my handsome husband. We were living peacefully and happily but unfortunately, I couldn’t conceive early.

A year after my marriage, I didn’t get pregnant nor had miscarriages and my husband, Ken was down in the dumps.

He knew it wasn’t my fault neither it is his because we had visited the doctor and he confirmed that we both are okay.

In 2011, there was no sign of pregnancy, my husband became more worried. We visited so many hospitals, herbalists and churches but I was still unable to be put in a family way.

My husband wouldn’t sleep at night. He would always be staring at the roof cogitating on how to solve the puzzling circumstance.

His mother was really acrimonious. She advised Ken to marry another wife. In her words, she said: “Your wife is barren, marry another wife that will bear me grandchildren”.

Ken would always be cheesed off when she usually say that. He loved me so much and wouldn’t want me to share him with another woman.

A year later, the year was 2012. It was the third day of March. I had a fever as my temperature was very hot.

I lost my sense of taste and everything looked nauseating to me. My husband went to work that day.

He came back in the afternoon as he bought me fried rice and chicken for lunch. He saw me laying on the long sofa in the sitting room shaking like a leaf.

“Baby, what’s the problem?” He asked.

“I don’t know” I replied with my mouth shaky.

He held me up immediately and lay me down in the car as though we were going to the hospital.

We went to the hospital and after a round of tests, the doctor disclosed that I was pregnant.

He injected some drugs into my veins and ordered Ken to take me home and buy me good food which he did without prorogation.

We were so happy and we partied together. Ken wrote many poems for my unborn child and me. When I asked him what he would like the child to be.

“Certainly, a male child but if it turns out to be a girl, I would be also grateful,” he said.

I would always wreathe in smiles because he was different from other men who have resentment on girl children.

Nine months later, I gave birth to a bouncing baby boy. Ken was happy as Larry and he was grinning like a Cheshire cat at the hospital.

The way he shouted in the hospital when the doctor broke the news to him showed that he was extremely happy.

After I returned from the hospital, my mother came for post-natal care –omugwo.

I loved my mother so much– She was very young and beautiful. Sadly, I don’t know my father.

I’ve asked her who my father is but she wouldn’t just tell me; she would always look for a way to cover up my questions.

A few months later, I noticed some unusual moves between Ken and my mom but I overlooked them because I trusted Ken.

One day, my mother fell sick and was taken to the hospital by me. The doctor tested her and found out that she was pregnant.

I asked her who was responsible and she told me that it is my husband. I was frozen with thoughts and I couldn’t wait for Ken to come back as I went to him in his office.

I gave him the result and blubbered with tears rolling down my face ” Tell me it’s not true”.

He gave a glance at the result and said ” Yes, I’m responsible, I will make her my second wife”.Thats how it was.”

ZAMBIA SHOULD HAVE ABSTAINED

By Amb.Emmanuel Mwamba

The United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday overwhelmingly adopted an important resolution.

The non-binding Resolution, which was voted in, demands that Russia withdraws from Ukraine.

141 countries voted for the resolution while 35 states abstained and 5 states voted against it.

HISTORY

Zambia has a long-standing foreign policy promoting peace, negotiating peace and implementing non-aligned policies.

For this purpose Zambia is an active member of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) which played a key role in reducing tensions especially during the Cold War.

The Cold War was a period of geo-political tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Blo, and the Eastern Bloc, which began after the World War II.

NAM is a forum of 120 developing world states that are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc.

After the United Nations, it is the largest grouping of states worldwide.

ZAMBIA RUSSIA RELATIONSHIPS

Zambia has warm and long-standing bilateral relationship with RUSSIA and the recent development of the Zambia Atomic Agency to promote nuclear energy was done in collaboration with the Federation of Russia.

Similarly Russia’s historical sacrificial role to the liberation struggle in Southern Africa contributed to the speedy independence of many states including Mozambique, Angola, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

We also must mention that Zambia’s military capabilities is based largely on equipment sourced from Russia and China.

ZAMBIA -USA, EU RELATIONS

But we also enjoy good bilateral relations with the USA and the European Union.

The two power blocks support Zambia’s social sectors and are among the largest contributor to our health sector budget.

It is in this light that, in my humble view, Zambia should have abstained like the 35 countries that did so.

Further Zambia is renowned for its peace efforts, peace building, conflict resolution and it promotes dialogue between the warring or belligerent parties, an international role our leaders have traditionally played to bring peace in the world.

When we take a side, this role is diminished or undermined.

Republic of Zambia

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT
ON THE RISE IN THE NUMBER OF ROAD TRAFFIC CRASHERS AND MEASURES THE GOVERNMENT IS PUTTING IN PLACE TO CURB ROAD CRASHES

Delivered by Honourable Frank M. Tayali, MP
Minister of Transport and Logistics

March 2022
Madam Speaker
With the leave of the House, kindly permit me to express my profound Gratitude to you Madam Speaker, for allowing me this rare opportunity to deliver this Ministerial Statement on the continued escalation of road traffic crashes and fatalities on our roads.
It is indeed with a heavy heart that I come before this August House to make this statement owing to the many lives that we have lost in traffic accidents which BUT/FOR certain known factors, could have been avoided.
It is disheartening that despite several measures Government has put in place to curb the scourge, road traffic crashes increased to 32,372 in 2021 compared to 28,484 recorded in 2020 and 30,648 in 2019. In the same unfortunate vein, the number of fatalities increased to 2,163 in 2021 compared to 1,690 in 2020 and 1,746 in 2019. These statistics represent a 13% increment in road traffic crashes in 2021 and a 28% increment in road traffic fatalities in the same year.

Madam Speaker

In December 2021, the number of road traffic crashes recorded was 2,658 and the number reduced slightly to 2,383 in January, 2022. The first two months of 2022 have recorded several fatal crashes that included among others, the following:
• On 12th January at Kateshi along Kasama-Mbala road at around 07:30 hrs, a Van and a truck collided head-on as the driver of the van lost control of the vehicle. Two (2) people were killed on the spot while three (3) were seriously injured. Sadly Madam Speaker, the cause of this accident was DRIVER FATIGUE according to the Accident Investigation Report;

• On 27th January in Pemba at around 04:30 hrs, a Mitsubishi Rosa bus belonging to the United Church of Zambia (UCZ) and a freightliner truck collided head-on as the driver of the bus failed to keep to his lane. Thirteen (13) people lost their lives while seventeen (17) were seriously injured. Here too Madam Speaker, according to the Accident Investigation Report, driver negligence owing to FAILURE TO MAINTAIN HIS LANE may also have been attributed to DRIVER FATIGUE going by the time of the accident occurred;

• On 5th February at Kafwimbi area in Isoka district at around 13:00 hrs, a minibus overturned. Two (2) people died while three (3) were injured. Madam Speaker, the cause of the accident was as a result of EXCESSIVE SPEEDING according to the Accident Investigation Report;

• On 11th February at around 07:30 hrs at Luanshya turn off along the Ndola-Kitwe dual carriageway, a small car and a van collided and two (2) lives were lost. According to the Accident Investigation Report, the cause of the accident was HUMAN ERROR OWING TO FAILURE TO STOP AT THE Junction;

• On 13th February at around 19:40 hrs, along the Ndola-Kitwe dual carriageway, a truck driver lost control of the motor vehicle and plunged into the Kafue River and two (2) lives were lost;
• On 14th February at around 10:20 hrs in Kapiri Mposhi, a Zambia Railways train collided with a fuel tanker and two (2) lives of the locomotive operators were lost. According to the Accident Investigation Report, the cause of the accident was HUMAN ERROR due to FAILURE BY THE FUEL TANKER DRIVER TO STOP AT A LEVEL CROSSING;

• On 18th February in Mazabuka at Nyati area at around 16:20 hrs, a truck and small car collided head-on and two (2) people died on the spot. The cause of the accident was HUMAN ERROR AS THE DRIVER OF THE TRUCK WAS OVERTAKING IMPROPERLY;

• On 24th February in Mkushi at around 05:30 hrs, a mini bus collided head-on with a Tanzanian registered truck. It was in this accident that we lost the Mayor of Mongu and two (2) others. Hereto Madam Speaker, according to the Accident Investigation Report, the cause of the accident was HUMAN ERROR DUE TO THE DRIVER OF THE TRUCK OVERTAKING IMPROPERLY;

• On 26th February in Mpika at around 23:00 hrs, a Lusaka bound big bus from Nakonde hit a pothole causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle, careered off the road and plunged into a nearby stream. Seven (7) people died and thirty-three (33) were injured. The cause of the accident was HUMAN ERROR DUE TO EXCESSIVE SPEED ON A DAMAGED ROAD LADEN WITH POTHOLES

On behalf of Government and indeed on my own behalf, I wish to convey that or thoughts and prayers go out to the bereaved families. May the souls of the dearly departed forever rest in God’s eternal peace.

Madam Speaker
The aforementioned causes and effects of the mentioned accidents clearly spell out two overarching factors.

1. Human negligence and bad road user behaviour among motorists. Over speeding, failure to judge distance with on-coming vehicles when overtaking, drunk driving and use of a mobile phone are major behavioural factors that contributed to these road accidents;
2. Poor state of the roads. Allow me to single out the road stretch between Lusaka and Ndola. This road stretch is associated with high traffic volumes and has predominantly been recording the highest number of road traffic crashes. Due to having deep potholes and rutting, travel speeds have reduced to lower than the 70km/h speed limit. This has resulted in impatient driving, which has led to excessive speeding, improper overtaking, misjudging of clearing distance resulting in head-on collision crashes.

Madam Speaker
Government is concerned with this trend and cannot allow this situation to continue unabated. When we noticed a spike in accidents around September 2021, my Ministry instructed the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) to implement more stringent road safety enforcement programmes. Among the immediate strategies being implemented to curb this scourge are:
i. Scaling up road traffic enforcement through combined motorised road patrols by the Zambia Police and RTSA in order to enforce the Law and Regulations issued by Government;
ii. Suspending of Drivers Licences for road users that are perpetual offenders for over-speeding.

iii. Scaling up the mounting of mobile speed cameras to curb the vice of over-speeding;

iv. Scaling up road safety education using various media platforms in order to improve road user behaviour;

v. Displaying inside all public service buses the RTSA toll free number 983 and number plate of the bus and sensitising of passengers to report an over-speeding bus to the RTSA call centre;
vi. Enhanced surveillance for long distance buses using the Global Position System (GPS);
vii. To mitigate accidents as a result of broken-down vehicles along the highways Government through the RTSA has procured an additional Tow truck, to be stationed in Central Province; and
viii. Government has released funds amounting to 4 million kwacha for road maintenance of various roads

In the long term, Government will endeavour to undertake the following:
I. Construction of a dual carriage way between Lusaka and Ndola. Meanwhile, we shall engage with the Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development and the Treasury that short-term remedial works be undertaken on the roads;
II. Amendment of the Road Traffic Act No. 11 of 2002 to introduce regulations such as probationary driving licences and the demerit point system to change driver behaviour; and
III. Liaise with the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security in order for RTSA and the Zambia Police to utilise overhead cameras installed countrywide and enhance over speeding enforcement.

IV. Re-training of Public Service Vehicle (PSV) drivers.
With these interventions, we are optimistic that we will reverse the unprecedented rising trend in road crashes.
Most cardinal Madam Speaker, is that people need to learn to regulate themselves rather than depend on Government to regulate them. We need to change our behaviour as drivers and road users.
Madam Speaker
As I conclude, I wish to urge members of the general public to assist the nation and themselves in achieving the Country’s road safety agenda. I urge all motorists to please adhere to road rules at all times and exercise patience on our roads to save lives. The Public is also requested to make use of the RTSA and Zambia Police toll free lines to report any bad driver behaviour. This fight can only be won if we all work together as one with the aim of achieving a higher road safety profile.
Madam Speaker, in summary we need:

1. Safer people to be our drivers;
2. Safer transport infrastructure; and
3. We need to drive at safer speeds.
   I would also like to inform the House that we will as Government continuously review our post-crash care system so that we can avoid further loss of lives.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.

STATE HOUSE HOSTS VETERAN POLITICIANS AND FREEDOM FIGHTERS

President Hakainde Hichilema writes:

We were so profoundly honoured this afternoon at State House, to have hosted for lunch, veteran politicians and gallant freedom fighters Vernon Johnson Mwaanga, Wilted J. Phiri, Mathias Ngalande, Fines Liboma, Bautis Kapulu and Dante Sanders.

We were greatly inspired by their wisdom and how well versed and current they are, with matters of national and international affairs, and how passionate they are on the need to unite our country and harness our diversities from our different communities and cultures.

This didn’t come as a surprise to us because we are aware and agree that these great men come from a generation of men and women who set aside sectarian interests to unite our country into a truly one nation and one people.

We told the veterans of our continued efforts to rebuild and reconnect the economy, reunite our people, and of our eagerness to ensure that the rule of law was abided and respected by all.

We thanked them for having accepted our invitation to State House, inorder to afford us an opportunity to tap into their wealth of experience as government leaders, in the early stages of our nationhood. We are so proud of our veterans and may God bless them.

Hakainde Hichilema,
President of the Republic of Zambia.

By Hon. Bowman Lusambo
IMF DEAL SHOULD BE MADE PUBLIC BEFORE IT IS APPROVED

When Hakainde Hichilema as an opposition leader then was asked how he managed to privatize some public assets for a song without state agencies stopping him, his answer was “Ministers were sleeping when we were signing.”

Now we want to tell him that Zambians are not sleeping anymore hence our demand for full disclosure of the contents of the Staff Level Agreement his government has entered into with the IMF.

The Fund has responded to our request for full disclosure by stating that they could only make public the Agreement after the Executive Board has reviewed it.

What hogwash!!

This response from the boys and girls at the IMF falls short of an attempt to conceal what ordinarily ought to be public information.

In many instances, the Fund glorifies itself as having reformed. We know that the Fund previously used to publish what was called Letters of Intent. These were public disclosure documents that Finance Ministers of nations entering into economic programmes with the Fund were made to sign before any loans were approved and these were published on the IMF website. Now the Fund today swims in secrecy on one hand while demanding China makes public its loan agreements with countries such as Zambia on other other hand oil. This is hypocrisy of the highest order.

We engaged the IMF with a genuine pursuit to have a well rounded and transparent conversation about the route that the UPND administration was taking for Zambia.

Now that we have received a feeble response from the boys and girls at the Fund, we want to challenge President Hichilema to be magnanimous and disclose the contents of the SLA. The 59 percent vote he received last August does not give him a mandate to relinquish our economic sovereignty to the boys and girls in Washington.

Moreover, Article 62 (2) (d) of the Constitution grants final authority of loan authorisation to the National Assembly, implying that before any Loan agreement is signed, Parliament ought to have scrutinized it before approving it.

Let President Hichilema do the right thing before the IMF Board sits in May/June to review Zambia’s case and make public whatever his Finance Minister Hon. Situmbeko Musokotwane signed with the IMF on behalf of the Zambian people.

UPND LACKS AN ECONOMIC PLAN FOR ZAMBIA OBSERVES THE PF

….where are the middlemen President Hichilema claimed were influencing the fuel pump prices asks Mourinho.

LUSAKA, Thursday, March 3, 2022 (SMART EAGLES)

THE Patriotic Front (PF) has urged President Hakainde Hichilema to apologise to the Zambian people for the many fake promises that characterised his opposition politics which eventually led him into being elected as Head of State.

And PF Media Director Antonio Mourinho Mwanza said those who are stating that the UPND should not be assessed based on the six months they have been in government are being hypocritical.

Speaking when he featured on 5FM’s Burning Issue programme today, Mr Mwanza said the UPND gave themselves a timeframe which the Zambian people should expect to see change.

He said President Hichilema when in opposition made promises that the dollar will come down to K5 by 14 hours on the day of his inauguration.

He said the UPND also vowed to reduce the prices of goods and services and the standard of living for the Zambian people as soon as their budget became operational in 2022.

“They told us that when they are sworn in at 10 hours, by 14 hours the dollar would have dropped to K5. The time the PF was leaving office, the dollar was at K15. Now it is K18,” Mr. Mwanza said.

“Remember, when they won, they said iyi ni budget yaba PF come January 2022 things will be cheap. Today is March, things have escalated. Bag of Mealie MealK120, today it is K170 , 180. under PF it was now it is. 5 litres cooking oil was K150, today it is K250-270. They promised to bring down the bag of fertiliser to K250 but it is now fetching K950.”

He said the UPNd also promised to employ 11,200 health workers, a situation that has led to unemployed doctors to protest due to incoherent stance by Government on the matter.

He said it is baffling for the President to remain quiet amidst the escalating prices of goods and services yet he has time to visit countries world over.

Mr Mwanza said the unimproved economy, the free fall of the Kwacha against major convertible currencies and the increase in fuel pump prices shows that President Hichilema does not have an Economic Plan for Zambia.

Meanwhile, Mr Mwanza has wondered how the price of fuel has increased to K21 when the UPND promised to reduce the price of the commodity by getting rid of middle men and removing K3 which was alleged to being stolen by the PF.

“What has happened today, has the President removed the middlemen, he has not. Has he justified the increase to 21 because the PF were stealing K3? CERTAINLY NOT. This now cements the arguments I made that the UPND had no manifesto,” he said.

By Shalala Oliver Sepiso

Yesterday, I argued that Zambians demonstrated that they don’t appreciate when they voted against Russia at the UN despite all the wrongs Russia has done. I posited that the USSR and Russia have done a lot for us and continue to do so especially that no country educates Zambians at the levels Russia does and since Russia educates more Zambians than any other nationals in the world. I concluded that we only voted against Russia in order for us to look ‘pretty’. Shame! I exclaimed and concluded that we should have abstained since Kaunda left us the perfect stance of non-alignment.
If I was pro-Russian I would have said we vote against the motion but the best was to abstain, which was an option taken by India and South Africa.

Some of those supporting the voting by Zambia at the UN yesterday, surmise that “it is better to be under the capitalist democracies than being under totalitarian ruthless dictators who have no economic sense to Africa”.

However, I say, why do you think that being “under” is any good?

I tell you that non-alignment means refusing to be under anyone. This is why we had our very own humanism, which was not socialism and not capitalism but a blend and it worked well for a long time with serious development of Zambia sponsored by our ability to work with anyone. For example the Yugoslavians – under a dictator build us so many things for us.

When in 1970 Kenneth D. Kaunda called a conference of non-aligned nations in Lusaka, he needed to build – in four months a place for the delegates to meet and stay. President Kaunda engaged Former Yugoslav engineers from Energoprojekt: Yugoslavia’s biggest construction concern. On a small bush along the Great East Road, excavations and pilings started, based on plans drafted in Belgrade and 115 days later, the Yugoslavians delivered a 4,000-seat convention hall and 66 presidential villas, two weeks ahead of the deadline. The Mulungushi International Conference Centre and the Mulungushi Village were ready to host the Non-Aligned Movement Conference which was commemorated by the monument which took centre-stage at the High Court Round about.

Just in case this link with Yugoslavian is to be taken lightly, let me make mention that these Eastern Europeans, who then lived under a dictator of sorts, also did security upgrades to our State House. While we slept, they tunneled and took soil out of State House under covert ops. The engineers secretly built two huge underground bunkers as a secret command center for Zambia. The underground bunkers were a bomb-proofed labyrinth equipped with living quarters, a broadcasting station, meeting rooms and a cache of weapons. According to records now in public domain following the documentaries by one Luckson Nthani in an ill-advised move by Chiluba to embarrass Kaunda, one bunker lies five levels by elevator beneath the State House. The other was a seven-level basement tucked under a hill in State Lodge area near ZAF twin Palm and Bauleni. To complete the maze, they built houses along Ngumbo Road including the former Celtel headquarters – which was Joshua Nkhomo’s house and whose tunnel to State House saved his life during “Operation Gatling” on 19 October 1978, when a joint-force operation into Zambia launched by the Air Force and Army of Southern Rhodesia attacked the house – and other locations along Presidents Lane.

Let us also appreciate that the Yugoslav engineers also built Findeco House, which at 106 metres is still the tallest building in Zambia; the Kafue Gorge Hydroelectric Power Station, the 300-room five-star Pamodzi Hotel; the ZANACO Head Office with its 15 floors; Zambia National Building Society (ZNBS) building and its 18 floors; the University Teaching Hospital (UTH); military and police facilities; and the Zambia National Credit and Savings Bank head office.

It’s the capitalists who didn’t do much. Britain and USA refused to loan us money to build the Dar-es-Salaam to Kapiri Rail-line. While the Chinese built TAZARA – done with Zambia financing the improvements of the harbor and airport at the southern Tanzanian port of Mtwara for additional exporting potential – the Italians delivered the TAZAMA fuel pipeline in half the cost and half the time the other companies from the West had proposed. China did it for us at great cost of Chinese money and lives as thousands of Chinese died building the more than 1000 bridges and tunnels especially on the Tanzanian side. Italians gave us Indeni, the TAZAMA pipeline, FIAT buses for UBZ, hundreds of Zambia-Tanzania Road Services (ZAM-TAN) FIAT trucks and set up Zambian Airways for us. All this wouldn’t have worked without non-alignment. The Americans only did the 2,400-kilometre Kapiri to Dar-es-Salaam highway after the Chinese had began the railway and the levels of investment are not comparable.

In fact, when we nationalised the mines, at the time when the Copperbelt mines benefitted our Zambians the most, the West squeezed us by raising the price of fuel and reducing the price of Copper – remember that at this time Zambia was only third in Copper production behind USA and Russia – and the rest is history.

Lastly, ingratiating yourself to someone doesn’t mean they won’t cheat on you. These “White governments” only Love us as far as they can use us. So no foreign government loves us more than the other beyond what they have demonstrated to us. Remember how Sierra Leone and Liberia were driven by Blacks who came back from the USA but remember the poorest nations on the continent despite their American connections. Let’s see how the Western Democracies will “help” all the 141 countries that voted against Russia. It won’t happen. Are we forgetting the likes of NORAD and others left Zambia and others closed their embassies here? Didn’t we see how on TV – during the Ukraine evacuations – we are still not treated as humans in The West? Or is it “The Worst”?

Anyway its 8am and its time to work now and worry less even though we made a mistake as a nation yesterday. We shall chat after knocking off time.

PICTURE: The Non-Aligned Movement Monument at The High Court Round About on Independence Avenue.

2 ZAMBIANS STOPPED FROM BOARDING PLANE TO OMAN AT KAMUZU AIRPORT IN POTENTIAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING CASE

Two Zambians who were potential victims of human trafficking have returned home.

The two were in the company of three Malawians who were intercepted at Kamuzu International Airport in Malawi as they they attempted to Board a direct flight to Oman.

Below is a joint statement by Police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga and Department of Immigration public relations officer Namati Nshinka

Members of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Human Trafficking, in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on 2nd March, 2022, welcomed back home two (02) potential female Victims of Trafficking (VoTs) who are both in their twenties. Based on the bilateral cooperation and intelligence between authorities in Zambia and Malawi, the Zambians, together with three (03) other Malawians, were intercepted by Malawian Immigration personnel at Kamuzu International Airport on 5th February, 2022 as they attempted to board a direct flight to Oman in a suspected case of human trafficking. The Malawian authorities intercepted the potential victims of trafficking following a request from the Zambian Government to the Malawian Government through the diplomatic channels to stop one (01) of the Zambian females from boarding. This was after a concerned citizen filed a missing person report with Immigration and Police on 4th February and 5th February, 2022, after receiving information that she was en route to Oman via Malawi.

As was the case with the two (02) Zambians who exited Zambia for Malawi through Mwami Border Control on 3rd February, 2022 before being intercepted at Kamuzu International Airport on 5th February, it has become apparent that more and more Zambians travelling to the Middle East Countries for employment avoid using International Airports because of the strict protocols. To this end, Officials at all ports of entry should always be on high alert to detect these kinds of incidents.

The interception of the potential victims of trafficking is a success story for Zambia’s counter-trafficking efforts coordinated by the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Human Trafficking. The case has demonstrated the importance of inter-agency, inter-ministerial, and international coordination and collaboration in the fight against human trafficking. The case is particularly gratifying to all stakeholders involved because we have prevented two (02) Zambians from falling into the ruthless hands of traffickers through a concerted effort.

Following the wishes of both potential victims, the Inter-Ministerial Committee shall respect their right to privacy; hence their identities shall remain withheld. The withholding of their identity is also for their safety. Further, considering the ordeal they have gone through, the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Human Trafficking, through the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) for the protection of vulnerable migrants in Zambia, will provide all the necessary services to assist them in recovering from any potential trauma.

This case should serve as a serious warning to trafficking networks. Government Agencies no longer combat trafficking in a fragmented manner but instead in a more collaborated and well-coordinated approach. This shift in policy has demonstrated clear potential for more successful arrests and prosecution of traffickers.

Although the prosecution of the two (02) Malawian suspects will continue in Malawi, and the Zambians testified in the matter, investigations will continue in Zambia to establish the trafficking network involved in the attempted trafficking of the said potential victims. Further, the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Human Trafficking will continue to work collaboratively with other partners to take action at every opportunity to dismantle and disrupt these criminal networks.

While it is tempting to over-celebrate this success story, we cannot afford to sit on our laurels because these two (02) potential victims are the lucky ones as many more others have and continue facing worse fates at the hands of these criminals. Furthermore, the rescue of the two females could not have been possible had the case not been reported to the law enforcement agencies. To this end, we wish to encourage members of the public to report any suspected cases of human trafficking to the nearest Police or Immigration Offices.

We wish to warn members of the public, especially families or friends of potential victims, travel and employment agencies to guard themselves against being used as recruiters by traffickers.
Issued by:
Rae Hamoonga (Mr)
PRO-Zambia Police
+260 211 250289
Namati H. Nshinka (Mr)
PRO-Department of Immigration
+260 211 255282

By Hon. Bowman Lusambo

Zambia’s UN vote against Russia: Biggest Diplomatic Blunder

In a historic UN General Assembly vote, 141 nations voted to reprimand Russia over its invasion of Ukraine and demand withdrawal of forces. On the list of the 141 was Zambia.

17 African countries such as Burundi, Senegal, South Sudan, South Africa, Uganda, Mali and Mozambique abstained from voting. Ethiopia did not take part in the voting.

By voting to reprimand Russia, Zambia has made a complete departure from a long standing principle of Non-Aligment that was respected by the international community.

The resolution to reprimand Russia was not presented in good faith. The resolution offered no chance for dialogue, and did not undergo full consultations with the whole membership of the assembly.

The resolution further failed to take full consideration of the history and complexity of the current crisis and failed to highlight the importance of the principle of indivisible security or the urgency of promoting political settlement and stepping up diplomatic efforts. This resolution did not create an environment conducive for diplomacy, dialogue, and mediation.

All these elements are not in line with Zambia’s consistent positions and are at variance with our national foreign policy.

We are however not surprised by the Yes vote because of the men and women running government today. These are clueless and inexperienced people with little understanding of Zambia’s political history and international relations.

Zambia should have been the last nation to want to participate in Western sanctions against Moscow. At the very least, Zambia should have abstained.

We are not in support of war but in diplomacy, there are provisions you can trigger to send a message to your friends when you don’t support their actions publicly. As an independent nation, Zambia should know it’s friends and should do all that it takes to stick by its friends.

These are principles that we don’t expect the Minister of Foreign Affairs to know.

How can you get a boy from Kapiri who barely understands himself and you make him Foreign Affairs Minister? To complicate matters, the Head of State himself has a complex towards appeasing the West.

We wish to remind this government that Zambia was not established in August 2021. Zambia has existed since October 1964 and we have friends and allies who have supported us even during some of our country’s darker times. We will not allow President Hichilema and his clueless Foreign Affairs Minister to turn our country into a diplomatic joke. If the young man from Kapiri can only reduce his ego, he can go and sit at the feet of Dr Vernon Mwaanga to learn how to run Zambia’s foreign policy before he brings conflict here.

Beyond this point, both the President and his Foreign Affairs Minister do not have the capacity to undertake steps to repair our relationship with Russia and the day that Moscow starts sending back all our students studying in that country, we will take the students to New Kasama and Kapiri.

Malanji attempted to avoid topic touching on his Grade 12 certificate, submits petitioner’s lawyer

By Mwaka Ndawa

LAWYER representing losing UPND candidate for Kwacha Constituency, Machayi Kasaji has submitted that it is unfair for Joseph Malanji’s lawyers to suggest that the High Court should have taken up the responsibility of calling for evidence to supplement their client’s assertions that he possessed the requisite academic qualifications to contest elections.

Machayi said Malanji attempted to avoid the topic touching on his Grade 12 certificate when it was raised by Charles Mulenga.
In this matter, Malanji has appealed the decision of High Court judge Kazimbe Chenda to nullify his election as Kwacha PF member of parliament on November 19, 2021 due to lack of a Grade 12 certificate and electoral misconduct.

This was in a matter where UPND candidate Charles Mulenga petitioned Malanji’s re-election citing bribery and electoral misconduct, among other reasons.
Mulenga also cited the Electoral Commission of Zambia as the second respondent in the matter.

When the matter came up for hearing before judges Ann Sitali, Mungeni Mulenga, Palan Mulonda, Margaret Munalula, and Judy Mulongoti, Malanji’s lawyer Joseph Chirwa submitted that the High Court led itself in grave error when it entertained the issue of Malanji’s eligibility to contest elections at petition stage.

“It is our submission that the trial court was in want of jurisdiction. Article 52 and 73 of the Electoral Process Act, the trial court had no jurisdiction to pronounce itself on Malanji’s eligibility to contest elections,” Chirwa said.
“The trial court relied on section 97(2) of the Electoral Process Act when the said provision has a caveat that an allegation must be proved to the satisfaction of the court.”

Chirwa said during hearing of the petition, Malanji had informed the court that he possessed a Grade 12 certificate but the court ruled that he did not have it.

He said the trial court failed to execute its duty by not allowing Malanji to produce the certificate.
“The trial court should have subpoenaed the chairperson of the Examinations Council of Zambia (ECZ) to attest its (school certificate) authenticity and availability,” Chirwa said.

Malanji’s other lawyer Benjamin Mwelwa said if the court did not reverse the holding of the High Court it would cause confusion in the country as far as election petitions were concerned, as there would be another pattern away from the well-established manner of proving petitions.

“There will be another paradigm to prove election petitions can be annulled on a simple balance of probability. Further confusion is that as long as the petitioner alleges anything but does not produce evidence, the petitioner will still carry the day in the petition on that aspect,” Mwelwa said.

“The lower court shifted the burden of proof on Malanji to prove that he possessed a Grade 12 certificate when Mulenga did not prove his allegations. We pray that the court reverses the holding of the lower court.”
In reply, Kasaji said the trial court was on firm ground when it held that Malanji did not meet the requirements of Article 70(1)(d) at the time he was re-elected.

“Malanji attempted to traverse the allegation in his answer instead of buttressing the allegation, he tried to mount a legal technicality to the effect that the issue of eligibility was statute barred. Malanji said he possessed the school certificate but he could not produce it because he was not requested to do so,” Kasaji argued. “The returning officer who was Malanji’s witness did not confirm that the appellant produced a Grade 12 certificate, neither did he produce nomination papers that were given to him by Malanji. The returning officer instead adopted Malanji’s arguments that the issue of eligibility was statute barred.”
He said Malanji did not exercise his evidential burden to prove that he possessed a Grade 12 certificate.

“It is unfair by Malanji’s lawyers to suggest that the High Court should have taken up the responsibility of calling for evidence. It does not matter whether the candidate was successful at nomination stage. The court can determine matters bordering on eligibility at petition stage,” Kasaji said. “It is not correct to say eligibility can only be challenged within seven days after nomination. The trial court was right when he (judge Chenda) arrived at the conclusion that Malanji was not qualified to contest the August 12, 2021 general elections.”

He prayed that the appeal be dismissed for lacking merit.
In reply, Chirwa said the Electoral Commission of Zambia accepted Malanji’s nomination because he met the requisite academic qualifications.

“The court below was in want of jurisdiction and the decision was a nullity,” said Chirwa.
Mwelwa added that the eligibility process of Article 52(4) and the electoral process should be distinct from one another in an election petition.
Judgement has been reserved for May 5, 2022.

By Fanny Kalonda

ECONOMIST Lubinda Haabazoka says the tension in Ukraine cannot be the reason for the increase in fuel pump prices because the country has not yet seen unfavourable movements in fuel prices.

On Monday, the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) increased the pump prices of petroleum products by K2.12 per litre for petrol and K2.61 per litre for diesel, while the price for kerosene has remained unchanged.

“The upward adjustment in prices is inevitable to ensure the sustained supply of fuel to the Zambian market in the short to medium term. Notably, there has been a steady rise in international prices of petrol and diesel recorded throughout the month of January into February 2022. This has had a major impact on local fuel prices, with the price of both imported products rising above the US $100 per barrel mark,” said ERB chairperson Reynolds Bowa. “As has been reported, the supply disruptions being experienced on account of the ongoing geopolitical tension between Russia and Ukraine have had an immediate adverse impact on oil prices. Further, compounding this was the continued depreciation of the kwacha against the United States dollar, between the last price adjustment in January 2022 to mid-February 2022.”

But Dr Haabazoka says there is a reason why oil prices were being adjusted every three months and not the 30-day review period introduced by the Energy Regulation Board.

He argued that the Russia-Ukraine conflict could not be the reason for ERB to raise the pump prices of petroleum products.

“I think that Ukraine for now cannot be the reason for the increase in fuel because we have not yet seen any unfavourable movement in oil prices. I think that there is reason why oil prices were being adjusted every after three months. One of the functions of government in an economy is to perform the stabilisation function. Meaning government should stabilise the economy. Meaning energy is one of the most important input not just in production, but also in the input of households,” Dr Haabazoka said.

He has since predicted a continued rise in the prices of goods and services due to the 30-day review period of fuel pump prices.

Dr Haabazoka explained that the policy would cause uncertainty in business thereby causing businesses to overprice goods and services in fear of making loses.

“So for there to be certainty or predictability, fuel prices are supposed to be stable for a long period of time. [There are] mechanisms that government can use without subsidising oil and keep fuel prices stable for longer periods. What is happening now is that fuel prices are going up, down-up-down. So businessmen because they need stable prices of goods, are going to overprice the goods. They are going to overprice their goods and services so that any movement in the prices of fuel is cushioned and they don’t make loses,” he warned.

“The challenge with that is that even when fuel prices go down, they will never adjust their prices downwards. And in an event that fuel prices again go up, they will increase the prices of goods and services because that is the nature of business. The nature of business is to make profit. Because of uncertainty, because they do not know what the prices of fuel would be tomorrow, there is going to be a risk. Uncertainty creates those risks. So in order to manage that risk, give both monetary and non-monetary risk management methods to manage the risks. That comes with a cost that is going to be passed on to the consumer.”

Dr Haabazoka said it was clear that the new daw administration wants to do everything different from what PF did but that they should realise that “this is not about PF”.

“We know that you want to do things differently from the way the previous regime did things. There are mechanisms that I cannot mention because I am now a consultant. But there are mechanisms that we can employ to make sure that without government having to get out money from the coffers, we are able to ensure fuel pump price stability for a long time,” said Dr Haabazoka.

By Rainbow Reporter

The silence by Agriculture minister Reuben Mtolo Phiri over the multi-million fertilizer scandal which has shaken the nation is too loud to be ignored some stakeholders have charged.

All this comes in the wake of revelations that over 120, 299.12 metric tonnes of fertilizer worth over US $128 Million dollars was still outstanding. The bulk of this money has already been disbursed to the firms.

Information reaching the Rainbow Newspaper indicates that contracts signed by all the firms to supply the fertilizer should have completed their countrywide distribution by May last year (2021), but up to now, not all areas have been covered while no sanctions have been meted against any of the defaulting firms.

A damming audit carried out by government seems to also have been suspended or left gathering dust in some office cabinet while peasant farmers are wallowing in uncertainty amidst a threatened national food deficit.

An independent investigation instituted by the Rainbow Newspaper has unravelled an intricate matrix of deception and chicanery between some government employees, some banks and some players in the fertilizer supply and distribution chain.

Some members of the public who refused to be named have challenged Mr. Phiri to tell the nation why it was taking too long to report the matter to law enforcement agencies even when it was established that there were glaring irregularities in the procurement, supply and delivery of fertilizer under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP).

They contend that it is alarming that even after such revelations, the minister neglected or has totally ignored to keep the public abreast through a statement on the seemingly well-orchestrated illegal scheme to defraud Zambians of their livelihood.

Small Farmers Development Agency (SAFADA) Chief Executive Officer Boyd Moobwe said it was disheartening that after pre-election promises that once voted into office, government would take care of the affairs of peasants, it was slowly turning into a pipe dream, because inputs were still not delivered in some areas and authorities were silent.

He said it has been over two months since the official farming input distribution season ended and yet no tangible explanation had been rendered for the failure to deliver inputs, throwing the farming season in disarray.

Mr. Moobwe said there was too much dishonesty in the handling of the FISP and those who have failed to account must be brought to book.

And Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) Public Relations Manager Calvin Kakoma Kalayi said he was aware that the Agriculture minister had been using silent diplomacy with the defaulting firms in the hope that they can make good on their contractual obligations.
Mr. Kaleyi however implored the defaulting fertilizer distributors to quickly complete their contracts cautioning that they risked being blacklisted.

But Rainbow Newspaper investigations have further revealed that according to the two-year rolling contracts signed by the fertilizer firms with government, the distribution should have been completed in May last year.

The nationwide deficit which is estimated at about 120,000 metric tonnes is not because government has failed to pay distributors of the fertilizer, but because of outright failure or deliberate dubious deals and concealment of records bordering on criminal intent.

The independent investigation reveals among other dirty schemes, a cleverly orchestrated, well-oiled ploy duping the banks to release money using fake proof of delivery notes when in fact, no stocks had been delivered.

A countrywide check on the distribution trends showed that only two companies with a completely indigenous Zambian shareholding portfolio, Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ) and Alpha Commodities had delivered 100 per cent on their obligations.

Neira’s Investments, Nyimba Investments, Rockcliffe Trading FZC, Zambian Fertilizers/ETG failed the full compliance test in one way or the other despite some of these firms having received full payment.

According to some of the government contracts seen by the Rainbow Newspaper, NCZ was allocated 10,000 metric tonnes worth US $10,000, Nyimba Investments, 103,130 metric tonnes worth US $ 103,072,400.00, Neira’s Investments Limited 135,000 metric tonnes worth US $131,142,683.00.

Others were Rockcliffe Trading FZC 15,000 metric tonnes worth US $15,659, 662.00., Alpha Commodities 10,000 metric tonnes worth US $9,423,632.00 and Zambian Fertilizers/ETG 55,000 metric tonnes worth US $54,850,392.00.

Bringing the total tonnage contracted for the 2021/2022 season to 328,655 metric tonnes worth US $ 324,148,769.00

NCZ and Alpha Commodities were able to fulfil their contractual obligations by April and May last year in full. The other four named firms have up to now failed to deliver even when the contracts allowed them up to four weeks to make up for contract failures following the deadlines.

Also disconcerting and is seemingly ignored by authorities is the brazen disregard and deliberate ploy by the ‘culprits’ who still owe in millions of dollars on unsupplied public goods.
For example, in the case of Neria’s Investments, which was tasked to supply to Eastern, Muchinga, Central and Northern provinces, investigations suggested the firm under supplied in all the areas it was contracted to deliver by 53,508 29 metric tonnes.

For Nyimba, glaring irregularities were noted such as one Goods Received Note (GRN) document showing that a single truck had delivered 15,000 bags of 50 kgs of fertilizer which is impossible.

Some workers that Rainbow Newspaper reporters spoke to denied having ever seen trucks purported to have delivered the fertilizer according to the some suspicious GRN records bringing to a rise in speculation that documents may have been doctored and hence a 12,560 metric tonnes shortfall in deliveries.

Zamfert /ETG also registered discrepancies in its areas of supply, for instance, the Copperbelt which was under supplied by 228 metric tonnes, Central province was over supplied by 1,023.75 metric tonnes while Luapula and Western provinces were over supplied by 90.80 and 31.85 metric tonnes respectively.

Disturbing reports reaching the Rainbow Newspapers have also indicated that some documents for some fertilizer suppliers may have been altered while some are missing.

So far, none of the erring firms have been brought to book or even asked to re-imburse the millions of dollars based on failure to deliver.

The Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) has advised the Government against rushing to ban the importation of goods that cannot be sufficiently supplied locally.

The government last week agreed to suspend the importation of onion and potatoes into the country until further notice following the complaint raised by the Zambia National Farmers Union over the flooding over the local market with the commodities that can be produced locally.

The Zambia Farmers Union (ZNUF) President Jervis Zimba has warned that over K23 million worth of onions in the Country risk going to waste if the government does not address the continued importation of these commodities.

But JCTR Programmes Manager Chama Mundia said the ban on the importation of onion may result in the shortage of the commodity because the local market cannot meet the demand.

“The Ministry of Agriculture suspended the importation of onions and potatoes. This was done in response to a request from the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) who raised concern that the flooding of imported onions and potatoes on the market risked having the country record losses. Specifically, for onion, losses are estimated at over K23 million if the matter remained unaddressed. The Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) wishes to highlight that this ban is not a new intervention. The ZNFU in February 2021 again requested the government to ban the importation of onions and potatoes anchored on the premise of promoting consumption of local products and supporting local production of agriculture products. The ban was however lifted in April 2021 in view of the recorded supply deficit as a result of the importation ban,” Mrs Mundia recalled.

She said:”Locally grown onions were, however, unable to meet national demand. JCTR wishes to note that the cost of living for a family of five as measured by the Basic Needs and Nutrition Basket (BNNB) for Lusaka in the month of March 2021 thus increased to K8, 644.50 from K8, 512.31 in February 2021, an increase of K132.19. The rise in the basket was mainly attributed to increases in the prices of both food and non-food items. Top on the list was the 100% increase in the price of 4kg onion from K70.75 to K141.41 for 4kg following the onion importation ban. JCTR would like to point out that the continued rise in the cost of living does compound challenges to households’ access to basic needs thus negatively affecting families’ abilities to live dignified lives. Considerable price increases such as was the case for onion, further erodes individual and household incomes.”

Mrs Mundia said there is a need to address the quality, reliability and adequacy of local farmer supplies.

“JCTR notes importation bans serve their good purpose especially when they are aimed at protecting local businesses in order to encourage local production as well as support local farmers. However, JCTR is of the view that such interventions require detailed consideration and that safeguards for all anticipated fall outs are put in place to ensure local demand can still be met. As local farmers demand for importation bans on the basis that foreign imports make their produce go to waste, there is a need for them to demonstrate that they have a capacity to meet local demand for particular commodities,” she said.

Mrs. Mundia further called for the exploration of two pronged measures that will enable the balancing of imports and the need to boost local production using a multisectoral approach.

“In the light of this past experience, JCTR recommends that sustainable solutions be sought that maintain prices of basic essential items within the capacity of many ordinary households. These should include the following: 1. putting in place measures to keep the cost of production low and to t ensure constant supply and availability of basic essential items both in the short run and in the long run,” she stated.

Ms. Mundia concluded:”Enhancing the capacity of Zambian farmers to produce enough onions to meet the growing demand. Zambia has over the years continued being a net importer of commodities that can readily be produced locally. There is however, a need to address the quality, reliability and adequacy of local farmer supplies and also explore and strategise on how they will tap into markets beyond Zambia. 3. Exploring two pronged measures that will enable the balancing of imports and the need to boost local production using a multisectoral approach (Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Commerce and Industry among others).”