The Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have has called on President Hakainde Hichilema to publicly address the allegations and necessarily, disassociate himself and the United party for National Development (UPND) Government from the contents of the audio.

In a joint statement released to the media, the CSOs further raised concern about the appointment of Minister of Green Economy and Environment, Honourable Collins Nzovu’s wife, Ms Shezzipe Nzovu, as Head of Procurement at ZESCO without following institutional laid down procedures.

The CSOs said that it was evident that to fill a vacancy in a Public Institution such as ZESCO, a public advertisement should have been made so that the position is competed for.

Below is the full statement

JOINT CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS STATEMENT ON THE RECENT BREACHES OF THE RULE OF LAW IN THE NEW DAWN* ADMINISTRATION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Lusaka, January 26, 2022

We the undersigned Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have noted with great concern the recent governance breaches by some key figures in the UPND Administration that have the potential to undermine the country’s human rights record and the rule of law in Zambia.

We are particularly, concerned with the silence of the President, His Excellency Mr. Hakainde Hichilema regarding the leaked audio that implicates his Political Advisor, Mr. Levy Ngoma and Ministry of Home Affairs Administration Permanent Secretary, Mr. Joseph Akafumba.

In his inaugural Speech, President Hichilema committed His Government to the promotion of National Unity, Good Governance, and Adherence to the Rule of Law. It is therefore saddening to note the contents of the audio which borders on undermining State Institutions and the Rule of Law.

We therefore call upon the President to publicly address the allegations and necessarily, disassociate himself and the UPND Government from the contents of the audio.

Not only should Good Governance and Adherence to the Rule of Law be spoken of, it should also be seen to be implemented at all levels.

Further, we the undersigned Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) note with concern the appointment of Minister of Green Economy and Environment, Honourable Collins Nzovu’s wife, Ms. Shezzipe Nzovu, as Head of Procurement at ZESCO without following institutional laid down procedures.

It is evident that to fill a vacancy in a Public Institution such as ZESCO, a public advertisement should have been made so that the position is competed for.

This is a major cause for concern as the President has repeatedly stated that he would usher in an era of Professionalism, Integrity, and Good Governance and yet we have so far witnessed the mentioned contrary development.

The Head of State has, on several occasions, made a commitment that under his rule, Zambians would be employed in public institutions based on merit. We urge the President to publicly condemn such blatant breaches and call officers involved to order.

We further note the alarming statements made by the Minister of Information and Media and Chief Government Spokesperson Honourable Chushi Kasanda on professionalism in the media. Most particularly when the Minister stated that “media freedom is not absolute as it comes with the responsibility of the media verifying information before publishing it, providing balance, objectivity and accuracy.”

We wish to remind the Honourable Minister that Article 20 (2) of the Constitution of Zambia provides that:

“Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, a law shall not make any provision that derogates from freedom of the press.”

The media remains an effective means of promoting accountability in Government, and Journalists play an essential role in upholding the rule of law.

In addition, media freedom is a necessary tool in any Democracy as it ensures that the democratic principle of publicity, also referred to as transparency, is satisfied. Publicity, in this context, refers to making information about the operations of government public and provides the opportunity for public debate and scrutiny of matters of public concern.

It was our expectation that the Minister should have been more concerned with the revelations in the audio which has the potential to erode Good Governance and negate the Country’s democratic credentials beyond just focusing on the dissemination the same.

Furthermore, we note with great concern that the Minister chose to rely on the provisions of the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act, the very Act that the President, while in the opposition then, pledged to repeal as soon as he was ushered into office. Which to date has not been made mentioned of when the Act will be repealed.

We, therefore, urge the President to immediately put in measures to reverse the worrying trend in the conduct of some of his senior leaders and investigating wings.

Our expectation is for the President to be decisive and deliver on his promises to bring forth professionalism, integrity, and good governance in the running of the country.

The recent arrests of media personnel such as KBN will be a worrying trend if allowed to be perpetuated. Our call is for the Government is to allow freedoms of expression and association to prevail and relevant checks and balances advanced for the advancement of Zambia’s growing democracy.

ISSUED BY:
Linda Kasonde
Executive Director, Chapter One Foundation.
Signed for and on behalf of the following CSOs:
ActionAid Zambia
Alliance For Community Action Zambia
Transparency International Zambia
GEARS Initiative Zambia
Zambia Council For Social Development – ZCSD
Peoples’ Action for Accountability and Good Governance in Zambia
Bloggers of Zambia

SCORECARD TO DATE: HH AND HIS NEW DAWN ADMINISTRATION

By Sean Tembo – PeP President

Good morning fellow citizens. Here is the scorecard for HH and his new dawn administration so far:

1. Promise of no national borrowing: failed to keep promise as he has applied to borrow $1.6 billion from the IMF over 3 years.

2. Promise to sell presidential jet: failed to keep promise as he has kept the jet up to now and has even stopped talking about it.

3. Promise to end cadrerism and political violence: not kept as UPND leaders such as Gilbert Liswaniso are blatantly telling their cadres to engage in political violence with no action from the police. End result being the attack of civil servants such as Beauty Namukoko in Kasama.

4. Promise to cut on foreign trips: has failed to keep promise as he is always traveling and only comes to visit in Zambia. He now even travels to launch a friend’s book on taxpayers expense.

5. Promise to re-introduce meal allowances for students: has failed to keep the promise as students are still without meal allowances.

6. Promise to pay farmers on time for maize supplied to FRA: has failed to keep the promise as farmers are still waiting for payment for maize supplied last year. Most banks say they have not received the money, despite the treasury announcing that they released the last batch of the money about two weeks ago. Did the treasury really release the money or it was just a story?

7. Promise to allow the media to operate freely: has failed to keep promise as he has already started arresting journalists such as KBN television station manager; Petty Chanda, for doing her job of informing the people on matters of public interest.

8. Promise to bring integrity to office of President: not kept as he is already embroiled in a scandal where his Political Advisor Levy Ngoma is heard telling PS Akafumba that HH and Nalumango sent him to see to it that Harry Kalaba’s DP does not file a candidate in the Kabwata Parliamentary by-election. The President has to date not denied his involvement in this scandal.

9. Promise not to harass the opposition: promise not kept as he has already started sending the police to harass political leaders for the political statements that they make, as in the case of Sean Tembo. It appears that the new dawn lack intellectual capacity in their camp, necessary to challenge the political statements issued by the opposition hence resorting to use of the police to try and silence the opposition altogether.

10. Promise to reduce the cost of living: not kept as the cost of living has skyrocketed instead.

Total Score = 0/10

NB: no one forced HH to make the above promises. He made them out of his own volition and we the people of Zambia have a right to remind him about his promises.

/// END

SET 27.01.2022

By Prince Bill M. Kaping’a Political/Social Analyst

During a recent courtesy call on him by Infrastructure Minister, Hon. Charles Milupi, the Paramount chief of the Bemba speaking people in Northern Province, revealed that he was once a beneficiary of Hakainde Hichilema’s generosity.

“Myself, I will work with government of the day. Mr. Hichilema had put me on a payroll when I had issues with government. I was on payroll by Mr. Hichilema, I still have the fridge that he gave me,” Chief Chitimukulu is quoted as having said this during the meeting.

The Mast newspaper wasted no time writing a damning and scathing editorial on this, aptly titled, “Chitimukulu is living in shame” in its Tuesday’s edition.

It states thus in part; one who has never known the Chitimukulu Mwinelubemba Henry Kanyanta Manga Sosala would think he means what he says what he says today. Unfortunately, he is a shameless opportunist who has an art to worm his way with politicians without regret.

The editorial goes on to disclose that Chitimukulu traversed this country promoting PF and Edgar’s interests without shame and that his messages were then and are now full of tribal connotations; and he seems to be very happy about it.

It boggles one’s mind that despite Chitimukulu’s seemingly corrosive hatred for this Tonga man who now occupies State House; he was once a beneficiary of a salary and other expensive gifts from him when Sata’s government expunged his name from payroll. And yet we never heard Hichilema bragging about this rare act of philanthropy on his part. This simply tells you Hichilema is hewn from unique clothing……he is a compassionate man willing to extend assistance to those less fortunate than him without necessarily having to scale mountains to let the whole world know!

With due respect, the editorial in question has exposed Chitimukulu for who he is; an ungrateful and resentful old man…..a party cadre!

Isn’t it embarrassing that despite traversing various parts of the country canvassing votes for Lungu and the PF, the majority of our people, particularly the youth still went ahead and voted otherwise?

Chitimukulu is not the only one; many of our traditional leaders around the country cheapened and disgraced themselves by allowing themselves to be paraded at political rallies in glaring sunlight to endorse PF in exchange for SUVs and 3 pieces of silver!

Our chiefs must be reminded that we are no longer in the Stone Age. For God’s sake, this is the era of social media! Young people have access to information right on their fingertips 24/7 to help them make informed decisions. This is more the reason why despite our chiefs attempting to “brainwash” them into voting for Lungu and the PF, they still defied the directive and voted with their conscious. Wasn’t the turn out of the youth amazing…….that it even attracted the attention of the US President?

By now, our chiefs ought to appreciate our democracy, and very importantly, diversity in their chiefdoms – whether they like it or not, their chiefdoms are likely to constitute individuals belonging to a wider political spectrum – UNIP, FDD, DP, PEP, PAC you name it. And to expect these subjects to blindly follow a chief into supporting a particular political establishment simply because they do is naivety of the worst kind!

We should perhaps start urging our chiefs to start learning from the Queen of England. Etiquette demands that the Queen must remain strictly neutral with respect to political matters. By convention, the Queen does not vote or stand for elections. However, Her Majesty does have important ceremonial and formal roles in relation to the government of the UK including appointing the Prime Minister, once of course, the voting has already been done.

Our chiefs must understand that once they engage themselves in politics, they start exposing themselves to the firing range. They are therefore better off refraining themselves from politics so that whomever is ushered in as President or MP must be at peace calling on them for ‘blessings’ without harbouring any mixed feelings. Don’t say you weren’t warned.

By Daily Star Reporter

Even if President Hakainde won on the 12th August and just sat in State House drinking tea for six months, it would still be better than it was before, Dr Nevers Mumba says.

Dr Mumba applauded the UPND for saving the country adding that Zambia was headed for destruction under PF.

He said the Head of State didn’t have to make a speech, “he doesn’t have to go anywhere, he doesn’t even have to change anything, he just sits there for six months, Zambia would still be better than it was the last 20 years.”

“The reason I am saying this is because we are the victims of the brutality of the former regime. We went to jail together. While our colleague President was going to jail in Kabwe, was going to jail everywhere, I was also going to jail in other places because we were fighting so that we can have a country that is free for our citizens.”

The MMD president said there is no economic or political reason to vote for PF.

Speaking when he addressed the media yesterday, Dr Mumba said PF cannot be voted for by anybody who loves Zambia around this time.

The opposition leader said the punishment that Zambians gave the PF is still intact.

He said voting for the PF in the forthcoming Kabwata Parliamentary by-election would be a waste.

Dr Mumba recalled the time he was victimised by the PF regime in the past 10 years.

“Don’t remove that punishment. The sentence is not five months for PF, the sentence eternal. The sentence for PF is life imprisonment. They can sing all they want, they can insult all they want, they can be arrogant as they want but its over, as long as this new generation of Zambians exist. The type of politics our colleagues teach shall never be, will never be accepted anywhere ever again by the Zambian people. So there is no need to go to the booth and vote for PF, it’s a wasted vote….because Zambians have had the experience with them,” he said.

“MMD as I speak, our experience with the PF was brutal. We were having meetings in the bush, frightened of Mr Lungu’s policemen. Now police camps are full of tear gas because no one is using tear gas now. There is no need for tear gas. We were being tear gassed in Lundazi and UPND just by crossing the President on the road, somebody…its treason to prison. We are free from this.”

He argued that the sentiments made by PF officials that the Head of State fighting them are not true.

Dr Mumba said PF destroyed itself.

“We thank UPND for the resilience, nothing comes easy. You paid the price, many lives were lost, and Anderson Mazoka never lived enough to see this day but the day has come because God is a faithful God. Our colleagues the PF, we heard them yesterday and I want to say this, complaining that the UPND and President is a bad man and a bad party, he is fighting against PF, trying to destroy PF. PF destroyed itself. UPND can’t destroy PF,” he said.

“PF nibalya batila babapelo muti kuli ba doctor instead ukunwa umutu banwa poison. You can not blame the doctor, you put the poison yourself in your mouth. UPND is not the one that is troubling you, PF youre the problem. PF you have to blame yourself they are asking us about vehicles, they are persecuting us….Ba PF mulekwatako insoni. Don’t think you are the ones God loves more than the MMD. What you did to us after winning in 2011, we used to run like chickens. You got all the vehicles belonging to MMD, even the bicycles, t-shirts…..you burnt them, even the sweets you got them.”

The opposition leader said the institutions of government had the responsibility to ask politicians questions.

He advised members of the PF to give the officers answers to the questions being asked with regards to campaign motor vehicles.

Dr Mumba said going to police with the mentality that they were in government will not help them because no one cares.

“That is why am telling you that mulekwatako insoni. The institutions of government have the responsibility to ask questions and my advice to our friends is that when they ask you questions answer the questions. Going there with the mentality that you were in government nobody cares, you are no longer in government,” he said.

“Ubuteko nauchinja……even those who used to salute you, right now he is your boss. When he says chosani nsapato, chosa nsapato…..dont be arrogant. Let the law take its course. We will do the reconciliation in the future after the criminals are put behind bars. I was a vice president before but I am not vice president now. So when they arrested me ba PF and took me to court, and took me to jail…three policemen came to arrest me, they were crying then I asked them nishi ulelila iwe ati when you were vice president who was always with you. I don’t like whats happening to you but batituma chabe.”

He advised the UPND that they had to be humble and allow the law to take its course.

“You have to be humble so that the law can take its course. Bantwala ku Woodlands Police Cells, namafi mulya mwine mu cell, former vice president, I didn’t stand there and say don’t touch me am former vice president. Bambi tamwalipo naba vice president, mwalifye ba minister, mwalifye ba DC,” he said.

Pilato’s False Assertions, A Response

By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba

I am not in the habit of responding or rebutting stories about what people say or opinions they offer about me.

But I have found it prudent to respond to Chama Fumba who goes by the artist stage name; Pilato.

In his widely circulated article; “Don’t be like Mwamba, defend ideas”, he has stated that I have changed my position about freedom of expression and the law on criminal defamation of the President.

He also states that “young people should not be like Emmanuel Mwamba by defending personalities but defend principle.”

Because of the social-media traction his article has gained, and the numerous false assertions he puts about me, I thought I could give a measured response.

I guess Pilato is speaking on the matter because I handled his case when he fled to South Africa in January 2018 and declared a self-imposed exile.

In his public and media statements issued, he stated that his life was in danger back home in Zambia as he had received threats because of his song;
“Koswe Mu mponto”.

Amnesty International South Africa issued a statement stating that it had taken interest in the matter and was handling Pilato’s case.

When I learnt of this and in my capacity as Zambia’s High Commissioner accredited to South Africa, I promptly invited Pilato and Amnesty International to my office for a meeting to resolve this clear misunderstanding.

MEETING WITH AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

Although Pilato refused to meet me and issued a derogatory statement against me questioning my integrity and calling me names, I refused to respond to it and focused on resolving this misunderstanding.

Amnesty International officials came to the office following my invitation.

In our discussion, there was mutual agreement that the threats against Pilato were not from the state or state or government officials.

This is important in international relations and standards defining the fate of such cases.

Further, although there were voice notes and videos issued by some party cadres against Pilato annoyed about the song, “Koswe Mumponto”, there was no evidence of threats from the Patriotic Front party, save from a low ranking official without any authority from Kabwe.

Infact, if South Africa granted asylum based on Pilato’s assertions, it would have been a very rare case as Zambia is highly ranked as a democratic and open society government in the world.

MEDIA ENGAGEMENT

When this process was completed I appeared on various media platforms defending the democratic and historical credentials of Zambia assaulted by Pilato.

I also put it to Pilato that his claims were not founded and his disparaging remarks issued abroad about the Edgar Lungu government were mere politics he was engaged in as an artist and activist.

I reminded the audiences that Pilato had previously issued songs with stronger lyrics than the ‘Koswe Mu Mponto’ which could not be a basis for his seeking exile.

In 2015, Pilato issued “Alungu Anabwela“, a remake or parody of the famous Pitchen Kazembe’s “Aphiri anabwela”.

I also encouraged Pilato to go home as no one would harm him and urged him to appear in court where he had an outstanding case.

Plato and others were later acquitted of this case.

I later reached out to Pilato and he was gracious enough to meet me privately.

We had a meal and I gave him a ride in my car and dropped him at the place he was going to.

WHY IS EMMANUEL MWAMBA SPEAKING NOW

First of all, I have joined politics, and the conduct of civil and political affairs will demand that I air my views and express myself freely as frequently as possible.

I noticed that there is a chorus especially from UPND supporters who keep on demanding why I am speaking now and why “I kept quiet during the tyrannical regime of President Edgar Lungu”

Does this mean a loss or lack of integrity or loss of principle on my part?

This matter is rising largely out of ignorance.

Government is a bureaucratic infrastructure with each part, like a spoke in a wheel or like a key in a piano, playing a particular and specific role.

I was an Ambassador playing an assigned international role.

Further, the President has special advisors, Cabinet Ministers and Permanent Secretaries to help him run government.

For example, the mistakes, errors, omissions and commissions being made by this New Dawn government, you will not see any Cabinet Minister, Permanent Secretary or Ambassador criticizing President Hakainde Hichilema in public.

Government bureaucracy and state craft defines and determines how such issues are resolved.

If they are not, Zambian have a final say once in every five years.

PF GOVERNMENT, A TYRANICAL GOVERNMENT?

I also dismiss the characterisation placed on the PF Government as a tyrannical or criminal enterprise, a narrative pushed hard by the UPND.

Zambia is a growing Democracy and will remain so despite attempts by any ruling party to erode that standing.

It is for this reason that an Opposition leader can win elections and actually take power, because of the resilience of democratic institutions such as the Electoral Commission of Zambia( ECZ) and the Judiciary.

What occurred on August 12th 2021 is a demonstration of Democracy where a ruling party loses an election and the Peesident, and state institutions respect the will of the people and ensure that changes take place as expressed through the ballot by the people of Zambia.

If there were misgivings, issues or weaknesses of the PF as a ruling party, voters punished it by voting it out and for the UPND.

CONCLUSION

I have had a rare opportunity to serve in various senior positions and many people will testify that I have served with integrity, commitment, patriotism, diligence, optimism, loyalty and in many cases with distinction.

Once in a while, someone will pass a contrary opinion, I will respect such an opinion. Because it is freedom of expression and the promotion of democracy entails that people hold form or hold their own opinions.

I choose to engage in public discourse without descending into malicious personal attacks.

I choose issues over insults, I rise above the petty to discuss substance.

Thank you.

PEACEFUL DOOR TO DOOR CAMPAIGN EXPERIENCE SPELLS NEW ERA FOR ZAMBIA – DR NEVERS MUMBA

New Hope Movement for Multiparty Democracy President, Dr. Nevers Mumba says his experience in Kabwata during yesterday’s door-to-door campaigns spelled a new era of a peaceful Zambia in which every political party Is able to campaign freely.

President Dr. Nevers Mumba this afternoon joined the Kabwata by-election campaign to support UPND parliamentary candidate Andrew Tayengwa in the forthcoming by-elections slated for February 3rd.

Dr. Mumba in the company of his entire National executive committee addressed the media after a tour of kabwata constituency at Chilenje community Hall where he declared his intention to support Andrew Tayengwa who he referred to, as his son who grew up in his Ministry ‘Zambia shall be saved’.

Dr Mumba in his speech said that today’s gesture was an affirmation that the MMD has resolved to support the UPND during the on-going Kabwata parliamentary by-elections campaigns and its governance.

He appealed to MMD members across Kabwata Constituency to vote for the UPND Parliametary candidate, Andrew Tayengwa for continued peace and development.

“My presence here is a clear indication that the MMD stands in support with the UPND. We are here to push for the aspirations that the people of Zambia carry in their hearts-of integrity, peace, love and unity. For the first time now, we have new politics of love and unity that have been brought by President Hichilema,”

He charged that today’s experience where members of the ruling and opposition political parties could campaign side by side without any reprisals and violent clashes was a clear indication that President Hichilema was committed to creating a conducive peaceful political environment for all political players.

He said it was gratifying that at long last, the people of differing political affiliation and ideologies were able to co-exist in Zambia, adding that the campaign promises by the UPND of an entrenched democracy by President Hichilema were being fulfilled.

“What we experienced this morning while we were talking to the people of Kabwata is a clear sign that the people of Kabwata have already decided to vote for UPND. They indicated to us that this election is already won. Even when the PF were in the area where we were campaigning, no single stone was thrown and no panga was used. No insult was used and blood was spilled.

Therefore, I decided that it would be selfish for Nevers Mumba not to join UPND campaigns in Kabwata,” he said.

Speaking at the same occasion, UPND Kabwata parliamentary candidate Andrew Tayengwa, in the forthcoming Kabwata parliamentary by-elections says he will endeavour to continue with the vision of President Hakainde Hichilema of taking development and resources closer to the people of Kabwata.

Mr Tayengwa, who has deep roots in Kabwata, says he will ensure that the people of Kabwata benefits from the bulk of the K25.7 million CDF allocation in a transparent and accountable manner.

He said he was proud to contest under UPND because his President Hichilema has demonstrated his love for the people and his vision of making life better for the people of Zambia.

And UPND SG, Batuke Imenda thanked the New Hope MMD-for partnering with the ruling party in order to deliver Kabwata to the ruling party.

“I want to thank our political partners from the New Hope MMD for backing us to save Zambia from total collapse. It is the democracy that the MMD brought that has enabled us to stand here freely without any political repression,” he said.

Other members of the MMD that joined the campaign team are two Vice President Reuben Sambo, Winnie Zaloumis vice president administration, Secretary General Elizabeth Chitika, felistus Chulu treasurer, Information chairperson Caphus Mukuka, chairperson for lands Joseph kaunda, national youths chairperson Joshua Mulenga and chairperson elections Malama Sokoni.

A number of senior UPND officials and members as well as from MDC all attended the briefing at Chilenje Community Hall

AFAN CHECK Fact Check – Presidential Trip to South Africa

AFAN CHECK Fact Check upon seeing the statement released by the Socialist Party President Dr. Fred Mmembe and Zambia’s former representative to the African Union and Ethiopia HE Emmanuel Mwamba both statements posted on their official Facebook pages, AFAN CHECK Fact Check took time to look at the statement issued by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hon. Stanley Kakubo – MP to understand the facts.

The check by AFAN CHECK Fact Check also established that the advert for the said book launch by Greg Mills, Director of the Brenthurst Foundation and leading expert on African affairs has been running in the public domain indicating that President Hakainde Hichilema would be one of the Guest Speakers since January 16, 2022 a period spanning 10 days.

FACT:

AFAN CHECK Fact Check has established the following FACTS:

1. The president of the Republic of Zambia Mr. Hakainde Hichilema will have his first meeting with the president of the Republic of South Africa today before proceeding to his speaking engagement
2. The president of the Republic of Zambia Mr. Hakainde Hichilema will be the Guest Speaker at the book launch as announced by the organizers on 16th January, 2022, 10 days ago. His speech will be between 17:30hrs and 18:00hrs at the Johannesburg Holocaust & Genocide Centre, 1 Duncombe Rd, Forest Town, Johannesburg.
3. The president of the Republic of Zambia Mr. Hakainde Hichilema will have the bilateral meeting with the president of the Republic of South Africa tomorrow 27th January, 2022 and return home immediately the meeting is done.

Conclusion:

The fact that the official statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation makes no reference to the president’s speaking engagement which coincided with the two-day working visit to South Africa doesn’t mean the president has concealed the real reasons for the trip to South Africa since it was already public knowledge that the president would be Guest Speaker at the said book launch. The public announcement of him speaking at the same event was done on 16th January, 2022. Having stated that, there was no need for the ministry to reiterate something which was incidental and already in the public domain.

AFAN CHECK Fact Check is an Anti-Fake News program run by Munati Television aimed at protecting members of the public from the adverse effects of Fake News.

POLITICAL AFFILIATION IS NOT A PRELIQUISITE FOR FORMATION OF COOPERATIVES AND ACCESS TO EMPOWERMENT FUNDS – MUBANGA

Minister of Small and Medium enterprise Elias Mubanga says the basic requirement for the formation of cooperatives and access to empowerment is the need for community to solve social, economic, cultural and environmental common challenges.

Speaking during a training session for community capacity building to create and manage cooperatives as social enterprises at Belvedere Lodge in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Mubanga reiterated that his ministry was created to enable Zambians take part in value addition to valuable resources that as now are being exported as raw materials and imported as finished goods and products at the expense of the country and its citizens.

He reiterated that his ministry shall facilitate support and create avenues for social enterprenuers to add value to the abundant natural resources for creating employment, wealth and foster economic growth.

He also called for innovation among emerging and would be entrepreneurs to take up the initiatives to fill up those businesses and works taken in the hands of foreigners through such initiatives.

“No investor will make blocks, rear chicken, petty trading like selling poultry products, salaula, I therefore call on capenters, tailors , bricklayers, welders and other skill based groupings to organize themselves as teams so that they can liverage well on the empowerment initiatives government is offering,” said Mr Mubanga.

The essence of creation of cooperatives is to create a strong crop of individuals who will fill the gap between the haves and the have nots while expanding the private sector.

Speaking at the same function, Event coordinator Actor Mwami Maunga expressed happiness at the great numbers of Lusaka residents interested into becoming enterprenuers as that would lead to ,more Zambians owning businesses.
Mr Mwami Maunga said it is evident that Zambia will have more billionaires in future because of political will shown by the new dawn administration in using natural resources as the source of creating wealth and jobs for the people of Zambia.

Hundreds of Lusaka residents from all walks of life yesterday flocked to attend the training session of capacity building in the formation and management of cooperatives held at Belvedere Lodge.

Similar sessions will be conducted across the nation to educate Zambians on the formation of cooperatives and how to access empowerment funds.

UPND MEDIA TEAM

By Peter Sukwa

CHAPTER One Foundation says Civil Society Organisations have taken the Zambian government to the African Commission for Human Rights over the Constitutional Court’s dismissal of petition on the lack of equal representation, seeking its opinion.

And Chapter One Foundation says lack of diversity in appointments to public office has deteriorated under the UPND government.

Speaking during a joint press briefing by Chapter One Foundation and Young Women in Action in Lusaka yesterday, Chapter One Foundation executive director Linda Kasonde charged that the situation of appointing women, youths and persons with disabilities had deteriorated under the UPND administration.

Kasonde said of the 24 cabinet ministers President Hakainde Hichilema appointed after winning the August general elections, only four were women, while there was no youths and persons with disabilities.

She said of the 10 provincial ministers, only one was a woman and no youths or persons with disabilities.

“Zambia’s Constitution presently requires, in Article 259 (1) (b), that any person empowered to nominate or appoint public officials must ensure that fifty per cent of each gender are nominated or appointed from the total available positions unless it is not practicable to do so. Appointing authorities are also required under Article 259 (1)(c) of the Constitution to ensure equitablerepresentation of youths and persons with disabilities where they qualify,” Kasonde said.

She said the Constitution further empowers the President to appoint Cabinet ministers from within Parliament and to nominate eight members of parliament under Article 69 where the President considers it necessary to enhance the representation of special interests, skills, or gender in the National Assembly.

She disclosed that in 2020, Chapter One Foundation, Young Women in Action and another civil society organisation petitioned the Constitutional Court under cause number 2020/CCZ/0013 over the lack of representation of women, youth, and disabled persons appointed to public office by the previous Patriotic Front government.

She said under former president Edgar Lungu, of the 10 provincial ministers he appointed, none were youth, female, or persons with disabilities.

She said out of the 30 cabinet ministers, only nine were female, with no youth, and no persons with disabilities.

Kasonde said in the petition, the CSOs highlighted the fact that of the 164 members of parliament, only 29 were women while in President Hichilema’s cabinet of thirty positions, only nine were women, without any youth and person with disability.

She said from the eight nominated members of parliament, Lungu only nominated two women, with no youths or persons with disabilities.

Kasonde explained that arising from that, CSOs argued that Lungu in his appointments and nominations failed to uphold his obligation to ensure gender parity and equitable representation of youths and persons with disabilities.

She indicated that on August 18, 2021, the Constitutional Court dismissed the petition.

Kasonde explained that the Constitution Court found that the power of the President to appoint members of cabinet was discretionary.

“The Court was of the view that the petitioners bore the burden of proving that it was practical to appoint an equal number of women and men but had failed to do so,” Kasonde said.

She disclosed that the Constitutional Court was the only Court with jurisdiction to interpret the relevant provisions of the constitution and that its decisions on constitutional matters were not appealable as it was a final court.

Kasonde said the dismissal of the petition meant that the petitioners had exhausted possible remedies in Zambia.

“We believe that following the interpretation of the provisions of Articles 259 by the Constitutional Court, the current position of the Law in Zambia with regard to diversity in appointments to public office is in breach of Zambia’s treaty obligations under the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights and the Maputo Protocol which guarantee non-discrimination and the rights of all persons to participate freely in the governance of their country,” Kasonde said.

She said the CSOs had referred the matter to the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights for their opinion.

She further disclosed that CSOs hoped that the communication to the African Commission would clarify the standards of compliance required by a member state to the aforementioned treaties as regards diversity in representation in public office.

By Julia Malunga,

WE are analyzing the statement that Mr (Gilbert) Liswaniso issued and if we see that it is a matter that we can take before the courts of law and we can secure a conviction, we will go for him, says Inspector General of Police Lemmy Kajoba.

During a press briefing recently, Liswaniso warned that he would “teach a lesson” to those who attacked the Head of State.

“I never depended on the police when in opposition, we depended on our own. You attack Hakainde directly as an individual, we come to you directly as an individual. Just attack the government, attack UPND, attack Hakainde as a President but if you go as an individual, I am telling you, you won’t even walk freely in Lusaka wherever you are going and you stop it! I have said that time of taking people to the police, not now because of defaming no, we will just follow you up and teach you a lesson. When we were in opposition, some of us, I never insulted Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu,” said Liswaniso.

And in an interview, Kajoba said police were analysing Liswaniso’s statement.

“When an individual issues a statement, we don’t jump into arresting someone, we analyse the statement someone has made with regards to the law. Even when (Raphael) Nakacinda had issued all those statements, we did not jump to go and arrest him, no.

We first analysed whether Mr Nakacinda had committed an offense or not. We are analysing the statement that Mr (Gilbert) Liswaniso issued and if we see that it is a matter that we can take before the courts of law and we can secure a conviction, we will go for him,” Kajoba said.

He denied Democratic Party leader Harry Kalaba’s allegations that the service was applying the law selectively.

“The other week, we arrested four UPND members in Kasama. There was that video which was circulating where those youths were warning their leadership, we arrested those three youths, they are in custody right now.

It is unfortunate that they said the police are selective in applying the law. I think we have said time and again that we are going to apply the law fairly and firmly to all. There are a number of UPND officials that are in custody and some of them who are even sent to jail,” said Kajoba.

“Only those people who come in conflict with the law, those are the people we go for, it doesn’t matter who you are, your status in society or the political party you belong to. Our focus is on crime, if you commit a crime, we will come for you.

How many people do we have in the opposition today? There are so many! Are you saying we are just arresting people anyhow? No. We are only attracted by the offenses that are committed by whoever, if you come in conflict with the law, we come for you.”

By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba

The Ministry of Finance and National Planning has announced the release of K198million.

This release is support to ophaned and vulnerable(OVCs) learners going to boarding secondary schools in this first term.

The money is also targeting skills development programmes especially for out-of-school young people.

This funding release translates to K1.26million per constituency for this school term.

This money has been drawn from the 2022 budget allocation to CDF where 20% has been designated to fund educational programmes for bursary support and youth skills development schemes.

The concerns with many Members of Parliament I had privilege to speak to is that the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development has not yet approved submitted lists of CDF Committees.

The CDF Committee approves recommendations from Ward Development Committees’ (WDC).

HOW WARD DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEES ARE FORMED

A Ward Development Committee is formed from zones drawn from polling stations.

The zones elect 3 zone leaders who meet with others elected from other polling stations.

The zone leaders will form the Ward Development Committee and amongst them elect a Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer.

It is this Committee that sits to identify and recommend programs and projects that are sent to the CDF Committee for approval.

HOW ARE CDF COMMITTEES CONSTITUED

According to the CDF Act, the area MP nominates two members of the community and two Councillors.

Two members of faith based organizations, a member from an Non-governmental Organization (NGO), and where there are chiefs, two representatives are nominated by them.

This list is sent to the full council meeting where approval is done.

The Council or Municipality also nominates representatives from from Engineering, planning and social welfare departments.

The Council Secretary or Town Clerk then submits the list to the Minister of Local Government for final approval.

It is this approval that has not been done in many cases.

I have learnt that in some constituencies, both the process of establishing WDC and CDF Committees has not started or is just underway.

Clearly the process faces bottlenecks as schools have already opened and school administrators need this money.

CDF AND FREE EDUCATION

As seen above, the fund targets orphaned and vulnerable children and will not cater for every secondary school learner going to a boarding school as optimistic government and party officials are putting it.

Further the fund has to also cater for programmes supporting youth skills development and training in the Constituencies.

CONCLUSION

Schools have opened and the process to actualize support for free education for all is still facing teething problems as seen above.

Further constituencies differ in population, size age differences and other factors and a more equitable allocation need to be developed so that they are not treated like “one-size-fits-all”.

Clearlt a seamless approach and coordination between the two ministries is required.

Of concern is the bursary support to those seeking tertiary education in colleges and universities.

As at now, MPs are inundated with phone calls by members of the community seeking to access the much needed financial support.

This is an area that appear not to be covered.

What is your view?

POLICE WANT BLOGGER TO DROP THE NAME “EAGLE ONE”

why I shall not bow down to the UPND pressure of using Eagle One instead of Eagle One – Zambia.

Lusaka – 25th January, 2022.

Key Points…

1) Media freedom has been deteriorating around the world over the past decade.

2) In some of the most influential democracies in the world, populist leaders have overseen concerted attempts to throttle the independence of the media sector.

3) While the threats to global media freedom are real and concerning in their own right, their impact on the state of democracy is what makes them truly dangerous.

Fueling A Global Decline…

The stage – managed Lusaka Central Police protest against me over something I did not post is a clear indication that our fight for justice has touched some sensitive nerves. Mr. Hichilema can’t fight corruption. He is fake.

There is Eagle One – Zambia and a fake Eagle One.

On all my controversial posts, I share my contact details. WhatsApp: +260 977 430702 and my email address: editor@eagleonezambia.com
Mr. Hichilema is nothing but a liar who can’t stand people like me. He says one thing while he does the opposite.

I have enough evidence over articles on our page. Let’s go to court over the $50m fertiliser scandal not a fake post which never appeared on our website.

But Zambians must understand that the breakdown of global press freedom is closely related to the broader decline of democracy that Eagle One – Zambia has tracked for the past few years. I was arrested as Editor In Chief at Zambia Reports for telling the truth. What did Mr. Hichilema say? Exactly the opposite of what he is doing today. I stand with the 2.8m who he deceived.

Although the press is not always the first institution to be attacked when a country’s leadership takes an antidemocratic turn, repression of free media is a strong indication that other political rights and civil liberties are in danger.

Assaults on media independence are frequently associated with power grabs by new or incumbent leaders, or with entrenched regimes’ attempts to crush perceived threats to their control.

While populist leaders in democracies seek to secure and build on their gains by taming the press, established autocratic governments continue to tighten the screws on dissenting voices, as any breach in their media dominance threatens to expose official wrongdoing or debunk official narratives.

In Russia in 2018, authorities moved to block the popular messaging application Telegram after the company refused to hand over its encryption keys to security officials.

The government in Cameroon shut down internet service in the restive Anglophone region for most of last year, a heavy-handed reaction to protests and a nascent insurgency stemming from long-standing discrimination against the large Anglophone minority.

In Myanmar, two Reuters journalists were sentenced to seven years in prison after a flawed trial in which the court ignored plain evidence that they had been entrapped to halt their investigation of military atrocities against the Rohingya minority; although they were recently pardoned, they were not exonerated.

The downgrades in various countries can be attributed to a range of legal, political, and economic factors, but some stand out as more concerning and pervasive.

Violence and harassment aimed at particular journalists and media outlets have played some role in 63 percent of the countries with a press freedom score reduction over the past five years.

The 2018 murder of Jamal Khashoggi was the most infamous recent case, but it was hardly unique. Journalists in El Salvador received death threats in 2015 after they uncovered stories of police abuse and extrajudicial killings. A Malian journalist who was outspoken about rampant political corruption was shot in the chest in 2017.

Also that year, a Tanzanian journalist investigating the murders of local officials disappeared, and his fate remains a mystery.

Journalists’ ability to document opposition activities as well as the brutality of the regime response has helped to galvanize international support for democracy movements.

Mr. Hichilema must be told that Mpandashalo Mwewa’s debate on the $50m fertiliser scandal is not limited to his Kamwala South locality. The world is watching. Who thought Hon. Kampyongo would be out of power? Ba Chushi, I am not at your level.
Mpandashalo Evans Mwewa
WhatsApp: +260 977 430702

Minister of Green Economy and Environment Collins Nzovu says the Government will review the allegedly dubious allocation of residential and commercial plots in Chililabombwe’s Kamenza Forest Reserve Number 19.

Mr. Nzovu said the Government may repossess the land in question.

According to Chililabombwe District Commissioner Precious Njekwa close to 3000 hectares of land in the Kamenza Forest Reserve was allocated to among others former miners by the previous Patriotic Front Government.

Flanked by Chililabombwe Mayor Lucky Sichone, Ms. Njekwa told Mr. Nzovu on his tour of Copperbelt Province that land in the forest reserve was given out to potential developers despite opposition from the Forest Department.

She said land encroachments in the forest reserve were disturbing the life of five streams with one of them drying up in recent times.

“Following the massive job losses in the mines on the Copperbelt declaration was made by then President Edgar Lungu to empower ex-miners with land for Agriculture purposes. Kamenza Forest was chosen to be given to our ex-miners. During an extra ordinary council meeting held on 19th April, 2018 the follow following was mentioned: Town Clerk invited forest officers on the Copperbelt to conduct a technical assessment of the potential to de-gazette Kamenza Forest Resource,” Ms. Njekwa said.

“Honourable Minister, I have given you a brief report on that one, what happened is that council wrote to Forest and then also Forest gave a report which they noted that it was not possible to give it out because of the water bodies around it. We went to check and it is true it has five streams and one stream has so far dried up so the main stream is not doing very well because some streams that have dried up are flowing into the Kafue River,” she said in a written statement.

“A brief report is that letters were written by (Forestry Department) but there was no response and the Government then went ahead to give the ex-miners land. So far the issue I have is that some miners benefited about 1000 hectors and also about 1000 hectares were given to the people that had farms already so I think we are talking about almost 3000 hectors given away from the same forest,” Ms . Njekwa concluded.

In his response, Mr. Nzovu said it was unacceptable to give out land in forest reserves and asked the council in Chililabombwe not to allow people to develop in ecological sensitive areas.

“What used to happen before is giving out land for political expediency so there was no thought process to it. People were just coming, giving these forests to the cadres, and giving this forest to the ex-miners because of the desire to win elections. If indeed we have to make a decision for all of us to go a certain way, maybe give out a small portion of land we have to have technical backing, we have to have science behind it,” he said.

“We have to say maybe this small portion; you can’t go out to give away a forest which is so ecological sensitive. So through you my leaders (Mayor and District Commissioner) we also ask, actually the first thing to do is to ensure that there are no more people going there (Forest Reserve), that the encroachment is stopped fourth with because the fact of the matter is that certain places that may have been given out we may have to get them back because we can’t lose rivers. Rivers have started drying up because of human activities, you cut all the forest, headwaters and you cut the water sources.”

“And there are five streams D.C you are correct in everything you said. If these streams are affected it means the main river Kafue will be affected. All the water in the Kafue River comes from this end so we need to work together. Our first reaction basically is that we are still looking at this issue very critically so if there are people still going there they may lose that land, they may lose their investment because there is no legal decision right now to give out that land. That land given to our ex-miners as well, we need to relook at the whole map and say maybe we can give you here not there,” Mr. Nzovu said.

“I know there are commercial people as well, big people who have gone there but we don’t mind if it is ecologically sensitive we will get it back. I am sure your worship, you are in charge of the council. Here people cannot develop without council consent and council cannot authorize developments in a forest so that is where the catch is you find that most of them are illegal structures. People are occupying that land illegally,” he said.

BACK AGAIN ON ARREST OF SEAN TEMBO – PILATO

So I have been informed that actually Mr. Sean Tembo was arrested for a Facebook Post which I happen to not have seen.

But here is the thing, freedom of expression is not only a right to only those with confirmed facts. It is a right even to those without facts. It is the freedom to express their views according to how they see things.

It is a very necessary part of a democracy because it allows for free flow of ideas. If we insist that only those with proved facts should express themselves on national issues then we can wait to see what will happen next.

In the run up to the 12th August elections, the PF ran very vicious campaigns against the UPND, they lied and were very tribal but the Zambian people used that to choose which party and candidate was better.

My point here is if what Mr. Sean Tembo said on his Facebook was a malicious lie…. The same way the people rejected the PF for their insults, lies and tribal campaigns against the UPND that’s the same way they are able to tell lies from facts.

If the police choose to question or arrest anyone who shares their opinions on public matters on the basis that it is not a confirmed fact, I doubt their will be many people speaking especially in a society where access to information is problematic.

I do not agree or support Mr. Tembo’s views on a number of things but I support his right to express his views even the most offensive ones.

The actions by PF were backed by the same law that is being quoted today. When they arrested us, they quoted the law. They insisted that we broke the law just like the reality is today. Apartheid was backed by the law but that didn’t make it right.

Anyway; let’s wait and see how the Zambia Police will slowly organize a formidable opposition movement in this country through these arrests and questioning. You may not be able to see it now but I do.

Very soon, the picture will become clearer to see. Social movements and revolutions are birthed by circumstances, the Zambia police are providing the necessary environment for such.

Time is on the side of history, we can only watch.

ANTHONY BWALYA WRITES….

When the President said he was NOT focused on reelection, this is the sort of stuff he meant: a total focus on fulfilling the core mandate of his ascension to leadership – the mandate to deliver on the basic, yet critical human development requirement EDUCATION.

Yesterday, at the start of the new school term, thousands of our children became beneficiaries of the new administration’s policy on free education. TICK THAT.

Today, you can also TICK and celebrate the release of close to K200m to support the skills development endeavors of our youths, and cushion the boarding school requirements for our children,particularly those from underprivileged homes.

This is part of the enhanced CDF plan.

This is what we meant when we said: A different Zambia is possible.

K198 MILLION FOR SECONDARY BOARDING SCHOOL AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT BURSARIES, RELEASED

The Ministry of Finance and National Planning has today released K198 million towards the First term Secondary Boarding Schools and Skills Development Bursary Scheme. The resources are part of the 20% allocated towards the Secondary Boarding Schools and Skills Development Bursary Scheme from the 2022 Constituency Development Fund.

According to the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, the selection of beneficiaries shall be conducted at community level through Ward Development Committees.

It is the resolve of the Government that savings arising from Governments policy to restructure expenditures through the elimination of subsidies, such as fuel, should steadily benefit our people. We do recognize the critical role that education plays in human capital formation and in economic growth over the long term. This is why we are happy to redirect resources to investing in young people through education. This will ensure job creation and socio-economic transformation and provide equitable and quality education for all. As Government, we will endeavor to promote policies that will address the core barriers and ensure that all the vulnerable learners can easily access education.

The bursary component that is targeted at beneficiaries who are pursuing tertiary education will enable youths from each and every constituency of Zambia to gain skills that are required in national building. The acquired skills will prepare the youths in constituencies to construct classrooms, teachers houses, and clinics. The youths will also be able to manufacture school furniture and undertake plumbing and electrical works etc.

Therefore, using the enhanced allocations of the CDF from K1.6 million to K25.7 million per year for each Constituency, the bursaries for skills training will also empower youths to undertake development works in their areas either as contractors or employees.

It is our hope that bursary administrators will fully embrace the guidelines so that together we can achieve the objectives of the Secondary Boarding Schools and Skills Development Bursary Scheme. Failure to comply with established financial regulations in the management of the scheme will not be tolerated.

We are also optimistic that once the economic reform measures are fully implemented, significant benefits will accrue to the people of Zambia through increased financing of social protection mechanisms. This will further alleviate the suffering of poor and vulnerable households.

(File Copy Signed)

Issued By:

Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane, MP
MINISTER OF FINANCE AND NATIONAL PLANNING

Witchcraft-practicing police officer sends colleagues scampering

THE camp for police officers deployed to man the Kabwata by-election at Edwin Imboela Stadium was in the early hours of yesterday turned into a running track as officers of all shades and ranks scampered in all directions after a constable turned into a giant black bird complete with feathers and beak.

In a report confirmed by police insiders, as the police officers were picking up the AK 47 rifles and tear gas canisters to begin their routine nighttime patrols in search of opposition characters insulting their Commander-In-Chief using Bemba proverbs, one named male Constable whose name has been withheld but operates from Kabwata Police Station in remained in the camp as he was sleeping stiff dead such that even trained slaps and kicks from his colleagues failed to wake him up.

It is testified that after the majority of officers left the camp, the few who had remained to guard the camp where spooked by the noisy landing of a larger than life black bird at the camp on the very place that the sleepy constable had been.

Tired of the beans and cabbage diet, the officers guarding the camp rushed to where the bird was so that they could perhaps pump a bullet or two into it and secure some meat for their diet.

However, to their utter shock and amazement, before they could shoot, the bird started changing into the sleepy constable who they now realized was absent from his sleeping space and had returned from wherever he had disappeared to in form of a bird.

Contrary to training guidelines, the officers threw away their guns and made a run for it as they screamed and wailed in terror jumping over the makeshift camp beds as pieces of cloth and metal which make up for their ranks scattered to the ground.

Passersby who saw the officers flee also joined in the running as they were sure that whatever can scare the men and women from Lilayi would surely make a meal out them.

From Sikanze camp’s Edwin Imboela stadium located near the Lusaka Civic Centre, some officers only stopped running after they had reached the centre of Mtendere, Matero and Chalala as they wanted to put enough distance between themselves and their Juju colleague.

However, a handful of officers that ran out of energy for running any further, gathered some courage and made their way back to the camp only to find the Constable-cum-black bird still standing stiff at the same spot where he had transformed from a bird.

When asked where he had come flying from, the Constable who graduated from Lilayi College in 2019 just continued pointing to the ground without mumbling a word.

By press time, the flying constable had been tossed out of camp awaiting further action for the possible offence of dodging from duty to practice some witchcraft.

There has been no official statement from the police on the matter.

CAPTION: File photo for illustration

Kalemba J

Miles Sampa

WHY KABWATA IS BETTER THAN ZAMBIA

By any measure Kabwata constituency is far better than any of the other 155 constituencies in Zambia. One can wish Kabwata outlook was entire Zambia.

The area now called Chalala and Kamwala south was nothing but a thick bush occasionally utilized for army training camps. About 35 years down the line, the bush is nowhere to be seen. The place is full of medium to mansions houses along tarred roads.

The middle to high earning majority Zambians have built either domestic or business houses. There is also a number of malls and mini hotels. A majority of residents own vehicles, DSTV, Smartphones and collectively enjoy a relatively higher quality of life compared to other constituencies. About 90% of houses in Kabwata have electricity, tap water and flashing toilets. The area are has a lot of police stations and hospitals.

Due to relatively higher disposable income for most residents, Kabwata has entertainment centers at about every corner of a each street (London style).

One can deduce that Kabwata has uniquely developed over time because residents have been meticulous in the way they have choosen their MPs. They have not voted for party names but quality and pedigree of individual candidates.

Some cadidates that have come to them fronting alot of cash have ended up in tears upon counting votes cast to their name. Voters there just don’t like to be patronized as that insults their intelligence.

Rallies are always a flop in the area as residents are either too busy making money to attend or prefer deducing the best candidate they want without listening to rally rhetorics.

As a result, Kabwata has thus far been able to produce arguably the best two MPs in Zambia since Independence. The two are Michael Sata ( MHRIEP) and Given Lubinda who are are only ones to have served over two terms in the Constituency from 1983 to 2001 and 2001 to 2021 respectively.

Incidentally Kabwata resident are always amongst the first to give a ruling party a checkmate by generally positioning themselves with a party in opposition whenever a ruling party takes them for a ride.

In 1991 Sata won under the opposition MMD against the ruling UNIP. In 2001 Lubinda won under the opposition UPND against the ruling MMD. In 2021 Hon Levy Mkandawire (MHSRIEP) won under then opposition UPND against the ruling PF.

What is very clear herein is that Kabwata voters are least fancied by political party names but instead seek for the best individual qualities amongst candidates. On who that person will be by 9pm next Thursday, your guess is as good as mine.

MBS25.01.2022

Edgar’s ‘resignation’ from active politics

IN his letter to a Lusaka resident, Joseph Busenga, dated January 18, 2022, on “Paying of benefits to a former president who is in active politics”, acting Secretary to Cabinet Patrick Kangwa stated that:

“I wish to confirm that the Sixth President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu informed Cabinet Office through a letter dated 28th August, 2021 of his decision to resign as Patriotic Front (PF) President and indeed from active politics. On the basis of his resignation, Cabinet Office preceded to provide the Pension Benefits with effect from that date. According to records held at Cabinet Office, the Sixth President is not in active politics and has resigned from the PF presidency.”

Clearly, Edgar has put Cabinet Office in an awkward position. He is also seriously impacting negatively on the Patriotic Front.

It seems he still wants to eat with both hands – he gets State funds (benefits) at the same time continue with his political manoeuvres. Sixteen days after the purported resignation which he communicated to Cabinet Office, Edgar went ahead to appoint key individuals to the PF.

Only a PF party president had the mandate to appoint individuals to party senior positions. The appointment letters were signed by him as party president. Clearly his letter to Cabinet was deceptive for him get the fringe retirement benefits.

What kind of a person is Edgar? He must that we never want to let go of, people we never want to leave behind. But keep in mind that letting go isn’t the end of the world, it’s the beginning of a new life.”

And Jon Kabat-Zinn said “It’s not a matter of letting go – you would if you could. Instead of ‘Let it go’ we should probably say ‘Let it be’.”

But it is also his own constitutional right, if he so desires, to actually carry on with PF activities until his motivations die down. But he can’t be both a retiree and PF prime driver.

The choice is yours, Sir. You have made several changes to the party leadership since that overwhelming electoral defeat in August 2021. And the party, from that meeting you held at Ndozo Lodge, elected to have its elective conference in June. But Edgar caused the current predicament in the PF.

Had he allowed an elective general conference ahead of the August presidential and general elections, all this confusion would not have been there.

PF gave Edgar a blank cheque to appoint and deploy people he liked to central committee positions. He did it in the very manner he had suggested – wanted – that he would hand over power to himself, of course, after August 12 polls, which opportunity unfortunately eluded him.

And some of those leaders have since resigned. Samuel Mukupa has resigned. Davies Mwila has resigned. So the entire central organ of the party has no elected leader. The PF as it come out clean – without ambiguity – that he has resigned or retired. That he’s no longer an active PF president or crucial godfather. He can’t enjoy both desirable but mutually exclusive alternatives.

An unknown author said, “There are were, is deaf, blind and dumb! Is this what Edgar and the party desires – the death of the mighty boat?

Phil Jackson advises that, “Leadership is not about forcing your will on others. It’s about mastering the art of letting go.”
While David Elliott said, “I welcomed who I was and left behind who I was not.”
And Shannon L. Alder aptly put it in saying,“Forget what hurt you but never forget what it taught you.”

If there’s anything that led to Edgar’s mortifying electoral defeat it is that craving to cling on to power! There’s time for everything!

PILATO REACTS TO EMMANUEL MWAMBA’S CALLS FOR THE REPEAL OF THE THE PUBLIC ORDER ACT

….. Mr. Emmanuel Mwamba is not a unique character, we have many like him and sadly most of them are young people.

By Chama Fumba a.k.a Pilato

I HAVE read the article by Mr. Emmanuel Mwamba calling for the repealing of the PUBLIC ORDER ACT. I am not surprised that he is calling for the repealing of the same Act that he defended.

Am sure he had an epiphany the time he left his job. It is a true observation that no single individual is permanently wrong or permanently right.

It is clear that he defended Public Order Act and the Defamation of the President Act not because he believed that they were good laws but because they could help him secure his job.

He defended the wrong because that was the only way he could keep his job. Now that he doesn’t have that job, he is calling out the same pieces of law that he defended.

This is where we have a problem as a country. Mr. Emmanuel Mwamba is not a unique character, we have many like him and sadly most of them are young people.

They support not the ideals of a democratic society but personalities. To them the people they support can never make mistakes or bad decisions. That’s not possible.

Even the people we love and support will make mistakes in the execution of their duties. We should be brave enough to point out when our heroes go wrong. Our support should be rooted in the ideals and values espoused by those we have given the responsibility to decide on our behalf.

Today, I will still challenge the PUBLIC ORDER ACT and the Defamation of the president Act even if the victims are the PF members. I do not do this to make friends but a better society where laws reflect the quality of our civilization. I support ideas not personalities. My support for anyone is conditional especially politicians.

My appeal to young people is, we have a duty to build a better country. We cannot build a better country by supporting personalities but by supporting and promoting ideas that we believe in. People change, ideas remain.

Mr Mwamba believes now is the time to repeal the Public Order Act because his party members are potential victims to this law.

He is a good man who just loves his comfort so much that he would defend it even when the good of the country is at stake. Don’t be like Mr Emmanuel Mwamba, defend ideas even when it’s not convenient to do so.

Today we have the UPND in power, tomorrow it will be another party, but same Zambia. Let’s do better.
Thank you

TAPPING LEAVES HH BARE, NAKED…

he needs to remove all ‘cobwebs’ PF left in govt institutions – Chifire

By Oliver Chisenga

THE leaked audio of government leaders shows that there is urgent need for President Hakainde Hichilema and his government to clean up government and State institutions, says Gregory Chifire.

Commenting on the a recording of a conversation between home affairs permanent secretary Josephs Akafumba and President Hakainde Hichilema’s political advisor Levy Ngoma, in which the duo discussed issues surrounding the Democratic Party wrangles, Chifire said the act of tapping the phone of the President’s political advisor and that of the man in charge of the police and internal security was practically leaving President HH bare and ‘naked’.

Chifire, the exiled human rights activist, said the laws of Zambia under the cyber security and crimes Act No. 2 of 2021 section 32(2)(a) and (b), do not only criminalise acts of accessing private conversations, but also the disclosure or attempt to disclose to another person, the contents of any intercepted communication or use or attempt to use the contents of any intercepted communication.

He insisted that President Hichilema needed to urgently remove all the ‘cobwebs’ in government institutions left by the PF.

“Forget the discussion in the audio, the laws of Zambia as provide in the cyber security and crimes Act No. 2 of 2021 section 32(2)(a) and (b), do not only criminalise acts of accessing private conversations, but also the disclosure or attempt to disclose to another person, the content of any intercepted communication or use or attempt to use, the contents of any intercepted communication,” Chifire said.

“We have been saying it, the PF have their men rooted in those offices. Please chuck them out now! You can’t have new wine in old bottles. Even after taking a bath, it is advisable to put on clean clothes as wearing the same dirty clothes defeats the purpose of the bath.”

Chifire, the Southern Africa Network Against Corruption (SANAC) director, noted that the PF was arrogant because they still had people in government offices carrying out their “dirty schemes”.

He said there could never be justification for phone tapping anywhere in the world.

Chifire said it was very common under the PF regime to tap phones, especially for members of the opposition, civil society, the Church and all those the regime perceived as their enemies but such should come to an end without hesitation.

“It thus becomes important to immediately uproot the remnants of the PF regime. Individually and collectively, we are entitled to privacy. The PF criminal culture of tapping phones must not be allowed to continue. The PF invested heavily in this diabolical system which needs to be dismantled immediately,” he said.

Chifire said the authorities needed to use the matter at hand to thoroughly investigate and bring to an end “this heinous culture” which was very prominent during the dictatorial regime of the previous order.

PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema will not comment on the alleged audio conversation between his political advisor Levy Ngoma and home affairs permanent secretary Josephs Akafumba until a professional investigation is done to ascertain its authenticity, Presidential Spokesperson and Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relation has said.

Addressing a media briefing at Statehouse yesterday, Mr. Bwalya said that no proper investigations have been carried out to ascertain the authenticity of the people in the audio and that as far as things stand, everything regarding the audio in question is hearsay and that the President will not comment nor act on hearsay.

Yesterday, Patriots for Economic Progress president Sean Tembo said that President Hakainde Hichilema must tender an unconditional apology to Zambians over the leaked audio involving his senior Government officials.

Speaking at a press briefing addressed by various political party leaders in Lusaka, Mr. Tembo said when senior Government officials in a very important ministry of home affairs involving the permanent secretary Joseph Akafumba and State House political advisor Levy Ngoma conspire to prevent a political party from fielding a candidate in an election is a very serious matter.

Mr. Tembo said President Hichilema is personally implicated in leaked audio where Mr. Akufumba and Mr. Ngoma were heard plotting to prevent the Democratic Party from fielding a candidate in the Kabwata parliamentary by-election.

“When a Permanent Secretary in a very important ministry and a Presidential Aide conspire to prevent a political party from fielding a candidate in an election is not a Zambia we know. We challenge President Hichilema to come out and clear himself in this matter because he is personally implicated,” Mr. Tembo said.

He said instead of the Government clarifying the issue it has spent all its energies denying the leaked audio.

“What is missing is clear denial from the people involved. Levy Levy Ngoma, Joseph akafumba, Vice President Mutale Nalumango President Hichilema are all involved. None of the four people have denied the authenticity of the audio. We take it that the audio is authentic,” he said.

“We demand that the President tender unconditional apologize to the Zambian people,” Mr. Tembo said.

Speaking at the same event, Democratic Party president Harry Kalaba said that President Hakainde Hichilema has no appetite to deal with corruption in his administration.

Mr. Kalaba said Zambians were expecting President Hichilema to deal with the fertilizer scandal involving his close associate and husband to Minister of Information and Media Chusi Kasanda.

He said the fight against corruption in the new dawn Government is selective and targeted at ministers and members of parliament in the former ruling PF and that Government is using Law Enforcement Agencies to fix political opponents.

“The fight against corruption is one-sided. Law Enforcement Agencies are heavy-handed when serving personal interests and causing damage to private property. The fight against corruption is vengeful against persons in the opposition,” Mr. Kalaba said.

“UPND is using state institutions to fix political opponents and they are holding a vendetta emanating from the time they were in opposition heavy-handed. This is time to fix problems and improve the living conditions of Zambians. UPND has no appetite to fix corruption in their own regime. The fertilizer scandal is a case in point,” Mr. Kalaba said.

And Mr. Kalaba said Police Inspector General Remmy Kajoba is extremely lenient on UPND cadres and harsh on the opposition.

“Selective justice is on the rise under the UPND. They arrested Nakachinda for proposing violence while campaigning in Kabwata and left Gilbert Liswaniso the UPND national youth chairman for threatening violence,” Mr. Kalaba said.

People Alliance for Change PAC president Andyford Banda charged that President Hakainde Hichilema should discipline Gilbert Liswaniso, the UPND national youth chairman for threatening violence.

Mr. Banda said Zambians should not allow the UPND to turn into a monster and that the issue of violence should not be ignored adding that the Inspector General of police Remmy Kajoba should step down if he has failed to contain violence.

Mr. Banda further said that the UPND is trying to undermine the opposition in the country and that the issue of cadrelism which the UPND campaigned against is still rife under their administration.

“Zambians voted for change and didn’t want to see cadres. UPND is perpetuating cadrelism. Opponents are being attacked in Kabwata. Six months of UPND in Government and we are still talking about cadres and it will soon be a full-blown crisis,” Mr. Banda said.

“We can not afford to ignore these things. UPND is complacent hence saying there is no opposition,” he said.

By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba

In 2018, the UK government froze aid funding to Zambia, after government admitted that $4.3m (£3.3m) meant for poor families had gone missing.

The affected sectors included education, health and nutrition sectors including community development.

Ireland, Finland and Sweden followed suit and also suspended their aid.

The theft occurred to social cash transfer funds and the funds supporting Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) and special programmes in science and mathematics.

Following a Forensic Audit by the Auditor General Office, the Ministry of Education suspended seventy one (71) members of staff pending disciplinary hearings and dismissals, over allegations of their involvement in fraud and theft of donor funded money

A Minister was fired and prosecuted while other heads of departments including the Permanent Secretary at Education were suspended or fired.

Now Ministry of Education and the Civil Service Commission have submitted a list to the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) seeking clearance that the suspected thieves found wanting by the Auditor General’s Office are immediately reinstated and if possible turned into witnesses.

They claim there were harassed or expelled as a case of victimization.

Clearly the process to reinstate those that could have been genuinely been affected is being abused as it lacks transparency and objectivity.

We saw a case of someone that was dismissed at ZESCO in 2013 (before Edgar Lungu’s government) reinstated and given a senior position.

COMMITTEE TO SIT FOR 60 DAYS

Separately but connected to this, a committee is currently sitting at Sandy’s Creation for the next 60 days to hear cases of those seeking to be reinstated because they were allegedly dismissed on allegations of ethnic or other form of victimisation.

Of concern is that such work can be done at board rooms at government offices or government facilities such as Government complex or Mulungushi International Conference than hiring very expensive private conference and lodging facilities.

What happened to the pronouncement on “No Workshops” to save costs?

Further what is the work of constitutional service commissions tasked to do such work?

Yet, their work is being done by such committees that have no authority or mandate but drawing huge allowances and incurring huge expenses?

Bishop Joseph Kazhila
WHAT MOST OF YOU DIDN’T KNOW- I REFUSED TO TRADE TRUTH FOR FREEDOM.
During my detention a meeting was called, chaired by the then deputy IG of police ( a man I still hold in high esteem after that meeting). Present were the then Copperbelt police Chief and other other senior cops with some senior clergy from Copperbelt and one from our Church.

The Chairperson described how serious the offense was at law and if taken to court I will be jailed.
To save me from going to jail an offer was put to me, that I should go with them to the same Radio station for a live program the next day and apologize to the public that what ever I said earlier were lies and that I should publicly ask for forgiveness from the State and the people.

All clergy in attendance applauded and thanked the police for such kindness and that offer.
I asked the chair to tell me exactly what my offense was according to our constitution and the common law so that even as I apologize my conscience would be clear.

The then Copperbelt police chief interjected with serious threats and she demeaned so much and that dampened my spirit.
The meeting ended and I was taken back to the cells, a very sad man.
When I slept an angel of the LORD appeared to me twice in a dream encouraging me to be strong and that God was with me in it all. “Hold on to the truth”, he told me.

The next day I refused to go and lie for temporal freedom opting to be jailed if that was God’s will for me.
That is how the cops started looking for a case to charge and arrest me for.
Several cases, including treason, were cited but finally they settled for seditious intentions, which they believed was easier to secure a conviction and so they took me to court.

In it all I was not only ready to be jailed but also to die for holding on to truth.
Some of my fellow clergy who attended that meeting weren’t happy of my stance so using their Church mother bodies ( I also belonged to) issued a joint public media communique to denounce me for not cooperating with the State.
I was then taken to court who released me on bail, as local police under instructions from above denied me bond. For over 5 months we went to and from court several times but the state wasn’t ready at each sitting till an able magistrate threatened to throw out the case admonishing them why they arrest and charge people before investigating.
Then on 19th June 2020 the State withdrew the case.

May I thank you all who stood with me and my family in various ways during our hour of trial. Some of you sacrificed so much, including your reputations and resources, just for me. The support of tens of thousands of you within and without Zambia overehelmingly ministered to me so much. I was given 5 lawyers fully paid for. GOD YOU ARE TOO GOOD. THANK YOU LORD FOR

YOUR MERCIES.
What else would I say.
Indeed in whatever we may be going through God never leaves us even unto death.
I hold no grudge against anyone who was involved in persecuting me.
In short I forgave all, yet I shall continue to remember and tell my testimony of God’s goodness all the time as this may just encourage someone.
I don’t know what you may be going through but what I know our God is able and is with you in it all. That is all you need. He is more than enough for us. SHALOM

PURSUE FIC CASES , TIZ URGES CHIRWA

……we expect DEC to prosecute them.

By Fanny Kalonda

TRANSPARENCY International Zambia (TI-Z) says the appointment of Mary Chirwa as Drug Enforcement Commission director general is a positive move that will contribute to the fight against corruption.

In an interview, TI-Z executive director Maurice Nyambe expressed happiness that given her background at the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), Chirwa would deliver in the fight against corruption.

“Our expectation is that all those cases that they forwarded, [from FIC], to the Drug Enforcement Commission that have not been acted upon, we expect that those cases will be prosecuted,” Nyambe said.

On Monday, President Hakainde Hichilema swore in Chirwa as DEC director general.

“We are pleased generally with the appointment of Mary Chirwa as Director General for the Drug Enforcement Commission. I think for us this is a positive development,” he told The Mast.

“Whilst she was serving at the Financial Intelligence Centre in the same capacity, Ms Chirwa distinguished herself as somebody who remained very professional and upheld integrity and professionalism in the way that FIC conducted their affairs.”

Nyambe said unlike her mandate at the FIC that is restricted when it comes to prosecution as it makes referrals, at DEC she would be able to prosecute all cases presented to the Commission.

He expressed confidence that all crimes committed would be followed up and that justice would prevail.

“The Drug Enforcement Commission on the other hand can prosecute and so we believe that even many of the cases that were forwarded to the Drug Enforcement Commission by Financial Intelligence Centre will be followed up. We are confident that all that will be done now that she has the ability to pursue those cases to their logical conclusion in terms of prosecution and things of that nature,” said Nyambe.

“Our expectation is that all those cases that they forwarded to the Drug Enforcement Commission that have not been acted upon, we expect that those cases will be prosecuted. And we will see those people that have been mentioned in those cases having their day in court. Generally speaking, we think that this is a positive appointment that will contribute to the fight against corruption.”

By Julia Malunga and Dorothy Chaponda,

SEVEN opposition political parties have raised concern over what they term as a breakdown in the rule of law, escalating cost of living and selective justice in the country.

They said this during a joint opposition political party media briefing which was held by the Democratic Party president Harry Kalaba, Patriots for Economic Progress president Sean Tembo, NDC president Saboi Imboela, People’s Alliance for Change president Andyford Banda.

Others were EFF president Kasonde Mwenda, UBZ president Hector Soondo and New Heritage Party president Chishala Kateka.

Speaking at the briefing, Kalaba said there had been selective justice since UPND assumed office.

“There has been selective justice which has been rampant since the coming of the UPND regime. During the past five months, since the ascendance of the UPND to the Republican Presidency of governance, we have noted a significant increase of cases of selective justice.

The Inspector General of Police Mr Lemmy Kajoba is very lenient on UPND members, the supporters and sympathisers of UPND. While at the same time being extremely unruly and very harsh when it comes to non-UPND members, supporters and sympathisers. This is a very regrettable endeavour,” Kalaba said.

“One case in point is the recent arrest of Mr Raphael Nakacinda for allegedly threatening violence while on a campaign trail in Kabwata on a very flimsy statement that he made. Whereas the national youth chairperson Gilbert Liswaniso blatantly threatened violence against anyone who opposes violence and the police decided to look the other way.

For Nakacinda, it was convenient to pounce on him, for Liswaniso, they were in a meeting. This administration has been applying selective justice like in the recent firing of the Western Province deputy permanent secretary Henry Imbuwa for breach of financial regulations.”

He said the fight against corruption appeared to be vengeful.

“After a snap audit, they established he (Imbuwa) had fraudulently signed for a huge allocation of public funds to his advantage. Up to now no criminal charges have been laid against him and yet on the other hand, the former Secretary to the Treasury Mr Fredson Yamba was quickly arrested for the same alleged offense and Yamba is in hot water.

The fight against corruption appears to be vengeful against certain individuals. For instance, the Lusaka businessman and political activist Mr Maxwell Chongo had his bank accounts seized about four months ago by the Drug Enforcement Commission up until now his property and bank account still remain seized and yet he has not been charged with any crime,” said Kalaba.

“We have reasons to believe that the UPND is using state institutions to fix perceived political opponents as well as those against them and they are holding a vendetta emanating from the time that they were in opposition. It is now time to settle scores for them.

This is time to fix problems, not time to begin settling scores. It has also come to our attention that the fight against corruption is only concentrated on these people who left power recently, the former regime and that they appear to have no appetite, the current regime to fight corruption in their own administration.”

And Tembo said the Head of State should come out clearly on a leaked audio that involved Special Assistant to the President for politics Levy Ngoma and Home Affairs and Internal Security Josephs Akafumba.

“We wish to challenge the President to come out clearly on this matter because he is personally implicated. He needs to come out clearly. So far, we have had denials from the spokesperson to the chief government spokesperson but what is missing is a clear and categorical denial of the people involved.

There are four people involved in this particular scandal, that is Mr Levy Ngoma, Mr Josephs Akafumba, the Vice-President Madam Mutale Nalumango and the Republican President. None of these four people have come forward to deny this audio. As of now, we are taking it that the audio is authentic, we wish to demand the Republican President should tender an unconditional apology to the Zambian people,” said Tembo.

Meanwhile, Banda challenged President Hichilema to take action against Liswaniso for inciting violence.

“The UPND are so complacent, hence the reason they are talking about there is no opposition. We would like to challenge President Hakainde Hichilema to take action with his youth chairperson Gilbert Liswaniso regarding the video that has surfaced and clearly indicated that he was going to take the law into his own hands.

We would like to challenge President Hakainde to show us that he means well and he is different from the past by making sure that those indisciplined party cadres are disciplined. After this meeting, we shall send these concerns to State House to ensure that we get a formal response from the President and we demand action,” said Banda.

“If Inspector General Lemmy Kajoba has failed, he must also stand down. He has been given full authority to deal with the issue of political violence. We want to challenge President HH not to be complacent, not to go to sleep thinking that there is no opposition. Thinking that people can do as they wish because there is no opposition.”

And Kateka expressed concern over President Hichilema’s resistance to move to Nkwazi House.

“We have noted with increasing sadness the failure to distinguish by the Republican President between his personal matters and matters of the state. The issue at hand is his refusal to shift to Nkwazi House. The community house is his personal house which is now used to attend to matters of the state. It presents a unique risk of institutionalized corruption and state capture because now meetings that should be held in state institutions are being held in personal houses.

And it ought not to be so. We need to take this very seriously. I am not too sure whether our friends in leadership are aware that the cost of living has gone up drastically over the last five months. This was not what the Zambians were promised nor what they voted for. Higher cost of fuel, mealie- meal prices have gone up,” said Kateka.

“Mr President, can you spend more time in the country and ensure that the lives of the people you are leading are more comfortable. Going to bring in investors is good but however before doing that it’s very important to work on the dynamics at home to provide an enabling environment for both the local investors.”

FREE EDUCATION, OR IS IT?

By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba

Because I recently wrote articles about the introduced free education and analyzed the inadequacies especially related to funding to the schools, the CDF and bursaries, a parent called me.

“They said it’s free education! Why are we being made to pay the K1,000?” he asked surprised by the development.

Schools opened on Monday 24th January 2022 for the first time under the free education banner.

Or is it free?

Primary and Secondary School Education have essentially been free since President Levy Patrick Mwanawasa’s government when tuition fees were abolished.

But examination fees for examination classes were retained to be paid by the learners.

BUT PARENTS WERE PAYING?

If Education has been free since, what and why were learners being made to pay fees?

Yes, because of Government’s irregular funding to schools, Parents Teachers Associations ( PTA) were allowed to prescribe user fees for operations of the school and for capital projects such as water and sanitation, or the construction of perimeter fences.

School administrators, teachers and parents met and made agreed budgets for the year that were submitted to education authorities for purposes of scrutiny, approval and supervision.

GOVERNMENT PUTS A CAP ON PTA FEES

In 2011, the fees that schools could charge were capped but revised regularly.

Just before the implementation of the free education policy, fees were capped at K200 per learner, per term ( K600 per year).

For public secondary boarding schools, learners were levied K1,000 per term ( K3,600 per year including the prescribed K600).

WHAT FEES ARE BEING PAID NOW

Learners going to boarding schools are still required to pay K3,000 per learner, per year.

That is the fee the parent above was complaining about.

However, those deemed and assessed as orphans and vulnerable children will apply for bursary support to the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to fund such payments.

An assessment will be done at constituency level where Ward Development Committees will compile lists to be submitted to CDF Committees for consideration and approval.

FREE EDUCATION INTRODUCED FOR BASIC EDUCATION

Government released K324 million for first term as grants and operational funds to; early childhood, primary and secondary public and grant-aided schools arising from the abolition of user and examination fees.

This was to help aid the implementation of the free education policy in primary and secondary schools.

There are about 1,009 secondary schools and over 8,343 primary schools standing in various categories.

Refer to earlier articles on this.

Government has budgeted for K18.1 billion to the education sector.

This is the lowest budget funding allocated to the sector in 20 years standing at 10.4% of the total budget of K173 billion.

Of this, K1.7 billion has been allocated to the recruitment of 30,000 teachers.

Ministry of Information and Media Director and Spokesperson Thabo Kawana is calling for responsible use of cyberspace platforms such as social media and websites.

Mr. Kawana said the Ministry of Information and Media was concerned that social media is being used to publish false or faked information.

Featuring on ZNBC TV’s Sunday Interview, Mr. Kawana acknowledged that social media abuse creates a very difficult environment for his ministry as it operates.

He said the Ministry of Information and Media is on many occasions kept busy in clarifying false information concerning the Government.

Mr. Kawana said false or fake information has the potential to mislead people into making decisions from a misinformation point of view.

“Social media does create a very difficult environment because half the time the information that you have on social media is fake, false and purely misinformation, simply put misinformation. So you are kept busy trying to look at the gravity of that misinformation. And also ensure that you put the correct information out there because when you allow misinformation to continue or untruths to continue and they are told so many times and posted so many times they become truths in the eyes of the people,” he said.

“Some of them are worth just ignoring. You can tell that even the person reading will know that this is fake. And others require that you respond and put them in the correct position so that the people are not misled. And in the process people may make decisions based on false information,” Mr. Kawana said.

The Ministry of Information and Media Director expressed confidence that there is hope to restore civility on cyberspace and social media in particular.

Mr. Kawana said social media must be used progressively.

“There is hope for civility because if every one of us is responsible and decides to use the cyber space in a responsible manner in a manner that brings progress in a manger that builds instead of destroying. In a manner that fosters development instead of taking the country backwards. The hope is there that we can get somewhere using cyberspace. But if we continue on that trajectory where we want to utilize cyberspace to bring down people’s personalities,” he said.

“There are a whole lot of personal attacks and trying to bring each other down and posting fake information about people all aimed at tearing apart their reputation. I think that that trajectory will not help the country. So the hope is that all of us including the politicians, the civil society and the ordinary citizens we should take it upon ourselves that we use the cyberspace for putting out information in a responsible manner,” Mr. Kawana said.

Mr. Kawana took time to comment on the New Dawn Government’s fight against corruption and the prolonged pending enactment of the Access to Information Law.

Without specifying the period, Mr. Kawana said the Access to Information Bill will be enacted into law under the UPND administration.

“I can tell you and pledge to all the concerned stakeholders that this administration will see the life of this piece of legislation and that is why I have just confirmed to you that last week the ministry has been sitting and looking at the comments that have come from stakeholders. We appreciate its importance and we can assure you that it will see its life within this administration. Currently we are following the roadmap, at an appropriate time the media and the public will be informed that now we are ready and now it is going to Parliament,” he said.

On the UPND Government’s crusade against corruption, Mr. Kawana said the battle was neither political nor tribal.

THERE IS NO LAW THAT COMPELS POLITICAL PARTIES TO DISCLOSE THEIR SOURCE OF FUNDING REECHOES PF

….as Hon KAMBWILI cautions UPND to only do unto others, what they would want done to them on the day of reckoning!

LUSAKA, Monday, January 24, 2022 (SMART EAGLES)

THE Patriotic Front (PF) party has described the harassment and continued summoning of its senior party members by the investigative wings as a scheme by the UPND to try and cripple the PF.

PF Chairperson for Information and Publicity Hon Raphael Nakacinda has said the issue of wanting to investigate the source of funding for the PF by intimidating and wanting to harass the former Secretary General is unfortunate and undemocratic.

MCC Nakacinda was speaking at Chelstone Police Station where Former PF Secretary General Hon Davies Mwila was summoned earlier today in connection to an investigation pertaining to some vehicles used during the campaigns.

He said this is because there is no law that compels political parties to reveal their source of funding or declare were they got their properties.

“To investigate all logistic including transport, by intimidating and wanting to harass our former Secretary General is unfortunate. President Hakainde Hichilema please can you chill and possibly you can be able to act properly, adhering to the rule of law, “ he said.

Hon Nakacinda said government’s intention of wanting to destabilise the opposition was exposed in an audio alleged to be that of Presidential Political Advisor Levy Ngoma and Home Affairs Permanent Secretary Joseph Akafumba

Meanwhile, PF member Hon. Dr. Chishimba Kambwili said the former ruling party is not against the Police investigating anybody but would appreciate if things are done the correct way.

Dr Kambwili said it is surprising that the Police would want to investigate campaign vehicles.

He said political parties both in opposition and ruling receive donations including vehicles from well-wishers.

Dr Kambwili wondered if the Police will investigate every well-wisher who may have also donated a Vehicle to the UPND.

“This that they have started going as far as asking for campaign vehicles will haunt them one day and will destroy democracy. People will be scared of giving the opposition help and then the country will be left with one party in government enjoying those gifts and it will destroy democracy. Please, let’s follow proper corruption, ngabakupela gift Motoka ati corruption aweh,” he said.

Former Mines Minister Hon Richard Musukwa, Hon Raphael Nakacinda, Hon. Dr. Chishimba Kambwili, Antonio Mourinho Mwanza, Alick Tembo, Brian Mununka and Patrick Samwimbila were at the Police Station to offer solidarity to Hon Mwila.