NEED FOR PF TO TAKE A RETREAT; GO OFF THE MEDIA, DEAL WITH IN-HOUSE ISSUES AND REORGANIZE

By Patrick Samwimbila, Electoral Conflict Management Expert

The former ruling party where possible needs to take a break from all public engagements, social media and all other media platforms to concentrate on in-house issues, unless otherwise it is completely necessary.

I am afraid if we are not careful, the whole rebranding dream will be overtaken by events, diverted or simply lost all together into the confusion of the continuous appearances of senior party leaders at ACC, DEC, Police or the Courts. Now that Kabwata by election is behind us, what next? Let’s retreat, focus and kick-start the rebranding in real terms uninterrupted.

In my view, we need to make use of the period February – March 2022 to conduct planning meetings and consultations within the party leadership; agree on the roadmap and date of the conference, mobilize resources and take a quick membership audit targeting the eligible delegates to the conference.

April 2022, we hold a cost effective general conference and elect the party president. The president will then be given up to May to thoroughly consult and put in place a new powerful working team (MCC). In June 2022 we come back from the retreat with a bang to launch the rebranded Patriotic Front.

The survival of the former ruling party right now is entirely dependant on how we manage the process of selecting our new leader. The critical question we should ask ourselves is, what should we do in order to emerge more united after the conference? The best strategy/solution under the circumstances would be to plead with all well meaning PF leaders to respect the voices of the majority members of the party who have spoken loudly for the past 5 months by giving them the leader who is trending.

In the quest to contribute to this solution in practical terms, I will also during the period of retreat offer my expertise to foster dialogue/negotiation among the party presidential hopefuls in an effort to narrow down the number of candidates to 3, 2 or even 1 so that we reduce on possible divisions that come with too many contestants.

May I also take this opportunity to address the issue of new blood verses old blood; I strongly recommend a mix. The demand from some sections of the media, blogs and some unsolicited ‘praise singers’ suggesting that all old faces in PF should be retired, are misplaced. The party needs a mix at all levels for the sake of institutional memory, experience, new ideals, new brand/image and indeed new energy. I submit.

WE DO NOT ACCEPT THE KABWATA PARLIAMENTARY BY ELECTION RESULTS – HON. CHILANGWA

… says the PF is compiling evidence of widespread electoral malpractice and are consulting lawyers on the next course of action.

Lusaka … Saturday, February, 05, 2022 [Smart Eagles]

The Patriotic Front party has rejected the results of the just ended Kabwata parliamentary by election.

PF acting Secretary General Hon.Nickson Chilangwa said elections were not free and fair citing widespread intimidation, violence and manipulation.

He said the former ruling party is compiling evidence and consulting lawyers on the next course of action.

” As PF we do not concede defeat in the Kabwata parliamentary by election, we reject the results. We are compiling all the evidence of electoral malpractice and we are consulting our lawyers on the next course of action,” Hon. Chilangwa said.

” The UPND went into panic mode and resorted to the use violence, intimidation and manipulation to win the elections. Immediately Clement Tembo was adopted to stand on the PF ticket, the UPND started putting pressure on the Zambia police to arrest him on some fictitious charges. Their aim was to stop him from filing in his nomination, ” He said.

He adds that on the voting day seven PF members were arrested and badly beaten by both the police and UPND cadres and are still detained at central police without charge or formally arresting them.

” The UPND cadres besieged and literally took over all polling stations and the totaling center in Kabwata. They were armed with all sorts of weapons and intimidated and threatened our polling agents, election monitors and even ECZ officials,” He said.

And Hon. Chilangwa the performance of the PF in the Kabwata by election shows that UPND is losing popularity while the PF is slowly gaining ground.

He said contrary to assertions, the PF still remains strong, intact and will not die.

” If the PF dies, people should worry because the country will slide into dictatorship under the UPND. We are still a formidable party and we are here to stay ” Hon. Chilangwa said.

STATEMENT ON THE LOWER ZAMBEZI NATIONAL PARK BY DR KENNETH KAUNDA – 30TH OCTOBER 2019 (MHSRIEP).

My fellow Zambians,

Friends of the environment all over the world,

The Lower Zambezi is a story of resilience.

I am concerned about the people and their natural resources in and around the Lower Zambezi National Park. This rich ecosystem has supported people for time immemorial. Allow me to highlight some of the important points in the area’s history:

• The Nsenga Luzi people under Chief Mburuma lived in the Lower Zambezi Valley for centuries managing the land and resources well, wildlife thrived.

• When the Portuguese arrived and settled at Feira at the confluence of the Luangwa and Zambezi in 1546, Chief Mburuma’s people guarded the valley jealously and protected the wildlife from their avaricious hunters.

• British hunters arrived in the late 1800’s and hunted thousands of elephant and other large species, the wildlife survived.

• In the early 1920s Nagana arrived and wiped out most of the wildlife and the disease carried by tsetse fly began to infect the people but the wildlife recovered.

• In the mid 1950’s the Colonial Government moved Mburuma’s people out of the Lower Zambezi Valley to Chitope hoping to break the sleeping sickness cycle, the wildlife survived.

• Much of the Liberation war in Zimbabwe took place in the Zambezi Valley but the wildlife survived.

• As soon as the war was over I declared the Lower Zambezi a national Park and the wildlife thrived.

• Slowly tour operators began investing in photographic safaris in the National Park and the wildlife thrived.

Today Lower Zambezi is one on Zambia’s most popular destinations for tourists, both local and International, generating more and more income for government and livelihoods for the people of Zambia. The Lower Zambezi valley also provides a critical biodiversity link between the animals in Luangwa valley and the Kafue basin. It was recently discovered that male lions move through this protected area from Luangwa to Kafue thus maintaining the diversity they require.

The proposed mining operation in the middle of the National park poses the biggest threat in history to the wildlife and pristine wilderness that has survived so many centuries of challenges and supported generations of Zambians.

I am happy and relieved that the Minister of Tourism, Honourable Ronald Chitotela has seen the opportunities for the people living around the Park to build viable natural resource-based economies that can sustain them and their descendants well into the future and I urge him and the Cabinet to consider this as a more holistically sound alternative to the proposed mine.

Our people have a deep history and knowledge of managing their natural resources sustainably, perhaps better than anywhere else in the world. My government recognised this strength in 1984 with the introduction of decentralised wildlife management under the LIRDP pilot in the Luangwa and later Admade and I’m pleased that this policy has been mainstreamed and extended to forestry and fisheries through Acts of parliament.

Much more needs to be done to re-build robust community-based resource management structures that involve and benefit every man, woman and child and contribute to building viable sustainable economies in each catchment across Zambia.
Let us imagine what the kind of life every Zambian wants, be clear about how the environment must look like to produce such lives and plan our management towards that context so that no more time is wasted chasing false promises from the extraction industry.

In line with Honourable Chitotela’s vision, we all need to mobilise efforts to help the people of Luangwa, Rufunsa, Chiawa and Chongwe districts to regenerate their natural resources and build a truly sustainable economy that can serve as an example to the rest of the country.

Thank you and God bless us all.

Fire those Corrupt Ministers, Curb Lawlessness

By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba

Sarurday- 5th February 2022

President Hakainde Hichilema must fire Ministers that have been implicated in the illegal mining and smuggling of a rare gemstone called Sugilite in Chembe District, in Luapula.

President Hichilema must also discipline the UPND Deputy National Youth Chairman, Stephen Chikota who stormed the area under dispute, with a horde of cadres and threatened the Police guarding the area, with dismissals and transfers if he was not allowed access to the premises.

Mr. Chikota also demanded to have “a word” with the investor, an action that clearly threatens the investor.

It is government that issued the licences and if there are any complaints or grievances,they must be dealt with in legal way and not through the lawlessness perpetrated by Mr. Chikota.

These lawless actions instill fear in law enforcement agencies and were roundly rejected by Zambians on the 12th August 2021 elections.

WHAT THE VIDEOS SHOWED US

Mr.Chikota stormed an area in Muombe Village in Chembe District accompanied by a group of UPND cadres.

The area is being protected by the Zambia Police because of a raging dispute between the Indian farmer/Miner and the UPND.

What is worrying in the video are the allegations made by Chikote.

He has also threatened to expose corrupt Ministers allegedly protecting the investor.

He also defied the Police and threatened to have them transfered or fired if he was not allowed access to the premises.

From the video, he claims that the farmer has a prospecting mining licence for copper, cobalt and manganese but he is mining Sugilite, a rare and expensive gem, popular and won as an ornament for its healing properties.

Whatever the facts, the actions by Chikota reminds us of a period of lawlessness perpetrated by party cadres and their senior officials holding state institutions captive and paralyzed.

ZAMBIA’S NATURAL RESOURCES

A systematic way must be established to protect our natural resources, especially mineral resources that are being stolen in the name of prospecting.

Further the favoring of or giving official preference to foreigners and foreign entities over Zambians and Zambia’s interests is extremely worrying.

Let us empower our people.

DEMANDS

Numerous reports are now emerging in public and media domain that Ministers and senior Government officials engaged in wanton acts of corruption and abuse of offices.

It is sad that when these matters are being reported, like in the past, the reports are being casually dismissed or people are advised to report to Law Enforcement Agencies.

President Hichilema has a noble duty to establish facts as President and deal with the rise of corruption and lawlessness among his senior appointed officials.

By Nelson Zulu

FORMER Defense Minister George Mpombo has lashed out at the UPND led government’s commitment in the fight against corruption.

Commenting on various revelation of corruption involving UPND officials, ministers’ associates and relatives, Dr. Mpombo said so far, the UPND government has fed Zambians with uncoordinated approach to the fight against corruption.

He said the fight of graft in the New Dawn government has not produced tangible results six months since being voted into office.

Dr. Mpombo has observed that so far, Zambians feel that the fight against corruption is a fish expedition by the New Dawn administration targeted at former government officials in the PF regime.

“So far, the contributing factor to this confusion is that the fight against corruption has not produced tangible results, people want to see the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), DEC, Zambia Police move in and the following day things start happening in the courts of law. Because of this kind of poor coordination in the fight against corruption people think that it is a fishing expedition by the UPND government against the PF,” he noted.

He said although the intention seems to be good, Zambians want an aggressive approach to fighting corruption because of its colossal damage it has done to the economy and the people.

“The intention is good, people want to have an aggressive fight against corruption because of the colossal damage corruption does to the economy and the people, so people were expecting that under the New Dawn government the corruption or breeze crag against corruption will result into some earth moving developments. So far, we are being fed on a cocktail, a cocktail of uncoordinated activities. What I am saying is that so far, we have not seen any robust fight against corruption which can give the people of Zambia any confidence that the New Dawn is fighting corruption. What we have at the moment is more less some shambolic piece of work in-terms of the fight against corruption,” observed Dr. Mpombo.

Dr. Mbombo has since warned that the approach the UPND has taken in the fight against corruption so far, risks losing public support and confidence in the manner they are doing things.

He said reducing the corruption fight to searching homes, writing warn and caution statements and nothing done to take such cases before the courts of law is circus.

“But most importantly the fights against corruption under the New Dawn administration risks losing public support in the manner they are doing things. It has been reduced to raiding people’s home, signing of warn and caution statements and then after that nothing happens, six months of the UPND in government we should be talking about some tangible developments,” he said.

And Dr. Mpombo has also supported calls by stakeholders to have officers at ACC, Zambia Police, DEC and other investigative wings probed for corruption, money laundering and being in procession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime.

He said there should not be any sacred cow in the fight against financial crimes, corruption and other white-collar syndicates.

Dr. Mpombo said Zambians should know that corruption investigation has become a lucrative business given the nature of the situation.

He cited the officers under the Task Force on Corruption set by late President Levy Mwanawasa that they got rich as they benefited financially.

“You know corruption investigation is lucrative business given the nature of the situation, you saw what happened with the Task Force on Corruption, the situation developed where investigators somehow benefited more financially from the corruption fight. So no one is and should be a sacred cow and cameras must zoom in and run satellites on people involved, I mean people in those offices must inspire confidence in the people when it comes to the fight against corruption, they must know that people who are involved leading the battle against corruption are beyond reproach somehow. So, there is nothing sinister in the suggestion that officers at ACC, DEC and Zambia Police be investigated for corruption, money laundering and acquiring property suspected to be proceeds of crime among other white-collar crimes,” said Dr. Mpombo.

By Mwaka Ndawa

ENVIRONMENTALIST Robert Chimambo has petitioned the state and Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) in the Constitutional Court over their failure to stop Mwembeshi Resources limited to conduct mining activities at the Kangaluwi open pit mine in the lower Zambezi National park .

Chimambo wants the court to compel the Attorney General and the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) to withdraw the approval of the environmental impact statement dated May 7, 2021 as it violates the constitution.

He is seeking an order that freedom of environmental information is a constitutional right in Zambia and an order that the mining of copper in the lower Zambezi National Park abrogates the constitution.

In his petition, Chimambo said on May 7, 2021 ZEMA approved the environmental impact statement (EIS) for the proposed large scale mining in the lower Zambezi national park by Mwembeshi Resources limited without conducting public hearing.

He stated that ZEMA did not demand for a public hearing before approving the EIS and without considering the sensitivity of the area as it is a national park and the divergent and contrary views by the members of the public on proposed large scale mining in the Lower Zambezi national park.

“ZEMA’s failure to demand for public hearings before approving the environmental impact statement contravenes Articles 253(1)(i), 255(1)(m) and 257(d) of the Constitution,” Chimambo said.

“The approved EIS paves way for large scale mining in the lower Zambezi National Park, an act that violates the constitution. In accordance with Article 255(e) of the Constitution, there must be respect for the integrity of natural processes and ecological communities.”

Chimambo contends that open pit mining in the lower Zambezi national part would permanently destroy the landscape of the park and that the construction and widening of the road and the construction of the power lines in the park to facility mining activities will compromise the integrity of the park and affect its ecological value.

He is concerned that open pit mining will displace the wildlife from its natural habitat and will lead to human/animal conflict as the blasting of copper using explosives in the national park will disturb the wildlife and its ecological system including their hormonal releases.

Chimambo said ZEMA was written to in line with Article 255(m) for a compendium of information on the matter but it was tongue tied.

In 2019, the Lusaka High Court permitted Mwembeshi Resources Limited to go ahead with its large scale mining activities at the centre of the lower Zambezi National park.

High Court judge Charles Chanda dismissed an appeal challenging the decision of former Minister of Lands and Natural Resources Harry Kalaba to allow Mwembeshi Resources to produce copper within the national park.

He ruled that the appeal was incompetently before court as no record of appeal was filed.

Kalaba in overturning Zambia Environmental Management Agency’s decision to stop the mining activities at that time said the basis for his decision was that ordinary Zambians would benefit from the mine as they would be offered employment.

Vincent Zimba, suing as coordinator of the Zambia Community Based Natural Resource Management Forum, Morgan Katati, who had sued as chairperson of the Zambia Institute of Environmental Management Forum, Noah Zimba as chairperson of the Zambia Climate Change Network, Robert Chimambo, who sued as chairperson of the Chalimbana River Head Water Conservation, Green Living Movement chairperson Kasampa J. Tembo and David Ngwenyama were challenging Kalaba’s decision to allow Mwembeshi Resources Limited to carry out mining activities in the lower Zambezi national park.

” I find that the period from 2014 when the appeal was lodged to date amount to an inordinate and inexcusable delay of a failure to lodge a record of appeal. This appeal is hereby dismissed for want of prosecution and as a result the order staying the decision of the minister to allow Mwembeshi Resources to carry out large scale mining in the area concerned is hereby discharged forthwith,” said justice Chanda.

MILUPI SHOULD DELIVER ROADS TO ALL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY

ABOUT MILUPI’s STATEMENT ON CHADIZA & VUBWI ROADS: A LOOK AT THE REACTION BY EASTERN PROVINCE ELDERS

By Sean Tembo – PeP President

1. By now it is common knowledge that while on a tour of Eastern Province, Minister of Infrastructure; Charles Milupi said that the Chipata – Vubwi and Chipata – Chadiza roads are not economically viable and will therefore not be prioritized under the public-private-partnership (PPP) model. Of course this attracted a lot of sharp reactions, firstly from the Catholic Church and more recently from a group of Eastern Province elders led by Hon. Lameck Mangani, who demanded that Charles Milupi withdraws his statement and apologizes to the people of Eastern Province. Of course Milupi has tried to re-explain his statement, although l personally could not see much difference between his initial statement and his subsequent explanation of what he meant in the initial statement.

2. Anyway, the purpose of this my article is not necessarily to dwell on what Charles Milupi said or how wrong it is, no. Am sure enough people have debated that statement already and they have pronounced their respective verdicts. The purpose of this my article is to discuss a particular narrative which the Eastern Province elders raised which l feel is too dangerous to be left unchallenged. In trying to justify that the Vubwi and Chadiza roads are important for Government to work on, Hon. Mangani and his fellow Eastern Province elders kept emphasizing that the Province had overwhelmingly voted for HH and his UPND and therefore deserved to be repaid with developmental projects. The elders further went on to give an example of Chadiza District Council, where they stated that 15 of the 20 Councillors including the Council Chairman are from the UPND party, and hence the Chadiza and Vubwi roads deserve to be prioritized.

3. Such a narrative that people or areas of the country deserve national development when they vote for a ruling party is wrong. All parts of Zambia deserve national development from the Government of the day, whether or not they voted for them in the last election. It should be noted that national development is not undertaken with HH’s personal money or Charles Milupi’s personal money, no. National development is undertaken with taxpayers’ money. Each and every citizen of this country is a taxpayer. Even those that do not have a Tax Personal Identification Number (TPIN) like my grandmother; Dailes Daka in Mulima Village of Chief Kapatamoyo, when she goes to buy boom detergent paste at the nearby Kantemba to wash her apparel in readiness for church on Sunday, she pays Value Added Tax (VAT) which finds its way into the treasury and is subsequently used to fund national developmental projects.

4. Hakainde Hichilema’s New Dawn Government has a duty and obligation to develop all parts of Zambia regardless of whether those parts voted for him or not. That is because Hakainde Hichilema and his Government are merely custodians of this nation’s financial resources, for now. The country’s financial resources belong to the people of this nation. Therefore, the narrative which was driven by Hon. Mangani and colleagues that Eastern Province deserved national developmental projects because it overwhelmingly voted for HH is wrong and in bad taste. Perhaps even comparable in its bad taste to the statement by Milupi that the Chadiza and Vubwi roads are not economically viable and do not deserve to be prioritized.

5. The reason l found it particularly necessary to publicly challenge the narrative that areas or regions of Zambia that voted for HH are the ones that deserve developmental projects is because of the adverse effects it can have on provinces such as Luapula and Muchinga which did not support UPND in the last election. Going by the narrative of Hon. Mangani, what are we saying about these two provinces? That they deserve no developmental projects under HH because they did not overwhelmingly vote for him on 12th August? That kind of mindset is totally wrong and undermines national unity. Apparently a lot of people preach national unity but few practice it. Most people feel that if they preach national unity, they are immediately absorbed of the responsibility to practice it. That preaching it alone is enough. Practicing national unity is more important than preaching it.

6. Since we are talking about Eastern Province, a part of Zambia where l come from, allow me to extend some counsel to my fathers, mothers, uncles, aunties, brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews in the province. I know that the ascendancy of the new dawn to national leadership has caused anxiety especially to those who were staunch supporters of the previous regime. Most are anxious of what the new order of things will entail for themselves individually and for the province at large. Of course that is natural and expected. But my particular concern is that in an effort to re-align with the new Government, some are going overboard by disparaging the opposition and sometimes the previous regime. That is absolutely unnecessary. If you supported the previous regime, be proud that you exercised your constitutional right to do so. If you currently support the opposition, again be proud of your chosen political affiliation. If you wish to support HH and his new dawn, remember to only bow your head. Do not stoop. Let us maintain self-dignity for it is what people will use to judge us. Political parties will come and go, Governments will come and go, but our self-dignity as a people should be allowed to live forever.

/// END

SET 05.02.2022

By Hon Topson Pathias Kunda – Mkushi North Constituency
Wrong timing has really affected these four politically.

Mr Harry Kalaba is slowly fading away politically for lack of timing. If he had only joined UPND when he ditched PF. Things would have been different now. He was going to be a great Minister in President HH’s government today. But looking at the way things are going around him may make even Chilufya Tayali to look more popular in Zambian politics.

My brother Hon Miles Sampa is another politician who really struggles with political timing. In 2015 he was hated by president Lungu for challenging him at the convention. I moved with him and I was hated too by ECL. I loved it when Miles supported president HH during 2016 elections but alas he went back to PF just after the election. Seriously I was worried when I saw him in Kabwata constituency because he was actually destroying himself politically there by campaigning for PF.

Dr. Nervous Mumba, the great servant of God is another victim of lack of political timing. He worked closely with president HH during 2016 elections. His biggest problem is that he always want to work with anyone in power. He betrayed HH and started dinning with ECL. Hon Mutati who was miles away from HH jumped ship to join the Red winning team at last minute and today he is a minister and the servant of God is outside fighting relevance.

My good brother Mulenga Sata is another victim of Zambian politics. Timing timing timing. Wrong timing has killed his relevance in politics. He worked with President HH in 2016 and later went to ECL’S camp. If my brother had only stayed close to HH this time he would have been a minister.

Deliberately I left out GBM because what he did is similar to what Judas Escariot did to Jesus. He should just resign from politics and never be trusted even in Church.

Lastly, all the four men I have talked about have money and that is what is making them to even look a bit relevant politically today. Otherwise if they were poor individuals this time people would have even forgotten their sir names. But time is still there. My advice to Mr Harry Kalaba is to ditch DP and remain quiet for 5 years and let him join UPND after 2026 elections because if he joins now he will be misunderstood.

My advice to hon Sampa is to remain quiet as if he does not belong to PF and let him support UPND in parliament. Dr Mumba can join UPND even today it’s fine but he should resign from MMD and it’s the same thing with Mulenga Sata he can be UPND but the two should remain quiet because we have leaders in UPND who never ditched president HH in opposition and they should not be overshadowed by new comers.

By GRACE CHAILE LESOETSA

A LUSAKA resident, Oliver Scott, has opposed an application by Dr Nevers Mumba to have the matter in which he sued him over a property worth US$70, 000 dismissed for want of prosecution.

Mr Scott has submitted to the Lusaka High Court that he was desirous to further prosecute the case.

In this matter, Mr Scott commenced action against Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) president Dr Mumba for failure to complete and transfer a property which he sold at US$70,000 to him.

Mr Scott is seeking an order for specific performance of the contract of sale dated September 6, 2018 being the transfer, assignment and vacate the possession of property LUS/38497 in Ibex Hill, Lusaka.

Dr. Mumba in February, 2021, repaid the US$70, 000 and counterclaiming a declaration that the unsubstantiated documentation for sale of his land are null and void.

He then applied that the matter be dismissed for want of prosecution by the plaintiff.

However, according to an affidavit in support of summons for an order to dismiss the matter for want of prosecution, Mr Scott’s lawyer Mwaba Mulenga of Thandwe Legal Practitioners said the delay in prosecuting the matter was not intentional.

Mr Mulenga explained that the delay in serving the defendant’s lawyers with the orders for direction for trial issued on July 8, 2021 was hit with the pandemic, thus the chambers were closed for a period exceeding two weeks.

He said that upon return to normal working hours, Dr Mumba’s advocates were served with the orders for direction for trial albeit out of time and other court documents on November 23, 2021.

He said that inspire of attempts made to try and comply with the orders by carrying out discovery and inspection, Dr. Mumba’s lawyers never responded to any of the correspondences.

“That I verily believe that the delay in the prosecution of the matter herein has not resulted in an inordinate delay to result in the matter being dismissed for want of prosecution and that the matter herein should be heard on merit so as to avoid an injustice and the plaintiff being severally prejudiced,” Mr Musonda submitted.

By Staff Reporter

NEW Labour Party president Fresher Siwale says lack of transparency is leading to corruption, theft and plunder of national resources.

He says President Hakainde Hichilema should begin nailing his own people charging that, “You were accusing PF of plunder but a good example of plunder is right in the middle of State House”.

But State House has described Siwale’s allegations as “a lot of nonsense”.

“This also explains why an aide at State House can buy a house in Avondale area for cash and knock it down, completely raze it to the ground. Five months into government! How much is Hakainde Hichilema paying his press aides for them to have that kind of money? And where is DEC, Anti-Corruption [Commission]?” Siwale asked.

He wondered how the UPND administration could fight corruption under such circumstances.

“You were accusing PF of plunder but a good example of plunder is right in the middle of State House,” he charged.

“I will not mention names as at now but I want DEC, ACC to deal with this matter. I want Hakainde Hichilema to deal with this matter. I am available to help them. What is not acceptable is to have this kind of plunder. Five months into government, we have seen UPND cadres driving brand new vehicles. Is State House buying those vehiclesWe are now seeing issues of a person buying a house for cash and razing it to the ground. People have worked their entire lives but have not bought houses and razed them to the ground.”

Siwale said President Hichilema should begin nailing his own people.

He said the UPND pot should wash itself before it can start calling the kettle black.

But President Hichilema’s spokesperson Anthony Bwalya rubbished Siwale’s allegations.

“In whose name is the property? How much was the property bought for? It is very simple man! Basic due diligence by a journalist, they can go and check the property listings, lands and everything…” said Bwalya.

“I don’t own anything man, hahaha. First of all the question doesn’t even arise because I don’t own anything. I don’t own a property hehehe. It doesn’t even arise. That question, does not even arise. Unfortunately, I can’t help them. If they want to publish something, I can’t help them but it’s a lot of nonsense man! It’s a lot of nonsense.”

And Siwale said the UPND government has failed to provide leadership on fuel pricing in the country.

The government through the Energy Regulation Board on Monday announced a reduction in the fuel pump price of up to K1.32 for petrol and K1.22 for diesel.

According to ERB, the decision to reduce the pump price was prompted by the decision to migrate to a monthly pricing cycle which now entails that the local price of fuel is more responsive to the market fundamentals namely; international oil prices and the kwacha-US dollar exchange rate prevailing in the month preceding the pricing decision.

“In this regard, the reference prices for the January 2022 price adjustments have been based on the international oil prices (plats reference) and exchange rate trend experienced in December 2021,” stated the ERB.

“According to the marketfundamentals namely; international oil prices and the kwacha-US dollar exchange rate prevailing in the month preceding the pricing decision.

“In this regard, the reference prices for the January 2022 price adjustments have been based on the international oil prices (plats reference) and exchange rate trend experienced in December 2021,” stated the ERB.

“According to the market fundamentals for the month of December 2021, international oil prices for petrol and diesel recorded a notable decline, with the kwacha also appreciating against the United States dollar. Petrol prices declined by 11.56 per cent from US $96.39 per barrel in October 2021 to US $85.25 per barrel in December 2021 while diesel prices also declined by 10.64 per cent from US $93.27 per barrel to US $83.35 per barrel.”

But Siwale, who earlier questioned the hiked fuel prices, said reducing the fuel pump price by K1 was not what he had requested the government to do.

He said the UPND administration needed to be transparent and give a breakdown of the landed cost of fuel in Zambia.

Siwale said the government should be transparent about other costs involved after the fuel had landed in the country for them to justify the K21.16 per litre of petrol.

“But unfortunately, they are silent, they are only reacting through ERB who are talking about the dollar-kwacha rate. If you look at the dollar, the kwacha has lost against the dollar. It’s not that the kwacha has gained against the dollar. The dollar is much stronger than the kwacha this month (January). So what is the basis of that adjustment of K1?” Siwale asked.

“You see they don’t even know how to lie. They don’t know how to run propaganda because it was only last week when they were saying the actual cost of fuel per litre is supposed to be K38. That was the minister saying that but we challenged them whether they had reintroduced the subsidies.”

Siwale said the government had failed to provide leadership on the fuel pricing.

He challenged chief government spokesperson Chushi Kasanda to address the nation because the energy and finance ministers, Peter Kapala and Situmbeko Musokotwane respectively, had failed to explain.

“So what is the government position and they must state clearly that the fuel is landing in this country at less than K6. They must also state that the last tender for the supply of finished petroleum products the highest bidder did not go beyond K8.

And I challenged the Minister of Finance and Minister of Energy, so now I am challenging the chief government spokesperson to clear the air and also show the nation the bids. Let us be transparent. It’s not just a question of waking up and saying we have reduced by K1,” Siwale said.

He said citizens were the government themselves hence the need for transparency.

“And since it is my government, I want my government to be transparent to me and tell me why I should pay an extra K14 on fuel. Can government do a breakdown of this K14.

What are the costs involved? Or is government now confirming that they have now removed one agent so there are 14 more agents remaining and it will take 14 months for the fuel pump price to become normalised?” asked Siwale.

By Mwaka Ndawa

THE Constitutional Court says Articles 261 and 263 of the constitution do not contradict each other as both Articles seek to provide accountability for public officers.

This is in a matter where Chapter One Foundation limited commenced an action against the State over the failure by 40 former ministers among them former speaker of the National Assembly Patrick Matibini to annually declare their assets and liabilities from 2016 to the expiry of their mandate prior to the 2021 general elections in line with the parliamentary and ministerial code of conduct.

The NGO was seeking an interpretation of Article 263 of the constitution and particularly whether the provision was in conflict with Article 261 which requires all holders of public office to abide by the code of conduct which requires them to disclose their assets and sources of income.

Chapter One Foundation director Susan Matale in an affidavit in support of originating summons said that the NGO on January 13, 2021 made a formal complaint to the late chief justice Irene Mambilima regarding the failure of the ministers to comply with the obligations under section 10 of the parliamentary and ministerial code of conduct Act Chapter 13 of the Zambia laws to annually declare their assets, liabilities and sources of income.

She said the NGO requested Mambilima to constitute a tribunal to investigate the unwillingness of the ministers to make statutory declarations.

“By a letter dated February 11, 2021, the Chief Justice responded to the request and stated that she was constrained from appointing a tribunal as Section 10 of the parliamentary and ministerial code of conduct Act was overtaken by Article 263 of the Constitution Amendment Act no.2 of 2016, which only requires holders of public office to make declarations before assuming or upon leaving office,” Rev. Matale said.

The ministers alleged to be in non-compliance with the ministerial code of conduct were Davies Chama (defence), Lawrence Sichalwe (chiefs and traditional affairs), Ronald Chitotela (tourism and arts), Lazarus Chungu (Northern Province), Sydney Mushanga (Central Province); Charles Banda (local government), Godfridah Sumaili (religious affairs and national guidance), Michael Katambo (agriculture), Stephen Kampyongo (home affairs), Speaker Patrick Matibini, Matthew Nkhuwa (energy), Elizabeth Phiri (Gender), Nathaniel Mubukwanu (North Western Province), Dora Siliya (information minister and broadcasting), Jean Kapata (lands), Joseph Malanji (foreign affairs), Olipa Phiri (Office of the Vice-President), Dr Chitalu Chilufya (former minister of health), and Alexander Chiteme (national development and planning).

Others were Emmanuel Mulenga (youth sport and child development), Kampamba Mulenga (community development and social welfare), Bowman Lusambo (Lusaka Province), Mutotwe Kafwaya (transport and communication), Christopher Yaluma (commerce trade and industry), Professor Nkandu Luo (fisheries and livestock), Bwalya Ng’andu (finance), Brian Mushimba (higher education), Sylvia Chalikosa (works and supply), Joyce Nonde-Simukoko (labour and social security), Freedom Sikazwe (presidential
affairs), Vincent Mwale (housing and infrastructural development), Makebi Zulu (Eastern Province), Edify Hamukale (Southern Province), Richard Kapita (Western Province), Nixon Chilangwa (Luapula Province), Dennis Wanchinga (general education), Dr Jonas Chanda (health minister), Japhen Mwakalombe (Copperbelt Province), and minister of mines and mineral development Richard Musukwa.

In its judgment, the Constitutional Court said Article 261 of the constitution only required a holder of public office to act in accordance with the code of conduct and ethics prescribed for that office.

It said in terms of ministers, the code of conduct might be among others collective responsibility, conflict of interest, impartiality and declaration of assets.

Judge Martin Musaluke on behalf of others said Article 263 of the constitution was a new addition that did not exist in the previous constitution and the said Article specifically provides that a person holding public office shall upon assuming and leaving office make a declaration of his or her assets.

“The rationale of Article 263 of the constitution by the framers of the Constitution was that it was necessary for public officers to declare their assets and liabilities. The committee amended the Article by simplifying it and amended it to remove unnecessary details by providing for the declaration of assets and liabilities by public officers,” judge Musaluke said.

“The committee observed that the declaration of assets alone did not promote transparency and accountability and good governance.”

He ruled that the rationale of Article 263 of the constitution was to avail the public with information regarding assets and liabilities of public office holders at the time of assuming office and exiting to keep them accountable for assets acquired between the two periods.

“Article 261 gives a general direction that public officers should act in accordance with the code of conduct and ethics prescribed for that office which is the parliamentary and ministerial code of conduct which provides that MPs should not obtain pecuniary advantage, declaration of interest on government contracts and annual declaration of assets including collective responsibility,” said judge Musaluke.

“The literal interpretation of Article 263 of the constitution leads to the conclusion that it specifically talks to the declaration of assets, liability and income of public officers and clearly gives guidance on such declarations as at the time of assuming office and leaving office. For the avoidance of doubt, we reiterate that there is no conflict between the two.”

Chapter OneFoundation limited chief executive officer Linda Kasonde had asked judge Musaluke to clarify whether the Court was in agreement with her institution or the state but judge Musaluke declined saying the court cannot interpret further owing to the mode of commencement.

He said the matter was commenced by way of originating summons and not a petition therefore the Court only did what the applicant requested it to do by interpreting whether the Articles in question contradicted each other therefore it could not elaborate on the same.

Judge Musaluke asked Kasonde to read the judgment and later go back to the Court to seek interpretation of specific issues which might not be clear.

EVERY CHILD HAS A STORY – DR JOBBICKS KALUMBA.

“I come from a family of six, the last born in the family. I was born on 24th October, 1964. So, I’ll be celebrating my 57th [birthday]. Guys, maybe it will be your first time to hear my story. I was going to Luwingu Secondary School for my secondary education,” Dr Kalumba says.

“I had only two trousers, two shorts, one pair of shoes, one pair of stockings, one blanket. In those years, we didn’t have mattresses. We were using bunkers. So that one blanket I had, I was using it in two ways; you spread on the bed and then the other flip of the blanket I covered myself. That was life! One Sunday morning, it was 7th March, as I was waking up from that bunker bed, [I] checked on the bed and saw a louse on the bed. I said okay, that’s how life is.”
He recalls that during the rainy season, water used to sip inside this damaged shoe and that the stockings were producing a bad scent.

Dr Kalumba says he used to sit at the back of the classroom.
“I had no girlfriend because of my status! One tablet of soap – Ebuoy – and then a bottle of Vaseline! Those items kept me going for five years. I wrote my Form V examinations on a borrowed shirt because my uniform had become torn,” he says.
“So my friend helped me with a shirt which I used during the time of my examinations. Whenever school closed, because I had no transport money from home, I used to go to Mr Njobvu who was my geography teacher and that motivated me to train as a geography teacher. I worked in his garden and then he could give me some transport money to take me back home to Mbala where I come from.”

The former permanent secretary for Ministry of Education adds that whenever he reached home, his mother and him used to carry paraffin (kerosene) on their heads to go and sell to the fishermen at Lake Tanganyika.
Dr Kalumba says the distance between his village and the lake is 45 kilometres.

“So, that was really something that was difficult for me. When my mother was somehow tired alone, carrying paraffin to the lake, there was and still there is a very big tree which had a curved shape. So, she would offload her katundu (luggage) and then put it on that log and then she was resting,” Dr Kalumba explains, to a silent audience.

“After resting, she would bend below the log and then the load would fall on her head and she went to sell the merchandise to the lake, just to raise money for me to go to school. That’s why, guys, when you talked about free Education, to some of us who have gone through that scenario we understand the pain that our children go through – those who are coming from poverty-stricken homes. But education remains their hope for tomorrow.”
He narrates that last year when he went to Mbala, the first thing that he did was to go and check whether the tree where his mother used to rest at is still there.

Dr Kalumba says he “fortunately” found the tree and sat there, remembering his days of suffering.
“Rolling back the curtains of memory to see where God is getting me from, where I was and where I am today, I said let me give glory to God. But again some tears had to flow down from my eyes because when I began my job as a primary school teacher, a month later my mother passed away,” he narrates.

“So, when I look at what God has done in my life, I say if my mother was around today it would be a different story. So, it’s true that every child has a story. Education is the foundation of this country. For us in the Ministry of Education, education is the foundation and the footing of this nation and every institution that is supporting the learning of the children, in whatever form, needs support and recommendation.”

FOREIGNERS SNEAKING INTO ZAMBIA TO ACCESS FREE EDUCATION

FOREIGN NATIONALS ARE REPORTEDLY SNEAKING INTO ZAMBIA AT NAKONDE BORDER TO ACCESS SCHOOLS, FOLLOWING THE INTRODUCTION OF FREE EDUCATION.

Muchinga Provincial Education Officer (PEO) Allan Kaoma said his office has received reports of foreigners sneaking into Zambia at Nakonde border to access free education in Zambian schools.

Dr. Kaoma also disclosed that most schools in Nakonde are congested following the implementation of free education.

He said in some schools he visited, there are over 60 grade 8 pupils in one class instead of less than 40.

Dr. Kaoma named some of the highly congested schools as Nakonde and Ntindi Secondary Schools.

Meanwhile, Muchinga province minister Henry Sikazwe has warned school authorities in the province to desist from requesting parents to pay school fees and other requisites.

Mr Sikazwe has warned that schools that will be found wanting will not be spared but dealt with severely.

He said government is doing everything possible to provide free education to everyone to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor through education.

He said schools should not request for money, reams of paper or cobra saying all these components are included in the grants.

The minister has since directed Mpika District Commissioner to act on the matter quickly.

Mr Sikazwe sounded the warning when he paid a courtesy call on chief Chikwanda In the company of Mpika DC David Siame and other government officials.

Meanwhile, Chief Chikwanda of assured the minister of swift action on the matter.

He wondered what the said schools want to archive by getting money both from government and parents.

The chief said he will engage all the headmen in his chiefdom to follow up the matter and educate his subjects on the free education policy.FOREIGNERS SNEAKING INTO ZAMBIA TO ACCESS FREE EDUCATION

FOREIGN NATIONALS ARE REPORTEDLY SNEAKING INTO ZAMBIA AT NAKONDE BORDER TO ACCESS SCHOOLS, FOLLOWING THE INTRODUCTION OF FREE EDUCATION.

Muchinga Provincial Education Officer (PEO) Allan Kaoma said his office has received reports of foreigners sneaking into Zambia at Nakonde border to access free education in Zambian schools.

Dr. Kaoma also disclosed that most schools in Nakonde are congested following the implementation of free education.

He said in some schools he visited, there are over 60 grade 8 pupils in one class instead of less than 40.

Dr. Kaoma named some of the highly congested schools as Nakonde and Ntindi Secondary Schools.

Meanwhile, Muchinga province minister Henry Sikazwe has warned school authorities in the province to desist from requesting parents to pay school fees and other requisites.

Mr Sikazwe has warned that schools that will be found wanting will not be spared but dealt with severely.

He said government is doing everything possible to provide free education to everyone to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor through education.

He said schools should not request for money, reams of paper or cobra saying all these components are included in the grants.

The minister has since directed Mpika District Commissioner to act on the matter quickly.

Mr Sikazwe sounded the warning when he paid a courtesy call on chief Chikwanda In the company of Mpika DC David Siame and other government officials.

Meanwhile, Chief Chikwanda of assured the minister of swift action on the matter.

He wondered what the said schools want to archive by getting money both from government and parents.

The chief said he will engage all the headmen in his chiefdom to follow up the matter and educate his subjects on the free education policy.
Sun FM Zambia

Cde Patrick Benaiah
POST KABWATA ANALYSIS
Many are saying PF is still strong, looking at the difference in the results. I Say no, PF as a party is completely gone. The may still exist in books yes but trust me they will never get to walk the heights again.
First let’s get to understand Each of the 2 top candidates.
Hon. Andrew Tayengwa
Get it from me, this is a man who is been in the UPND structures for a long time but truth be told, he was never close to the favourite among many candidates for adoption until after the death of Levy Mukandawile. Despite eying Parliament, he has never gone to extremes of beginning to mobilize in the community for possible election apart from his personal Community and charity works, thus most of you claiming he wasn’t popular. Some of you even believed the propaganda by Patriotic Front – PF pages that he was not Zambian. The man was only Mobilizing as a party member for the party before he was finally adopted otherwise he would have white washed your ka popular Losing MP.
Thank God you survived another humiliation.

Clement Tembo

For those of you new to Politics and Kabwata, this man is just another strange individual. But let me make it known to you that this guy on Natural grounds is been not only a threat to his would be competitors but a threat to his own area MP Given Lubinda, in 2011 and 2016 this man was more popular on the ground in Kabwata than Given Lubinda. Living in Kamwala south, I still remember how Mr Tembo ventured in the project KEEP KABWATA CLEAN and collected more garbage than LCC. What helped Ba Lubinda in that adaption probably was Kasaka Kandalama kaku Namakao house and the manda hill Law house allowances, otherwise Lubinda was gone. In 2016 Mr Tembo protested again after the PF adopted Mr Lubinda against the Party structures and stood as independent despite Losing along side the likes of the then UPND’s Mulenga Sata. He didn’t end there, he continued hoping again in 2021 but again he was left out by PF in preference for Danny Yenga who lost to the new on the ballot Levy Mukandawile. Mr Mukandawile died in that tragic Road accident few days after winning in the general election opening s door for Clement Tembo to try his luck again.

DEPTH

From this I’m sure most of us can now see that it’s not about PF being popular, but about who was adopted where. Clement Tembo is popular and we can’t run away from that truth but please don’t tell me about PF being popular because PF is dead and you are yet to believe me.
In Laupula province where they claim to have a bedroom, PF was as good as failed to field in a candidate. They failed even to Campaign against peaceful Isidore Tetamashimba , Levy Sinkonde Patrick Benaiah Octa’s and team. Today someone coming to tell me PF is strong is so illogical and not true unless you are that “Umwana ashenda”.

I agree with Comrade Larry L Mweetwa when he says the party needs to begin to stand on its own outside President Hakainde Hichilema because as things stand Even the Brand Bally is bigger than the party. But please leave PF out of this because this is bigger than Politics in Zambia right now. PF is Dead.

In case you didn’t know, the Kabwata By-election is the 6th out of 7 PF has lost since 12 August 2011.
Let me borrow the world of Dr. Elias Munshya : “Every By-election is different”. But PF is dead I saw this in Milenge District of Luapula Province when we Campaigned in Sokontwe Ward for Councillor Charles Safeli . They lost to Socialist party in their Bedroom.

If you don’t believe me: Wait until we are in Hon. Bowman Chilosha Lusambo ‘s Bedroom.

I submit.
PATRICK MI.

PeP STATEMENT No.5 ISSUED ON FRIDAY, 4th FEBRUARY 2022: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

1. As Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) we wish to categorically state that we do not accept the results in the Kabwata Parliamentary by-election as a true reflection of the free will of the people of Kabwata Constituency. This is because of the violence which was perpetrated against our members and supporters by the ruling UPND party from the very onset of this election cycle.

2. On 28th December 2021 during the first nomination process at St. Patrick’s Primary School in Kabwata, members of the PeP Womens National Choir were attacked by UPND members led by William Banda, in full view of police officers. Four of the attacked PeP members suffered serious injuries and had to be admitted to Levy Mwanawasa Hospital for more than a week. The PeP bus was vandalized, music equipment including amplifiers and speakers stolen as well as two drums. This matter was reported to Kabwata Police Station and despite the assailants being identified by the victims, the police did not effect any arrests and the docket remains open up to this day.

3. During the second nomination exercise undertaken on 20th January 2022 again at St. Patrick’s Primary School in Kabwata, our members and supporters were again attacked, this time by unknown people clad in UPND regalia right at the Nomination Centre and in full view of Zambia Police officers. This caused our people to scamper in all directions and prevented the PeP candidate Mr. Henry Muleya from filing in his nomination at the allocated time. Our people had to regroup hours later and we were only able to file our nomination after hours due to the leniency and understanding of the Electoral Commission of Zambia.

4. It is our submission that these two blatant acts of violence by the ruling UPND against our party instilled fear in the people of Kabwata and prevented them from freely associating and supporting us, for fear of being targets of the UPND violence which appeared to be endorsed by the Zambia Police Force. This was especially given the fact that the Police failed to arrest the perpetrators of the first violent incident that took place on 28th December 2021, despite those people being clearly identified by their victims.

5. In the premises above, we refuse to accept defeat in the Kabwata Parliamentary by-election as it is our firm belief that had the UPND violence against us been absent, we would have been more attractive to associate with and support, in the eyes of the electorate of Kabwata Constituency. In this regard, it is our intention to petition the outcome of the Kabwata by-election in the courts of law. An election should be won by the most popular political party and not the most violent.

Thank You and May God Bless the Good Citizens of the Republic of Zambia and Our Ailing Nation.

Yours Sincerely

(SET)
PARTY PRESIDENT
PATRIOTS FOR ECONOMIC PROGRESS (PeP)

They besieged my home, Given Lubinda

Good evening my dear friends! The story being circulated on social media originated by the Zambian Bulletin Online Media, cannot go without comment.

First and foremost, there were no thugs at my residence last night and there has never been any on any day.

Secondly it is true that my residence was besieged by hundreds of heavily armed police officers from midnight until 07:00hours. They were driving numerous police Landcruisers and mounting anti-riot tanks. They totally sealed the road leading to our residence. It was like a war zone!

One of the videos attached to the article, in which a voice of a known cadre from a known political party is interviewing one of the so-called thugs was taken at our construction site close to our residence. We were totally unaware of any people being there in the night except for security officers who man the place.

If indeed there were thugs at either our residence or at our construction site, would the police not have arrested them during the night? Would the police have waited for 06:00 hours as purported by the author of the Zambian Bulletin article?

For any reasonable person, it must be shocking to read that the police refused to arrest thugs who were to be dispatched to various polling stations where they were expected to cause confusion and, in the process, help the Patriotic Front (PF) to sneak in ballot papers on the basis that they would do so at 06:00 hours after getting a search warrant.

In one of the circulated videos, you can hear voices castigating police for not having taken action and thereby allowing the so-called thugs to jump over the fence. There was no reason for anyone to jump any fence because the site is not surrounded by a fence but there is a long stretch without a fence. In addition, some of the alleged thugs as seen in the second video that is attached to the article, are a number of youths some running and others walking. Clearly the video was taken after dawn.
One would ask why the police could not arrest the so-called thugs. My only conclusion is that the police did not have anyone to arrest and did not have any reason to arrest them.

The only truth is that we were besieged.

By SIMON MUNTEMBA

THE entire PF Members of Parliament are in support of the interim top leadership led by Given Lubinda and there are no glitches at all, PF Chief Whip, Stephen Kampyongo has said.

And Mr Kampyongo said just like in a soccer team, rebranding of PF did not require to get rid of all the senior party members that were at the helm prior to the August 12 2021 General Elections.

In an interview, Mr Kampyongo said contrary to the perception created that the former ruling party’s MPs snubbed the meeting called by PF acting president Given Lubinda, those that did not attend were outside Lusaka while others were attending funerals of party members.

He explained that on that material day, Mandevu MP, Christopher Shakafuswa had a bereavement and the leader of the opposition, Brian Mundubile had a funeral in the family which several of the PF members went to attend.

“The MPs that did not attend rendered apologies because they were unable to attend at that short notice as some where in their constituencies outside Lusaka except those attending parliamentary committees, while others went to attend funerals and we accepted their apologies. But trying to create an impression that the members snubbed the meeting is wrong,” Mr Kampyongo said.

He said there was nothing wrong with Mr Lubinda and acting PF Secretary General Nickson Chilangwa express their displeasure for low turnout of MPs before knowing the reason.

Mr Kampyongo said the matter was resolved after he gave an explanation as the party Whip who was given instructions to invite all MPs.

“We have agreed that we shall schedule another meeting when parliament resumes because everyone will be available and it is easy that way,” he disclosed.

On Kantanshi MP, Dr Anthony Mumba’s remarks that rebranding in the PF would have no meaning if the same people who were at the helm prior to the August 12 2021 General are brought back, Mr Kampyongo said “rebranding doesn’t always mean completely getting rid of old players.”

He said some senior party members that were at the helm prior to the August 12 election were still useful just like old players in a soccer team.

Mr Kampyongo also said it was politically wrong for Dr Mumba to think that those who lost election should not be part of the central committee.

By Mwenya Mofya,

FORMER religious affairs minister Godfridah Sumaili has urged the UPND government to have some balance as they fight corruption, saying it’s not proper for them to only focus on activities which transpired many years ago.

And Sumaili has lamented that the church is too quiet when it is supposed to speak out on the current abuse of people in the country.

In an interview, Rev Sumaili said the UPND government had not done anything about the single sourced fertiliser which was procured at an exorbitant price.

“The fight against corruption has to be systematic. There has to be justice involved in this and there has to be balance. There has to be some consistency as you fight corruption. As a Christian nation, we are resolved to make sure that there is no corruption anywhere.

This government has to have justice in the way they fight it. I do not think that it is proper for them to be concentrating only on the allegations of corruption of many years ago when today people have raised issues on a number of things that have happened which are of suspicions,” she said.

“We are talking about the issue of fertiliser, what have they done about it. Fertiliser was single sourced at an exorbitant price. What has this government done about it? We want to see justice, balance and consistency. They have to be honest about corruption. Corruption is not only when you take something but even through your words you can corrupt the minds of people and cheat them.

They can be deceived in the way that you are communicating to the people. If you are speaking things that you know you shall not do, that is corruption. If you say mealie meal will be K50 but you know in your own heart that it is not possible. that is corruption. So we want to see consistency.”

Rev Sumaili said the church should rise and ensure that governance was founded on righteousness and justice.

“And to the church, I want to say that the church is mandated to ensure that there is social justice in the nation. They have to ensure that there is integrity in the way governance is done so they should have a voice. Let the church arise. The church is too quiet.

Things are happening, there is abuse of people, people are being arrested without being charged. They are being kept in cells without being charged but the church is quiet. The church also has to be consistent. They have the mandate to ensure that governance is founded on righteousness and justice,” said Rev Sumaili.

KASAMA DAO NARRATES HER ORDEAL IN COURT

Radio Mano

Trial in the infamous case of assault, theft and criminal trespass involving suspected political cadres from the United Party for National Development, or UPND, today 3rd February 2022 finally commenced in the Kasama Magistrates Court, with the victim, Beauty Namukoko – who is Kasama District Administrative Officer, narrating her ordeal on what transpired on the fateful day.

The case commenced with a heavy presence of uniformed police officers keeping vigil of the Court premises and nearby areas in a bid to ensure that any form of disturbance like what was witnessed on Tuesday last week, was not repeated.

Narrating her ordeal, Beauty Namukoko, 53, told the Kasama Magistrates Court that on 21st January, 2022 at about 08:13 hours; whilst in her office and on a phone call, a group of men stormed her office and within a split of seconds, snatched the phone and started beating her up, the beating which included several punches and slaps, as she cried for help and begged the attackers to stop.

Ms. Namukolo adds that on the material day, the alleged attackers, who have since been identified as Andrew Sichimba, 27, Boniface Kaonga, 30, Nathan Phiri, 23 and Costen Kalimwengo, 24, walked away with her hand bag.

And Ms. Namukolo has further told Principal Resident Magistrate, Osward Chibalo who is presiding over the case, that three-days prior to her fateful day, the said attackers visited her office asking for youths empowerment forms and when she did not give them, explaining that the forms have errors requiring corrections, the overzealous group unleashed insults and threats on her life.

The Court has since adjourned this matter to 3rd March, 2022 for continuation of trial.

On Tuesday last week, trial in this matter could not start due to some supporters of the UPND being at the Court premises while clad in their political party regalia, a scenario which made the Court adjourn the matter.

Meanwhile, appearing for plea before Principal Resident Magistrate, Osward Chibalo, on Monday 24th January, 2022, the accused; Andrew Sichimba, 27 of Mukulumpe township, Boniface Kaonga, 30 of Musenga township, Nathan Phiri, 23 of Amini village and Costen Kalimwengo 24 of Winberg suburb, pleaded not guilty.

On 21st January 2022 and a few days that followed, a video went viral where visibly identifiable people, suspected to UPND political cadres, are captured mercilessly attacking the Kasama District Administrative Officer, or DAO, Beauty Namukoko.

Today marks 10 years since the PF government interrogated former first lady Thandiwe Banda

By Kennedy Limwanya

Exactly 10 years ago, on 3 February 2012, the Patriotic Front (PF) government questioned former first lady Thandiwe Banda at the Zambia Police headquarters in Lusaka.

Mrs Banda is the wife of former president Rupiah Banda who had lost in the general elections held on 20 September 2011.

The Joint Government Investigation Team (JGIT) interrogated Mrs Banda in relation to the source of funding for the Mpundu Trust villas in lusaka.

An hour later, the JGIT conducted a search at Mrs Banda’s aunt’s house in Nyumba Yanga residential area in Lusaka.

Mrs Banda’s aunt is Ms Esnart Kapufi.

I was there as the search, which began at 10:00 hours and ended at 18:00 hours, was being conducted.

The chief government spokesperson at that time was Given Lubinda who is, currently, PF acting president in opposition.

Against the law, Lubinda had fired media heads at the Times of Zambia, Zambia Daily Mail and Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC).

At the Times of Zambia, managing director John Phiri was replaced with Godfrey Malama while Isaac Chipampe took over from Evans Milimo at the Zambia Daily Mail.

Other victims were Wallen Simwaka and Ndubi Mvula at the Zambia Daily Mail.

At ZNBC, Joe Chilaizya was appointed director-general, taking over from Eddie Mupeso.

Chilaizya, then, decided to fire Oswald Mutale, Inutu Himanje and Doris Mulenga, among others.

At the Times of Zambia, the PF government fired young junior reporters who included Bob Sianjalika, Patson Phiri, Obert Simwanza, Whitney Mulobela, Richard Mulonga and Abel Mboozi.

Weeks before that, the PF government had questioned, among other Movement for Multiparty Democracy officials, former Minister of Finance Situmbeko Musokotwane, former minister of Education Dora Siliya and former Mines minister Maxwell Mwale.

That was just under six months of the PF assuming power.

Another one who had been searched within four months of the PF in office was former vice-president Nevers Mumba.

Much earlier, former senior private secretary at State House, Robinson Nkonde, had also been questioned.

Three months later, former vice-president George Kunda was interrogated by the Drug Enforcement Commission.

Not only that.

Mr Kunda had undergone another ordeal.

Mr Kunda’s 84-year-old indisposed father, Njonamo Kunda and mother Eginala Mwelwa, were subjected to a harrowing experience of watching helplessly as a Zambia Police squad conducted a search in the wee hours of 10 February, 2012 at their farm in Serenje.

Kunda’s father had been recuperating from a stroke that had even led to his admission to the University Teaching Hospital when heavily-armed police officers raided the farm around 05:00 hours.

“It was very demeaning. The police officers searched everywhere, including where my parents sleep. The police were there until after 13:00 hours and, during that time, my parents never ate anything,” Mr Kunda would, later, tell me.

Today, Given Lubinda wants to tell the world that he and his friends are being harassed when only he and Bowman Lusambo have been questioned since the PF was voted out ín August 2021.

Doesn’t hé know that the Zambian people are upset at the slow pace of probing the PF criminal gang?

Hypocrites!

By Mwaka Ndawa

THE state says the law suit commenced against it by former PF secretary general Davies Mwila over his interrogation by the DEC is an attempt to challenge the Commission’s statutory authority to conduct criminal investigations against members of public.

The office of the Attorney General says reliefs Mwila is seeking are aimed at curtailing the ongoing criminal investigations, which involve some members of the PF, through civil proceedings.

In this matter, Mwila has sued the state over the decision of the Drug Enforcement Commission to quiz him and Antonio Mwanza regarding the party’s source of funds during campaigns prior to the August 12, 2021 general elections.

Mwila, who has commenced the action on behalf of the party, wants damages for intimidation and harassment of PF members by the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC).
He is seeking damages for discrimination, misrepresentation and defamation of character.

Mwila also wants the court to declare that the party cannot be compelled to disclose its source of income and that the same was not laundered.

However, the state has asked the court to determine whether Mwila’s action is an attempt to circumvent the DEC’s statutory authority to conduct criminal investigations relating to allegations of money laundering against members of the public through the use of civil proceedings.

According to a notice of motion to dismiss the action on a point of law sworn by Highton Chilela a DEC investigations officer in the anti-money laundering investigations unit, the state said criminal investigations were on-going.

Chilela said Mwila was in total disregard of the law and procedure by deliberately and wrongfully disclosing information that related to such investigations in the guise of civil proceedings.

“The plaintiff’s pleading cannot be sustained by this court as it is otherwise an abuse of court process.

I verily believe in the interest of justice and public policy to allow investigative authorities to carry out their statutory duties without being curtailed by frivolous civil proceedings such as the one before this court,” said Chilela.

GEARS Initiative shocked with K1m expenditure on ECZ new logo

The Electoral Commission of Zambia-ECZ- May have acted extravagantly on its expenditure of K1m on rebranding the new logo for the Commission.

GEARS initiative agrees with George Mpombo on his observation in Mast Newspapers that spending K1m on a new ECZ Logo by ECZ was toe-curling act.

However, Mr Mpombo’s argument that the K1m was have been on electoral law reform may not be accurate because it is not the ECZ that must push for the review of the electoral laws as suggested by Mr Mpombo but the Government and other stakeholders like CSOs or NGOs, political parties.

It is indeed toe-curling act for ECZ to rebrand its logo in an excess of K1m.

It is our considered view that rebranding a corporate logo must not even have been a priority for the Commission.

This expense is unbelievable for an institution that has failing to respect the provision of the law since 2016 on account of limited funding.

Provisions of the law which the ECZ has disrespected on a claim of having no money include, section 7 of the electoral process Act on registration of voters on a continuous basis and Article 229 of the Constitution on decentalising the operations of the Commission to provinces and progressively to districts.

Currently, ECZ borrows poll staff from ministries of Education and Local Government respectively, most of them have questionable loyalty to the Commission but their parent miniseries.

The hired poll staff usually getting excited to work with ECZ for an extra allowances and exposed to political interference especially at recruitment stage.

It is clear that the reasons for not embarking on the decentalising its operation to provinces and failure to undertake continuous voter registration exercises are not limited funding now but limited political and institution will.

This is a misplaced priority by the ECZ the institution has undertaken as a public body.

Wouldn’t K1m enough to create offices in the 10 or at least 6 provinces of this country to easy its operations and avoid hiring govermemt workers to do its job?

Or wouldn’t it be enough to reopen the closed officepoints and make them permanent offices in Lusaka and the Copperbelt for the continuous registration of voters to show some commitment on the demands of the law for continuous registration of voters ahead of the 2026 General Election?

Spending K1m public money on rebranding a corporate logo and justifying it is being insensitive and an unaccountable to the public demands for efficient, prudent and accountable use of public funds for quality electoral service delivery.

Who complained against the previous corporate logo for the Commission to prioritise its change so quickly after the general election for it to attract an expenditure of K1m for a new logo?

Are there no priority areas and complaints on ECZ operations lodged to the Commission which it has not acted on due to the claim of limited resources or poor funding?

Is it that now the Commission is well funded to an extent of being such an extravagant spending agency of government with a hopping K1m for a new logo?

The public expect better use of public resources than this surely. Only for a new logo whose impact on the electoral process is nil to gobble K1m?.

Government must help its institutions to avoid such acts in future where possible so that they are not wasteful because the K1m the Commission has spent on the new logo is a clear act of wastefullness of public funds.

It is a disgusting expenditure truly speaking.

This kind of exaggerated expenses is what makes the electoral process dummy expensive in Africa and Zambia in particular.

No wonder as a country we still take pleasure to print ballot papers in most expensive places like the United Arab Emirates (Dubai) with excitement deliberately refusing to do it locally.

We must come down to our level of economic development for us to do the right things and compete with equals not with unequals.

McDonald Chipenzi
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
GEARS Initiative Zambia

KABWATA DECIDES: Who takes the elite walk to manda hill

THE battle is on, the people of Kabwata in Lusaka are exercising their right to vote to choose a new Member of Parliament after the death of Levy Mkandawire of UPND.

They should count themselves lucky and blessed because they will be the first ones to cast votes under the one million Kwacha Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) new logo.

Kabwata constituency has 108, 729 registered voters, one of the highly populated areas in Lusaka, housing Chilenje, where there is the famous maploto as well as the Kenneth Kaunda’s historical residence, Chalala, Jack Compound (once MMD’s infested Ghetto) Libala, Kamwala – second class trading area and the mighty Kabwata township, known for bars and prostitution.

It has five wards namely Chilenje with 40 polling stations, Kabwata 18, Libala 22, Kamwala 27 and Kamulanga 24.

Much of Kabwata Constituency has middle class citizens, a combination of employees and business people. It is not short of bars and lodges, which we can conclude that it’s one of the major businesses.

Nine candidates are battling it out.These are Clement Tembo of the immediate past ruling party, once the mighty PF, Tripher Ngandu of Socialist Party, and Andrew Tayengwa of the ruling UPND.

The Self proclaimed public lawyer and the man who imported a wife and boasts of having the best moment of his life as a married man with his slogan, “families must come first” Chilufya Tayali of EEP has also weighed in with hopes of scooping the seat.

Others in Kabwata battle are Little known Henry Muleya of PEP, Sydney Zyambo of PAC, Self rule party and the only female candidate in the race Myzece Engiwe of UNIP, the first ruling party after Zambia got it’s independence under the leadership of the late Kenneth Kaunda and Fred Mubanga of DP which is embroiled in comfusion and political turmoil.

All the candidates have expressed hope of scooping the seat which has been vacant since November last year.

Initially, the by election was supposed to take place on 20 January 2022, but was postponed after a UPP candidate Francis Libunda withdrew after filing his nomination, much to the annoyance of stakeholders and opponents.

Political analysts say the battle is among PF, UPND and Socialist Party and maybe Chilufya Tayali of EEF.

Generally, campaigns to the run up to the by election have been peaceful, despite a few reports of violence. The notable one is the one made by Socialist Party Leader, Fred M’membe who wrote to ECZ alleging that his supporters were attacked in Jack Compound.

Kabwata still have challanges of garbage collection, water, unemployment and poor roads is some townships.

The new MP should look into these issues as promised during campaigns.

Let the best candidate win.

Note
The author is a Journalist and PR consultant as well a resident.

ABABUFI

Ababufi bakwata ululimi ulwalowa – ukucila na Sugar yaku Nakambala! They say things they don’t mean and do things they don’t say. This is the way the key leadership of this government is behaving.

And this behaviour of theirs is well explained in Matthew 23:1-12.
“Why don’t you practice what you preach?” Have you ever said those words? Maybe someone has said them to you. Hypocrites are people who pretend to be something they are not. They may say one thing and then do the opposite. They may act one way in a certain setting and then act another way in a different setting. It is very important that as Christians, we follow the example of Jesus Christ. It doesn’t matter where we are or who we are with. The words we speak and the things we do should always reflect our faith. Sometimes we are good at telling other people what they should do and how they should live, but we fail to follow our own instructions. We need to, as the saying goes, “walk the walk, not just talk the talk.”

In Matthew 23, Jesus tells the crowds and his disciples to do what the Pharisees and the scribes teach them to do, “but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach” (Matthew 23:3). In other words, the leaders talk the talk, but they don’t walk the walk. Why is it important to practice what we preach? The most basic reason is the integrity of our faith.

In Matthew 5:14, Jesus tells us, “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid.” People should be attracted by the light of the way we live and the words we speak. Whether we like it or not, people are watching us and seeing how we respond to the ups and downs of everyday life.

What evidence do we offer of our profession of faith? Are our responses any different from those of persons who don’t profess to know Christ? How do we practice what we preach? One way is to be careful about the words we speak. You can tell a lot about a person by the words they use. James tells us the tongue is very dangerous. It can set a great forest ablaze. We can tame all kinds of animals, but we cannot tame the tongue (James 3:3-6).

People are listening to the words we speak. The words we speak should match the person we claim to be. What you see is what you get. Political ideas are worthless if they aren’t inspired by noble, selfless sentiments. Likewise, noble sentiments are worthless if they are not based on correct, fair ideas.

Fred M’membe

HAS MAURICE JANGULO BECOME THE NEW DAWN’S RASPUTIN?.

By John Phiri

That every throne attracts its own rogue is exemplified by how long myths and truths have persisted about one Grigory Rasputin since the days of Russian Emperor Nichholas II.

According to Albinko Hasic, writing in a publication in 2016, the life and death of Grigory Rasputin is shrouded in mythology, as a mystic healer, political saboteur and renegade monk.

What is relevant to this discussion is that Rasputin wormed his way into the household of Tsar Nicholas II by promising, largely via Tsarina Alexandra, that he could cure their sick son of hemophilia.

He proceeded to use his new position to attract to himself many dubious benefits, resulting in many believing that he had the Russian royal court spellbound by some special powers.

The amount of press that Alfa Commodities owner Maurice Jangulo is getting, and the government’s failure to explain why he was given a fertiliser contract worth $50 million and paid immediately, without open tender, is beginning to suggest he has a strange hold on the New Dawn government, especially as regards his near mythical qualifications as Zambia’s fertiliser supremo now seemingly destined to hog the lucrative government fertiliser supply contracts space.

Like Rasputin promised Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra a cure for their son, Jangulo is reported to have assured President Hakainde Hichilema and the Ministry of Agriculture that he had capacity to end the immediate fertiliser supply problems plaguing Southern Province, and thereafter ensure steady, efficient supply countrywide.

To kick off his fertiliser supply coup, it is understood he “recommended” the single sourcing of a private company, known as MVC Consultants, to conduct a forensic audit of the government fertiliser supply contracts of the past decade, and especially the last contracts given by the previous government, zeroing in on the Fertiliser Support Programme for 2021/2022 season.

So far there the government has given no credible information to prove there was a transparent process to engage this firm to do the audit.

But there is a letter by Ministry of Agriculture Permanent Secretary Green Mbozi to all Provincial Agricultural Coordinators to give MVC Consultants unfettered access to the data they sought.

‘’…This serves to inform you that the Ministry has engaged MVC Consultants to help with monitoring of the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) programme implementation for the 2021/2022 season.

The consultants are currently in the field in all provinces following up the implementation of FISP. You are all being urged to support the consultants’ activities as they carry out their work.

Please urgently communicate the contents of this minute to all districts under your charge.’’ ’’ read the letter in part dated December 3, 2021 and signed by Mbozi

This is the audit that Socialist Party President Fred M’membe said was manipulated by Jangulo to point accusing fingers at all the other major fertiliser suppliers of greater capacity than his own Alfa Commodities.

That some of them were found not to have completed delivery of their consignments was used to “blacklist” all of them, including those that had delivered on their contracts, and still have not been paid in full for their work.

By this hatchet job Jangulo is said to be angling to position himself to be installed as the chief fertiliser supplier to the government, despite the miniscule capacity of his company Alfa Commodities.

Testimony of this is the fact that Alfa Commoditoes has struggled to supply the 37, 000 tonnes contracted for Southern PRovince, and resorted to buying the commodity from some of the same “discredited” competitors.

Some of this fertiliser supplied by Alfa Commodities has been found to be substandard and underweight.

M’membe and others have asked the government to explain this matter but the Ministry of Agriculture has remained silent.

Part if the explanation sought is why Alfa Commoddities has been allowed to supply fertiliser to the government at $1,407 while the competitors the audit sought to discredit supplied at $1,000.

The failure of government to explain these facts has now led to speculation that Jangulo is now the power in the Ministry of Agriculture, and is running the fertiliser power axis running from Alfa Commodities, Permanent Secretary Mbozi (said to have also been recommended by Jangulo) and State House.

The sooner the government comes out with credible explanations about this contract, the better for all concerned.

Otherwise speculation and innuendo regarding the power of Jangulo will continue to grow, much like Rasputin in the Russian royal court.

Because of his constant presence in the royal court, whispers grew that Rasputin was acting as a puppet master over the royal couple, wielding great power as an adviser, helping in appointing his own church ministers and other public officials.

If Jangulo and Mbozi both once worked together in high profile agribusiness operations would you blame those suggesting that the former recommended to latter for his current job, which is critical in processing the much sought after fertiliser contracts?

A minor point in this saga may be the actual timing of the signing of the contract between the government and Alfa Commodities, a point being canvassed to give the New Dawn government a minor escape route.

But this would be minor indeed, considering that in the only explanation Minister of Agriculture has given thus far, he stated categorically that the government decided to give a contract to Alfa to supply 37,000 tonnes.

Rasputin’s behavior and influence came to symbolize everything negative in Russian politics and society at the time.

Just like Rasputin, Jangulo, much like Kaizar Zulu in the Patriotic Front government, is emerging as a symbol of the kind of dealings that give Zambian governments a negative portrayal and a bad name.

Much like the tale of his murder, the aftermath of Rasputin’s death has been mythologized over the years.

According to legend, after Rasputin’s poisoned and shot body was thrown into the ice-cold river, he was fished out by a group of passersby, who found that he was still alive when they dragged his body to the shore of the river.

However, the truth is that after Rasputin’s already deceased corpse was thrown into the Malaya Nevka River, it took days for the police to find the body because the water had already frozen in the sub-zero Russian winter.

Jangulo too, is coming back from some kind of business death or failure. He was at the helm of what should have become Africa’s largest fertiliser supply company called Nyiombo.

Details of the plunder of that firm, the birth of Zambezi Airlines, and the eventual demise of both, is one whose facts are the subject of a different discussion.

ends.

ABOUT THE WRITTER.

John Phiri is former Editor Inchief at Times of Zambia.

WONDERFUL GROUP OF COMPANIES FERTILISER PLANT MAKING PROGRESS

Lusaka: 02. 02.2022 – ZDA Applauds United Capital Fertilizer Zambia Limited for Actualising Pledged Investment.

The Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) is elated with the speed at which United Capital Fertilizer Zambia Limited which is part of the Wonderful Group of Companies is moving at in constructing the Fertilizer Plant.

The company acquired an Investment Certificate from the ZDA in the last quarter of the year 2021 for the construction of a Fertilizer Plant at a projected cost of USD 308 million and already they have hit the ground running in constructing the Plant.

Speaking during a familiarization tour of the construction works, ZDA Acting Director General Albert Halwampa said the Agency is happy with the progress and that it will continue to support the project till its fruition.

Mr. Halwampa said the Agency is also pleased that the company is not only looking at servicing the local market but is also looking at the export market which will increase the country’s foreign exchange reserves.

“We want to make sure together we create wealth and employment for the people of Zambia,” he stated.

Mr. Halwampa noted that the Agency does not want to see the project fail as everybody was waiting for the commissioning of the project.

The ZDA chief added that what makes the project more appealing is the fact that it is environmentally friendly without carbon emissions and makes it eligible for the Green Fund.

Meanwhile, United Capital Fertilizer Company Limited Board Member Roy Mwamba said the company is way ahead of the planned schedule.

Mr. Mwamba said the test operations of the plant are expected to start in June this year adding that the plant is scheduled for an official launch in July this same year.

He revealed that the company intends to manufacture fertilizers that are customized to cater for the specific needs of the soils in the three agro-ecological regions of the country.

He stated that currently, the company has created 450 jobs for local Zambians and will need an additional 150 workers by March this year.

The Plant whose capacity is about 300, 000 metric tons per annum is expected to reduce the cost of fertilizer on the local market as the key raw materials in the production process will be sourced locally.

It is hoped that the reduced cost will ensure that local farmers are able to easily access affordable agricultural inputs.

The ground-breaking ceremony of the United Capital Fertilizer Zambia Company Limited was graced by the Republican Vice President Mutale Nalumango in November 2021.